Are Hospitalists Killing Primary Care?

Good article and addresses many issues, including how to incorporate both the roles of the PCP and hospitalists together for better health care...PCPs have the weight of the world on their shoulders today...BD 

Primary care physicians have an incredibly difficult job: trying to magically (in 15 minute visits) see complex, elderly patients with multiple medical problems, reconcile paper bags-full of medicines, and sort through stacks of Internet printouts that patients now helpfully (?) cart along. As I mentioned recently, one study found that just following recommended preventive practices would take a PCP nearly 8 hours a day, before dealing with any new or acute problems.

But we may have reached the point that primary care has become so unattractive for so many docs that the migration to hospital medicine truly is contributing to the PCP shortage.

In my judgment, three things will need to happen to resurrect primary care:

1. Congressmen will need to be unable to find a PCP for themselves or their parents;
2. All the primary care fields will need to band together and lobby with a single voice, rather than as general internists versus family physicians....
3. Managed care will be resurrected, in some new garb, to deal with healthcare inflation. Two guarantees: It won’t be called “managed care” this time, and the inevitable strategy to promote primary care over more expensive specialist care won’t be called “gatekeeping”.

Can this get fixed? Since much of the crisis relates to changes in the payment system (not all, but much), and since physician payment is a zero-sum game, increasing compensation for PCPs will depend on significant cuts to highly-paid procedural specialists.  The way to fix that is not by trashing hospital medicine – a rare generalist success story in medicine – but by continuing to work on making primary care viable again.

Wachter's World : Are Hospitalists Killing Primary Care?

Hat Tip:  Kevin, MD

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Change the Medicare rules that effectively deny patients needed rehab time

I agree this should be addressed somewhere along the line..my mother a few years ago was a perfect example as she had 2 knee surgeries, before and after the rules...first surgery...had adequate rehab...2nd surgery...not.  Skilled care environments do make a difference, whether it is at the hospital or outsourced at a facility that has a connection with the physicians and their recommendations for the patients...the 2 have to work together for the benefit of both the patient and the doctors...BD

Given the crisis in getting affordable health care to the American people, the last thing Medicare officials should do is undermine medical institutions and make it harder for patients to get the rehabilitation treatments they need. Yet that is exactly what is happening with enforcement of a long dormant Medicare rule requiring rehab hospitals to limit three-quarters of their beds to only 13 specified maladies. The so-called 75 Percent Rule has resulted in the denial of appropriate medical care to thousands of patients, including those undergoing joint replacement operations, an increasingly common group of procedures that require extensive rehabilitation.

In the past three years, imposition of the rule has caused a 25 percent reduction in the number of patients treated at Texas rehab facilities, from 14,181 in the first half of 2004 to 10,609 in the first two quarters of this year. Nationally, as many as 88,000 patients have been denied needed rehab treatment since the rule took effect.  The problem with sending them home or to a nursing home is that they need more intensive rehab treatment in a skilled care environment.

Flawed formula:Change the Medicare rules that effectively deny patients needed rehab time | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

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DARPA's robotic arm and driverless vehicles...

Absolutely a must watch....if you are not familiar with DARPA, this is the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency...working under the Department of Defense...pursuing technology and development projects.  Commercial vendors are involved and donate time and effort as well to product development.  This video from Engadget is phenomenal to watch to see the capabilities of an arm replacement.  BD

Scroll down to the next video as well to see what DARPA is doing with cars...with no drivers...the race is on next weekend.  My choice here just might be the team from Stanford...it has the brains from Intel...BD

 

http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/16/darpas-robotic-arm-demoed/

Oh, and it'll have to obey all California traffic laws--signal turns, obey speed limits, negotiate four-way stops with other vehicles...think of it as the kinder, gentler auto race.  Watch the video below to see the brains of the vehicle, provided by Intel...fascinating...to watch "Junior"...with his Quad processors  ready to go....BD

http://www.darpa.mil/index.html

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FEMA apologizes for news conference on fires - employees posed as reporters....

I think it would have been better to perhaps cancel and re-schedule...but there are a lot of good efforts with private industry jumping in to help with health related donations too.  BD 

WASHINGTON, Oct 26 (Reuters) - The U.S. government's main disaster-response agency apologized on Friday for having its employees pose as reporters in a hastily called news conference on California's wildfires that no news organizations attended. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, still struggling to restore its image after the bungled handling of Hurricane Katrina in 2005, issued the apology after The Washington Post published details of the Tuesday briefing.

But with no reporters on hand and an agency video camera providing a feed carried live by some television networks, FEMA press employees posed the questions for Johnson that included: "Are you happy with FEMA's response so far?" No actual reporter attended the news conference in person, agency spokesman Aaron Walker said.

According to Friday's Post account, which Walker confirmed, Johnson replied that he was "very happy with FEMA's response so far." A spokeswoman for Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, who has authority over FEMA, called the incident "inexcusable and offensive to the secretary."

Reuters AlertNet - US agency apologizes for news conference on fires

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AT&T Offers Free Wi-Fi Access in Southern California - Fire relief

Another nice helping hand and welcomed by all....BD 

To help California residents affected by the fires stretching across Southern California, AT&T announced that AT&T Wi-Fi service will be offered free of charge at nearly 600 hot spot locations across Riverside, San Diego, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Orange and Ventura counties. Residents will have free access to the AT&T Wi-Fi service 24 hours a day beginning today, Saturday, Oct. 27. Residents or travelers can use Wi-Fi-enabled devices, such as laptop computers, iPhones or personal digital assistants (PDAs) to connect to the Internet or corporate networks by using any of the AT&T Wi-Fi locations.

People Helping People | Mobility Site

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AMA To Congress: Health Insurance Mergers Harm Patients, Physicians

Good points made here with the consolidation of carriers...as there appear to be fewer to choose from on the horizon in view of all the recent mergers, we are seeing a "lack" of competition and less health care for individuals with a more complex and diversified set of rules and regulations imposed, just to get health care...we all know what happens with lack of competition, so should the insurers be "regulated"?  If our power, gas, and phone companies were not regulated to some degree, we could also have outrageous premiums and conditions to work with...why does health insurance have a free reign to pass along increases without a public hearing...especially when profits are so ominous?  Could health insurance be regulated with public hearings before rates are increased?  Something to ponder...BD 

Oct. 25, 2007 -- Statement of William G. Plested, MD, Immediate Past President: Thank you, Madame Chair (ranking member, Chabot) and members of the Committee on Small Business. My name is Bill Plested. I am the Immediate Past President of the American Medical Association and a thoracic and cardiovascular surgeon from Santa Monica, California. I want to thank you for inviting me to testify today and for holding a hearing on this important issue health insurer consolidation.

.........Physicians’ ability to perform either of these vital functions, however, has been severely compromised by growing consolidation in the for-profit health insurance market. This consolidation has left physicians with little leverage against unfair contract terms that deal with patient care and little control over their own employees rising health insurance premiums......The United-Sierra merger would give United 94 percent of the HMO market in Clark County and 80 percent of the HMO market in the entire state of Nevada.

“Consolidation is not benefiting patients. Health insurers are posting record high profits, while patient health insurance premiums continue to rise. In fact, United and WellPoint have had seven years of consecutive double-digit profit growth that has ranged from 20 to 70 percent year-over-year.

AMA To Congress: Health Insurance Mergers Harm Patients, Physicians | All American Patriots

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Health officials insist IS 211 students are safe

Thus far we have not heard much about his prior medical care...hope more will surface soon...and I think testing in hospitals at this point is not a bad idea...BD  

Faced with panicked parents and amid calls for better medical screening, city health officials Friday insisted the classmates of a Brooklyn boy who died after catching the so-called "superbug" are not at risk, but admitted they may never know how the child was exposed to the infection. Children at IS 211 in Canarsie, where the boy was a seventh-grader, "are at no higher risk of getting a staph infection than children at any other school in New York City," City Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Frieden said at a news conference Friday. "A death like this," he said, "is very rare.

Some classmates and friends recall seeing Omar scratching telltale boils on his legs and back, but Frieden declined to reveal any details about Omar's treatment. It was not clear Friday whether the boy had been diagnosed with MRSA before he died.

Health officials insist IS 211 students are safe -- Newsday.com

Related stories:  http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/ny-staph-sg,0,6443397.storygallery

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GlaxoSmithKline Aids California Fire Relief Efforts

Nice contribution and I'm sure appreciated by all...BD 

GlaxoSmithKline (NYSE: GSK) shares the nation's concern for residents and communities of California's San Diego region that are being ravaged by widespread fires. As a demonstration of support, GSK has offered to the people impacted more than $1 million dollars worth of respiratory medicines and $100,000 worth of consumer products, including Aquafresh products and Tums.

