Welchol receives FDA Approval To Reduce Blood Glucose In Adults With Type 2 Diabetes

Physicians have an option to address two major cardiovascular risk factors; elevated LDL cholesterol and blood glucose in patients with type 2 diabetes...BD

Daiichi Sankyo, Inc., announced that the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Welchol(TM) (colesevelam HCl) to improve glycemic control (measured as hemoglobin A1C) in adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus in combination with metformin, sulfonylureas, or insulin, either alone or in combination with other anti-diabetic agents. Welchol is now the first and only medication approved to reduce both glucose levels and low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (LDL-C). The ADA estimates that 20.8 million people in the United States have diabetes with more than 90 percent of these people having type 2 diabetes.(1) Forty percent of patients with type 2 diabetes also have high LDL-cholesterol.(2) Welchol is a new option that addresses both these chronic health conditions and provides physicians with a unique therapeutic approach for treating patients with type 2 diabetes.

Welchol(TM) (colesevelam HCl) Receives FDA Approval To Reduce Blood Glucose In Adults With Type 2 Diabetes

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Democrats Connect Economy, Veto Override vote once more

Democrats to try once more to over ride President's veto on SCHIPs...when I read stories of the billions of dollars of "cash reserves" in the hands of the insurers, its a shame we can't get healthcare assistance for children...BD 

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic lawmakers on Friday cited the slowing economy as a reason that the House should override President Bush's veto of a bill that would increase spending on a popular children's health insurance program.

The House has scheduled a veto override vote for Wednesday. The bill the president vetoed would increase spending by $35 billion over five years on the State Children's Health Insurance Program. The additional money would add an estimated 4 million people to the program, which provides insurance coverage for children from families who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but cannot afford private insurance.

The Associated Press: Dems Connect Economy, Veto Override

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Coding Cues: Answers to your questions about...

Regular column from Medical Economics with always helpful hints relative to coding...BD 

Opting out, Hydration therapy, and Rejected cross over claims...

A member of my group is fed up with Medicare. He has his Medicare patients sign an Advance Beneficiary Notice prior to rendering services, then the patients pay him and he tells the billing department not to file claims for those services. I'm concerned that what he's doing isn't correct, and that his actions will negatively affect the group. Am I overreacting?

Coding Cues: Answers to your questions about... - Medical Economics

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Health plans: All or nothing could be here to stay

How does this whole contract thing work...confusion, class action legal cases...does it help to fine the insurers?  United recently has come out and said they were going to be "nicer and easier to deal with"...how does a physician have time to keep up with all the contracts and evaluate...waters are still a bit muddy here it appears....BD 

2005, a year after UnitedHealthcare acquired Oxford Health Plans, it issued an ultimatum to New York-area physicians: take both plans or you can't participate in either. Internist Daniel L. Brook of New York City, who says he'd had problems with Oxford and didn't want to add another managed care plan, refused to sign with United. As a result, when his Oxford contract expired in October 2005, it wasn't renewed.

United has also been pushing its all-products agenda in other parts of the country. In Texas, for example, it tried to force the members of the Genesis Physicians Group, a 1,740-doctor IPA, to accept an all-products clause, according to Genesis CEO Ron Lutz. But the insurer stopped those efforts, Lutz says, after the IPA reminded United that a former Texas attorney general had declared such contract provisions illegal in the state......"If physicians remained with United, it was not because they favored or liked the plan. We contend they were coerced because of the insurer's market power. They couldn't afford to lose a substantial patient base. Also, many doctors felt they had an obligation to stay in the plan because their patients relied on them."

In California, physicians who want to participate in the PPO plans of United or PacifiCare, which United acquired in 2005, must sign a joint contract with both companies, according to the California Medical Association (CMA). Those physicians who are already in the PacifiCare network can remain in it without signing the joint contract; but they're considered part of the United network, and United members may see those doctors, the CMA says. United declined to comment on any of the points raised in this article.  Aetna says it currently has no all-products provisions in California or anywhere else.  After CMA challenged Aetna through the compliance dispute process set up by the court, she says, the plan became more compliant with the settlement provisions.  Blue Cross of California still hasn't sent physicians revised contracts, and its existing agreements include a provision that requires physicians to treat patients with work-related illnesses or injuries,

Health plans: All or nothing could be here to stay - Medical Economics

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A machine that may help your patients - Medical Economics column

A vending machine in the lobby of the practice to dispense generic drugs...not to replace the pharmacy but offer a method of convenience both for the practice and the patient...

Visit the office of FP James Judd in Hatboro, PA, and right behind the receptionist you'll see what resembles a blue soda machine.

But don't get your hopes up for a can of cola. What comes out of this hulking box are bottles of generic medications to treat hypertension, diabetes, infections, and other common disorders. Instead of pushing quarters down a slot, patients pay for the meds at the front desk.

Judd is co-founder and medical director of QuiqMeds, a 2-year-old company that outfits doctors with these computerized vending machines. The company's premise is that by selling generic drugs, doctors not only spare patients a trip to the pharmacy, but improve medication compliance. After all, 10 percent of new prescriptions are never filled, according to a patient-education group called Consumer Health Information.

The unit stores 400 to 700 bottles of medication (depending on their size) that are sealed and safety-capped. A doctor selects a drug on a computer touch screen and specifies strength and dosage instructions. The system prints out a drug information sheet for the patient along with two peel-off labels, one for the bottle and the other for the chart. Quiq-Meds monitors the inventory through an Internet connection and dispatches a representative to restock the machine when needed. Only QuiqMeds, in fact, can get inside the machine, reducing the likelihood of theft.

A machine that may help your patients - Medical Economics

QuiqMeds Website

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Take two aspirin and e-mail me in the morning

Inevitable...coming of age...not for emergency visits or physicals, and physician reimbursement is still difficult as well with payors...but a technology on the move...BD 

In some parts of the country, a growing number of doctors are shifting large parts of their practice to e-visits.

One innovative clinic, Greenfield Health in Portland, Ore., now treats 40 percent of its patients by e-mail. And it charges an annual fee of $395 for the privilege.   In one pilot project, Kaiser Permanente reduced patient visits by 20 percent by enhancing its online services, he said.  One of the biggest hurdles, for now, is money.

Scherger argues that many people run to the doctor for problems that, with today's technology, could be treated without a face-to-face encounter. That can range from simple ailments, such as colds and stomachaches, to chronic conditions that need ongoing monitoring, such as diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.

Take two aspirin and e-mail me in the morning

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Foreign hackers seek to steal Americans' health records

Something to be aware of and perhaps take an audit of present security and available new software/hardware in the battle...BD

Foreign hackers, primarily from Russia and China, are increasingly seeking to steal Americans’ health care records, according to a Department of Homeland Security analyst.
Mark Walker, who works in DHS’ Critical Infrastructure Protection Division, told a workshop audience at the National Institute of Standards and Technology that the hackers’ primary motive seems to be espionage.
“They’ve been focused on the [Department of Defense] – the military – but now are spreading out into the health care private sector,” Walker said.
Early in 2007, a virus was placed on a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Web site, he said, and in April a Military Health System server holding Tricare records was hacked.  He said poor security practices among those who use health information systems and disgruntled employees are as much of a threat as cyber intruders.

Foreign hackers seek to steal Americans' health records

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Smarter scheduling puts you in control

Good article from Medical Economics with tips on how to handle scheduling patient appointments..BD

Schedulers can make you or break you.  When it comes to appointments, don't put all your faith in technique. Your scheduling system is only as good as your scheduler.

