Hospitals Across The Nation Are Sending Medicare Fraudulent Charges - Whistle Blower gets 3 Million Dollar Reward

 Hospital paid back 15 million dollars...and he got a piece of the settlement...3 million....become a millionaire for being a whistle blower at the hospital....nice payout...but what happens if the hospital has no money?  If this were happening at a smaller community hospital without funds...what would happen then....I guess you need to be a practicing whistle blower at at hospital that has money...BD 

McCaslin caught the hospital billing Medicare for accident victims, even if the patient had private insurance that was supposed to pay. The hospital also billed Medicare for prisoners, even though by law, they're not covered.

When McCaslin alerted his bosses, he was surprised to discover they were in on it.  He helped the Justice Department build a fraud case that ended with the Houston Hospital District giving taxpayers a giant refund.

The government started a pilot program and sent private auditors to comb through hospital bills in three states (California, Florida and New York), looking for Medicare rip-offs.

Meet Medicare Fraud's Whistleblower, Hospitals Across The Nation Are Sending Medicare Fraudulent Charges - CBS News

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Merck Whistle blower Wins $68M Award

It's been a good week for the whistle blowers....BD 

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A sales manager who "just couldn't abide" by the way Merck wanted him to market the drugs Vioxx and Zocor to doctors took the lonely step of filing a whistleblower suit against his employer. Seven years later, Merck & Co. will pay $671 million to settle complaints it overcharged government health programs and gave doctors improper inducements to prescribe its drugs.

And whistleblower H. Dean Steinke, the Michigan sales manager whose lawsuit led to about $400 million of the recovery, gets a $68 million reward.

Prosecutors also accused Merck of giving doctors and hospitals steep volume-based discounts on Vioxx, Zocor and Pepcid, in the hope that patients would come to rely on them. The company failed to offer Medicare and other government agencies the same price, as required by law, they said.

The Associated Press: Merck Whistleblower Wins $68M Award

Related Story:  

Serial whistle blower: Doctor who won lawsuit against Merck

He sued Merck in 1999 after finding hospitals were substituting Pepcid, then a prescription-only drug, for the antacids he prescribed — and that a number of patients getting Pepcid, including an uncle, had become confused and agitated.

The company was charging 10 cents a pill to hospitals which made Pepcid prescriptions 85 percent of their antacid total, he said, with the idea that patients would continue taking the drug as outpatients. At the same time, Medicaid was billed $1.65 per pill.

http://www.nola.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/news-37/1202504948280240.xml&storylist=louisiana&thispage=2

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One Note Users are outnumbering Power Point users at Microsoft

Lots of good information here relative to One Note...if you are not using One Note at meetings...well let me tell you it sure is any easy way to keep track of all your meeting notes and then some...this is a great blog to read and offers some addition add ons as well...if you haven't looked at One Note...think about it, especially if you own a tablet PC.  I have had many ask me over the years about the tabs, sections, etc.  The easy way to remember how One Note functions is to think of each Notebook (left side) as a Book and the title of the book, the Sections across the top are the Chapters in your book, and the pages (right hand side) are the pages in each chapter or section ...so just think of each Notebook as a "Book with Chapters and Pages"...and that will help make sense of how One Note is set up to work.  If you are in health care, be sure to look up the Ablet Factory and see the EMR and SOAP Toolkits...not free but not expensive and great for the small practice to get started with a tablet and paperless charts...a  simple search around this site will also give you some additional information as well.....BD 

Actually OneNote is in broad usage in the company (Microsoft) already - it has taken off virally and in any meeting or lecture I go to, if a laptop is open more often than not OneNote is there as people keep track of what is said and what they need to do next. In fact the usage data shows that for people who have it installed (more than half the company - pretty good!), they use it more than PowerPoint.

" The other day I got an email inviting me to download an entire course on how to manage email and tasks effectively (something everyone in corporate settings struggles with), and it came as a OneNote notebook."

Chris Pratley's OneNote Blog

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And now a message from the Public Service side of this site...Online Speed Trap Locator

This is a little off base, but useful enough I thought to give it a post...go to this website and enter your zip code, city, etc. and you can locate the Speed Traps in your local area...this technology is making use of Microsoft Live Maps and soon will be available to mobile GPS devices and GPS enabled phones....hmmmm...something to look forward too....and you can also show local traffic conditions on freeways....useful....actually I use my Windows Mobile Phone for that type of advice every day with Mobile Live Maps too so I can plan my route before starting the car.....the picture below shows how it looks in Orange County this evening...BD 

Available now is Speed Trap, a mashup (Web application hybrid) that combines Microsoft Live Maps and the ability to pinpoint and review speed traps located anywhere on the planet. Membership is totally free. Speeding tickets are not. Insurance price quotes for a car/auto after a ticket is even worse. Inform yourself and others. Future revisions of the site will allow for uploading to mobile GPS devices and GPS Enabled Phones. Speed traps are consolidated. Zoom in to see more.

Speed Trap - Automotive Blogs - Car News - Njection

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Competition won’t ail you with retail clinics

More about retail clinics in the news...how can they not help in non urgent situations when there are long waiting lists for those who see a doctor...as reported in many articles...this has to take some pressure from the ER rooms...sounds like the fear of the unknown once more...know that well with my field of technology related to health care...BD 

Boston Mayor Thomas Menino is concerned about CVS’s plans to locate low-cost health care clinics in retail stores in his city. Limited service medical clinics run by merchants in for-profit corporations will seriously compromise quality of care and hygiene, he has said.

He has it backward: Wider access to high-quality, basic health care at an affordable price depends on the advent of profit-seeking, innovative companies like MinuteClinic.

Competition won’t ail you - BostonHerald.com

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Shaquille O'Neal leaving for better health care in Phoenix?

I guess good medical care is a big concern, even to the players of the NBA...BD

AUBURN HILLS – One of the reasons the Phoenix Suns decided to pull the trigger on the recent trade for center Shaquille O'Neal was the confidence the team had in its medical team.

O'Neal, who will turn 36 in early March, has been plagued with hip problems but the Suns believe they can get him healthy for a long, physical playoff run. After all, the Suns took chances on other players with existing injuries – including former Detroit Piston Grant Hill and current Piston Antonio McDyess – with excellent results.

- Detroit Pistons Basketball: News, Blogs, Photos, Audio, Schedule & Stats - MLive.com

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More CSI-NY appearances for TabletKiosk in the line up

Nice post from Gail at TabletKiosk telling the rest of the story...I had posted about the exposure and CSI-NY back in November and now Gail has filled in the blanks with even more of the story of how this all came about...and myself I had not seen the TufTab yet either....and I too hope the writer's strike will resolve soon....BD  

Last Wednesday night, the eo TufTab made its debut on CSI NY, playing a supporting role for the Sahara which has already been prominently featured on the popular show. That's the good news. The bad news is that the Sahara and eo TufTab were supposed to be used for the entire season, but due to the shutdown from the writer's strike, the show stopped filming four months ago.

"So you know, this product placement opportunity was orchestrated by Microsoft. Last summer, our Microsoft Account Manager contacted me to see if we were interested in sending some units up to Redmond so that they could present them to the show senior producers. From what I heard, several Tablet PCs and UMPCs were shown at the meeting and the producers chose the Sahara, among others, to feature on the show."

