| Economic Concerns Drive More Consumers Online, According to Prospectiv Survey
As a threat of recession weighs heavily on the minds of consumers, they're turning to the Web for some relief -- in search of savings on consumer products and tips for managing their lifestyles on a budget, according to a recent survey by Prospectiv. Prospectiv (http://www.prospectiv.com), a provider of online customer acquisition solutions to leading consumer brands, is the owner of the online properties Healthier.com and Eversave.com, and operates a lead generation platform used by publishers across the Web. Economic Fears Force Consumers to Adapt Of those polled, 84 percent said they have changed their shopping habits due to concerns about a possible recession. Rising fuel prices, fears about the real estate market and consumer debt topped consumer's list of concerns. What are consumers doing differently? .
Ready for IHR?
PAHO's Emergency Operations Center will play a key role in regional surveillance under the new International Health Regulations. The center will serve as a clearinghouse for outbreak and hazard communications, with staff on call 24/7 to provide "continuous, proactive epidemic intelligence." (Photo Sonia Mey-Schmidt/PAHO) .
Europe battling €100bn health fraud losses
The head of counter fraud within the NHS has told silicon.com Europe is losing tens of billions of euros each year to criminals but added that high-tech analysis and solutions are helping to turn the tide in favour of organisations such as his. Frauds by employees, patients and suppliers is rife, as is insurance fraud but Jim Gee, CEO of the NHS counter fraud and security management service, believes it is a war he can win in order to start redirecting recovered and prevented losses back into patient care. Gee told silicon.com: "Europe spends 1tr each year on healthcare provision and between three and 10 per cent of that will go astray." That equates to an unimaginable sum of between 30bn and 100bn per year. The only silver lining of such a shocking statistic said Gee is that it provides a starting point from which to begin improving matters.
Council vote doesn't alter General Plan
The 5-2 vote quashed what would have been a landmark revision to the proposed General Plan, a document to govern how far and wide the city grows by 2035. Had the revision been approved, it would have nixed planned homes north of Eight Mile Road from Davis Road to Highway 99, reducing the city's projected population of 569,000 in 2035 by about 36,000 people. The decision cheered builders who said the proposed cutback came too late in the General Plan process, after five years of planning and opportunity for public comment had ended. It deflated activists who sought to block the city's expansion north. "The developers won again," said Byron Roberts, of the latter camp. Earlier this week, the council appeared likely to endorse the measure, a majority speaking favorably of it, at least in concept.
Understrength Hornets crash out of Cup
THERE will be no repeat of last season's run to The FA Cup Semi-Finals for Watford after Aidy Boothroyd's decision to field a weakened team backfired as Wolves progressed into round five with an easy 4-1 victory at Vicarage Road this afternoon (Saturday). Inspired by livewire left-winger Matthew Jarvis, the visitors got off to a flying start thanks to Andy Keogh's fifth-minute lob. Second-half goals from Stephen Elliott and Jay Bothroyd - both the result of some shocking defending from the home side - then put the visitors on easy street before John-Joe O'Toole netted a consolation. However, any hopes of what looked to be an unlikely comeback anyway were killed off in the last minute when Keogh netted his second to make it just one win, and six losses, for the Hornets in their last ten outings at Vicarage Road.
Nurses to take over from GPs on home visits
But Dr Robbie Robertson, secretary of the Scotland Patients Association, said he had serious reservations. He said: "There will be times when nurses have to do things that only a doctor is trained to do in emergencies. I think the nurses would need to be highly experienced, because they are going to be on their own in someone's house and, unless they have had some sort of paramedic training, it could be a very dangerous situation. "There is an element of risk, as there may be times when the problem is complex, such as abdominal pain, when they will really have to know what they are doing. Something like appendicitis can be missed quite easily. I can understand where the nurses are coming from in wanting to do this, but are they experienced enough? That is my concern." Last week's Audit Scotland report warned of a crisis in the out-of-hours healthcare system because of the shortage of GPs working at night and at weekends.
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