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Please check back for details--Michael Moore will be here to chat about his new healthcare blockbuster movie SiCKO and how RNs and other patient advocates can use it to change healthcare in this country. Date and time to be announced! Please check back and join us!
GuaranteedHealthcare.org is a project of the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, and patients and community groups around the country.
The last line here is interesting...is is legal or is it not legal..who has the final say? Many states besides California have the same or similar laws. It's has to be somewhat of a peculiar scenario for physicians. BD
(CBS) LOS ANGELES Los Angeles County has started taking applications for medical marijuana identification cards.
The applications are available from the Department of Public Health and will be processed by state officials. The cards will be issued next month, county officials said.
The county charges $153 for the identification cards, which were to be issued as part the legislation legalizing pot for medical purposes. People eligible for Medi-Cal pay $76.50.The cards will enable holders to get pot from designated dispensaries.
However, under federal law, marijuana is not legal for any purpose.
Source: cbs2.com - Medical Marijuna I.D. Applications Now Being Taken
PONTIAC -- As a first-time mother, Bethany Rudnicki made sure to follow her doctor's orders -- eat healthy, get enough rest and take vitamins -- during her pregnancy.
But the 27-year-old from Waterford Township was still a little nervous this week when she went into St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital in Pontiac for the delivery. She had heard the horror stories about babies switched at birth and infant abductions from hospitals. Her fears were put to rest, however, the moment she held her newborn son, Devin David, and heard a lullaby. Rudnicki knew the soft chime emanating from microchip-embedded ID bracelets she and Devin were wearing meant she was matched up with the right baby.
More hospitals are using the high-tech bracelet system, called Hugs and Kisses, to help deter baby identification mix-ups and ensure baby safety. In addition to St. Joseph Mercy Oakland, William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak is planning to install the system in September, and officials at Macomb County's St. Joseph Healthcare are considering the technology.
The bracelets play a lullaby every time the baby is placed near mom. Also, the microchips -- embedded in a small music box on the plastic band -- are wired to a sophisticated system that locks down the maternity unit's elevators and stairwells if the baby is taken too close to the exits without mom.
The hospital's alarm will sound even if dad, who doesn't get a bracelet, tries to take the baby off the unit, if only for a walk, said Kate Austin, director of Women and Children Services at the Pontiac hospital.
• Physician documents his own case of 'Wiiitis'
• Wiiitis is a sore shoulder from playing too much Wii tennis
• Wiiitis treatment: Take ibuprofen for one week, no playing Wii
• Physician suggests Wii moderation but knows "it's hard to do"BOSTON, Massachusetts (Reuters) -- When Dr. Julio Bonis awoke one Sunday morning with a sore shoulder, he could not figure out what he had done. It felt like a sports injury, but he had been a bit of a couch potato lately.
Bonis, 29, had spent hours playing Nintendo Co.'s new video game in which players simulate real movements. Bonis had been playing simulated tennis.
"The variant in this patient can be labeled more specifically as 'Wiiitis,'" Bonis, a family practice physician, wrote in a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine.
"The treatment consisted of ibuprofen for one week, as well as complete abstinence from playing Wii video games. The patient recovered fully."
Wiiitis -- pronounced "wee-eye-tis" -- is the latest ailment to develop from the video game era, beginning with Space Invaders' wrist in 1981, which was caused by the repeated button mashing required by the popular arcade game.
"What convinced me to send the case report was that a friend of mine, after playing 'Wii Sports' suffered from a similar complaint," Bonis told Reuters in an e-mail. "I have not found other cases in my clinical practice, but it is probably an underdiagnosed condition."
Source: If it's not tennis elbow, it may be 'Wiiitis' - CNN.com
I agree here with some of the comments. Being I am in this business, I see many offices not adequately trained, thus they are still trying to manage a multitude of documents instead of letting the software do this for them. Sometimes old dogs just refuse to learn new tricks as the old saying goes and to not utilize the features in the software and continue to rely on faxing and creating paper files in addition to the electronic records works a real hardship on the support staff as well as the MDs. This brings me back to my favorite subject....TRAINING and getting everyone to buy in with the MDs at the top of the helm as the captains of the ship. By doing both, you actually make it more difficult for all and this is where some of the bad taste for EMRs comes in. Storing a ton of Word documents on a drive is not the answer to going paperless by any means. BD
"The question is, how do we translate these findings from big institutions with lots of resources out to where most of the care is being given," Crosson said. "The technology itself won't enhance the process, but rather the people in the practice working on ways to improve quality have to ask 'how can they use this tool?'"
"Just having electronic medical records is simply not enough," added Dr. John Hsu, a physician scientist in the division of research at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, Calif. "How you integrate it into clinical practice is critical."
Hsu noted that many of the offices had rudimentary electronic systems which are underpowered with limited information-handling abilities. "It is not a question of whether we should use electronic medical records," Hsu said. "It is a question of when and how should we use them."
