Union-Managed Health Care

Auto makers may turn the health insurance business over the the union to run...BD 

For many years, the business community has been looking for a way to rid itself of the role of financing and managing the private health insurance system. The labor movement also has been looking for something that could make unions more relevant again for larger numbers of workers. So it may be not so surprising that the Big Three automakers and their workers are talking about having the union take over responsibility for managing the industry's health-care plan.

- Next: Union-Managed Health Care - washingtonpost.com

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Mayo Clinic Recommends Universal Health Insurance

 

The Mayo Clinic jumped into the national debate on improving health care yesterday, calling for every individual to have basic universal insurance as a step toward gradually replacing the current employer-based system. But Mayo, in a proposal hammered out over 18 months by a panel of more than 400 health policy experts, is not advocating a government-run single-payer system. Instead, it suggested that private insurance companies be required to offer standard plans with many options, like the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan available to government workers. Applicants for this insurance could not be turned down, under the Mayo plan.

Mayo Clinic Recommends Universal Health Insurance Plan - New York Times

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Endothelix Vendys system received FDA approval

The test is conducted by inflating a cuff around the arm for two minutes followed by immediate deflation.

The company's FDA approval follows multiple clinical trials conducted in major cities and supported by a $1 million award from the Texas Emerging Technology Fund, an initiative from Governor Rick Perry's economic reform committee.  “Beyond Blood Pressure^TM” represents an exciting new paradigm for screening, diagnosis, prediction of future risk, tailored therapy and monitoring of cardiovascular disease.

"I am impressed by the data from the Endothelix clinical trials," says Dr. Mathew Budoff, Professor of Medicine at UCLA and Director of Cardiovascular Imaging at the Los Angeles Biomed Institute. "VENDYS technology is indeed very promising."

Endothelix is a medical company based in Houston, Texas. The company is positioned as the first to incorporate non-invasive, non- imaging micro and macro vascular (endothelial dependent and independent) function monitoring technologies into the existing risk factor assessment to help physicians more accurately monitor their patients cardiovascular health, and to use appropriate therapies for the prevention and treatment heart attack and stroke.

Endothelix, Inc.

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Hospital Bugs Get From Bottom To Bedrail

New study on staph...and possibly where it is the most contagious...BD

The presence of the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) in patients' stools increases the likelihood that it will make its way onto skin, hospital bed rails and other surfaces, according to research published in the online open access journal, BMC Infectious Diseases.

To determine whether these bacteria would be transferred to the researchers' hands they bravely touched each of the skin and environmental sites with one hand previously disinfected with an alcohol hand rub. Handprints in agar jelly before and after testing were used to determine the presence of bacterial transfer.  Most of the patients colonized with S. aureus had the MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) strain, which is unaffected by treatment with certain antibiotics.

Hospital Bugs Get From Bottom To Bedrail

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Intensity Laser Therapy - BioFlex Laser Therapy

Many physicians and chiropractors are now investigating new sources of therapy and among the new technologies offered, the Bio-Flex Laser Therapy is a new alternative.  Muscle and tissue conditions as well as accelerating the healing of broken bones are some of the areas where this product could prove to be effective.  The entire process for one session is completed in around 15 minutes.  BioFlex has been cleared by the FDA as well as by Health Canada.  Basic training will require 2 days to be certified on the use of low intensity laser therapy. 

The site provides a listing of facilities and clinics currently using the BioFlex laser technology.  Some typical conditions being treated with laser therapy include but are not limited to rotator cuff tear and repetitive stress injury.  The site also offers some case studies where the technology is currently in use.  Several professional sports organizations have also been using the BioFlex Laser.  BD

"What is Laser Therapy? Laser therapy is the use of monochromatic light emission from a low intensity laser diode (250 milliwatts or less) or an array of high intensity super luminous diodes (providing total optical power in the 1000-2000 milliwatt range). Conditions treated include musculoskeletal injuries, chronic and degenerative conditions and wounds. The light source is placed in contact with the skin allowing the photon energy to penetrate tissue, where it interacts with various intracellular biomolecules resulting in the restoration of normal cell morphology and function. This also enhances the bodys natural healing processes."

The web site also offers a series of videos containing both educational material as well as some recent press coverage. 

 Follow the links below for additional information.

Meditech International - Home Page

What Is Low Intensity Laser Therapy?

"Sponsored Post"

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ER Kiosks Let Patients Avoid Long Lines

I have featured some past articles on this technology in the past and being I am involved in this area there's some additional information included here that could be helpful to explain how this whole process works.  In additional to the ER room, this technology can be used simply in the waiting room of a practice as well.  When you think about it, we all hate filling out paperwork on a form that has been copied at least 10 times and we can barely read and see the lines sometimes.  BD  

John Lovelock, research director for industry research firm Gartner Inc., said patients may initially hesitate to use the kiosks, but repeat customers realize they're saving time. Top Health stories * Tired? It May Be a Stomach Virus * UK Ruling Allows Stem Cell Research * Teen Dieters Puffing Away the Pounds Related Topics * American College of Emergency Physicians * Newark Beth Israel Medical Center * Gartner Incorporated | IT "I think the public is absolutely ready for this," he said.

"We had some people who loved it. We had some people who didn't. The staff helps anyone who needs it," she said.

Patients spend about eight minutes at the kiosks, using touchscreens to enter their name, age, and other personal information. The computer shows the patient a list of ailments to choose from, like "pain" or "fever and/or chills" and a list of body parts to indicate where it hurts.

ABC News: ER Kiosks Let Patients Avoid Long Lines

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20761116/

If you want to cast your vote on the subject you can visit here:  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20761957/

Here is an example of a Tablet PC in a Kiosk unit..nice thing about using a featured kiosk of this type is that the tablet can be switched out and replaced in a few minutes as well. 

The actual units can be built with different cabinet designs.  As this technology continues to grow the software grows as well.  There are companies that also produce software that allows for forms to be filled in with actual hand writing and this information can be transferred directly to a data base as well.  This is a model from Tablet Kiosk.  BD 

Active Inking Software is one such solution provider, so as this technology continues to evolve, you will see the software do the same, changing the way we interact with computers and technology. 

As you can see from the demonstration above, the technology is here to write and have our handwriting changed to text as well.  BD 

http://activeinksoftware.com/sols.html

Hat Tip:  Kevin, MD

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N.J.'s Corzine to Defy New Health-Care Rules

Threatening to sue the Bush administration...BD 

Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine informed President Bush this week that New Jersey will not obey federal rules that would make it harder to enroll middle-income kids for a popular government-subsidized health insurance program. His move escalated the growing confrontation between a number of states and the administration over the new rules imposed on the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). They have been criticized as unfair and overreaching by children's advocates and politicians of both parties, but Corzine's declaration marks the first time a governor has openly vowed to defy them.

N.J.'s Corzine to Defy New Health-Care Rules - washingtonpost.com

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Health Insurance Premiums, workers' anxieties rise

More on the wellness topic...employers are offering too much in the employee benefit area?  Is this the carrier telling the employer to reduce benefits to save costs?  Also, cited was the comment that employers are failing to embrace a wellness program to reduce costs.  BD 

Considering Greg Bass has completed two Ironman Wisconsin races, you'd figure health insurers would love to cover the fit and trim 46-year-old. Well, not exactly. Bass is facing a staggering 30 percent hike in premiums from Physicians Plus Insurance Corp. for himself and fellow employees at Park Printing in Verona. As third generation owner of the family business, Bass prides himself on providing competitive benefits to his skilled, albeit graying, workforce. But the cost of a top-quality health plan with limited co-pays and deductibles is a benefit the small business can no longer afford, he said.

Kathryne McGowan, vice president of sales and marketing Physicians Plus, declined to speak specifically about the Park Printing situation, citing client confidentiality rules. But she said companies getting hit with "above market" premium increases are either offering too much in employee benefits or have failed to embrace a wellness culture in the workplace.

"At some point, with a huge deductible and these high co-pays you wonder if people even have insurance," he said. Moreover, with the modern credit checking system Peterson said it doesn't take much for a sick person with unpaid medical bills to end up in "electronic debtor's prison."

Top Stories

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HMO fee needed, but so are guarantees against future hikes

Something the rest of us have been paying for a while...BD 

ISSUE: Palm Beach County is considering charging employees $15 a month in HMO premiums. Considering the general public is having a tough time making ends meet, it's hard to feel much sympathy for Palm Beach County government employees, who face the prospect of a new $15 monthly fee for HMO coverage. Perhaps more than any other cost-cutting or revenue-generating proposal, the unusual push toward tampering with the largely sacrosanct benefits of government workers demonstrates the financial straits the county finds itself in.