"I mention Microsoft’s involvement with this because if it weren’t for the Power Meeting in Redmond, this opportunity would not have happened. Microsoft wanted to show Vista running on a cool hardware solution, which is why TabletKiosk products wound up on CSI."

MOBILITY MATTERS -- News and Insights from a Tablet PC Marketer

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Improving statins - watching proteins at the same time

Statin drugs are helping many people lower their cholesterol, but a new study in the February Journal of Lipid Research reveals that statins actually increase the production of another protein that limits their benefit.

Proprotein convertase type 9 (PCSK9) has recently gained attention as a key regulator of LDL cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol). PCSK9 degrades LDL receptors that remove LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) from the blood; mutations that result in extra PCSK9 activity produce familial hypercholesterolemia, while mutations causing less PCSK9 activity lower LDL-C and cardiovascular risk.

Studies in mice have indicated that statins may increase PCSK9 expression, so Robert Konrad and colleagues studied the effect of atorvastatin (Lipitor) or placebo on PCSK9 levels in humans. After 16 weeks of treatment, 40 mg/day atorvastatin increased circulating PCSK9 levels by 34% over placebo, while decreasing LDL-C levels by 42%. In comparison, a 10 mg/day dosage did not increase PCSK9 levels at all, yet still reduced LDL-C by 30%.

Improving statins

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Killer Germ Comes Home With Troops

One more infectious disease alert...BD

Troops arriving home from Iraq and Afghanistan have been carrying a mysterious, deadly bacteria, according to a new magazine report.

Doctors have linked the bacterium acinetobacter baumannii to at least seven deaths, as well as to loss of limbs and other severe ailments, according to the report, which found the bacterium has spread quickly since the war in Afghanistan began in the fall of 2001. Doctors quoted in the magazine article agreed. "Of the infectious disease problems that come out of the conflict, it is the most important complication we've seen," Dr. Glenn Wortmann, acting chief of infectious disease at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, said in the February issue of Proceedings, published by the U.S. Naval Institute, a professional organization focused on naval issues.

ABC News: Killer Germ Comes Home With Troops

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Kroger to offer $4 generic prescription drugs

One more retailer with the $4.00 offering...have added the link to the direct pdf file on the resources column on the right hand side...scroll down to locate the link and other retailers who offer many generics for $4.00...BD

Beginning today, grocery giant Kroger will sell generic prescription drugs for a number of ailments —- including asthma, depression, diabetes, heart disease and thyroid —- for $4.

The program will cover more than 300 drugs prescribed for 30-day supplies, the Cincinnati-based company said. It addition, it will sell generic versions of family-planning drugs Ortho Cyclen and Ortho Tri Cyclen for $9 and a fertility drug for $9.

The chain advises people interested in the deal to consult a doctor or Kroger pharmacist to determine whether a $4 generic version of their medication is available and if it is right for them.

Kroger to offer $4 generic prescription drugs | ajc.com

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The California Endowment - Grants Available for Non Profits

The California Endowment is pleased to offer its Grant Application Guide for prospective applicants. We aim to focus our resources to make lasting improvements in the health of Californians. Our mission — “to expand access to affordable, quality health care for underserved individuals and communities, and to promote fundamental improvements in the health status of all Californians” — remains unchanged.

Since we adopted our strategic plan in 2002, we have clarified our focus on how to achieve the mission. First, every Californian must have access to quality health services. Second, our health care system must be culturally competent to respond to the diversity and demographic changes in our state. Third, we must eliminate the disparities in health and strengthen communities to become healthy places to live.

Based on these convictions, we have organized our work around three goals:

• Access to health;
• Culturally competent health systems; and
• Community health and the elimination of health disparities.

The California Endowment - Grant Application Guidelines

Related Program Information here

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'Wiihabilitiation': Docs Use Games for Rehab

Anohter great article on the WII.  A few months ago I was laughed at for even suggesting such a thing to be added to a hospital therapy area...now look where we are...many hospitals and physicians are using them...BD

Some call it "Wiihabilitation." Nintendo's Wii video game system, whose popularity already extends beyond the teen gaming set, is fast becoming a craze in rehab therapy for patients recovering from strokes, broken bones, surgery and even combat injuries.....The hospital, about 100 miles southeast of St. Louis, bought a Wii system for rehab patients late last year.  The Hines Veterans Affairs Hospital west of Chicago recently bought a Wii system for its spinal cord injury unit.  At Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the therapy is well-suited to patients injured during combat in Iraq, who tend to be in the 19 to 25 age range a group that's "very into" playing video games, said Lt. Col. Stephanie Daugherty, Walter Reed's chief of occupational WakeMed Health has been using Wii games at its Raleigh, N.C., hospital for patients as young as 9 "all the way up to people in their 80s," said therapist Elizabeth Penny.therapy. 

The usual stretching and lifting exercises that help the sick or injured regain strength can be painful, repetitive and downright boring.

ABC News: 'Wiihabilitiation': Docs Use Games for Rehab

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Keyboards Too Loud? No Problem, Use a Tablet PC

I have to add my 2 cents here too, this article makes an excellent point as how many times have we all sat in meetings to listen to the chatter of those hacking away with keyboards, plus it's easier to use a tablet without having an "open pizza box" sitting on your lap....good article and makes good sense...even Mr. Bush might entertain getting to know his new tablet a little better, gosh he could ink notes for follow up and review right on his E-Budget!  BD 

This year however there are less computes open. There’s a reason for that. The staff of the UPTA auditions are tremendously responsive to the needs of both the producers and the actors. They make positive changes each and every year. In year’s past they’ve had some complaints about the sound of clacking keyboards during the auditions from both sides of the footlights. So, this year, the word came out that if you can’t be quiet while typing, don’t.

No problem here. I use my Tablet PC with a stylus anyway, so I’m in good shape. Another way the Tablet PC keeps me productive when a regular laptop wouldn’t.

GottaBeMobile - Keyboards Too Loud? No Problem, Use a Tablet PC - Tablet PC & UMPC News & Video Reviews, and Tablet PC / UMPC Forums

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Obese Less Likely to Use Seat Belts

One more downside to obesity...finding a seatbelt or extender...BD

Like a lot of consumers, Paul McAleer focused on comfort when he recently went car shopping. Adjustable seats, a tilt steering wheel and extra height were all important. Because he's a self-described "fat guy," the Web site designer also has to check to see if he can fit in the seat belt.

While McAleer buckles up when he drives, a new study found that seat belt use declines as body size increases. But even large drivers who want to use a seat belt may be thwarted because not all car makers offer bigger belts or extenders.

ABC News: Study: Obese Less Likely to Use Seat Belts

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'Liquid Bandage receives FDA clearance

Cures and becomes solid in one second...I like this idea, could certainly replace the band aid as we know it today...BD  

The Center for Military Biomaterials Research (CeMBR), part of the New Jersey Center for Biomaterials at Rutgers University, has enabled the development of a breakthrough spray-on dressing for injuries. The trademarked GelSpray Liquid  Bandage by BioCure Inc., a medical device company in Norcross, Ga., received clearance for marketing from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Feb. 1.