Source: E-Medical Records No Shortcut to Good Diabetes Care - Yahoo! News
Nice addition to the ER room. Although this hospital spent a lot of money in setting this up, there are other cost effective solutions, such as placing a Tablet PC in a Kiosk. Below is a picture from Tablet Kiosk demonstrating how using a tablet with a touch screen can easily accomplish this. Anyone who has a good understanding of Windows technology knows that multi language is no problem and much of this is already built into the Tablets. This solution could work in an physicians office too, as the tablet can be moved and updated with software very easily. Good to see a hospital taking "baby steps" in adding new technology. Baby steps work and are an improvement to better health care and hospitals who take the lead and work with their physicians will be the winners versus those who choose to remain on paper and don't share the wealth of information with the physicians they need on staff. It amazes me too that more hospitals don't take the opportunity to share this type of information with their physicians, but rather leave them out there more or less fending for themselves. The better the sharing, the better the health care...BD
After Vivian Beachum mistook anti-fungal solution for contact lens drops, her first conversation at Parkland Memorial Hospital's emergency room wasn't with a nurse.
A computer asked her where she hurt.
Instead of standing in line – sometimes for hours – just to explain their symptoms at one of the nation's busiest emergency rooms, Parkland patients now type their woes into a computer at one of three automated check-in kiosks. The idea is to keep sick folks from having to stand while waiting, and to more quickly reach patients who might not look sick but whose illness demands immediate attention.
While similar machines are popping up nationally to check in patients at medical clinics, Parkland officials said they believe they are among the first to have a system in a hospital emergency room. A donation through UT Southwestern Medical School paid for the $50,000 project.
Before the system went in, patients could stand for hours, "like a ride at Six Flags," Mr. Ensminger said. Nurses constantly monitored the condition of people waiting – and pulled from the line people who were in obvious need of immediate help.
At the kiosks, patients type in their name, birth date and gender before being led to myriad ailments from which they choose their chief complaint. Patients can choose English or Spanish.
If the first laundry list of problems doesn't fit – allergic reaction, homicidal thoughts, shortness of breath, and so on – patients can point on the screen to a specific body part that hurts. Certain ailments, combined with information like the person's age, are immediately flagged. Monitors in the nurses' station keep a tally of who is waiting, and blinking dots cue them to people who should be seen right away – like an older person with chest pains, for example.
TabletKiosk can develop custom hardware solutions and kiosk encasements to meet your specific project requirements. By establishing key relationships with worldwide manufacturers, TabletKiosk can provide you with the most powerful, cutting edge hardware solutions at the best prices available to help you accomplish your project goals.
Add a nice wedge reader too. The hardware is here and can run any software that any normal notebook or desktop computer can run. BD
Working closely with a network of strategic partners, TabletKiosk offers a wide range of design and manufacturing services. Tablet Kiosk
Source: Parkland's kiosks speed check-in | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Latest News
The NBA referees are cashing in big time with tablets...if it does so well for sports, think about how managing medical information can work..and does work, just talk to any physician using a tablet for information management. BD
As the Cavaliers and Spurs tip off in the NBA Championships, the last thing on most people’s minds are computers. But behind the scenes, the NBA uses a slew of technology to provide fans and media with accurate real-time statistics and ensure fairness.
At the courtside statisticians’ table, X60 tablets are used to keep track of hundreds shots, fouls and other events during games. As many as three statisticians use X60 touch-screens to quickly enter the details of each play. Referees constantly interact with computers both on and off court. Each time they blow their whistle to start or stop the game clock, a ThinkPad works with the NBA’s Precision Timing System to log the event. Just a few years ago clock starts and stops were controlled manually and it was impossible to tell exactly when a whistle was blown. As basketball fans know, a fraction of a second can change the outcome of a game.
ThinkCentre Workstation in Ref’s Locker Room to the right....
The appearance of a locker room has certainly changed.. BD
Source: ThinkPads Sit Courtside at NBA Finals | notebooks.com
Hat Tip: J K on the Run
As the date gets closer to the release, Michael Moore is also looking for individuals to tell their stories via You Tube. As I looked this evening, I saw 10 videos posted thus far and many responses. Interesting fact is that a couple of the videos are from individuals from other countries giving support. In the comments section, some folks have already either given links or search information on videos they have already posted relative to insurance issues. In the video below, he states he is using You Tube to reach out and gather additional stories and films to take to Congress. I probably feel the same as everyone else too in the fact that I sure hope everyone can rally together and create a solution soon, as it's not getting any better and as complicated as the plans appear today, it is getting very difficult to make that "good" decision, or at least what we want to believe is a "good" decision when it comes to health care and insurance and hopefully it will be there for us in our time of need. BD
The California Senate on Wednesday approved legislation (SB 840) by Sen. Sheila Kuehl (D-Los Angeles) to create a state-run, single-payer health care system, the Los Angeles Times reports (Rau, Los Angeles Times, 6/7).
Kuehl said, "SB 840 offers genuine affordability, because our premiums will be based on income and each of us will pay our share, as would employers."
The bill would rely on funding from:
- Employer contributions;
- Consumer copayments; and
- Premiums based on income.
The measure is intended to decrease costs by reducing administrative spending and using bulk purchases of prescription drugs (Boerger, Mt. Shasta News, 6/7).
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) in 2006 vetoed SB 840 and continues to oppose it (Los Angeles Times, 6/7).
California Senate OKs Move To Single-Payer Health Care System - California Healthline
Health/Medical Writers/Health Editors LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 7, 2007--Building on the historical strengths of the California Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), Health Net of California is launching a plan that combines the affordability and focus on preventive care of the traditional HMO with the innovative tools and health education components of a "consumer-directed" plan.