HMO fee needed, but so are guarantees against future hikes -- South Florida Sun-Sentinel.com

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Siromilus Stents Offer Lower Heart Attack Risk Than Bare Metal Stents Or Paclitaxel

Researchers have concluded that siromilus stents offer a lower heart attack risk for patients than bare metal stents or paclitaxel. Mortality risks linked to drug-eluting stents and bare-metal stents for coronary revascularization have generally been fairly similar, the researchers explain. You can read about their conclusions in a report in The Lancet, issued this week.

Siromilus Stents Offer Lower Heart Attack Risk Than Bare Metal Stents Or Paclitaxel

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The Hospitalist Is In . . .

Good article about Hospitalists...for patients without a primary MD they fill the gap when care is needed...and as the article states, they are on premise..fastest growing field in health care for physicians...BD

The majority of hospitals in the United States have hospitalists, because it's a better utilization of resources, of time, of communication skills and quality of care," said Ahmed Nawaz, who leads a hospitalist practice based at Holy Cross Hospital in Silver Spring. Yet many patients are unaware of the trend. "We don't introduce ourselves as 'hospitalists,' " said Washington internist Michael Molineux, director of the hospitalist program at Georgetown University Hospital. "Most patients don't know what it is or what it means.

Most hospitalists are internists; 11 percent are pediatricians. By 2010, SHM projects 30,000 hospitalists will be practicing.  Studies show hospitalists manage care more efficiently and reduce hospital stays. Hospitalists say they think that's because they order tests and procedures more promptly.

Hospitalists' biggest selling point is that they're always on-site.  The nurses like them because they're up-to-date and they communicate well.

The Hospitalist Is In . . . - washingtonpost.com

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Fentora Cancer Pain Drug Linked To Deaths

Drug company Cephalon has sent out a Dear Doctor and a Dear Healthcare Professional letter about safe use of its cancer pain drug Fentora (fentanyl buccal tablet) which has been linked with four deaths recently. The letters, dated 10th September, remind pain management specialists and other healthcare professionals that Fentora should only be used to manage breakthrough pain in patients with cancer who are already taking, and are already known to be tolerant, to opioids (substances that act like morphine), for their underlying persistent cancer pain.

Fentora Cancer Pain Drug Linked To Deaths

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Voice Recognition Helps Doctors Get More Out Of E-Health

I can certainly agree with this article and I'm sure there are many physicians that would do the same.  After using Dragon dictation, one physician commented to me "no wonder your emails are so long, now I see why" as he realized that I too use Dragon for my business as well and it really helps being able to dictate versus having to type everything...especially for those who are challenged a bit by the keyboard.  As I demonstrated in one video, Vista Dictation is certainly worth a look too, so if you have purchased a new computer/notebook with Vista installed, it certainly couldn't hurt to give it a try.  You may need to purchase a microphone if your desktop computer does not have one, or if the microphone on a tablet or notebook does not come equipped with dual array microphones.  BD  

One of the biggest complaints from doctors trading in their paper files for electronic health records is that typing in patient info takes too much time. For some doctors, an e-health record might mean an extra 3 to 5 minutes of extra work per patient. In a busy practice or hospital, that time can add up quickly. But some doctors are avoiding that hurdle by speaking commands as well as patient notes into their E-health record systems. Voice recognition functionality is not only helping to drive utilization of e-health record systems among doctors, it's also helping to dramatically reduce the cost of medical transcription services.

The e-medical record software has drop-down templates from which physicians can enter information about patients, such as during exams and in providing data about medical history. However, the voice-recognition software provides the e-records an added boost by allowing doctors to add details that would otherwise be excluded from the data, or have to be typed in.

Rather than dictate notes that need to be transcribed by third parties, the voice-recognition software can add the information directly to patient's e-health records, where doctors can read through them immediately for editing or checking for errors.

"It's no question that [voice recognition] is helping to drive physician adoption" of EMRs, said McGraw. "It's not the reason why EMR is getting adopted, but it's one more feature that adds ease of use," she said.

Voice Recognition Helps Doctors Get More Out Of E-Health -- E-Health -- InformationWeek

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Health coaches help workers, save companies cash - United Parcel is One

This is a big topic as it is big money..if it can work by killing two birds wit one stone then it is definitely a winner; however, all company plans may not be created equal..read the fine print and make sure it is a win-win for you...and above all...find out where your health information goes and who has access to your records.  Be sure you have your own copy too.  Health coaching can be beneficial and informative if the programs are administered correctly and the fear of continued employment or potential loss of insurance benefits are removed from the process.  BD 

UPS, which rolled out its program to more than 100,000 nonunionized employees in mid-2006 and to the rest of its 285,000-person work force in February, provides coaches mainly to employees who have, or are at risk of having, diabetes, asthma, coronary heart disease or congestive heart failure. With its health-care costs rising 7 percent to 8 percent annually, UPS sees coaches and its employee-wellness program as a way to reverse the upward trend, company officials said.

Health coaching "has skyrocketed in the last two to three years," Staufacker said. Once aimed just at employees with chronic health problems, the use of personalized, telephone coaching has since proved to be a cost-effective way to help many employees make lifestyle-behavior changes.

UnitedHealth's health-coaching services are growing 30 percent a year, and by the end of this year, 2.5 million people will have access to its health coaches, according to company officials.

Health coaches help workers, save companies cash -- OrlandoSentinel.com

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U.S. Adults Spent More On Lipitor In 2004 Than Any Other Drug

 

With a total nearly $5 billion, Lipitor, a cholesterol-reducing drug, ranked first in terms of total spending on prescription medicines by adults ages 18 to 64 in 2004, and another cholesterol-fighting drug, Zocor, ranked fourth at $2.3 billion, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

U.S. Adults Spent More On Lipitor In 2004 Than Any Other Drug

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Five must-do's when a loved one is ill - CNN.com

Be an advocate... good set of rules and suggestions in this article...and well worth reading...BD

(CNN) -- One day in the hospital, Vladimir Atryzek overheard a nurse mention that his daughter, Molly, needed to have some bone marrow extracted. The nurse said she would be preparing Molly immediately for the potentially painful procedure. art.patient.gi.jpg Don't be afraid to ruffle a few feathers and speak up for a sick loved one, one advocate says. There was just one problem. Atryzek knew Molly didn't need to have her bone marrow taken; she'd just had it done recently. So for what wasn't the first time -- and wouldn't be the last -- Atryzek stepped in as an advocate for his daughter. "I told the nurse we weren't doing bone marrow today, and she pointed to the chart and said, 'No, it says right here we're doing bone marrow,' " recalled Atryzek, whose 17-year-old daughter is in a hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, fighting leukemia. "I asked the nurse to check it, and she came back and said, 'Oh, you're right, no bone marrow.'

Rule No. 2: Ask questions until you understand the answer.  "Keep your loved one honest," Rackner said. "Make sure they tell the doctor everything."

Rule No. 5: Scope out the nurses.  Suzanne Atryzek said it's crucial to befriend the smartest, most helpful nurses early on. "Nurses will guide you," she said. "Nurses are where it's at."

Five must-do's when a loved one is ill - CNN.com

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Forty-Four Senators Send Letter Asking President Bush To Rescind New Rules That Restrict SCHIP Enrollment

Hopefully this might have some impact and perhaps stop the 10% cut in payment for physicians too...even now it is already difficult in some areas for seniors to find a doctor and this would make matters worse, and it would do nothing to boost technology that is so badly needed in the small practices.  BD 

Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) and Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) on Monday sent a letter signed by 44 senators to President Bush requesting that he rescind new rules issued last month that limit SCHIP enrollment to the lowest-income children, CongressDaily reports (Johnson [1], CongressDaily, 9/11).

In the letter, the senators say that they "oppose these new requirements as they will result in the loss of coverage for tens of thousands of children and could block efforts under way by other states working to insure more kids"

According to the letter, if Medicare payments to physicians are cut by 10% as scheduled in 2008, "60% of physicians will have to limit their acceptance of new Medicare patients, and two-thirds of physicians plan to deter the purchase of information technology."

Forty-Four Senators Send Letter Asking President Bush To Rescind New Rules That Restrict SCHIP Enrollment

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Gallbladder removed through vagina - San Diego

More good news in the area of minimally invasive surgery...BD 

Surgeons at the University of California, San Diego Medical Center have performed the first clinical trial surgery in the Southwest to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of performing abdominal procedures through the body's natural openings, virtually eliminating scarring. The UCSD Medical Center procedure involved removing the gallbladder through the patient's vagina without traditional incisions through the skin. Only one small incision through the naval was required to help guide the surgeon. This procedure received approval for a limited number of patients by UC San Diego's Institutional Review Board (IRB) which oversees clinical research.

Hogan used FDA-approved Dreamland High Dexterity (HD) instruments developed by Novae Surgical Systems, and a flexible endoscope, developed by Olympus to perform the NOTES procedure.

