Funny Video from McGaw..everything is Stat!...BD
Why Aren’t The Feds Fighting MRSA Harder?, Hospitals Are Adopting Superbug Screening, But The CDC Hasn’t Ordered Tests
Good question...$20.00 swab test...why not catch it sooner...could have saved this woman's legs possibly...we are not talking a high ticket item here and there is a cure with antibiotics, depending on how strong the strain is...BD
CBS) Not so long ago Kerri Cardello was a vibrant, 24/7 soccer mom.
Cardello now is struggling with the after effects of MRSA, an antibiotic-resistant staph infection she believes she got in the hospital.
MRSA damaged both of her lungs - and took both of her legs below the knees.
Cardello believes had she been tested for MRSA in the hospital, she would at least been treated sooner, CBS News correspondent Wyatt Andrews reports.
“If they had screening of MRSA,” she said. “Maybe I wouldn’t have lost my legs.”
Software helps track staph cases
Alabama hospitals are able to put their fingers on where and when staph infections are, this way they can focus on the needed areas for screening, etc. and it's working...BD
Nobody had to tell MedMined that hospital-acquired staphylococcus aureus infections were growing increasingly drug resistant. The average decrease nationally in hospital-acquired infections in the first year of using MedMined is 10 percent, and Alabama's results have been even better, Stewart said.
Data the company collected last year show almost 70 percent of the hospital-acquired staph infections in Alabama's hospitals were not treatable by methicillin, once the front-line antibiotic for the illness.
Nobody had to tell MedMined that hospital-acquired staphylococcus aureus infections were growing increasingly drug resistant. Data the company collected last year show almost 70 percent of the hospital-acquired staph infections in Alabama's hospitals were not treatable by methicillin, once the front-line antibiotic for the illness.
"That would have been unheard of 30 years ago," said Dr. Stephen Brossette, one of the founders of MedMined.
Lockport hospital in Web contest to win an MRI machine
Competition is heating up...60 hospitals have entered thus far...be sure to vote for your favorite hospital..you can vote once every day. BD
Election Day is over, but a different sort of campaign is just heating up. Lockport Memorial Hospital is competing against dozens of other small hospitals across the country in an intense online election to win a free MRI machine worth $800,000.
The hospitals are wooing online voters with YouTube-worthy, homemade videos and organizing energetic grass-roots campaigns to enlist the community’s help. The hospital whose video garners the most votes at www.winanmri.com wins the high-tech machine. “I’ve been voting five times every day. I’m going to keep that up through the end of the year,” said George E. Fritz, owner of Mills Jewelers in Lockport.
The Buffalo News: Home: Lockport hospital in Web contest to win an MRI machine
Hospitals' profits soaring to new highs - Chicago
Some hospitals are making some big money....while others struggle...BD
Chicago's biggest hospitals are piling up record profits as elected officials continue to question whether the institutions dole out enough free care for the poor to justify their tax-free status.
University of Chicago Medical Center, Rush University Medical Center and Northwestern Memorial Hospital are among the large hospitals benefiting from a boost in federal health care dollars, lower malpractice costs and growing demand for profitable heart procedures and cancer care. Big hospitals that can pour money into new technologies and top doctors to beef up profitable services usually are rewarded with burnished reputations and more insured patients, says Lisa Martin, an analyst at Moody's Investors Service in New York.
Chicago Business News, Analysis & Articles | Hospitals' profits soaring to new highs | Crain's
Non-prescription Zyrtec-D For Allergies Approved By FDA
Over the counter now...BD
The FDA (Food and Drug Administration, USA) has approved an allergy drug, Zyrtec-D (cetirizine HCl 5 mg and pseudoephedrine HCl 120 mg), for non-prescription use in children aged 12 and more and adults. In other words, Zyrtec-D is now an OTC (over-the-counter) drug.
Zyrtec-D has been on the market since 2001, but only as a prescription medication. The latest approval applies to OTC status for the relief of hay fever and other upper-respiratory allergies, such as sneezing, itchy/watery eyes, runny nose, itchy nose, itchy throat, and nasal congestion. Zyrtec-D is also indicated for nasal passage swelling, sinus congestion/pressure relief, and for restoring freer breathing through the nose.
Boyfriend on health insurance cost town $200K
Is common law marriage ok here? Once again, not the matter that someone's life may have been saved with a diagnosis of cancer, but the overall emphasis is on cost...nobody worries if you live or die sometimes, only what you cost others...sad..if you develop a chronic condition, are you a "bad" body not worth medical care? Two employees laid off over the medical cost...one more reason not to place the burden of insurance on employers..it does make a difference to small company bottom lines for profits and some just can't make it with the additional overhead...a reason why many employers are dropping insurance coverage so they can focus on running a business rather than having the overhead such as this related to profit margins. Now this person is at fault for having a "bad body" and might be very unpopular with everyone...but what if the marriage was not common law...would this have made a difference as far as the medical care with the same scenario...he would still be the "bad body" that caused all of this...and how many others have done the same thing? BD
Cronin said he asked if they were legally married, and that Conrad said they had been living together for more than 20 years and considered their relationship a "common law" marriage, Cronin wrote in his report. Conrad claimed that another school employee told Markle other people had done the same thing, Cronin said.
Food Services Director Erika Murphy, told police she had to lay off employees because of the money spent on Markle's boyfriend, Officer Thomas Donovan wrote in a report. "Murphy stated that as a result of Markle's fraud, her budget had a loss of approximately $60,000, which caused her to lay off at least two employees," Donovan wrote.
Police: Boyfriend on health insurance cost town $200K - EagleTribune.com, North Andover, MA
Lawsuit claims Health Net gave bonuses for policy rescissions
Will be interesting to follow this one...pre-existing condition...heart condition...but yet she had breast cancer? Are will still being "cherry picked" for the overall condition of our bodies as far as being a risk? It has not been that many years that we have had records to reveal everything about our health as well...how do you control how and when you are diagnosed? Just a few questions that come to mind...isn't health insurance about getting our medical needs met or is it about who has the least flawed body in terms of medical care? Every company today has some type of goal structure in place if they are in business to make a profit, but how far does this go? BD
Health Net Inc., one of the state's largest health insurers, tied rewards and savings to its employees' ability to cancel policies based on misrepresentations in members' applications, according to documents in a lawsuit against the company.
The documents showed Health Net saved $35.5 million in "unnecessary" health care expenses for rescinding more than 1,000 policies between 2000 and 2006. At the same time, a Health Net analyst received about $21,000 in bonuses for her work, which included exceeding company goals for policy rescissions.
The information was revealed during an arbitration hearing this week in San Bernardino County in a lawsuit filed by Patsy Bates, a 51-year-old hairdresser from Gardena (Los Angeles County) who is suing Health Net for $6 million plus punitive damages for revoking her policy after her breast cancer was diagnosed.
Lawsuit claims Health Net gave bonuses for policy rescissions
Health care excuses don't hold up
Good article addressing the false claims as relative to health care...food for thought...BD
The United States spends far more on health care per person than any other nation. Yet we have lower life expectancy than most other rich countries. Furthermore, every other advanced country provides all its citizens with health insurance; only in America is a large fraction of the population uninsured or underinsured.
So I thought it would be useful to offer a catalog of the most commonly heard apologies for U.S. health care, and the reasons they won't wash.
Excuse No. 1: No insurance, no problem. "I mean, people have access to health care in America," said President Bush a few months ago. "After all, you just go to an emergency room." He was widely mocked for his cluelessness, yet many apologists for the health care system in the United States seem almost equally clueless.
Excuse No. 2: It's the cheeseburgers. There's a grain of truth to this claim: Bad habits may partially explain the United States' low life expectancy.
Excuse No. 3: 2007 is better than 1950. This is an argument that baffles me, but you hear it all the time.
Excuse No. 4: Socialized medicine! Socialized medicine! Rudy Giuliani's fake numbers on prostate cancer -- which, by the way, he still refuses to admit were wrong -- were the latest entry in a long, dishonorable tradition of peddling scare stories about the evils of "government-run" health care.