'Liquid Bandage,' New Frontline Wound Treatment

Related story:  http://www.njbiomaterials.org/web/index.php?p=cembr&s=2288

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Volcano Announces FDA 510(k) Clearance Of Revolution Rotational Catheter And FFR For The S5i Integrated IVUS Console

Full market release due later this year...and works with several DICOM providers...BD 

Volcano Corporation (Nasdaq: VOLC), a leading manufacturer of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and functional measurement (FM) technology, announced FDA 510(k) clearance of the s5-Revo and s5-FFR (fractional flow reserve) options.Earlier generation consoles included only one of the three technologies now available on the s5. If a hospital wanted to equip a new lab with all three technologies, they would have to acquire three separate consoles, each with a different measurement modality, training requirements and data storage protocols. The Volcano s5 can now accommodate the three primary intravascular diagnostic tools in regular use by cardiologists today (high frequency rotational IVUS, fast and simple digital IVUS, and pressure-based FFR guidewires) on a single platform, making modern day imaging consoles more flexible than ever before.

First, for cath lab administrators who are trying to accommodate different physician preferences and practice patterns the Volcano s5 platform now offers all three primary technologies on one platform. As a result, cath lab managers can ensure their individual physician preferences are met with one system. Second, the Volcano system will appeal to physicians themselves, as they will now have three powerful diagnostic tools on one platform, all at-the-ready for their patients. If a physician wants a high resolution IVUS image to measure plaque burden, they can select a Revolution(TM) IVUS catheter. If they want a fast, simple IVUS image to assess stent placement, they can quickly plug in an Eagle Eye(R) Gold IVUS catheter. If they want to objectively measure lesion severity prior to committing to a therapeutic strategy, they can use a Volcano FFR guidewire.

Volcano Announces FDA 510(k) Clearance Of Revolution Rotational Catheter And FFR For The S5i Integrated IVUS Console

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Senator Urges Colleagues To Act Quickly on Health Care IT -

Words of wisdom here...planning and testing...BD 

In a speech Thursday on the Senate floor, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) urged lawmakers to act quickly on health IT legislation and other health care reforms, Health Data Management reports.
"Adoption of health [IT] is a vital part of saving lives and lowering costs in our health care system," Whitehouse said, adding, "America's health care information infrastructure is decades behind where it should be."
Whitehouse cited a RAND study that estimates that a national, interoperable health IT system could save the country $82 billion annually. However, he said, "We cannot just snap our fingers and be in an IT-enabled health care environment. Development, testing, build-out and adoption will all take time."

Senator Urges Colleagues To Act Quickly on Health Care IT - iHealthBeat

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Targeting Tumors in 4D - the moving target

Finding the moving target...as tumors do move....great new technology that helps spare other healthy body parts with unnecessary radiation...BD 

SAVANNAH, Ga. (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- How do you hit a moving target when that target is a tumor? A breakthrough in radiation treatment is giving doctors a new, more accurate way to attack tumors that uses four-dimensional imaging to zero-in on cancer.

And because tumors move, before every treatment, the 4-D scan updates the location of the tumor. Then the radiation can be realigned to hit the target.

"Not only is the precision better but we’re now able to escalate the dose

to such a degree that we can cure more cancers. One of the more famous radiation oncologists in the world paraphrased that this is the most significant advance in cancer management in the last 25 years," Dr. Geffen says.

Ivanhoe's Medical Breakthroughs - Targeting Tumors in 4D

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Deal to shift 'kidney business' to Nepal fell through in October

Now the Canadian connection on the recent story...he has a permanent resident status in Canada....which appears will diminish soon...and he offered to pay off the authorities when found in Nepal...BD

KATHMANDU: When the first stories about Dr Amit Kumar and his 100-crore kidney racket poured into the Himalayan kingdom, the Nepal police became alert as three kidney transplant rackets were busted there last year, all of which led to Indian cities and doctors.
Soon after Dr Upender spilled the beans about Dr Kumar's presence in Nepal to the Moradabad Police, the crime division of Kathmandu metropolitan police formed a special investigating team, headed by SSP Upendra Kant Arryal, to trace the kingpin on the run.

Sources said Kumar was thinking of shifting his "business" to Nepal after a spate of kidney transplant deaths in India.
"Towards the end of last year, he first flew to Canada to take care of his business deals and then caught a flight from Abu Dhabi to Kathmandu on December 30. He stayed for the night and then headed for India via the Sunauli border checkpost. On January 26, after the racket was unearthed by the Moradabad Police, a subdued Kumar returned to Nepal," a source said.

Deal to shift 'kidney business' to Nepal fell through in Oct-India-The Times of India

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One man's take with questions on how do we change healthcare...

As he calls himself a "Grinder" a surgeon who shows up to take care of the patients...pondering what it would take to change the current infra structure...BD 

"What will happen to Kaiser and all the HMO's if a single payor system were implemented? Do they go out of business? Is this illegal? Is it fair? We're talking about shutting down multi-billion dollar enterprises."

Everyone else is doing it; I figured it was time to articulate some sort of stance on the "health care crisis". It's an issue I've been vaguely aware of for a long time, but hadn't put any real thought into it because, truthfully, I was pretty ignorant of the issues and options. I've never been one to get involved in political issues. I wasn't the class president sort of guy. I'm a grinder. I like to show up every day, take care of patients, operate, and let the "smart people" figure out what to do about compensation and coverage. But with the upcoming election, it has become apparent that universal health care has become a lightning rod issue. Change is on the horizon. The present system isn't working. We live in the wealthiest country in the history of the world and millions of people either have no coverage at all, or inadequate coverage. ER's have turned into overcrowded dumping grounds where people go when they're too sick to go anywhere else.

Buckeye Surgeon: One man's take

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Cheap HMO Humor...

 The Top 10 Signs You've Joined a Cheap HMO

10. Annual breast exam conducted at Hooters.
9. Directions to your doctor's office include, "take a left when you enter the trailer park."
8. Tongue depressors taste faintly of Fudgesicle.
7. Only proctologist in the plan is "Gus" from Roto-Rooter.
6. Only item listed under Preventive Care feature of coverage is "an apple a day."
5. Your "primary care physician" is wearing the pants you gave to Goodwill last month.
4. "Patient responsible for 200% of out-of-network charges" is not a typo.
3. The only expense covered 100% is embalming.
2. With your last HMO, your Viagra pills didn't come in different colors with little "M"'s on them.
--And the Number 1 Sign You've Joined a Cheap HMO...
1. You ask for Viagra. You get a popsicle stick and duct tape.

PlanetMike Jokes Cheap HMO

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Discrimination and Health Insurance: Big Brother in the Workplace and Beyond

Good points made by this article...if you don't believe this is happening, take a look at this site...a site where "anonymous" information is shared by insurers all the time...one big data base set up to work on preventing fraud, which is a good thing, however, with data mining and locating anonymous information it can easily be queried to the visit time, physician, location, etc. to find a match...most all insurers report to the MIB and this is a huge data base that can be queried and used to locate information by the insurance industry.  BD 

Whatever happened to the days when privacy like silence was golden? They are long gone. Nowadays it is perfectly acceptable to discriminate against smokers, openly search online for employees who might be posting about their health issues to online forums, and ask for employees to sign waivers granting access to your and your dependent's medical records, or to fill out health questionnaire's to determine health wise how much of a risk of cost you or your dependent's are.