"The key to scheduling patients is having an intelligent life form answering the phone, someone who knows better than to book three new patients back to back, or a sore throat for 15 minutes," says FP Fred Porcase in Jacksonville, FL. Adds pediatrician Eric Ruby: "The scheduler can make or break you."

Smarter scheduling puts you in control - Medical Economics

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Research Required To Bolster Knowledge Of Health Effects Of Wireless Communication Devices

Committee requesting the FDA to provide a long term study....BD

The rapid increase in the use of wireless communication devices in recent years has been accompanied by a significant amount of research into potential health effects from high exposure to radio frequency (RF) energy emitted by these devices. A new National Research Council report, requested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, identifies research that could further extend understanding of long-term low exposure to these devices.

Research Required To Bolster Knowledge Of Health Effects Of Wireless Communication Devices

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IntraOp Mobetron for Cancer therapy

New mobile technology to deliver radiotherapy to patients while they are undergoing cancer surgery...portable and can be moved from one OR to another...BD

Intraoperative radiation therapy is widely considered to have great potential for cancer treatment. However, until the advent of the Mobetron, the complex logistics involved with delivering IORT severely restricted its use. Before the Mobetron, most IORT patients were transferred from the operating room, while under anesthesia and with an open wound, to the radiation therapy department to receive their IORT treatment. After the treatment, they were returned to the operating room for the  completion of the surgery. This method is inefficient for both the surgery and radiation departments. It also increases the time of the procedure and the time the patient must be under anesthesia, and it has a higher risk for infection since the patient is transported out of a sterile environment for the IORT treatment.

IntraOp's Mobetron is available in leading institutions in the United States including University of California San Francisco, University of North Carolina, University Hospital Cleveland, Mayo Clinic Phoenix, Ohio State University, Clarion Methodist Hospital Indianapolis, St. Vincent's Hospital in Indianapolis, University of Louisville and St. Joseph's Hospital in Orange, CA.

IntraOp Medical

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Realize Gastric Bands - Bariatric Surgery

Another surgical tool in the war against being overweight...not covered by some insurance companies....website has additional details...BD

The REALIZE Band was designed and developed with your safety and comfort in mind. The band is a strong, flexible silicone structure made entirely of biocompatible materials. With the REALIZE Band, weight loss occurs at a natural and healthy rate— ranging from 1- 2 pounds per week.   The REALIZE Personalized Banding Solution makes you feel full sooner which results in less food consumed at one time and makes it easier for you to participate in healthy eating and lifestyle habits.

How the Realize Band Works - REALIZEBand.com

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Final Approval For Fluticasone Propionate Nasal Spray, 50mcg

Generic Flonase on the way...BD 

Hi-Tech Pharmacal Co., Inc. (NASDAQ: HITK) announced that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted final approval to the Company's Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) for fluticasone propionate nasal spray, 50mcg. Hi-Tech's fluticasone propionate nasal spray is the AB-rated generic equivalent of GlaxoSmithKline's Flonase®, which is used in the management of the nasal symptoms of seasonal and perennial allergic and non-allergic rhinitis. Sales of branded and generic fluticasone propionate nasal spray, 50mcg was over $700 million for the 12 months ended June 2007 according to IMS sales data. Hi-Tech will begin immediate shipment of fluticasone propionate nasal spray, 50mcg.

Hi-Tech Pharmacal Receives Final Approval For Fluticasone Propionate Nasal Spray, 50mcg

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Democrats Ask HHS Secretary To Lift CMS Limits On SCHIP, Medicaid

Cap or not cap on SCHIP?  BD 

According to the lawmakers, CMS has no authority to enforce an August 2007 directive prohibiting states from extending SCHIP coverage to children from families earning above 250% of the federal poverty level unless states can first show that 95% of eligible children below 200% of the federal poverty level are enrolled in the program. The letter added that CMS should not enforce an apparent extension of the SCHIP policy to Medicaid. In December, CMS told Ohio officials that the state would not be allowed to cover low-income children in families earning up to 300% of the federal poverty level.

Democrats Ask HHS Secretary To Lift CMS Limits On SCHIP, Medicaid

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The GERD Maze Is Not Patient-Friendly

Is this stating that a family practice physician is a "non expert" on the diagnosis and treatment of GERD?  Is there something missing the coding to make sure the physician gets reimbursed?  BD

Sixty million Americans suffer from gastroesophageal reflux. In the past, treatment consisted of medical therapy or a surgical fundoplication. The trend toward less invasive procedures has given rise to endoluminal therapies for reflux. These initial forays were significant for early failure or complications.^[1] Insurance companies set up guidelines making reimbursements for any endoluminal therapy nearly impossible. Even reasonably safe and effective^[2-5] FDA-approved therapies with level 1 CPT codes have been consistently denied.

Physicians attempting to secure reimbursement from different payors often heard denial policies read to them by staffers who referred them to nonexpert physicians who reread the policies and never revealed the names of those in the committee who formulated them. Medical directors reiterated early failures and offered a frustrating series of moving targets. The lesson to be learned from this was simple: "If you make it hard enough, the docs will just give up and go away."

Reimbursement for New Technologies: The GERD Maze Is Not Patient-Friendly

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Will aging boomers lose benefits?

Baby boomers grew up skeptical of authority, so it's hardly surprising that some of them doubt the government will deliver the full Social Security and Medicare benefits it has promised.

Bruce Benton, who turns 62 on Bastille Day, July 14, is one of them. He plans to file for early Social Security payments rather than wait till age 65 to draw a larger monthly check. He says his move is calculated, in part, to protect his benefits from possible cuts by Washington.

Will aging boomers lose benefits? - USATODAY.com

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$19 Million In Drug Prevention Grants Available - Deadline March 21, 2008

Grants available to establish educational programs to reduce drug abuse available for non profits...BD 

( Washington, D.C.) - Today, the White House Office of National Drug Control (ONDCP), and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced the availability of new, Drug Free Communities (DFC) Support Program funds - totaling $19 million. ONDCP expects to award approximately 150 new grants to community drug prevention coalitions throughout the United States. The deadline to submit DFC grantee applications is Friday, March 21, 2008.

$19 Million In Drug Prevention Grants Available - Deadline March 21, 2008

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Wii used to hone surgeons' fine motor skills

Hospital are taking the WII gaming console seriously....and refining...BD 

Marshall Smith of the Banner Health hospital chain to build a special Wiimote attachment (read: broken golf club add on + laparoscopic probe) that eight surgical residents used to play Marble Mania and the full suite of Wii Play games. The gamers were then pitted against eight of their less-fortunate colleagues in a computer-simulated laparoscopic procedure, and managed to attain 48% higher scores, on average, than the non-gamers. Unfortunately, games involving broader motions such as tennis or boxing are said to be less suitable for this sort of training, make a total liar out of your doctor the next time you catch him "honing up on the latest techniques" by playing Wii Golf.

Wii used to hone surgeons' fine motor skills - Engadget

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Health Research and Educational Trust Toolkit

Something perhaps worth a look since the Joint Commission has a issued a new standard in 2006 requiring the collection of primary language information from patients...BD

The Toolkit is designed to help hospitals, health systems, community health centers, medical group practices, health plans, and other users understand the importance of collecting accurate data on race, ethnicity, and primary language of persons with limited English proficiency and/or who are deaf or hard of hearing. By using this Toolkit, health care organizations can assess their organizational capacity to collect this information and implement a systematic framework designed specifically for obtaining race, ethnicity, and primary language data directly from patients/enrollees or their caregivers in an efficient, effective, and respectful manner.

