Private health insurance study finds disparity between profits, coverage

Profits outpace costs...2.2 billion in cash surplus...one state...BD 

Private insurance companies are getting richer in Washington while fewer people are receiving coverage, according to a study released by two community organizations Thursday.

The Washington Community Action Network and Northwest Federation of Community Organizations found that the rate between profit growth and people covered is out of alignment among the state's top three insurance companies.

The combination of Regence BlueShield, Premera Blue Cross and Group Health Cooperative saw profits go from $11 million in 2002 to $243 million in 2003 and $431 million in 2006. Cash surplus among the three was $833 million in 2002 and $2.2 billion in 2006.

Comparatively, in 2002 the carriers covered 2.37 million people, based on full-year coverage, which declined to 1.97 million in 2006, a 16.9 percent decline.

Private health insurance study finds disparity between profits, coverage- Columbian.com, Clark County, Washington, Vancouver, Breaking News, U.S., World, Entertainment, Video, Weather, Sports

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Hospital district may offer incentives - San Diego

Another way to increase revenues though non area residents...BD

The Tri-City Healthcare District is considering offering incentives to residents as a way of increasing loyalty to its hospital in Oceanside. That could play a role in a potential bond campaign, as the district looks for ways to upgrade and expand Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside.

Segall said the hospital is trying to find out whether it could offer the credits to Medicare and MediCal patients, as well. But he said that could run into hurdles if it encouraged usage and potentially cost those public programs more.  Segall said the hospital has traditionally offered free flu shots before each flu season. Under the plan, residents would still have access to them, but people outside the boundaries would have to pay a fee.  The district is also considering providing valet parking, which would be free for district residents and cost$3 for those who live outside the boundaries, Segall said.  People who live outside the district could purchase a card for $100 a year, Segall said.

SignOnSanDiego.com > News > North County -- Hospital district may offer incentives

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Is this the future of Software and Services?

Technology and information over load is a form of stress we are all dealing with today; however with a small learning curve and learning how to use "the cloud" technology can also serve to relieve stress and make our lives and information easier to manage...the video at this link shows how a contractor and the support office is using tablets, surface technology and a Windows Mobile device to create a solution quickly for a customer...in healthcare these same types of solutions will save lives...as well as reduce stress levels...don't fear the technology that could some day save your life or the lives of others...the poor tablet PC is run over by the tractor, but other devices available with the same connected information just keep everything going...BD   

Some of us, however, believe there could be more to how technology progresses.     Will new genres  of devices emerge or will we continue to converge and overlap in capabilities?  How will these devices work with each other?  What will the interface be like?
Check out this video to catch a glimpse at what software and services could potentially   lead to in the not so distant future...

Is this the future of Software and Services? It could be... | maxpowerhouse7 | Channel 10

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Study showing Strawberries help reduce the risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Study being done at the Harvard Medical School...I have no problem increasing my strawberry intake, and if this would include chocolate covered strawberries...all the better!  BD 

Watsonville, CA - Strawberries are not only delicious and nutrient-rich, new research from Harvard Medical School found that they may offer cardiovascular disease protection.  The new study found that those who reported eating the most strawberries experienced lower blood levels of C-reactive protein, a biomarker for inflammation in the blood vessels.

“Higher intakes of fruits and vegetables have consistently been associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).  Strawberries are a rich source of several key nutrients and phytonutrients that may play a role in protecting heart health. This is the first study to show that strawberries may help reduce the likelihood of having elevated CRP levels in the blood. While more research is needed, this study helps provide more evidence that eating fruits and vegetables will help reduce risk for cardiovascular disease,” said Sesso.

CSC - California Strawberry Commission

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Can Your Brain Control Your Blood Pressure?

An FDA approved trial that works with the baroreflex  system of the body...device to help those having problems controlling blood pressure when medications are not working effectively...it requires a surgical procedure and takes about 3 hours...3 incisions are made...right now it is investigational only but it will be interesting to see if the study does find that the device can truly help those who cannot receive help via medication treatment...using electrical signals the device will influence the body's blood pressure system...this is a 5 year study taking place to monitor the participating patients...BD 

It is a health concern that tens of thousands of Kentuckians battle every day-- the  struggle to keep their blood pressure in check. Oftentimes, it involves numerous medications and lifestyle changes. In some cases even that combination is not  enough, and patients are faced with potentially life-ending consequences. The struggles are real for many people across the Commonwealth. That is why a FDA-approved clinical trial at the UK College of Medicine is so important.

 

 

 

 

Surgeons recently implanted the RheosR System into the first clinical trial patient. When the device was turned on, the patient's blood pressure measurements significantly decreased. The patient reported no discomfort.

 

 

 

 

Can Your Brain Control Your Blood Pressure?

Web Site:  http://cvrx.com/medpros/index.php?id=15

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Is An Aspirin A Day Good For You?

According to this article, it's best to check with your doctor as there could be some adverse effects, depending on your current state of health.  BD

"While aspirin is an effective drug for the prevention of clots," said Campbell, lead author of the report, "the downside of aspirin therapy is an increased tendency for bleeding (particulary from the GI tract). We believe the minimum effective dose should be utilized (75-81 mg)." However, Campbell notes, "We also believe more  study in this area is warranted to determine if the minimum dose is effective for everyone, or if dose should be adjusted from person to person."

Is An Aspirin A Day Good For You?

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Intel Co-Founder Andrew S. Grove Dedicates Portion of His Estate, Up to $40 Million, to Michael J. Fox Foundation

Mr. Grove has been suffering with Parkinson's Disease for a number of years himself...and wants to further the research for a cure...BD 

NEW YORK, January 10, 2008 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --- Andrew S. Grove, co-founder of technology giant Intel and senior advisor to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, announced his intent to bequeath a portion of his estate, up to $40 million, to The Michael J. Fox Foundation. Mr. Grove's gift will establish The Grove Circle, a society to honor those who provide for the Foundation through their wills or other planned gifts.

