Our Joint Commission Report

Hospital CEO Paul Levy makes Joint Commission Report available to all and posts his comments on his blog.  One area of interest is the non use of technology by physicians and the commission recommended that MD participation and usage of the program be mandatory and the hospital agreed to enforce and bring the rest in to the fold.  Good reading and interesting story on how well the hospital did with an unannounced visit from the Joint Commission.  BD

Dear BIDMC,
As many of you know, we recently had a visit from the Joint Commission, the organization that accredits all of the hospitals in America. The surveyors from the Joint Commission spent several days here in intense review of our physical facilities, our information systems, and -- most importantly -- our actual delivery of care to patients. As is the current practice, this was an unannounced visit, with the surveyors showing up on a Monday morning with just a few hours notice. The people who came were excellent, thoughtful, and comprehensive. As I will discuss below, they found some things that needed improvement, but they also had many compliments for the hospital in general and for many, many of you in particular. They were struck by how many of you came up to them to explain what you were doing and to demonstrate our clinical approaches and advances.

I want you to have the advantage of their work product, so I have posted it on our website. Please read it. Here's the link: http://www.bidmc.harvard.edu/JC07_report. As far as I know, this is the first time that a hospital has made its Joint Commission report available to the entire staff and to the world at large.

Running a hospital: Our Joint Commission Report

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Microsoft Fanboys Do Stupid Things Too

Just couldn't pass this one up....BD

There has been much ado in the last week about how incredibly stupid Apple fanboys are. Eat some humble pie MS lovers, how crazy is this? A Microsoft House!

Bink.nu | Microsoft Fanboys Do Stupid Things Too...

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Dozens of Drugs Going Generic

Worth taking a look at the list at the link below.....BD

"There's a tidal wave of generic drugs … and we are just in the beginning of that tidal wave," said Laizer Kornwasser of Medco Health Solutions.

Generic alternatives are on average 50 percent cheaper than brand name drugs, and in some cases can be 70 percent cheaper than the brand name version.

Take, for example the sleeping aid Ambien, which costs $125 for a 30-day supply -- insurance companies typically pay $85, leaving the patient left with a $40 co-pay.

The new generic version goes for $45, insurance companies pay $30 and the patient co-pay is reduced to $15 with a big savings for the patient without a compromise on quality.

ABC News: Relief! Dozens of Drugs Going Generic

Hat Tip:  Kevin, MD

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US NetCare Launches Health Care Insurance for Non-US Citizens in California

My only question here is will folks buy when one can still visit the ER room?  BD 

US NetCare, an online administrator of healthcare and medical insurance for non-US citizens living in the United States, announced its plan to launch its services in Southern California. "California has the largest immigrant population in the United States and our products have been custom designed to be affordable and easy to apply. Our hope is that the Immigrant population which is in dire need of healthcare coverage will welcome us and our products," according to Jacob Harel, chairman of US NetCare Corp.

August 10, 2007 -- US NetCare, an online administrator of healthcare and medical insurance for non-US citizens living in the United States, announced its plan to launch its services in Southern California. "California has the largest immigrant population in the United States and our products have been custom designed to be affordable and easy to apply. Our hope is that the Immigrant population which is in dire need of healthcare coverage will welcome us and our products," according to Jacob Harel, chairman of US NetCare Corp.

US NetCare plans to reach out to the Hispanic community in Southern California through grass roots marketing programs targeted to the communities where they live. The Multi-media marketing plan will be comprised of TV, radio, direct mail, shared mail, door hangers, and Online advertising.

US NetCare Launches Health Care Insurance for Non-US Citizens in California

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FDA Clears Unique Non-Invasive, Radiation-Free Pulmonary Imaging System

 

Deep Breeze(TM), the leader in vibration response imaging (VRI(TM)) technology, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted 510K marketing clearance for the VRIXP(TM), a non-invasive, radiation-free pulmonary imaging system to use lung sounds to create dynamic images of the lungs. 
"Vibration response imaging enables physicians to effectively record and monitor lung sounds with the ultimate goal of improving the detection and assessment of lung disorders in the future," said Igal Kushnir, MD, President and CEO of Deep Breeze(TM). "FDA clearance represents a significant milestone for the Company and we plan to work closely with U.S. interventional pulmonologists to bring this advanced pulmonary imaging system to patients suffering from lung disorders."

FDA Clears Unique Non-Invasive, Radiation-Free Pulmonary Imaging System

http://www.deepbreeze.com/content.aspx?id=70

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FDA Grants Additional Six Months Marketing Exclusivity For The High Blood Pressure Medicine Diovan(R)

 

Diovan(R) (valsartan) has been granted pediatric exclusivity by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) based on studies conducted in children with high blood pressure. This action extends marketing exclusivity associated with the valsartan compound patent by six months from March to September 2012.
Although high blood pressure is more prevalent in adults (30%)(1), it has been reported that nearly five percent of children and adolescents in the US may have the condition(2). A FDA decision on a possible indication to treat children and adolescents with high blood pressure is anticipated by year end.

FDA Grants Additional Six Months Marketing Exclusivity For The High Blood Pressure Medicine Diovan(R)

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Carl Hulse - On the Hill - Election 2008

One person's perspective on the issues from both sides of Congress relating to healthcare..BD

It makes an interesting case study for 2008. Can Republicans persuade voters that Democrats are gutting Medicare, and will the Republicans have the resources to do so? Or will Democrats succeed in portraying Republicans as cold-hearted opponents of new health coverage for both kids and older folks?

“We will see what the repercussions are,” said Mr. Hastert.

Carl Hulse - On the Hill - Election 2008 - Politics - New York Times

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The Great L.A. Healthcare Rally This Saturday

More support for SB 840 from various organizations to be held in downtown Los Angeles this weekend.....BD

A coalition of registered nurses, physicians and consumer groups will rally this Saturday in Los Angeles in support of Sen. Sheila Kuehl's ground-breaking bill, SB840, which proposes guaranteed healthcare on a single-payer model.
The L.A. event is the culmination of 365 local events held around the state this year, in support of single payer healthcare, one held every day. The "Healthcare for All/OneCareNow" statewide educational campaign for SB 840 was launched on August 12th, 2006 in Morro Bay after the bill, passed by a majority of the California Assembly and Senate last August, was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger in September, 2006.
The rally, which starts at 1:00 p.m., will begin with the arrival of a procession of "hearses," which will have proceeded from Santa Monica to City Hall, representing the estimated 50 persons in the U.S. who die every day because they lack health coverage.
The event will include SB 840 author Sen. Sheila Kuehl, actress Lily Tomlin, California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee President, Deborah Burger, RN, and many others.
The Great L.A. Health Care Rally
Date: Saturday, August 11
Time: 1:00-3:00 P.M.
Place: South lawn of L.A. City Hall (First & Spring Streets)

"SB 840 is the only bill before the legislature that will truly provide health care for all and eliminate the for-profit health insurance industry from our health care system and guarantee universal coverage for all residents."