"Believe it or not, all four of these things are happening now as we speak.  Once you've disclosed personal information about your health or your dependent's health, that information becomes part of the public domain, and is free game for employers or anyone else for that matter to access and use how they see fit."

The problem with companies making the release of health information, and participation in good health programs and or services mandatory in order to keep health costs down, is that it takes away your right to choose. That's right, I think that you should have the choice of whether or not you exercise, whether or not you want to eat a candy bar at lunch instead of an apple, and whether or not you smoke. The whole idea of our country even coming into being was so that people would have the right to choose.

Discrimination and Health Insurance: Big Brother in the Workplace and Beyond : CollegeRecruiter.com Insights by Career Counselors Blog

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Big Screen TV or Health Care Insurance?

Interesting comparison...confusing world today...asks a good question, which is more important...the electronic goodies (which some are very week needed such as a computer to access health information by the way) or invest in health insurance...what gives more "bang" for the buck?  BD

Health care is a very serious matter, and polling indicates that Americans consider it of the utmost importance, rating it right after the economy in general, and above the Iraq war and homeland security.

It is strange to me then that 'television,' while not showing up in national polls, ranks higher then health care as a priority when it comes to household spending. If you believe the numbers in the news, 99% of households own televisions but only 84% have health insurance in any form.

Big Screen TV or Health Care Insurance? - BloggingStocks

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New training method for Hip surgery

System similar to a GPS tracking unit...helps with navigation during surgery for plotting incisions...students were 3 times more accurate in the study.  Also if you are a reader of the blog here and would like additional information on hip surgeries, check out this link which will give you an animated description and explanation of how hip surgery works with a virtual tour...this has been referenced many times at the site so I thought it might be a good idea to revive the link...BD 

"Our research proves that we can take untrained surgeons and make them an expert in a new technique rapidly. More importantly, we've also demonstrated that no patient has to be on an inexperienced surgeon's learning curve. This could significantly improve a patient's health and well being and ensure they do not have to undergo repeat operations."

Delegates at the British Society for Computer Aided Orthopaedic Surgery Conference will hear that results from a pilot study saw graduates 95 per cent more confident using this robotic technique than when using conventional surgical methods in training.

Professor Justin Cobb, Head of the Biosurgery and Surgical Technology Group at Imperial College London, conducted the trial on 32 undergraduate medical students at Imperial College London from December 2006 to December 2007. The pilot study tested whether planning before an operation, combined with the latest robotic navigation equipment could increase the success rates of students practising hip resurfacing arthroplasty procedures - a method for correcting painful hip bone deformities by coating the femoral head with a cast of chrome alloy.

New training method for hip surgery

Additional information here:  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080207101325.htm

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FDA approves novel Allograft product

Especially popular for children as the process can avoid the use of long term blood thinking products for a long term basis, according to the article...and potentially less calcification.  BD 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared for marketing the first replacement heart valve from donated human tissue in which the cells have been removed.  The pulmonary valve directs blood flow from the right ventricle to the lungs. The SynerGraft valve is for use in patients who require replacement of their pulmonary valve because of disease, malformation or malfunction of their own pulmonary valve or as part of another surgical procedure.

Traditionally, when human tissue is recovered from a cadaver for future implantation, it is inspected, cleaned and decontaminated to prevent infection, but the allograft product remains otherwise unchanged. CryoLife Inc. has added a manufacturing step to its CryoValve SynerGraft Pulmonary Valve and Valved-Conduit Allograft (SynerGraft) that decellularizes or removes the tissue's cells and cellular debris. What remains is a scaffold of connective tissue that still functions like a human heart valve, potentially lowering the risk of an immune response and subsequent tissue rejection.

FDA approves novel allograft product

Web Site:  http://www.cryolife.com/products/vascular-reconstructive-surgery

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Nurses say Cuts Planned at San Leandro Hospital

This hospital has empty beds...perhaps the issue with not enough services...non-profit not making enough money....but with recent cuts, the benefits received from the state may also dwindle....so perhaps the answer is to update technology and services to attract more patients to keep the ball rolling...it has to go one way or the other...if services and what patients are looking for with care related services aren't there, they won't come...BD 

“We’re out here in the rain today to inform the San Leandro community that Sutter is talking about closing the emergency room and other services at the hospital,” said Celeste Nickel, a nurse at San Leandro Hospital.
Several local political figures joined the nurses in a show of support in front of the hospital — state Senator Ellen Corbett, former Mayor Shelia Young and City Councilwoman Surlene Grant.
The nurses believe that Sutter doesn’t have a commitment to keeping the hospital open, according to a union representative.

“I’m really worried,” Corbett said. “If you look at what Sutter has done throughout the state, they come in and purchase a hospital and shut it. I’m worried they may be doing that in San Leandro.” Sutter has also said that San Leandro Hospital needs to become profitable.  “That’s ironic because they’re a non-profit and receive benefits from the state for operating as a non-profit,” Corbett said.

SanLeandroTimes.com

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Hospital uses valets to cure inconvenience

Many hospitals in Los Angeles and Orange Counties have had valet parking for a few years now...but they don't charge....BD 

ESCONDIDO – Once a pampering hallmark of swanky restaurants and upscale hotels, valet service now has front-row parking at hospitals hoping to sweeten their customer service.

Valet attendant John Romero assisted Mary Stuart Taylor as husband Bob buckled up at Palomar Medical Center. Attendant Jason Rice stood by.

Palomar Medical Center in Escondido debuted a trial program last month for patrons willing to pay $2 for valet service, rather than scouring for parking on the hilly hospital grounds or on busy city streets.

SignOnSanDiego.com > News > North County -- Hospital uses valets to cure inconvenience

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Aetna Profit Rises 3 Percent

Cash reserves.....any guess??   Revenue rose 12 percent to $7.1 billion.   BD 

NEW YORK (Reuters) Feb 07 - Aetna on Thursday reported a 3 percent rise in fourth-quarter profit, in line with Wall Street's target, as membership in its health insurance plans increased. 

The No. 3 U.S. health insurer said a crucial profitability gauge that measures the amount of premiums spent on medical costs had worsened from a year earlier, but it appeared to be in line with or better than analysts' expectations. Quarterly net income rose to $448.4 million, or 87 cents per share, from $434.1 million, or 80 cents per share, a year earlier.

Aetna Profit Rises 3 Percent, Meets Wall St Target

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Bush aides defend budget on Hill

Democrats are vowing to not ignore the "E-Budget" shown on national TV...especially the reductions to Medicare and Medicaid...and if Mr. Bush only realized what he could do with a Tablet PC instead of just holding it up in the air....well somewhat like the budget I guess...up in the air...boy do we need some folks "in the know" in office....BD 

WASHINGTON - Administration officials were on Capitol Hill yesterday defending President Bush's $3.1 trillion budget plan from attacks by Democrats that it adds almost $800 billion to U.S. debt and doesn't pay for the war in Iraq.

Democrats on two Senate panels tossed brickbats at Bush's budget - some key Republicans criticized it as well - as lawmakers made it plain that they would ignore the president's proposals to cut Medicare and Medicaid spending.

Bush aides defend budget on Hill | Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/06/2008

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Remote Deposit Capture Overview for the Paper folks...