Mr. Grove has worked with MJFF's leadership since May 2001. He took on the role of Senior Advisor to the Foundation in January 2006. Following his diagnoses of prostate cancer in 1995 and Parkinson's disease in 2000, his has become a major voice calling for a "cultural revolution" in biomedical research to speed the delivery of cures. In November 2007 he spoke at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, arguing that finding new treatments for disease requires different attitudes toward failed experiments and a major rebalancing of research spending.  More information on The Grove Circle, including benefits of membership and how to become a charter member, is available at http://www.michaeljfox.org.

PharmaLive: Intel Co-Founder Andrew S. Grove Dedicates Portion of His Estate, Up to $40 Million, to Michael J. Fox Foundation

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Plans to Shut 2 Newark Hospitals

Consolidation of hospitals on the east coast continues...BD 

NEWARK — The demise of a community hospital is always painful, but residents here awoke Friday to the depressing news that two of the city’s most beloved hospitals will close in the spring.

The affected hospitals, St. James and Columbus, are institutional bedrocks in two outlying working-class neighborhoods. They will be shuttered by a Pennsylvania-based health care company that is also absorbing a larger downtown hospital, St. Michael’s Medical Center......He accused Catholic Health East, the company taking over the three-hospital system, of misleading city officials into believing that St. James and Columbus would stay open, albeit with significant restructuring.

Dismay at Plan to Shut 2 Newark Hospitals - New York Times

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Who's looking out for Medicare's health?

Good article discussing some of the political history of Medicare...one thing to note though as citizens we have no vote over what happens with private industry other than to try to lobby some support; however when the government was fully in charge, as citizens we much more of a voice and some of those items can end on a ballot for a vote...with today's standards the average citizen does not have a vote and lobbying is difficult as the big corporations have the money and resources to dedicate ....the more the industry is privatized, the less influence we have...BD 

Medicare, as Newt Gingrich hoped it would, continues to "wither on the vine." This most popular health insurance program for older and disabled Americans is losing its life in a bitter ideological struggle between Republicans who have privatized much of Medicare and Democrats who aim to restore it as a universal public program.
Largely as a result of this struggle, which began with the Gingrich Congress in 1995 and continues today, Medicare's financial status and future are in much worse shape than Social Security. Medicare, rather than Social Security, should be a focus of the 2008 campaigns, for, as the trustees reported in 2007

In short, much of Medicare has become private insurance with all the complications and price increases. Aside from the privatized Part D, more than 20 percent of beneficiaries have left Medicare for Medicare Advantage, the euphemism for private insurance such as an HMO.  These plans, which are growing, are sapping not only members from original Medicare, but money.

Even patients with Medicare Advantage find their doctors have dropped out of the network.  Many voters did not notice when the Republican platform in 2000 called Medicare a "dinosaur" that needed to be tossed out onto the free market. President George W. Bush has built on that promise and Gingrich's pledge, with private insurance in Part D and in Medicare Advantage.

Who's looking out for Medicare's health? -- Newsday.com

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Breach worries online porn industry

 Security breach story of the week:  Security breaches are everywhere, even in this business....along with any vital information, etc. this could also expose those patrons who may not want to be recognized...BD 

MOUNT LAUREL, N.J. - When operators of sex-oriented Web sites gather at the Internext convention starting Sunday in Las Vegas, a major leak at a little New Jersey company is likely to be a big topic.

Freehold-based Too Much Media, which sells accounting software for adult Web sites, told its customers last month that a security breach on its computers allowed hackers to access various adult Web sites' subscriber lists.

Breach worries online porn industry - Yahoo! News

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Oregon Health Plan To Enroll New Members Using Lottery System

Must be a good plan if they need to enroll with a lottery system...BD 

Oregon in March -- for the first time in more than three years -- will begin accepting new beneficiaries in its Oregon Health Plan, the Oregonian reports. The state will use a lottery system to enroll 2,000 eligible applicants per month for 11 months. The new enrollment will not expand the program but will fill positions lost to attrition since the program froze enrollment in 2004.

Oregon Health Plan To Enroll New Members Using Lottery System

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Robotic pharmacist mixing chemo drugs at U.S. hospital

This system is also being used in the UK by the NHS.  Video and additional information available at the website.  Nice layer of safety for those working with the chemicals to avoid accidental skin contact for workers...so far with all the testing they have not been able to set the machine up to create a mistake..Approved by the FDA at the end of 2006...50 sold thus far....BD 

January 11, 2008 (Computerworld) -- The University of Colorado Hospital is about to start using a robot to mix chemotherapy drugs for patients, which its developers say will eliminate human error and protect technicians from potentially dangerous drugs.

This is the first time the chemotherapy compounding robot will be used in the U.S., according to Shawn Riley, vice president of Primus Innovations Inc.,  which is collaborating with robot developer Health Robotics to distribute the technology. He noted that the technology is being used in Europe.

"The robot eliminates calculation errors," said Nancy Stolpman, director of pharmacy at the University of Colorado Hospital in Denver,  which administers chemo to 80 to 100 patients per day. "[Mistakes] happen. Pharmacists and technicians are no different than any other human. They make errors. Just one decimal point [off in calculation] can be a tenfold overdose for a patient. It can be very dangerous," she said.

