Tijuana doctors launch protest against rise in violence against medical professionals

Doctors have been the object of extortion and kidnappings recently south of the border...BD

TIJUANA – Doctors at public and private hospitals and clinics stopped seeing non-emergency patients Wednesday morning to protest the rise in violence against medical professionals in the region, officials said.

Doctors at Tijuana's General Hospital, one of the largest and best known medical facilities in the city, said they changed patients' appointments or attended to them before 8 a.m. when the four-hour protest began. Hospital operations returned to normal at noon.

SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Mexico > Tijuana & The Border -- Tijuana doctors launch protest against rise in violence against medical professionals

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VeriChip Looking to Sell Part or All of the Business

Interesting sale here...to Stanley Works (Stanley Tools)...for part of the RFID business to track newborns, patients in the hospital, and medical equipment...I still think of Stanley Tools as hammers and wrenches...the human chip side of the business is still unknown as far as being sold as this article states...so unless more folks elect to be "chipped" I guess the future is unknown...hospitals do need a chip reader to read medical chips that are implanted...BD 

Radio frequency identification technology vendor VeriChip Corp. is selling one part of the company and may eventually sell all of it.

The Delray Beach, Fla.-based vendor will sell its Xmark Corp. subsidiary for $45 million to The Stanley Works, a New Britain, Conn.-based manufacturer of tools and security products. Xmark sells RFID technology to tag and track newborns and persons prone to wandering and to track medical equipment.

VeriChip Looking to Sell

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User Satisfaction With EHRs: Report of a Survey of 422 Family Physicians (Medscape)

From Medscape...a pretty detailed survey...with 13 of the most common EMR Systems on the market today...read the full story at the link below...the survey takes in to consideration all sizes of practices and notes the results accordingly...there are several additional charts and a detailed explanation to accompany each one as well...ease of use...support for training....six rated above average in all four: Amazing Charts, eClinicalWorks EMR, e-MDs Chart, HealthMatics EMR, Praxis EMR and SOAPware....and in a separate chart, cost was also evaluated relative to the opinions for a return on investment...BD 

With more and more family physicians trying to decide whether to move to an electronic health records (EHR) system and which system to choose, we thought it high time we repeated the survey of user satisfaction with EHR systems that Family Practice Management conducted in 2005.^[1]

We published a revised and simplified version of the 2005 survey instrument in the April 2007 issue.^[2] Over the next several months, we collected 422 usable responses from AAFP members who completed either the print version of the survey or an online version posted on the FPM Web site. As with the 2005 survey, respondents were self-selected. Consequently, it is probably most useful to consider this report as the kind of information you might get if you could ask a few hundred colleagues how they like their EHR systems

User Satisfaction With EHRs: Report of a Survey of 422 Family Physicians

Technorati Tags: EMR,EHR,Medical Records,EMR Survey,Health IT,HealthCare

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FAWCETT FORGIVES MEDICAL RECORDS LEAK LADY

Some celebrities are being very forgiving...as anyone could be in the same spot and just be curious....BD 

FARRAH FAWCETT has forgiven the hospital worker accused of selling her confidential medical details to the media, insisting she's just a "pawn" in the system.
Lawanda Jackson has been indicted by a federal jury and stands accused of snooping through celebrities' medical records while working as an administrative specialist at Los Angeles' UCLA Medical Center from 2006 to 2007.
But Fawcett insists she does not bear a grudge: "It is my personal belief that what Lawanda Jackson is most guilty of is being a pawn.

FARRAH FAWCETT - FAWCETT FORGIVES MEDICAL RECORDS LEAK LADY

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Coding Cues: Reporting extended visit codes

Good advice and help with CPTs 99354 and 99355....BD

How do we go about reporting extended visit codes? What else needs to be documented besides the history, exam, and medical decision-making?

Coding Cues: Reporting extended visit codes - - Medical Economics

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Lawmakers Worry FDA bill adds too much work..

The other alternative is too many deaths, right?  If manufacturing is done over seas and outsourced, then to ensure safety there's no other way around it...when you don't keep up with technology and move along with everyone else, it will catch up..BD 

“The FDA has not kept up with the globalization of the industry it regulates,” said Marcia Crosse, director of health issues at the Government Accountability Office.

A GAO report released last week found a growing backlog of medical device inspections. The FDA inspects domestic manufacturers of high-risk devices, like pacemakers, once every three years; medium-risk devices, including syringes and hearing aids, every five.

Inspections of foreign manufacturers occur even less frequently: six years for high-risk devices, and 27 years for medium-risk.

FederalTimes.com

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1,200 people to have canceled healthcare coverage restored - California

Kaiser and Health Net...still about 4,000 more related to Anthem Blue Cross, Blue Shield and PacifiCare...pending...BD 

Two of the state's largest health plans agreed Thursday to reinstate coverage to nearly 1,200 patients whose policies were dropped after they incurred high medical expenses.
Under the deal, patients whose insurance was rescinded by Kaiser Permanente or Health Net since 2004 will be allowed to purchase new insurance regardless of preexisting medical conditions.

Health Net also is the target of a criminal investigation by the city attorney related to rescissions. Chief Assistant City Atty. Jeffrey Isaacs said Health Net's latest deal with the department would not affect its suit or criminal investigation.

1,200 people to have canceled healthcare coverage restored - Los Angeles Times

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Study revives Olympic prospects for amputee sprinter

He may be able to participate after all...a couple months back the running was not qualified as he artificial limb was too powerful...some felt...so the debate is back...BD 

A world-renowned team of experts in biomechanics and physiology from six universities, led by Professor Hugh Herr of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Media Lab, refute scientific claims that the prostheses worn by Oscar Pistorius, a 21-year-old South African bilateral amputee track athlete, provide him with an unfair advantage in the 400-meter race. Their conclusions were based on data collected at the Rice University Locomotion Laboratory, under the direction of Professor Peter Weyand. Pistorius hopes to run in the 400-meter race at the Beijing Olympics this summer.

Study revives Olympic prospects for amputee sprinter

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Cough & Cold Maker Barred From Manufacturing - FDA

Read the article for a listing...the company in the past has also done some private label manufacturing for other companies, which has also been ceased...BD 

Scientific Laboratories and its two top execs - ceo Amit Roy and president Rajeshwari Patel - have signed a consent decree and are barred from manufacturing and distributing prescription meds until they bring their operations into compliance and obtain FDA approval for their products.