HRET - DISP | How to Use the Toolkit | How to Use the Toolkit

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European Union Investigates Pharmaceutical Company Practices Regarding Generic Drugs, Competition

They want to know why.... and the article states they are not alone...why the delay on cheaper generic drugs...this year has had the lowest number of new drugs introduced to the market as well...

The European Union on Wednesday raided pharmaceutical companies in several countries as part of an investigation into potential efforts by drug makers to prevent generic or competing drugs from reaching markets, the Wall Street Journal reports (Forelle/Whalen, Wall Street Journal, 1/17).
Officials from AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, Merck, Pfizer, Sandoz, Sanofi-Aventis and Wyeth confirmed that they were contacted by regulators and said they are cooperating with the investigations. Neelie Kroes, the European competition commissioner, said the European Union was working closely with U.S. officials, adding, "We're not the only one active in this."
According to the commission, "Fewer new pharmaceuticals are being brought to the market and the entry of generic pharmaceuticals sometimes seems to be delayed. ... If innovative products are not being produced, and cheaper generic alternatives to existing products are in some cases being delayed, then we need to find out why and, if necessary, take action." From 2000 to 2004, 28 types of new drugs were launched, compared to 40 between 1995 and 1999, according to Kroes (Baltimore Sun, 1/17). In addition, Kroes said, "The pharmaceutical markets are not working as well as they might" (Wall Street Journal, 1/17).

European Union Investigates Pharmaceutical Company Practices Regarding Generic Drugs, Competition

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Abortions Hit Lowest Number Since 1976

Good news, now we can get on to addressing the big health care issues...BD 

The number of abortions performed in the United States dropped to 1.2 million in 2005 -- the lowest level since 1976, according to a new report.

The number of abortions fell at least in part because the proportion of women ending their pregnancies with an abortion dropped 9 percent between 2000 and 2005, hitting the lowest level since 1975, according to a nationwide survey.

Abortions Hit Lowest Number Since 1976 - washingtonpost.com

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Congress To Resume Crafting Medicare Legislation That Would Further Delay Physician Fee Cut

Might?   BD 

Bush Might Address Medicare Physician Fee Cut, Leavitt Says
HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt on Wednesday said that the budget Bush will release next month might include a proposal to fix the Medicare physician fee cut, CongressDaily reports. Leavitt said that lawmakers cannot continue to patch the fee cut on "a six-month by six-month basis. Next year, we'll be staring down the barrel of a 15% reduction, and the year after that it's 20, and we have to solve this."
Bush for the first time is required by law to send a Medicare savings proposal to Congress after he proposes his budget because Medicare trustees last year triggered a "Medicare funding warning." The warning is issued when trustees for two consecutive years predict that federal general fund revenue must be used to pay for 45% or more of total Medicare costs within seven years. Aides and lobbyists "say the White House's savings proposal could significantly alter Capitol Hill discussions surrounding Medicare and other health-related issues," CongressDaily reports (Edney, CongressDaily, 1/17).

Congress To Resume Crafting Medicare Legislation That Would Further Delay Physician Fee Cut

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Insurers' reserves criticized

 Update:  2 consumer groups disputing and want financial information relative to health care insurers in Washington...as the study finds 2.2 billion in cash surplus...if this is true I don't even want to think about how much California insurers might have.....insurers claim the figures are not correct...BD 

Two consumer advocacy groups in Washington are criticizing billion-dollar cash reserves held by the state's big three health insurance carriers and seeking big changes to the industry, including government-sponsored plans.

Regence BlueShield, Premera Blue Cross, and Group Health Cooperative nearly tripled their cash surplus in four years, from $833 million in 2002 to about $2.3 billion by 2006, according to financial records submitted to state regulators and included in a study on health insurance. 

"The amount of money these guys are socking away begs that someone start holding them accountable," said Joshua Welter, of the Washington Community Action Network, a sponsor of the study. "We need a public answer to this problem, because the big bottom lines haven't equaled better coverage for folks."

SR.com: Insurers' reserves criticized

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The Medical Quack: Doctors seek cash when insurance doesn't pay

This was a comment made by a reader on site commenting on the original title listed above and after reading this, I wanted to bring it forward as a post so it didn't get buried.  The name used to post "The Giving Tree" says it all.    The sad thing is that this practice is probably not alone and has company all over the country... but the level of dedication to patients is more than apparent...and after all the battles for reimbursement, the well has sadly gone dry....with bankruptcy to follow..not a word of anger here at all, just some very disappointing facts and state of affairs...BD  

I manage a solo family practice in Dublin, OH and we are days away from shutting our doors. The doctor filed for personal bankruptcy as we struggle to plow through the complex healthcare reimbursement matrix. Our AR is $174,000, about $115,000 after contractual discounts. Our reimbursement projection is 66% because of our high number of Workers’ Compensation, which pays 80-89%. The majority of these claims, generated since October 2007, are still outstanding.
We're lucky to see 20k of the 40k-50k a month we're owed, after contractual reduction. (Expenses total 25-30k/month, 7k+/month for rent alone.) It's not just lack of reimbursement, but improper reimbursement. Insurance companies expect us to pay for our patients' healthcare. For example the Meningitis vaccine costs $85 from the manufacturer; $115 from other suppliers, NOT including our cost for administration, as the Dr. and I are currently the only employees working for free. Tricare is our highest payer for the vaccine so far at $46, or 40-54% of our cost.

We don't have time to address appeals on all of our improperly adjudicated claims; buried by constantly changing rules and current claim tracking. Ironically, we receive letters stating the check is in the mail. We try to pay our bills with these letters, but we're still forced to pay 10-30% interest when we're late; offset by the $0.01-$0.31 paid in interest by insurance companies for claims paid late.
The practice has ninety days to 12 months, depending on the company, to force insurers to accept claims or we don’t get paid. Insurance companies have two years, according to our provider reps, to take back reimbursement of previous claims from money owed on current claims. I’ve even had to fight for money taken back that was never received.
“Take-backs”, an insurance company term, are a result of insurers giving patients credit, paying the claim or not, then taking back the alleged reimbursement after two years when an audit proves the patient or their employer allegedly never paid for their benefits. Thus, we're not the creditor but we’re forced to be the collector. The insurance company mantra "eligibility is not a guarantee of benefits" means, see your doctor and if we refuse payment or take benefits away after the fact, it's their fault.
This month we're forced to cease scheduling government healthcare recipients; except Tricare, and anyone who can't pay upfront, pending reimbursement. Tricare, United Healthcare, and Aetna help with real-time, online adjudication and direct deposit, but it may be too little too late. Like Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree, we have nothing left to give.

The Medical Quack: Doctors seek cash when insurance doesn't pay

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Coalition forms to back health insurance bills - Michigan

Deal or no deal here....Blue Cross likes it, ARRP doesn't and neither do the other insurers...who else is in the coalition besides Blue Cross...BD 

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A debate about whether to change rules governing Michigan's health insurance market for individuals is escalating.

A coalition supporting legislation backed by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan was announced Wednesday. Consumers for Fair and Affordable Insurance Reform includes business, labor and other groups.  Opposition includes Aetna and some other insurance companies, and the AARP.

Supporters say the bills pending in the Senate would provide price and coverage protection for people who buy their own health insurance.  Opponents argue the bills unfairly aid Blue Cross without helping consumers.