"Health Net's Optimizer HMO is a consumer-directed plan with no deductible that provides tools to help make better health care decisions and incentives for demonstrating healthy behaviors," said Stephen Lynch, president of Health Net of California. "And because we know that those who make smart health care decisions spend fewer health care dollars, Optimizer HMO can cost significantly less than existing traditional HMOs."The Optimizer HMO comes with a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) allowing employers to provide accounts their employees may use to cover their out-of-pocket medical expenses using a special debit card. Members may easily track their HRA balances and out-of-pocket expenses online.
Health Net's Optimizer HMO is available to employers with more than 51 employees and to labor and trust groups. For more information, business owners and labor and trust organizations may speak with their local Health Net account executive or broker.
Source: Health Net of California Redefines ``Consumer-Directed Health Plans'' - - insurancenewsnet.com
Ambulance software that enables paramedics to record patient details electronically and send them to hospital staff ahead of arrival in A&E is to be rolled out in three English NHS regions.
The paramedic takes the tablet PC into the hospital, completes the tablet record and uploads it to CSC’s data center. A verbal handover and sign off is completed with the A&E nurse who can also access the record via a web browser the department.
The paramedic takes the tablet PC into the hospital, completes the tablet record and uploads it to CSC’s data center. A verbal handover and sign off is completed with the A&E nurse who can also access the record via a web browser the department.
Robert Mason, program manager for the CSC Emergency Care System, who is also a paramedic, told E-Health Insider: “The immediate benefits are the ability to track patient interventions so that they can identify the number and types of interventions that are occurring and the level of intervention.”
Source: Ambulance software to be rolled out in three regions
Hat Tip: GottaBeMobile
Thanks to John Mack for posting this so quickly! A must watch for all. In the last few months this has been a topic of conversation around the water cooler in many offices. Whether you are or are not a fan of Michael Moore, from what I have seen from the clips thus far this movie appears to be the real eye opener to rally the citizens of this country as to what happens behind the scenes. We may not pay much attention until it happens to us or a love one. BD
Part 2 Below
Hat Tip: Pharma Blog - John Mack
*Workshop on the Impact of Pen-Based Technology on Education
Save the Date! WIPTE 2007 will be held on June 11-12, 2007.
WIPTE is open to anyone with an interest in instructional technology. A wide variety of disciplines are embracing Tablet PC's and similar pen-based devices as tools for the radical enhancement of teaching and learning. This conference is intended to leverage this shared passion and to identify best practices in the educational use of pen-based computing so that all educators may benefit from this next generation of technology.Workshop on the Impact of Pen-based Technology in Education / WIPTE (June 11-12, 2007)
For more information on sponsorship opportunities or program content, please contact Ed Evans by e-mail at edevans@purdue.edu or by phone at (765) 496-6496. For information on registration, please contact John Wellman by e-mail at jmw@purdue.edu or by phone at (800) 359-2968 or directly at (765) 494-0243. This program is sponsored by Information Technology at Purdue (ITaP).
Schedule as follows:
http://www.itap.purdue.edu/tlt/conference/wipte/schedule07-day1.cfm
http://www.itap.purdue.edu/tlt/conference/wipte/schedule07-day2.cfm
Hat Tip: GottaBeMobile
Many parents may be planning to hand over lawn mower duty to their children this summer; however, this routine task can be dangerous if proper safety precautions are not taken.
"Lawn mowers can be dangerous if not used properly," said AAOS President Jim Beaty, MD. "It is important to follow a few simple safety tips to prevent injuries from occurring."
The ASRM, AAOS, ASPS and AAP offer the following tips to help prevent lawn mower-related injuries.
-- Children should be at least 12 years old before they operate any lawn mower, and at least 16 years old for a ride-on mower............
More changing of the payment codes and the numbers...BD
Hospital associations are "in a state of outrage" over a Medicare rule proposed by CMS that they say would reduce a scheduled increase in hospital reimbursements by assuming hospitals will "game the new system," the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. The rule -- which is under a comment period until June 12 and would go into effect in October if approved -- would increase the number of diagnosis-related groups from 538 to 745 to more accurately classify hospital care and provide higher reimbursements for treating sicker patients. Medicare reimbursements for hospitals are scheduled to increase an average of 3.3%, or $3.28 billion, this year in accordance with the market-basket rate. However, the CMS rule includes a "behavioral offset" of 2.4%, which the agency says is necessary to compensate for anticipated higher average patient severity scores that will result from the updated DRG system.
American Hospital Association Vice President for Policy Don May said the offset was "back-door budget slashing" and would cost hospitals $2.4 billion.
Source: Hospital Associations Object To Proposed Medicare Rule They Say Would Reduce Scheduled Payment Increase
NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 6 /PRNewswire/ -- HealthLeaders-InterStudy, the leading provider of managed care market intelligence, reports that more than two years after purchasing PacifiCare Health Systems, UnitedHealthcare is making a concerted effort to grow its membership in Washington with its consumer-directed and traditional products. According to the latest Oregon and Washington Health Plan Analysis, the health plan's new products will be available statewide to employers with 50 or more workers, and include PPO and consumer directed health plans.
Something to think about, does your MD have a way of monitoring items for "check up"? A registry item in an EMR will not only help MDs keep on top of monitoring patients for chronic care, but can also help with reports in determining other statistics as far as general demographics information, percentage of diabetic patients, patients receiving selected care with selected medications, etc. Registry modules come in various shapes. sizes and formats and can also be very helpful with researching data for P4P issues that would take a huge amount of time to research by going through high piles of patient charts manually. BD
Special notes in electronic records for her patients with diabetes remind office workers to ask the patients to remove their shoes and socks before they meet with the doctor.