Pharmalot » Cough & Cold Maker Barred From Manufacturing

More from the FDA:  http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2008/NEW01837.html

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A baseball cap that reads your mind - EEG

This has been the week of strange and somewhat unique devices...a stylish baseball cap that detects and analyzes EEG signals...will tell you if you are too sleep to drive.  I do have to admit this is better looking than most devices I have seen...but I'm really not in

Besides driving, mobile EEG-sensing BCI systems could be used for a variety of other applications. For medical purposes, the researchers suggest that the technology could be used for home care for the elderly, medical monitoring, and exercise training. They also expect it to have applications in controlling household electronics devices, which has previously been investigated for physically disabled individuals.
“We will miniaturize the system and apply SoC [system on chip] technology,” Ko said. “We also will create more applications using the mobile and wireless EEG system.”

to baseball caps...works with Bluetooth technology and RF as well...eventually they hope to allow you to control devices, such as a TV and turn it off and on just by thinking about it...now that could be scary....especially for those of us with very active thoughts!  BD 

The cap contains five embedded dry electrodes on the wearer’s forehead, and one electrode behind the left ear, that acquire EEG signals. Then, the EEG signals are wirelessly transmitted to a data receiver, where they are processed in real-time by a dual-core processor. The BCI system includes Bluetooth transmission for distances of 10m or less (e.g., for driving applications), as well as RF transmission for distances up to 600m (e.g., for potential sports applications).   

A baseball cap that reads your mind

Technorati Tags: Technology,EEG

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Mindray Medical Completes Acquisition of Datascope's Patient Monitoring Business

Medical device company purchased by a China based developer...one more merger in this area of healthcare...BD 

SHENZHEN, China, May 15 /Xinhua-PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Mindray Medical International Limited (NYSE: MR), a leading China-based developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices worldwide, today announced the completion of its acquisition of Datascope Corporation's patient monitoring device business pursuant to the terms of the definitive agreement entered into on March 11, 2008.

Mindray Medical Completes Acquisition of Datascope's Patient Monitoring Business

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Pulse Oximeter Transmits Wirelessly

More new devices that talk to cell phones and computers...this one uses Bluetooth to talk to all.... one more advance in telemedicine...insert finger and send vital signs...so you can carry it in your purse or pocket...along with your cell phone...Bluetooth makes it nice not to have wires...just pair the device and off you go...BD 

Minneapolis-based Nonin Medical Inc. has developed a fingertip pulse oximeter that can measure and send two of a patient's vital signs to their physician. The Onyx II Model 9560 uses Bluetooth wireless technology to transmit oxygen saturation and pulse rate data to smart phones, PDAs or PCs. 

The pulse oximeter can retain 20 measurements, so patients can use it to take their readings at any time and then send time-stamped information to phones, PDAs or PCs later. The storage also could enable a home care provider to use one device during multiple patient visits.

The simple functionality of nVISION makes it useful for nearly any screening situation where an accurate reading of blood oxygen saturation and pulse rate is needed.

• Critical Care Departments
• Cardiopulmonary Rehab
• Sleep Lab
• Physician Offices
• Home Care
• Respiratory Care Departments

Pulse Oximeter Transmits Wirelessly

Technorati Tags: Health IT,BlueTooth,Telemedicine,Cell phone,Vitals,PDA,Smartphone

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Spongebob Rectal Thermometer

This is just way too out there and too funny...I had to pass this one along from Medgadget...I guess it could have some potential for a pediatrician...just could not stop chuckling at this one...and to think it's on the store shelves...BD 

I was shopping at the supermarket yesterday when I came upon a unique piece of Nickelodeon merchandising - a Spongebob Squarepants Musical Rectal Thermometer! Yes, it’s musical.  It actually plays the Spongebob theme when your temperature is taken!

Cartoon Brew: Leading the Animation Conversation » Spongebob Rectal Thermometer

Source:  Medgadget

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Obesity contributes to global warming: study

Now if being overweight isn't enough to make one feel bad already, this news certainly is not going to make your day!  I guess heavier folks do more driving from what the article states, so I guess if your body mass is over 30, you should start walking...and then there's this related article which ties obesity of the risk of psychiatric disorders...talk about a couple articles out today that could make anyone feel bad...even if you are just a few pounds overweight!!  BD 

Obese and overweight people require more fuel to transport them and the food they eat, and the problem will worsen as the population literally swells in size, a team at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine says.

This adds to food shortages and higher energy prices, the school's researchers Phil Edwards and Ian Roberts wrote in the journal Lancet on Friday.

The next step is quantifying how much a heavier population is contributing to climate change, higher fuel prices and food shortages, he added.

"Promotion of a normal distribution of BMI would reduce the global demand for, and thus the price of, food," Edwards and Roberts wrote.

Obesity contributes to global warming: study - Yahoo! News

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CDC Recommends Shingles Vaccine for Those Over 60

One more vaccination to think about...if you are over 60...BD

THURSDAY, May 15 (HealthDay News) -- All adults aged 60 and older should be vaccinated against shingles, a condition that can cause debilitating chronic pain, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended on Thursday.

One drawback to the vaccine is its cost, which is about $150, Schaffner noted. In addition, the vaccine may not be covered by private insurance. For Medicare patients, it is currently covered under the Part D drug benefit, so its cost will vary by provider.For more information on shingles vaccine, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

CDC Recommends Shingles Vaccine for Those Over 60 - US News and World Report

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FDA Warning with MRI Contrast Dye

Per a reader tip, something to be aware of...more information at the site...with video explaining...patients with kidney problems appear to be more at risk...BD 

An MRI scan is performed to take a clear detailed picture of a patient's internal organs and tissue and an MRA is used to take a detailed picture of a patient's blood vessels. During some MRI scans and all MRA scans, a gadolinium-based contrast agent is injected into the patient's vein so blood vessels can be distinguished from other nearby tissues. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a second Public Health Advisory in December 2006 about a new skin disorder known as Nephrogenic Systemic Fibrosis or Nephrogenic Fibrosing Dermotherapy (NSF/NFD). The disease is debilitating and may cause death.

Currently, little is known about NSF/NFD. However, due to recent studies, the association is so strong, that both the FDA and the company that makes gadodiamide have sent out warnings about the use of gadolinium-containing contrast in patients with advanced kidney disease.

NSF Legal

Source:  Reader Tip

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Disney Creates Lab for Biometric Testing of Advertisements

Well we will really be getting the science of advertising down to exactly what works with this new biometric testing...4000 people to volunteer to have their heart rates, blood pressure, etc. monitored while watching commercials...both on TV and on the Web...oh the complicated science of advertising....BD 

We've seen outfits and networks dig deep to figure out how to make ads more attractive (or just watchable, really), but Disney's taking things to an entirely new plateau. The mega-corp is establishing a laboratory in Austin, Texas which will actually test the biometric reactions of up to 4,000 people in order to better understand what types of commercials are most effective. In the controlled setting, gurus will be tasked with measuring "heart rate and skin conductivity while tracking the gaze of participants who are exposed to new ad models over the internet, mobile devices and TV screens." As expected, the entire project is being undertaken in order to discover whether it can charge more for certain spots, but we're told not to expect the findings until early next year

Disney Creates Lab for Biometric Testing of Advertisements - Switched

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Man Flies Over Alps with Backpack Jet - New Technology

New way to travel...had to include this video, a bit off topic but fascinating...like the Jetsons from years ago!  BD

Video of a man wearing a similar device and flying through the air. This is earlier test footage of Yves Rossy, who yesterday jumped out of a small  plane with his custom wing strapped to his back, then throttled up and flew over the Swiss Alps.