The Great L.A. Healthcare Rally This Saturday - HUGE Rally For Single Payer Healthcare

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Diabetic Cell phone gets FDA approval

This is quite a story here.  Both Verizon and AT&T are slated to be up and running with this new cell phone.  This may not be available in all areas yet, so you may want to check with the carriers to see when the service and phone is actually available.  Are you still just using your cell phone for phone calls?  BD

The customer uses the GlucoPack™ in the same manner as any standard glucose meter.

Software has been developed that can be downloaded into your cell phone that can interface with the GlucoPack™ to test and read your glucose level.
(When you go visit or talk to your doctor or a hospital, with the subscriber?s permission all the test results are accessible online.)

:: HealthPia America ::           Information Portal page      Fox News Video

Diabetes Mine Web Site   Be sure to read here as well for more information and availability.

After several years of what seemed like empty talk, HealthPia has quietly "launched" its first marketable model, the Verizon LG5200 phone (CDMA platform) for the US market at last week's AADE Conference. 

What about calibration and test strip coding?

Yes, you have to enter a code (calibrate), and it comes with control solution, just like most regular meters on the market today.

Is there any charge for the database service?

No, that's part of the deal.  By the way, if you already have a Verizon LG5200 phone in the US, you can purchase the meter pack and software only as an add-on.  Otherwise, it's a turnkey solution: you buy the whole product together.  There's no extra charge for transmitting your data, and you can text message anyone you want.

Hat Tip:  Engadget

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"Michael Moore, you just saved my home."

A while back we had posted the story and Clayton was kind enough to post some comments himself on this blog, so it's only appropriate we follow up with the You Tube video and hopefully get the whole story...BD

One day Clayton saw Michael Moore post a plea on YouTube as he was promoting his new movie "Sicko."
So Clayton attached his story to Moore's site on YouTube.

YouTube - 'SiCKO' Saves: "Michael Moore, you just saved my home."

Related Post:  Original Story, comments and links

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HealthSpring to acquire Florida HMO

 

HealthSpring Inc. has entered a definitive agreement to acquire Leon Medical Centers Health Plans Inc., a Miami-based Medicare Advantage HMO.

HealthSpring (NYSE: HS) will purchase the privately-held company for $355 million in cash, funding the acquisition with balance sheet cash and debt.

HealthSpring to acquire Florida HMO - Nashville Business Journal:

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King-Harbor Hospital to close as feds pull funding

Things are looking bleak at the clock ticks on....BD 

After federal officials unequivocally decided today to revoke $200 million in funding, Los Angeles County's top health official said he would quickly begin closing Martin Luther King Jr.-Harbor Hospital, which has repeatedly shown itself unable to meet minimum standards for patient care.
County health director Dr. Bruce Chernof notified the county Board of Supervisors of his emergency decision after the hospital failed its final test, a top-to-bottom review by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
The decision in effect marks an end to nearly four years of failed attempts to reform the historic institution, treasured by many African Americans as a hard-won symbol of hope and progress after the 1965 Watts riots.
Although the process of closure is expected to take two weeks, staffing was so paltry today that the county said it would close the busy emergency room at 7 p.m.
County officials have said they will seek out a private operator to take over King-Harbor and try to reopen it within a year. But previous attempts to find such an entity failed, and success this time is by no means assured.

King-Harbor Hospital to close as feds pull funding - Los Angeles Times

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Precise Dental Implant - Teeth in an Hour

This is huge..myself I went through the "old" procedure where the healing process had to take place for months before an implant could be created and added....very good reading if you need some additional dental work beyond the norm....BD 

Nobel Biocare, creators of the Teeth-In-An-Hour technology and trademark have been at the forefront of implant dentistry for years. They are a recognized leader in the development of cutting edge technologies and solutions for dentists worldwide.
Dental Implants... now known and coveted as the Gold Standard of Treatment for tooth replacement was originally developed by Nobel Biocare and continues to undergo advancements.
Bioengineers at Nobel Biocare have successfully combined the technologies of 3 Dimensional imaging (commonly used in CatScans and MRI's) and hybrid software applications that enable dentists, oral surgeons, periodontists, prosthodontists and other implantologists to virtually eliminate the common problem of locating ideal bone mass for each implant needed for treatment.

This Virtual Treatment Planning process creates the technical data for creating the NobelGuide, a custom template used by our doctors to achieve the best implant placement possible with the highest degree of implant success possible, given the variability of bone structure and bone mass from patient to patient.

Alabama AL NobelGuide Accurate Precise Dental Implant Placement Implantology Dentistry Failure Control CAD/CAM Bioengineering

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Democratic Presidential Candidate Richardson Unveils Universal Health Care Plan

 

Presidential candidate New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) on Tuesday announced a proposal that would extend health insurance to the 45 million U.S. residents who lack coverage and would not require a tax increase, the Washington Post reports. Under the proposal, all residents would have to obtain health insurance (MacGillis, Washington Post, 8/8). The proposal would:

• Allow residents ages 55 to 64 to pay to participate in Medicare, expand Medicaid and SCHIP to include more low-income children and families and allow young adults to continue to receive health insurance through the policies of their parents until age 25;
• Provide tax credits on a sliding income scale to help residents purchase health insurance (Glover, AP/Houston Chronicle, 8/7);
• Allow residents and small businesses to purchase the same health insurance offered to members of Congress and the president;
• Mandate that health insurers no longer can deny coverage to residents with pre-existing medical conditions;
• Provide veterans with a "Heroes Health Card" that would expand their access to health care;
• Require employers to pay a share of health insurance costs for employees;
• Limit interest rates applied to health care costs charged to credit cards;
• Allow the federal government to negotiate prices directly with pharmaceutical companies under the Medicare prescription drug benefit (Petroski, Des Moines Register, 8/8);
• Establish incentives for preventive care programs; and
• Improve health care efficiency though increased use of technology and other measures (AP/Houston Chronicle, 8/7).

Richardson said that the proposal would cost an estimated $110 billion annually but that savings from the plan would cover the cost (Washington Post, 8/8).