GSK has already shipped $300,000 worth of asthma medicine to Direct Relief International, a Santa Barbara-based relief organization with expertise in fast delivery of medicines in times of disaster. Direct Relief's close proximity to the regions affected by the fires means they have been able to provide immediate emergency relief to those in need.

GlaxoSmithKline Aids California Fire Relief Efforts

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SiCKO Health Care Card...

Michael Moore is back with his own health card..."don't get sick without it"....one of the readers of the blog brought this to my attention and asked if this could be posted...here it is....BD 

You now have the opportunity to print and carry your very own "'SiCKO' Health Care Card." As seen on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.

Carry the card in your wallet with your insurance card.

If denied treatment, show your SiCKO card to your doctor/insurer.

Ask your insurer if they'd like to be in Michael Moore's next movie, DVD, or appear on MichaelMoore.com.

Tell them that, if denied, you will seek coverage from your local media.

E-mail your story to michael@michaelmoore.com.

MichaelMoore.com : SiCKO : What can I do?

Source:   Reader Tip

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High-tech health care cuts down on errors

Nurse Kelly Leroy sweeps a scanner over Richard Handman's bar-coded bracelet like a grocery clerk ringing up a loaf of bread. She's making sure the tiny black lines on his wristband match those on the packet of pills dispensed by Fillmore the cyber-robot downstairs in the Northside Hospital pharmacy. They do because computers, unlike people, seldom make mistakes.

The nation's $2 trillion health care industry hasn't been keeping up with the times, but a number of companies are going all out to create a safer universal electronic medical system that President Bush says should be in place by 2014.

McKesson, which has 2,500 employees here, has robots in more than 325 hospitals, including 12 in Georgia and seven in the Atlanta area. More hospitals, Pure says, could benefit by buying robots such as Fillmore.

Fillmore lives in a room full of hooks laden with thousands of tiny bar-coded medication bags. On command, it zips down a rail and pulls medicines off, dropping them into an envelope and sending them by computerized pushcart to a nurse's station.

High-tech health care cuts down on errors | ajc.com

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Walk Station Desk Top

Your new workstation....could be a treadmill...BD  

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - A number of employers apparently are willing to let their workers walk. Steelcase Inc. says many companies have expressed interest in its newest product, which combines an office workstation with a treadmill so workers can burn calories while earning a paycheck. ADVERTISEMENT The nation's largest office furniture maker will begin taking orders for its Walkstation beginning Nov. 19.

Product combines workstation, treadmill - Yahoo! News

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Holding hands to the end, the elderly couple killed 20 minutes apart by a hospital superbug

Very sad story here from the UK...BD

A couple died within 20 minutes of each other after contracting the hospital superbug C. difficile. Lionel and Rosemary Owen, who were days from their 20th wedding anniversary, were holding hands until the end.

Mrs Owen, 70, contracted Clostridium difficile while undergoing kidney dialysis at a local hospital.She was allowed to return home, where she passed the bug on to her 80-year-old husband.Both were admitted to hospital, dying days later in front of Mrs Owen's heartbroken daughter, Nina Griffiths.

She added: "It is absolutely awful to watch your parents die like that.Mrs Griffiths, 39, claimed staff at the hospital knew her twice-married mother contracted the bug as a dialysis outpatient but allowed her to return home.

Holding hands to the end, the elderly couple killed 20 minutes apart by a hospital superbug| News | This is London

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UK writer reviews "Sicko"

But the same is approaching the UK with private insurance companies looking for new markets...BD

The plain fact is: poor old Britain is still basically free from the privatized healthcare scam. The price of that freedom is eternal vigilance. Mr Moore's excellent new film is a wake up call.

Last week in the UK press, there was a report on the boa-constrictor-sized parasites of US private health insurance seeking to get their fangs into the UK's health service - aka the NHS. This magnificent new film from Michael Moore is a timely reminder of the grotesque mess that Americans have made for themselves with healthcare, and how insidiously easy it would be for the same thing to happen to us, little by little.

The Hindu News Update Service

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Insurers taking risk out of the equation

"There's absolutely no substance to the argument that there's less bang for the buck.  As long as it's not your home, or kidney, that's on the line."............it appears the order of business comes before health care...BD

You buy a Band-Aid. You get a scrape. You use your Band-Aid. And the next time you go to the drugstore, you're told that you have to pay more for Band-Aids. Or maybe they won't sell you another Band-Aid at all. That, in essence, is what seems to be happening in the insurance business.

This week we've had two stark reminders of how screwy this industry has become. First, of course, there are the fires that have devastated parts of Southern California. Then there's the matter of health insurers canceling coverage for people after they submit claims for medical treatment. The practice has become so prevalent that state regulators this week announced measures to crack down on what they termed acts of cruelty by insurers against patients.

Spring Valley resident Sal D'Anna says he knows all about that. He took out a health insurance policy with PacifiCare Health Systems Inc. in February 2006. D'Anna, 35, was subsequently diagnosed with kidney cancer and had to have one of his kidneys removed.

In August 2006, he was informed by PacifiCare that his coverage was being canceled. Tyler Mason, a PacifiCare spokesman, responded that as the case proceeds through arbitration, "it will become clear that our actions related to Mr. D'Anna's case were appropriate."

"The private insurance business is a business, first and foremost," said Fernando Torres-Gil, acting dean of the UCLA School of Public Affairs. "As a business, the goal is to minimize payouts and maximize profits."

Insurers taking risk out of the equation - Los Angeles Times

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Why Bush should lose his health insurance

This author believes Bush should have his insurance revoked....BD 

Apparently, George Bush hates sick children. Or at least that's the message some folks are getting from the recent political controversy concerning the State Children's Health Insurance Program, typically referred to as S-CHIP, which Bush vetoed a $35 billion expansion to several weeks ago.

On a visit to Cleveland this July, Bush revealed his hidden thoughts about health care. Just before criticizing the S-CHIP expansion, he quipped, "I mean, people have access to health care in America. After all, you just go to an emergency room."
In a sense, the president has a point. Under the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act of 1986, Medicare-participating hospitals are required to provide emergency services to any patient regardless of their ability to pay.  The downside - and the reason Bush's comments are so frightening - is treating emergency rooms as a form of health insurance is highly inefficient and expensive.

But, like a misbehaving schoolboy, Bush has failed to do his homework when it comes to a major problem with the U.S. health care system. Perhaps, by way of punishment, our president should be treated like a S-CHIP kid and have his government-funded health insurance revoked. Then he could learn firsthand that relying on emergency room care isn't such a great solution after all.

Why Bush should lose his health insurance - Opinion

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If you're really ill, private health won't help - UK

According to this article, having private insurance in the UK is not a big help...you may get in sooner, but there are limitations on what is covered...Aetna just purchased GoodHealth in the UK, and more are targeting health care in the UK. to market private insurance....BD 

When you think of the NHS now, you don't think of the billions of pounds being flushed through the system, the well-meaning doctors or nurses with a vocation. You think bugs MRSA and C. difficile mixed wards, dirty bathrooms, lack of dignity and death. It's enough to make you consider re-mortgaging your house and getting private health care. In fact, the number of people taking out personal private medical insurance policies has increased for the first time in six years to more than one million, and even Tesco has started providing PMI.

We don't mind paying the consultant to keep checking our child's eye, but I had never realised how little private health care actually covers. Most insurers will not cover chronic conditions such as asthma, dementia, arthritis or Parkinson's.  The NHS does need a radical overhaul but a vast increase in private health care insurance is not the answer. The element of privatization that will work is to allow more private hospitals to provide NHS treatments.

This is why Britain should never go down the American health care route. The cost of private health care is the number one domestic public policy issue in the presidential election, with more than 50 million Americans now uninsured or uninsurable.

If you're really ill, private health won't help - Telegraph

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Insurance switch upsets patients

I think I would be a little upset in the same scenario...with having to change to a new oncologist..it's almost becoming similar to "musical chairs"...""musical contracts"...BD

Larry Mathenia watched helplessly in 2006 as cancer riddled his wife's 80-pound frame. Today he credits St. John's Health System oncologist Gary Hoos with saving Betty's life. He doesn't have the heart to tell her the bad news: Larry's insurance company says both of them must find new doctors in the CoxHealth system. Coventry Health Care, parent company of Mathenia's First Health plan, announced it is moving all of its business from St. John's to CoxHealth effective Jan. 1. The change could move up to 19,000 southwest Missouri people to Cox, some of whom spoke angrily this week about the change. Others said it illustrates how consumers suffer because Springfield's two major health systems require exclusive insurance contracts.