Man Flies Over Alps with Backpack Jet - Switched

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Nerve block cuts hot flashes after breast cancer

Good news here...for many....the dreaded hot flashes!  This could even benefit those who just have hot flashes too...BD 

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Blocking parts of the nervous system that regulate body temperature can reduce hot flashes and improve sleep in survivors of breast cancer, researchers reported on Thursday.

With the experimental nerve blocker therapy, the average number of hot flashes per week fell from about 80 to just 8. Very severe hot flashes were almost totally abolished and a marked drop in nighttime awakenings was also seen, according to a report in the online issue of the Lancet Oncology.With treatment, the average number of hot flashes per week fell from 80 to 8, as mentioned, and severe hot flashes virtually disappeared. Night awakenings dropped from 19.5 per week prior to treatment to just 1.4 per week.

Nerve block cuts hot flashes after breast cancer - Yahoo! News

Technorati Tags: Hot Flashes

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Wii finds home in retirement communities, medical centers

The WII continues to find a place in health care facilities...becoming a potentially vital portion of rehabilitation plans...and just good old exercise...no more basket weaving for the retirement communities today!  BD 

WASHINGTON — The Nintendo Wii is making inroads not only with non-traditional video game players but also in unlikely places.

At retirement communities, the Wii is transforming the social scene into a whole new game. At medical centers, the game system is being plugged into rehabilitation regimens.  Romero is looking forward to seeing whether the Wii Fit program fits into the occupational therapy clinic's toolset, too. "The Wii has kind of sparked a nerve in the therapy world," he says. "It has set off a new age of electronic treatment."

An arts and crafts room at Riderwood Retirement Community in Silver Spring, Md., on a recent afternoon had the feel of a bowling alley.After Carol Fales, 63, shot a 198, she said, "I have progressed. I didn't think it could be done from a wheelchair."

Wii finds home in retirement communities, medical centers - USATODAY.com

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Forbes Medi-Tech Announces Corporate Restructuring

Development on drug development to cease...outsourcing will begin...more focus on dietary supplements...BD 

VANCOUVER, BC -- Forbes Medi-Tech today announced a plan to focus exclusively on its revenue-generating nutraceutical business, which includes functional foods and dietary supplements, and cease all in-house drug development activities. The restructuring plan involves staff reductions across various departments within the Company's current active workforce. The Company is retaining key personnel required in order to achieve immediate and longer term goals.

The Company plans to close its drug development facility in San Diego, California and reduce its current total workforce by approximately one-third, affecting employees in the U.S. and Canada.
Forbes will continue to seek favorable business development opportunities for its pharmaceutical business unit, including out-sourcing and licensing agreements. The Company retains the ownership and rights to drug compounds and technologies within its intellectual property portfolio.

nounces Corporate Restructuring - FierceBiotech

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Microsoft intros the TouchWall - Useful for Health Care too...

Not too long ago I posted a video from Microsoft showing the use of the TouchWall for Healthcare in

a clinical setting....compare the 2 videos here and see for yourself...TouchWall coming to a healthcare facility someday, as long as it's HIPAA compliant....an intelligent Whiteboard....BD

If you've been watching CNN's election coverage lately (and we think you have), then you've probably seen anchor John King tripping the light fantastic on the channel's Magic Wall touchscreen. Apparently, Microsoft has come up with its own

version of the board -- essentially a Surface flipped on its side and mounted. The device, known as the TouchWall, joins a handful of finger-friendly prototypes that Microsoft Research is working on (including a spherical unit we assume will be used strictly for world domination campaigns).

Microsoft intros the TouchWall -- maps will never be the same again - Engadget

Technorati Tags: Whiteboard,HealthCare,TouchWall,Touchscreen,Surface

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If It’s Eye Care Technology, This Must Be Orange County, CA

There are 310 Biomedical firms in Orange County...interesting article that reviews some of the larger companies and the history...BD 

Some of the companies were nurtured by a six-year-old private organization of more than two dozen top executives of corporations in the county. The organization, called Orange County Technology Network, or Octane, has so far created 27 companies, most in electronics and software technology, and biomedical devices, especially for eye care.

If It’s Eye Care Technology, This Must Be Orange County - New York Times

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Solar bra brings conservation closer to the heart

In Japan...and green in color...strange...use your bra to recharge your cell phone or Ipod?   BD 

TOKYO (Reuters) - Ladies, take your battle for the environment a little closer to your heart with a solar-powered bra that can generate enough electric energy to charge a mobile phone or an iPod.

Solar bra brings conservation closer to the heart - Yahoo! News

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ACORN opens online system to all medical studies

One more resource for oncology research and clinical studies...BD 

Memphis-based Accelerated Community Oncology Research Network is putting its Guardian electronic data system on the market for all medical studies. The system had only been available to studies within the ACORN clinical trial portfolio, which focuses mainly on oncology research.

Guardian is a Web-based system that allows researchers to collect and analyze their data. An ACORN spokesman was not aware of the price of the system.

ACORN is a network of oncology research facilities and practices. Those facilities conduct contracted research and clinical trials for pharmaceutical companies as well as independent research.

ACORN opens online system to all medical studies - Memphis Business Journal:

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9-year-old girl's twin is found inside her stomach

Rare condition...not a tumor but a twin living inside since birth...BD 

(AP) -- A 9-year-old girl who went to hospital in central Greece suffering from stomach pains was found to be carrying her embryonic twin, doctors said Thursday.

Doctors at Larissa General Hospital examined the girl and surgically removed a growth they later discovered was an embryo more than two inches long.

9-year-old girl's twin is found inside her stomach

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Health Support Goes Mobile on Cell Phones

Mobile phones...more medical interfaces...still need training though...to help folks use some of these features....BD 

San Francisco based Health Support Systems, (HSS) upgraded its "Health Monitor" online wellness and disease management portal. Users can now access Health Monitor from a mobile phone and receive alerts by SMS text messages.

For example, Health Monitor now allows a diabetic user to update his Sugar, BP or Lipid parameters from a web-enabled mobile phone (WML & XHTML are supported). The phone access also provides quick health profile reports, and allows medication and other reminders to be received by SMS text messages. Health Monitor indicates if the patient’s levels are out of range, and provides coaching on corrective action that can be taken.

Health Support Goes Mobile

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Placebo Television #12

The Disruptive Physician...BD 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdM30Jim1zc

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Drug Spending Moves Up for Diabetes, Down for Cholesterol

Report based on data from Medco on prescriptions filled over a 2 year period...BD 

In health spending, how many people are being treated for a disease can be a lot less important than how much it costs to treat each person. That’s what we took from this report out today from Medco, the pharmacy benefits manager.