FDA Selects Premier Healthcare Alliance As Source For Inpatient Drug Data
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has awarded a multi-year contract to the Premier healthcare alliance to provide data for post-marketing drug surveillance, supporting the FDA's Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology and the Office of New Drugs, Pediatric and Maternal Health staff in their effort to evaluate drug risks and promote the safer use of prescription drugs by Americans. The FDA has accessed Perspective information relating to inpatient drug use in hospitals since 2001.
FDA access to Premier's Perspective™ database, the largest integrated clinical, financial and operational comparative database in the nation, will complement and strengthen the utility of passive reporting systems currently in place by providing estimates of the number of adult and pediatric patients exposed to drugs nationwide in the inpatient setting. In addition, direct access to the data enhances and accelerates the pace of the FDA's regulatory decision-making process.
Perspective is used by approximately 600 hospitals for benchmarking and quality improvement activities and comprises more than 130 million patient visit records. Hospitals submit data to Premier which validates, analyzes and formats the data to make it meaningful for hospitals.
FDA Selects Premier Healthcare Alliance As Source For Inpatient Drug Data
Kaiser's prognosis - New hospital in Anaheim, CA
Under review from the City Council...BD
ANAHEIM - The City Council considered late Tuesday the fate of two major projects that could shape two
areas of town. A new Kaiser Permanente hospital is expected to be a cornerstone development in the city's evolving Canyon business district. The council also discussed the direction of SunCal's proposed housing complex in the Anaheim Resort area, now that the company has stopped spending money on the development that Disney has fought.
The Anaheim City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to approve the first reading of plans for a new Kaiser Permanente hospital on La Palma Avenue, east of Kraemer Boulevard. The La Palma Avenue hospital will be Kaiser's biggest in Orange County.
The health care chain will close its 174-bed Anaheim hospital on Lakeview Avenue within six years – when the new hospital is slated to open – but the future use of that property has not been decided, Kaiser said.
"This hospital is really a state-of-the-art replacement for the hospital on the Lakeview campus," said Kaiser's Orange County CEO Julie Miller-Phipps.
News: Kaiser's prognosis | hospital, kaiser, anaheim, council, city - OCRegister.com
Health Net Reorganizing
Considering additional outsourced operations...IT is at the top of the ladder and more than likely they will be taking advantage of new technologies to cut their operating costs...technology...you almost have to have a budget today no matter who you are to somehow afford and utilize at least a portion...BD
Health Net Inc. said Thursday it plans to cut $100 million of annual administrative costs and has reorganized its management structure, naming its first chief operating officer since 1998. The California-based health insurer, which has 349,000 Connecticut members, named James Woys, 49, chief operating officer and Stephen Lynch, 56, president of its new Health Plan Division. Previously, Health Net was organized into eastern and western divisions. Now the heads of the company's four geographic markets and Medicare and Medicaid plans will all report to Lynch. He was formerly head of regional plans.
The reorganization is aimed at consolidating technology systems, eliminating duplication in administrative and operational functions, and outsourcing certain operations. The $100 million of savings is expected by 2010, but Health Net says the number of layoffs in Connecticut or company-wide isn't known yet and that any job cuts could be at least a year away. The company expects to take $40 million to $50 million of pre-tax charges in 2008 for the reorganization.
Home health assistants vote to join union
Interesting move to organize...this is a growing occupation in health care with more families and individuals relying on health assistants to help out when jobs and just the stress of living today makes it almost impossible for family members to handle...and continue to work..plus home care assistants are trained and may have some additional awareness that the average family member may not...BD
Thousands of home health assistants in Massachusetts overwhelmingly voted to join the powerful Service Employees International Union, giving the union strong momentum as it moves toward its larger goal of attempting to organize about 55,000 workers at Boston's teaching hospitals. more stories like this * Union looks to enlist healthcare workers * Today's Globe: Carney meeting, city council and SEIU, nasal flu vaccine, CDC editing * Demolition of Boston's image * Affleck supports unionizing hospitals * Affleck pushes for unionization of hospital workers * The vote comes at a time when union membership nationwide continues a decadeslong decline. SEIU has been able to buck that trend, partly by emphasizing ways to improve workers' career development, not just immediate improvements in wages and benefits, said Thomas A. Kochan, professor of management at the Sloan School of Management at MIT.
Home health assistants are hired by individual patients or family members, and provide such services as bathing, feeding, and cooking. They are paid directly by the state's Medicaid program, Mass Health.
Home health assistants vote to join union - The Boston Globe
Arizona issues warning about poker chips
Don't eat the gambling chips...not dangerous otherwise with normal exposure as the article states...BD
PHOENIX - Arizona health regulators issued a warning Thursday about a popular brand of high-end poker chips that may contain high levels of lead. The warning about Paulson brand chips used in many casinos and sold at retail to gamblers came a day after ABC affiliate KNXV-TV in Phoenix aired a story about the potential contamination.
"Although testing has proven the existence of lead in the chips, the mere presence of lead is not sufficient to prove there is a health risk," Charlier said in the statement. "In fact, independent testing has also demonstrated that the simple handling of these chips would not produce any risk of health concerns to the consumer nor to the environment."
Merck Agrees to Pay $4.85 Billion for Vioxx Claims - New York Times
Huge settlement, but only represents less than one year's profits...in perspective...BD
Three years after withdrawing its pain medication Vioxx from the market, Merck announced today that it will pay $4.85 billion to settle 27,000 lawsuits by people who contend they or their family members suffered injury or died after taking the drug. The settlement, one of the largest ever in civil litigation, comes after nearly 20 Vioxx civil trials over the last two years from New Jersey to California. After losing a $253 million verdict in the first case, Merck has won most of the rest of the cases that reached juries, giving plaintiffs little choice but to settle. The settlement will help put Vioxx behind Merck, as well as sharply reduce its Vioxx-related legal defense fees, which are now running at more than $600 million annually.
The settlement does not end the government investigations that Merck faces, which include both civil and criminal inquires from several states and the Justice Department.
Merck Agrees to Pay $4.85 Billion for Vioxx Claims - New York Times
Grocery Retailer Giant Eagle Expands Generic Prescription Drug Inventory, Introduces Price Cuts
If you live in the northeast, here's one more retailer whereby you can find the $4.00 generic 30 prescriptions...we list several of the retailers on this site as well...have used Target myself...worked well with no questions asked..BD
Pennsylvania grocery retailer Giant Eagle on Wednesday announced that it will add about 100 prescription drugs to its $4 generic drug program, raising its number of products available at that price to more than 400, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports. The newly added generic drugs come from therapeutic classes that already are part of the chain's $4 program, including allergy and asthma, heart health and vitamins. Giant Eagle's program now also will include other lines of medications, such as cholesterol management, family planning and oncology, the Tribune-Review reports. In addition, the retailer will reduce the price of 12 other drugs (Napsha, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, 11/8).
The announcement of the initiative comes as consumer support for low-cost generic drug programs grows and as other retailers that offer such programs step up their efforts to meet increasing demand, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Retail chains including Wal-Mart, Target, Kroger, Kmart and Meijer offer similar programs and deals.
Grocery Retailer Giant Eagle Expands Generic Prescription Drug Inventory, Introduces Price Cuts
New Survey Finds One In Four Baby Boomers Erroneously Believe They Have Coverage For Long-Term Care Expenses
Related to the complicated policies and contracts we have today? BD
- Many Baby Boomers erroneously believe they have coverage for long-term care expenses. The survey found that 30 percent of Baby Boomers think they have long-term care coverage, but according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, only about 5.2 million Americans have long-term care insurance. Even if all those covered were Baby Boomers, which they are not, that would only account for 6.6 percent of the Baby Boomer population. This means that one in four (25 percent) Baby Boomers erroneously think they are covered for long-term care expenses. - Majorities or near-majorities of Baby Boomers think Medicare or "other health insurance" will pay for long-term care. The new survey shows 54 percent of Baby Boomers think Medicare will pay for long-term care services. Forty-four percent believe "other health insurance" will pay. Even half of those who say they have long-term care insurance believe Medicare will pay for the care. Medicare does not, in fact, cover long-term care indefinitely. Medicaid will cover these services, but only after requiring individuals to spend down nearly all of their assets to qualify for assistance.