A little off the beaten path here, but important...if you have seen the new ATM machines a the banks you will also see OCR technology being used, deposit a check, no envelope required..well now for those folks who still do paper instead of transfers and on line banking, there's another answer for folks who do use on line banking to deposit those things without having to go to the bank...Bank of America is almost ready to rock and roll... you do need a little hardware and can read about it here...so for a practice that still receives check...nice way to handle this without physically going to the bank!  I knew before too long someone would come up with a solution for the paper junkies of the world...big help for hospitals too...BD 

Remote Deposit Capture has been called “The most important development the (U.S.) banking industry has seen in years” by the Federal Reserve and others. Almost all of the RFPs (Request for Proposals) Cash Management groups at the the largest banks in the USA receive now request information on this service, and nearly all of the top banks in the USA have either just launched the service, or are well on their way to doing so.

The commonly-viewed benefits of this new service, referred to as Remote Deposit Capture (RDC), include convenience, better deposit availability and reduced transportation cost & risk. It is important to note that not all solutions are the same. Additional functionality such as Intelligent Character & Document Recognition, data management through business rules, the ability to feed internal systems, intelligent clearing capabilities and many others can further add value to the business case.

Remote Deposit Capture is a must-have product solution most US-based banks are racing to develop and get to market, and a service every corporation or correspondent bank should consider.

Remote Deposit Capture Overview

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Microsoft offers subscription licensing for small businesses

Sign up starts in March...I am also a Microsoft Partner and can perhaps field some questions as this begins as well....if you are needing to purchase new software from Microsoft and you are a small business, don't over look this one... Microsoft products available through the program include Microsoft Office Small Business, Office Professional +, Windows Vista Business Upgrade, Small Business Server Client Access License (CAL), Core CAL, Desktop Professional Suite, and Small Business Desktop Suite.  Links below to additional resources at Microsoft...BD 

San Francisco - Microsoft is offering a new subscription model to small businesses that will allow them to use the company's software for less cost than the currently available licensing model.

The plan, called Open Value Subscription program, is part of Microsoft's effort to give small businesses more flexible and affordable options for purchasing software, said Cindy Bates, Microsoft's general manager for U.S. small business.  The new plan costs about a third of the license-only expense for the current licensing program open to small business, called the Open Value program, Bates said. The plan is cheaper because Microsoft offers upfront discounts for software purchased through the subscription program, and also allows customers to increase or decrease pricing over the three-year subscription period if their business needs change, she said.

More information about Open Value Subscription can be found on Microsoft's Web site. The company also provides more information about the Big Easy on its Microsoft Small Business Community Blog.

Microsoft offers subscription licensing for small businesses - Yahoo! News

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Medical Errors: Should you apologize?

Good article with some very good points from Medical Economics...also there's another good related article, "Living with your Mistakes" well worth look at as well...BD 

In December 2003, 13 months before she died of liver cancer, the journalist and essayist Marjorie Williams wrote a column for The Washington Post about why she felt uneasy about Howard Dean's presidential bid. Her chief complaint: "The man is a doctor. . . . Where else but in medicine do you find men and women who never admit a mistake? Who talk more than they listen and feel entitled to withhold crucial information?"

Williams' cynical take on the medical profession—the result of a long illness during which she saw dozens of physicians and medical students in several different settings—is unfortunately shared by many people. The problem is compounded by the fact that even physicians who are inclined to acknowledge mistakes and discuss adverse medical events with patients are discouraged from doing so, most often by malpractice insurers. But insurers, hospital administrators, educators, and other major players in the medical profession are starting to notice that the words "I'm sorry" can mollify angry patients—and might increase the likelihood that an injured patient will settle out of court, or not sue at all.

Medical Errors: Should you apologize? - Medical Economics

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HealthBlog : Mobility, data input, and telephonic solutions for busy clinicians

Nice write up on 2 new technologies...worth checking out....IQMAX partners with Greenway Medical as shown on the web site...great program for use on a PDA, UMPC, or a TABLET PC.  In my opinion a PDA might be to small for some, Tablet might be too big for some, so a UMPC could fit the bill here easily...Dr. Crounse updates us with 2 winners here...mobility speaks!  I tried the sample patient reminder with 4PatientCare and it rang right to my telephone...I see office staff spending a lot of time just calling to remind patients and I can't help but think the small amount for a call versus the human time for reminders is a true added value...included is the You Tube video for IQMax below....so many decisions and yet so many answers...and it's all about mobility as Dr. Crounse states and I can't agree more....BD    

"I've written before on HealthBlog about the importance of providing data input options in IT solutions for clinicians.  Expecting busy practitioners to document everything using only a keyboard isn't practical.  I've also stressed the importance of mobility in healthcare IT solutions.  If an application doesn't extend to mobile scenarios and mobile devices, its use in healthcare is limited."

HealthBlog : Mobility, data input, and telephonic solutions for busy clinicians

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Sprint - Family Locator for $9.99 a month

Now we just need to get the parents to learn how to text message...also good for keeping track of seniors and anyone else for that matter with critical health issues.....and the phones need to be web - enabled...BD 

Launched in April 2006, Sprint Family Locator is the industry's first family location service that enables families on the go to locate one another using GPS technology. Parents can login on their phone or a PC to locate a child on an interactive map, even when the child is using their phone to make a call or send a text. The service also gives the address, surrounding landmarks and accuracy of the child's location within a specified radius, along with the ability to click to call or send a text to the child directly from the service.

Additionally, the service enables a parent to set Safety Checks(SM) at certain landmarks such as a school, home, or relative's house, at specified times. The parent is automatically notified whether the loved one is near the specified landmark at the set time, providing "hands-off" peace of mind.

Sprint Family Locator is available for $9.99 per month. Unlimited location requests for up to four phones and access to the service from a PC and any Web-enabled Sprint phone are included in the monthly charge. For more information or to sign up for and purchase service, customers can visit www.sprint.com/familylocator.

Sprint | News Release

Source:  http://mobilitysite.com/2008/02/sprint-customers-now-have-access-to-sprint-family-locator-on-all-web-enabled-sprint-phones/

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PacifiCare Crackdown - United Health Care

Problems continue to frustrate all...references for assistance listed at the bottom of this post..BD

PacifiCare is one of California's largest health insurance providers.  But the state says its claims system is broken and costing Californians millions of dollars.  Two government agencies have joined forces, and are taking action on behalf of several million California consumers, like Jackie Dionne.

Among the more than 133-thousand violations they uncovered, they accuse PacifiCare of wrongfully denying claims, failing to pay claims on time, and treating policyholders unfairly.  The state claims they were many were willful violations of the law, so they're suing PacifiCare.

If you're having your own troubles with PacifiCare, you can file a complaint with the California Department Of Insurance at 800-927-HELP or the California Department Of Managed Health Care at 888-HMO-2219.

cbs13.com - Call Kurtis: PacifiCare Crackdown

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Merck to Pay $650M to Settle Fraud Case

Zocoar and Vioxx the subject of the suit...pays well to be a legitimate whistle blower...BD 

Pharmaceutical giant Merck & Company will pay more than $650 million to settle allegations that it overpriced drugs sold to Medicaid and other government health care programs, as well as paid kickbacks to health care providers in exchange for their prescribing the company's medications.