Use of diabetes drugs increased only 2.3% last year, but spending rose 12%. The big driver was the introduction of new, expensive medicines that replace or are added to older, cheaper ones.

Health Blog : Drug Spending Moves Up for Diabetes, Down for Cholesterol

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Masimo Receives FDA Clearance For Noninvasive Total Hemoglobin

 Get immediate results without having to send to the lab, and just overall from a patient view, this looks better than the way of drawing blood we are all accustomed to...with the usual needle and locating the vein to draw blood....BD 

Masimo, the inventor of Pulse CO-Oximetry(TM) and Measure-Through Motion-and-Low-Perfusion pulse oximetry, announced it has received FDA clearance for its breakthrough noninvasive and continuous total hemoglobin monitoring technology (SpHb(TM)). The availability of Masimo SpHb technology should make hemoglobin measurement more convenient and broadly available to clinicians in both hospital and outpatient settings -- helping them make earlier and better  clinical decisions, improve patient safety and decrease costs. Noninvasive total hemoglobin will be offered as part of the upgradable Masimo Rainbow SET technology platform.

Masimo Receives FDA Clearance For Noninvasive Total Hemoglobin

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Remaining stocks of Trasylol removed

Only a very limited use to continue...and now considered "investigational"...BD 

On Nov. 5, 2007, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that Bayer Pharmaceuticals Corp. agreed to an FDA-requested marketing suspension of Trasylol, a drug used to control bleeding during heart surgery. At that time, preliminary results from a Canadian study suggested an increased risk for death compared to two other drugs used to control bleeding.  Under a limited use agreement, access to Trasylol is limited to investigational use of the drug according to the procedures described in a special treatment protocol. The protocol allows treatment for certain patients who are at increased risk of blood loss and transfusions during coronary artery bypass graft surgery and who have no acceptable alternative therapy. Physicians using Trasylol in this situation must also verify that the benefits of the drug clearly outweigh the risks for their patients.

Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc. has notified the FDA that the company will begin removing the remaining Trasylol stock from the U.S. market, most of which is in warehouses and hospital or physician's stock. The FDA will work with Bayer to ensure a smooth and complete process.

Remaining stocks of Trasylol removed

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Paraplegic motorcycle

This is interesting...for those who had accidents or are no longer able to ride a bike...full details and specifications at the site...BD

It’s a sad fact that if you ride motorcycles for any length of time, you’re more than likely to run into somebody who used to ride bikes but can’t any more due to catastrophic injury - often these are injuries sustained in bike crashes. I’ve known several ex-bikers who have sustained life-changing injuries through the sport, and a few common threads emerge: most have no regrets, most are getting on with life with strength and dignity, and most would desperately love to ride again one day. And not a trike, a proper, leaning-in-the-corners, motorcycle.

West Australian company gives paraplegics the chance to ride a motorcycle again » The Biker Gene

Source:  http://www.gizmag.com/dreamfit-the-motorcycle-for-paraplegics/9327/

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A Range Of Cosmetic Medicine Procedures For Any Age

Thinking about Plastic Surgery...new interactive website with some helpful information...one useful item is the ability to find a board certified surgeon...with all the recent news of late and horror stories, this is important...create a profile, take the quiz and find a physician all at one website....also listed are the national average fees for the most common procedures....BD 

BeautyforLife.com is the new interactive website where consumers can answer a few questions and receive a customized cosmetic medicine Beauty Plan. The website-a joint initiative of American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) and the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS)-is helping consumers understand and make educated choices among the full range of cosmetic medicine procedures.

Just take a moment to complete this confidential quiz* to get your customized plan! We’ll also email you advice for a healthy lifestyle and breaking news about plastic surgery procedures— all chosen specifically for you based on your answers to the quiz.

A Range Of Cosmetic Medicine Procedures For Any Age

Technorati Tags: Plastic Surgery,Plastic Surgeon,Plastic Surgery cost

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More Patients Say They Receive Excellent Care From NHS Hospitals In Major National Survey, UK

Results did vary a bit from trust to trust...and there were still issues to be addressed...results of the survey to be published on the website....BD 

More patients are rating the care provided by NHS hospitals as "excellent", according to a survey published yesterday by the Healthcare Commission.
In the biggest survey of patients staying overnight in English NHS hospitals, 42 percent of respondents gave their care the top possible rating, up from 38 percent in 2002 and an increase from 41 percent in the last survey.

For the first time, the Commission is today releasing on its website a national overview showing the comparative scores for all NHS trusts on topics such as hospital food, cleanliness and levels of privacy.

More Patients Say They Receive Excellent Care From NHS Hospitals In Major National Survey, UK

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Microsoft's WorldWide Telescope - Fascinating...

This is an off topic post, but if you have not seen this yet, do it...fascinating and I just downloaded the application myself a couple days ago...BD 

Microsoft isn’t exactly known for launching free applications, but the Redmond based software giant is slowly but steadily launching more and more free apps for computer users in a bid to better its monopolistic image. Continuing in this vein, it has come out with its WorldWide Telescope app which will let all Windows operating system users view the huge number of images, captured in space by a chain of orbiting telescopes. For this to happen, Microsoft has put all the space images available into one big 12 terabyte server. These images are put together to form interactive guided tours. This, Microsoft hopes will give users the opportunity to delve into the hitherto unknown facets of outer space and learn a lot about what lies beyond our little blue planet.

A Virtual Journey Through Space With Microsoft's WorldWide Telescope - Gizmo Watch

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Viagra could become a treatment for muscular dystrophy

A new study appears to have found another use for the drug Viagra other than for treating problems such as erectile dysfunction.Canadian researchers say Viagra may help patients suffering from Duchenne muscular dystrophy.Viagra is also used to treat pulmonary hypertension and altitude sickness.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a genetic disease that affects roughly one in 3,600 males and the first signs of the illness usually appear around age five.

Viagra could become a treatment for Duchenne muscular dystrophy

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Only About 1 In 10 Adult Americans Have All The Skills Needed To Manage Their Health

This goes beyond the use of technology and just back to basic issues like reading instructions and filling out claim forms, etc.  BD 

Just 12 percent of America's 228 million adults have the skills to manage their own health care proficiently, according to the latest News and Numbers from the Agency for Healthcare Research. These skills, known collectively as health literacy, describe people's person's ability to obtain and use health information to make appropriate health care decisions. They include weighing the risks and benefits of different treatments, knowing how to calculate health insurance costs, and being able to fill out complex medical forms.

Only About 1 In 10 Adult Americans Have All The Skills Needed To Manage Their Health

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"You Tube of Radiology" sold to McKesson

AJAX for medical imaging...AJAX-based interfaces provide smooth client-server interaction (such as drag-and-drop) without requiring the browser to referesh the page.  Web 2.0 technology with medical imaging...cases can be exported to Power Point as well..just like You Tube, there can be a case of the week, day, etc. 85,000 shared cases have been uploaded to date...email interesting cases to other colleagues...BD 

Vivalog founder Rex Jakobovitis was out searching for venture capital financing when a better offer arrived. McKesson, the healthcare services giant, wanted the 5-person company.  