Robotic pharmacist mixing chemo drugs at U.S. hospital

Web Site:  http://www.healthrobotics.net/Summary.html

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Lipitor Ads Spark Congressional Probe

Would be nice if some of the advertising funds could go for more research and treatments for the needy....but  they do it because it works...BD 

A kindly "doctor," Robert Jarvik, inventor of the artificial heart, tells viewers about the benefits of Lipitor, the cholesterol-lowering medication. The ubiquitous commercial, along with previous ads, helped make Lipitor the best-selling drug in the world, with almost $13 billion in sales in 2006.  A congressional subcommittee is investigating celebrity endorsements in direct-to-consumer drug ads, including Lipitor's ads featuring Robert Jarvik, inventor of the artificial heart.

"We are concerned that consumers might be misled by Pfizer's television ads for Lipitor, starring Dr. Jarvik," said Dingell, in a statement. "In the ads, Dr. Jarvik appears to be giving medical advice, but apparently, he has never obtained a license to practice or prescribe medicine."

The commercials are certainly successful — for every dollar spent on direct-to-consumer advertising, the median increase in sales was $2.20, according to a study of 64 drugs included in a 2006 Government Accountability Office report.

ABC News: Lipitor Ads Spark Congressional Probe

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FDA accepted 19 drugs in 2007, fewest approved since 1983

According to the article more emphasis was placed on additional use for existing drugs...BD

WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration approved 19 new drugs in 2007, the fewest in 24 years, after drugmakers focused on developing uses for existing products.  The number of new medicines, including those made with novel chemical ingredients and using biotechnology, was three fewer than in 2006. Last year's approvals were tallied by analyst Ira Loss, and the FDA declined to confirm the numbers.

Companies shifted emphasis to altering drugs and seeking more diseases to treat with them, at the expense of developing new products, said Kenneth I. Kaitin, director of the Tufts University Center for the Study of Drug Development in Boston.

"They got away from their core mission, which was to bring new medicines and new treatments to market," Kaitin said.

FDA accepted 19 drugs in '07, fewest it has OK'd since '83 | www.azstarnet.com ®

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High blood pressure gene found

Perhaps finally some work in the prevention area will be possible...BD

The disease process eventually makes conditions in vessels ripe for the creation of blockages that can cause heart attacks, strokes and circulatory problems.

The finding in a study led by Ohio State University researchers might lead to new therapeutic options for high blood pressure, especially hypertension associated with aging. Obesity and aging contribute to increasing cases of high blood pressure, which currently affects an estimated 50 million Americans.

Despite more intensive treatments available for hypertension, l ittle has been done to prevent it. A change in the structure of the blood vessels, called vascular remodeling, increases with age and triggers the onset of the disease. When remodeling occurs, blood vessel walls increase in thickness, decreasing the diameter of the channel through which blood normally flows.

The gene, called profilin 1, has been traced to a series of interactions within the smooth muscle cells of blood vessels that causes those cells to increase in size. This in turn narrows the channel through which blood flows, causing stress on vessel walls, injuring the lining of the vessel walls and making it easier for blockages to develop. By identifying this pathway, researchers hope to pinpoint the most effective therapeutic target to interfere with the disease process.

High blood pressure gene found

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State agency pushing to make defibrillators available at all businesses - California

All fitness clubs by law are now supposed to have them...a new look at expanding to other businesses as well..BD 

The 62-year-old said he goes to the fitness club often, and that he had worked out longer than usual on that day. He was thinking about hitting the shower, but then decided for a round on the incline treadmill.

After he began to exercise, he glanced over at the person next to him, and then turned his head toward the television.   "Then everything went black," he said. "There was no pain — just nothing."

The only thing the person using the device needs to know is where it is kept, Imrie said.

Inside Bay Area - State agency pushing to make defibrillators available at all businesses

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Taro To Launch Oxcarbazepine In The United States, USA

Lawsuit  settled...new drug for seizures on the market...BD

Taro Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. ("Taro," Pink Sheets: TAROF) reported that it settled a pending lawsuit with Novartis and will be launching Oxcarbazepine Tablets 150 mg, 300 mg, and 600 mg ("Oxcarbazepine Tablets") in the United States.
Oxcarbazepine Tablets, marketed by Novartis as Trileptal® Tablets, is a prescription pharmaceutical product used in treating seizures

Taro To Launch Oxcarbazepine In The United States, USA

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Losing 50 Pounds ... From Chewing Gum?

 Not good news for diabetics in particular...physicians could possibly entertain asking patients if they chew gum...sorbitol has some unpleasant side effects...I would guess the more you might chew, the worse the side effects could be...as it is in the same family of products also used in laxatives..BD 

Coincidentally, at least one gum company in the past has touted its product as a weight loss aid.

A research study conducted by the Wrigley Science Institute and presented at the 2007 Annual Scientific Meeting of The Obesity Society found that chewing gum before an afternoon snack may contribute to a weight loss plan. The gum maker's researchers showed that the product helped reduce hunger, diminish cravings and promote fullness among individuals who limit their overall calorie intake.

But it is unlikely that the potentially unpleasant laxative effect of sorbitol is what the gum companies have in mind when it comes to dropping pounds.

ABC News: Losing 50 Pounds ... From Chewing Gum?

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Will the Dentist soon be testing your saliva for breast cancer?

This could be expanded to the dental office since the studies indicate they could capture more folks at the dental office as well as having this available in the physician's office...BD

US scientists have found human saliva carries markers of breast cancer and have opened the door to the possibility that one day your doctor, or even your dentist, could do a simple saliva test for the disease.
The discovery is reported in a paper published in the 10th January issue of the journal Cancer Investigation and was the work of researchers at the The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.
The paper describes how the appearance of breast cancer changes the mix of proteins secreted by the salivary glands. A person with breast cancer secretes a different profile of proteins compared to a person without, claim the researchers.
Professor of diagnostic sciences at The University of Texas Health Science Center Dental Branch, Dr Charles Streckfus, who is an expert on human saliva and molecular epidemiology, led the study. When addressing the question of who could administer a saliva test for cancer, he said:
"Why not the dentist?"