The procedure, called Natural Orifice Translucently Endoscopies Surgery (NOTES), involves passing surgical instruments, and a tiny camera, through a natural orifice, such as the mouth or the vagina, to the desired organ. By avoiding major incisions through the skin, muscle, and nerves of the abdomen, patients may experience a quicker recovery with less pain and scarring while reducing the risk of post operative hernias.

Gallbladder removed through vagina

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Microsoft Eyes Future of Teleconferencing with RoundTable

Microsoft Communications Server, combined with MS Round Table look to put a complete new spin on how conferences are held in the future.  The camera is very intuitive and move to to focus on the individual speaking, something less to deal with manually.  I had a quick peak at the device and short demonstration last week and I couldn't help but wonder if this unit may find it's way to hospitals and surgery rooms someday.  In a rural community the surgeon could have real time help from a major health care facility if needed, not to mention having the ability to connect with a Tablet PC for the ultimate in portability and information at your fingertips.  BD 

Microsoft RoundTable is an advanced conference phone with a built-in 360° camera. Microsoft RoundTable actually follows the conversation, by identifying the active speaker and broadcasting a close-up of his/her face. When the conversation shifts, RoundTable shifts with it, automatically. RoundTable has advanced speech recognition, so it can crosscut between multiple speakers without losing track of the conversation.

Microsoft researchers felt sure they could come up with one – an audio/video device that’s mobile, simple to operate and costs much less than expensive video conferencing systems. It combines the features of a speakerphone with those found in videoconferencing into a device that Microsoft expects will retail for less than US$3,000.

Microsoft Eyes Future of Teleconferencing with RoundTable: Technology developed by Microsoft Research matures into a product that is scheduled to debut by mid-2007, providing businesses an alternative to business trips or expensive conventional audio/video conferencing systems.

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Nortel Sees Way Into X-ray Admin Market

Instant messaging becomes real time for this health care facility, even spanning a 120 acre campus to get in touch and supply medical information, orders directly to hand held devices...health care today has to be mobile as everything can't wait until you return to a desktop computer in an office.  BD 

Nortel announced the implementation of a uniquely integrated communication system that enables the radiology department at Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas to securely send medical orders directly to radiology technicians wirelessly. The system allows staff to receive medical orders anywhere on the hospital's 120 acre campus on a handheld device, which is expected to improve business processes associated with time-to-diagnosis, workflow and patient care.

This is believed to be the first use of instant messaging and presence awareness on mobile devices to improve efficiency and productivity in a healthcare environment.

Nortel Sees Way Into X-ray Admin Market

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First Digital Hospital in Mexico

Nice use of RFID technology and this will also help in keeping track of equipment so it does not leave the premises as well.  BD  

AeroScout a provider of Wi-Fi-based Active RFID solutions, says it is taking part in a digital hospital project at the new General Hospital in Lagos de Moreno, Jalisco, Mexico. Utilizing a Cisco wireless infrastructure, the installation includes AeroScout's Wi-Fi-based Active RFID tags and software to track the location of mobile equipment and patients. The General Hospital of Lagos de Moreno is the first all digital hospital in Mexico and part of a progressive program supported by the Mexican government to create a network of all digital hospitals.

The hospital uses AeroScout's small, long-life Wi-Fi Tags attached to medical equipment such as wheelchairs and other mobile assets, to track its accurate location and status through the Cisco wireless network. The data is then sent to AeroScout's MobileView software, which includes interactive and searchable maps, reporting, event-based alerts, and integration to other hospital IT systems. This ensures that high-value medical equipment can always be found by staff when needed and is used in an efficient manner. In addition to tracking equipment, the hospital is also utilizing the AeroScout solution to track patients as they move through the different medical areas, alerting staff of the current status and position of all the hospital patients in real time.

Patient RFID OK On The Outside

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No health damage from short-term mobile use: study

A major British study has found there are no damaging health effects from using mobile phones, in the short-term at least.

The UK mobile telecommunications and health research program conducted a six-year review into the safety of mobile phones.

It was set up after a report in 2001 raised concerns about the health effects of mobile phone use.

After 23 separate studies, the independent body found there was no
increase in cancers of the brain and nervous system in people using
mobiles for less than 10 years.

Researchers found mobile use also had no impact on brain function.
They have called for a longer study to assess the impact on people
using mobiles phones for more than 10 years.

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Doctors and hospitals adjusting to life in the digital age

It doesn't happen overnight and is not a bowl of cherries, but worth it all in the long run.  Training is also very important.  BD 

How long does it take a hospital with 148 beds and more than 31,900 emergency visits per year to fully digitize its records? Newport Hospital is still working on it, even though their efforts began 15 years ago. However, they are one of only six hospitals out of more than 4,300 in the United States to reach stage six in electronic medical recording.

Dr. Leibowitz said while the system takes some getting used to, it is a change that needs to happen for doctors statewide.

"It is what medicine has to be, or you're going to be forced out," he said.

Mr. Cipriani said the computerization of several services, such as using voice recognition software to type a doctor's notes instead of relying on a nurse to decipher them, has increased safety at the hospital.

Top Stories

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Tenet's chief medical officer stepping down

Tenet Healthcare Corp. said Wednesday its chief medical officer, Jennifer Daley, has resigned from the company to take a position in Boston. Daley will leave the Dallas-based company Sept. 28 and return to Partners Community Healthcare in Boston to take a job as chief medical officer. The health care executive has served as chief medical officer at Tenet since 2003. Prior to that she had served as Tenet's vice president for clinical effectiveness for a year. Under her leadership, Tenet (NYSE: THC) has implemented its innovative Commitment to Quality, which is designed to improve overall quality, safety and productivity of Tenet's patient care delivery processes.

Tenet's chief medical officer stepping down - Dallas Business Journal:

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Want those workers to lose weight? Well pay them!

Another article on the same Employer benefits to better health care..this one sounds like a positive move.  BD 

It seems giving money to overweight workers is the best incentive to make them lose weight and is in the long term a cost-effective exercise. Dr. Eric Finkelstein of the non-profit research organization RTI International in North Carolina and a team of researchers found people paid to slim down lost more weight than employees who had not been given a financial boost to get fit. For the study the researchers divided 207 people, who had an average weight of 200 pounds (91 kilograms), into three groups to compare their weight loss. One group were not offered any financial incentive to slim down; the second group received $7 for every percentage point of their body weight they lost, while the third group were offered $14. Dr. Finkelstein says after three months people in the $14 group lost an average 4.7 pounds, compared to three pounds in the $7 group while those who had not been paid lost about two pounds. A few people lost a lot of weight and Dr. Finkelstein says it was found that people in the $14 group were more than five times more likely to lose five percent of their body weight.

Want those workers to lose weight? Well pay them!

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BD Announces FDA 510(K) Submission Of Rapid Molecular Test To Identify Patients Carrying Staph Superbug Prior To Surgery

With the new Medicare rules regarding hospital errors, this could offer some relief with prevention and diagnosing prior to surgery.  BD 

BD Diagnostics, a segment of BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX), announced that it has made a 510(k) submission to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for additional claims for the BD GeneOhmTM StaphSR assay. This will be the first assay for rapid and simultaneous identification of Staphylococcus aureus (SA) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) from patients colonized in the nasal passage.

BD Announces FDA 510(K) Submission Of Rapid Molecular Test To Identify Patients Carrying Staph Superbug Prior To Surgery

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More Universities Jump on the Tablet PC Bandwagon

Nice to see the health care area referenced here as well.  BD 

As Tablet PCs grow more and more popular, many universities have opted to use them for certain programs. Tablet PCs have proven to be a strong contender in fields like nursing and engineering. Even many art and design students have taken a liking to the "paper and pen" like feel that a Tablet PC gives. In fact many tablet manufacturers like Lenovo, Fujitsu and HP offer student discounts to help those struggling college students get the newest technology.

More Universities Jump on the Tablet PC Bandwagon

Hat Tip:  TabletPCTalk

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Research May Lead To New Classes Of Antibiotics

Scientists have what could be some very bad news for disease-causing bacteria. All three major classes of antibiotics that kill infectious bacteria do so in part by ramping up the production of harmful free radicals, researchers report in Cell a publication of Cell Press. Because those different types of antibiotics each initially hit different targets, it had been believed they worked by independent means.

"Hydroxyl radicals damage DNA, which turns on the S.O.S. repair response," said James Collins. "Therefore, our findings suggest that if you could shut off the bacteria's repair response, you might make all bactericidal antibiotics more effective and effective at lower doses. You could in essence create a super-Cipro, super-mycins, and so on."

Research May Lead To New Classes Of Antibiotics

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Nowhere To Hide

Something to think about regarding security with health records in particular.  Good reading about the huge breaches that have taken place with both TJ Max and Monster.com this year.  Sad that many only pay attention after the damage has been done.  BD 

If you give a company your name and address, how many copies of this data do you think will exist in databases around the world a mere 12 months later?

Forbes.com: How does our most private data, like credit card or medical information, get distributed?