"We can stay with our providers, but that would be out of our network and we would have to pay the higher cost," he said.

"I'm going to leave that up to my wife," he added. "If we have to pay the higher cost (to stay with her oncologist), I'm willing to do it."

News-Leader.com | Local News

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Hospital receives another bomb threat to E.R.

If things aren't stressful enough in the ER...then there is this...BD 

NEWPORT NEWS - Riverside Regional Medical Center received another bomb threat last night from the person who has been calling in threats to the emergency room for the past week, a hospital spokesman said. Spokesman Peter Glagola characterized the contact as "still a threatening call, though no longer a specific threat." He said the caller has not offered any motive for the threats. He said the hospital is taking the threats "very, very seriously" while working closely with the Newport News Police Department on security measures. Glagola said the hospital remains on high alert, with extra security and less outside access at night.

Hospital receives another bomb threat to E.R. -- dailypress.com

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Bush Says He'll Veto Health Bill Again

In the hands of the Senate now to create an overruling veto vote...BD

WASHINGTON (AP) President Bush accused Democratic lawmakers on Friday of wasting time by passing legislation to expand children's health coverage, knowing that he would veto it again. At the same time, he criticized Congress for failing to approve spending bills to keep the government running. Bush said Congress had "set a record they should not be proud of: October 26 is the latest date in 20 years that Congress has failed to get a single annual appropriations bill to the president's desk.

The Associated Press: Bush Says He'll Veto Health Bill Again

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Coventry Health Care's Third-Quarter Profit Rises 14.4% on Medicare Business

HMO business continues to show profits with Medicare D...BD

Total membership increased to more than 4.6 million from 4.1 million in the prior-year quarter. Of that, in its individual consumer and government business division, membership stood at nearly 1.6 million, representing an increase of 215,000 over the prior-quarter, Coventry Health said. The gain was driven by organic growth of 45,000 Medicare Advantage members, 17,000 Medicare Part D members and 11,000 individual members.

Coventry Health Care's Third-Quarter Profit Rises 14.4% on Medicare Business

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Berger defends hospital closings - Albany NY

Update on New York hospital closures and restructuring...states insurance reimbursement system is a much larger issue overall...BD

The reason is because last year's Berger Commission report single-handedly laid the groundwork for nine hospital closures and the reconfiguration of 47 more statewide. Stephen Berger, the chairman of the commission, formally known as the Commission on Health Care Facilities in the 21st Century, knows what his reputation is now with those in government and health care alike.

Berger said the hospital closures and mergers are only a first step. The larger problem is the insurance reimbursement system, which he said forces hospitals to offer highly specialized services, such as advanced cardiac care, because the higher reimbursement covers lower reimbursed services such as maternity.

Berger defends hospital closings -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY

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Sumter Regional Hospital Enters Contest to win an MRI

It appears the MRI contest is alive and well...BD 

It's been close to seven months since a tornado hit Sumter Regional Hospital in Americus, and crews have been working since to rebuild. Now, the hospital hopes to win a new MRI machine. Siemens Medical Solutions is giving away a new MRI to a deserving hospital. Hospitals can enter by submitting a video explaining why they should win. Sumter Regional Hospital thinks after all they've gone through, they definitely deserve it.

Sumter Regional Hospital Enters Contest | WRBL - News 3, Columbus GA and Opelika-Auburn AL

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Dad died from dirt' - Rhymney Valley - South Wales Valley

UK bugs and diagnosis issues still persist...along with lack of cleanliness...BD 

A DYING man was sent home from hospital even though he had contracted the killer bug Clostridium difficile, his daughter has claimed. Angela Rees claims her father, Raymond Rees, of Ystrad Mynach, would still be alive today if it wasnt for poor hygiene at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff. She claims faeces smeared on door handles and blood-stained surgical gloves in a lift are just some of the examples she witnessed at the hospital.

Mrs Rees claims she had to badger nurses until her father was given medication on many occasions, despite him being in severe pain. 

Mr Rees had his bowel removed, and the family were told he had only a 10 per cent chance of survival, but he managed to pull through.

It was at this time Mrs Rees says she was told by a doctor that her father had contracted the deadly bug, C.difficile.

Dad died from dirt' - Rhymney Valley - South Wales Valleys - News - icWales

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Hospital Scrub down and re-opening after California fires

Good news here..hospital was closed and evacuated but survived...BD

Palomar Medical Center in Escondido was fully functional and operating normally on Oct. 24, while crews worked to reopen Pomerado Hospital in Poway. The Poway hospital could be open as early as Oct. 25. That is the word from Palomar Pomerado Health, which said this week that there had been conflicting reports confusing the evacuation and closure of one of its hospitals. At noon Oct. 24, the PPH system, which operates both hospitals, had 100 people cleaning Pomerado Hospital, which had been evacuated and closed due to fire Oct. 22. Spokesman Andy Hoang said crews were scrubbing the hospital inside and out in preparation for a county inspection.

San Diego Business Journal Online - San Diego California business news

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Hospital, police chief stand by actions in DWI case

What is the correct way to collect a urine specimen in the case of a DWI in this case?  Were privacy issues a concern here?  BD 

How urine was seized by a police officer while state Sen. Chuck Graham was in a University Hospital emergency center examination room could become a legal issue in a possible DWI case, a former judge said today.  The law enforcement agency must provide a container to establish a chain of custody, Jenkins said.

Graham, who is paralyzed from the chest down, had urinated through a tube into a container in an examination room while being treated for the bruise, according to a police report by Weaver.

Weaver ordered a nurse to place the container on a counter after she removed it from the hose. Weaver then took custody of it and secured it in his patrol car after ordering emergency room physician Scott Schultz, lawyer Bob Murray and hospital security officers to get out of his way, the report said.

Hospital, police chief stand by actions in DWI case

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Employee: Hospital isn't billing

To bill or not to bill...charity cases...BD 

Cook County Board President Todd Stroger said he will look into a claim that Oak Forest Hospital's uninsured patients stopped getting bills four to six months ago, possibly contributing to a loss of revenue for the cash-strapped county. Bills for self-pay patients at the facility have been piling up since Dr. Robert Simon, the interim chief of the Cook County Health Bureau, ordered the finance department to stop sending them, according to a billing clerk at the hospital. "Six months now - not one bill has gone out," said Marianne Morang at a public hearing on the proposed county budget. "No bills going out, no revenue coming in." Jamie McPeek Johnson, director of billing and patient accounting services at Oak Forest Hospital, said the department stopped billing uninsured patients in June or July as part of an effort to restructure the bureau's charity care program.

She said the self-pay bills stopped going out as county officials worked to make the language on the bills consistent among the three county hospitals. She also said the department still was billing Medicare, Medicaid and Blue Cross Blue Shield.

Employee: Hospital isn't billing :: News :: Daily Southtown

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Attack of the PDFs

PDF files are the latest for luring users to open attachments in email.  Watch for the following subjects and don't open any pdfs from users you do not know.  Dangerous PDF files have now joined the ranks of potentially dangerous attachments.  BD 

Malicious PDF file (report.pdf or debt.2007.pdf or overdraft.2007.10.26.pdf or so) has been massively spammed through email during last hour and the spam run is still continuing. The PDF is spiced with CVE-2007-5020 exploit that downloads ms32.exe that downloads more components. At this point it's not clear yet what is the final payload of the malware, because of missing files in the download chain. We are investigating further.

The subjects for the spam messages include:
  Your credit report
  Your credit points
  Your balance report
  Personal Financial Statement
  Personal Credit Points
  Personal Balance Report
  Your Credit File
  Balance Report

Malicious PDF files being spammed out in volume - F-Secure Weblog : News from the Lab

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Hospital Apologizes For Child' s Death - Central Florida

10 times the amount?  Family and hospital reached an out of court settlement...BD 

A Florida hospital says it takes full responsibility for a three-year-old boy's death. The child died after officials at the University of Florida Medical Center accidentally gave him an overdose of medication used to check his growth hormone. Medical workers at Shand's Teaching Hospital gave him 10 times more than they were supposed to.

Hospital Apologizes For Child' s Death - Central Florida News 13

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Hospital officials fined for election spending-Seattle

More hospital related fines...this time politically related...BD

The state Public Disclosure Commission voted unanimously Thursday to accept a settlement offer from Valley Medical Center officials, who admitted to misspending nearly $500,000 in taxpayer money to campaign for ballot measures in 2005 and 2006. The agreement calls for Rich Roodman, president and chief executive officer of the Renton hospital, to pay $120,000 in fines and reimburse the district $155,000. Barbara Mitchell, administrator of organizational development, owes $18,832 to the district and $500 in fines to the state. The case is the largest out-of-court settlement in the commission's history, said spokeswoman Lori Anderson.