Saliva Test For Breast Cancer, Study

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3 Million People Have Used Non-Prescription Cough And Cold Medicines To Get High At Least Once In Their Lifetimes

Continued abuse of over the counter medications - cough medicine in particular...I would think the digestive track wouldn't be too happy either with a large ingestion of such products..BD

Patterns of misuse of non-prescription drugs varied among demographic groups. Females aged 12 to 17 were more likely than their male counterparts to have misused these drugs within the past year (2.3 percent vs. 1.5 percent). But among those aged 18 to 25, more males had misused these drugs in the past year than females (1.8 percent vs. 1.3 percent). Among all persons aged 12 to 25, the rate of past year misuse among whites (2.1 percent) was three times higher than among blacks (0.6 percent) and significantly higher than among Hispanics (1.4 percent).
"While increasing attention has been paid to the public health risk of prescription drug abuse, we also need to be aware of the growing dangers of misuse of over-the-counter cough and cold medications, especially among young people," said SAMHSA Administrator Terry Cline, Ph.D. "The scope and danger posed by these medications requires a broad scale public health campaign - a campaign involving everyone, including the medical community, industry, parents and young people."

New Study Reveals More Than 3 Million People Have Used Non-Prescription Cough And Cold Medicines To Get High At Least Once In Their Lifetimes

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California Medical Association Responds To Governor Schwarzenegger's Proposed Budget

Richard Frankenstein M.D., President of the California Medical Association, issued the below statement in response to the Governor's proposed budget, which cuts $1.1 billion in state funds from Medi-Cal, the state's health care program for low-income families. These cuts cost California $1 billion in additional federal matching funds. In total, the Governor's proposed budget would drain more than $2 billion away from health care for California's low-income families.

Cutting the budget for Medi-Cal will only exacerbate the problems the Governor's health reform plan was designed to solve. Fewer Medi-Cal dollars will mean less access to doctors for low-income families, more patients in emergency rooms, and higher health care costs for everyone.  The health-care plan proposed by Governor Schwarzenegger and Speaker Nuñez recognizes that California can't afford to ignore this important source of revenue.

California Medical Association Responds To Governor Schwarzenegger's Proposed Budget

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Injecting Genes Into The Brain Helps In Parkinson's

New information and potential help with Parkinson's Disease....his medication was not working as well after a number of years, thus using gene therapy is in clinical trial here...12 patients so far and all have been recorded as getting better...BD  

Every day, about every ten minutes, another person in the U.S. is diagnosed with Parkinson's disease.* While there is no cure for the shaky hands and loss of muscle control, there may be a new treatment option. Doctors are now injecting genes directly into the brains of some Parkinson's patients, and they're encouraged by the results. 
Steve Cantlon considers himself one of the lucky ones. So far, Parkinson's disease hasn't stopped him from doing the woodwork that he loves.

Injecting Genes Into The Brain Helps In Parkinson's

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Heartburn Surgery Done Through Patient's Mouth

One more surgical procedure making headway with no incision required...BD  

If you're constantly reaching for antacids to control your heartburn, you may have a more serious problem called reflux disease. Some 25 million Americans have it* and now they have a new option to treat it. Using a newly-approved device for the first time in the U.S., doctors have performed surgery to fix reflux problems without making a single incision.
Developing the technology took decades, but the operation only took an hour. When it was over, doctors at Ohio State University Medical Center may have ushered in a new era of surgery when it comes to fixing reflux problems. Experts at OSUMC say they're the first in the U.S. to use recently approved remote control instruments to repair the valve between the esophagus and stomach without using a scalpel.

Heartburn Surgery Done Through Patient's Mouth

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A Pregnant Man? The Twin Within...

They thought it was a tumor at first but turns out he had a twin living inside him for 36 years...and it was taking over several functions of his body including the ability to breathe..rare condition but the fact that is survived so long is strange as well...BD

Sanju Bhagat's stomach was once so swollen he looked nine months pregnant and could barely breathe.

Living in the city of Nagpur, India, Bhagat said he'd felt self-conscious his whole life about his big belly. But one night in June 1999, his problem erupted into something much larger than cosmetic worry.  "To my surprise and horror, I could shake hands with somebody inside," he said. "It was a bit shocking for me."

One doctor recalled that day in the operating room. "We were horrified. We were confused and amazed," Mehta said."He just put his hand inside and he said there are a lot of bones inside," she said. "First, one limb came out, then another limb came out. Then some part of genitalia, then some part of hair, some limbs, jaws, limbs, hair."   "We were horrified. We were confused and amazed," Mehta said.

Bhagat, they discovered, had one of the world's most bizarre medical conditions -- fetus in fetu. It is an extremely rare abnormality that occurs when a fetus gets trapped inside its twin. The trapped fetus can survive as a parasite even past birth by forming an umbilical cordlike structure that leaches its twin's blood supply until it grows so large that it starts to harm the host, at which point doctors usually intervene.

ABC News: A Pregnant Man?