Democratic Presidential Candidate Richardson Unveils Universal Health Care Plan That Would Expand Preventive Coverage

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Tablet PC used by Virgin America Airlines

Other industries are capitalizing on the tablet pc...interesting story about Virgin America airlines and their online services available for passengers as well.  The flight attendants are definitely making good use of them and the story doesn't go into the electronic flight bags portion of the story, but you can almost bet there might be one or two  in the cockpit as well.  BD

 

 

 

This is the control panel used by flight attendants. It shows a square for every seat on the plane. When a customer orders something on their display, the order shows up on this screen. 

Wired Blogs: Gadget Lab

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Calif. schools required to give medical help to kids with diabetes

This should be good practice all over....BD

Schools in California will be required to have someone available who is trained to assist diabetic children under a legal settlement announced Wednesday in Oakland.

The agreement sets a policy requiring children who have diabetes to be provided services under federal laws that guarantee equal educational opportunities for children with disabilities.

"The importance of this settlement is it's applying those laws to children with diabetes," says Arlene Mayerson, an attorney with the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, which represented four families in the lawsuit filed in 2004. "This will be a model for states across the country."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says one in 523 people under 20 have diabetes.

A few states, including Indiana, Oklahoma and Texas, already have legislation that allows schools' non-medical staff members to be trained to administer insulin and help children monitor blood-sugar levels.

Laura Wolfe of Upland, Calif., pulled her daughter Elizabeth out of public schools three years ago when she found her 5-year-old unconscious on the playground in a state of extremely high blood sugar. "She could have gone into a coma," she says. "The district nurse would not allow any non-medical staff to participate in medical care. The protocol was call Mom or call 911."

Calif. schools required to give medical help to kids with diabetes - USATODAY.com

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FDA Approves Pfizer's Antiretroviral Maraviroc

 

FDA on Monday approved Pfizer's antiretroviral drug maraviroc, which belongs to a new class of antiretrovirals that could provide an alternative to HIV-positive people who have developed resistance to multiple drugs, the Los Angeles Times reports (Chong, Los Angeles Times, 8/7). FDA gave expedited approval of maraviroc for use in combination with other antiretrovirals (CQ HealthBeat, 8/6).
Maraviroc works by blocking a protein, called CCR5, on human immune system cells that HIV uses as a portal to enter and infect the cell. Pfizer has proposed using the drug to treat people with advanced HIV or AIDS who have not responded to other medications. Pfizer last month also announced that maraviroc can reduce HIV viral loads among people who have never taken antiretrovirals.
FDA approved maraviroc on the condition that the drug's label include a black-box warning -- the "strongest possible advisory" -- according to the Times. The drug also will have a warning about an increased risk of heart attack (Los Angeles Times, 8/7).

FDA Approves Pfizer's Antiretroviral Maraviroc

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High Blood Pressure Largely Misunderstood By Sufferers

It's a confused market with so much competition as well in this area...I think from both end of the story....with this being a chronic condition to be monitored, and every body is a little different too...BD

The distrust of healthcare providers shown by people with high blood pressure impedes effective treatment, as emphasized in a new study published in Journal of the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. In a systematic review and metasynthesis of eleven qualitative studies published between 2000 and 2005, including more than 500 patients, significant and problematic differences were identified in beliefs about the presence of symptoms, the need to take medications for the rest of one's life, and race-specific treatment plans.

"In the presence of ineffective partnering, differences between lay and professional beliefs about hypertension result in inadequate management of the disease," says study author Pam Schlomann, highlighting the need for greater cooperation in combating high blood pressure.

High Blood Pressure Problems Largely Misunderstood By Sufferers

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UnitedHealth Group And Physician Groups To Launch "Medical Home" Pilot Program To Reward Primary Care Doctors Who Improve Patients' Total Health

And one more plan....who can keep track...if each insurance carrier has this in place at the average practice, as most see patients with various plans and companies...well...is this a potential accounting nightmare for the physicians?  So many plans...not enough care...BD

For the first time, UnitedHealth Group, with the support of the professional societies, will provide enhanced payment to reward primary care doctors whose care is based on this model, and who demonstrate measurable improvements in the overall health of their patients.

Each patient will have the choice to select a personal physician, or "medical home," who knows his or her medical and family history and coordinates their medical care. The physician will be responsible not only for treating a specific ailment or condition, but also for working with the patient to better manage his or her health care needs and arranging care as appropriate with other professionals.

The pilot program will be launched in Florida with approximately six specially-chosen primary care practices that will employ the model. UnitedHealth Group will support the practices participating in the pilot program by integrating its extensive quality improvement and care management into the practices' infrastructure. This includes sponsoring 24/7 nurse triage and other solutions that extend access to care, identification of and outreach to those who may need clinical interventions; and educational tools and assistance to help patients better manage their conditions. The pilot programs will include customers insured through UnitedHealthcare commercial insurance.

UnitedHealth Group And Physician Groups To Launch "Medical Home" Pilot Program To Reward Primary Care Doctors Who Improve Patients' Total Health

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Blue Cross A Leader In Profits, Not Patient Care

Update on the California Medical Association and Blue Cross...BD 

The CMA will testify today at a public hearing in Los Angeles that Blue Cross has violated the promises it made to California patients when it merged with Anthem Health Care in 2004. Since that merger, Blue Cross - long the poster child for insurance company bad behavior - has consistently reduced the amount of money it spends on patient care while increasing premiums, and is now in danger of failing to provide an adequate supply of available physicians for its networks.
"With the consolidation of the health plan industry, both nationally and in this state, competition among the insurance companies has been severely diminished, if not eliminated, much to the detriment of the very individuals these plans promise to serve - patients and their treating physicians," CMA says in written testimony submitted for today's hearing.

Blue Cross A Leader In Profits, Not Patient Care

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Healthbase Announces Expansion To Turkey

One more location for medical tourism...BD

Healthbase Online Inc., a Boston-based medical tourism facilitator, has partnered with Anadolu Medical Center (AMC), a not-for-profit multi-specialty hospital in Turkey. Healthbase will now offer low cost yet high quality medical travel services in Turkey. AMC, a JCI accredited Istanbul-based medical service provider is affiliated with Johns Hopkins Medicine, USA.
Saroja Mohanasundaram, the CEO of Healthbase says, "We like to bring onboard any hospital anywhere in the world, as long as it is world class, ready to serve international patients, safe for our customers to travel to, and offers a significant cost advantage. With that in mind we partnered with AMC in Turkey as it is a JCI (Joint Commission International) accredited hospital and is affiliated with Johns Hopkins Medicine so our customers can get top US quality healthcare at a considerably lower price." Healthbase's other current health care providers are located in Thailand, Singapore, India, Panama and Mexico.