Eastside News | Hospital officials fined for election spending | Seattle Times Newspaper

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You Dun Got The Wrong Man.

Interesting and twisting story...BD

Maybe the corruption trial of former state legislator Rep. Vic Kohring (R-AK) is really a call for healthcare reform. Kohring learned the age-old HMO lesson (never, ever go out of network) the hard way and ended up begging Veco executives for cash when faced with collection agency calls.

TPMmuckraker | Talking Points Memo | Accused Pol: "You Dun Got The Wrong Man.

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Kaiser: Premiums cut for Senior Advantage Medicare

Additional information available from the article on other health plan changes...BD

About a year before the scheduled opening of its north Modesto hospital, Kaiser Permanente said it's slashing the premium for its Senior Advantage Medicare health plan by 25 percent. The 2008 premium will be $74 a month, down from $99 this year. Kaiser also is offering unlimited coverage for generic prescription drugs, sales representative Greg Friesen said.

The Modesto Bee | Kaiser: Premiums cut for Senior Advantage Medicare

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Lutronic USA, LLC Earns US FDA Clearance For MOSAIC Fractional Laser System

New laser techniques to remove wrinkles, scars, and other skin blemishes..looks promising too...BD

Lutronic USA, LLC. announced that its MOSAIC fractional laser system has received US FDA 510(k) clearance for dermatological procedures requiring the coagulation of soft tissue. MOSAIC is an advanced aesthetic solution based on the latest in micro fractional technology that offers physicians an unprecedented combination of flexibility, precision and control for indications including scarring, sun-damaged skin and melasma. "MOSAIC has proven to be an invaluable solution to physicians in markets throughout the world, and we are extremely pleased to have received clearance to market this breakthrough system in the United States," said Shaun Cave, President of Lutronic, USA, LLC. "This represents an important milestone in the continued growth and evolution of Lutronic USA, LLC and we look forward to continued growth in this market as we strive to deliver a full range of premier quality technologies and solutions to the clinical community."

* Scars:Acne scars, surgical scars, trauma scars, burn scars, and more can now be gently removed
* Rejuvenation of non facial areas such as hands, chest and neck
* Wrinkle and skin laxity treatment
* Rejuvenation of sun damaged skin
* Smoothing of rough skin
* Elimination of melasma and age spots
* Blending and lightening of uneven skin tones

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lutronic USA, LLC Earns US FDA Clearance For MOSAIC Fractional Laser System

Web Site:  http://www.lutronic.com/

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California fines 9 hospitals for infractions

The first time the state of California has levied fines...BD 

State health officials fined nine California hospitals Thursday for infractions that put patients at imminent risk of injury or death, including a notorious case at Martin Luther King Jr.-Harbor Hospital in May in which a woman died after writhing unattended on the floor of the emergency room lobby. Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center, Garden Grove Hospital and Medical Center, and Kaiser Foundation Hospital Santa Clara were among the hospitals fined. King-Harbor and one other hospital, Feather River Hospital in Paradise, were fined for two infractions each. Each fine is for $25,000, the most allowed under the first phase of a law that went into effect Jan. 1. The hospitals have 10 days to file a notice of appeal.

Garden Grove Hospital and Medical Center, which was fined for being unaware of a drug's possible adverse effects, issued a statement that said, "The state notified the hospital late in the day on March 20. . . that its practices did not conform with Medicare standards of participation. Overnight, the hospital developed a plan of corrective action which was accepted by the state the next morning at 9 a.m."

State fines 9 hospitals for infractions - Los Angeles Times

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Windows Home Server

We all use servers for work and soon you will be able to purchase a Home Server from Microsoft.  Watch for these to appear soon in a retail store near you.  If you are a professional that needs a server at home, this is simple and works well.  Hopefully this will be available soon.  The videos are well worth watching and think about the Health Vault from Microsoft being available via a Home Server...BD

It's time to brush the digital dust off your captured moments and media—for good. Introducing a simpler, smarter way for families to organize, share and protect photos, videos, music and much more. Windows Home Server brings it all together in a central hub, connecting your home PCs and making it easy to keep and enjoy your family's most important memories. Grandma will love it too.

With a Windows Home Server in your home, you'll be able to take advantage of additional features such as downloadable add-ins and Microsoft software and hardware solutions. Check back here soon for access to great resources to help you make the most of your Windows Home Server.  In late 2007, you will be able to buy a device powered by Windows Home Server from a variety of retailers, in local stores, or online outlets. You can even purchase a custom Windows Home Server device from a PC builder.

Watch Videos:  http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/windowshomeserver/demo/index.html

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/windowshomeserver/default.mspx

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House Defies Bush And Passes Revised Child Health Bill

Update on SCHIP legislation...7 short to over ride veto, but the Senate could offer this support...BD

The US House of Representatives has voted to pass a bill to extend state supported child health insurance in defiance of a threat by President George W Bush to veto it. The vote, cast yesterday, was 7 votes short of the the two-thirds majority needed to overturn a presidential veto and comes only one week after a vote on an earlier draft of the bill also failed to do so. Representatives voted 265 to 142 in favour of the bill to extend the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to cover nearly 4 million more children whose families cannot afford private health insurance, but earn too much to qualify for Medicaid, the federal health insurance scheme for the poor. This would bring the total number of American children covered to 10 million compared to the current 6.6 million.

House Defies Bush And Passes Revised Child Health Bill

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California Fires Trigger Steps To Safeguard More Than 20,000 Homecare Patients

Homecare providers throughout Southern California have been scrambling to respond to the unprecedented fires sweeping through the region. About 20,000 patients served by Apria Healthcare alone have been displaced or face extreme smoke conditions, triggering implementation of their emergency response plans. "The entire team in Southern California is working on our emergency response in some capacity, either by staffing the disaster shelters, conducting patient inquiry calls, or delivering oxygen and medical equipment directly to homes," said Steve Foreman, Apria's regional VP of operations for Southern California.

California Fires Trigger Steps To Safeguard More Than 20,000 Homecare Patients

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University Of Muenster Completes Implanting Its First CardioWest Temporary Total Artificial Heart

Temporary solution for patients while waiting for a donor heart...BD

Two months after being implanted with a Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) to support his dying heart, Mike Gadiel's heart began to fail again. On June 22, surgeons at University of Muenster saved his life by removing both the LVAD and his dying heart, and implanting their first CardioWest" temporary Total Artificial Heart (TAH-t). This implant marked University of Muenster's completion of the CardioWest artificial heart certification program, started in 2006. The CardioWest artificial heart is the world's first and only FDA and CE approved temporary artificial heart. It replaces both the left and right ventricles and pumps up to 9.5 liters per minute, which is more than any other approved device. University of Muenster is the 12th hospital in Europe and the 22nd in the world to become certified to implant the CardioWest artificial heart.

University Of Muenster Completes Certification Program By Implanting Its First CardioWest" Temporary Total Artificial Heart

Web Site:  http://www.syncardia.com/cardiowesttaht/index.php

Videos:  http://www.syncardia.com/videocenter/index.php

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Brain study: Sleepy, grumpy and ... primitive?

More about how grouchy we get without enough sleep...results of the test are helping determine if someone has pathological psychiatric patterns when deprived of sleep...and figure out if one has a psychiatric disease or a sleep disorder...BD

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A few nights without sleep can not only make people tired and emotional, but may actually put the brain into a primitive "fight or flight" state, researchers said on Wednesday. Brain images of otherwise healthy men and women showed two full days without sleep seemed to rewire their brains, re-directing activity from the calming and rational prefrontal cortex to the "fear center" -- the amygdala.

Brain study: Sleepy, grumpy and ... primitive? | Science | Reuters

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Help Fire Victims with your Phone!

Nice and a great idea!  BD 

The Wireless Foundation and the American Red Cross today announced that most American wireless subscribers can make a charitable donation to the Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund and assist relief efforts such as those ongoing in southern California, by utilizing the Text 2HELPT program established by their partnership. Heres how it works: Subscribers of participating wireless carriers can donate $5 to relief efforts simply by text messaging keyword GIVE to 2HELP (24357). The donations will appear on customers monthly bills or be debited from prepaid account balances.

Wireless carriers participating in Text 2HELPT include AT&T Mobility, Alltel, Boost Mobile, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, and SunCom. VeriSign is powering the intelligent messaging infrastructure to enable the short message service.