Congressman Pomeroy Calls For Suspension Of Therapy Caps
Hope this bill makes it through...BD
Medicare financial limits on critical rehabilitation services would be postponed under legislation introduced Tuesday by US Representatives Earl Pomeroy (D-ND), Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV) and Tom Allen (D-ME). These therapy caps on physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech-language pathology are scheduled to go into effect Jan 1, 2008. The Long Term Care Quality & Modernization Act of 2007(HR 4082), however, would extend an exceptions process based on the clinical judgment of health care providers.
"Patients in need of physical therapy should have their treatment determined by health care professionals - not arbitrary financial limitations," said American Physical Therapy Association President R Scott Ward, PT, PhD. "These barriers require seniors and individuals with disabilities to choose whether to pay the full cost for physical therapy or forgo needed treatment and a better quality of life."
New Data Illustrates Variances In The Use Of Evidence-Based Heart Failure Treatments
Last but not least...patient education...BD
According to the baseline results, the use of ACE inhibitors/ARBs (angiotensin II receptor blockers) and beta-blockers were relatively high in patients eligible for these therapies (80 percent and 86 percent of eligible patients, respectively). However, fewer patients received other life-saving treatments and devices for which they were eligible based on current medical guidelines. These included:
- Aldosterone antagonists (36 percent of eligible patients)
- Anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation (69 percent of eligible patients)
- Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT), including both CRT-defibrillators (CRT-D) and CRT-pacemaker devices (39 percent of eligible patients)
- Implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy, including both ICD-only and CRT-D devices (51 percent of eligible patients)
- HF education (61 percent of eligible patients)
New Data Illustrates Variances In The Use Of Evidence-Based Heart Failure Treatments
Three Anemia Drugs To Get Stronger Warning Labels
Warning labels on three anemia drugs used by one million Americans undergoing chemotherapy or who have kidney failure have been strengthened to alert users about increased risk of heart attack, stroke, a worsening of their condition, and even death, said the manufacturers, Amgen and Johnson & Johnson earlier this week.
The decision, which has been made in consultation with the US Food and Drug Administration, affects Amgen's Epogen and Aranesp, and Johnson & Johnson's Procrit. These drugs belong to a class known as erythropoiesis-stimulating agents or ESAs.
Looming Medicare Cuts Will Disproportionately Hurt Physicians In Small Practices
As we all know, the small practices are the one most at risk...this would be a huge blow to almost all and as we all know the potential outcome...less physicians taking Medicare patients...BD
Focusing on his experience as a physician in a small medical practice in rural Virginia, Jeffrey P. Harris, MD, FACP, president-elect of the American College of Physicians (ACP) testified before the House Small Business Committee Subcommittee on Regulations, Healthcare and Trade.
"As a community small business, we discovered first-hand the financial struggles that Medicare payments to physicians played on our practice," noted Dr. Harris. "These practices are medicine's small businesses, where much of their revenue is tied directly to Medicare's flawed reimbursement rates and formulas."
Looming Medicare Cuts Will Disproportionately Hurt Physicians In Small Practices
New Retail Health Clinics Open Doors - Minute Clinic expands to San Diego
I did a story on the Orange County stores a couple weeks ago, along with a "non patient" visit just to look around...now 6 more are in operation in San Diego as CVS continues to expand the clinic locations. BD
The clinics are operated by one of the nation's biggest retail or in-store medical clinics. All six are ready to see patients inside CVS stores in San Diego, Chula Vista, El Cajon, Oceanside and Poway.
Electronic check-in tells you how long your wait may be. While treatment prices -- typically just under $60 -- are posted on a big digital screen just outside clinic doors.
New Retail Health Clinics Open Doors - Local News Story - KNSD | San Diego
Get free flu shot while sitting in your car
This is getting to be a frequent offering all over the country...all they need now is a tablet for the paperwork to make this a full service paperless operation...BD
In what may better than a house call, Mercy Gilbert Medical Center is offering a free drive-through flu shot clinic Saturday.
Anyone 18 years and older can be immunized while sitting in their vehicle.
Just fill out some paperwork, get a shot and be on your way."It's part of our mission vision values at Catholic Healthcare West, we're just serving our community," said Kimberly Day, a spokeswoman for the hospital.
Poor hygiene and untidiness in Welsh hospitals
NHS issues with hospitals in Wales...BD
HYGIENE standards in Welsh hospitals have again been called into question, following a series of spot checks by healthcare inspectors.
Among the catalogue of problems identified in the report published yesterday were: A lack of hygiene in ward kitchens and toilets; Concerns over “inadequate” cleaning equipment;
The prevalence of this dual housekeeping role will no doubt add to public worries about the general state of cleanliness in Welsh hospitals and the NHS’s ability to prevent and control infections such as MRSA and Clostridium difficile.
Poor hygiene and untidiness in Welsh hospitals - Wales News - News - icWales
Boston Hospital Turns to Mi-Co for Data Capture with Tablet PCs
Hospital using electronic forms with Tablet PCs...no more lost forms, extra copies, etc. More and more hospitals are realizing the benefits of Tablet PCs. BD
When the Department of Diagnostic Audiology at Children's Hospital Boston decided to implement a wireless electronic data capture solution, officials knew they had a number of challenges to overcome.
Mi-Forms converts handwritten paper forms into electronic forms, said Melissa Neal, vice president of sales at Mi-Co, in Research Triangle Park, N.C. The data is entered on a tablet PC and transmitted wirelessly to hospital databases, clinical care applications, and Medicare and Medicaid program administrators, Neal said. Since the data only needs to be entered once on the tablet PC, lost forms, triplicate copies, form-filling errors, manual keying errors and data entry backlogs are eliminated, she said.
Monitors keep track of patients from a distance
Nice move on the part of the VA hospital here...too bad the devices are not covered by Medicare...the folks who may just need this the most. Telemedicine will continue to grow...BD
Every day, Robert McDonald, 89, who lives in a Homestead assisted living community, hooks up to a
monitor and checks his blood pressure, reports on the ease of his breathing and, twice a day, pricks his finger for a blood sugar count.
These measurements are sent through phone lines to computers at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Miami, where nurses can tell if something is amiss.
Manufactured by several companies, the systems have such names as QuietCare, LifeTechniques, AttentiveCare, MedSignals and HomMed. Most are designed to be monitored by case managers, but some systems can be overseen by family members.
In addition to motion sensing and vital-sign systems, there are bed sensors that can monitor weight gain, restlessness and the number of times at night a person gets up to use the bathroom, which might signal a urinary tract infection. Dorado intervened when one patient's pulse soared between 150 and 190 beats per minute on repeated tests. He called 911. ''She was having a stroke,'' Ellsworth said. ``If intervention had not happened, it might have been too late.''
The telemedicine/telehealth devices are not covered by Medicare.
Remotely healthy: Monitors keep track of patients from a distance - 11/06/2007 - MiamiHerald.com
DOJ Subpoenas UnitedHealth For Documents Related To Omnicare
The Department of Justice is investigating potential health care offenses committed by nursing-home pharmacy company Omnicare that involve alleged attempts to steer patients to certain Medicare prescription drug plans, according to a court document, Bloomberg/Hartford Courant reports (Bloomberg/Hartford Courant, 11/7). UnitedHealth Group said last week that on Sept. 24 it received a subpoena from DOJ requesting information about Omnicare "under its authority to investigate health care fraud offenses."