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Microsoft unveils 'mobile navigator' technology

Coming soon to a device near you...now for the health care potential use...perhaps a physician making rounds at the hospital, need a refresh on a patient seen earlier in the day or a discussion with other medical staff...this appears to be able to handle that for you...and could identify encounters with patients at the same time...or this could be possibly used in the same fashion at the office...new emerging technology that has some very unique and fascinating possibilities...not to mention finding a place to eat when the day is done...BD 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=iHDNWSfnrV8

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Xoova - Free Physician Search and Appointment Service

Nice free service for physicians and patients...it is pretty basic and simple.  Patients can also make appointments online.  The office chooses the options and times to make available and it appears you can upload registration forms to be filled out prior to an appointment...the service notifies you when an appointment is taken with the information needed for your appointment book. Patients get an email 24 hours prior to their appointment and that might save some phone calls.  The service is free for both patients and physicians. I tried some search and it is pretty open and straight forward.  BD  

Xoova claims it is the market-leading directory of doctors and medical services, and has announced that site traffic has grown 70% per month since its launch in July of 2007.

Xoova’s rich doctor profiles have created a unique environment where Xoova visitors are spending more and more time on site, eclipsing other related doctor directories by as much as 40%. Xoova users tend to view from five to twenty physician profiles per visit, comparing multiple personal profiles and clinical interests before selecting a local doctor.

Physicians using Xoova are reporting new patient yields 5-10 times better than phone-based referral services. And in December alone, Xoova saw 500% growth in page views to physicians who offer online appointment scheduling via the service, consistent with a December 2007 Wall Street Journal poll revealing that 77% of adults want to be able to schedule an appointment with their physician online.

“We’ve become a cross between ‘Facebook and LinkedIn for Doctors,’ serving the medical community with features they’ve wanted in a site where they’re able to share their clinical interests, philosophy of care, and offer online appointment scheduling. And naturally, as more and more people go online to find a doctor, more and more doctors will use the Internet to reach these people

Xoova Becomes A Health 2.0 Mover

Web Site:  http://www.xoova.com/signup-frequently-asked-questions#link

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Microsoft to provide virtual access to Library of Congress

If you find yourself needing to research from the Library of Congress, after April the experience will change and for the better...sample located here to view...you need to download Silverlight to experience the latest technology in your browser...BD

San Francisco - Microsoft will provide the technology that allows visitors to the U.S. Library of Congress (LOC) to first take a virtual tour of historic documents and map out what exhibits they want to see, the two organizations announced Thursday.

The project will include the Myloc.gov Web site, to be launched in April, linked to information kiosks at the LOC's Thomas Jefferson Building in Washington, D.C. Interactive galleries will allow visitors to the Myloc.gov site to view and sometimes interact with items such as a rough draft of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, the Gutenberg Bible, and a 1507 map that first used the word "America."

Interactive presentation software for kiosks will run on Windows Vista and its Web equivalent, built using Microsoft Silverlight. The project will also use Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 Web content management software.

Microsoft to provide virtual access to Library of Congress - Yahoo! News

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Many doctors planning to cut hours or quit - Canada

Physicians are stressed in Canada too, younger doctors are not working as many hours...and they fear for a future shortage as well...BD 

OTTAWA - A significant number of Canadian doctors plan to cut back on their hours or stop working completely over the next two years, according to a new survey of nearly 20,000 Canadian physicians.

The survey appears to back warnings of a worsening doctor shortage: more than 4,000 physicians plan to stop practicing within the next two years, the data suggest.

In addition, 35 per cent of doctors who responded to the census survey said they plan to cut back on their hours over the next two years. Doctors work an average 52 hours per week and provide an extra 130 hours per month of on-call duty, the survey shows.  "We don't have enough doctors, now and we're not producing enough to fill the void," says Dr. Brian Day, president of the Canadian Medical Association.

Nearly 40 per cent of doctors surveyed said they have partially or completely closed their practice to new patients.

"We're stressed and we're stressed because we're constantly hearing every day in our offices of people who can't get in to see a family doctor," Wilson says. "We're always wishing we could do more."

Many doctors planning to cut hours or quit

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AMA and Aetna Battle with Balance Due Bills

Dispute is over out of network doctors and the ability of doctors to bill patients for balances not covered by the HMO agreements...issue arises when in a network physician is not available for choice and patients have gone to an out of network doctor...Aetna has told patients to send the balance of of the doctors bills to them for payment..but if they pay less than the balance the patient is still caught in the middle...BD

Aetna and the American Medical Association are fighting about payments to doctors again, and patients across the nation are getting caught in between.
The dispute centers on how much Aetna pays out-of-network doctors in some instances and the right of those doctors to bill HMO members for charges the insurer doesn't pay.

Millions of dollars are at stake, and physicians say Aetna is violating a provision of its 2003 nationwide settlement with doctors, which ended massive litigation over claim payment denials and delays. Aetna says it's trying to protect members from high charges.  Staples, who has been talking and meeting with Aetna about settlement-related issues, said, "Aetna has been very cooperative in attempting to work out disputes … and I'm hopeful we'll work these out, too."

In those instances, Aetna HMOs, as of June 1, 2007, are reimbursing out-of-network providers 125 percent of what Medicare would have paid for the same services. A different formula is required in New Jersey.  The 125 percent of Medicare, however, is less than what many doctors charge, and they often bill patients for the balance that insurance doesn't pay.

"Our goal is to keep patients out of this," said Aetna spokeswoman Susan G. Millerick.  But some patients are in the thick of it, confused and refusing to pay the doctors.

Battling Over Payments -- Courant.com

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Women wait longer to pursue knee-replacement surgery than men do

We did a post a while back and this seems like a good place to put in a link as a refresher as it does a pretty good job explaining what is involved with knee surgery...BD 

By postponing surgery until they can no longer stand the pain, these women may also risk putting their mobility, and quality of life, on hold indefinitely, according to Lynn Snyder-Mackler, Distinguished Alumni Professor in UD's Department of Physical Therapy and a certified sports physical therapist and athletic trainer.