Jeff Jonas: For the most part it doesn't, but there are some exceptions. Medical prescriptions, for instance, are aggregated in databases that make sure you're not getting two medicines that interact badly. That's a necessary flow of private info that saves lives.

But then there are also breaches from carelessness or criminal behavior. And that gets difficult given all the copies of the data that a company makes internally. Any time you make another copy of data, you increase the risk. It doubles your efforts for protection.

Nowhere To Hide - Forbes.com

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The Smart Bra..

We have seen the smart shirt, smart pants...well the latest...a bra with micro chips creating images to detect early stages of breast cancer.   Don't think this one has made it to the FDA yet, but perhaps in time and it will be interesting to watch any new and follow up stories ..I thought perhaps it was true fiction at first but from the story it appears to be in development.  BD

With the help of the Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC), materials experts from the UK introduced a new smart bra that can detect breast cancer tumors at an early stage to the local apparel industry at a seminar at HKPC today (13 July 2007). Developed by the Centre for Materials Research & Innovation (CRMI), University of Bolton, UK, the smart bra uses a microwave antennae device which is built into the bra structure. While wearing it, data about the breast is being collected by the embedded microchips which then produce a computer-generated image of the breast.

"The breast screening smart bra is an invention that allows users to detect breast cancer at a curable stage. It is a low-risk, non-invasive, simple-to-use and cost-effective device that can provide easily-interpreted data.

HKPC

Hat Tip:  Medlaunches.com

And for the men...a Blue tooth smart shirt

Associate Professor Francis Tay of the National University of Singapore's mechanical engineering department and his research group have created a shirt with an integrated 2 centimeter square device that detects the speed and tilt of the wearer. When the person wearing the shirt falls, it triggers the built-in transmitter attached to the bottom of the shirt. Via Bluetooth, the information is sent wirelessly to a home base transmitter, where it can be sent to relatives or other caregivers.

http://www.technovelgy.com/ct/Science-Fiction-News.asp?NewsNum=226

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Threat To Patient Privacy: The Minnesota Health Information Exchange

Privacy??...Where is HIPAA???..the state will have an open door to everyone's medical record...and the health department was given the money to set up interconnectivity..but it was never cleared by the legislature...the attempts to require patient consent were repeated rebuffed...I do believe they are correct in the fact that people will not want to visit the doctor as this information is made readily available and where does it go from here...BD 

The Minnesota Health Information Exchange announced by Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty is a serious threat to patient privacy, and patient control over medical treatment decisions, says Citizens' Council on Health Care (CCHC). Twila Brase, president of CCHC, provides the following reaction to recent announcement:

"State government will soon have a wide open door to everyone's medical record. A 1993 law gives the Minnesota Department of Health full access to medical records.  "Although public outrage forced the Minnesota Department of Health to withdraw their proposed data collection rule in 2003, the law was never repealed. The law specifically says no patient consent is required.

"The 2007 legislature gave the health department $2 million this year to update the interconnectivity of their computer systems, allowing them to connect with health plans and electronically tap into everyone's medical record. 

"Once patients understand that government can access their entire medical record, they will be less likely to seek medical care, or to fully disclose all the details necessary to receive the right care."

"The Information Exchange was never cleared by the Legislature. It was never even discussed.

Threat To Patient Privacy: The Minnesota Health Information Exchange

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Uniforms for the Uninsured...

Great shirt.... one look says it all..BD 

Wendy Dumbo who spoke at PSFKs New York Conference has decided to speak up again, this time in the form of a T shirt. The Gaps Red t-shirt line spurred her to mimick the design and address the rather shocking rate of health insurance in the United States.

The Young Invincibles Latest Top on PSFK

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California Passes Bill To Ban Forced RFID Tagging

Chip implants should always be a choice...good pro-active move on the part of the legislature here...no person should ever be forced to be implanted with a chip...agree...BD 

California legislators want to prohibit people from forcing others to receive tracking implants. Sen. Joe Simitian, a Palo Alto Democrat, announced that his Senate Bill 362, which would ban the practice, passed by a 28-9 vote last week. "RFID technology is not in and of itself the issue. RFID is a minor miracle, with all sorts of good uses," Simitian said in a statement. "But we shouldn't condone forced 'tagging' of humans. It's the ultimate invasion of privacy." The bill is headed for the desk of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger for approval. If Schwarzenegger signs SB 362, California will join Wisconsin and North Dakota to ban forced RFID implantation.

Once again, California leads the nation in recognizing potential threats to individual privacy and self-determination posed by new technologies."

California Passes Bill To Ban Forced RFID Tagging -- RFID Chips -- InformationWeek

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HP Thermal Inkjet Technology Put to Medical Use

Similar to a patch as we know it, except the micro needles do penetrate the skin..it uses a modified version of the technology used for ink jet printers...but this doesn't mean we will be printing patches with ink jets.  Each patch will have between 400 and 1000 micro needles.  BD

Hewlett-Packard Co. researchers have developed a medical patch that uses thermal inkjet technology found in printers to painlessly administer drugs to a patient The patch uses microneedles to inject drugs just below a patient's skin and can be programmed to precisely control the amount and timing of each dose that is delivered, said John O'Dea, chief executive officer of Crospon Ltd., in Galway, Ireland, which has licensed the patch and plans to develop it into a commercial product.

But the inkjet technology used in the patch isn't exactly the same as that used in HP printers.

PC World - HP Thermal Inkjet Technology Put to Medical Use

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Schwarzenegger plans special session for health care reform

News articles from the last few days also stated an veto on any current bills could be in the process to allow the Governor to call the special session...BD 

With four days left in the current legislative session -- and no agreement on comprehensive health care reform in sight -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced Monday that he intends to call a special session to hammer out a compromise. His press office had no details Tuesday about when the session would be or for how long. Schwarzenegger has yet actually to call for a special session, said spokesman Aaron McLear. Once he does, it is up to legislative leaders to decide when it starts, McLear said.

Schwarzenegger plans special session for health care reform - East Bay Business Times:

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Medical Liability Reform Requires National Action

Something to learn from Texas...and the non for profit hospitals have benefited as well..no wonder doctor licensing has increased here....BD 

The costs of medical litigation per person in the United States are far higher than in any other major industrialized nation in the world. Medical liability insurance costs have soared and the effect is evident with fewer students going into the medical community and seasoned professionals deciding on early retirement because staying in practice isn't financially feasible.

In 2003, the Texas legislature brought together major health care stakeholders to develop a solution to the problems Texas faced with sky-rocketing medical lawsuits and a declining pool of medical professionals. Ultimately, the House and Senate, along with the citizens of the State of Texas, managed to design and a approve plan that would ultimately transform medical justice in the state. Instead of having a single $250,000 cap, there would be a $250,000 cap on non-economic damages as it pertains to physicians, hospitals, and to second hospitals or nursing homes, for an aggregate cap of $750,000.
In 2006, only three years after passage, Medical Protective, one of the state's largest medical liability insurance carriers, was able to provide policyholders with 10% rate cut which was its 4th reduction since April of 2005. Texas Medical Liability Trust, another major medical liability insurance carrier, declared an aggregate of 22 rate cut for its costumers. Texas is licensing an average of 400 more doctors per year than before the reform took place.

Probably one of the most important unintended beneficiaries of the Texas Plan was that small community not-for-profit hospitals, self-insured for medical liability, have been able to take money out of their escrow accounts and put it back to work for those hospitals. These small not-for-profit hospitals, dotting the countryside, could improve their infrastructures, pay nurse's salaries, increase their information technology and generally improve the level of health care they provide the community.

Medical Liability Reform Requires National Action, USA

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DUI Drama for General Hospital Star

One more celebrity on the DUI list...BD 

General Hospital star Kirsten Storms was arrested early Friday morning in Los Angeles-adjacent Culver City on suspicion of driving under the influence. According to the California Highway Patrol, officers stopped the 23-year-old actress at about 3 a.m. after seeing her toss a lit cigarette out the window of her blue Mercedes-Benz CLK500.

E! News - DUI Drama for General Hospital Star

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Democrats go online for 2008 "mash-up"

You will be able to pick and choose the videos and topics from the site...skipping what does not interest you...might be a good way to see how health care is stacking up.  BD 

The candidates will be interviewed by satellite on Wednesday by PBS talk-show host Charlie Rose on the issues of Iraq, health care and education. A wild-card fourth topic will be chosen for each individual candidate.  Rose will be able to follow-up questions in an effort to keep the responses on topic, and the answers will be edited and posted. The Huffington Post and Slate will provide links to Yahoo, which will host the site.

The forum, sponsored by Yahoo, the Huffington Post blog and the Web magazine Slate, will be available on Yahoo's main news site on Thursday.

If a voter wants to see just the answers on Iraq, they can line them up and watch. Or they can view Illinois Sen. Barack Obama's health care answer compared to the one given by New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, he said.