The Office of the Attorney General in Boston requested that UnitedHealth relinquish all documents used in a separate U.S. District Court case under which Omnicare has filed suit against UnitedHealth for alleged illegal negotiations that left Omnicare with a lower reimbursement rate. The UnitedHealth subpoena requested that the insurer provide all documents in that suit concerning "attempts by Omnicare to steer patients to (Medicare prescription drug) plans."
UnitedHealth said that it turned in all documents requested to DOJ and that the department said it will work directly with Omnicare to obtain any additional documents. The Sept. 24 subpoena is separate from an August request for documents related to Omnicare's alleged steering of Medicare beneficiaries and its rebate arrangements, UnitedHealth said.
DOJ Subpoenas UnitedHealth For Documents Related To Omnicare
A Model for Health Care That Pays for Quality
Interesting article...group members include all the major insurance carriers...but were they not the ones at the bottom of all of this with pushing contracts out that require physicians to see a large amount of patients to make ends meet and be able to pay their bills to keep the practice open? The quote from the IBM executive sums it all up pretty well below...is it all about "patients per manhour"? BD
Seeing low fees for family doctors as a weak link in the nation’s health care system, some big employers and health insurers are seeking new ways to pay doctors to reward high-quality medical care.
An influential medical standards group plans to present a new model today for helping employers and insurers to identify the best primary care doctors and to steer patients their way. Those doctors, in turn, would be paid for more services than are currently reimbursed under typical health plan payments for office visits.
“We are empowering doctors to once again have a doctor-patient relationship,” said Dr. Paul H. Grundy, I.B.M.’s director for Health Care Technology and Strategic Initiatives, who is marshaling support for the changes. “We don’t want to buy the kind of care we’re getting any more. We have turned doctors into little chipmunks on a wheel, pumping out patients every five minutes.”
A Model for Health Care That Pays for Quality - New York Times
Young girl's rare condition forces her to avoid the sun
Sad story on a rare disease...no sun exposure at all or she will develop skin cancer with just a small amount of sun exposure..BD
(10/24/07 - KTRK/HOUSTON) - For Jessica Robinson, as little as five minutes in the sun could mean skin cancer. So why does her mother consider her lucky?
"I have a rare genetic disease called XP and I say I'm allergic to the sun and I can't go outside and play," she said. Jessica must wear a mask and gloves every time she goes outside.
As soon as Jessica enters Cook middle school, she takes off the protective mask to be like the other kids. It's really hard being different," she said.If sun touches her skin, within minutes, she has a severe sunburn, which can turn into skin cancer. And the family has learned to do things at night.
abc13.com: Young Houston girl's rare condition forces her to avoid the sun
Now doctors say it's good to be fat
Ok, it said it's alright to carry a few extra pounds...but does not say it's a good idea to be obese...moderately overweight...the old saying..anything in moderation...BD
The study, published yesterday in the respected Journal of the American Medical Association, runs counter to almost all other advice to consumers by saying that carrying a little extra flab – though not too much – might help people to live longer.
Struggling dieters, used to being told that staying thin is the best prescription for longevity, are likely to be confused this morning if not heartily relieved. While being a bit overweight may indeed increase your chances of dying from diabetes and kidney disease – conditions that are often linked with one another – the same is not true for a host of other ailments including cancer and heart disease, the report suggests.
In fact, scanning the whole gamut of diseases that could curtail your life, being over weight is, on balance, a good thing. The bottom line, the scientists say, is that modestly overweight people demonstrate a lower death rate than their peers who are underweight, obese or – most surprisingly – normal weight.
The findings will be hard to dismiss. They are the result of analysis of decades of data by federal researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia. This is not a study from a fringe group of scientists or sponsored by a fast-food chain.
The bottom line, the scientists say, is that modestly overweight people demonstrate a lower death rate than their peers who are underweight, obese or – most surprisingly – normal weight.
Now doctors say it's good to be fat - Health - Belfast Telegraph
Detox doctor is rebuked by medical board - Los Angeles Times
Poor record keeping was the only issue...a nice EMR electronic records program and a few mobile computers can take care of that issue...Ozzie Osbourne...was he happy or not...he didn't show up to interview with officials...but earlier he was very happy with the results under the doctor's care...who knows...I guess that might just be part of the territory when treating high profile celebrities...and nine years...that's a long time for an investigation, but plenty of time to pretty much have everything together...BD
A Beverly Hills physician accused of over-prescribing addictive drugs to celebrity clients, including rock star Ozzy Osbourne, has been publicly reprimanded by the Medical Board of California for poor record-keeping, his lawyer said this week.
The admonishment ends a nine-year investigation of Dr. David A. Kipper, who originally came under fire for operating lavish, unlicensed detoxification programs for Hollywood figures and other clients in hotel suites and on private estates. The decision was reached in September but not released publicly.Kipper mounted a fierce defense, refusing to surrender patient records on grounds of confidentiality. Ultimately, a court ordered Kipper to turn over the files and pay a $90,000 fine plus fees. By the time the investigators reviewed Osbourne's charts, Kipper's record-keeping practices had improved, those sources said.
Detox doctor is rebuked by medical board - Los Angeles Times
Feces-Based Drug: Hoax or Drug Abuse?
Definitely the strange story of the week...I would hope this is a hoax...BD
Police in Naples, Fla., are on the lookout for users of "jenkem," a homemade drug created by allowing human urine and feces to ferment in a bottle with a balloon covering the opening. Users inhale the released methane gas from the balloon to get a "euphoric high similar to ingesting cocaine, but with strong hallucinations of times past," according to a Collier County Sheriff's Office bulletin.
The downside: "Subjects who used the jenkem disliked the taste of sewage in their mouth and the fact that the taste continued for several days."
Sounds too gross to be true, right? Well, maybe.
ABC News: Feces-Based Drug: Hoax or Drug Abuse?
Hat Tip: Kevin, MD
New Technology Tests for MRSA Infection - results in a few hours
MRSA screening and tests alive and well at this hospital...setting the mark perhaps for others to join in? Lot of lab work going on...BD
ROCKFORD - New technology at OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center tests patients for the bacterial infection
MRSA in a matter of hours.
There's a lot of lab work going on in the basement at OSF. A new machine tests for MRSA. The hospital recently started screening more patients using high-tech equipment. Infection Control Medical Technician Larry Brown says, "Because of the state law that Illinois put into effect in August we are required to screen all admissions to our ICU, every hospital in Illinois is."When a patient answer's yes, it's time for the nasal swab. "If any one of the criteria is met, the nurse takes the sample right then."
Proposals made to reopen King-Harbor - Los Angeles
New light perhaps for King Drew...proposals for consideration in the works...BD
Supervisors have made no secret that UCLA is their top pick. In addition to the South Bay facility, UCLA runs its own medical center and is involved in the management of Olive View-UCLA.In a letter to the Board of Supervisors, Cochran said the organizations that submitted proposals by Monday's 5 p.m. deadline were:
Temple Community Hospital, a for-profit general acute care hospital in Los Angeles.
The Black Foundation/Care Group international, a not-for-profit organization that provides health-care services to inner-city communities and recruits doctors to provide health care abroad.
Pacific Hospital of Long Beach, a for-profit general acute care hospital.
SSB Solutions, a health-care consulting firm that coordinates planning and development for medical facilities.
BenGodWin Realty and Surgical Development Partners, a partnership between a realty company and physician's group that provides services for medical facilities.
Healthcare.com - HealthCare Your Way
One more web site for locating health care information...this site was organized very well and made it fairly simple to locate both drug stores and physicians...BD
Founded in December 2006, HealthCare.com allows consumers to take personal control of their healthcare. Our platform connects consumers and healthcare professionals with information, enabling tools and online communities. With HealthCare.com's easy-to-use web tools, users will be able to find, organize and share healthcare information, products and services that are specific to their needs - allowing for a new model of patient-driven healthcare.
Health Care can make you dizzy
There's some real truth here, depending on how many appointments and tests are prescribed...and where you need to go for each appointment or procedure...BD
Many Americans, especially seniors, must organize their schedules around visits to physicians and other health-care providers.