Help Fire Victims with your Phone! | Mobility Site

Other related stories: 

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/86669.php

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/86637.php

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Loving the Internet

Yikes!  Implanting a device to let you use your mind to access the web!  I spend as much if not more time than most on the web, but I'm not ready for this step by any means...but 11 percent are!  I can see where a temporary replacement of a significant other can take place...key word here is temporary though...BD

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Rather than looking for their perfect match, one in four Americans say the Internet can serve as a substitute for a significant other, according to a poll released on Wednesday. ADVERTISEMENT A survey on the role the Internet plays in people's lives by Zogby International and communications consultancy, 463 Communications, found that 24 percent of Americans said the Internet could replace a partner for some period of time.

But although American may love the Internet, most are not prepared to implant it into their brain -- even if it was safe, the researchers said.

Only 11 percent of respondents said they would be willing to safely implant a device that let them use their mind to access the Internet although one in five would insert a chip into a child 13 years old or younger to help track them.

Loving the Internet - Yahoo! News

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Oral Surgery Can Reduce CPAP Needs In Patients With Sleep Apnea

Interesting study on who can benefit the most...BD

A procedure known as uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) may help some patients improve or even eliminate their obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), according to a new study. The research, presented at CHEST 2007, the 73rd annual international scientific assembly of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), says the procedure, which removes excess tissue in the throat or mouth to widen the airway, can reduce the amount of treatment required by patients with OSA. In addition, researchers say UPPP also can eliminate OSA completely in some patients.

Oral Surgery Can Reduce CPAP Needs In Patients With Sleep Apnea

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Evercare Unveils Details Of Nation's First Alzheimer's Disease Special Needs Plan In Phoenix

Evercare, one of the nation's, and Arizona's, largest health care coordination programs, today unveiled the details of the first-ever Medicare Advantage Special Needs Plan designed exclusively for people with Alzheimer's disease and chronic dementia. Residents of Maricopa County, Ariz. will be the first in the country to have access to this innovative health plan with tailored benefits and services, including special prescription drug coverage and the Alzheimer's Association Safe Return® program. Evercare Care Managers will collaborate with memory disorder specialists from the prestigious Phoenix-based Banner Alzheimer's Institute, with the goal of enhancing Evercare's innovative model of care.

Evercare Unveils Details Of Nation's First Alzheimer's Disease Special Needs Plan In Phoenix

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Younger Men Joining The Masses Flocking To Plastic Surgeons

Female gender is not alone here...BD 

Aristocrat Plastic Surgery consistently stays ahead of its competitors by being among the first to study and perform advanced procedures that become mainstream years later. Dr. Kevin Tehrani, founder of Aristocrat Plastic Surgery, strongly believes in performing FDA-approved minimally invasive procedures that will reduce recovery time and allow patients to look and feel better in the shortest amount of time. Dr. Tehrani performs all types of procedures, including VASER LipoSelection®, dermal filler ArteFill®, scarless breast augmentation and traditional face-lifts to name a few. His specialties in aesthetic plastic surgery include revolutionary minimal incision face-lifts and endoscopic brow lifts as well as lateral tension abdominoplasty and lower body lift.

Younger Men Joining The Masses Flocking To Plastic Surgeons

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Arrested mayor of St. George, Mo. says marijuana was medical

ST. GEORGE, Mo. -- The mayor of the St. Louis suburb of St. George says marijuana found at his home was for medical use. Harold Goodman, who is 64, was arrested Monday on suspicion of misdemeanor marijuana possession. He has taken a voluntary leave of absence as mayor of the tiny community in south St. Louis County. Goodman claims the marijuana was for treatment of Crohn's Disease, a chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. But Missouri has no medical marijuana law. The incident comes less than two months after a young man videotaped a St. George police officer berating him and threatening to arrest him on made-up charges, a video that made national news. That officer has since been fired.

Arrested mayor of St. George, Mo. says marijuana was medical

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Live Search 411

Use Microsoft Live Search 411 from any phone...and have it send a text message to the phone...great!  This way you have a written record...great service!  Save your physician's phone listing this way for later reference too.  BD

Try it today. Call 1-800-CALL-411 or  1-800-225-5411

From MSDN blog: 

We've built this system in cooperation with Tellme, which we acquired in March of this year.  Tellme has been a leader in voice technology since 1999.  We're excited about the voice experience and attention to detail they bring to this new service.

We've built Live Search 411 to go beyond just finding business information.  Because our goal is to help you complete your task, we've included features like:

• Connect to any business listing you find-for free
• Receive SMS links to maps, driving directions and traffic conditions (just say "text me the info")
• Get movie showtimes and even buy tickets over the phone (via our partnership with Fandango)
• Share text messages of business details with friends so they can easily meet you there
• Hear the current weather conditions and the forecast
• Quickly access travel resources like airlines, hotels, and rental cars
• Remember your personalized locations for movie theaters, weather and traffic, and your preferences for receiving text messages.

Live Search 411

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A Third Of Americans Extremely Stressed, New Survey

 

A new national survey by the American Psychological Association (APA) suggests that one third of Americans are living with extreme stress while nearly half believe stress is damaging their health, their relationships, and work productivity, and that it has got worse in the last 5 years.

Three quarters of Americans (compared with 60 per cent last year) said money and work caused them the most stress, with half mentioning housing costs such as rent and mortgage as a big factor, a result that the APA suggests is linked to the US housing crisis.

However, over 70 per cent reported recently having physical and psychological symptoms of stress.

A Third Of Americans Extremely Stressed, New Survey

Additional Information:  American Psychological Association

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NHS looks to Cisco for Wireless Healthcare Installation

The plans include increased use of Tablet PCs...BD 

Kings College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has appointed leading provider of converged IP solutions, Redstone Converged Solutions, to install a wireless infrastructure across its campus under a leasing arrangement with Cisco Capital. The solution, which will be deployed during the next twelve months, will supplement the existing hardwired network and provide complete coverage across all internal and external areas of the site.

Other network based projects will include the deployment of voice activated paging systems, mobile communications devices which will help advise medical staff to review information such as X-rays to colleagues for second opinions, and increased use of tablet PCs and Computers on Wheels (COWs) for supporting ward rounds.

Cisco Capital Lease Funds Wireless Healthcare Installation

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Spinal Elements, Inc. Introduces Mercury" Spinal System For Spine Fusion Surgery - FDA Approval

 

Spinal Elements, Inc. introduced at the National Association of Spine Surgeons (NASS) 2007 annual meeting the Mercury" Spinal System that offers surgeons a faster and less invasive spine fusion procedure. The  Mercury Spinal Implant System is top loading and employs an innovative low-torque locking mechanism that eliminates the need for cumbersome locking nuts. The Mercury Spinal System utilizes a patent-pending, hinged locking cap that locks securely and easily with only a quarter turn. The cannulated Mercury Spinal System is expected to win wide adoption for minimally invasive spine fusions.

The Mercury Spinal System received FDA Clearance on October 12, 2007 "The Mercury Spinal System has been designed to enable faster minimally invasive procedures that provides benefits to the patient and surgeon" said Todd Andres, president and CEO of Spinal Elements.

Spinal Elements, Inc. Introduces Mercury" Spinal System For Spine Fusion Surgery

Web Site:  http://www.spinalelements.com/

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IBM To Pay For Obesity Prevention Efforts For Children Of Employees

Wellness and Health care coaching alive and well at IBM...BD

IBM plans to launch a program that will offer employees monetary incentive to have their children participate in obesity education, the Wall Street Journal reports. The program, scheduled to begin next year, will pay $150 to workers who sign up a child who completes a 12-week online program of diet and exercise training. The program is open to all children, and IBM says it does not look at the health information submitted by employees.

IBM To Pay For Obesity Prevention Efforts For Children Of Employees

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FBI raid shutters Medicare insurer - Tampa

I feel sorry for the guy that was there for a job interview...and to find the FBI there instead...although the article states during the investigation that is will be business as usual...BD 

For the past two years, analysts have been asking how fast-growing WellCare Health Plans of Tampa has been able to make so much money running government health plans for the poor and elderly. Now government investigators may be asking the same thing. On a rainy Wednesday morning, more than 200 federal and state agents swarmed WellCare's campus on Henderson Road in Tampa, forcing employees onto the sidewalk and into their cars.

Steven Meitzen, 51, who arrived at WellCare about 9:40 a.m. for a job interview, said he was initially told it was a bomb scare. "Later on, I talked to someone who said the FBI had a subpoena and were looking for records," he said.

The timing of the raid could be detrimental as WellCare is in the midst of convincing seniors to sign up for its 2008 plans.