Democrats go online for 2008 "mash-up" - Yahoo! News

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The Training of the "Helpless" Physician

This article makes many good points, and this is an area where our humanitarian physicians who take care of us, have swallowed many bullets, not due to ignorance in many areas, but simply due to the fact they are taking care of patients, like they were trained to do in medical school.  There have been various articles written on the same subject that medical school does not help get the doctor ready to negotiate insurance contracts, etc., but the day the practice opens the door, it's all there and waiting...BD

Few American physicians -- young or old -- understand that in the last 15 years healthcare economics have been radically changed. Physicians have largely abandoned the pure fee-for-service model that has been the economic cornerstone of Western medicine since Roman times. In its place doctors now contract with health plans for rates negotiated in bulk under so-called "managed care" plans. Economically, there can be no greater change in a personal services industry than changing how people get paid; yet medical students, residents, and fellows are provided virtually no education on the nature or implications of this profound change. The need for such practical education has never been greater.

Almost all of a physician's private patient flow depends on his or her contractual relationships: Private patients are provided either under an employment contract with an employer or they come into the practice through a contract between the physician and a health maintenance organization (HMO) or preferred provider organization (PPO).

The foregoing are but a few examples of the practical areas not addressed by medical training. More insidiously, however, medical training is inculcating a culture among physicians that may be deepening their woes and contributing to the decline of the profession.

The Training of the "Helpless" Physician

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A Report Card for 32 Payers: Not Making the Grade

Good story to read about the survey which included Medicare and 3rd party insurers...as the article states Medicare may have graded a bit higher as on the whole, most were not holding Medicare to the same standards expected from the 3rd party payers...(article may require a subscription)  BD

You couldn't make up stories like these:

Shane Avery, MD, is a family physician practicing solo in Scottsburg, Ind. Earlier this year, his practice received a contract from a major health insurer offering a fee schedule based on 120 percent of Medicare rates. "It sounded fair, and we were about to sign," Avery said, "but then we read further and found out it was based on 2004 Medicare rates." "We counteroffered with 120 percent of 2007 Medicare, and they told us they couldn't do that," Avery said. "It wasn't a tough decision for me to throw the contract in the trash."

Alan Falkoff, MD, a family physician practicing in Stamford, Conn., was recently contacted by a major health insurer's disease management program regarding his performance. The health plan had profiled several patients and identified one who was lacking "needed care" - an LDL screening for the previous 12 months and an A1C test for the previous 6 months. "The ridiculous thing is that the patient hasn't belonged to my practice for years. He has been in a persistent vegetative state in a nursing home for many years following an anoxic brain injury after coding for cardiorespiratory arrest," Falkoff said. "I don't even know if this guy is still alive, but apparently his statistics exist in my quality assessment."

A comprehensive AMA study of the health insurance market showed "unequivocally that physicians across the country have virtually no bargaining power with dominant health insurers and that those health insurers are in a position to exert monopsony power.

One California physician wrote: "Most of the PPOs have announced rates that are now 80 percent of Medicare. We were getting 130 percent of Medicare up until 2002, and in recent years they are paying less. ... We will not be in business by 2008 if this continues."

A Report Card for 32 Payers: Not Making the Grade

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Microsoft Health - Common User Interface for the UK

This effort will allow software designers to create a customized user interface for end users to be able to access more from one location, in other words, a real opportunity for developers to partake in and create integration for the end user for a common appearance and ease of use to quickly obtain patient safety and critical functions...in layman's terms, making it easier for clinical staff to use and drill down to get the information they need quickly without additional learning curves.  Someday, we could see a potential standardized approach here, but just by population alone, this would be a huge undertaking as well.  It will be interesting to follow the progress and see the results as time goes on.  BD 

The Microsoft Health Common User Interface (CUI) provides Design Guidance and controls which allow a new generation of safer, more usable and compelling health applications to be quickly and easily created. This site is aimed at user interface designers, application developers and patient safety experts who want to find out more about the benefits of a standardized approach to user interface design.

This is the first release of the Microsoft Health Common User Interface. The scope and requirements of this release are based on pre-release materials produced from extensive consultation with patient safety experts, clinicians, user interface designers and application developers as part of the English National Health Service Common User Interface (NHS CUI) Programme.

Microsoft Health CUI - Home

More information available here: 

http://www.codeplex.com/mscui

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Health rules for tattoo and piercing parlors

Tattoo shops are being looked at for health and cleanliness regulations, makes sense with the increased number of individuals sporting tattoos these days.  Last thing one would want is a case of Hepatitis B from getting a tattoo...shop owners don't object for the most part as well...as females too our nail technicians already participate with similar cleanliness requirements...BD 

Alameda County health officials want to make sure folks who receive a new tattoo or piercing at body art shops leave with only that and not with hepatitis B or other some other infection. Members of the county's Environmental Health Department today proposed a new ordinance for body art and piercing establishments to the board of supervisors' health committee. The proposed ordinance would establish health and safety standards for body art and body piercing shops within unincorporated Alameda County.

It also would require all such businesses to obtain an operation permit that would have to be renewed annually. "Personally, I'm happy to see you doing this," said Supervisor Alice Lai-Bitker, who chairs the committee. "You see more and more people getting into body art and piercing.

"I was like, `Are you kidding me?"' said Scalzo, who's been a body artist for 31 years. "You have no regulations in place for a shop that's using needles, but you'll close a restaurant down if it has a bug on the floor?"

Oroville Mercury Register - Alameda County mulls health rules for tattoo and piercing parlors

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P4P more like pay-for-paperwork (Opinion)

I think Dr. Zwelling from Los Alamitos, California has a point...is it in essence pay for paperwork and a standard to accept P4P in order to stay in business...BD 

Thanks for your article about pay-for-performance. I do appreciate that you gave consideration to the "other side" of the frenzy about pay-for-performance. As a physician, it is my duty to consider each patient as an individual. I agree that practice standards are important, but every patient is different, and I give serious consideration to the specific needs of each person when I order tests, medications or make any recommendation.

Population-based healthcare is not only dangerous, but frankly is an expensive means of trying to make all patients look alike. I am a professional, quadruple-boarded, and my patients pay me for my expertise. They have insurance as a means of paying for the catastrophe that they hope never happens. The thought that the government, an employer or an insurer can create the standards of care and force physicians into a fiduciary abyss where many have to accept pay-for-performance in order to stay in business makes me shudder, however increasingly real it has become.

Modern Healthcare Online

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Checking Heart Health With a Home Monitor

Professionals state this is better for Trig readings more so than HDL...BD 

A $99 gadget called CardioChek lets you check your cholesterol, triglycerides and a handful of other cardio- health indicators at home, without having to send anything off to a lab. Using a lancet (included in every pack of test strips, sold separately), you place a drop of blood on a test strip. Then the device, made by the Indianapolis company Polymer Technology Systems, analyzes the strip's color change and compares it to a reference standard, providing results within two minutes.   

It's more useful, says William James Howard, a lipidologist with the Washington Hospital Center, for measuring triglyceride levels, which change quickly from day to day according to diet and exercise, than for measuring HDL cholesterol, which takes weeks or months to change.

Checking Heart Health With a Home Monitor - washingtonpost.com

More Information here

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Employers Scrutinize Eligibility of Dependents on Health Plans

One more reason to read the fine print, and read it again...BD 

Faced with rising medical costs, U.S. employers are starting to scrutinize the eligibility of dependents, such as spouses and children, who are covered under their health plans. Traditionally, employers relied on an honor system to manage enrollment. But now, in an effort to restrain rising health spending, a growing number of employers are requiring employees to provide documented proof.

Workers should be prepared to dig out copies of birth and marriage certificates, root around for tax returns and obtain a letter from their child's college. Employees who fail to provide supporting documents when asked risk losing health coverage for their loved ones and, in rare cases, their jobs -- if they knowingly seek coverage for family members they know to be ineligible. In cases of clear fraud, an employer may also seek to recoup plan-paid medical and prescription costs.

So who qualifies as a dependent? Unfortunately, rules vary by state. Alabama and Texas recognize common-law marriage, whereas New York and California don't. To complicate matters, employers who self-insure benefits write their own rules. The only way to be certain is to read the list of definitions in the plan documents supplied by your employer and call human resources if you have questions.

Employers Scrutinize Eligibility of Dependents on Health Plans - WSJ.com

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No fatties here

Another recent article on how it can cost you to be over weight...employers are working to scrutinize their portion of of employer supplied health insurance...BD 

Dont fat people have it bad enough? Now they face the risk of losing money at work if they dont shape up. Thanks to new federal regulations that went on the books this summer, companies are allowed to charge unhealthy, aka overweight, employees more money for their health care premiums than their skinny counterparts. Im not kidding, folks. Its time to put away the Twinkies and Big Macs. Your boss really wants less of you, and since wellness programs and free pedometers didnt get you dropping those pounds, some employers now think its time to hit you below the belt -- in your wallet, that is.