In an economy that emphasizes one-stop shopping for a variety of services, medicine seems curiously behind times.
Instead, many adults face a dilemma similar to that reported to me last week by a friend in another city. She must regularly balance appointments with an internist, a cardiologist, a nephrologist, a rheumatologist and a physical therapist. Because each of these specialists is an independent practitioner in a separate office, large chunks of time are consumed in making the rounds of providers.
Take Care Health Clinics Open at Atlanta Walgreens
Retail Health Care clinics expand in Atlanta..BD
ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Take Care Health Systems, one of the largest managers of convenient care clinics and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walgreens (NYSE, NASDAQ: WAG), has opened 11 Take Care Health Clinics at Walgreens drugstores in the Atlanta area. The clinics, which are walk-in, professional health care centers open seven days a week with extended evening and weekend hours, transitioned from RediClinic to Take Care Health Systems management at the end of October. Five additional Take Care Health Clinics are expected to open over the next several months.
Many insurance plans are accepted at the clinics, including Aetna, CIGNA, Humana and Medicare where patients pay their regular co-pay, and several other plans will be accepted soon. For the uninsured or cash payers, prices average $59-$74 and are clearly posted on takecarehealth.com and clinic signage.
Fought for America? Bush Still Won't Give You Health Care
Many war veterans having difficulties with insurance...just another paying customer according to the article...BD
People assume that veterans automatically get health care from Veterans Affairs (VA). They don't. Despite their military service, the Bush Administration requires most veterans to pay additional money for insurance in order to get care. But many veterans don't earn enough money to be able to buy health insurance. At the same time, they aren't poor enough under Bush Administration guidelines to get VA care or to qualify for Medicaid. Abandoned, these veterans struggle alone to find health care. In the insurance marketplace, our veterans remain in harms way -- their service, and our debt, forgotten.
But a health insurance company's duty is to its shareholders. Its legal and contractual obligation is to maximize profits. Health insurance companies do that by quantifying likely health costs, and selling the policies for more than they will pay out in benefits. If you cannot afford their policies, then they will not sell you one.
Simply put, a veteran is just another potential customer.
AlterNet: Rights and Liberties: Fought for America? Bush Still Won't Give You Health Care
Cholesterol Drug Linked To Sleep Problems
Study of the Statins...BD
US researchers reported to a meeting of the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2007 this week that simvastain, a drug designed to lower cholesterol, could be the cause of disrupted sleep in some patients.
Previous research, using small studies, has found that some patients taking cholesterol lowering statins slept badly and even had nightmares.This latest study, by Dr Beatrice Golomb, an associate professor of medicine and family and preventive medicine at the University of California at San Diego School of Medicine, and colleagues, reported to be the largest of its kind, compared two statins: simvastatin and pravastatin. The first is lipophilic (soluble in fats) and the second is hydrophilic (soluble in water).
8-limbed girl has successful surgery - India
Amazing story about surgically correcting a rare condition...BD
BANGALORE, India - Doctors in southern India completed a grueling 24-hour operation Wednesday on a girl born with four arms and four legs that surgeons said will give the 2-year-old a chance at a normal life.
The surgery went "wonderfully well," said Dr. Sharan Patil, who led a team of more than 30 surgeons in the marathon procedure to remove Lakshmi's extra limbs, salvage her organs and rebuild her pelvis area.
The doctors worked through the night to remove the extra limbs and organs. By midnight, a team of neurologists had separated the fused spines while orthopedic surgeons removed most of the "parasite," carefully identifying which organs and internal structures belonged to the girl, said Patil.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071107/ap_on_re_as/india_eight_limbs_29
Ultrasound Probe, 3.5MHz - USB Ultrasound Device
Approved by the FDA...all you need is a notebook, or a tablet to make this really portable and mobile, along with the software...BD 
The PRB240 probe allows for better depth penetration for general purpose abdominal scanning. Whether it is for bladder imaging, kidneys,
pelvic floor or the prostate, Laborie’s NuWave ultrasound system of probes and unique software modules can turn anything from the simplest Uroflow unit to the sophisticated Aquarius TT into a multi-function, multi-modality system.
Web Site and additional Information
Hat Tip: Medgadget
The OrthoGlide(TM) Medial Knee Implant Continues To Be Accepted As An Alternative To Total Knee Replacement
The website also contains a multitude of additional information...BD
Advanced Bio-Surfaces, Inc., (ABS) an orthopedic implant developer and manufacturer, announced the OrthoGlide Medial Knee Implant has been implanted in more than 300 patients in the USA. The OrthoGlide implant is a minimally invasive device intended to relieve pain caused by moderate osteoarthritis of the
knee.
"The interest from surgeons and patients for a minimally invasive alternative to the current knee replacement options on the market continues to expand," said Dr. Jeff Felt, Chairman of Advanced Bio-Surfaces. "We have increased the number of training sites in the United States in an effort to accommodate the number of interested surgeons. As the surgeon community learns more about the product and its minimal surgical approach, they understand the need for the OrthoGlide implant as a viable option for some patients. The growth is inspired by surgeons who want to be trained on a procedure that can be positioned as an alternative to total knee replacement."
Robot surgeons compete with humans aboard the vomit comet
The Extreme Surgeon....with zero gravity. BD
We were always of the opinion that robot surgery was edgy enough as it is, but you know how thosescience peoples always have to kick things up a notch. SRI International and the University of Cincinnati hitched a ride on NASA's DC-9 "vomit comet" to pit human surgeons against semi-autonomous robots in suturing and incision tasks on simulated tissue -- while experiencing periods of zero gravity and 1.8g acceleration. Surprisingly, the robots kept pace just fine until SRI's fancy compensation software was switched off, which we're guessing is exactly the point SRI was trying to prove.
Robot surgeons compete with humans aboard the vomit comet - Engadget
New systems help stop heart attacks fast
We posted an article a few months back about the system...uses bluetooth in a cell phone and the ekg goes direct to both the physician and hospital...BD
When Enorio Branco had crushing chest pain last year, paramedics knew they should bypass the emergency room and rush him straight to a catheterization lab to have a blocked artery cleared immediately.
That's because ambulances run by University Hospital in Newark send a cardiologist a full electrocardiogram on each patient with chest pain as they speed to the hospital.
Southern California has both problems. Paramedics who work in four counties, from San Diego to Los Angeles, must cope with dodgy cell coverage in the hilly areas and multiple ambulance services that use different brands of portable EKG machines and different wireless transmission technology -- and hospitals that don't subscribe to all possible combinations, said Dr. Ivan Rokos, a UCLA Medical Center emergency physician.
The UCLA hospitals also have begun using camera phones to send a photo of the EKG readout, but Newark's Klapholz said sending cardiologists a computer file of the EKG is preferable because it shows them more and allows them to zoom in and out.
Employer fees at issue in health debate - California
Many small employers are the ones that would be hit the hardest...4% in some narrow profit line businesses can mean whether or not the company makes a profit and stays in business...BD
Small business owners were outraged when Schwarzenegger, a Republican, proposed a 4 percent fee. They are likely to fight hard against any higher fee. But a close look at the statement, issued on Tuesday, makes it clear that employer fees will be a major point of contention in negotiations between the governor and the speaker.
By contrast, labor union supporters of Nunez have sought a much higher fee than 6.5 percent. They fear that lower fees would encourage employers to save money by dropping coverage and merely paying the fee.
Kaiser Permanente Puts Personal Health Record Front and Center
And one more choice for Kaiser members for personal health records..although I wonder how it will work with out of network visits in case of emergencies? BD
OAKLAND, Calif., Nov. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Kaiser Permanente today announced the unveiling of My health manager -- KP's personal health record (PHR).