"Doctors typically tell patients to wait to have knee replacements until they just can't stand the pain any longer," Snyder-Mackler said. "Our research shows that's bad advice--and worse for women than it is for men--because your level of function going into surgery generally dictates your level of function after surgery," she noted.

Why are women waiting so long before pursuing surgery?

Snyder-Mackler says there may be a number of reasons. Perhaps women can bear pain better than men, or a woman's world increasingly revolves around the home as we age, or it could be that women are just trying to follow doctor's orders.

Women wait longer to pursue knee-replacement surgery than men do

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Cancer group asks women to be brazen online

As the article states it's a "bit in your face" way of bringing the campaign against breast cancer alive and well, and to educate younger women on the importance of a self breast exam..Rethink is a breast cancer charity and each picture carries a dedication ....BD

TORONTO (Reuters) - Canadian women are being asked to bare their breasts .Hundreds of women have already uploaded their images -- including at least 20 breast cancer survivors who have had visible mastectomies.online.  

"This is a

Once women examine their breasts, they are being asked to take photos of their breasts -- whether fully clothed, in a bra or topless -- and upload those pictures to the Booby Wall at the Web site www.boobywall.ca.

DeCouteau said the wall is secure, anonymous and completely confidential, although participants can add their first name, comments or a dedication to a loved one lost to breast cancer.  She said the site will likely attract the online social networking generation, such as users of Facebook, but she isn't worried about peeping toms.

Cancer group asks women to be brazen online - Yahoo! News

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FBI wiretap cut off for unpaid bill

Stories like this are of a concern, especially due to the press regarding the huge healthcare data base they have collected...and this causes them to lose evidence as well...and the last article I read Congress is still waiting for their update as well as not enough is known about what has been collected...oh well...hang on for the ride....BD 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A telephone company cut off an FBI international wiretap after the agency failed to pay its bill on time, according to a U.S. government audit released on Thursday.  "Late payments have resulted in telecommunications carriers actually disconnecting phone lines established to deliver surveillance results to the FBI, resulting in lost evidence, including an instance where delivery of intercept information required by a ... FISA order was halted due to untimely payment," the audit said.

The Justice Department's inspector general faulted the FBI for poor handling of money used in undercover investigations, which it said made the agency vulnerable to theft and mishandled invoices.

FBI wiretap cut off for unpaid bill | Oddly Enough | Reuters

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Home-care companies could get pay cut

The last line here...is something I think everyone questions...with the millions and billions of profit levels made by the insurers, we can' divert some of those funds to the physicians that take care of us...does make one wonder what is more important...dividends or health care...is some of the shuffling robbing Peter to pay Paul...BD 

Government advisers on Thursday are expected to recommend that lawmakers not increase payments to at-home health care providers for Medicare patients.

A panel of health care experts will vote on how to adjust government payments to various health care providers that participate in the federal health plan for seniors. The group submits its recommendations to Congress, where lawmakers will set payments for hospitals, physicians and other providers in 2009.

Home-care companies could be "vulnerable sources for Medicare savings," according to a note from Citigroup analyst Paul Heldman, especially since they were expecting  the Medicare program to be a profit booster this year.  At the heart of the debate is how to avoid a 10 percent payment cut to physicians in Medicare, which is mandated by a complex government formula.

Democrats in the House wanted to offset the payment cut to physicians by instead reducing payments to private Medicare health plan operators, like Humana Inc. But Bush threatened to veto any bill that cuts payments to those private companies.

Home-care companies could get pay cut

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Envision Insurance Company Receives First Knox-Keene License for a Medicare Part D Only Plan - California

  A stand alone "Part D" Medicare plan available...also available for employer group plans, according to the article they are the first license granted for a Part D only plan...BD 

The California Department of Managed Health Care (DMHC), on December 31, 2007, granted its first license for a stand-alone Medicare Part D Plan to Envision Insurance Company (“Envision”). Under present California rules, plans which will operate solely as a Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan (PDP) Sponsor must receive a specialty license under the Knox-Keene Health Care Service Plan Act of 1975, in order to offer Part D plans in California once federal waivers expire.   “Our organization is very pleased to be the first in California to be granted a license as a Medicare Part D only plan.

The DMHC is the California agency that licenses and regulates HMOs and other specialized health plans under the Knox-Keene Act. The Knox-Keene Act requires plans to meet a number of stringent financial and operational criteria in order to achieve licensure.

Envision is one of only twelve companies currently operating Medicare PDPs nationally under a federal contract with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The company markets its Part D plans under the trade name EnvisionRx Plus.

PR-USA.net - Envision Insurance Company Receives First Knox-Keene License for a Medicare Part D Only Plan

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4HomeMedia Launches Broadband Home Health Service

There will be servers in the home before long...the Microsoft parody of "What is a server doing in our house" is in fact becoming a reality and this is another example of a user portal which part is a screen, much like the Media Center that will centralize information for ease of use and look up...as well as using a remote control devices...and this will connect with all your mobile wireless devices as well...the site has a nice screenshot presentation that explains more in detail...this is the year to seriously take a look at how you are managing information over flow and the key is new software and sometimes new hardware...BD   

Las Vegas, NV – January 7, 2008 - 4HM unveiled its home health solution, a for-fee monthly service enabling independent living (IL) for seniors via  remote monitoring from their care-givers. This innovative

solution consists of ControlPoint™ software running in a Home HealthPoint gateway with various sensors in the home and a multi-party portal user-interface (UI) generated from the backend hosted Portal Server. By creating a passive monitoring network around a senior in their normal home setting, both family members and professional care-givers can log into a personalized Web page and get historical trend data, real-time status updates, and proactive alerts about the health and well-being for that monitored elder. The Portal Server delivers three unique and customized user-experiences based on the same data generated within the home– for the senior in their house, for the family member caregiver remotely, and for a medical or nursing facility remotely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4HomeMedia, Inc. » 4HomeMedia (4HM) Launches Broadband Home Health Service