The bare feet are a gentle reminder to Marin to perform a foot examination, an important procedure for diabetics who often suffer from foot ailments that can lead to more serious conditions or even to amputations.
“In a busy day, you're seeing 29 patients,” said Marin, 48, who co-owns Metro Family Physicians Medical Group. “If (a diabetic patient's) shoes are off, you're going to do the exam. If they're not, you will probably delay it until the next visit.” About 80 percent of Marin's diabetic patients now receive foot exams when they visit her office in the Kearny Mesa area of San Diego – more than double the previous rate.
Among other things, the sessions taught Marin how to set up an electronic registry of her 400 diabetic patients to identify them from among her other 3,000 patients.
With the registry, Marin and her staff can periodically print lists of diabetic patients who are due for exams and tests crucial to keeping them healthy and preventing problems, such as blindness and foot infections, that can be brought on by the chronic disease.
“It really helps me manage these patients much, much better,” she said.
The page in pdf format tells the story. Sometimes as a patient we never see the "work behind the scenes" with your physician literally having to "go to bat" for you to work with the payors to submit all the necessary documentation, faxes, medication lists, and so on to help patients get the care they need and not receive a "denied" claim or referral. I see this very frequently in medical offices whereby the time spent with administrative paperwork is horrendous. We do have many "guardian angels" out there working for us behind the scenes to help us, the patients, get the care we need.
The list resembles a "report card that a student would receive at school, and there are no A's in this report and for that matter not even a B+ anywhere, many Cs, Ds and some Fs.
Source: http://www.aafp.org/fpm/20070600/payerreportcard.pdf
Hat Tip: Kevin, MD
Related Story: http://www.aafp.org/fpm/20070600/43arep.html (also from Kevin, MD)
Just one more place for the American consumer to go. Today with all the potential solutions and plans available, it's no wonder the American public is confused. After reading so many pages on the web about who's going to offer the "best deal" or "best coverage" they all seem to run together. This article is just another example of the over deluged choices for medical care. Will we soon need an attorney to help up decide which plan works for us, or what plan we believe will wok for us?
In today's world we have many choices for services, products, etc. in all areas of our lives and healthcare is no different; however, when one is sick and needs care, the only thing that comes to mind here is...why? Is choosing a healthcare provider not much different than rolling the dice at a "craps" table in Las Vegas; and with a little luck some will win and some will lose? We all know the "house" is in the business to make a profit and the same is true today regarding health insurance. Is choosing health care similar to just a roll of the dice at the "craps" table? BD
(PRWEB) June 5, 2007 -- The new plan, called "Amigo Short Term Medical Plan (SM)," offers consumers cost-saving features such as the choice of deductible and co-payment. Consumers also have options when purchasing Amigo Medical. They may purchase through their professional health insurance agent, which allows them a personal contact for answers to questions and additional information. Moreover, if consumers are familiar with insurance and time is of the essence, they may purchase online at www.amigomedical.com.
For those who can't get enough caffeine in their coffee, you can now bath in it and suck on a lollipop all day if needed...where do they come up with this stuff..BD
Some folks like imbibing their caffeine in coffees and sodas and energy drinks. Others like eating it in candies and mints and "magic" brownies. But if you ask us, the most enjoyable way to get caffeine into your system is to rub glowing gel all over your body and let it seep into your pores. And if you just happen to get cleaner in the process, even better!
From the glowin
g-green/yellow Mt. Dew color to the refreshing citrus scent, Shower Shock Body Wash is all about getting you awake and moving. Each normal-sized application gives you about 200mg of caffeine rushing into your blood stream. You'll feel rejuvenated, energized, and you just might tingle a little. And tingling (unless you are being electrocuted by mutant eels) is always fun.
Javapops come in 5 adult flavors, each one a decadent taste of fancy brew. And these suckers aren't for kids, as each one is extra large and loaded with 60mg of caffeine. Please direct your attention to the little wooden stick. That's so you can swizzle your Javapop in some liquid coffee - for even more sweet pep. By now you are probably wondering how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Javapop. Well, whatever you do, don't ask an owl - they cheat.
Source: Major Geeks
RICHMOND, Va. — The Food and Drug Administration is working on a proposed rule to regulate only electronic health records that are transferred directly from the medical device to a database.
Tim Stitely, the FDA’s chief information officer, said June 4 the agency is close to releasing a draft proposed rule in the Federal Register that would outline how the oversight would work.
“As the ability for direct capture evolves, the current direction FDA is heading is the medical record becomes part of the device,” he said after a panel discussion on health information technology at the 27th annual Management of Change conference, sponsored by the Industry Advisory Council and the American Council for Technology. “I don’t think now [EHRs] as defined will be regulated by the FDA. It is not a medical device, food, drug or other thing we regulate.”
Source: Government Health IT News - FDA to propose rule on e-health records
Helping physicians say "I'm sorry" and manage their own liability risk in hopes to keep the pricing of malpractice manageable? BD
SORRY WORKS! AND PHYSHIELD ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP
Disclosure group and new med-mal insurer joining forces to provide apology training to physicians
Chicago, IL……. Sorry Works!, the nation's leading advocacy group for disclosure and apologies after adverse events and medical errors, is joining forces with Physhield, a new medical malpractice insurer for physicians, to work together to provide disclosure training to Physhield's insured physicians and potential insured physicians. The joint announcement was made in connection with both organizations' participation in the "Seeing Your Way Clear To Apology and Disclosure" conference organized by the education arm of The Joint Commission, www.jointcommission.org, the leading agency for the accreditation and certification of the nation's healthcare organizations.