"The settlements  do not constitute an admission by Merck of any liability or wrongdoing," a company statement released Thursday said. "Merck believes its pricing and sales and marketing policies and practices were consistent with all applicable regulations and contracts during the relevant time."  The doctors who participated in the overpricing scheme allegedly received millions in illegal kickbacks, according to Steinke's suit.

Under the whistleblower statutes, Steinke will receive more than $68 million, and LaCorte will also receive a portion of the state and federal settlement money.

ABC News: Merck to Pay $650M to Settle Fraud Case

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FDA Takes Action to Stop Marketing of Unapproved Colchicine Injection

Used for the treatment of gout...BD

"Until recently, there was 1 manufacturer of unapproved injectable colchicine, and that firm has ceased manufacturing the product," Deborah Autor, director of the FDA's Office of Compliance, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), says in a statement. "This serves as the agency's warning that firms wishing to make injectable colchicine in the future must not manufacture the product until they apply for and are granted approval by the FDA to do so."

"Today's action supports our ongoing efforts to end the marketing of unapproved drugs with serious health risks," says Janet Woodcock, MD, the FDA's deputy commissioner for scientific and medical programs, chief medical officer, and acting director of the CDER in an FDA news release. "Such products put consumers' health and sometimes their very lives at grave risk. It is a priority that these products be removed from the market."

FDA Takes Action to Stop Marketing of Unapproved Colchicine Injection

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Web Content Management Systems - 2.0 with the Hospital CIO

Not too long ago I posted an article about how helpful and really necessary it is to have a health care CIO involved in technology and received a response from an anonymous reader who called themselves an "Executive CIO" and felt that someone in that type of position doesn't need any technology expertise...well take a look at this blog and come to your own conclusion here...I will still stand with my original statement that healthcare CIOs do need this background and understanding today and that a CIO is no longer just an "Executive"...just read through John Halamka's blog and see the benefits....which type of CIO do you see beneficial...one who gets with the rank and file and rolls up his sleeves...or one that prefers to be just an "Executive"...versus one who is all over Web 2.0 and communicates openly about the committees and progression?  Much of the services through Web 2.0 are free...so why not capitalize and initiate the levels of security needed to benefit along with open transparency that goes along with the projects...BD 

"To help accelerate our Web 2.0 efforts, my web teams investigated Web Content Management Systems (CMS) which offer an integrated suite of page creation, wiki, blog, forum, and other distributed publishing tools.We evaluated offerings from Microsoft, Ektron, SiteCore, Documentum and others. The end result of our evaluation was to use SiteCore for content management in combination with free Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 tools."

Life as a Healthcare CIO: Web Content Management Systems

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Two Restaurant Clarifies Health Care Surcharge on Diner's tab

If you dine in this restaurant in San Francisco, be prepared to have a surcharge added to you bill so it can help cover the cost of employee health insurance...BD 

Last week, after Delfina's $1.25 health care surcharge was brought to light by the BauerBlog, Hawthorne Lane denizen Two Restaurant also came under some scrutiny when it was discovered to be tacking on a similar charge to its diners' bills. The rub, of course, wasn't the charge itself, but the fact that Two had already provided health care to its employees prior to the Healthy San Francisco mandate, thus giving the impression that the new charge was a bit opportunistic.

The downside for my employees is that we will now need to replace our part-time employees with a smaller number of full time employees

Eater SF: IndustryWire: Two Clarifies Health Care Surcharge

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NHS closes its doors to foreign doctors - United Kingdom

Last year many UK trained physicians were denied posts...BD 

Doctors from India, South Africa and other Commonwealth countries are to be barred from the NHS in an attempt to preserve health service jobs for British graduates.

For generations the health service has been sustained by immigration but yesterday the Home Office moved to end a crisis that has prevented thousands of highly trained British doctors from advancing their careers. Last year the system for selecting doctors for higher training collapsed in what was described as the greatest disaster for medical training in a generation.

The change will end a long tradition of importing doctors to the NHS. Among the 277,000 now registered with the General Medical Council, almost half got their first medical qualifications abroad — the majority from India, Pakistan, South Africa and Australia. Without them the NHS could not have run a service since the 1960s.

NHS closes its doors to foreign doctors - Times Online

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Enact nonprofit health care for all

"Think of your state as a large HMO under local management."   one American-Canadian compares the 2 systems in this post...BD 

There seems to be a great deal of confusion about how a single-payer health care plan works. As an American who has lived in Canada, I have had an opportunity to experience both systems. I have yet to hear a cogent objection to the single-payer plan.
Under a single-payer plan, medical decisions are not made by government officials. They are made by one's family doctor, or by specialists recommended by him or her. The government's part is restricted to negotiating with the doctors over fees, and providing hospitals and other health care facilities.

Enact nonprofit health care for all

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Wal-Mart Teams With Local Hospitals to Open Clinics

A new approach after the failed attempt with the last vendor...might be a better approach with working with local hospitals...BD 

After getting burned recently by a company running walk-in clinics in its stores, Wal-M art is teaming up with local hospital systems to open its own clinics.

Now Wal-Mart says it plans to open 400 clinics by 2010 under the truth-in-advertising brand name “The Clinic at Wal-Mart.” Retail clinics, which are also cropping up at chains like CVS and Walgreen, have sparked some opposition from the medical establishment. Maybe that’s part of the reason Wal-Mart is partnering with local hospitals and health-care systems.

Health Blog : Wal-Mart Teams With Local Hospitals to Open Clinics

Related Story:  http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/07/business/07clinic.html?_r=1&ref=health&oref=slogin

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Electronic Personal Health Record For Hypertension Study to begin

New study with participants supplied the devices and computers if needed to qualify results and determine how effective using a PHR is with the battle against hypertension..BD 

"This project will help demonstrate that when we partner with patients to really redesign the system of care, we will build the system in a way that works best for the people we serve," says Beverley H. Johnson, the institute's president and CEO. "I think the project creates a way to look over the next couple of years at how you get effective, sustained partnerships with families in place to make the care of higher quality which will lead to better outcomes."
Study participants don't have to have a computer; study coordinators will help those who don't find where they can use one. However one of the many questions being asked is whether or not having a computer affects use of the electronic personal health record.
They will learn how to use the electronic record then have follow up visits at three, six and 12 months. Researchers will measure what they call patient activation or just how involved patients are in their own health, gather pertinent biological data such as blood pressure and waist circumference and use a widely accepted test to assess their relationship with their physician.

Electronic Personal Health Record For Hypertension

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Surgeonsblog Speaking on Dr. Anonymous tonight..

We have added his link to the blog roll...link on the right hand side of this page to the forum..BD

As previously announced, I'll be on Dr Anonymous' blog talk radio show tonight. I'll try not to embarrass myself (I have a cold, which will either make my voice sexy, or absent). Join in if you can, here. The show starts at 9 pm Eastern, but the chat room (requires a simple and free login) will get going a little before that. On the website is a number for calling in, which anyone can do. Be there, or be... sensible. (The shows are archived there, so if you wake up tomorrow and smack your head in a V-8 sort of way, you can still hear it, non-participat-orally.)

Surgeonsblog

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Israeli pilots could fly high on anti-impotence pill

Interesting study...Cialis having the potential of being prescribed for pilots?  BD 

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - A drug used to treat erectile dysfunction could help Israeli fighter pilots perform better at high altitudes, the Israeli military's official magazine said on Thursday. 