Over 1.6 million Kaiser Permanente members have signed up on kp.org, making it one of the most actively used PHRs in the world. Now, My health manager gives consumers a simplified way of accessing the tools in one place.In addition, users have 24/7 online access to lab test results, eligibility and benefits information, and even their children's immunization records. With secure e-mail messaging, members can also communicate with their doctors at anytime, from anywhere. More than 275,000 secure e-mail messages are sent each month to Kaiser Permanente doctors and clinicians, demonstrating growing consumer interest in e-visits.My health manager is a free service available to all Kaiser Permanente members. Members can visit http://kp.org/register to sign-up to activate and access their personal health records.
Kaiser Permanente Puts Personal Health Record Front and Center - Press Release
Sahara Tablet - used on CSI - NY Television Show
The Sahara has been getting quite a bit of play lately on the weekly television show. Most members of the crime crew have been seen with the tablet at one time or another during the show. What is really impressive too is seeing the use of the touch controls as well as the stylus. This is really a great show on how useful touch screen tablets can be when information is needed on the go...good show of mobility and the tablets. I believe I have even seen it floating around the morgue. BD 
During one episode we also caught a glimpse of the Microsoft Round Table camera and video conferencing unit, and it appeared the tablet was connected to the conference call as well. 
Google to offer drivers help at gas pump - Find a Hospital
Find a hospital and other items of interest at your local gas station soon.....Pay Pal next at the pumps? BD
SAN FRANCISCO - Lost drivers soon will be able to Google for help at the pump. As part of a partnership to be announced Wednesday, the online search leader will dispense driving directions at thousands of gasoline pumps across the United States beginning early next month.
The pumps, made by Gilbarco Veeder-Root, include an Internet connection and will display Google's mapping service in color on a small screen. Motorists will be able to scroll through several categories to find local landmarks, hotels, restaurants and hospitals selected by the gas station's owner.
Building on Microsoft's four-year US$1 million commitment to the National Center for Women and Information Technology
And the numbers might even be less for Health Care IT....BD
REDMOND, Wash., Nov. 6, 2007 -- Katie Messerly relishes her role as a program manager in Microsoft’s Live Labs initiative, a cross-company effort bringing together leading-edge researchers and product teams toward developing next-generation internet products and services.
Women hold just 27 percent of computing-related professional positions. At senior levels they’re scarcer still, representing approximately 5 percent and 15 percent of chief technical officers and chief information officers, respectively, in the leading 100 Fortune 500 firms. Companies also need to pay attention to creating a more female-friendly workplace.
FDA Requests Recall Of 'True Man Sexual Energy,' 'Energy Max' Dietary Supplements
Be aware if you are taking any high blood pressure medications...and using the supplement...according to the article...BD
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration requested a recall of True Man Sexual Energy Nutrient Capsules and Energy Max Energy Supplement Men's Formula Capsules, illegal drug products that contain potentially harmful, undeclared ingredients. The products, often advertised as "all natural'' alternatives to approved erectile dysfunction drugs, could interact with medications and cause dangerously low blood pressure. They contain substances that have similar structures to active ingredients in approved prescription drugs.
The risk is even more serious because consumers may not know that these ingredients can interact with medications and dangerously lower their blood pressure," said Janet Woodcock, M.D., deputy commissioner for scientific and medical programs, chief medical officer and acting director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
FDA chemical analysis has shown that Energy Max contains thione, an analog of sildenafil, a substance similar to the active ingredient in the approved ED drug Viagra. In addition, FDA investigators found that True Man contains the same analog or an analog of vardenafil, the active ingredient Levitra, another approved ED treatment. Neither of the analogs used in True Man or Energy Max are components of FDA-approved drug products.
FDA Requests Recall Of 'True Man Sexual Energy,' 'Energy Max' Dietary Supplements
Brain chemical Anandamide work as antidepressant
Synthetic marijuana for use as an anti depressant? This one appears to get rid of the "high" associated with marijuana according to the article...BD
American and Italian researchers have found that boosting the amounts of a marijuana-like brain transmitter called anandamide produces antidepressant effects in test rats. Led by Daniele Piomelli, the Louise Turner Arnold Chair in Neurosciences and director of the Center for Drug Discovery at the University of California, Irvine, the researchers used a drug they created, called URB597, which blocks anandamide degradation in the brain, thereby increasing the levels of this chemical. "These findings raise the hope that the mood-elevating properties of marijuana can be harnessed to treat depression," Piomelli said. "Marijuana itself has shown no clinical use for depression. However, specific drugs that amplify the actions of natural marijuana-like transmitters in the brain are showing great promise.
Blocking FAAH activity boosts the effects of anandamide without producing the "high" seen with marijuana.
Vaccine To Treat High Blood Pressure Could Be On The Way
Active trials and studies taking place now...BD
Early results from a study on a vaccine to treat high blood pressure suggests that one day it might be more effective than drugs because more people would stick to a regime based on a shot in the arm every few months than taking pills every day for the rest of their lives, said the researchers. The hypertension vaccine has been the subject of a small US study presented this week at a meeting of the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2007, in Orlando, Florida, by lead author Dr Juerg Nussberger and colleagues. Nussberger is professor of medicine at the University Hospital of the Canton of Vaud, in Lausanne, Switzerland.
The researchers intend to trial the vaccine in another small study to find out if a different dosage pattern causes a greater antibody response and can further reduce blood pressure.
President of the American Heart Association, Dr Daniel Jones said he was encouraged by the study's promising findings and novel approach, even if it may be too early to evaluate its clinical usefulness.
Microsoft IT Virtual Machines numbers
For the IT folks reading here...simple example on the use of Virtual Servers at Microsoft...another good reason to start thinking about Server 2008...BD
Microsoft internal IT uses Virtual Server for over 18 months now, some 1250 Virtual Machines
Savings: Consolidation Ratio 8 to 1 2 million USD saved by consolidation
From 30 racks to two racks
Power form 525 Amps to 8 Amps!
Storage from 19 TB to 11 TB
Cuts In Medicare Reimbursements By ACP Forecast To Accelerate Collapse Of Primary Care
I didn't realize it had been 7 years, but this time every year Congress has to deal the same issue every year that continues to erode not only the pay received by physicians, but also the entire health care structure as we know it today...BD
The American College of Physicians (ACP) has renewed its call on Congress to replace the 10.1 percent devastating cuts in Medicare reimbursements set to take effect Jan. 1 with at least two years of positive updates that are paid for in a way that does not make the problem worse in future years. The organization of 124,000 internal medicine physicians, related subspecialists and medical students reacted to the final physician fee schedule published late last Thurs. by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).
"We have been fighting this annual battle over-and-over again for seven years now. The Senate needs to join the House in passing legislation that will pay for positive updates in the next two years. In the long term, more fundamental reforms of Medicare payment policies will be needed."
Cuts In Medicare Reimbursements By ACP Forecast To Accelerate Collapse Of Primary Care
SteadyMed Pain relief Technology
Nice story from Medgadget on new relief for pain with the patch distribution of injectable medications...read more about the device at the website...the unit relies on a small battery for power...BD
SteadyMed Ltd. SteadyMed Ltd. is a medical-device company pursuing innovative devices for delivering injectable therapeutic drugs for pain relief, diabetes and other chronic conditions. The company is developing a new generation of light and inexpensive patch-sized miniature infusion pumps the PatchPump" which function as "smart packages" for delivering injectable drugs. SteadyMed's products are based on the company's proprietary ECell" technology. The PatchPump" devices can deliver any combination of basal rates and user-initiated boluses and/or deliver the enclosed drug according to a desiredpharmacological profile. The company's products are pre-filled drug-infusion patches that will be sold in conjunction with a series of pharma and device companies. Specific applications of the device will be tailored in accordance with the requirements of the company's partners.
Web site and additional Information
Click here to see an animation illustrating the operation of the PatchPump TM product.
Hat Tip: MedGadget
Why won't your doctor email or video chat with you?