Jakobovitis, a 39-year-old University of Washington computer science Ph.D. who built Vivalog on the back of NIH grants and early product sales, called off the VC meetings and opted for the buyout.

 

Cases are displayed in a PACS-like viewer, offering users the ability to zoom, pan, scroll through series, and adjust windows/levels. All panels can be indepdently resized by dragging the borders. Images automatically adjust to fit the viewing window. Text appears in tab format, with each field in its own section. Key images are accessed by thumbnails under the text.

The company's online medical imaging portal, MyPACS.net, attracts about 70,000 medical professionals and one million page views each month. Due to the reference cases and comprehensive information on the site, Jakobovitis said Vivalog sometimes is referred to as the "YouTube of Radiology."

MyPACS is a pure web-based application. It requires zero deployment effort, no matter how many users or how many locations. Users can immediately create and browse cases from any PC or Mac. Our dedicated support staff remotely maintains the server as new updates are released.

 

http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/venture/archives/138903.asp?from=blog_last3

Technorati Tags: McKesson,Radiology,PACS,Web2.0,Dicom,Medical Imaging

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Nuance RadCube - New Business Intelligence for Radiology Announced..

Read more about Nuance health care solutions at the website...the home of Dragon Naturally speaking...BD 

Nuance Launches RadCube Business Intelligence for Radiology Clinical Data Analysis. RadCube Automates Structured Data Capture to Drive Smarter Medical and Business Decisions

BURLINGTON, Mass. May 13, 2008 - Nuance Communications, Inc. (NASDAQ: NUAN), a leading supplier of speech solutions, today announced the launch of its Dictaphone Healthcare division’s RadCube, a web-based business intelligence tool for advanced clinical data mining, analysis and classification to drive trend identification and forecasting for better radiology and business decisions.

By adding business intelligence to the radiology data capture and review process, healthcare organizations can access and analyze data that would otherwise remain disparate and unstructured. RadCube is an automated solution that works seamlessly within the radiology operations environment to collect and structure data from computerized physician order entry (CPOE), radiology decision support (RadPort), speech reporting (PowerScribe and RadWhere for Radiology) and critical test result management (Veriphy) applications.

RadCube is available to the market today and works together with the Dictaphone radiology documentation and communication software portfolio, PowerScribe, Veriphy, RadPort, and RadWhere. RadCube can also be integrated within any radiology environment and can be used in combination with RIS, PACS and CPOE solutions.

Nuance - News - Press Releases - 2008

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Wall Street Drug Analysts to Pull All-Nighter Tomorrow to Analyze Cancer Studies...

Interesting...Wall Street trying to figure out how to hit the "moving target" of where to invest with health care as related to Oncology...that explains some recent inquiries....hope they have some good software available to crunch the information with some sophisticated Business Intelligence software doing the drill down mining...BD 

Tomorrow night, at 9 p.m. Eastern, American Society of Clinical Oncology is going to release the results of thousands of cancer studies that will be presented at the group’s big annual meeting. At least a few of those are likely to be market-moving, especially the ones that involve small biotechs whose future rests on a single cancer drug.

But the trick is finding the market-moving needles in a haystack of data — and doing it before the markets open Friday morning.  Of course, some analysts aren’t waiting for the abstracts to make bets about what the data will hold. Morgan Stanley analyst Steven Harr on Monday lowered his rating on ImClone, which makes the cancer drug Erbitux. The company’s stock fell more than 7% Monday, before recovering a bit yesterday.

Health Blog : Wall Street Drug Analysts to Pull All-Nighter Tomorrow

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Verizon Wireless to introduce Linux phones - LiMo

 And what about medical devices that communicate with cell phone...new Linux interfaces?  This is not the same platform used by Apple...which is Android and does not have the large availability of software yet as LiMo has...as the PC world has converged with Linux and Windows working together we might just see the same in motion with cell phones as well...BD 

(AP) -- Verizon Wireless is backing a free operating system that competes with programs from Microsoft Corp., Google Inc. and Qualcomm Inc. and expects it to become the "preferred" software on its network.

It's the first U.S. carrier to join the LiMo Foundation, which aims to unite handset makers, software companies and carriers on a software platform that will make it easier and cheaper to create a wide variety of phones. Malady said Verizon Wireless chose to back LiMo over, for example, Android, because LiMo unites diverse industry participants in an inclusive governance structure and already has software available already.

Verizon Wireless to introduce Linux phones

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Wireless patient devices at risk from proposed Internet use

Good article addressing the "white spaces" of the wireless world...and when the switch goes to digital they will be made available...so your medical device could be broadcasting on the same wave as a baseball game...Channel 37 is the protected channel for medical devices...most but not all hospitals have migrated to this channel...portable Internet devices operating in the adjacent empty channels next to the exclusive medical-device one may be too powerful, bleed into it and "overload" hospitals systems is the concern...and a related article states the doctors should follow heart device patients closely....so to have a baseball game interfere for a simple example would not be good...BD

WASHINGTON (AP) — Losing the audio feed during "Monday Night Football" may seem like a crisis for some sports fan, but it's nothing compared to losing the signal that monitors a critically ill hospital patient.

The technical glitches share a potential source: the proposed use of unoccupied TV airwaves for high-speed Internet service across the country.

Technology companies, including Google Inc., Microsoft Corp. and Dell Inc., have said low-powered, unlicensed and portable devices such as cell phones, laptops and BlackBerrys, can operate safely in the empty spectrum without harming other signals. They say it will provide affordable high-speed Internet and spur innovation.

The Associated Press: Wireless patient devices at risk from proposed Internet use

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Personalized Medicine - BioWindows(TM)

If you want to participate you can sign up at the website...a pool to analyze and hopefully provide data by comparison of a large pool of contributed information...as relates to breast cancer research, more "lab on a chip" for analysis...with markers stored on a chip for quick comparison...information then can be compared to the data base with participant information entered via the survey...BD 

SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Iris BioTechnologies (OTCBB: IRSB, http://www.irisbiotech.com), a theranostics company focused on providing patients, doctors, and clinicians with improved methods of identifying effective treatment solutions, has launched its proprietary database, BioWindows™.

A computer based survey program, BioWindows™ is designed for individuals to compile personalized in-depth profiles to help determine the most appropriate medical solution. Each individual confidentially enters personal information, including demographics, medical history, and lifestyle choices, into a database. This survey, in combination with a specific tissue biopsy, allows for medical professionals to accurately assess the most optimal form of treatment. The database facilitates comparisons with a central repository of gene profiles to assist doctors and scientists in using targeted diagnostic to personalize medical treatments.“Our BioWindows™ platform, coupled with our proprietary Nano-BioChip™, will soon help to identify effective methods to optimize breast cancer treatment, reduce both disease risk and medical costs while ultimately improving the patient quality of life,” Chin continues.