Hat Tip:  Medgadget

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HawkEye Video Portal: HawkEye - Drug Recognition for Law Enforcement

Hopefully when the "cars that drive themselves" become a reality it could stand to ideally help the intoxicated driver issues too....this technology is making a crossroad from medical technology already in use...BD  

HawkEye™ helps detect people who drive while impaired. Driving under the influence of drugs, other than alcohol, is increasing. Young cannabis users may not perceive their reduced driving ability after using cannabis.
The System is simple and compact. It’s advanced features and benefits make it the “system of choice” for law  enforcement training worldwide.
Dick Studdard, the worlds first Drug Recognition Expert advised on creating the HawkEye™ System. The device magnifies the eyes and records eye behavior on DVD or computer.
Standard Field Sobriety Test (SFST) requires the officer to estimate pupil size. The HawkEye™ pupil scale overlays the video of the eyes. HawkEye™ shows the eyes dilation when placed in the dark.
Based on FDA-approved medical device technology, the HawkEye™ System allows for enhanced observation of eye signs, along with video documentation and a wireless audio microphone for comments and annotation.

HawkEye Video Portal: HawkEye - Drug Recognition for Law Enforcement

Hat Tip:  Medgadget

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Technology cuts risk of surgical sponges

Cheap compared to the alternative...get those RFIDs in place...at $12 to $15.00 a procedure the cost is reasonable...less than what you get charged for a box of tissue with your hospital bill..and the joint commission likes the idea too...BD 

Admitted to a Macon, Ga., hospital in 2004 for surgery for diverticulitis of the colon, Lucille Davis, then 67, left with an undetected and dangerous souvenir: a surgical sponge. Last month the error resulted in a $10 million settlement.
The problem of left-behind sponges is hardly new. A 2003 study in the New England Journal of Medicine reported that sponges and other foreign objects were left behind after abdominal surgeries at a rate of 1 for every 1,000 to 1,500 such operations.
Several medical-products companies say sponges are the most common foreign objects left behind in surgeries.

Medline says RF-Detect, developed with its partner, Bellevue, Wash.-based RF Surgical Systems Inc., adds $50 to $60 per thoracic procedure. For comparison, having to crack back into a patient's chest cavity to retrieve a sponge and treat an infection caused by a foreign object can cost $50,000 or more.

Medline says RF-Detect is gaining momentum. Although just 21 hospitals have committed to the new system, the company said an additional 38 hospitals have scheduled a trial over the next two months. RF Detect was launched in certain regions of the U.S. last spring and a national rollout is planned for early this year, Medline officials said.

Technology cuts risk of surgical sponges -- chicagotribune.com

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Primary care gets short shrift in health IT standards push, doctors say

And they are the ones who need it the most....it's where we all start with our primary MD..BD

The national push for better and more widely used e-health records is suffering from a lack of focus on the doctors who provide the bulk of health care — primary care physicians — in the view of doctors affiliated with the American Academy of Family Physicians.
“We had concerns that the largest platform for health care in the country, where more than half a billion visits are made every year, … is being left behind in the health IT standards development process,” Dr. Robert Phillips, director of AAFP’s Robert Graham Center for policy development, said at the November meeting of the National Committee for Vital and Health Statistics

Primary care gets short shrift in health IT standards push, doctors say

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The NFL Picks Column - Bleacher Report

This writer talking about sports also complains that if he has a fit of anger related to sports and needs counseling, it's not covered by his HMO...(grin)...BD 

There are certain sports figures that aggravate me to no end when they win.  So much so that it's been known to drive me into loud, uncontrollable, and sometimes violent outbursts.
I understand that I need some serious counseling.  Unfortunately, we keep electing jackasses to the White House who give too much power to the HMOs.  

"And sports-related fits of rage aren’t covered by my HMO."

The NFL Picks Column: Divisional Round Edition - Bleacher Report

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Hometown Health gets $100,000 grant for Electronic Records

Here's one medical facility going after technology with grants...as the article states they also have received both federal and state grants for electronic medical records...BD 

SCHENECTADY -- Hometown Health Centers has received $100,000 from the Schenectady Foundation to help get it one step closer to purchasing an electronic health records system.

Hometown Health, which serves 22,000 under-served and uninsured patients in and around Schenectady County, has now raised about half of the $1 million it needs to buy all the equipment, software and training it would need to get the system going.

The Schenectady Foundation is a philanthropic trust that provides grants to Schenectady area nonprofit organizations serving the needy. Gambino said Hometown Health has also received electronic health record grants from federal and state agencies.

Hometown Health gets $100,000 grant -- Page 1 -- Times Union - Albany NY

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The Doctor Anonymous Show - Blog Talk Radio....

Blog Talk Radio....tune in at 9:00 EST which is 6:00 PST...I have also included a link in the resources column...you need to register to participate in the "live chat" rooms...BD

Dr. A : (from his profile)

NE Ohio, United States

Just a guy working in the American health care system trying to find the lighter side of life.

 

"What do you think are the best medical blogs out there (besides mine - HA!)? We'll be joined by Nick Genes from the 2007 Medgadget Medical Weblog Awards. We'll also be making our predictions for the medical blogosphere for 2008. See you tonight!"

*You can also call into the show. The number is on my show site. Hope these tips are helpful!

http://doctoranonymous.blogspot.com/

Hat Tip:  Kevin, MD

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Quaid's Twins Got 2,000X Dosage: Probe

Back in the news once more...2 doses and not just one...BD

"We find it outrageous and totally unacceptable that we are learning for the first time... exactly what transpired," the actor and his wife, Kimberly, said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times.