He even got a call from a business owner wondering if he could drop health coverage for an employee whose body mass index was too high.

Your Biz : No fatties here

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RF-ECG biosensor kit enables wireless medical monitoring

Be sure to watch the video from the link...fascinating technology...makes good use of mobile cell phones and UMPC portable tablets in the video to receive the statistics and readings from the patient wearing the device.  BD

The kit recently unveiled by the Medical Electronic Science Institute most certainly has some homegrown competition, as it too seeks to record and wirelessly transmit "ECG signals and motion, as well as heart rate and epidermal skin temperature" to mobile phones or PCs. The body-worn sensor utilizes "low power consumption RF transmission," which purportedly enables it to broadcast a constant signal for "up to 48 hours" on a single charge. Notably, the kit includes a "USB receiver, sensor transmitter, lithium battery, electrode sheet and software," but no price seems to be given

RF-ECG biosensor kit enables wireless medical monitoring - Engadget

Video Link

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New Minimally Invasive Coated Vascular Stent Graft Now Being Used In PAD Patients

 

Surgeons at the Methodist DeBakey Heart Center in Houston were among the first in the U.S. to implant a new, less invasive stent graft designed to reduce the risk of blood clots in patients treated for peripheral arterial disease (PAD), which affects as many as 12 million Americans over the age of 50. The new graft, approved for use in the U.S. this month, is the first vascular stent graft available in the U.S. that has a blood thinner bonded to its surface to prevent clotting long term. It is also the only device of its kind to be implanted via a minimally invasive, catheter based procedure rather than requiring open surgery.

New Minimally Invasive Coated Vascular Stent Graft Now Being Used In PAD Patients

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Accuray Receives FDA Clearance For New Dose Calculation Technique For Body Radiosurgery

 

Accuray Incorporated (Nasdaq: ARAY), a global leader in the field of radiosurgery, announced today that its Monte Carlo Dose Calculation algorithm has received 510(k) clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is now commercially available worldwide. This announcement was made as part of the product's launch at the 9th Biennial European Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ESTRO) meeting on Physics and Radiation Technology for Clinical Radiotherapy in Barcelona, Spain.

Accuray Receives FDA Clearance For New Dose Calculation Technique For Body Radiosurgery

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Recuperating from Surgery - Executives can be some of the worst and best patients

All the way to surgery, with Blackberry in hand....BD 

One of the last things Lisa Hammond remembers about being prepped for a rotator-cuff procedure last year was the medical personnel prying a BlackBerry out of her hands. Hammond, the chief executive of Femail Creations, a Las Vegas-based shopping-catalog company, was on a deadline: She had a date to repair her torn shoulder, but she needed to email approvals for her firm's latest catalog. Hammond says she managed to do both as she was being wheeled on a gurney into the operating room.

Recuperating from Surgery - Executive Careers - Portfolio.com

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Nurse practitioner bridges gap between doctors and nurses..

 

Nurse practitioner Manju Sharma. Manju Sharma confidently strides into the room, her white coat disappearing behind a draped curtain, and immediately begins asking questions. "How are you?" she asks the patient, who at the moment is reclined in his hospital bed. "Did you sleep all right? Did you go to the bathroom?" After collecting enough information from the patient, Robert Allen, a Barrington resident who had been admitted with chest pain complaints, she comforts him by wishing him good luck and is out the door again and back on her Friday rounds.

"People are liking us more and more," she said. "They have more confidence in us, because they can talk to us."  The only thing nurse practitioners can't do is make a diagnosis. But once the doctor decides what to do with a patient, Ms. Sharma takes over.

Top Stories

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Nurses Rally Against Healthcare Bill

Update on the California legislation...BD

Hundreds of nurses stormed the State Capitol Monday protesting the likely passage of a Democratic healthcare reform bill. The California Nurses Association opposes Assembly Bill 8, a measure that seeks to expand medical coverage to 70 percent of Californias uninsured. "This bill enriches the insurance companies at the expense of ordinary Californians," said Michael Lighty, public policy director with the California Nurses Association.

"Employers have an obligation here, they got to step up to the plate," Nunez said.
The employer fee is opposed by business groups and Gov. Schwarzenegger, who has threatened to veto the measure. Schwarzenegger has his own healthcare plan, which would be divide the costs among hospitals, doctors, employers and employees.
Schwarzenegger is expected to call a special session of the legislature to tackle health care reform. The regular legislative session is scheduled to adjourn for the year Sept. 14, but lawmakers are hoping to adjourn by Wednesday, in time for the Jewish holiday Rosh Hashanah.

News10.net - Nurses Rally Against Healthcare Bill

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Hospital mistake costs RVMC $100,000

Container of coffee pot cleaner not labeled and was mistaken for a thickening agent that is used to help swallowing...housekeeper has placed the cleaner in a cup without a label..nursing staff used the unlabeled cup to administer...BD

Rogue Valley Medical Center must pay $100,000 to an Eagle Point woman whose throat was burned when she mistakenly swallowed coffee pot cleaner at the hospital, a jury determined Friday. "I'm ecstatic," Patricia Richardson said after the jury ruled in her favor. "They were held accountable for their actions.

She quickly spit it out, gasping for air as it burned her mouth and throat. Hospital staff realized the powder wasn't thickener and sent her to the emergency room to be examined before she returned to sit with her seriously ill father.

Court documents showed that a housekeeper put coffee pot cleaner in a cup in the kitchenette. She intended to label it, but didn't have a marker and forgot to return later. The nurse assistant then used the powder from the unmarked container. Both leaving an unmarked container and using substances not clearly labeled violated hospital procedures.

MailTribune.com: Hospital mistake costs RVMC $100,000

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Hospital to test every patient in critical care for MSRA

 

A local hospital is trying a new approach to protect patients. Penrose hospital is now testing every patients entering the critical care unit. They will be tested for a particular germ called MRSA. MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It is resistant to antibiotics.

Says Kircher, "it's a way of increasing or enhancing safety of patients in the hospital . "The plan is to extend testing to all other patients in the hospital and expand it to other Penrose campuses.

News First Online

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Doctors to Try to Remove Woman's Needles

This is one of those stories that just makes your skin crawl if you will...BD 

BEIJING (AP) Chinese surgeons will try to remove 23 needles from a woman that doctors believe may have been imbedded under her skin by grandparents trying to kill her so that a baby boy might take her place. The needles about an inch in length were discovered by X-ray after Luo Cuifen, 29, went to doctors complaining of blood in her urine.

The Associated Press: Doctors to Try to Remove Woman's Needles

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State threatens to close Aliquippa hospital - Pittsburgh

Another hospital in trouble...losing money...BD 

Aliquippa Community Hospital has five months to meet state licensing requirements or be closed, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania Department of Health said on Monday. The troubled Beaver County hospital has had its license downgraded every six months for the past two years, according to department spokesman Dan Miller. The hospital's license will be revoked in February if a raft of deficiencies are not corrected.

"We hope they do come out of it," Miller said. Among the violations found during an inspection in June were improper handling of patient records, infection control issues and record keeping deficiencies. The hospital was fined $62,500 for the violations, Miller said.

State threatens to close Aliquippa hospital - Pittsburgh Business Times:

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Sanofi-Aventis settles US claims case for $190 mln

One drug - Anzemet at the core of the settlement.  BD 

WASHINGTON, Sept 10 (Reuters) - A U.S. subsidiary of drugmaker Sanofi-Aventis (SASY.PA: Quote, Profile, Research) has paid about $190 million to federal and state governments to settle charges that it overcharged Medicare for an anti-nausea drug, the Justice Department said on Monday.

The investigation stems from a whistleblower lawsuit by a Florida health care company called Ven-A-Care, which could receive about $32 million of the settlement under U.S. law, the department said.

UPDATE 1-Sanofi-Aventis settles US claims case for $190 mln | Health | Reuters

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Cost of health care benefits seen rising 6.7% in 2008

More on the subject of employer benefits..a shade up from this year at 6.1%.  BD

The cost of health care benefits will rise 6.7 percent in 2008, the most since 2004, and employers plan to shift more of the cost to workers, a survey has found. The cost of health insurance has exceeded 6 percent annual growth for three consecutive years, double the rate of inflation and wage increases, according to an annual survey of 1,557 employers by Mercer Health & Benefits LLC.

APP.COM - Cost of health care benefits seen rising 6.7% in 2008 | Asbury Park Press Online

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Windows Live Translator Beta

How many times can we sometimes use a translation service in the health care areas.  In the southern California area alone, I believe this can be a huge asset and help.  This sure makes the process very simple to either be able to read text from other languages or to send information in other languages.  500 Words could be up to a few paragraphs at a time.  Some web sites can also be translated.  Use the links below to read more and visit the actual Microsoft Beta site to give it a try.  If you are already using MS Office XP and above, you already have this service built in with a connection to the Internet and working on line.  BD

Microsoft launched a service for automatic translation called Windows Live Translator. The site lets you translate a text limited to 500 words or a web page from English to German, Dutch, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Korean, Chinese, Japanese, Russian.
Microsoft uses Systran to produce most of the translations, but also offers an option to translate computer-related texts using a machine translation system developed in-house. Microsoft's translation technology has been used to translate technical materials, including MSDN Library.

