This is still listed as a clinical trial, and there is either a small incision in the chest, or no incision with navigating through the femoral artery in the patient’s leg.  This option will enable patients, who normally would not be able to survive a full open heart surgery to have the opportunity to have a heart valve replaced.

 

The procedure takes 90 minutes, compared to a much longer procedure with full open heart surgery, whereby the entire chest area is cut open, ribs expanded, and with around a 3 month recovery.  It is amazing what technology is creating these days with procedures as such that are saving lives.  The procedure is still considered a trial at Phase 3. 

Not too long ago I did an interview with Dr. Muhs from Yale Medical Center relative to aneurisms and the processes are very similar as far as using a catheter and not having full open heart surgery and was also featured in the Chicago Sun Times. 

As with aneurisms, aortic valve disease can eventually lead to death in some cases as well.  Additional information and videos that show and describe the procedure can be found on the Edwards website.

As was mentioned in my interview with Dr. Muhs, I might also tend to think that follow up visits with the doctor would also be necessary to follow up to check and make sure the valve is still in place and functioning properly.  Minimally invasive surgery is making some real strides in the last few years, especially with endovascular procedures.  BD   

An innovative approach for implanting a new aortic heart valve without open-heart surgery is being offered to patients at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center. Known as the PARTNER (Placement of AoRTic traNscathetER valves) trial, this Phase 3 multicenter study is being led by national co-principal investigators Dr. Martin Leon and Dr. Craig Smith and is focused on the treatment of patients who are at high risk or not suitable for open-heart valve replacement surgery. 

The Edwards SAPIEN transcatheter heart valve, made of bovine pericardial tissue leaflets hand-sewn onto a metal frame, is implanted via one of two catheter-based methods -- either navigated to the heart from the femoral artery in the patient's leg, or through a small incision between the ribs and into the left ventricle. It is then positioned inside the patient's existing valve, using a balloon to deploy the frame, which holds the artificial valve in place. Both procedures are performed on a beating heart, without the need for cardiopulmonary bypass and its associated risks.

Heart valves implanted without open-heart surgery

Related Reading:

Interview with Bart E. Muhs, M.D., Yale School of Medicine – Aneurysm Repair Surgery

Technorati Tags: Heart Surgery,healthcare,transcatheter,heart valve,New York Presbyterian Hospital,Clinical Trial,heart disease

This is not one of somewhat off balanced individuals walking the earth, this is a surgeon, but he did say he would take 1.5 million instead of the return of the kidney.  Obviously he saved her life and this sounds like one of those moments of rage that occur with divorce, or at least let’s hope so.

This is a bit different than the usual fighting over the furniture, refrigerator, etc.  Does the wife have 1.5 million of funds first of all, and how would one use a kidney as collateral?  The story said he has not been able to see his kids for a few months, so that may add fuel to the fire, but if I were him and wondered where the wife and kidney had been, he might be better off to hire a private investigator and try that route.  If he was looking for publicity for his case, he certainly has it now.  BD   

A Long Island surgeon embroiled in a nearly four-year divorce proceeding wants his estranged wife to return the kidney he donated to her, although he says he'll settle for $1.5 million in compensation.

Dr. Richard Batista, a surgeon at Nassau University Medical Center, told reporters at his lawyer's Long Island office Wednesday that he decided to go public with his demand for kidney compensation because he has grown frustrated with the negotiations with his estranged wife.  He said he gave his kidney to Dawnell Batista, now 44, in June 2001. She filed for divorce in July 2005, although he claims she began having an extramarital affair 18 months to two years after receiving the kidney transplant, his attorney, Dominick Barbara said.

Batista, 49, said he has no regrets about donating the kidney, only about the failed marriage. The couple was married in 1990 and lived in a million-dollar home in Massapequa. They met while he was working at a hospital and she was training to be a nurse.

http://www.silive.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/news-29/123135986657520.xml&storylist=simetro

Technorati Tags: Divorce,Wierd story,Kidney,transplant,surgeon,affairs

The drug, ATryn has already been approved in Europe.  Up until now the drug has been created from blood from human donors.  The drug is used to prevent blood clots and would be used during surgery given via an IV, and would not replace normal prescribed blood thinners taken as a normal treatment plan. 