 

Business: FBI raid shutters Medicare insurer

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Aetna 3Q Net Up 4.3% - Raises '07 Forecasts

They also purchased the largest insurer in the UK earlier this year...and made news recently with the agreement with the medical facility as USC...BD  

Aetna Inc. (AET) posted a strong third-quarter profit Thursday and increased its enrollment and earnings forecasts for the year, signaling that the managed- care company continues to gain market share.

The Hartford, Conn., health insurer, which kept its medical costs relative to premium revenue lower than some analysts had estimated, also expects enrollment growth to accelerate in 2008.  Aetna is winning market share from multiple competitors, Williams said. The company is growing in every region where it operates, and doing very well in its middle market, student health and individual health-plan businesses, he said.

http://money.cnn.com/news/newsfeeds/articles/djf500/200710251236DOWJONESDJONLINE000974_FORTUNE5.htm

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U.S. Senate Passes Health Funds That Bush Opposes

Update on Congressional action regarding health care...BD 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) Oct 24 - The U.S. Senate on Tuesday ignored a veto threat and easily passed legislation that would spend more than President George W. Bush wants this year for social programs including health care, education and job training. By a veto-proof margin of 75-19, the Senate passed the bill that would cost $606 billion in the fiscal year that started Oct 1. Of that total, $152 billion funds programs that Congress tinkers with each year.

The Senate will try to work out a compromise with the House, which wants to spend about $2 billion more. The bill is the largest of the 12 annual spending measures and the White House warned last week Bush would veto it.

U.S. Senate Passes Health Funds That Bush Opposes

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WellPoint Profit up 7 Pct as Membership Rises

WellPoint/Blue Cross 2nd carrier to release 3rd quarter numbers... last week United posted their 15 percent rise in profit...

NEW YORK (Reuters) Oct 24 - Health insurer WellPoint Inc said on Wednesday that third-quarter profit rose 7 percent, helped by higher membership and improved control of operating costs. The No. 1 U.S. health insurer by enrollment also projected its earnings per share will rise by at least 15 percent next year, when it sees adding at least 1 million members. Net income increased to $868 million, or $1.45 per share, from $810.8 million, or $1.29 per share, a year earlier.

WellPoint expects to receive rate increases in California and Connecticut, two states where Medicaid has dragged on the company's results this year. WellPoint is the largest U.S. provider of Medicaid plans.

In the past year, WellPoint has announced the departures of its chief executive and chief financial officer, as well as the head of its commercial and consumer unit.

WellPoint Profit up 7 Pct as Membership Rises

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IT Might Be Too Good at Employee Retention

Health Care is right at the top of this list for sure...CIOs do need to take a look at who is shaking things up in the IT department and evaluate if things are stagnating... a balance of both old and new can really benefit..especially in the digital age we are in today...BD 

However, while most conversations about retention focus on keeping good employees from walking out the door by making a company a better place to work, IT with a gradually aging work force and diminished pipeline of new recruits might be in for the opposite problem.

This is a particular concern for CIOs when they need to get new skill sets on staff, skills that older IT professionals might not be as familiar with.

"I think that there are two problems that are retention-related: One is not enough turnover and the other is too much," Alex Cullen, vice president and research director for Forrester Research, told eWEEK. "We hear CIOs wonder about not having enough turnover when they worry about their growth. Their work forces are gradually aging, and they're not necessarily getting the new people with fresh ideas. They have fewer people shaking things up, and they're concerned about getting stagnant."

IT Might Be Too Good at Employee Retention

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IT Skills Triumph Over Certifications, something to ponder with Health Care

Interesting article that explores IT certifications and the diminishing emphasis in several areas of IT as certifications are on the rise and how many IT folks have the opportunities to complete many of them...look for the person who can do the job it states...certifications are not a dead issue by any means though, but sometimes requiring only certified individuals can cut you short of qualified candidates...especially in health care where everything is so very "need and application" specific...BD

IT certifications once had a guaranteed value. In the wake of the dot-com bust, large numbers of IT professionals stocked up on letters after their names to improve their job security and prove to their business departments that they had value. In return, they were paid at a higher premium for those letters.

Gautier's sentiments about the decreased value of "paper-certified" IT professionals versus those with proven IT skills are in line with research released Oct. 15 by Foote Partners, an IT work-force research consultancy in Vero Beach, Fla. The report found that for the first time since 2000, the average pay for noncertified IT skills topped that of IT certifications.

IT Skills Triumph Over Certifications

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Rockies Restore Online Ticket Sales After Net Attack

Denial of Service attack here...something to keep in mind when deploying wireless networks, especially with medical networks...an attacker with an open wireless network could easily use a non-secured wireless network to impose on of these types of attacks on web sites via your unsecured wireless router...BD 

The National League champion Colorado Rockies' ticket sales Web site is back up and running and briskly dealing World Series seats after an external malicious attack shut down the system. "We sold more than 50,000 tickets today over 2½ hours," Rockies' Media Relations Manager Jay Alves told eWEEK. The Rockies are limiting sales to four per person per game and are diligently checking IDs to guard against scalpers buying more than the allowable limit, a Rockies staff member said.

Paciolan staff members huddled most of the day Oct. 23 at the company's Irvine, Calif., offices in an effort to determine what caused the Oct. 22 attack that brought the system to its knees.

Rockies Restore Online Ticket Sales After Net Attack

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Attacks Aimed at Personal Data Soar

Good article about the Malicious Tool Remover software from Microsoft...the one items below even states how much more difficult it is to filter on an Email Exchange server these days as well...opens up the thought process for 'hosted exchange" to have the latest software available in the war against malware, especially with medical and patient information potential on the network and a good reason to train and inform employees of what to look for in unknown emails...it keeps changing colors all the time.  BD 

During the first half of 2007, Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal Tool detected 31.6 million phishing scams,an increase of more than 150 percent over the previous six months and tracked a 500 percent increase in Trojan downloaders and droppers, according to the company's latest Security Intelligence Report. The report, produced every six months, this time around found far more attacks that are focused on stealing personal information, including Trojan downloaders and droppers malicious code that installs Trojans, password stealers, keyboard loggers and/or other malware on victims' systems.

MSRT removed malware from one out of every 217 computers it scanned in early 2007, compared with one out of 409 in late 2006 and one out of 359 in the second half of 2005. Microsoft said the increases are likely due to improvements in MSRT along with the addition of highly prevalent families, such as Win32/Renos, Win32/Stration and Win32/Alureon. Some families MSRT has detected—Win32/Hupigon, Win32/Bancos and Win32/Banker—target data theft and banking information.

"It also doesn't matter," he said in an e-mail exchange. "It's so bad now that those that can't filter and manage it to a reasonable level can't effectively use e-mail anymore anyway."

Attacks Aimed at Personal Data Soar

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Win an Siemens MRI - Community Hospitals with acute care and less than 180 Beds...

Hospitals have until November 30th to submit a video.  The site already had upwards of 30 videos submitted from various community hospitals in the US.  If you are a community hospital with someone on staff with some video talent, might be worth looking at, and the CEO of your hospital must approve the entry.  Voting is presently taking place on the web site.  You can also use You Tube to promote your voting campaign.  Right now Lockport Memorial Hospital in New York is the top runner with over 6000 votes, but it's not too late to start and encourage all to begin voting for your hospital. 

One hospital in America will win a free MAGNETOM Essenza, an all-new 1.5T MRI. This powerful diagnostic tool can help improve the quality of care for friends, families, and neighbors in your community. View the videos and vote for the hospital who has the most compelling argument for why they should win.

ELIGIBILITY: This contest is open to any Community Hospital, defined as an acute care hospital with 180 or fewer staffed, licensed beds (as listed in Verispan, L.L.C.'s database) that does not offer MRI service through fixed MRI installed within the hospital building or satellite facility owned by the hospital. The individual submitting the video on behalf of the hospital must be an officer of the submitting hospital, a legal resident of the U.S., age 18 or older. Void in Puerto Rico and where prohibited.

Your CEO must approve your participation in this contest. CEOs must download and return a letter as part of your official registration.
 

Winanmri.com

Hat Tip:  Medgdget   via   WSJ Health Blog

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Prime Healthcare renews bid for Anaheim hospital

As soon as the end of the year, the owner of Anaheim Memorial, Huntington Beach-based Memorial Health Services, is expected to settle on a bidder for the hospital.  Dr. Reddy has not given up yet..BD

A rapidly growing high-desert hospital chain, whose bid to buy an Anaheim hospital was rejected last summer by the state attorney general, is one of half a dozen companies trying again to buy the struggling medical center. In July, the state declined to approve a $55-million sale of 223-bed Anaheim Memorial Medical Center to Prime Healthcare Services Inc. The firm is co-owned by Dr. Prem Reddy, a prominent and controversial cardiologist from Victorville, and a trust owned by his family. The sale of the nonprofit hospital to Prime Healthcare, a for- profit company, was rejected after months of opposition from community activists and doctors. The attorney general must approve the sale of nonprofit hospitals to for-profit companies.