"When it comes to medical liability, nothing is more empowering for physicians than the ability to maintain effective communications with patients and their families following adverse events. Physhield is a forward-thinking insurer, and we want our physician subscribers to develop and use superior communication skills and problem solving techniques so they can resolve many situations without litigation.
http://www.sorryworks.net/
San Diego and six other counties yesterday filed a class-action lawsuit against the federal government, accusing it of underpaying physicians in their regions.
The plaintiffs said the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services unfairly classify San Diego, Santa Cruz, Santa Barbara, Sonoma, Marin, San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties as rural. Urban regions receive higher Medicare payments than rural ones.
SignOnSanDiego.com > News > North County -- County, 6 others sue U.S. over Medicare payments
As part of AMA's campaign, the group released a survey of nearly 9,000 doctors showing that if the payment cut went into effect:
- 60% of doctors would limit the number of new Medicare patients they accept;
- More than two-thirds would defer the purchase of needed information technology in 2008;
- 50% would reduce their staff; and
- 14% would stop treating patients entirely.
NEW YORK (Reuters) May 25 - U.S. health insurer Aetna Inc. said on Thursday it agreed to acquire privately-held Schaller Anderson Inc., a provider of health care management services for Medicaid plans, for about $535 million.
Aetna expects to close the transaction during the third quarter of 2007, and that it will add to earnings during 2008.
Schaller Anderson's subsidiaries provide health plan services in eight states: Arizona, California, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Missouri, New Hampshire and Texas.
The combined Medicaid businesses of Aetna and Schaller Anderson will be based in Phoenix.
Founded in 1986, Schaller Anderson has about 1,800 employees.
Interestingly enough, she is also a member of an HMO and had to wait herself for a procedure. I'm sure more press is coming before the premiere...BD
The California Nurses Association and its national arm plans to host private premiere parties around the country and use the film's release to distribute materials to audience members to support the union's preferred reform models. The group, which opposes Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan, supports the state and national single-payer proposals by state Sen. Sheila Kuehl, D-Santa Monica, and Rep. John Conyers Jr., D-Mich.
In "Sicko," Moore takes on the system through heath care horror stories, such as the tale of an uninsured man who lost two fingers in an accident. Hospital officials told him it would cost $12,000 to reattach his ring finger and $60,000 for his middle finger.
A California nurses' union has recruited "Sicko" filmmaker Michael Moore to try to help convince state lawmakers to pass healthcare reform legislation.
Moore is scheduled to testify June 12 at a legislative hearing in Sacramento, the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee said in a news release Friday. After the hearing, Moore and Physicians for a National Health Program will lead a rally outside the Capitol and then attend a showing of "Sicko" for registered nurses, doctors and invited guests.
Related Story: http://www.postchronicle.com/news/entertainment/article_21284129.shtml
One more scene from the movie...BD
Here's the trailer for the movie via You Tube...I think I'll put this one on my list to see when released...BD
But many others, including those in the medical community, are hoping Moore will help make a difference. "Anything—including a film—that can bring this issue into the public eye is good for the debate," says heart surgeon Dr. William Plested, president of the American Medical Assn. "So, I'm cheering on Michael Moore, even though I haven't seen the film."
It's that kind of notoriety that already has many in the health-care industry readying their responses to Moore's film—even before any of them have seen it. "Where there are issues raised by factual inaccuracies, obviously our member companies and we will point them out," says Mohit Ghose, a spokesman for American's Health Insurance Plans, whose members include Humana (HUM), Cigna (CI), and Aetna (AET). Ghose says his group instead wants to advance "a positive agenda" that will provide universal health care "but also maintain and preserve the affordability of that access and coverage."
Michael Moore Wants to Reform Health Care
Hat Tip and interesting point here: Kevin, MD
Good story about electronic records. When you stop and think about all the time spent "chugging paper and racing to the fax machine", this really makes sense. With the upcoming P4P for Medicare, those not using some type of electronic records with patient registry information are going to have one long paper chase and reporting task in order to supply the data requested by CMS to qualify as it will require chugging all those paper charts around to culminate the data. EMRs are different in nature and there doesn't appear to be one that works for all, but with a little research you can narrow down the chase. As the book says, "Paper Kills". If you want to start with your own simple record keeping, check out what Microsoft One Note has to offer. This can get you started on a budget and be sure to look at the Ablet Factory too. We have a permanent link to the site on the left hand side of this page. BD
"I can also shoot her an e-mail and let her know how things are going," said Kobylik, a Murfreesboro resident who also likes arranging appointments with Hoffman's staff through electronic mail. "I can communicate with them instead of waiting for them to call me back."
Electronic records allow her to see who needs to come in for a Pap smear or blood work. "It's a lot easier to do it on the computer instead of having to go pull out 2,500 charts and go through them one by one," Hoffman said.
The previous written charts could take all day to be tracked down for patients seeking treatment at a hospital from different staff. Doctors now can view a patient's chart within 30 seconds, added Castelli, who works as an obstetrician and gynecologist.