“Milk from transgenic goats is collected according to standard operating procedures that meet or exceed established practice for the dairy industry. GTC Biotherapeutics has developed a highly efficient proprietary process for the recovery of biologically active proteins from this milk. This process typically begins with direct filtration of raw milk under specific conditions that remove fat, casein, cells and particulates. This is followed by a capture chromatography step that is specific for the particular protein. Additional chromatography steps are then used to achieve high level purity of the protein.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — You've heard of making cheese from goats' milk, but prescription drugs? In what would be a scientific first, an anti-clotting drug made from the milk of genetically engineered goats moved closer to government approval Wednesday after experts at the Food and Drug Administration reported that the medication works and its safety is acceptable.

Called ATryn, the drug is intended to help people with a rare hereditary disorder that makes them vulnerable to life-threatening blood clots.  To make the drug, scientists at GTC put DNA for the human antithrombin protein into single cell embryos of goats. Goat embryos with the gene were then inserted into the wombs of surrogate mothers who gave birth to baby goats carrying the new trait.

Its approval would be a major step toward new kinds of medications made not from chemicals, but from living organisms genetically manipulated by scientists. Similar drugs could be available in the next few years for a range of human ailments, including hemophilia.

Scientific advisers to the FDA will weigh the risks and benefits of ATryn at a meeting Friday, and make a recommendation on approval. The FDA will make the final decision.

The Associated Press: Drug from genetically engineered goats a first

Technorati Tags: FDA,drugs,pharma,genomics,DNA,healthcare

Here’s some good news for coffee lovers like me, this time it’s good news, add some coffee to your diet with a cup a day and your chances of cancer may decline as related to throat and oral types of cancer.  BD 

Raise high the coffee bean! Good news, coffee-drinkers: a new study shows your beverage of choice may lower your chances of getting oral, esophageal and pharyngeal (back-of-the-throat) cancer.
Japanese researchers report in the American Journal of Epidemiology this week that people they studied who drank a cup or more of Joe daily had about a 50 percent less chance than non-imbibers of developing these cancers.  The scientists based their findings on 13 years of data of some 38,000 people ages 40 to 64 with no history of cancer.

"The evidence is pretty strong" in this research, says Ann Gillenwater, a professor of head and neck surgery at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, who was not involved in this study.

A perk for coffee lovers: java may lower oral cancer risk : Scientific American Blog

Technorati Tags: Coffee,Cancer,Fruits,Nutrition

There is another column added whereby information from other blogs and journals can be viewed on the site.  What happens when you click on a link, the full story will show up within the website, so you don’t have to leave the blog to view a post from another blogger, journal or paper.  You will see this in the middle of the page, a short distance down from the top. 

Here is one from Fierce, which most may all be familiar with their web site. 

After viewing the article, all you need to do is scroll down and you are right back to the main page, or use the link and close the article viewed.  The article will appear on top of the normal items on the blog.

Also the Sphere Icon is there as well to bring up a window that will take you to other blogs, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, etc. for related articles.  The icon is located at the bottom of the posted article.

This is the pop up window you will see and it will allow you to look up related posts easily from both blogs, journals and news papers. 

Anyway, while you are here, hopefully the additional listings and tools might make it easier than having to exit and chase down similar stories on the web. 

Thanks once more to everyone who takes the time to stop by and tell a friend! 

Clinical Trials coming soon!  FDA still working with the company so I guess the trials are TBA for now.  Kythera was formed by a group of former Amgen employees.  If approved by the FDA, off label use here looks very attractive, forget the jaw and let’s get down the real problem areas (grin).  BD 

Kythera Biopharmaceuticals, announced “clinically meaningful” positive results from two phase II studies of its lead product, ATX-101, for zapping small fat deposits under the chin.

Details were sparse. But the closely held company said the studies, involving 157 patients, showed the experimental drug was “safe and tolerable” and also demonstrated a statistically significant improvement over a placebo. Side effects seen in the studies included temporary swelling of the injected area as well as mild post-injection pain followed by temporary numbness.

The tests were performed on fat deposits immediately beneath the chin and jaw line. If the drug were to obtain FDA approval it would also be possible for physicians to use it off-label in other parts of the body, such as the thighs and abdomen, where many people carry unwanted fat.