Windows Live Translator 

Hat Tip:  Bink.nu  (Many thanks for this one)

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Hard times on the HIPAA front

A trio of ugly situations means painful publicity for lazy or sloppy organizations..

Unsettling article, especially about the former hospital IT manager who created a handful of problems, no doubt he will be punished if you read the article, but should this have happened in the first place?  Nobody wants this type of publicity, much less the loss of records, files, etc.  Security is something that every health care facility needs to address and take seriously.  Sometimes myself I am criticized when pushing network security and measures to take and entertain on a network, but those efforts can certain be rewarded down the road with the lack of incidents like this one.  Many times too, though in defense of IT departments the additional costs sometimes falls on dead ears as decision makers may not understand the full implications of what can occur until later when it is too late, and the very funds and perhaps network and software solutions that were turned down, could have been the solution.  We all work with budgets these days and IT security should be job number one.  BD 

September 10, 2007 (Computerworld) -- It's been a week of bad news for lazy or sloppy health care organizations. An employee fired after a security breach of protected health information filed a wrongful termination suit against his former employer, and it may have merit because of poor policies. A community health care provider hacked by a disgruntled employee may be dragged into a compliance quagmire because it's not clear that the organization took basic steps to revoke his access. And to top it off, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is starting to swing the enforcement rule -- a dowdy part of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) that few people read -- like a scythe in a field of weedy policies and overgrown practices.

The Council of Community Clinics (CCC) in San Diego ought to ponder that difference as it deals with the aftermath of its recent breach. Jon Paul Oson, a former network administrator with privileged access, quit his job after a disagreeable performance evaluation. He then allegedly gained access to the CCC systems two month later, disabled the backup systems and then systematically destroyed patient data

Hard times on the HIPAA front

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McKesson: Stolen Computers Contain Patient Information

It's Monday...first stolen data story of the week...I wonder why this was stored on a PC and not accessed via a secured server...one suggestion, get these mobile units set up with an active directory mobile group so perhaps these can be remotely wiped when something like this occurs...BD 

The company, which helps pharmaceutical manufacturers set up assistance programs for patients in need, sent out a letter alerting patients that the computers were stolen on July 18. The names of the people being alerted were on one of the two PCs, but it's not known how much of their accompanying identifying information was also contained on the machines. "Your personal information may have been on one of the two computers that were stolen from a McKesson office," wrote Patrick Blake, president of McKesson Specialty Pharmaceutical, in the letter to one patient. "At this point, we have not determined if your personal information was on either stolen computer. However, we are taking the precaution of notifying every patient whose information might have been on the computers, just to be safe.

McKesson: Stolen Computers Contain Patient Information -- Data Theft -- InformationWeek

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Small businesses struggle with rising health insurance

Is this working it's way to slowly becoming a thing of the past...the increases just keep coming for companies and individuals...BD 

John Covington, owner of Chesapeake Consulting in Severna Park, is so fed up with higher health care costs he said he may move his firm to Alabama where doing business is cheaper. This summer, the company was faced with a 22 percent increase in monthly premiums. Mr. Covington switched to a higher deductible plan to soften the blow, but the pinch of soaring insurance costs year after year has forced him to now hire employees who get benefits through their spouse over ones who can't.

Liz Judy, company controller for Chesapeake Consulting, said her company began offering tax-free health savings accounts to employees last year and expected the program to trim costs.
But this summer, Ms. Judy found the company's health insurance carrier would raise monthly premiums.

"The HMO premiums are really very, very high," she said. "I remember thinking I'm really going to have to go shopping again for this. That's a huge increase."

Small businesses struggle with rising health insurance | Maryland Gazette (HometownGlenBurnie.com)

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CMS Selects Wisconsin Company To Administer Medicare Claims Payment In Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska

 

Wisconsin Physicians Service Health Insurance Corp.(WPS), headquartered in Madison, Wis., is the third new Medicare Administrative Contractor (MAC) to be named by CMS as required by the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA). By 2011, a total of 15 new Medicare contractors will cover every state and the District of Columbia. The first two contractors are processing Medicare claims in a total of 10 western states.

CMS Selects Wisconsin Company To Administer Medicare Claims Payment In Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska

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Hawaii Residents Increasingly Seeking Care At Strained Community Health Centers

Hawaii also lacking enough physicians...community health centers at risk of losing Medicare and Medicaid funding by seeing private care patients...BD

Insured patients: Insured patients who cannot find physicians on the Big Island increasingly are seeking care at community health centers, which can reduce federal Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements to the facilities, according to Hamakua Health Center Medical Director Brian Williams, the Star-Bulletin reports. Williams said that although they accept all patients, "the more insured patients we have, the lower our reimbursements for our target population.

Hawaii Residents Increasingly Seeking Care At Strained Community Health Centers

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Michigan Employers Shifting More Costs To Workers, Survey Finds

2% are considering eliminating all health care benefits, 9% considering eliminating spousal or dependent coverage...BD 

Employers in Michigan are requiring workers to contribute more to their health plans as health care costs continue to rise, according to an annual survey released Tuesday by the Michigan Chamber of Commerce, the Detroit News reports. To contain costs, the survey found that among employers surveyed:

Michigan Employers Shifting More Costs To Workers, Survey Finds

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Airplane Air Quality Worsened By Skin Oil Interacting With Ozone

We all know flying can be a headache...maybe literally?  BD

Airline passengers and crews who gripe about poor cabin air quality could have a new culprit to blame: the oils on their skin, hair and clothing. A study in the current issue of ACS' Environmental Science & Technology suggests interactions between body oils and ozone found in airplane cabins could lead to the formation of chemical byproducts that might worsen nasal irritation, headaches, dry eyes and lips, and other common air traveler complaints.

In simulated flights lasting four hours, American and Danish researchers placed two groups of 16 volunteers in a mockup of an airline cabin and then exposed them to varying levels of ozone and air flow, including levels typically experienced in real flights. Consistently, ozone in the cabin increased production of identifiable chemical byproducts including nonanal and decanal, a pair of aldehyde compounds associated with headaches, nasal irritation and with other symptoms of "sick building" syndrome.

Airplane Air Quality Worsened By Skin Oil Interacting With Ozone

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Audit Cites Overpaid Medicare Insurers

Whoops.... and general federal contract laws do not apply to the payments made under Medicare contracts...wonder how that happened?  BD 

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9 Private insurance companies participating in Medicare have been allowed to keep tens of millions of dollars that should have gone to consumers, and the Bush administration did not properly audit the companies or try to recover money paid in error, Congressional investigators say in a new report. The investigators, from the Government Accountability Office, said the money could have been used to reduce premiums or provide additional benefits to older Americans.

Under federal law, Medicare officials are supposed to audit the financial records of at least one-third of the insurance companies each year. But the investigators said the Bush administration had fallen far short of that goal and had never met the “statutory requirement.”  Mr. Grassley said Medicare officials had done “a poor job of bringing accountability here,” and he added, “I want to see concrete action to fix this.”

Audit Cites Overpaid Medicare Insurers - New York Times

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On the bleeding edge

ER Physicians are out ahead with technology...good article and nice compliments about those who embrace...some real nice success stories included.  BD

If youre looking for doctors who are enthusiastic about health information technology, you often need look no further than hospital emergency rooms. Physicians who specialize in emergency medicine are disproportionately represented in the ranks of local and national health IT leaders

However, there’s good reason to think emergency medicine physicians will continue to be leaders in the use of health IT. As their workloads grow, they are under pressure to do more with less, and IT is one of the most promising ways to accomplish that feat.

Government Health IT News - On the bleeding edge

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Some Companies Penalize for Health Risks

If you work for a company, be prepared...there are all types of incentives/penalties being implemented by companies relative to health care...an effort to change employee behavior..there are lots of potential legal and privacy issues yet to arise as this becomes more main stream...and some health issues can't be controlled, so as this moves on I'm sure there will be much more on this subject.  As the article states, companies are using both negative and positive incentives and come in many variations.  BD 

A small number of companies have linked health factors to what employees pay for benefits, but the practice is expected to grow now that some federal rules have been finalized, spelling out what's allowed by law. Employee advocates worry that other anti-discrimination laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act won't cover the person who is 20 or 30 pounds overweight. The businesses are deducting from employees' paychecks, adding insurance surcharges or offering insurance discounts or rebates only to low-risk workers. "Employers know they have to do something," said Garry Mathiason, a senior partner at the national employment and labor law firm Littler Mendelson, based in Boston. "I believe that in just the next two years more employers will turn to penalties to change employee behavior.