Although some may worry about electronic health-care records remaining private, it's more likely someone could swipe a written chart than break into a secure data bank that requires passwords, Castelli said.
Patients such as Kobylik are convinced electronic health-care records are the best way to communicate with doctors such as Hoffman. "I would rather shoot her an e-mail, and she can shoot me an e-mail back," said Kobylik.
Many of us have said this for years, but now there's a book with the same title "Paper Kills"...BD
WASHINGTON, June 4 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Center for Health Transformation (CHT) is pleased to announce the release of a new book, "Paper Kills: Transforming Health and Healthcare with Information Technology."
Edited by CHT Project Director David Merritt and featuring an introduction by former U.S. House Speaker and CHT Founder Newt Gingrich, "Paper Kills" addresses the most pressing issues in the drive to modernize and improve healthcare through health information technology. "Paper Kills" guides the reader on a tour of the health information technology landscape, covering topics from protecting privacy and advancing research to building health information exchanges and achieving interoperability. Other chapters explore the role of state governments, health plans, and hospitals in implementing health information technology, as well as the potential of health IT to promote the adoption of best practices in ambulatory care and focus on prevention, wellness, and early detection. "Paper Kills" features contributions from the leading minds in healthcare, including Brandon Savage, M.D., of GE Healthcare, Glen Tullman of Allscripts, Scott Serota of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, Richard Umbdenstock of the American Hospital Association, and Mike Heekin, chair of the Governor's Health Information Infrastructure Advisory Board for the state of Florida.
Patients like those tablets too, no more old clipboard and filling out the same information over and over. A tablet can easily be placed in a kiosk in a private area of the office to serve the same purpose, as this way the data is collected and it can help with entering the same redundant information. BD
The old wooden clipboard and pen that patients typically encounter when providing information in a doctor's office may soon be replaced by wireless, handheld notebook-and-pen-style computers called E/Tablets.
Patients in some community cancer clinics have been using E/Tablets for several years, but a new study by Duke University Comprehensive Cancer Center researchers shows that E/Tablets may also be useful in busy, academic medical settings for both for collecting patient history data and conducting clinical research.
"When you go to the doctor's office you're asked to fill out a medical history form each and every time, and some of that information -- like gender and what your grandma died of -- never changes," said Amy Abernethy, M.D., an oncologist and lead investigator on the study. "E/Tablets allow patient information to be stored permanently and confidentially. We also found that patients are satisfied with the tablets, that they furnish comparable data to those collected on paper, and that they may even be more effective in collecting data on sensitive subjects, like sexual satisfaction."
Nearly three-quarters of the patients reported that using the tablets made it easier for them to remember their symptoms.
E/Tablet Technology May Provide Benefits To Patients, Researchers
Very nice they included "training" in the comments, a very vital part today in the success of any new technology and in the past has been back burnered or over looked. BD
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, which will feature the most advanced medical technology in the world and 520 large, private rooms for patients, was officially dedicated today at a ceremony attended by former first lady Nancy Reagan, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, former Gov. Gray Davis, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, UCLA Acting Chancellor Norman Abrams, architect and UCLA Medal recipient C.C. Pei, and other dignitaries. The center is the biggest construction project in the history of the University of California.
It was built with more than 3 million pounds of travertine marble imported from Tivoli, Italy, and will feature the latest technology, including wireless access to reports, lab results, clinical imaging and patient vital signs; audiovisual communications; diagnostics; robotics; imaging systems; and advanced audio and high-resolution video conferencing capabilities.
The new building also features 520 large, private patient rooms, sun-filled views, daybeds to accommodate family members, wireless Internet access, room service with customized meals, outdoor play areas for pediatric patients, gardens and more. In addition, the entire facility is surrounded by green spaces, natural light, high-quality woods, carpeting, fountains and open terraces to inspire and welcome patients, guests and staff.
Thousands of new, state-of-the-art technologies were made to blend seamlessly with clinician expertise, structures were built to create the sense of several smaller hospitals rather than one large one and services were clustered to maximize efficiency.
Over the next nine to 12 months, UCLA's expert transition team will fit up the internal systems, install and test clinical and Internet equipment, and train more than 10,000 UCLA employees to ensure the most seamless hospital move possible.
New Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center unveiled at dedication ... 6/4/2007
SAN FRANCISCO -- After practicing medicine for 25 years, Dr. Jeffrey Duckham almost was ready to hang up his stethoscope.
The high cost of maintaining a solo family practice, coupled with low reimbursement rates from insurers, required the Silicon Valley doctor to maintain a roster of 2,500 patients to stay in business. He couldn't give people the time he thought they deserved -- or that his training taught him they needed, he said.
"Our whole office staff felt it was becoming more and more like a treadmill," said Duckham, 56.
Patients still need insurance or some other way to pay for additional medical expenses like medications, hospital stays and visits to specialists. Taylor, who follows the $1,500-a-year MDVIP model, has about 460 patients on his roster and sees eight to 12 a day, down from the 25 to 35 patients he saw in his old, conventional practice. His overhead consists of his small office in a chic Marin County loft, a receptionist and a physician's assistant.
Concierge doctors say longer appointments give them the time to focus on illness prevention and early detection they never had when they had to deal with HMOs and managed care plans.
Napa Valley Register | Doctors once reserved for rich say fee-based system helps all their patients
This has other dangerous implications down the road with insurance companies and medical records that could be exchanged not showing correct information in both areas. BD
NEW YORK (AP) - Four people billed a health insurance company for 20 brain operations that were never performed on them, sometimes for the same person on multiple occasions, authorities said.
