Health

Patients trust their healthcare providers, insurers, and even employers with sensitive medical information. That trust is protected under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA), a federal law that sets the national standards for the privacy and security of protected health information (PHI). But what happens when a healthcare provider, hospital, or […]

The Boston Globe has an interesting article on security at the Comcast Center in Mansfield and the use of alcohol and drugs at concerts at the venue. Two men died at a show there in July. The article suggests that the issues at Comcast reflect a broader cultural problem and that the arena’s security staff […]

WWLP.com reports that Senator Robert Hedlund, a Republican from Hingham, is backing away from his Senate-passed casino amendment that proposes to return Happy Hour to Massachusetts. Instead, he’s suggesting that the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission review its regulations on bars and restaurants and propose revisions. Hedlund said the six-member casino bill conference committee tasked with […]

Women who drink 15 grams or less of alcohol a day (the equivalent of one drink of any alcoholic beverage) at midlife may be healthier when older than women who do not drink at all, who consume more than two drinks a day, or who consume four drinks or more at the one time. A […]

Alcohol-related visits to local emergency rooms spike whenever Boston teams win championships and have parades, but effective public-safety oversight means we don’t experience the same sort of “horrendous” violence that other cities experience when they win, the Boston Public Health Commission reports. The commission says it compiled ER stats from Boston championship runs dating back […]

Two new studies find a drink or two a day may cut disease risk and boost ‘good’ cholesterol. Moderate alcohol consumption may help protect against heart disease, according to two new papers by Canadian researchers. One team at the University of Calgary reviewed 84 studies that examined alcohol consumption and heart disease, and concluded that […]

The Patriot Ledger reports that the Norwell police department has gotten all but two of the liquor license holders in town to agree to participate in its new designated driver program, which it hopes to launch before Thanksgiving. Officer Tim O’Brien, who has spearheaded the effort, told the Ledger that nine of Norwell’s bars and […]

Bloomberg reported this week on a recent UK study showing that those who drink alcohol on more than 10 days a month reduce the risk of rheumatoid arthritis and its painful effects. Non-drinkers were four times more likely to develop rheumatoid arthritis than people who drank alcohol on more than 10 days a month, according […]