Coalition forms to back health insurance bills - NewsFlash - mlive.com

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New drug lets kids feel good in their skin

FDA approved drug Etanercept trial with children with psoriasis....BD 

Anichini, who's had psoriasis since she was 6, has spent most of her young life hiding under long sleeves and pants so kids didn't stare or tease her.  The new drug option is significant because existing treatments for children and adolescents are limited, inconvenient and carry risks. They also do not work effectively for all children.

"They'd say 'Eeww! What's the matter with your skin?' " she recalled. "I would pretend it didn't matter, but I felt weird. I couldn't be a normal kid."  But her skin -- and her life -- have rebounded since she became part of a national trial testing an injectable drug for children and adolescents with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis, one of the most common inflammatory skin diseases.

New drug lets kids feel good in their skin

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How an 'Old Person's Disease' Afflicts Kids

Arthritis is not just an "old person's" disease...and sometimes it takes years to diagnose with children...and some can end up in wheel chairs if not treated soon enough...BD 

"People think of arthritis as an old person's disease," says Patience White, the chief public health officer for the Arthritis Foundation. "We now know that one in 250 U.S. children have arthritis." 

Experts say children with arthritis face a number of problems, including a delay in getting a proper diagnosis and a shortage of pediatric rheumatologists.  Children with this type of arthritis who don't get treatment can suffer irreversible damage to the joints. Bowyer has seen children who ended up in a wheelchair because they didn't get drugs that can slow or stop the disease.

Arthritis refers to 100 different conditions that all cause joint pain. Breanne has one of the most serious forms: juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Fifty thousand to 100,000 children have juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, a disease in which the body's immune system attacks the tissue that lines the joints, White says.

ABC News: How an 'Old Person's Disease' Afflicts Kids

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Lawsuit filed to reopen Charity Hospital - New Orleans

Now it appears it's up to the legal system for a decision to be made....is it too old to re-open?  Is there any other replacement that could help the local residents?  BD 

Attorneys representing seven uninsured patients filed a lawsuit Thursday to force the state to reopen Charity Hospital or make other provisions to care for thousands of people with diabetes, cancer, chronic mental illness and other conditions that have deteriorated from lack of access to health care since Hurricane Katrina.

Louisiana State University reopened University Hospital after the storm to provide safety net care to the region's uninsured, but the attorneys argued that University does not provide the full complement of services that were available at Charity. University has 171 staffed beds, compared to 550 at the two hospitals before the storm.

http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/01/lawsuit_filed_to_reopen_charit.html

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Big variations in hospital stays -NHS

NHS looking to cut down on the length of hospital stays....BD

The longest in-patient stay for bowel surgery patients was 16 days longer than the shortest. Ministers have been urging NHS trusts to cut the length of time patients stay in after surgery.  For bowel surgery, patients at West Dorset General Hospitals NHS Trust spent 1.6 days in hospital on average, compared with an average of 27.9 days at the Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust.

The study, by analysts Dr Foster, found differences of up to three weeks for hip replacement patients.  The data was based on hospital stays for the year 2006/07 for bowel surgery, and 2005/06 for hip replacements.

BBC NEWS | Health | Big variations in hospital stays

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Hospital sued in alleged dumping of patient - Los Angeles

Patient dumping now resulting in more lawsuits...even to the van company involvement...BD 

Civil rights attorneys today sued Hollywood Presbyterian Medical Center in connection with the dumping of a paraplegic man on skid row last year.
The incident sparked national outrage after The Times reported that the man crawled in the gutter in a soiled hospital gown while dragging a colostomy bag. Witnesses told The Times that the van driver, Finece Mathis, ignored their pleas to stop.
The suit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of Gabino Olvera, 41, and seeks unspecified punitive and compensatory damages against the hospital for alleged elder abuse, negligence and infliction of emotional distress.
It also asks the court for an injunction that would bar the hospital and the van company, Empire Transportation Inc., from engaging in future cases of "homeless dumping."

Hospital sued in alleged dumping of patient - Los Angeles Times

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Web 2.0 for the CIO

Recently I had posted about the value of a hospital CIO having a technology background and received a comment from a healthcare CIO that cared to differ with the post, well here's a CIO that does not share the same opinion thank goodness.  If you keep up on healthcare news, you will see Beth Israel Deaconess in Boston is in the news quite frequently, and a lot of the news reflects on how the CIO and CEO both embrace technology and are working on some pretty outstanding projects to promote better healthcare and research...and he includes and acknowledges Web 2.0...good reading and a good explanation of how it works, as well as his plans for the future.  You can find both of these blogs listed in the blog roll on this site....BD 

"You may have heard the term Web 2.0 and been unclear what it means. Then again, you're reading this blog, so chances are you're part of the enlightened who have already embraced blogs, which are part of Web 2.0."

"I want to admit publicly that I did not embrace Web 2.0 fast enough. At Harvard, we do provide easy to use content management for departmental websites (not individuals), online document sharing, calendars, news and forums. We also host dozens of Wiki sites.....As part of the new Dean's strategic planning process, I have recommended an immediate, wholesale adoption of Web 2.0 throughout Harvard Medical School.".....2008 will include a major push to catch up and broadly deploy Web 2.0 collaboration and publishing tools throughout all my organizations."

Life as a Healthcare CIO: Web 2.0 for the CIO

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Hospital merger push driven by economics - Trend?

Is this happening all over the US?  As the article states it's getting to be lonely for the stand alone community hospitals....BD 

With a flurry of Chicago-area hospitals discussing plans to merge or seek buyouts, two more in Lake County are looking for partners. One, Condell Medical Center, said Wednesday it had begun "exclusive" merger talks with Advocate Health Care, the Chicago area's largest medical-care provider.

The trend reflects a push by smaller hospitals to combine with larger medical-care providers to gain market share and clout with health insurance companies who pay for the hospital's services, help fund expansions or deal with the rising number of uninsured patients who can't pay their bills. It's also easier to merge than go through regulatory and financial hurdles related to building, analysts say.

Chicago hospital merger push driven by economics -- chicagotribune.com

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Overweight Dogs In Europe To Benefit From Pfizer U.S. Experience

Phizer gone to the dogs?  Only 22% have tried to get their dog to lose weight...Slentrol decreases the dogs appetites...BD 

Since Pfizer Animal Health's SLENTROLTM was introduced eight months ago in the U.S., thousands of obese dogs have benefited from healthier weights and more active lives.
Now, European vets will be able to talk to dog owners about Slentrol as an additional tool to improve weight loss success with diet and exercise. "We've set a challenge for European vets to encourage owners to take a proactive approach and beat the rise of canine obesity, and to follow the lessons learned and the success of their veterinary colleagues in the U.S.," said Patrick Loiseau, group director, Companion Animal Marketing and Technical - Europe, Africa, Middle East, Pfizer Animal Health.

Overweight Dogs In Europe To Benefit From Pfizer U.S. Experience

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Wii warm-up' good for surgeons

With more hospitals using the robotic Da Vinci system for surgeries, will the WII become a part of the training process?  Researchers to present the finding later this month in California.  BD

Only certain games are effective - those requiring delicate movements.

The fine hand control required to play these games acts as a warm up and hones scalpel skills the Banner Good Samaritan Medical Centre team claim. 

Now they are designing Wii software that will accurately simulate surgical procedures, New Scientist reports.

They asked eight trainee surgeons to spend an hour playing the games on a console before performing "virtual reality" surgery on a computer system.

BBC NEWS | Health | 'Wii warm-up' good for surgeons

Hat Tip:  Kevin, MD

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Chronic Pain? Botox Might Help

Not yet approved by the FDA yet and still pretty costly....BD 

People will try almost anything to get rid of pain: heat, ice, nasty smelling oils, magnets or even the potentially toxic chemicals found in spores of deadly bacteria.