Healthbase Announces Expansion To Turkey For Low Cost Medical Care

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President Bush Renews Vow To Veto Children's Health Insurance Bill

Still no change...BD

President Bush on Wednesday restated his intention to veto legislation that would reauthorize and expand the State Children's Health Insurance Program, McClatchy/Contra Costa Times reports (Hall, McClatchy/Contra Costa Times, 8/9).

President Bush Renews Vow To Veto Children's Health Insurance Bill - California Healthline

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Underinsured Risking Debt to Pay Health Bills

Health Savings accounts making little or no difference...BD

TUESDAY, Aug. 7 (HealthDay News) -- One in four Americans with health insurance are still underinsured -- meaning they are often using up their savings or turning to credit cards to cover medical expenses, according to a survey in the September Consumer Reports.

And overall, the survey of 37,000 people found, 40 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 64 have inadequate access to health care.

"Four out of 10 Americans can't count on having health insurance when they need it," said senior project editor Nancy Metcalf, the article's author. "This includes people who don't have health insurance, but also the 3-in-10 people whose health insurance is so bad or so costly to them that are having trouble accessing and paying for medical care."

But Davis disagreed, saying that health care savings accounts are taking Americans in the wrong direction. "It hasn't made a dent in the number of people who are uninsured. In fact, those numbers have been going up," she said. "What it's done is help erode the quality of coverage and forced people to spend their savings."

Underinsured Risking Debt to Pay Health Bills - Health and Medical Information produced by doctors - MedicineNet.com

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Kids without enough insurance skip vaccines

In this case it seems a little insurance is worse than none as far as immunizations go ..

A study in today's Journal of the American Medical Association finds that underinsured children — those whose health insurance doesn't cover all the recommended vaccines — may miss out on immunizations that are fully covered for children who are uninsured or who are on Medicaid.

"It's ironic that kids who are uninsured are better off," said lead author Grace Lee, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Harvard Medical School.

An estimated 14% of children are underinsured, Lee and colleagues report. They can pay for vaccines or get them free at federally qualified health centers or rural health clinics if they live near one. "Technically, they have access," Lee says, "but they might have to go 200 miles" to the nearest center.

Kids without enough insurance skip vaccines - USATODAY.com

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Macho Men Not In Women's Long Term Sights

Something for the male gender to ponder?  BD

When a woman is contemplating a long-term relationship, she is less likely to opt for macho men and seems to prefer males with more feminine traits, according to an article in the journal Personality and Individual Differences. Women, it seems, find virile features, such as small eyes and a generous nose are signs of a less affectionate and less loyal man, who is more likely to be a poor parent, compared to men with feminine features.

Macho Men Not In Women's Long Term Sights

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GPS technology can ease joint-replacement surgery

 

The principles of global positioning technology via orbiting satellites are now being used in hospital operating rooms.
GPS triangulation technique guides planes in the air, ships at sea and vehicles on the ground, and now it precisely guides the instruments of orthopedic surgeons as they perform their delicate procedures on human beings.
Scott Kurtovich is one of many patients who have benefited recently from the surgical application of GPS space technology.

GPS technology can ease joint-replacement surgery -- chicagotribune.com

Hat Tip:  Engadget

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Syneron's Vela(TM) Platform Receives FDA Clearance for Temporary Reduction of Thigh Circumference

 

Syneron Medical Ltd. (NASDAQ: ELOS), an innovator in the development, marketing and sales of elos(TM) combined-energy medical aesthetic devices, today announces its Vela(TM) platform has received the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) pre-marketing clearance and CE Mark certification in the European Union for the temporary reduction of thigh circumference. This announcement marks the first FDA clearance and CE Mark certificationn for a product designed to reduce circumferences in the body.

The Syneron Vela platform previously received clearance by the FDA for cellulite treatment. This new clearance enhances Syneron's leading position in the fast-growing global market of non-invasive body shaping and contouring.

 

News: Syneron's Vela(TM) Platform Receives FDA Clearance for Temporary Reduction of Thigh Circumference. Genetic Engineering News - Biotechnology from Bench to Business

Hat Tip:  Medgadget

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Giant 'pump-and-dump' spam scam hits computers - spam up 30%

Be aware as this email has a pdf attached with a Trojan horse virus...BD

Experts at SophosLabs have detected about 500 million emails containing advice to invest in Prime Time Stores Inc. -- an obscure US-listed group -- in a record-breaking example of the "pump-and-dump" spamming technique.

"Pump-and-dump" is when spammers buy shares, orchestrate a spam campaign promoting the company, then wait for a share price to rise before selling their stock for a profit.  "This is staggering. It's one of the biggest spam campaigns we've ever seen," he told AFP in a telephone interview.

Giant 'pump-and-dump' spam scam hits computers - Yahoo! News

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Coffee good for women - guys are out of luck

 

Women who drink three cups of coffee a day show less cognitive decline than women who drink a cup or less, report French neuroscientists.

My first impulse was to attribute the findings with a correlation between coffee-drinking and intelligence: if you're going to be a witty, sardonic older intellectual, you're bound by cultural contract to drink lots of coffee, too. Especially if you're French.

Wired Science - Wired Blogs

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Hospitals Are Shutting Down Burn Centers

One more loss in health care...no money in caring for burn victims..where is healthcare headed?  BD

U.S. hospitals are increasingly shutting down their burn centers in a trend experts say could leave the nation unable to handle widespread burn casualties from a fiery terrorist attack or other major disaster.

Some burn centers around the country have lost a lot of money treating uninsured adults and children who were severely burned in explosions of clandestine methamphetamine labs.

"Burn units are money-losers," Hughes said.

"People ought to be pretty frightened by this," said Dr. Barbara Latenser, burn center director at the University of Iowa Hospitals. "Some people who live out West, they are 800 miles from a burn center."

Experts say burn centers are expensive to maintain and often lose money because they are staffed with highly specialized surgeons and nurses and stocked with sophisticated equipment designed to ease patients' excruciating pain, fend off deadly complications and promote healing.

Hospitals Are Shutting Down Burn Centers - Forbes.com

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Blue Cross Blue Shield starts new bank for customers

Health Insurance and banking?  United Health already has one...will the Blue Cross Visa and MasterCard be the next offering along with debit cards and online banking?  From the story the plan will resemble the provisions of a 401k but be for health care only.  Health Savings accounts are starting to become more popular to help defray the difference with high deductible policies.  BD

Blue Cross Blue Shield customers now have a new bank to stash their health-care dollars.
The insurer this month rolled out its Blue Healthcare Bank for Arizona customers who participate in a health savings account.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona expects more customers will turn to such savings accounts to take control of their health-care finances.