Critics say Reddy-owned hospitals routinely turn away uninsured patients.

Prime Healthcare renews bid for Anaheim hospital - Los Angeles Times

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Ovarian Cyst out of control

33 pounds worth...unbelievable...and I thought a grapefruit was large...the cyst that killed the ovary...BD 

That means I'm feeling well enough to sit up, stare at the screen without getting nauseous and copy and paste codes!

 

meltswhenwet: To be viewed after you've read all the facts.

Hat Tip:  Kevin, MD

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Tablet PCs are the New Laptops

This article says it all.....think about it next time you are walking around with an "open pizza box" notebook...it's hard to do that and be productive...Mobility will continue to drive production in the years to come and the "pizza box" is just too awkward to be a true mobile unit...I watched a gal the other day in a 7-11 store walking around with the "pizza box" notebook trying to enter data and it sure was cumbersome to say the least on her part...trying to take inventory, etc.  A tablet would have done the job much better.  BD 

Laptops, more commonly called notebook PCs these days, are well known for their portable, light weight computing power. Tablet PCs, while not as well known, are beginning to make their mark. There are essentially two types of tablet PCs on the market today. The most common version, sometimes referred to as a convertible tablet, looks very much like a standard notebook, but with a screen that swivels and collapses to form a flat surface. Other tablets are exactly that, a tablet where one side is the screen and one side is the bottom of the unit, just like on a standard notebook.

Tablets are beginning to show up in all kinds of applications. Insurance adjusters, health care providers, lawyers, anyone who has a need to work efficiently in a very portable manner, may benefit from a laptop.

No one wants to carry around a bulky, heavy computer. Because of this, tablets typically have 12-inch LCD screens, rather than the larger 14- to 15-inch screens typically found on mainstream notebooks.

If you're considering a new portable computer over the next year, consider looking into a tablet PC. Depending on how you intend to use your computer, it may be a good choice to consider.  MJ Shoer is president and virtual chief technology officer for Jenaly Technology Group, an outsourced IT services firm based in Portsmouth

Seacoastonline.com: Tablet PCs are the new laptops

Hat Tip:  Tablet PC Layer Blog

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Read books on your cell/mobile phone, carry a library in your pocket!

Have some spare time and want to catch up on some reading... you can download and read books that are out of copyright laws...if the small print on the phone doesn't get to you...good novel idea...no pun intended.  BD 

Classic books you can read on your mobile / cell phone. *Your phone is your book. *Nothing extra to carry. *Convenient. *Hundreds of titles to choose from. *Have an ebook with you all the time.

BooksInMyPhone - read books on your cell / mobile phone, carry a library in your pocket!

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WellPoint doctors to get rated via Zagat

Zagat let's diners rate restaurants...but let's face it, there's a big difference between what physician you choose and what you want for dinner...the level of transparency for physicians even gets thinner...just one more place that, if you have the time, you can look up information about a physician.  We all know these are not representative of all facets of a practice or MD and as the article states, patients having a bad experience will rule the roost here, as most folks who are happy don't usually take the time.  Word of mouth still works too. 

With all the new levels of transparency, perhaps the doctors will have a chance to "rate the patients"...someday...don't laugh as data base information continues to be gathered, analyzed, sold, etc., you could someday see your name in print as a "rated" patient from your MD, as the entire world seems to be encapsulated with surveys today...and again, it all depend on who you ask.  State medical boards and better business bureaus still appear in my opinion to be a first stop if you are looking for documented and valid information.  BD

One of the nation's largest health insurers, WellPoint, has teamed with Zagat Survey to let patients rate their doctors, just as diners rate restaurants in Zagat's burgundy-colored guides. Instead of Zagat's four categories for restaurants food, décor, service and cost the ratings guide will consider trust, communication, availability and office environment. In addition to giving doctors a numerical score based on a 30-point scale, the site will include comments from patients. The WellPoint program will be available online to more than a million members by the end of March. It plans to roll it out to all of its 35 million members but would not give a schedule. The move by the insurer comes as consumers increasingly turn to the Internet to learn about products and services and see customer reviews. Other insurers, including Aetna, survey patients about physicians in their networks, posting the results online for members. A few commercial websites, such as Revolution Health and RateMDs .com, offer the public an opportunity to rate doctors. But WellPoint is the largest insurer to partner with such a well-known survey firm as Zagat.

Disgruntled patients are more likely to submit a survey than happy ones, says physician Jim King, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Still, he's not too concerned. "In my small town, it's word-of-mouth," King says. "If someone uses this survey intelligently to make a short list of doctors to interview, that's OK. But they still need to depend on their own personal opinion."

Other insurers, including Aetna, survey patients about physicians in their networks, posting the results online for members. A few commercial websites, such as Revolution Health and RateMDs .com, offer the public an opportunity to rate doctors. But WellPoint is the largest insurer to partner with such a well-known survey firm as Zagat.

USATODAY.com

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Coalition Pushing To Include Patient Privacy Provisions in EHR Legislation

Privacy...big thing...we should all think about this...we have laws in the US, but what happens when information gets sold or given to another country...think about it...then the information is sold back to entities in the US...where are the laws and protection for medical records on an international level?  Who do you trust...it almost has to be someone with no interest in making any money from healthcare...from allowing or denying benefits.  BD 

A bipartisan coalition of lawmakers and private companies called on Congress to pass legislation that would protect electronic health records from potential misuse and identity theft, the Washington Times reports. The Patient Privacy Rights coalition -- which includes Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.), the Family Research Council and Microsoft -- says EHR legislation being debated in the House and Senate would allow data mining companies and "four million other individuals and entities" to secretly access private medical records. Coalition Chair Deborah Peel said, "If you think we've got a problem with identity theft now, just wait." According to Peel, the group's concern is that data mining firms could sell private medical information, which could be used by potential employers and health care providers to discriminate against people with mental health or other chronic illnesses. Peel said she supports efforts to increase the use of EHRs, but Congress at the same time must provide the same level of privacy protection that is given to members of the military.

Coverage & Access | Coalition Pushing To Include Patient Privacy Provisions in EHR Legislation - Kaisernetwork.org

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Microsoft Responsible For Nearly Half of IT Jobs Worldwide

Microsoft continues the marketing efforts and support of Microsoft Partners.  Healthcare will be investing heavily as well and in some areas it might be a matter of "catch up" with IT initiatives...healthcare is making big strides in technology.  Being a Partner myself I can't even avail myself of all the excellent tools available, but do study and entertain all areas where I can fit things in to my schedule.    Look to Microsoft Partners for some of the best health care solutions.  For enterprise customers Windows Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 will play important rolls with IT Enterprise development in the upcoming years.  Windows Mobile is also an important player as most everyone in health care can no longer wait to sit down their desktop PC for valuable information that is needed now.   Server 2008 has some great mobility features that can't be passed up for security and mobility and with the use of mobile units, Tablet PCs and Cell phones, this area is going to do nothing but grow.  BD 

A Microsoft study this week found that the software giant is responsible for generating nearly one out of every two IT jobs worldwide. The study, conducted on behalf of Microsoft by researcher IDC, examined global IT spending and concluded that the company's "ecosystem" of employees and partners will account for some 42 percent of all IT employment worldwide in 2007.

Most recently, California and a slew of other U.S. states this week filed a formal request to extend the oversight of Microsoft's 2002 landmark antitrust settlement until 2012.  During the next four years, IT spending will create 7.1 million new jobs and 100,000 new companies, the report said.

Additionally, spending on software is growing faster than spending on IT overall: 7.9 percent a year between 2007 and 2011, compared to 6.1 percent for all IT spending, the report said.  "The research found that for every $1 that Microsoft earns in 2007, companies working with Microsoft will earn $7.79," the company said.

Microsoft Responsible For Nearly Half of IT Jobs

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Hospitals prepare for the worst - California Fires

Technology is also helping here with "ReddiNet" systems to route patients to hospitals with bed availability.  We are all staying indoors as much as possible.  BD 

With tens of thousands of residents fleeing the San Diego County fires, Southwest Riverside County's already taxed health care system faces a daunting task ---- treating local patients, while also preparing to accept an unknown number of victims from hospitals being evacuated. For now, area hospitals are focused on local residents. With Interstate 15 closed south of the Riverside County line, San Diego County hospitals are being forced to evacuate patients elsewhere. After receiving an evacuation alert Monday afternoon, Fallbrook Hospital sought to move its acute care patients to Southwest Healthcare Systems facilities, said hospital spokeswoman Teresa Fleege. Southwest runs Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar and Rancho Springs Medical Center in Murrieta.