That's right — for some, a purified form of the botulinum toxin, better known by the brand name Botox, may be a solution for recurring pain.  For starters, botulinum toxin type A has only won the U.S. Food and Drug Association's approval for treatment of wrinkles and a handful of rare medical conditions, not including muscle pain. A patient must decide whether ending the pain relief is worth the risk of going "off label," not to mention the $600-per-bottle price tag rarely covered by insurance.

For now, at least, the risks of side effects are only part of the list of considerations for patients. Until botulinum toxin gets FDA approval for use in pain relief, the price of treatment might be more painful than the pain.

ABC News: Chronic Pain? Botox Might Help

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California Doctors Lead Nation in EHR Adoption, Study Finds

Solo practitioners still slow in adapting...BD 

California leads the country in physician adoption of electronic health records, with 37% of the state's physicians reporting use of EHRs, according to a study released today by the California HealthCare Foundation, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Nationwide, about 28% of doctors use EHRs. 

California's above-average EHR adoption rate could be attributed to the state's high number of doctors practicing in large medical groups, such as Kaiser Permanente, the study's authors said.  Only 13% of solo practitioners said they use an EHR system.

California Doctors Lead Nation in EHR Adoption, Study Finds - iHealthBeat

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Mayo Clinic Enters Retail Care Business

2 retail clinics run by nurse practitioners...BD 

In a prominent example of a major medical name getting into the fast-growing express-care retail clinic business, the Mayo Clinic has announced it will open a Mayo Express Care clinic in early 2008 at a shopping center in Rochester, Minnesota.

In addition, the Mayo Health System has announced plans to open Luther Midelfort Express Care clinics in Wisconsin during the first quarter of 2008. The clinics will be located in high-traffic, high-visibility areas with convenient parking that are close to pharmacies.

Mayo Clinic Enters Retail Care Business - by Dr. Sanjit Bagchi - The Heartland Institute

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Depp Gifts Hospital for Saving Daughter's Life - London

Nice to hear a good story from time to time as well....BD

Actor Johnny Depp has donated $500,000 to the London hospital that saved his daughter's life.

The star was so grateful to the staff at Great Ormond Street children's hospital for treating 8-year-old Lily-Rose last year he felt compelled to write them a large check.

The youngster was admitted to the medical center last November after contracting the life-threatening E.coli bacteria that caused her kidneys to fail.

SFGate: Daily Dish : Depp Gifts Hospital for Saving Daughter's Life

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Hospitals charge 'whatever the market will bear,' - California

Interesting study that compares several areas...and lists the most expensive hospitals in the state for the cost of admission...BD 

The prices that California hospitals charge private insurers and patients vary dramatically - even after factors like the number of uninsured and the severity of illnesses are considered, according to a study released Tuesday.

Sponsors of the study, which include the California Public Employees' Retirement System and the Pacific Business Group on Health, say hospital consolidation - or a lack of competition within a region - appears to be a major factor in determining how much a hospital will charge for its services.  Hospitals in Northern California are generally more expensive than those in Southern California, where there is more competition.

Emerson said private insurers have long had to make up for shortfalls caused by Medi-Cal and Medicare. "We all know we have a broken health care system," she said. "We all know government payers don't pay their share, so commercial purchasers have to make up for that."

A hospital admission that would cost an average of $10,000 in California would cost the following at each hospital:  -- Cedars Sinai Medical Center (Los Angeles): $17,900; -- Los Angeles County/USC Medical Center (Los Angeles): $16,290 (see the article for more listings)

Hospitals charge 'whatever the market will bear,' study finds

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Recruiting family docs a 'challenge' in NW Ohio

CEO of the hospital cites the difficulty of attracting family practice physicians in a small community, but as the article states there is one benefit...physicians are held in high regard by the community...recently I posted an article addressing the issue...on how the status of being a physician has changed over the last few years and not always for the best..so small communities may still have some advantages for a little more prestige...BD 

At the Henry County Hospital in Napoleon, hospital CEO Kim Bordenkircher described the difficulties in recruiting family-practice physicians.  "In small towns, physicians are held in high regard by the community," she said. "They are considered community leaders. This is not so common in large cities.

"It is difficult," she said. "I try to be open and honest about the attractions of practicing family medicine in a small community. I try to point out the positive features of raising a family in a small community and, also, the not-so-positive features of living here."

Peter added, "Primary care physicians, both family practice and internal medicine, are becoming increasingly difficult to recruit because of the shortages, the tendency for physicians to enter subspecialties and the attraction that larger metropolitan areas have for young physicians and their families.

Crescent-News.com - Recruiting family docs a 'challenge' in NW Ohio

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Britain seeks to boost organ donation

As the article states, the Brits are a bit behind the US ..BD

Britain's donation rate is low compared with the United States and many other European countries. Brown said Britain had only 14 organ donors for every million people, much lower than 22 per million in France, 25 per million in America and 35 per million in Spain, which he described as the best in the world.

Britain's donation rate is low compared with the United States and many other European countries. Brown said Britain had only 14 organ donors for every million people, much lower than 22 per million in France, 25 per million in America and 35 per million in Spain, which he described as the best in the world.

Britain seeks to boost organ donation - Health care- msnbc.com

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Patent for office 'spy' software

 I'm sure this is not the one and only patent of this type applied for in this area...my reason for posting this is to rather bring an awareness....as this could be a good thing in some areas where folks such as pilots are operating airline jets, etc. as the article states, but I would truly hate to see the day when something along this line become a main stay for the average company worker...as the battle for healthcare is getting quite heated and if employers were to monitor employees in this type of fashion, it would really intrude on the privacy we know today...how much information does an employer really need to have?  I don't believe they need to know our heart rates in real time nor have a profile easily available at any time...the patent application is there, but how and when something like this could come in to play is another matter....but the patent has not been granted yet either...BD 

Microsoft submitted a patent application in the US for a “unique monitoring system” that could link workers to their computers. Wireless sensors could read “heart rate, galvanic skin response, EMG, brain signals, respiration rate, body temperature, movement facial movements, facial expressions and blood pressure”, the application states.  Physical changes to an employee would be matched to an individual psychological profile based on a worker’s weight, age and health. If the system picked up an increase in heart rate or facial expressions suggestive of stress or frustration, it would tell management that he needed help.

The Times has seen a patent application filed by the company for a computer system that links workers to their computers via wireless sensors that measure their metabolism. The system would allow managers to monitor employees’ performance by measuring their heart rate, body temperature, movement, facial expression and blood pressure. Unions said they fear that employees could be dismissed on the basis of a computer’s assessment of their physiological state.  The US Patent Office confirmed last night that the application was published last month, 18 months after being filed. Patent lawyers said that it could be granted within a year.

Peter Skyte, a national officer for the union Unite, said: “This system takes the idea of monitoring people at work to a new level with a new level of invasiveness but in a very old-fashioned way because it monitors what is going in rather than the results.” The Information Commissioner’s Office said: “Imposing this level of intrusion on employees could only be justified in exceptional circumstances.”

Microsoft seeks patent for office 'spy' software - Times Online

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ABC News: Bugs in Your Skin? Medical Mystery Probed

Update:  ABC News features this on Nightline this evening....strange fibers that appear under the skin....Kaiser funded to research this strange disease...BD 

In 2006, a number of Morgellons sufferers told ABC News in interviews that when they consulted doctors, they received diagnoses they called wrong or dismissive. Brandi Koch, the wife of former Major League Baseball player Billy Koch, said that she felt as if she were living in a horror movie, claiming she had colored fibers coming out of her skin. Original post here.

http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/Health/Story?id=4142695&page=1

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'Popcorn Lung' Man Files Federal Lawsuit

H wants his day in court too...BD

A Denver man believed to be the only consumer to develop "popcorn lung" from regular servings of microwave popcorn filed a lawsuit Tuesday claiming injury from the artificial butter flavoring that previously sickened only popcorn factory workers.