There's one way to find one that will, but unfortunately he will more than likely be in the cash business with no Medicare contracts or insurance contracts...so in essence he is free from HIPAA, such as the author of this article. One thing to note though, he does take security seriously and just because he is not under the control of HIPAA, he is doing everything the right way with encryption, back up, etc. when it comes to medical records, a personal responsibility as well as a business and patient responsibility. BD
Because I do not take health insurance, I am free from HIPAA regulations and therefore I can conveniently communicate with you in ways that simply and plainly just make sense in today’s world. People have criticized me, a solo physician who will likely have about 1,000 patients in my practice, about security and privacy (FYI…all of my patient medical records are encrypted, password protected twice on my laptop and backed up daily to a secure, encrypted remote server).
If any of you are wondering why your own doctor doesn’t communicate with you using email, IM, and other ways that simply make sense in today’s world, wonder no further. They break federal law with every email and IM since the vast majority of physicians have contracts with insurance companies or Medicare. The interesting thing is this…the Bush administration passed the law and the Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for enforcing the law. Well folks, you guessed it, the inept administration that screwed up Iraq and America’s reputation throughout the world also can’t seem to enforce one of their own laws right under their noses. The Bush administration has not imposed a single civil fine and has prosecuted just two criminal cases. Inept in Iraq, inept at home..
http://www.jayparkinsonmd.com/blog/?p=50
Hat Tip: Kevin, MD
FDA Expected To Approve Fewer Prescription Drugs In 2007
Don't know if this is good or bad...one thing is that there might be a little less stress on keeping on top of all the new approvals...we list the links on this site to help the process...BD
Dow Jones on Thursday examined how 2007 "is shaping up to be a slow year" for launches of new medications. FDA this year likely will approve 18 new medications, compared with 22 in 2006 and 20 in 2005. According to Dow Jones, although FDA has made no systematic changes in the review process, some observers maintain that the agency is "holding back on new drug approvals due to a greater emphasis on safety concerns" since Merck withdrew its COX-2 inhibitor Vioxx from the market in 2004 because of a link between the medication and increased risk for cardiovascular events.
Dow Jones on Thursday also examined how several small and medium-sized pharmaceutical companies "have been caught off-guard by what's seen as a tougher stance by the FDA" on approvals of new medications (Georgiades, Dow Jones, 11/1).
California could drop children's health insurance
Without S-Chips, California stands to lose a lot, or I should say the children in California that depend on the "Healthy Kids" program...and may not get to the doctor as often and when needed due to cost and the inability of the parents afford the payments...so back to the ER room we all go once more...and hopefully not end up with more kids in the hospital as a result...hopefully something positive will happen between now and the 5th of December...BD
SACRAMENTO, Nov. 5, 2007 (KGO) - The state has just taken action to cut hundreds of thousands of poor children from its health care program soon if the president and congress can't agree on reauthorizing "S-CHIP," the state children's health insurance program. Democrats in Congress are trying to increase S-CHIP funding to cover ten-million children. That's almost double the number now in the program. But President Bush says it's too expensive. He vetoed their first bill and is threatening to do the same with their second attempt. Here's how California is affected: For every dollar the state puts into its "Healthy Kids" program, the federal government has been matching it with two, from s-chip.
California needs $1.2 billion dollars in federal funding to meet this year's enrollment projections. Without an agreement, funding would stay at the previous year's levels or $250 million less. The Board will meet again on December 5th. If federal money doesn't come by then, disenrollment letters could go out that night.
It's a move that worries pediatrician, Dr. Richard Pan, who fears parents just won't bring their kids to the doctor anymore."They're not going to have coverage for their medications. They're likely going to get sick more often, miss more school. Parents will likely miss work. In addition, they'll more likely end up using the emergency room and end up in the hospital," said Dr. Richard Pan from UC Davis Pediatric Clinic.
abc7news.com: California could drop children's health insurance
The Strange Case of the Dancing Dentist
Disco turned out to be dangerous for the patient...no disco dancing during procedures...will be in the code of ethics soon...BD
So this report leaped out at The Lede today: According to a lawsuit filed by a patient, when a dentist in Syracuse, N.Y, started dancing to a disco song on the radio during a dental procedure, he slipped and broke off an inch-long drill bit that penetrated through the molar he was working on and up into her sinus near her eye, necessitating a quick trip to the emergency room, surgery and three days in the hospital.
News reports on the case say the dentist isn’t talking about it, so we have only the plaintiff’s version so far. But according to her lawsuit, the dentist was a bit cavalier about the broken bit at first, and tried to fish it out of her head with a hook tool, only to wind up pushing it further out of reach. He then (the patient asserts) suggested that she could simply sneeze it out — which doctors at the hospital later said could have cost her the sight in her eye — before finally deciding that maybe, all things considered, she really ought to maybe head for the E.R. after all.
The Strange Case of the Dancing Dentist - The Lede - Breaking News - New York Times Blog
Strange but True: Snake Oil Salesmen Were on to Something
Recent studies looking at the age old snake oil cure...could be beneficial after all...BD
One of the most common cure-alls was snake oil, and its less than sterling efficacy soon lent its name as a generic to all such fraudulent hoaxes.
Richard Kunin, a California psychiatrist with a background in neurophysiology research, became intrigued with the idea of snake oil in the 1980s. He had been following early research on the importance of omega-3 fatty acids for health and it dawned on him that the much maligned snake oil might be a particularly rich source. Omega-3's proliferate in cold-blooded creatures that live primarily in cooler environments because the fats don't harden in chilly water like omega-6 fatty acids do (hence, the high level of omega-3's in cold-water fish such as salmon). "Snakes and fish share one thing, they're both cold-blooded animals," Kunin says.
SNAKE OIL: Chinese water snakes have lots of omega 3 fatty acids in their oil, meaning such snake oil might actually cure aches and pains.
Strange but True: Snake Oil Salesmen Were on to Something: Scientific American
School confronts strange twitching
Strange twitching syndromes affecting one teacher and a number of students...a medical mystery to diagnose...BD
Students at William Byrd High School are being tested for unusual symptoms that students describe as
involuntary twitching. Roanoke County school officials would not comment on the symptoms or say how many people were affected, citing privacy laws. But students interviewed Friday said about three students and one teacher have been twitching their arms uncontrollably over the past few weeks.
"I have seen them in the hallway, and it seems pretty bad," said Charlie Wallace, a senior. "It's uncontrollable. Twitching, that's the only way you can describe it." The school system sent a letter home to parents Friday about the situation.
Big Business launches healthcare lobby group
Strange bedfellows indeed for a lobbying group...to keep company insurance plans in place...BD
As state legislatures, Congress and the presidential candidates turn up the volume on national healthcare reform, more than 50 of Americas largest corporations and most powerful lobbying organizations are joining forces in a campaign to protect their stake in the status quo. The newly formed National Coalition on Benefits will spend the next two months working to convince members of Congress that the health benefits they provide their workers, through a federal exemption for state insurance regulations, are an essential component of the current system that should not be undermined in any reform initiatives.
The corporations making up this umbrella group include some of the largest employers in the country, from AT&T to Xerox; trade associations, such as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Business Roundtable; and health insurance companies like Aetna and UnitedHealth Group. “We’re trying to make sure that ERISA stays where it is,” said Martin Reiser, Xerox’s manager of government policy and the chairman of the new coalition. “We are going to, over the next 30 to 60 days, have a big lobbying push,” he said.
Mix leftover meds with kitty litter - don't flush
Yuk...kitty litter, doggie doo doo...I'll take some clean kitty litter I guess or some saw dust...no more flusing as it affects the fish...too much Premarin could not be good for them...seriously though, that is a part of it I had not thought of myself...2nd thought, I always have coffee grounds that would work just fine.
WASHINGTON - It's time to pooper-scoop your leftover medicine. Mixing cough syrup, Vicodin or Lipitor
with cat litter is the new advice on getting rid of unused medications. Preferably used cat litter. It's a compromise, better for the environment than flushing and one that renders dangerous medicines too yucky to try if children, pets or drug abusers stumble through the trash
Not a cat owner? Old coffee grounds work, or doggie doo, even sawdust. Just seal the meds and the, er, goop in a plastic bag before tossing in the trash. Already, studies have linked hormone exposure to fish abnormalities. Germs exposed to antibiotics in the environment may become more drug-resistant.