For more information about BioWindows™, please visit: www.irisbiotech.com

Iris BioTechnologies Launches Proprietary Informatics Database, BioWindows(TM)

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Fold It - Update on Folding Proteins...

 From the post last week....news forthcoming next week....BD 

CASP8 is ramping up with a handful of targets released last week, and many more expected this week. The reason you haven't seen many CASP8 work units as we are making a final benchmarking of all the new structure prediction protocols we have developed over the past two years in the new miniRosetta code framework. The testing is on CASP7 targets--we want to determine which of our new methods are best before going all out on the CASP8 targets (yes, we would like to have completed the benchmarking before casp8 started, but there has been so much to do!). the testing should be complete Monday and Tuesday, and based on these results we will be sending out primarly casp8 work units next week using the approaches the tests currently running show are most successful.

I can't emphasize enough how critical all of your contributions are to our efforts to improve protein structure prediction methods! we have had many ideas on potential improvements which we have implemented, but the only way to know whether we are actually getting closer to the truth is to do rigorous testing (the casp7 targets for which we now know the structures are a perfect test set), and this would quite simply be impossible without your contributions! -- David Baker

News archive

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The World's Lightest Wheelchair

This is just down right cool...a portable light weight wheelchair....available so far only in the UK...BD

Disabled people now may have wheelchairs with a spark of revolution. That’s right, Marcus Cunnington, a former technician in the research & development wing at the Williams F1 team has built the world’s lightest wheelchair called the Free Spirit. Putting all his aerospace and F1 expertise to full use, the Free Spirit Wheelchair is made up of one of the world’s stiffest material, Marc has built the Free Spirit from carbon fiber and hence it weighs just 6.3 kilos. To make this wheelchair fit almost anyone who might need it’s services, the Free Spirit can be fully customised. T

Free Spirit: The World's Lightest Wheelchair - Gizmo Watch

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FDA Approves HIFU Clinical Trial For Recurrent Prostate Cancer

New potential for Prostate Cancer for those where radiation therapy has failed...BD 

USHIFU, the clinical trial management provider for Focus Surgery, Inc. (Indianapolis, IN), is pleased to announce conditional written approval pending minor changes to the protocol from the FDA to begin a pivotal trial for the treatment of recurrent prostate cancer with the Sonablate(R) 500 in men who have failed external beam radiation therapy.
Dr. Herbert Lepor, Chairman of Urology at NYU School of Medicine and medical monitor for the trial said, "It is my pleasure to serve as the medical monitor for the prostate cancer clinical trial program evaluating the safety and effectiveness of the Sonablate(R) 500 HIFU device."

FDA Approves HIFU Clinical Trial For Recurrent Prostate Cancer

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Global Medical Innovation Centers - Where the Medical Device Manufacturer's Can go...

A centralized location for device, design, financing, etc. to all come together under one roof for medical devices....and a manufacturing facility in China...no surprise here...in other words an outlet for pursuing bringing technology and medical devices to market...BD 

METHUEN, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Johnson Medtech, the medical products group of Johnson Electric, one of the world’s largest providers of motion actuators, today announced its global network of Medical Innovation Centers. Johnson Medtech’s network of Medical Innovation Centers is comprised of eight locations for design excellence throughout the world.

The facilities feature a full range of design and rapid prototyping services for medical device subsystems and components to enable companies to get products to market by up to 50 percent faster. Customers also benefit from the unmatched manufacturing capabilities of Johnson City, a five-million square foot facility in China with over 30,000 employees.

Johnson Medtech Delivers Device Design and Prototyping Excellence Through Global Medical Innovation Centers

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FDA Chief Relents, Asking Congress to Fund More Foreign Inspections

A step closer to moving out of the 70s...the answer of course is to invest in more technology that will facilitate this movement...with recent news, it becomes very transparent that reliance on old methodologies will be noticed in a heart beat...and this is some of what has been happening here...the old saying of "if it isn't broke, don't fix it" no longer applies today....instead technology visionaries are the key to success...and the efforts of the Quaid family appearing in front of Congress are to be applauded...for trying to make a difference and brining much of this to light...BD  

After getting beat up on Capitol Hill a few weeks back for refusing to request more money, the head of the FDA has changed course.

In an apparent split from President Bush’s proposed budget, Andrew von Eschenbach wrote to Congress asking for $275 million right away to ensure the safety of imported food, drugs and medical devices, the New York Times reports.

In the letter, written in response to an inquiry from Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Penn.), von Eschenbach said the money would go toward things like opening foreign offices and increasing inspections.

Health Blog : FDA Chief Relents, Asking Congress to Fund More Foreign Inspections

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For the Ill, Guidance in Finding a Clinical Trial - A Mess

With the recent activities in the news and bad press on how clinical trials are being conducted, is it any surprise enough patients can't be found...says a lot for the lack of trust on how trials are ran and reported today...so now we have more organizations to promote enrolling participants...would be better to improve the process and restore trust in the process rather than create additional web sites, which are a maize anyway to encourage more participants...in addition, the average lay person may not have the foggiest idea as to the over all process and what side effects may be encountered as well...time to review this process and fix it...too fragmented and of course directed towards profits overall...so something to think about before they donate their body to scientific research....besides who has the time as a potential guinea pig...not a very inviting process in it's current state....BD 

There are lots of clinical questions doctors would like to answer, but they’re left waiting at the gate because they can’t find enough patients to sign up for studies. Meanwhile, lots of patients who might benefit from experimental treatments go without because they don’t know where to look.

A bunch of non-profit organizations and at least one private company are rushing in to try and match patients with suitable trials, the WSJ reports.

Health Blog : For the Ill, Guidance in Finding a Clinical Trial

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Medical's 'Mini' Revolution - Going Small, Going accurate..

Many new products and devices discussed in this article...everything from Lab on a Chip to other small devices...going mini and portable...BD 

Increasingly, the world of medicine is taking the “minimalist“ route, developing technologies designed to sharply reduce patient discomfort and trauma in applications ranging from diagnostics to surgery.

This “mini” revolution in medical embraces innovative tests that identify diseases faster, reducing anxiety in patients and accelerating treatment. It also includes design of more compact, even microscopic-size instruments and procedures for surgery, which speeds recovery times for patients. That, in essence, is the heart of the medical field's “mini revolution” — new designs and discoveries that are dramatically changing treatment modes and improving outcomes for patients.

Medical's 'Mini' Revolution - 5/12/2008 - Design News

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Health records going high-tech, 28 hospitals to share electronic information - New York

Similar to the movement going on in Massachusetts...is this the course of action needed to bring each state under their own umbrella?  I might guess in the near future we might see more states, like Oklahoma recently posted as well, going in the same direction...BD 

Doctors at a number of Bronx hospitals and health-care organizations will soon have instant access to the latest patient medical records when a new electronic medical information system has a trial launch later this month.