Wayne Watson's attorney, Kenneth McClain, said the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court names The Kroger Co. and two of its divisions: grocery store King Soopers' parent company, Dillon Companies Inc., and food distributor Inter-American Products Inc.  Popcorn lung, officially called bronchiolitis obliterans, generally has been associated with people who worked in microwave popcorn plants mixing large vats of flavors. Hundreds of workers have said they have severe lung disease or other respiratory illnesses from inhaling diacetyl vapors.

ABC News: 'Popcorn Lung' Man Files Federal Lawsuit

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New European medical implants

Is the UK leading the way with medical implant technology or are they the first to roll them out?  Interesting article and research going on...BD 

Patients suffering from conditions such as stroke, blindness, deafness, incontinence, glaucoma or hydrocephalus will be the first to benefit from a range of new technologies and implantable medical devices developed by a pioneering European consortium of researchers, surgeons and technology companies.

Half a century ago, Swedish scientists invented the first implantable heart pacemaker, demonstrating the potential of treating medical conditions by placing electronic devices within the human body. Now a consortium of 27 universities, research centres, hospitals, technology companies and manufacturers is developing new micro-technologies for implantable medical devices of the future.

"The first ones have been implanted and we've had some excellent results." The technology is now being extended to tackle incontinence by helping patients control their bladder and bowel sphincter muscles.  A second product restores limited vision in certain types of blindness.   Similar technologies are being used in a cochlear implant to restore hearing.

"We've actually surprised the Americans," says Hodgins who regularly receives invitations to present the work of the consortium in international conferences and journals.  "They're coming to us and saying 'please tell us what you're up to'. On all of these things, we're leading the world. People will talk about this project for a long time to come."

New European medical implants

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Bordering on a solution - Nurses from Mexico

The Philippines nursing programs are based on US Models; however in Mexico it is different with students being trained to work in Mexico...and may not be up to all US standards...BD

Potentially, an unlimited number of Mexican nurses could work in the United States under a special provision of the North American Free Trade Agreement, but few are trying, and only a small portion of those have been successful.  Their biggest hurdle: English. Though thousands have four-year nursing degrees – the equivalent to a U.S. bachelor of science in nursing – the great majority lack the language proficiency in English to work at U.S. hospitals.

An infusion of Mexican nurses also could help alleviate a particularly acute shortage of registered nurses in California, where the number of RNs per capita is the lowest in the United States, advocates say. One study shows California with 622 nurses for every 100,000 residents, compared with the national average of 787.  Before they can work in the United States, all foreign nurses face a lengthy screening process that includes evaluation of their nursing credentials by state nursing boards or the nonprofit Commission on Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools, based in Philadelphia.

Bordering on a solution | The San Diego Union-Tribune

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Cashiers vulnerable to flu from banknotes

  I think as time goes on we will hear more about this topic.  Last week I spoke with several that had attended the CES electronics show and it appears many fell ill to some type of virus or flu bug..even the most active Internet bloggers were apologizing on the web for not catching up as quickly due to the bug...with everyone handling all types of small devices this year with more "hands on" experiences, we should probably all keep a supply of hand sanitizers with us, just in case...BD 

GENEVA (Reuters) - Bank cashiers and others working with large quantities of paper currency are vulnerable to catching various types of flu from the germs living on notes, a Swiss researcher said on Wednesday.   But Thomas said his team found that some types of flu virus could also survive and spread on everyday objects, like door handles as well as banknotes. 

When the researchers put different amounts of virus on notes in laboratory conditions, the common H1N1 variety of "influenza A" survived for only a few hours.  However, the H3N2 variety stayed active for up to three days. When mixed with nose mucus from children already suffering from flu, it survived for up to two and a half weeks.

Cashiers vulnerable to flu from banknotes - Yahoo! News

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OneNote 2007 EMR Toolkit

A new addition, a number of templates added from the American Academy of Family Physicians...looking for an inexpensive way to get started with electronic records..take a look and see what this "pen and inking friendly" EMR for the small to medium practice has to offer...good work Fritz and keep it coming...and you can download a trial.  I have tested the software and it works great on a tablet PC...one of the most ink friendly EMRs I have seen...BD    

The abletFactory is pleased to announce the release of its latest product, OneNote2007 EMR Toolkit.  Following the OneNote2007 EMR Toolkit.  Following the release of previous Tookits, this product supports the new Microsoft OneNote 2007.

Sample Encounter form            

the Ablet Factory

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NHS Blog Doctor - Blog Roll Addition

Adding a new link to the blog roll today...I try to feature articles from all over the blog world and other medical news and include articles from time to time referencing the NHS in the news as well so it's only fit that I include a blog from the UK...please visit the site and those of others listed on the blog roll for additional information.  Today, Dr. Bill Crounse, Senior Director of Health Care for Microsoft is also featuring information on the NHS on his blog.  I also have listed both of his locations under the Blog Roll as well.  As Dr. Crounse states, "The NHS is Microsoft's single largest customer."   Take a look at the links in the Blog Roll section when you have the opportunity...that's what they are here for.

My blog has a little different focus in the fact that I post health care articles that cover a pretty vast area from technology to the daily news, as well as keeping the right hand side of this page up to date with links that are hopefully helpful to anyone reading this blog.  In addition, I have included links to most of the larger social networks on each post, so if you see something you like and feel it should be shared, please feel free to add the post to the network of your choice.  Most of the other blogs listed here do the same with links and please do the same for any articles you may find on other blogs as well and help spread the word.  BD 

NHS BLOG DOCTOR is written by Dr Crippen who is a British doctor practicing within the NHS. All comments, suggestions, and criticisms are welcome either at the end of each post, or by direct e-mail. (from the profile listing on the blog)

The articles in NHS BLOG DOCTOR are often of a light hearted nature and must not be used as a basis for medical treatment. Dr Crippen gets a large number of e-mails from the UK and abroad. He is always interested to hear of healthcare experiences, and grateful for any stories, information or even "tip-offs" that you may wish to contribute. Please keep them coming.

NHS Blog Doctor

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Hospital based doctors targeted for Medicaid rate cut - Maine

It appears like this is a sure way to get rid of the remaining physicians who are still seeing Medicaid patients...BD 

AUGUSTA (Jan 16, 2008): The Department of Health and Human Services wants to cut the Medicaid rate paid to doctors in hospital-based practices, and has included the $20 million proposal in the governor’s supplemental budget.

“In rural Maine, you have hospitals who employ all of them … every physician in the town,” said Steven Michaud, president of the Maine Hospital Association, representing the 39 hospitals in the state.

The irony, Michaud said, is many doctors in private practice won’t take new Medicaid patients because their reimbursement is so low, and now the state is about to penalize the hospital-based physicians practices that do see them.

keepMEcurrent.com - Government News - Current Publishing, LLC

Hat Tip:  Kevin, MD

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Enterprises Are Deploying Office 2007 Without Vista

Just as information as I get asked this question every week it seems, you can run Office 2007 with Windows XP....I do it on one of my units...BD 

The survey is the final of three CDW planned between late 2006 and late 2007. CDW commissioned Walker Information to conduct the surveys, one before Office 2007 launched and two others in February 2007 and November 2007. After discussing the second survey, CDW asked if there was any question I would want to ask IT decision makers. My request: Were enterprises deploying Office 2007 and Windows Vista together? I suspected many would enterprises not, in part because Microsoft created no real synergy between the products.