In 2009 the company will start reducing pay for employees in its health plan by $10 per paycheck if their BMI — a measurement of body fat through a height and weight ratio — is in the obese range of more than 29.9. The deduction will be $5 per check if they don't meet required cholesterol, blood pressure or blood glucose measurements. Workers will be required to complete an annual health risk assessment and can appeal to have their fees dropped if they show improvement.

"It's a backdoor approach to weeding out expensive employees," legal director Jeremy Gruber said.

The Associated Press: Some Companies Penalize for Health Risks

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RFID implants linked to cancer in lab tests

Now this is scary too...it doesn't appear humans will be jumping through hoops to be "tagged" any time soon with stories like this one reported by Engadget.  BD

As if pain, conspiracy, big brother, and lack of necessity weren't already enough to deter you, the average Joe or Jane, from getting a subcutaneous RFID chip implant, a number of studies over the past decade have amassed which link the chips to malignant tumors in animal tests. Besides the potential foul play going on at the FDA and VeriChip Corp. that got the chips approved for human use in 2004, studies showing as little as 1% cancer rates in lab animals led researchers to note that the aggressive tumors which immediately encased RFID implants with cancerous cells were "clearly due to the implanted microchips", and not random occurrences.

RFID implants linked to cancer in lab tests - Engadget

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Snake in Hospital Gurney Kills Thai Man

Something to ponder when thinking about medical tourism?  At any rate, tragic...BD 

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) A cancer patient lying on a gurney waiting to be treated was fatally bitten by a snake, a hospital in western Thailand said Friday. A pit viper bit the man last week at Kanchanaburi Memorial Hospital in Kanchanaburi province, 70 miles west of Bangkok. He died on Tuesday, four days after the snake bit. Gurneys at the hospital, in a semi-rural area, usually are laid outside the hospital buildings to wait for incoming patients, and the snake apparently slithered onto the gurney when it was outdoors. Chamni Chittriprasert, a spokesman of the Health Ministry's Medical Science Department, said that it is rare for a person to die from a pit viper bite, but that the man's case was fatal because his liver cancer had weakened his body.

The Associated Press: Snake in Hospital Gurney Kills Thai Man

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Hospital roommate carried infection

Scary story about hospital bug in Canada hospitals..it was in the air it appears...all hospitals world wide are combating bugs...perhaps soon there will be an end to to shared rooms and every patient may require a private room at this pace...BD  

A small cyst had to be removed from Ronald Devito's kidney. At 64, he was a man in good health who was having a serious love affair with golf. Surgery was required - even if it interfered with his game. But the operation at Saint-Luc Hospital in Montreal in July, 2005, turned more serious when his entire right kidney had to be removed. At the time, Mr. Devito thought that was the worst of his troubles.  Mr. Devito said he never touched the patient, with whom he shared a room for two days, but he noted that direct contact with another person isn't required to get the infection.

Although C. difficile is found in hospitals across Canada, it's been on a particularly devastating killing rampage in Quebec, where 2,000 people have died of it since 2003.

globeandmail.com: Hospital roommate carried infection

One more story about 4 new born babies hit with Staph in Scotland...BD

Three of the babies, who are all under three weeks old, have been discharged from hospital after treatment with antibiotics; the fourth remains in hospital, although doctors described the child's condition as "improving."

http://news.scotsman.com/health.cfm?id=1436122007

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Some skip health coverage for cheaper prices

This is part of the reason we include links to the affordable prescription retailers on this site as sometimes the entire prescription can be less than running it through your insurance, that is if you have insurance, and for those who do not, this is a good alternative to be able to afford many commonly prescribed medications. Why pay a $15.00 co -payment when the whole thing can be $4.00 without the red tape?   BD

Gail Higgins has health insurance through Aetna, which charges her a $15 co-pay for a month's supply of medication. With four prescriptions she takes daily, that adds up. So instead of handing over her insurance card at the pharmacy counter, she instead flashes a Costco card. Costco charges her no more than $5 for a monthly prescription. "What's frightening is if Costco puts it through my insurance, it costs me the $15," said Higgins, a 57-year old human resources consultant from Irvine, Calif.

"If I go and say 'Don't put it through my insurance,' it's $5 a month." While discussions about health care costs often focus on the challenges of the uninsured, the movie "Sicko" - among other things - has sparked discussion about the struggles of insured Americans. Some patients say they routinely bypass their insurance. In some cases it's cheaper. Other times it's more convenient, even if it costs more.

Bradenton.com | 08/18/2007 | Some skip health coverage for cheaper prices

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Doctors favoring Botox patients

The study indicates you can get Botox much faster than an evaluation for a changing mole, Botox is more than likely a cash payment, whereby the mole evaluation would be covered by insurance...maybe this is the difference?  BD

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 29 A U.S. study says it is easier to get an appointment for a Botox shot for wrinkles than to see a doctor for what could be a cancerous mole. A researcher called 898 dermatologists in 12 metropolitan areas, representing about one-tenth of practicing dermatologists in the United States. Half the doctors offered appointments for Botox. The median wait time for a Botox appointment was eight days, compared to a typical wait of 26 days for a patient requesting evaluation of a changing mole

Dermatologists in Miami and Orange County, Calif., were most likely to provide a Botox appointment with a short wait time, the study said.

Study: Doctors favoring Botox patients : Science Technology

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Dr. Frankenstein really does exist...

More folks may recognize the name as he becomes president next month of the California Medical Association.  I can relate to this article, as being the head "Duck" at the Medical Quack blog here as well...nobody forgets an unusual name...BD 

Dr. Richard Frankenstein has never read the classic tale of the mad scientist doctor who created a monster. He's too busy explaining his funny name to his patients. "In my residency, where I worked a lot in an inner-city emergency room with a lot of substance abusers, they'd go bonkers. They'd run out of the room," Frankenstein said. "There was one chief resident who used to joke, 'If this (patient) gives the nurses any more trouble we're going to put Dr. Frankenstein on the case.

Health & Fitness: Funny doctor names help the medicine go down | name, people, names, doctor, frankenstein - OCRegister.com

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Drug detox doctor accused of negligence - Coast Pain Management Center in Newport Beach, CA

Interesting story on the combination of detox and pain management...Orange County, CA and Israel are the 2 locations where this procedure is used at present...detox combined with pain management...the story does bring many questions about how the 2 could or should function together in the same facility...jury will more than likely be out on this one for some time..BD

State health regulators have accused a well-known Newport Beach anesthesiologist of medical negligence in his unorthodox "rapid detox" drug treatment program. Dr. Clifford Bernstein released a female patient who later developed pancreatitis and other health problems after undergoing opiate withdrawal under anesthesia at Garden Grove Hospital, according to the accusation by the Medical Board of California. The board accuses Bernstein of filling out the patient's discharge papers without reporting her ongoing flu-like symptoms.

State health regulators have accused a well-known Newport Beach anesthesiologist of medical negligence in his unorthodox "rapid detox" drug treatment program.

Dr. Clifford Bernstein released a female patient who later developed pancreatitis and other health problems after undergoing opiate withdrawal under anesthesia at Garden Grove Hospital, according to the accusation by the Medical Board of California.

But some patients say they became hooked on painkillers Bernstein prescribed and then were encouraged to undergo his rapid detox program.

"It's strange he (prescribes painkillers) and then he has a business that gets people off pills," said Elaine Domino of Newport Beach, who went to Bernstein for pain from a back injury. Of her rapid detox experience, she said: "It knocks you out physically for months. I would never recommend that to anybody."

News: Drug detox doctor accused of negligence | bernstein, detox, rapid, pain, waismann - OCRegister.com

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Kaiser reaps big profits for first half of year

Non-profit showing big profits largely from California ....larger profit margins than the for profit carriers...BD 

Kaiser Permanente earned more cash and had a higher profit margin in California than Blue Cross, Health Net and PacifiCare for the first half of the year, even though Kaiser is a nonprofit and the others are expected to earn money for their shareholders.

Kaiser reaps big profits for first half of year - Sacramento Business Journal:

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Bring on two-tier health (Opinion) Canada

Some Canadians would welcome a two tier plan...due to the long wait...I think if perhaps the waiting conditions were maybe prioritized in a different manner along with having an adequate supply of surgeons needed in the different areas, this could make a real difference as well...patients with life threatening issues don't have the time to wait...BD  

If there was ever a better argument for supporting a parallel private health-care system (a.k.a. "two-tier health care") than this account of two Ontario patients suing the province of Ontario, I have yet to see it. Ontario politicians can quote the Canada Public Health Act and its commitment to providing access for all to the best public health care available until they are hoarse but the facts speak for themselves.

TheStar.com - comment - Bring on two-tier health

Hat Tip:  Kevin, MD

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