Ruiter added that the hospital is increasing the frequency of updates to its ReddiNet system. ReddiNet is a computerized system that monitors how many beds and which type of beds are available at each hospital. She said they are updating the system several times per day, so hospitals in the affected areas have a better idea where to send patients.

Area hospitals prepare for the worst - The Californian / North County Times -

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Windows Mobile HealthCare - PDA/Phone devices and software

Good site to see what is available for Windows Mobile...nice to have the information available on your phone/PDA..  Epocrates is a simple and effective reference tool for free for the basic information.  We link to the web based version on this page for a quick and easy reference for our readers.  For more general information, check out the Windows Mobile site as well.  Live search from the mobile unit is nice and now has speech recognition built in.  This tool is becoming more valuable with each update!  It can help you find any business, including hospitals, physicians, etc. in a heartbeat.   BD 

While they may not be as common as a stethoscope or a tongue depressor, Windows Mobile powered devices are becoming vital tools for doctors and nurses. Many drug and disease databases are now available electronically, and Pocket PCs certainly are much easier to carry around than thick reference books. ER Suite for Pocket PC "I have given myself more knowledge at hand, at my fingertips," says Carol Kinzner, an advanced registered nurse practitioner. "You can't know everything, but if you have the tools to figure it out, that's where it helps.

In her case, her Pocket PC has given her the freedom to look up detailed drug information and determine the proper dosage without having to carry books or scientific calculators, or even leave the patient's room.

Say Ah! to Windows Mobile

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ScooterDesk - A place to light the "open pizza box" notebook

Interesting product...could have some real use...but I have to say I would much rather have a Tablet PC and have the freedom to walk around and be productive...the site also has some other interesting products as well...BD

The ScooterDesk is a wheeled standing-aid with an included writing tablet. It serves as a mobile touch-down station for occasional short tasks: - filling out forms - checking data, browsing the net, email or a magazine - taking note while talking on the phone - & It can also be made to order as a dual version; with seating for 2 persons. Scooterdesk was top-nominated at INDEX:design awards and got an honourable mention at ID magazine.

Utilia > Collection > ScooterDesk

Hat Tip:  GottaBeMobile

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First Topical Prescription Treatment For Osteoarthritis Pain, Voltaren Gel Receives FDA Approval

Non-steroid gel...BD

* First US approval for a prescription NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) treatment that can be applied directly to site of osteoarthritis pain * Voltaren Gel is the only prescription topical medication proven to significantly reduce osteoarthritis pain in both the knees and the joints of the hands

Voltaren Gel was shown to significantly reduce pain in hand and knee osteoarthritis, with pain relief sustained through the end of treatment. After six weeks of treatment in an efficacy study of patients with osteoarthritis of the hand, results showed that pain levels were reduced by nearly half (46%). In a 12-week study in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee, Voltaren Gel showed a 51% reduction in pain.

First Topical Prescription Treatment For Osteoarthritis Pain, Voltaren Gel Receives FDA Approval

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Fire threatens Pomerado Hospital - Patients evacuated

And the winds are still blowing...BD

POWAY Fire and smoke crested the hills immediately east of Villa Pomerado here at 11 a.m. today, and mechanic and service workers for the hospital complex were manning hoses to defend the facility. All workers were being told at 11:15 a.m. to evacuate the Pomerado Hospital and Villa Pomerado area, in 15600 block of Pomerado Road. Fire appeared to be coming over the hills from the east. Mechanics had gone to fire extinguisher boxes on the roof of the hospital's parking structure to pull hoses and fire fighting equipment. Smoke was thick.

Staff at Pomerado Hospital began moving patients to other hospitals shortly after 8 a.m.

SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Metro -- Fire threatens Pomerado Hospital

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Citrix Unveils Virtual Desktop

If you connect via VPN to a hospital network via Citrix metaframes, this may be some good news for an easier and simpler format down the road..BD

Citrix plans to combine existing Citrix and XenSource technology to launch XenDesktop, a desktop virtualization software, during the first half of 2008, Wasson said.

Citrix on Monday also rebranded its XenSource line as Citrix XenServer, Wasson said. Nothing else has changed, including the price and Citrix's relationship with XenSource channel partners, he said.

Citrix Unveils Virtual Desktop - Software - IT Channel News by CRN and VARBusiness

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Office printers emit hazardous particles

One more reason to go paperless.....BD

That office stalwart the printer may be a source of air pollution and a potential health hazard, a CBC investigations team has found. Laser printers emit micro-particles that can affect air quality, researchers say. Laser printers emit micro-particles that can affect air quality, researchers say. (CBC) Office printers can release ultrafine particles, or UFP, that are so small scientists have only recently been able to measure them.

"The study shows an ongoing threat to human health from airborne particles," said Jonathan Samet, senior author of the study and chair of the Bloomberg School of Public Health department of epidemiology, in a release.

The Australian study identified a number of Hewlett Packard (HP) printers as high emitters, something the company disputes.

Office printers emit hazardous particles: CBC special report

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Hospital cuts benefits plan to stay alive...

Employees and retirees, including doctors losing health benefits but hourly employees are getting a small raise to help compensate for the lack of benefits after the first of the year.  BD

About 70 Sturgis Hospital retirees and 40 employees in Sturgis Medical Group practices will lose their medical benefits on Jan. 1. Physician offices operated by Sturgis Hospital are Sturgis Pediatrics and Chicago Road Medical in Sturgis, Constantine/White Pigeon Medical Center in Constantine, Bronson Family Health Center in Bronson and Howe Medical Center in Howe, Ind.

Hospital CEO Rob LaBarge said the decision to cut benefits was an extremely difficult one to make, but he said it could save the hospital as much as $1 million. "This has been a difficult year for the hospital financially," LaBarge said in a prepared statement. "During the preparation of the budget for the upcoming year it became apparent that significant changes would be necessary in order to improve our long-term financial position. There are several areas of focus as we head into the next year and one very important area is that of employee/retiree benefits. Two significant changes will take place.

The Sturgis Online Community - News

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Elective mastectomies on the rise

Big decision for women carrying the mutated gene...but worthwhile if it lessens the risk of breast cancer 90% , so you might need a plastic surgeon at some point in time...BD 

You can't get breast cancer if there's no breast. That's the logic behind elective or prophylactic mastectomy. Prior to the introduction of the procedure, mastectomies were performed on women already diagnosed with breast cancer. Within recent years, the number of breast cancer "previvors" has increased. Women are taking steps to beat cancer to the punch. Carrying the mutated BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, a family history of breast cancer or a previous bout with breast cancer can increase a woman's chances of getting breast cancer to 85 percent.

Most women undergoing the procedure are BRCA mutated gene carriers in their 20s or 30s. Some have already battled breast cancer or had a family member die from the disease. Having an elective mastectomy lessens the risk of developing breast cancer by 90 percent.

Elective mastectomies on the rise -- Newsday.com

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Sleepless Nights Make for Grumpier Brains

Not only the brain, but the whole person...just ask me if I don't get enough sleep...my brain and I have that discussion too often I feel...(grin)...BD

Ever get a little testy after a bad night's sleep? Scientists may now know why. A new study finds that a lack of sleep causes the brain's emotional centers to dramatically overreact to negative experiences. A shutdown of the prefrontal lobe -- a brain region that normally keeps emotions under control -- is the reason for heightened emotional response in sleep-deprived people, said the researchers from Harvard Medical School and the University of California, Berkeley.

Sleepless Nights Make for Grumpier Brains - Forbes.com

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Health warnings issued because of smoke - Los Angeles

Not good here and hopefully will be under control soon...the smell of fire and smoke fills the air here in Orange and Los Angeles Counties...this is the worst I have ever seen in the many years I have lived here.  BD 

Health officials today urged the young, the elderly and those with breathing difficulties to remain indoors as Southern California's wildfires continued to pollute the air with smoke, gas and dust. The region's air quality has gotten significantly worse since the fires began Sunday, scorching over 100,000 acres as of this afternoon. Dark gray plumes blanketing communities such as San Diego and Malibu are carrying soot particles that can worsen pre-existing medical conditions such as lung disease, emphysema, asthma and heart disease, officials say.

Health warnings issued because of smoke - Los Angeles Times

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