Microsoft Watch - Business Applications - Enterprises  Are Deploying Office 2007 Without Vista

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Health Insurers To Refuse Payment, Billing For Care Related To Hospital Errors

We knew this would come along with Medicare setting the pace...if the contract is up for renewal, hospitals can look for some new clauses from the insurance companies...BD   

Several private health insurers, such as Aetna and WellPoint, have moved to end reimbursements to hospitals for treatment that results from serious medical errors, the Wall Street Journal reports. The insurers also will not allow their members to be billed for hospital errors.

In hospital contracts that require renewal, Aetna has begun to include a provision that ends reimbursements for 28 "never events" outlined by the National Quality Forum. In Virginia, WellPoint has begun to test a similar policy that ends reimbursements for four never events, and the company plans to expand the policy to Georgia, New England and New York in the near future. UnitedHealth Group and Cigna have considered policies similar to the CMS rule.

Health Insurers To Refuse Payment, Billing For Care Related To Hospital Errors

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Paula Abdul's Horrific Chronic Pain Battle

More celebrities coming forth and speaking about their personal health battles...BD 

Unlike Buckley, Abdul had a chance of ending her world of pain. In her interview with People, Abdul says after more than 25 years of unsuccessful treatments she's feeling better than ever. According to the Associated Press, Abdul and her doctor report she's only taking low-side effect medication of Enbrel for arthritis and Pamidronate for complications of her chronic pain.

Buckley still feels supportive of Abdul's trial in the spotlight.

"When it comes down to it celebrities are people just like us and have to deal with this pain that changes their whole world."

ABC News: Paula Abdul's Horrific Chronic Pain Battle

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Man: NY hospital forced rectal exam

What's up with this...I'm sure there's a bit more to the story....and updates on this legal suit will surely follow...BD 

NEW YORK - A construction worker claimed in a lawsuit that when he went to a hospital after being hit on the forehead by a falling wooden beam, emergency room staffers forcibly gave him a rectal examination.   His lawyer, Gerrard M. Marrone, said he and Persaud later learned the exam was one way of determining whether he had suffered spinal damage in the accident.

Brian Persaud, 38, says in court papers that after he denied a request by NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital emergency room employees to examine his rectum, he was "assaulted, battered and falsely imprisoned."  Persaud woke up handcuffed to a bed and with an oxygen tube down his throat, the lawyer said, and spent three days in a detention center.

Man: NY hospital forced rectal exam - Yahoo! News

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The Hospital "Smart Room"

Nice concept and the screens as such can work well with a system with physicians using Tablet PCs to enter and update when they are mobile on the hospital floor...BD

Informed that her hospital room was equipped with computer screens that could display her vital signs, medications and other personal information, and even identify the health professionals walking in her door, Carmella Sacramento gave a classic Pittsburgh response.

"Get out," said Ms. Sacramento, 73, of Swissvale, who was hospitalized at UPMC Shadyside for a heart problem. "Isn't that something?"

The computer system presents other information, including reminders to patients to ask for help in getting out of bed if they are at risk for falls. And a spotlight focuses on the hand sanitizer dispenser when people enter or leave, reminding them of the need to wash their hands.  Health care workers, who wear small ultrasound devices  developed by Sonitor Technologies, are identified through an ultrasound detector in the room, Mr. Sharbaugh said.

UPMC testing 'smart' rooms

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Colorado Delays Release of Hospital-Acquired Infection Rate Data

Training is everything....as well as a good software reporting solution...BD 

Many hospitals in the state have had trouble navigating the federal hospital-acquired infection reporting system, Gail Finley, a chief of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, said. In addition, the federal database cannot collect data for ambulatory surgery centers, so Colorado's 102 surgery centers are unable to comply with the mandate, the Post reports.
So far, 57 of the state's 79 hospitals are tracking infection rates for heart bypass surgery, and hip and knee replacements. Those facilities also are tracking bloodstream infections acquired in intensive care units, the Post reports.

Colorado Delays Release of Hospital-Acquired Infection Rate Data - iHealthBeat

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Medicare will test PHRs in South Carolina

The system will provide patients with the last 2 years of Medicare claims data...another move to encourage folks to use a personal health record...BD

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will test a personal health record program for Medicare recipients in South Carolina this month. It is CMS’ most ambitious PHR pilot project to date.
The South Carolina project will offer PHRs to 100,000 participants in Medicare’s fee-for-service program. Until now, Medicare offered PHRs only to participants in certain plans that were already making PHRs available to their members.
Instead of partnering with a health plan for the new trial, CMS selected QSSI, a small information technology company based in Gaithersburg, Md., to lead a team of contractors. The project calls for importing two years’ worth of Medicare claims data into a commercial PHR system from HealthTrio for each beneficiary who signs up for the pilot project.

Medicare will test PHRs in South Carolina

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British children think fast food is the norm

What is normal and what is fast food...can the lines cross over as well?  BD 

New research by scientists with the British Heart Foundation (BHF) suggests that two-thirds of children do not regard fast food as a treat.

In a poll where 500 youngsters were questioned, 82% did not think of crisps as anything special and more than half did not consider sweets to be a treat.  The charity says children's diets in Britain are now so poor that more than two-thirds of them do not think fast food is a special treat.

The British Heart Foundation wants the government to ban the marketing of what it describes as junk food to children as the messages they deliver undermine what is "normal" food.

British children think fast food is the norm

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Kiss but don't shake hands to stay healthy!

Good point as you don't know where that hand has been ...good suggestion on carrying hand sanitizer solution with you....we could all just blow a kiss in the air for that matter...could be a whole new social sign of acceptance and agreement between 2 parties..BD 

Scientists from the London School of Hygiene say a quick "air kiss" on the cheek is a relatively-germ free affair when compared to a hand-shake. 

They say regardless how clean your hands may be there is no guarantee that the other person maintains the same standards of personal hygiene and hands are critical in the chain of infection.  Infections from surfaces to people and between people are carried on the hands and with some of the quite nasty bugs currently circulating a quick rinse under cold water is just not enough to combat them.

Many people acquire infections after touching someone else's hands and  they might have been better served by a quick peck on the cheek.  Experts recommend that people carry an alcohol-based hand sanitizer for when it is not possible to access a sink; otherwise washing the hands rigorously with soap and water is enough to keep the hands relatively bug free.

In the study of hand hygiene the researchers led by Professor Sally Bloomfield, say though shaking hands is the main form of physical contact you have no knowledge of what the other person has been touching before you greet them.

Kiss but don't shake hands to stay healthy!

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Super carrot to protect against bone diseases

Forget the calcium supplements and go for the carrot?  How big is this thing?  BD 

American scientists have created a "super carrot" which may protect against conditions such as brittle bone disease and osteoporosis.

The genetically-engineered carrot provides 41% more calcium than a normal carrot and they hope that the addition of the vegetable to a normal diet could help prevent the debilitating bone conditions.

According to Professor Kendal Hirschi at the Baylor College of Medicine in Texas, the carrots were grown in carefully monitored and controlled environments at Texas A&M AgriLife's Vegetable and Fruit Improvement Center.  The research team say those who ate the carrot had a two-fold increase in calcium absorption.

However they say the calcium enriched vegetable needs more research and many safety trials before it will be available to consumers.