One 36-year-old man from New York City claimed nine brain surgeries for himself, along with his wife and two sons, receiving reimbursements from New York-based Group Health Incorporated totaling $142,268, federal investigators said Friday.
The indictment alleges that the Mount Vernon man, an employee at a medical billing company, altered claims to the insurance company by swapping the names of people who actually underwent brain surgery with two others charged in the scheme.
The fraudulent claims were then sent along with altered postoperative reports to the insurance carrier for reimbursement, the indictment alleges.
Prosecutors: 4 from New York billed insurance company for 20 brain operations
Physician blogging about his court case under an alias revealed in court hearing - One thing about the web is that someone will somehow figure out who you are; not sure how using an alias was helpful here with the court case ongoing at the time. I read a lot of medical blogs and learn from them as well. I think this particular blog, which no longer exists, when referencing the ongoing malpractice trial didn't do too many favors to anyone all the way around. Perhaps some of these elements would have been better left unsaid during litigation on the blog. BD
As Ivy League-educated pediatrician Robert P. Lindeman sat on the stand in Suffolk Superior Court this month, defending himself in a malpractice suit involving the death of a 12-year-old patient, the opposing counsel startled him with a question.
Was Lindeman Flea?
Flea, jurors in the case didn't know, was the screen name for a blogger who had written often and at length about a trial remarkably similar to the one that was going on in the courtroom that day. The consultant told him juries in medical malpractice cases base verdicts almost entirely on their view of a doctor's character.
Over the past year, Lindeman increasingly used it to rail against the malpractice suit.
The exchange may have been lost on jurors, but Meyer said Mulvey had telegraphed that she was ready to share Lindeman's blog -- containing his unvarnished views of lawyers, jurors, and the legal process -- with the jury.
The next day, the case was settled.
Source: Boston Globe
(RTTNews) - Long Beach, California-based REIT Health Care Property Investors, Inc. (HCP) revealed early Monday its definitive deal to buy Slough Estates USA Inc., the U.S.-based life sciences real estate business of Segro plc (SGRO.L), for a total cash consideration of $2.9 billion or GBP 1.5 billion, including the assumption or refinancing of about $1.2 billion of debt. In a separate communiqu?, Segro said that the proposed disposal of Slough Estates is after a highly competitive auction process following its strategic review of the U.S. business, which was announced in November 2006. The Boards of Directors of both companies have unanimously approved the deal, which is expected to close in the third quarter of 2007. The companies also said the transaction is subject to Segro shareholders' approval and other customary conditions.
Health Care Property pointed out that the total consideration is subject to adjustment based on Slough Estates' net assets at closing. In connection with the deal, the company has obtained a financing commitment for a $3 billion bridge loan.
SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As part of its ongoing commitment to bring breakthrough medical advancements to residents of Elk Grove and the greater Sacramento area, Methodist Hospital has become the first hospital in the United States to offer custom fit total knee replacement with OtisKnee(TM). Using OtisKnee, orthopedic surgeons can for the first time precisely match the size and placement of the implant to the patient's unique and normal (non-arthritic) knee anatomy.
The custom fit total knee replacement is achieved in a few steps, before and during surgery. Prior to surgery, an MRI is performed to take very precise measurements of the patient's arthritic knee. Second, proprietary computer software creates a 3-D image of that knee, and then virtually corrects the deformity to return the knee to its pre-arthritic state. Third, a computerized 3-D image of the implant to be used in the patient's surgery is then Shape-Matched(TM) to the anatomically correct virtual knee model. This helps determine the correct implant size and placement, based on the patient's own normal (non-arthritic) knee anatomy. Last, using all of this information, special cutting guides are created for the surgeon to use during the procedure. These patient-specific cutting guides, which are accurate to within a few millimeters, indicate to the surgeon exactly where to make bone cuts so that the knee replacement is customized for the individual patient.
Another non profit turning to "for profit" in California...BD
Paradise Valley Hospital in National City faced imminent closure when California's attorney general approved the $30 million sale of the nonprofit to for-profit Prime Healthcare Services Inc. on Feb. 26.
Facing mounting losses, estimated by Roseville-based parent company Adventist Health at almost $8 million for the preceding three months, the hospital board had approved a binding resolution to shut it if the sale was not completed by March 1.
'Financial hemorrhaging' led to sale - Sacramento Business Journal:
Interesting article on one hospital using a robot for non urgent supplies. There are still a few bugs to work through, but they are expected to pay for themselves quickly. This robot is ready to get in the elevator to make a delivery and the next picture shows the delivery being made. BD
A courier robot on a supply run prepares to enter an elevator at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Allentown. Peter Seiff, an executive with the robot's maker, Aethon, said robots seem slow, but humans stop for talk, a drink, food. His company's studies show the machines get more done in the long run. "It's a classic case of tortoise and hare," he said.
He's quiet, very polite, doesn't care about benefits, needs just one six-hour break a day, won't ever demand a promotion, and will haul stuff through hospital corridors for hours without complaining about leg cramps.
On balance, Holmes said, the robots are a hit. "It really has made a big difference," he said. "In fact, the staff has told me they wouldn't want to do without it."
The hospital's dietary department has budgeted for two of the robots, Holmes said, and the pharmacy is considering one as well.