"It is the natural compliment to the health savings accounts that are becoming more and more popular," said Dick Hannon, Blue Cross Blue Shield Arizona's senior vice president of marketing and provider affairs.  The insurer expects more of its customers will deposit health savings with Blue Healthcare Bank due to services such as online banking, debit cards, checks and investment options.

UnitedHealth Group launched its own bank, Exante Bank, for its health-savings-account customers. Exante counts more than 200,000 accounts and $250 million in health-care-account deposits.

Blue Cross Blue Shield starts new bank for customers

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Blue Cross undergoes examination - Los Angeles

This will be one story to be followed...as many physicians are also concerned about the new payment structure....BD

When an Indiana company bought Blue Cross of California in November 2003, it promised to maintain and improve the services and benefits of the state's largest health insurer.
Nearly three years later, state regulators say they have been besieged by complaints that patients are paying more and doctors are about to be paid less. Regulators held an unusual public hearing Tuesday in downtown Los Angeles to find out why.

Cindy Ehnes, director of the state Department of Managed Health Care, called the hearing to help the agency evaluate how well Blue Cross has served Californians since it was purchased by Indianapolis-based WellPoint Inc. nearly three years ago. The department said it had received more than 4,100 calls and complaints regarding Blue Cross since the merger.

The department listed some of its concerns, including a $950-million dividend WellPoint took from Blue Cross of California this year. That was almost twice the amount it took in each of the previous two years, the department said.

Ehnes declined to detail what measures the Department of Managed Health Care could take if it determined Blue Cross was out of line. But her department issues Blue Cross' license to sell coverage in California, and it has the power to levy fines and take other actions.

Blue Cross undergoes examination - Los Angeles Times

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HMO to appeal order to pay doctors $1.5M in back fees - Florida

The fees in question are the administrative portion of the charge.  BD

A jury has ordered Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida to pay $1.5 million due to a decision its Health Options HMO made eight years ago to stop paying hospital pathologists for certain parts of their work. The company said it plans to appeal.   That work involves supervising and interpreting tests. The actual technical payment - which includes the hospital's labs and equipment - is separate.

Ervin A. Gonzalez, attorney for Florida Pathology Services, filed suit against the health insurer in Miami-Dade County's 11th Circuit Court on behalf of Palmetto General Hospital and Coral Gables Hospital.  Gonzalez is currently representing 11 other hospital pathology groups around the state - all individually scheduled for trial this year before the same judge who presided over the just-completed trial in Miami.

The doctors need to get paid for supervising and interpreting lab results," he said. "If they don't get paid, the health care system will begin seeing an increase in negligence and a decrease in physicians who are willing to work in Florida. The patient will ultimately be the one that loses."The law will impact all cases in Florida and other states with similar cases." 

HMO to appeal order to pay doctors $1.5M in back fees - Dallas Business Journal:

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Politics - More state payments delayed - Week 2 of no Medi-Cal payments in California

 

Lawmakers made little progress Monday as California entered its sixth week of a budget morass even as the Schwarzenegger administration issued more warnings of delayed payments to vendors and medical institutions.

The state Department of Finance said hospitals, clinics and nursing homes will not receive $212.6 million in medical reimbursements on Thursday. The delayed payment follows $227 million in Medi-Cal bills missed last week.

Politics - More state payments delayed - sacbee.com

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UC Davis California -$100 million dollar gift for nursing school

It appears California is at the bottom of the list for the ratio of nurses to meet the state's population according to the article...nice work from the Moore foundation.  Betty Moore  experienced medical errors first hand in the system including an insulin shot meant for the patient in the next bed, which could have been deadly.  BD

California is 50th in the nation when looking at the ratio of registered nurses to the state's population. There are nearly 300,000 registered nurses in the state, McFarland said. And there are 119 initial registered nurse licensure programs in California, according to a 2007 report by the Board of Registered Nursing.

While hospitals must recruit nurses from other states to fill their positions, nursing schools report that they often turn away student applicants due to lack of space in their programs.

Helen Kim, chief program officer of the Moore Foundation, said Betty Moore is dedicated to improving health care primarily through nursing to ensure that patients receive safe, effective and efficient care.

Betty Moore's determination to change health care stemmed from her experience as a patient lost in the health care system, a victim of medical error and poor follow-up, Kim said. Betty Moore's son, Ken Moore, said she has survived a few medical errors. He recalled one incident when his mother received an insulin shot intended for a patient in the next bed at a Bay Area hospital.

The Davis Enterprise

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U.S. health care horrors hardly just a movie

Sad story when you are scheduled and approved for chemotherapy as that is traumatic enough to go through, but then to be told one week prior that is is "not covered".   It took a lawyer and second mortgage on the house to begin care?  The article does make a good point in the fact that it does take an '"entertainer" to hopefully get the right attention to any matter today as it just seems to be the way our society reacts with media.   BD

My wife was diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer. Her doctor recommended a stem cell transplant. We both work and are fully insured and the HMO listed the procedure as covered.

One week before the start of the treatment the HMO "experts in hematology" denied the treatment. We filed appeals and had to take out a second mortgage to hire a lawyer. Remember now, the clock is ticking, and not in our favor.

What was the result? The HMO approved the treatment; the insurance experts were not even doctors. Is this story a rare occurrence? Sadly not; happens all the time. This is only one of many horror stories.

Batson is correct that Moore is an entertainer. Our society anymore requires this to make even the simplest of points. The righties cite facts from Hannity and Colmes or Bill O'Reilly. The lefties use Jon Stewart and Keith Olbermann.

The Enquirer - U.S. health care horrors hardly just a movie

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Health Fitness Corporation Screens 40,000 Workers in First Six Months of 2007

Going to work for a fortune 500 company?  You could be hearing about this organization and be working with a health coach soon to manage your health care.  BD

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 7 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Health Fitness Corporation (HFC) announced today that it screened nearly 40,000 workers across the country during the first half of 2007 -- an increase of 77.4 percent over the same period in 2006.

What's more, the 39,853 workers screened between January and June 2007 represent a jump of 167 percent over the same period in 2005, the first year HFC began to manage comprehensive health screenings for its corporate clients. The company will manage roughly 750 screening events this year at client work sites in nearly every state.