The scientists hope their carrot could ultimately offer a healthier way of consuming sufficient quantities of calcium of which the primary dietary source is dairy foods.

Supercarrot to protect against bone diseases

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Calcium supplements may increase the risk of heart attacks for older women

Better bones, but risk of heart attack...a roll of the dice?  BD 

Scientists in New Zealand say healthy post-menopausal women who take calcium supplements to maintain bone strength may be increasing their risk of heart attacks.

The researchers from the University of Auckland say this increased heart attack risk could outweigh the benefits to the bones from calcium supplements.

It is quite common for older women to take calcium supplements in order to prevent osteoporosis, a condition in which bones become weak and brittle, leading to fractures.

The researchers led by Ian Reid conducted a study involving 1,471 healthy post-menopausal women, aged 55 years or over who had previously taken part in a study to assess the effects of calcium on bone density and fracture rates.

Calcium supplements may increase the risk of heart attacks for older women

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Nurses, Patients March On CIGNA Forum To Protest Insurance Industry Abuse Of Patients

More support for a single pay system...and bringing to light the red tape involved in just trying to get health care today...BD 

The National Nurses Organizing Committee/California Nurses Association (NNOC/CNA), which represents the 1,800 RNs working in the Cook County Bureau of Health Services, will lead a nurses' and patients' march this Wednesday, Jan. 16 on a meeting of key CIGNA stakeholders being addressed by Dr. Nancy Nielsen, the new President-elect of the American Medical Association.
CIGNA is one of the merciless insurance giants whose need for ever-greater profits is bankrupting our system of healthcare-while Nielsen is herself an insurance executive with Independent Health Corporation.

Nurses, Patients March On CIGNA Forum To Protest Insurance Industry Abuse Of Patients

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Doctors Give Massachusetts Health Reform A Failing Grade - Poor Early Outcomes Raise Red Flags, Only Private Insurers Profit

This group of physicians in Massachusetts are not happy with the current insurance plan and have written an open letter telling why with statistics on what has not improved...a view from the physicians taking care of the patients...perhaps the best opinions out there..the folks working with the system every day....They also bring some interesting insurance statistics to light with using Blue Cross as an example..."reaping a surplus of one million each day"...a few days ago we posted a similar article on the insurers in the state of Washington relative to the same surplus issues..BD 

Over 250 Massachusetts doctors have signed an open letter to the country warning that the health reform model enacted by Massachusetts is failing and that a single payer program is the only alternative.
"It is urgent that the rest of the country know that Massachusetts is a living laboratory for the health care reforms being pushed in California and by the Obama/Clinton/Edwards campaigns. Right now the Gov. Romney/Massachusetts' plan gets a failing grade on the ground," said Dr.Rachel Nardin, Assistant Professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School.

Although we wish that the current reform could secure health insurance for all, its failings reinforce our conviction that only a single payer program can assure patients the care they need.

Among the near poor uninsured (who are eligible for partial premium subsidies) only 16% had enrolled in the new coverage. And barely 7% of the uninsured individuals with incomes too high to qualify for subsidies had enrolled according to the official state figures. Few can afford premiums for even the skimpiest coverage; the lowest cost plan offered for a couple in their fifties costs $8,200 annually, and carries a $2,000 per person deductible.

Doctors Give Massachusetts Health Reform A Failing Grade - Poor Early Outcomes Raise Red Flags, Only Private Insurers Profit

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Microsoft Office for Mac: Excel, Word, Powerpoint and Entourage

Microsoft releases new Office for the Mac...and there's support for Microsoft Server Exchange with the Media Edition for Entourage (Outlook equivalent for MAC)....I like my IMAC too...BD 

For media-savvy Mac users to achieve more & simplify digital asset management.

For professionals working with libraries of images, video, music, and digital assets, we’ve combined the reinvented Office 2008 for Mac experience with Expression Media.

Shop Now! Microsoft Office for Mac: Excel, Word, Powerpoint and Entourage | Mactopia

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Big business dominates health care...health care bows to big business

Pretty good article telling it like it is...the healthcare business...where doctors no longer get their patients from referrals, but rather directed to them by managed care...and then have to see as many patients as possible to pay the rent..BD 

In a health care system run by businessmen, patients should expect to be harmed and doctors should expect to be sued. What's unforgivable is that we (doctors, hospitals, plan-members and the uninsured) go along with it. 

To recoup their loss, doctors treat more patients in less time. "More patients in less time" is a toxic recipe for substandard care. Some PPO doctors treat a remarkable 30 to 35 patients a day. In a letter to The New York Times, Dr. Michael Harel comments: "Practicing under price controls, as most physicians do today under Medicare and managed care, does not leave us much choice when malpractice insurance premiums rise. In order to balance the books, one has to increase one's daily office visits by reducing the allotted time per patient, which sooner or later will negatively affect quality of care and result in more malpractice suits."   It's astonishing there aren't more lawsuits.

Like you, doctors don't have much choice. A patient can use only doctors on the PPO provider list, and doctors can see only patients who subscribe to the same managed care organization the doctors contract with. In a climate where managed care organizations decide which doctors will be on the PPO provider lists, doctors can't build and maintain a practice based on referrals. Their reputation is not their primary source of patients. Their primary source is managed care organizations, and in the same manner managed care organizations can funnel patients to doctors by signing them to PPO contracts, so too they can funnel patients away by declining to renew PPO contracts, and there is nothing the doctors can do about it.

Though managed care executives work doctors hard and shave them with steeply discounted reimbursement rates, they pay themselves extraordinarily well.

Big business dominates health care

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Tips and Tricks Special Delivery - Microsoft Office

Microsoft has a free service to help you get the most out of MS Office Products...I felt I should include this as sometimes learning a couple new items can make the difference of spending hours on a project or a few minutes...and knowing which Office Product to use...would an Excel spreadsheet do a better job than using Word as an example..analyze what you want to accomplish and make the decision...I see so many projects and users stuck with "Word" only when there are better options in many cases.  Anyway, you can choose how often to have these tips delivered..BD 

Tips & Tricks has always been a useful tool for getting the most out of Microsoft Office and Windows. Now, with Tips & Tricks Special Delivery, the tips are coming straight from our employees, customers, and partners—people who know what information is most useful to you.

Tips and Tricks Special Delivery

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Listening to doctors and patients talk

Physicians get paid for participating...record your conversations for medical research...nine large pharmaceutical companies participating...more marketing information for the drug companies?  With information gathered, the patient and the physician are not identified, just the conversations..and transcripts are prepared...and SOLD...BD 

When Zaccary Newsham-Quinn, 4, visits his pediatrician in Levittown, the doctor, Nathan Zankman, asks if he would be willing to have their conversation recorded for use in medical research.

Zaccary's mother, Danielle, agrees, and signs a consent form, and the doctor turns on a small digital recorder that captures every word between the physician and patient behind the examining-room door.

Later, Zankman sends the recording via computer, along with others he made that day, to a Fort Washington start-up technology company, Verilogue Inc.

Verilogue has software that analyzes the real-time patient-physician interactions, compiles a verbatim transcript, and puts the recording and transcript in a database that Verilogue clients in the health-care industry will use to learn what doctors and patients actually say to each other about diseases and medicines.  To attract physicians, the company sent e-mails and faxes, targeting specialty doctors, such as oncologists and psychiatrists who are paid for their time. The company said the fee is similar to stipends paid to medical investigators in other clinical research.

Listening to doctors and patients talk | Philadelphia Inquirer | 01/14/2008

Website:  http://verilogue.com/

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