So 6,300 pharmacies around the country have signed up for a pilot project with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. When patients fill prescriptions for a list of abuse-prone medicines, from Ambien to Vicodin, the pharmacist also will hand over a flyer urging them to take the cat-litter step if they don't wind up using all their pills.
Mix leftover meds with kitty litter - More Health News - MSNBC.com
Botox Gives Grandmother Her Voice Back
Nice story and interesting use for botox...BD
A grandmother has regained the power of speech after more than a decade thanks to a new treatment using botox. Phyllis Yates woke to find she had lost her voice some 13 years ago.
Doctors were initially baffled but last November they diagnosed Phyllis with laryngeal dystonia. This is a condition where the muscles surrounding the voice box go into spasm. A pioneering procedure was performed, with doctors injecting botox into the area. When I got the botox injections I was that emotional - I was really crying because I never dreamt that it would happen," she said.
Robot helps doctors treat patients in rural areas -University of Louisville
One more hospital invests in RP-7...the Robo doctor...and this one went to the ER Room...BD
UofL Health Care is teaming with Owensboro Medical Health System (OMHS) to use the latest technology to provide care to patients in rural and outlying areas of Central and Western Kentucky.
Within moments of a request for medical consultation, a doctor seated at a computer control station — at her home or office in Louisville, an airport terminal or anywhere in the world that has a wireless connection — can connect via the Internet to the RP-7 Robot located in the OMHS Emergency Room.
“I have found that using the robot means that patients can be accessed more quickly, which expands treatment and intervention opportunities, and eventually opens up opportunities for enrollment in national clinical trials that benefit all patients,” she said.
Former Intel CEO Andrew S. Grove says the pharmaceutical industry could learn a lot from the computer and chip businesses
Addressing the need for cultural change..BD
Grove (who beat prostate cancer 12 years ago and now suffers from Parkinson's) thinks there is something deeply wrong with this picture, and he is letting the pharmaceutical industry, the National Institutes of Health and academic biomedicine have it.
The heart of every high-tech executive has been, get the product into customers' hands and ramp up production. That drive is just not present in pharma; the drive to get sufficient understanding and go for it is missing.
What we need is a cultural revolution in the research community, academic and non-academic. We need to give wild ducks the opportunity to emerge and quack their way to success. But cultural change can be driven only by action at the top.
An Intel Approach to Meds | Newsweek Enterprise - Technology | Newsweek.com
Giant Robots Image, Slice and Kill Cancer Tumors
More robotics...this time in the oncology field...BD
The American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO), held its 49th Annual Meeting in
downtown Los Angeles this week. ASTRO is essentially a giant gathering of cancer-fighting doctors. Thousands of oncologists filled the Los Angeles Convention Center and perused the hundreds of vendor booths. Radioactive-oncology treatment involves a large selection of X-ray and proton-gun-wielding robots. This gallery features a selection of the several dozen medical robots -- including robotic imagers, tables, cutters and lead irises -- that showed off their skills at the expo.
The Zeiss Intrabeam is a localized X-ray treatment device. Instead of sending a beam into a tumor like an image-guided radiation-therapy (IGRT) robot or intensity-modulated radiation-therapy (IMRT) machine, this system emits an adjustable sphere of X-rays at the tip of the probe. The probe is then inserted into the area where a tumor was removed to destroy any stray cancerous cells.
Turn Medical Costs Into Holiday Gifts!
After 9 months, you do have to pay a monthly maintenance fee...I guess this could be useful anywhere though..tis the season to start thinking about Christmas gifts...and for everything else the Visa card doesn't cover, there's Mastercard...BD
Nothing says "I love you, Mom," like some more medicine for her diabetes, or "You're the best, Dad," like a refill of nitro tablets. That's why the health insurance company Highmark is offering new Healthcare Visa Gift Cards for about $5 plus an unspecified shipping and handling fee, you can load it with anywhere from $25 to $5,000 to be used exclusively on medical expenses.
After the first 9 months, the card emerges from the womb of "I already paid for this!" and starts charging you a monthly $1.50 maintenance fee.
Won't your kid be excited come Christmas morning when she finds out her staph infection is going to get treated?!
Bad Ideas: Insurer Says, "Turn Medical Costs Into Holiday Gifts!
Calif high court considers whether medical pot users can be fired
Will be interesting to follow this one...don't know if he was in an area where he could register as is done in Los Angeles county with "pot" cards..but again we don't know all the details on either side of this one...BD
SAN FRANCISCO When his new boss at Ragingwire Inc. ordered Gary Ross to take a drug test, the recently hired computer tech had no doubt the results would come back positive for marijuana. But along with his urine sample, Ross submitted a doctor's recommendation that he smoke pot to alleviate back paina document he figured would save him from being fired. It didn't, however, and Ross was let go eight days into his tenure because the company said federal law makes marijuana illegal no matter the use. On Tuesday, the California Supreme Court is due to hear Ross' case, the latest example of the intensifying clash between federal and local authorities over marijuana use.
San Jose Mercury News - Calif high court considers whether medical pot users can be fired
MDs balance pros, cons of 'Super X-ray'
Higher radiation and not sure whether or not it will be covered for payment...BD
ORLANDO, Fla. - A type of "super X-ray" showed promise in its first big test as a potentially cheaper, faster and painless way to find out whether certain people with signs of heart disease actually have it and need treatment. The scans might eliminate the need for some of the 1.3 million cardiac catheterizations done each year in the United States to check for clogged arteries, said Dr. Julie Miller of Johns Hopkins University.
But the newer scans are controversial: Medicare and private insurers are debating whether to pay for them, and many heart specialists oppose them, partly because they supply a big dose of radiation. That raises the risk of cancer and might spur thousands of additional cases if the scans were widely used in the population, said Dr. Michael Lauer of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
This new CT scan technology came on the market two years ago and is already used by many hospitals. Because it uses 64 detectors to produce and combine images, the scans are called "64-slice CT." The images are so detailed that one doctor described them as an almost surgical view.
Health Care - Check Site and Surgichip
Technology that reduces surgical errors...using RFID technology...BD
Surgeries performed on the wrong organ or limb, or even on the wrong person, are rare, but a Washington University School of Medicine physician thinks he has a solution to prevent them. Dr. Richard Chole's CheckSite System is being used in six health care centers across the United States, including Center for Advanced Medicine, a partnership between Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University. The system uses a patient wristband with a microchip, and two sensors near each operating room door. If the operating team does not mark the proper spot to operate on a patient and fails to place a sticker on the wristband to deactivate the microchip, the sensors sound an alarm.
Chole got the idea for his system after a discussion at a medical staff meeting in 2004 centered on wrong-site surgeries. Shortly afterward, Chole saw security sensors in Home Depot and hatched a way to track the pre-operation procedure. He initiated the patent process in spring 2004 and launched CheckSite Medical Inc., a Town and Country company formed to develop and distribute the product.
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Other technologies similar to the CheckSite System exist. One of them is SurgiChip, a device that uses
radio frequency identification, or RFID, to encode patient information on a tag. The tags are then electronically read by handheld machines before surgery to verify identification.
Bayer stops sales of Trasylol globally
WASHINGTON - Under government pressure, Bayer AG said Monday it halted worldwide sales of its antibleeding drug Trasylol after a Canadian clinical study found it could be linked to a higher risk of death than other drugs. The Food and Drug Administration asked the company to stop selling the drug, used to prevent excessive bleeding during heart bypass surgery, pending detailed review of preliminary results from the Canadian study. The study comparing the safety and efficacy of the drug with two others was recently halted.
Trasylol, also known as aprotinin, works by blocking enzymes that dissolve blood clots. It is designed to stem blood loss and enable patients receiving heart bypass surgery to avoid transfusions.
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