A retired Israeli general, plans to present to the air force the results of a study he conducted on Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. He found that tadalafil, the active ingredient in Cialis tablets, improved breathing in thin atmosphere.

Israeli pilots could fly high on anti-impotence pill - Yahoo! News

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FDA Approves CytoCore's SoftPAP(TM) Cervical Cell Collector

A better pap smear in the works...hopefully will address less false-negatives...BD 

CytoCore Inc. (OTCBB:CYOE), the biopharmaceutical research and medical device company for early detection and treatment of reproductive-tract cancers, announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the company's 510(k) submission to sell CytoCore's SoftPAP™ cervical cell collector. The SoftPAP collects more comprehensive and complete cervical cell specimens for Pap testing.

The Physician then removes the Soft PAP™ cervical cell collector from the cervix. The balloon is immediately placed into a liquid preservative in a vial, and detached from the handle. The cervical cells will become suspended in the liquid preservative. The liquid-suspended cells in the vial are transferred to a lab for analyses.

The largest single source of errors in Pap tests is bad sampling. It has been estimated that upwards of 50% of false-negative Pap tests collected using conventional spatula and/or brush techniques are "inadequate" collections. This is due to limitations in both the brush and spatula design and technique dependencies.

FDA Approves CytoCore's SoftPAP(TM) Cervical Cell Collector

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Medtronic Receives U.S. FDA Approval for New Neurostimulator with Innovative Patient Programmer

The difference here is the ability of the patient to make the adjustments versus the physician in the past being the only one to adjust...implant device with remote and perhaps good news for those with chronic back pain.  BD 

MINNEAPOLIS – Feb. 6, 2008 – Medtronic, Inc. (NYSE: MDT), today announced it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to market the RestoreULTRA™ neurostimulation system for the treatment of chronic intractable pain of the trunk and/or limbs (chronic back and leg pain). This rechargeable neurostimulator, the most advanced device in the market-leading Medtronic family of RESTORE® devices, is the smallest and thinnest 16-electrode rechargeable neurostimulator available.  The unique patient programmer used with the RestoreULTRA system gives patients more control over their therapy than ever before.  In addition, the RestoreULTRA neurostimulator allows patients who use medium stimulation settings to go at least two weeks before needing to recharge. 

For the first time with any neurostimulator, the patient programmer includes an innovative new feature called TARGETmyStim™.  This feature allows patients to make appropriate and immediate adjustments in their stimulation in order to best address normal fluctuations in pain, including changing pain patterns.  By using the remote control programmer, patients can fine-tune their stimulation to specific sites up and down the spinal cord and increase/decrease the intensity of the electrical impulses.  These adjustments allow the patient to customize their pain therapy in a way that was previously only possible with a physician programmer during an office visit.

Medtronic Receives U.S. FDA Approval for New Neurostimulator with Innovative Patient Programmer

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U.S. FDA Looks for 'Boots on the Ground' in China

Great idea as it is hard to monitor from a distance, and with more pharmaceutical companies moving and creating factories in China for products we will consume...well you get the rest of the point here...but be sure and get some computers to those folks who will travel overseas...can we get these in that mild 10% budget increase?  Recent news items state they are in dire need of new technology...BD 

Under the president's budget proposal, FDA food safety spending at the FDA would grow by less than 10 percent, focusing on heading off problems with contaminated or otherwise unsafe food before it enters the marketplace.

While officials stress that China is not the sole source of worry, the Asian nation is now a major supplier of U.S. consumer goods. Some of the most high-profile scares have involved Chinese goods, such as pet food, seafood, and toys.

U.S. FDA Looks for 'Boots on the Ground' in China

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DEA Readies Proposed Rule for E-Rx

The big stumbling block for E-Prescribing....the DEA and their paper methodologies...I believe that a data tracking mechanism would be much faster to track rather than having to get fingerprints from a potentially fraudulent paper script....can they make up their minds that paperless is good?  BD 

The Drug Enforcement Administration has sent a proposed rule to the Department of Justice to allow electronic prescribing of controlled substances. The department has been under increasing pressure to promulgate such a rule from the Senate and various health care I.T. stakeholders.

In a letter dated Feb. 1 and sent to Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, (D-R.I.), the DEA said it had submitted the proposed rule but couldn't predict how long the Department of Justice would take reviewing it. The Office of Management and Budget, which also must review the rule, has up to 90 days to render a decision on it.

DEA Readies Proposed Rule for E-Rx

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Medical Benefits from Smart Holograms

The most valuable part is to have an immediate visual as things change...BD

Holography is a form of photography that allows an image to be recorded in three dimensions. Smart holograms use materials called hydrogels that shrink or swell in response to local environment conditions. These smart holograms can be used as sensors to detect chemical imbalances in potentially fatal situations.

Smart Holograms is a company created from the Institute of Biotechnology at Cambridge University. They have developed a handheld syringe to measure water content in aviation fuel tanks because if it’s not right, the engines can freeze up in mid-air.

This same technology may soon be applied to patients with diabetes, cardiac problems, kidney disorders or high blood pressure. The new Smart Holograms have the ability, for example, to detect blood sugar levels in a diabetics, which could make self-diagnosis much simpler, cheaper and more reliable.

Ivanhoe's Medical Breakthroughs - Medical Benefits from Smart Holograms

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Hospital reaps healthy returns from wireless

Swedish Medical Center is reaping some health returns on their technology investments...not only computers but other additional wireless devices...BD 

And time is, perhaps, the greatest savings for the organization. Horsley says he initially saw resistance from physicians regarding the wireless and EMR system. "It slows them down at first because they're just not used to doing everything on a computer and they are actually inputting information, where before they could just bark an order at an RN," he says. "But what they come to learn is they actually save time. They don't realize how much time they spent looking for information before, in the paper world. With the new setup, all the information they need to make a good decision is right at their fingertips.

Overall, it supports about 600 wireless workstations on wheels (WoW), 400 wireless laptops and 200 tablet PCs. And the benefits have rolled in accordingly. (See related story on lessons learned.)  Billing problems have also been greatly reduced. Each time physicians provide a service, they key it in to the EMR system along with the appropriate code for tracking and billing purposes.

Hospital reaps healthy returns from wireless - Network World

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Cigna Net Rises 13 Percent; Shares Rise on Forecast

Wonder what the cash reserves amount to?  BD 

Feb. 6 (Bloomberg) -- Cigna Corp., the U.S. insurer that specializes in employer-sponsored health benefits, said fourth- quarter earnings rose 13 percent as membership climbed.

Net income increased to $263 million, or 93 cents a share, from $232 million, or 76 cents, a year earlier, Philadelphia- based Cigna said today in a statement. Cigna rose in New York Stock Exchange trading after the company raised its 2008 forecast.

Bloomberg.com: Worldwide

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Aerotel’s GeoSkeeper lets everyone know precisely where you’ve fallen and can’t get up

  Visit the web site for other products as well that connect to the web for monitoring blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.  Professional products and software and call center software for physicians and patient monitoring and reporting...BD 

For some reason, all the promising telehealth devices we come across seem to suffer from the same poor case of vaporitis, but we’ll let these terrible renders of Aerotel’s GeoSkeeper slide considering the notion is actually quite promising. The watch features a GPS receiver, which allows the unit to send your position to rescuers by the built-in GSM / GPRS info module. Of course, that’s not a new view either, but Aerotel’s included speakerphone functionality and remote programmability to the device — meaning everyone will know precisely where you are when you look like a giant nerd using that thing.