"We were told by upper Cedars-Sinai administ ration that our children had received only one 10,000 unit dose of heparin when in fact they had received two 10,000 unit doses over an 8-hour period that we now know of. The hospital's lack of candor has left us with the uneasy feeling that we may never know the whole story," the statement said.  The investigation also found the hospital did not adequately educate staff about the safe use of heparin and that nurses and pharmacy technicians did not check labels on the vials and did not keep adequate records of when it was used.

ABC News: Quaid's Twins Got 2,000X Dosage: Probe

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US Ranks Worst In Preventable Deaths Among 19 Industrialized Nations

Something to think about...granted we are a larger country than most of the others..thus we have more folks to tend too....and there are some folks in other countries that may present an arguement as well....BD 

A new report by a US health foundation has found that Americans get the worst deal in terms of preventable deaths among 19 industrialized nations.
The report is published in the January/February issue of the journal Health Affairs and is the work of researchers sponsored by the Commonwealth Fund, which is based in New York.
The authors found that while other countries dramatically reduced deaths preventable by effective health care between 1997-8 and 2002-3, the US did so only slightly. If the US had performed as well as the top ranking countries, 101,000 fewer deaths per year could have been prevented, wrote Ellen Nolte and Martin McKee, who are based at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
The best performers were France, Japan, and Australia.  Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

US Ranks Worst In Preventable Deaths Among 19 Industrialized Nations

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The Medical Quack

I received an email about the fact that it was difficult to find the link to use an RSS feed to subscribe...well someone spoke and I listened....right now it will be real easy to find that little, or should I say rather large orange box on the site in the right hand column....also I have added some additional bookmarks for adding any content to the social networks, such as Facebook and Digg.  Hopefully this will make it easier to bookmark any posts...I appreciate all the loyal readers on the blog and want to say thank you for your continued reading and interest...if you have an idea, don't be shy and drop a line.  Also, since I'm on the subject of RSS feeds, some of the client software from News Gator is now free as well.  I prefer Attensa, but News Gator is also a good RSS reader for daily news feeds.  BD  

http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/

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A third of British doctors face violence at work

Serious enough to where Parliament is involved...a proposal to handle nuisance behavior...BD 

The BMA says one in 10 was physically attacked, such as being stabbed, kicked, punched, bitten or spat on, and a third suffered minor injuries - but one in 20 was seriously hurt.  However most doctors who were attacked did not report it to police and the BMA believes this is a concern because it indicates there is an increasing acceptance of violence.

Most attacks appear to happen when patients are frustrated with waiting times or angry at a refusal to prescribe medication.

BMA chairman Dr. Hamish Meldrum says the figures are worrying both in terms of the potential numbers involved and the fact that so few doctors tend to report The government has pledged it will tackle violence against hospital staff through the Criminal Justice and Immigration Bill, which is now before parliament.violence. 

A third of British doctors face violence at work

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Most random booth Gimmick - Oxygen Bar

Even at CES there were some traces of health care going on...from Engadget...I do have to admit that I have not seen an Oxygen bar like this before...BD 

"Mind you, we've seen no shortage of crazy antics to grab attendee attention out on the show floor (P.T. Barnum would be very, very proud), but this year's award for randomest booth gimmick goes to wall mounting solutions company Vantage Point, who (rather successfully) drew their flock via this oxygen bar in their booth. We did overhear them get a lot of product inquiries out of the deal... about where to buy an oxygen bar (but we're sure the mental road to wall mounting curiosity is super short)."

CES 2008: Most random booth gimmick award - Engadget

Vantage Point Web Site:  http://www.vanptc.com/

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Court says San Francisco health plan can proceed

Originally challenged by the local restaurant association, but it appears it can go forward with or without the restaurants?  BD

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - San Francisco's universal health-care plan, a first-of-its kind local program to be funded in part by fees on employers, may go forward while under appeal, a U.S. appeals court panel ruled on Wednesday.

The decision by the three-judge panel of the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals said San Francisco is likely to successfully defend a court challenge to its health plan, which aims to provide medical insurance to all adults residents of the city at an estimated annual cost of $200 million.

Court says San Francisco health plan can proceed | Markets | Bonds News | Reuters

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Amgen Sued Over Patient Records Campaign

Former pharma representatives suing....allegations, if true, could implicate any physicians who went along with the scheme for authorizing "marketing of medication not designed to treat their patients."....do we have a HIPAA case?  BD 

TRENTON, N.J. — Two former sales representatives for Amgen Inc. are suing the biotech company, alleging it pushed its sales force to search doctor's confidential medical records for potential patients to boost sales of a drug used to treat psoriasis.

The two former representatives, who are seeking lost pay, punitive damages and other compensation totaling more than $15 million apiece, allege they objected to superiors and refused to go along with the scheme, which legal experts say violates federal patient privacy law.

In addition, the veteran sales reps were encouraged to get insurance companies to approve reimbursement for Enbrel for patients with mild psoriasis, their attorney, Lydia Cotz, said Wednesday.

Cotz said her clients were instructed to go into dermatologists' offices and get permission to go through files to identify patients with psoriasis based on the diagnostic coding system insurers use for reimbursement.  Cotz said sales representatives from the northeast to Hawaii have confirmed the scheme's existence.

One of the sales representatives, Elena Ferrante of Montvale, N.J., was fired in August 2005, while the other, Mark Engelman of Laguna Niguel, Calif., resigned last year after Cotz said he received a negative performance review.

Amgen Sued Over Patient Records Campaign | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

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