Health Fitness Corporation (HFC) is a leading provider of employee health improvement services to Fortune 500 companies, the health care industry and individual consumers. Serving clients for more than 30 years, HFC partners with employers to effectively manage their health care and productivity costs by improving individual health and well-being. HFC serves more than 300 clients globally via on-site management and remotely via Web and telephonic services. HFC provides a complete portfolio of health and

Health Fitness Corporation Screens 40,000 Workers in First Six Months of 2007

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Underinsured Risking Debt to Pay Health Bills

First we had the uninsured, now the underinsured posing a risk, what is the next group to add to the system?  With being underinsured, at least the effort is being made to have some type of insurance coverage, but will this progression continue to soon blend both groups into the same undesirable category and continue to wreak havoc with just trying to get healthcare services when you need it?  BD

TUESDAY, Aug. 7 (HealthDay News) -- One in four Americans with health insurance are still underinsured -- meaning they are often using up their savings or turning to credit cards to cover medical expenses, according to a survey in the September Consumer Reports.

And overall, the survey of 37,000 people found, 40 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 64 have inadequate access to health care.  "Because health care is so expensive, it's coming up to bite ordinary people."

"Four out of 10 Americans can't count on having health insurance when they need it," said senior project editor Nancy Metcalf, the article's author. "This includes people who don't have health insurance, but also the 3-in-10 people whose health insurance is so bad or so costly to them that are having trouble accessing and paying for medical care."

This means that some 40 percent of Americans between the ages of 18 and 64 have inadequate access to health care. Most employers are struggling to keep their employees insured, even as large health insurance companies continue to reap huge profits, the report said.  "Employers, too, are feeling the strain of rising costs. In 2000, the average employer contribution for a family plan was $135 a month; by 2006, the cost was $248," Metcalf said.

Underinsured Risking Debt to Pay Health Bills - Forbes.com

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All Australians deserve free health care - Opinion

A viewpoint from down under...one person's opinion relative to the private insurance in a country where they have a public health system and feels private insurance is eroding the system.  BD

HOW can anyone not agree with free universal high-quality health care? How can anyone think that our current public/private marriage of political convenience is beneficial to all Australians both now and in the future? How can anyone think that our nation is getting value for money? It's not.

Private health insurance is a rip-off. Public health needs the $3 billion government subsidy that is propping up the private health insurance industry. And a truck-load more. People don't need a 30 per cent rebate on their private health insurance premiums. They need not to feel terrified into having to pay the premiums in the first place.

My solution? Make it mandatory that politicians and their families are forced to use only the public health system.

All Australians deserve free health care - Opinion - theage.com.au

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Fat Is The New Normal-Changing Perceptions Of Body Weight Feed Rise In Obesity

Good news for women...we can carry a few extra pounds...not be obese but maintain a normal weight instead of being too thin....BD 

American women have gotten fatter as it has become more socially acceptable to carry a few extra pounds, according to a new study. Florida State University Assistant Professor of Economics Frank Heiland and Federal Reserve Bank of Boston Economist Mary Burke are the co-authors of a paper published in the academic journal Economic Inquiry that argues that the ballooning weight of the population has fed even more collective weight gain as our perception of what is considered a normal body size has changed

Fat Is The New Normal, FSU Researcher Says - Changing Perceptions Of Body Weight Feed Rise In Obesity

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Doctors accused of using faith to violate gay bias laws

Strange legal case here...will be interesting to follow the outcome.  BD

The California Supreme Court is being asked to answer that question when it hears a legal dispute between a lesbian mom and two doctors who refused to artificially inseminate her for religious reasons.

The first-of-its-kind case is shaping up as one of the most controversial before the court in years. The court has not set a date to hear the case, but more than 40 groups already have filed briefs asking to be heard.

Doctors accused of using faith to violate gay bias laws - USATODAY.com

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AHA Criticizes CMS' Plan To Reduce Inpatient Medicare Reimbursements

 

AHA Officials' Comments
AHA President Richard Umbdenstock in a statement said, "In its final rule, CMS cut more than $20 billion in Medicare payments for hospital inpatient services, further depleting scarce health care resources." He added, "CMS struck an unnecessary and demoralizing blow against hospitals' ability to care for patients across America." Umbdenstock said, "This misguided policy wrongly assumes major changes in how hospitals categorize patients for payment purposes, penalizing hospitals in advance based on a 'guess' by CMS."
AHA says that payment adjustments should be made only after any upcoding activities have been observed. Don May, AHA's vice president for policy, said the group would pursue legislation to block the coding adjustment but did not specify by what legislative vehicle (CQ HealthBeat, 8/2).

AHA Criticizes CMS' Plan To Reduce Inpatient Medicare Reimbursements

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A strike for better healthcare

This is scary...has it come to this with HMO care...if you have an alcohol addiction problem you can get help, but only 3 days...and then advised by the representative to go out and get drunk again so you can be admitted for another 3 days if you still need care....one doctor speaking out on managed health care today....BD

SOON AFTER HMO/managed care came to Massachusetts in the late '80s, I got a call from a patient I had admitted to the 28-day alcohol unit at the hospital. He said that he was being discharged after three days because that was all that the HMO would now pay for alcoholism. He said the HMO representative told him to go out and get drunk again and they would readmit him.

How did this happen? Managed care let it be known through massive advertising that either doctors join up, or be left out -- we would lose patients to HMO doctors. This seemed strange: Doctors did the work; without us, there was no "care" to manage. If we stuck together, we could get what we wanted from the insurance industry. Instead, doctors elbowed each other out of the way to make sure they would "get in." We lost our clout in setting standards for good care for patients, and a work environment that would allow it.

Their doctors are rushed, mistakes are made, good care is hard to find. Private health insurance spends about 30 percent on administrative costs; government-run Medicare spends 3 percent. The single-payer national model seems inevitable.

A strike for better healthcare - The Boston Globe

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Hospitals struggle over who can afford to pay

At what point is it a charity case, or simply a matter of someone who can't afford to pay...even making 100k a year and receiving a bill for the same amount can be difficult for one to afford...BD

CHICAGO (Reuters) - For-profit hospitals, which are blaming unpaid medical bills for tamping down profits, are struggling with a simple question: Which patients have the ability to pay their hospital bills?

Driving that issue to the top of their financial agenda is the rising health care tab patients are being asked to shoulder by private health insurers, putting U.S. hospitals increasingly in the undesirable role of debt collector.

"For some people making above $100,000, when they get a hospital bill for $100,000, they may not have the ability to pay," said Gerard Anderson, director of the Center for Hospital Finance and Management at the Johns Hopkins University public health school.

Health Management, which posted an 85 percent plunge in second-quarter profit last week, citing rising bad debt, said it is struggling with when to write off bills as charity care, and when to try to collect even a tiny share of its costs.

Hospitals struggle over who can afford to pay | Reuters

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MetLife to Acquire SafeGuard - Forbes.com

 

Insurance company MetLife Inc. said Monday it agreed to acquire Dallas-based SafeGuard Health Enterprises Inc., expanding its dental and vision benefit options in what it called "key markets."