Aerotel’s GeoSkeeper lets everyone know precisely where you’ve fallen and can’t get up | everygizmo.com

Web Site:  http://www.aerotel.com/en/products-solutions/lifecare-mobile-solutions/geoskeeper.html

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Tattoos may be tomorrow's vaccines

Wonder if you get to choose your own design...wouldn't want to go through life with the Pfizer logo the rest of my life....BD

German scientists said on Thursday that work on mice showed that tattooing was a more effective way to deliver a new generation of experimental DNA vaccines than standard injections into muscle

Pfizer Inc, the world's biggest drugmaker, placed a sizeable bet on DNA vaccines in October 2006 when it bought British pioneer PowderMed.  They found three doses of DNA vaccine given by tattooing produced at least 16 times higher antibody levels than three intramuscular injections.  Tattoo vaccines are unlikely to be for everyone. But they could be valuable for delivering certain therapeutic vaccines to fight cancer or other serious conditions, where some pain is acceptable, Mueller said.

The far stronger response reflects the fact that giving a tattoo with a vibrating needle causes a wound and inflammation. As a result, the tattoo -- measuring around 1 centimeter square -- is more painful but more efficient than a normal injection.

Tattoos may be tomorrow's vaccines - Yahoo! News

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FDA fines Red Cross another $4.6 million

Even the Red Cross can be fined by the FDA for not meeting standards for safety and quality...BD 

WASHINGTON - The Food and Drug Administration has fined the Red Cross an additional $4.6 million for the distribution of "unsuitable blood products," bringing penalties against the organization to more than $19 million in recent years. 

The FDA issued a letter Wednesday stating that it reviewed 113 recalls of blood products by the Red Cross from April 2003 to April 2006. The recalls involved the release of an estimated 4,094 unsuitable blood components.

FDA fines Red Cross another $4.6 million - Yahoo! News

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Removing clot aids heart attack recovery - vacuum procedure

Vacuuming procedure being tested and having some good results...BD 

NEW YORK - New research suggests that more people survive major heart attacks with fewer problems if doctors use a mini-vacuum to clear out an artery blockage instead of pushing it aside to restore blood flow.

They tried a different approach, suctioning the clot out before inserting the stent, and found that reduced debris and improved blood flow. The results are published in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine.

For the study, doctors enrolled 1,071 patients who came to the hospital in 2005 or 2006 with a major heart attack and needed emergency angioplasty. Half received the conventional procedure; the other half had the blood clot suctioned out. Doctors threaded a small tube to the blockage and sucked out the clot with a syringe before putting in a stent.

Removing clot aids heart attack recovery - Yahoo! News

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U.S. FDA approval of generic Fosamax

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the first generic versions of Fosamax (alendronate sodium tablets), used to treat osteoporosis, a condition that causes thinning and weakening of a person's bones.

Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, North W ales, Pa., was approved to manufacture alendronate sodium tablets in three once-daily dosing strengths (5 milligrams, 10 milligrams, and 40 milligrams) and two once-weekly dosing strengths (35 milligrams and 70 milligrams). Barr Laboratories, Inc., Montvale, N.J., was approved to manufacture a 70 milligrams once-weekly dose of the drug.

U.S. FDA approval of generic Fosamax

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Health Net Profit Rise 46 % , but Forecast Is Weak

Wonder how many billions are in the cash reserves?  Any guess...?  Where did the profits come from, Medicare...not the private and employer section...BD  

NEW YORK (Reuters) Feb 05 - Insurer Health Net Inc posted a 46 percent rise in quarterly profit Tuesday, helped by its Medicare plans for older Americans, but forecast 2008 earnings below Wall Street expectations.

Net income rose to $123.4 million, or $1.10 per share, from $84.8 million, or 72 cents per share, a year earlier. Analysts' average forecast was $1.10 per share, according to Reuters Estimates.  Revenue rose 11.7 percent to $3.6 billion.

Enrollment in Health Net's insurance plans totaled 3.8 million members, up 55,000, or 1.5 percent, from a year earlier.

Health Net Profit Rises, but Forecast Is Weak

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Deaths partially halt diabetes study

Study doesn't seem to offer much of a beneficial result as if you do have a heart attack under the treatment, you have a stronger chance of it being fatal though...hmmmm....not good odds...BD  

WASHINGTON - The government abruptly halted aggressive treatment in a major study of diabetes and heart disease after a surprising number of deaths among patients who pushed their blood sugar to super-lows — findings that call into question a growing movement in diabetes care.

That translates into an extra three deaths for every 1,000 participants per year, and researchers were at a loss to explain why. Diabetics' blood sugar wasn't too low, a condition known as hypoglycemia. And a close look at the multiple medications patients used, including the drug Avandia that is suspected of being heart-risky, showed no sign that any were to blame.

Moreover, the aggressively treated patients suffered about 10 percent fewer heart attacks overall than their counterparts, said Dr. William Friedewald of Columbia University, who helped monitor the study.  "However, it appeared that if a heart attack did occur, it was more likely to be fatal" in that group, Friedewald said. "In addition, the intensive treatment group had more unexpected sudden deaths, even without a clear heart attack."

Deaths partially halt diabetes study - Yahoo! News

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Gartner's Business Intelligence Top Ranking -- Microsoft Business Intelligence

With web 2.0 and other complicated data structure issues entering in to today's market place, it is almost impossible to not have some type of business intelligence system in place with customized dashboards to see the status of affairs with a few clicks.  If you have not seen what business intelligence software looks like, here's a link to the Microsoft site.  I have had some exposure here and one of the keys that makes it easy to use is the user created Excel spreadsheet format with Excel Services and it integrates well with Microsoft Office, Share Point and SQL  Server.....something that many are already familiar with...beneficial for any hospital environment and works with with CRM (customer relations software).  Not inexpensive, but will more than likely have a fairly short term for an ROI.  BD  

Business Objects and Cognos have long been considered the leaders in business intelligence platforms. But in a surprising new report, Gartner ranks Microsoft (NSDQ: MSFT) ahead of those companies in its ability to execute. Gartner defines BI platforms as those that enable users to build applications that help organizations learn and understand their business. It divides these capabilities into the functions of integration, information delivery, and analysis.

Business Objects, Cognos, and Microsoft were placed among the leaders in Gartner's just-released Magic Quadrant for Business Intelligence Platforms, 2008. But the research firm placed Microsoft above the other two in its ability to execute, including the competitiveness and success of its BI goods and services, its viability and investment in BI, and the execution of its sales and pricing. In last year's BI platform report, Gartner put Microsoft in the challenger quadrant.

They also wrote that customers cite Microsoft for having the "best BI software quality of all the mega-vendors, with over half of them reporting no problems with the software," and attribute this quality, in part, to much of its technology having been internally developed rather than acquired.

Excel Services offers a new component that enables the publication of analyses and insights gained in Excel. With Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007, users can publish to the Web, your extranet, or intranet. This level of integration and trusted pathways helps maintain the integrity of your data source and ensures that the data is consistent.

Microsoft Gets Gartner's Business Intelligence Top Ranking -- Business Intelligence

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