The Bronx Regional Health Information Organization will start up with six hospitals and health-care institutions able to update and view electronic medical records of patients who sign on to participate.

Health records going high-tech, 28 hospitals to share electronic info

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Lilly backs transparency on M.D. perks

It is a start in the right direction, but who will have time to mine and read what is posted...if everyone were to join one central location and publish a combined data base...that would be more beneficial....BD 

WASHINGTON — Eli Lilly and Co. today became the first drug maker to support a federal proposal requiring drug and medical device makers to disclose payments, gifts, honoraria and travel reimbursements given to doctors.Lilly also was the first drug company to voluntarily post clinical trial data on its Web site and the first to disclose its educational grants and charitable contributions.

Meanwhile, Warsaw, Ind.-based Zimmer Holdings, a leader in the medical device industry, also has joined in support of such a measure.

Lilly officials say a national disclosure registry is needed to restore public confidence in the relationship between doctors and the industry.

Lilly backs transparency on M.D. perks | IndyStar.com | The Indianapolis Star

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Veran Medical Technologies lands $4.75M in venture capital

Medical Device news....there's a lot to keep up with these days...some products here have FDA approval and clearance...view the web site for additional information....BD

Veran Medical Technologies moved its medical device company from Nashville to St. Louis and secured $4.75 million in venture capital and private financing for its IG4 delivery system for minimally invasive biopsy and ablation of cancer.St. Louis-based venture capital firm Prolog Ventures led the round of financing and was joined by other private investors, including Advantage Capital Partners.  

Veran said its IG4 system and instruments enable accurate, efficient targeting of very small lesions in hopes of being able to treat cancer patients earlier in the disease cycle.

Veran Medical Technologies lands $4.75M in venture capital, relocates to St. Louis - St. Louis Business Journal:

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Hospitals that mostly treat Medicaid patients have made smaller quality performance gains

So where is the incentive for physicians and hospitals to treat Medicaid patients...and in time this could have a rolling effect on their financial status as well...with the recent cuts in revenue how do you win at this game?  BD 

Over time, hospitals with high percentages of Medicaid patients were less likely to be ranked as top performers, as reported on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Compare website. “The percentage of hospitals in the top decile for AMI performance with high percentages of Medicaid patients decreased by more than half, from 10.1 percent in 2004 to 2.8 percent in 2006. At the same time, the percentage of hospitals in the top AMI performance decile with low percentages of Medicaid patients increased from 13.6 percent to 19.7 percent. These patterns held true across all 3 conditions.”

In a simulation model, hospitals with high percentages of Medicaid patients would have received smaller bonus payments and been more likely to incur penalties under pay for performance.

Hospitals that mostly treat Medicaid patients have made smaller quality performance gains

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HMO Pullouts Upend Connecticut Medicaid

Should managed care be able to run a state Medicaid program...it appears to be one legal mess here...and the legalities go on and on...BD 

Connecticut isn't alone in cracking down on the private insurers that manage Medicaid services. Some states, such as New York, have enacted antifraud laws. Some are requiring quality reviews and increased fines, and some turned to secret shoppers to gauge their marketing tactics. The steps, which can help states save millions of dollars, could accelerate as the weak economy squeezes state budgets and boosts enrollment in Medicaid programs.

Mr. Toubman has been fighting Medicaid managed care since Connecticut first adopted it in 1995. He has filed numerous appeals, mostly successful, for clients -- typically single parents with chronic illnesses -- to get medications and other care that managed care providers denied.

HMO Pullouts Upend Connecticut Medicaid - WSJ.com

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Former execs of The Oath found guilty of conspiracy, fraud - HMO - Louisiana

One crooked HMO - top executives had some very creative financing going on as the court found...some non-existent or inflated numbers on the books that did not add up..patients were the real losers...BD

According to the government, Scheur came to Louisiana in 1999 after being hired to straighten out the financially troubled Southeast Medical Alliance health plan, an HMO owned by five New Orleans area hospitals. Instead, he persuade the state Department of Insurance to let him take over the health plan, assuming control of it in January 2000.

Prosecutors contended that at the time The Oath wasn't meeting its $3 million net worth requirement, the defendants illegally enriched themselves by continuing to collect premiums from individuals and groups insured by The Oath, and by having the HMO pay management fees to Scheur's firm.

Former execs of The Oath found guilty of conspiracy, fraud - Breaking News from New Orleans - Times-Picayune - NOLA.com

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More than half of Americans on chronic meds

No surprise on this article, some take offense and say physicians are not spending enough time to educate patients...well with an HMO physician, that might be challenging with the number of patients seen in order to have enough revenue to keep the doors open...BD 

TRENTON, N.J. - For the first time, it appears that more than half of all insured Americans are taking prescription medicines regularly for chronic health problems, a study shows. The most widely used drugs are those to lower high blood pressure and cholesterol — problems often linked to heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

The numbers were gathered last year by Medco Health Solutions Inc., which manages prescription benefits for about one in five Americans.“Unless we do things to change the way we’re managing health in this country ... things will get worse instead of getting better,” predicted Jones, a heart specialist and dean of the University of Mississippi’s medical school.

More than half of Americans on chronic meds - Health care- msnbc.com

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Rate a Pill - the Latest in the Medical Rating Game..

Well one more rating game...drugs...we can currently rate hospitals, doctors, so here's the latest addition...read the article for links to the sites for participation...the one list nobody wants to make of course is Worstpills.org, catchy name...BD 

Now Health Grades, already an arbiter of hospitals and nursing homes, has launched a drug-rating service. Unlike some of the company’s other offerings, the drug ratings won’t cost consumers anything. But there’s no such thing as a free lunch or a truly free drug grade, so you may find ads from pharma companies and others as you search the medicines.

Health Blog : Does Your Medicine Make the Grade?

Technorati Tags: Medicine,Pharma,Pills,Rate,Medical

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Chinese drugs seen driving down generic prices

Quality is the big concern, so it appears the big competition is between India and China for the the future of pharmaceuticals....BD 

Pharmaceutical information group IMS Health Inc said last year's first okay from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a Chinese generic -- a copy of AIDS drug nevirapine -- was a sign of things to come.

China is already the world's biggest producer of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), the chemical raw materials needed to manufacture medicines, but to date it has not been a significant supplier of finished generic pills.

The result will be increased competition in a generic drugs industry that is already struggling with tumbling prices."In order to ensure their success in the market, the Chinese manufacturers are likely to undercut all others on price," IMS said in its annual Intelligence.360 report.