Mary Kate Scott, a California health-care consultant who specializes in technology, said courier robots were evidence of a relatively new interest among hospitals in becoming more efficient and businesslike. Until now, most medical technology has increased costs, but machines like these robots and computerized check-in kiosks can cut costs. "There is a big shift as hospitals start thinking about themselves differently as a business," she said.
SAN GABRIEL - A local hospital group says it will buy the ailing San Gabriel Valley Medical Center, which has been on the market since September.
AHMC Healthcare Inc. has signed a non-binding exclusive letter of intent with Catholic Healthcare West, which owns the 273-bed facility.
"There is every intent to continue to run the hospital as is," said Dr. Stanley Toy, a spokesman for the group.
Prospect Medical Holdings, Inc. (AMEX: PZZ) ("Prospect"), which manages the medical care of HMO enrollees in Southern California, today announced that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of ProMed Health Care for cash consideration of $41.0 million and shares of Prospect common stock valued at approximately $7.0 million.
Bank of America provided $53.0 million of financing to Prospect for the acquisition, which was comprised of a $48.0 million term loan, with an initial interest rate of prime plus 0.75%, and a $5.0 million revolving credit facility, with an initial interest rate of prime plus 0.25%. The term loan was used to fund the cash portion of the ProMed acquisition and to repay the remaining approximately $7.5 million balance on Prospect's existing credit facility with GMAC Health Capital. As a result of the acquisition, Prospect is now the sixth-largest IPA in the state of California.
New hearin
g instrument connects hands-free to cell phones
Oticon, Inc. today introduced Oticon Epoq, the first hearing instrument designed with wireless connectivity at its core to address the two most common listening challenges for people with hearing loss. A proprietary binaural high speed wireless technology enables a pair of Epoq hearing devices to communicate at data transfer speeds 100 faster than hearing instruments now on the market. This real-time connectivity with voices and other sounds in the immediate listening environment provides accurate, stereophonic auditory information that is in synch with a user's visual experience. The same wireless connectivity also enables easy, hands-free access to the world of electronically transmitted sounds from Bluetooth-enabled cell phones and other popular electronic devices such as MP3 players and computers.
Read More: Oticon
Hat Tip: Engadget SlashPhone
This is an amazing video and took some real time to prepare. Cute and entertaining. BD
I'm not sure how much GSK paid for this YouTube video sponsorship, but 73,000 views is not too shabby. One has to wonder, however, who is viewing this video and what impression it is making.
Source: http://pharmamkting.blogspot.com/2007/06/gsks-youtube-disease-awareness.html
This includes both tests...FDA approved and home page offers advertised availability. BD
A new at-home screening test, called Fertell, lets couples find out if they have fertility problems without stepping into a doctor’s office. The test has his and hers components — a screening test for men that is the first at-home device to measure the concentration of motile sperm, and a test for women that measures a hormone considered a marker of egg quality.
The availability of the two-in-one test helps drive home the message that both men and women can contribute to infertility, experts say.
“It takes two to have a baby, as silly as that sounds,” said Dr. Harry Fisch, director of the Male Reproductive Center at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, who does not have a financial relationship with the maker of the test, Genosis Inc.
The test results could give couples early warning that they should see a doctor, Dr. Fisch said. “Couples often don’t appreciate this,” he said. “So many times the woman goes through all these tests, and the guy doesn’t even have a semen analysis.”
The test for the male requires a semen sample; it assesses the ability of sperm to swim through a solution similar to cervical mucus, as well as the number able to do so, said Dr. Keith B. Isaacson, an associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive biology at Harvard Medical School who is on the board of medical advisers at Genosis. Results are available in 80 minutes.
Source: Men Can Now Have At-Home Fertility Screening - New York Times
Website: http://www.fertell.com/
Hospital EMR systems vary quite a bit from the ones a physician may use in a local office setting. There are more than the hospitals wanting the records though, IPAs, HMOs, insurance companies to name a few. One other item to consider is that some physicians have privileges at more than one hospital as well, so there could be competition from that side of the coin as to which hospital's system would the physician utilize. BD
A recent Internal Revenue Service ruling that allows nonprofit hospitals to donate health care information technology to physicians means that private practices can expect to start hearing from those hospitals, says the American Hospital Assn.
Hospitals had been itching to share their electronic medical record and electronic prescribing systems with physician offices, and now they can do so without losing their tax-exempt status. The Office of Inspector General of the Dept. of Health and Human Services in August 2006 created exemptions from federal, state and anti-kickback regulations for hospitals donating technology to doctors.
Physicians also should be aware that the ruling, because it's new, has left some questions unanswered -- particularly whether they can keep the EMR if they sever ties with the hospital and whether they have to pay taxes on it.
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Math–This Could be a Subject for Michael Moore to Explore and Document In a Movie
Screenings Too–Killer Algorithms Part 12–Medical Billing Codes Style
Assessing Consumer Credit Scores–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 21 With Flawed Data
Duping” Society Combined With A World of Rogue Algorithms & Flawed Data Continues In Markets As Seen With Knight Capital This Week-Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 36
Study Fraud With EHR Technologies, Namely Medical Records/Billing Software Used by Hospitals– HHS And SEC Continue Getting Their Non-Algorithmic Fannies Kicked–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 46
SilverScript Senior Drug Program Sanctioned by Medicare Until the Payment And Billing Algorithms are Cleaned Up-Killer Algorithms Chapter 53
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