Financial terms of the deal, which is expected to be complete by the end of this year, were not disclosed.

SafeGuard provides dental and vision benefits in California, Florida, Texas and Nevada through HMO subsidiaries, as well as through an insurance subsidiary, SafeHealth Life Insurance Company.

MetLife to Acquire SafeGuard - Forbes.com

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Fewer young doctors choose primary care-Colorado

One more state predicting a shortage of physicians and less entering primary care.  BD

One-third of Colorado physicians are 55 or older, and retirements will soon create a shortage of care for aging residents, according to a new report.

"We have a whole generation of practicing physicians who are now on the cusp of retirement, and we don't know who is coming in behind them," said Pamela Hanes, president of the Colorado Health Institute, or CHI.

The Colorado figures reflect national trends, said Tim Fry, manager of government affairs at the National Rural Health Association in Alexandria, Va.

"We're facing a workforce issue nationwide in rural and urban areas, but the physician shortages are going to show up earlier and more acutely in rural areas," Fry said.  "We see a continued movement to specialty care and to urban areas," Fry said.  "We don't see a lot of young physicians choosing primary-care practice," Hanes said.

Durango residents new to Medicare - the federal insurance program for people 65 and older - can no longer find a doctor willing to take them, Murphy said. The Valley-Wide Health Systems clinic in Durango closed this year, Murphy said, leaving a large number of residents, possibly more than 1,000, without doctors.

"At the same time, a lot of people are saying having health insurance is not enough if you don't have the providers," she said.

The Denver Post - Fewer young doctors choose primary-care

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Tablet Kiosk Sahara i440D Review

Nice review on the new Sahara I440D tablet.  The site has a detailed review with more specifications and some additional great pictures.  We will have one soon that will focus on both hardware and software soon at this site, the in meantime, check out the review from Chris De Herrera....BD

The Sahara i440D represents a significant step forward for Tablet PC technology. It incorporates an Intel Core Duo processor and PCI Express video card which make Windows Vista come alive for Tablet PC users especially with Aero Glass.

Front - The Sahara i440D

For a complete set of pictures see Sahara i440D Pictures

http://www.tabletpctalk.com/reviews/Tablet_Kiosk/Sahara_i440D/index.shtml

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World’s Highest Resolution HDTV Surgical Camera

Surgical cameras now going HD as well.  Good article and reading.  Also to be featured on a National Geographic TV special.  “JPEG XR,” HD Photo was introduced with the release of Windows Vista and this is the format being used.  New high quality video for the OR coming of age.  BD

I have previously posted about my research on the use of high definition TV (HDTV) for surgical endoscopy.  I am honored to have participated in the evaluation of the highest resolution surgical system ever created which I used to capture the footage showcased in the amazing upcoming National Geographic HD special “Inside The Living Body” which will be the first surgical procedure broadcast in HD.   

What’s also new is that this system allowed me to record footage that will be seen by the lay public in their living room that is higher resolution and quality than virtually any surgeon has ever seen in the OR!

In this post I want to review the system used and how it differs from other surgical systems.   This will also give me a chance to review many of the failings of HD systems in use in the OR today as well as provide surgeons with important caveats in choosing a system.  I’ll also provide you with some photos and stills from the system and further details of the National Geographic TV special.

World’s Highest Resolution HDTV Surgical Camera - Ever! - First Exclusive Evaluation » docinthemachine

Hat Tip:  Medgadget

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Under the influence

 Nobody is immune. BD

FOR many Americans, a doctor's decision to prescribe medication is something of a sacred transaction. A physician considers the patient and symptoms and chooses the best drug for the job, drawing upon years of training and clinical experience. It is an exchange conducted in a hushed sanctuary, far from the heat and noise of the marketplace -- a place where cool judgment reigns.
That sanctuary has been breached. Today, drug manufacturers do everything in their considerable power to ensure that their brand-name prescription medications are on the lips of patients and in the minds of physicians every time the two meet across an exam table. A growing chorus of critics says their efforts have begun to rewrite the dialogue between patient and doctor, influence physicians' judgments and open the act of prescribing to forces more profit-minded than sacred.

"There is nothing fundamentally wrong with advertising products," Dr. Jerome P. Kassirer, a former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine, told a Senate committee recently. "But when financial incentives yield inappropriate or dangerous care, when they inordinately raise the cost of care, when they risk patients' lives in clinical trials, and when they damage the profession, they have gone too far."

Under the influence - Los Angeles Times

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California To Launch Ratings for Preferred Provider Plans

One more program to rate insurance companies and physicians. BD

The Department of Insurance on Monday plans to announce a new health care report card program for six of the state's largest preferred provider organizations as part of an effort to help consumers compare plans, the Los Angeles Times reports.
Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner (R) said, "This is the first time in the country that ... people with PPO plans will be able to get data on how good their policy really is." Poizner said the report cards will measure how physicians in each PPO network follow best-practices guidelines, including providing childhood immunizations and giving at-risk patients regular cancer screenings.
Physicians also will be rated based on patient satisfaction surveys. The report cards also might include clinical outcomes, which could help determine how well physicians are improving care.

• Aetna;
• Blue Shield of California;
• Cigna;
• Health Net;
• WellPoint; and
• UnitedHealth Group.

California To Launch Ratings for Preferred Provider Plans - California Healthline

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Intel chief targets health industry

More IT help on the way for the Health Care industry.  I can totally agree with the comment that this is the "slowest moving industry in the world" as relates to technology, and yet the advances are so critical to better health care for all.  The bank too will soon be broken as technology continues to evolve and we are already seeing some of this with the shortage of physicians, some of which may have chosen to just bow out and retire instead of working with new methodologies.  Lack of technology and using old paper processes, which require the need for additional staff and supplies to accommodate the requirements for billing, charting and pay for performance are already taking a toll not only with efficiency, but with compensation.  The demands from insurers to receive data versus paper information is already eating a big hole in the practice budget as generating this information manually instead of using technology is becoming a major cost function and almost to the point of being prohibitive to allot staff time to dedicate to the reporting side of things, thus  compensation is at stake due to the inability to timely generate the information needed for payment in some areas, such as pay for performance.  BD 

Paul Otellini, chief executive of Intel, the world’s biggest semiconductor company, has attacked the healthcare industry for its resistance to technological change.

“It is the slowest moving industry in the world,” he told the Financial Times. “And one indicator of that is, of all the major industries in the world, it is the least penetrated by IT.”  Mr Otellini said the health sector was a “longer hike” than other Intel initiatives aimed at emerging markets and the digital home.