Chinese drugs seen driving down generic prices - Yahoo! News

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CSI Stick: The Portable Cell Phone Forensic Tool

I might guess this could get your medical records too if stored on a phone...BD 

Paraben Corporation, a digital forensic technology provider, announced today that it has released the new Cell Seizure Investigator Stick (CSI Stick). The CSI Stick is a thumb drive size device that forensically acquires data from cell phones. This portable solution is easy to use with a simple one button command to gather data from the device. Whether it is logical or physical information, the CSI Stick can gather the data. "The Paraben CSI Stick has the potential to be a great tool for street level patrol officers. The functionality of the stick allows street level officers to view media quickly and at the same time the stick maintains a forensic image for full exam by forensic lab personnel," said Jay Poupard, of the Michigan State Police.

SunHerald.com : CSI Stick: The Portable Cell Phone Forensic Tool

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Simple, painless hair test detects breast cancer

Still testing, no way to get around the mammograms yet, but this sounds nice!  BD 

A test developed by Australian scientists which promises to be able to pick up breast cancer from a hair sample, could be commercially available later this year.

The test which has been developed by the technology company Fermiscan is an X-ray diffraction test able to detect structural changes in hair collagen with the use of a synchrotron.

Fermiscan says in preliminary trials in 2,000 women, the test was found to have an overall predictive accuracy of 69% for breast cancer.According to the company the accuracy of the test increased to 75% when hair samples affected by treatments such as perming and dyeing were excluded.The trial involved women who had been referred to radiologists by their GP for a mammogram.

Simple, painless hair test detects breast cancer

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Been to Dave & Busters Recently?

 Check your credit cards, data breach story of the week...this had to be an inside job...5,000 credit cards in New York alone were compromised...BD 

The Justice Deparment on Monday said that a ring of international hackers has been busted after harvesting an untold quantity of credit card numbers from the servers of restaurant chain Dave & Busters. The hackers installed software on 11 of the company's 12 national servers that stole so called "track 2" data, which contains credit card numbers, expiration dates, and security codes, but no personal information.

Hackers Who Stole Credit Card Numbers from Dave & Busters Arrested - Switched

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Microsoft Announces Public Preview and Pricing for Windows Essential Server Solutions

The big news is the licensing change from the cost side of things....Server 2008 is still one big jump from Server 2003 and adds security and many other configurable features...not to mention Hyper V for virtualization.  One single Cal can now be purchased as an example, CALS now apply to other copies of Windows Server, SQL Server or Exchange Server on the network...great to save on not having to buy more CALS...this applies to Small Business Server 2008...sign up for Betas at the sight....BD

Customers and Microsoft Corp. partners can now visit http://www.MultiplyYourPower.com to find out how to evaluate pre-release versions of Windows Essential Server Solutions for small and midsize companies: Windows Small Business Server 2008 and Windows Essential Business Server 2008. Microsoft also today announced pricing for both solutions.

By combining Microsoft technologies such as Windows Server 2008, Exchange Server 2007, SQL Server 2008 and other Microsoft products and services into all-in-one IT solutions, Windows Essential Server Solutions help businesses improve efficiency, increase productivity and drive growth. The solutions also are ideal for technology advisors serving the increasingly sophisticated IT needs of small and midsize customers.

Windows Small Business Server 2008 Standard Edition software, including five CALs, $1,089 (U.S.); additional CALs $77 each (U.S.)

Windows Small Business Server 2008 Premium Edition software, including five CALs, $1,899 (U.S.); additional CALs $189 each (U.S.)

Windows Essential Business Server 2008 Standard Edition software, including five CALs, $5,472 (U.S.); additional CALs $81 each (U.S.)

Windows Essential Business Server 2008 Premium Edition software, including five CALs, $7,163 (U.S.); additional CALs $195 each (U.S.)

Bink.nu | Microsoft Announces Public Preview and Pricing for Windows Essential Server Solutions - Bink.nu

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Dog Has Sight Restored: First Veterinary Corneal Implant Procedure In U.S.

Now this is a real "seeing eye dog"...nice story...another dog was the donor....BD 

Sinisa Grozdanic an assistant professor of Veterinary Clinical Sciences performed the surgery that restored sight to 7-year-old Dixie, a Mountain Cur breed owned by Brett Williams of Runnells.
"We are excited for Dixie," said Grozdanic. "She was our patient for such a long time and nothing really worked. She was gradually going down visually and we were finally able to do something to definitely improve her quality of life."

The new cornea is working for Dixie, but she has very little peripheral vision, Grozdanic said.
"She is visual," he said. "For Dixie, it's like looking through a peephole."

Dixie The Dog Has Sight Restored: First Veterinary Corneal Implant Procedure In U.S.

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Novacea cuts staff after partner dumps collaboration

The drug companies invest and they also take away....BD 

A month after Schering-Plough pulled the plug on its collaboration with Novacea for a new prostate cancer therapy--Asentar--the little biotech company announced that it will cut its work force by more than half. Over the next two months Novacea's head count will dwindle from 37 to 15.

"While we believe the company is in a good financial position, the work force reduction was a very difficult decision for the management team, and we extend our sincere gratitude and appreciation to all of the affected employees," said Chairman and Chief Executive John P. Walker.

Novacea cuts staff after partner dumps collaboration - FierceBiotech

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States advised to use carrots, sticks to promote EHR use

The debate is getting more interesting all the time...this looks to be a recommendation for collective bargaining...as a new twist thrown in from what has been kicked around for a few years...The State Alliance for e-Health is a program of the National Governors Association’s Center for Best Practices....and it looks like CME for health IT was also suggested as well....BD 

The State Alliance for e-Health recommends that states consider using incentives and punishments in state-operated health programs to encourage doctors to adopt electronic health records.
At a May 12 meeting in Washington, the alliance adopted a report from its Public Programs Implementation Taskforce that outlines nearly two-dozen strategies that states can use to increase EHR use in Medicaid, the State Children’s Health Insurance Program and other state health programs.
For example, the report suggests that states could form groups of health care providers in counties or regions to jointly buy EHR systems and consultant services, or the state could negotiate discounted prices on behalf of providers.

States advised to use carrots, sticks to promote EHR use

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Vacuum Cleaner for the Brain

New technology gave the the physicians an extra 5 hours...she had a stroke and was not able to speak...the use of this new device is credited with allowing a complete recovery...BD 

COLUMBUS, Ohio (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- A new device suctions blood clots from the brains of stroke patients and buys doctors five extra hours to cut the risk of death and disability.

"I came downstairs to feed the dogs and I  dropped the bowl of dog food and I couldn't figure out why I dropped it," Fargel-McIntosh told Ivanhoe. "I thought, you know, I feel kind of funny. I'm going to go in the living room and lay down … and I just fell on the floor."

When she got to the hospital, it had been three hours since her symptoms first started -- too late to use TPA -- the standard stroke treatment. But there was still time to use a new tool called Penumbra. The first time with the device that we got the vessel open, it was one of those things that makes you get the chills and you shiver and we were high-fiving everybody in the room because the patient just starts talking to us and she had not been able to talk previously," Dr. Budzik said.

Ivanhoe's Medical Breakthroughs - Vacuum Cleaner for the Brain

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