He sees technology helping by providing systems for people to monitor their health at home and allowing remote monitoring, diagnosis and treatment through telemedicine.

Intel has made little progress in penetrating the healthcare industry with its chips since it reorganized and created a Digital Health division in 2005.

“The current projections in healthcare will break the bank of most mature economies if we don’t do something about it,” he said.

FT.com / Companies / IT - Intel chief targets health industry

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Medicare foul-ups continue

 

WASHINGTON - Nearly two years after it was launched, the Medicare prescription drug plan is still plagued with confusion and computer foul-ups, costing seniors money and complicating their access to the benefit.

Among the thousands who have had problems is Clarence Saalfeld, a 67-year-old Florence resident, who enrolled in the Medicare Part D plan in December 2005. But he had to fight Social Security and Medicare for 11 months before they stopped charging him for two separate prescription drug plans.

Before Saalfeld's plan went into effect in January 2006, he switched plans to pay his third-party provider directly. That's when his problems began. 

Both Medicare and Social Security repeatedly told the caseworker in Davis' office that Saalfeld's plight was someone else's problem or that it had been resolved. The first plan provider told the caseworker in April that it had stopped receiving Social Security payments.  However, Social Security continued to withhold premiums from Saalfeld's check.

Premiums of about $14 were withheld from Saalfeld's February Social Security check for his canceled Medicare plan. He also got a bill from his new provider for $22. That went on for months. "I live on a fixed income, so I couldn't make that up," Saalfeld said. "Luckily I had some savings, but I'm sure other people have been very hurt by it."

Seniors nationwide are experiencing problems like Saalfeld's, which have arisen since the federal government launched the Medicare Part D prescription drug program in January 2006. The program has been troubled with computer errors and a confusing array of choices that are only beginning to be straightened out.

The Cincinnati Post - Medicare foul-ups continue

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Windows Vista and Office 2007Test Drive

If you are not sure whether or not to upgrade and want to try out either Vista or Office 2007 this is your best bet.  Nothing is installed on your PC, and you can see how each one works and what to expect when you do upgrade.  Microsoft also has a variety of other on line test drive products you can try as well.  Nice way to look and try before you buy.  BD

Windows Vista Test Drive

Test Drive Office 2007

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Teeth Whitening Experience With The Launch Of LISTERINE WHITENING® Quick Dissolving Strips

 One more way to whiten your teeth...and freshen you breath at the same time.  BD

The makers of LISTERINE® invented the mouthwash category more than 100 years ago, and today the brand will revolutionize the whitening strip experience. New LISTERINE WHITENING® Quick Dissolving Strips discreetly dissolve on teeth within five to 10 minutes on average, giving people the freedom to whiten when and where they choose. There is nothing to remove and no rinsing or brushing is required afterward. Once LISTERINE WHITENING® Quick Dissolving Strips dissolve, what's left is a clean mint taste, fresher breath and, after two weeks of use, a noticeably whiter smile.

The Makers Of LISTERINE® Revolutionize The Teeth Whitening Experience With The Launch Of LISTERINE WHITENING® Quick Dissolving Strips

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DePuy Launches New Software For Computer Assisted Hip Surgery

 

DePuy Orthopaedics, Inc. has announced the launch of computer software designed to significantly enhance the field of computer-assisted hip replacement surgery. This advanced technology lets surgeons visualize parts of the patient's anatomy that are not visible through the incision, without the need for CT or fluoroscopy, saving hundreds of dollars and enhancing implant positioning.
"The goal of the software design was to increase operating-room efficiency, decrease planning time for the surgeon during surgery, and make the software easier to use for the surgeon and the surgeon's staff," said Joe McLaughlin, Hip Product Director, DePuy Orthopaedics.

DePuy Launches New Software For Computer Assisted Hip Surgery

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Cytori Therapeutics -natural alternative to breast implant technology

Fascinating new technology with tissue restoration, especially related to breast cancer patients and the potential alternatives with using fat tissue from your body instead of other implanted material for reconstruction.  BD

Cytori's European Celution™ System standardizes and automates a process that releases regenerative cells residing naturally within adipose (fat) tissue. The adipose tissue is taken from the patient using a minor liposuction-like procedure, placed into the system and, with the touch of a button, the processing begins.  Cytori was informed of the completion of enrollment in 2006 of an 11 patient investigator-initiated study in Japan using adipose-derived regenerative cells to treat complications of tumor removal and radiation damage in breast cancer patients. The administered cells were extracted and concentrated from the patients' own adipose tissue using Cytori's Celution™ System.

About an hour later, following a tissue wash, cell separation and concentration by the Celution™ System, a prescribed dose of regenerative cells may be delivered back to the patient. This system is designed to fit seamlessly into the existing hospital workflow.

The Celution™ System makes cells available in about one hour.

Cytori also has begun development of its U.S. Celution™ System, designed to process a patient's own blood cells. The company wants to begin investigating potential applications for these cells in the future to enhance its product pipeline.

Cytori Therapeutics

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Pharmacy benefit managers push Medicare e-prescribing ...

The latest on e-prescribing...don't forget the free NEPSI link on this page, available free for any physician who wants to enroll....BD

Washington -- The trade group representing pharmacy benefit managers has launched a campaign urging Congress to require physicians to use electronic prescribing in Medicare.

Switching from paper-based drug orders to e-prescribing would be the right move from both a financial and safety standpoint, says the Pharmaceutical Care Management Assn. In a PCMA-commissioned study, the Gorman Health Group concluded that requiring doctors and pharmacies to handle all Part D prescriptions electronically by 2010 would reduce federal health care costs by $29 billion and avoid 1.6 million adverse drug events over the next decade.

"Physicians are eager to adopt new technologies that have the potential to increase patient safety and quality of care, but hitting doctors with an unfunded e-prescribing mandate at the same time the government plans to cut Medicare physician payments 10% next year is untenable," he said.

AMNews: Aug. 13, 2007. Pharmacy benefit managers push Medicare e-prescribing ... American Medical News

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Flex appeal: It's all in the planning ...

Planning for and allowing medical staff to work flexible schedules...BD

"I don't see any reason why somebody should be miserable at work," said Kirk Moore, MD, a solo plastic surgeon in Salt Lake City.

Dr. Moore allows his three-person staff -- an office manager, patient coordinator and receptionist -- to set their own hours and work from home when necessary. When he moved his practice from Idaho to Utah 18 months ago, he decided that since he doesn't like being tied to a desk, he wouldn't ask his staff to work that way, either.

AMNews: Aug. 13, 2007. Flex appeal: It's all in the planning ... American Medical News

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