Kythera, based in Los Angeles, said it expects to enroll a “substantial” number of patients for its pivotal human tests, but declined to discuss specifics or timing. The firm said it has been discussing various aspects of the trial with the FDA

Health Blog : Injected Fat-Dissolver Shows Promise in Human Tests

Even Social Security is jumping on the bandwagon with allowing enrollment on the internet.  Recently I had also posted about Beth Israel Hospital in Boston working with Social Security on the exchange of medical records as relates to disability with their pilot program. 

Just like every other business today, the human time to sit down with each person for around 45 minutes is just not available at the pace we are moving at today.  There will be upcoming ads in the papers as well to promote.  BD 

Social Security likes PHRs too – wanting to work with EMR and PHR software with pilot program

Beth Israel is always on the cutting edge with technology.  As integration and transfer of medical records continues, Social Security has also  asked EHR and PHR vendors, health providers and payers to suggest how such a process could be set up, as most adhere to the CCR or HL7 standards.  This makes sense for both, and especially the PHR today, since budgets and the economy are putting restraints on some areas of expansion with EMR/EHRs.

— The Social Security Administration, bracing for the coming eligibility of 80 million baby boomers, is introducing an online application that will allow people to apply for retirement benefits in as little as 15 minutes.

Social Security Commissioner Michael J. Astrue said in an interview the agency was completely overhauling its electronic services in recognition of the greater computer skills of future Social Security recipients and the need to more efficiently process the coming flood of applications.

"We just don't have the infrastructure to handle that workload in the traditional fashion," he said.

Here’s where you go:   http://www.socialsecurity.gov and click on "Filing Online for Retirement Benefits."

The Associated Press: Social Security begins taking online applications

Technorati Tags: Social Security,healthcare,integration,Beth Israel Deaconess of Boston,PHR,personal heatlh records

The FDA issued a generic alert to doctors warning of complications in surgical mesh devices designed to treat stress urinary incontinence but the product was not specifically named.  Johnson and Johnson back in December just purchased Mentor, who is also known for their other products such as breast enhancement implants.  BD 

The manufacturer of a medical device used to treat a form of urinary incontinence in women is heralding a recent court verdict as dozens of lawsuits alleging problems tied to the product have been consolidated and head to their first pretrial hearing this month.

In the past year and a half, 32 lawsuits have been filed against Mentor Corp., a Santa Barbara, Calif.-based cosmetic surgery device manufacturer that, in 2003, launched the ObTape, a sling that is surgically implanted to treat stress urinary incontinence, which often is brought on by coughing, sneezing or exercise, and is common in women after childbirth. The product was removed from the market in 2006.

Law.com - Suits Pile Up Over Controversial Medical Device for Women

Technorati Tags: Medical Devices,Mentor,FDA,Johnson and Johnson

Neuromodulation is a growing field to say the least.  There is also this related story below which is using pretty much the same technology.

Sex Chip is to stir up the libido – the latest technology with implanted medical devices?

The story below about the banjo player who was helped is quite a success story.  As with any procedure there is a risk of infection and is is no different with devices being implanted.  A drug is a visitor, but a device comes home to live with you. 

For other uses, such as depression, you might have to do some real convincing for me at least, although I have had readers comment in the recent past that the device has worked for them, and this was a patient suffering from depression and not Parkinson’s.  Check out the related reading below and watch the video on the banjo player who was helped with the therapy for more information.  BD   

A study of brain-stimulation technology for patients with advanced Parkinson's Disease showed treatment helped battle symptoms better at six months than drugs and therapy did, but also caused many more adverse events such as infections.

Medication can help, although not all patients respond and medication can lose effectiveness while causing more side effects over time, according to researchers involved with this study. Doctors have also been using stimulation devices to treat patients for the last decade or so. Medtronic's system was approved for a different use in 1997, but doctors can choose to use devices for so-called off-label purposes.

The technology involves implanting a pacemaker-like device in the chest and then running wires deep into patient's brain, where energy is used to stimulate areas linked to movement issues. Medtronic's system today is approved for essential tremor, Parkinson's and another movement disorder called dystonia, and the company is aiming to win approval for epilepsy, depression and obsessive- compulsive disorder.

Total costs to get a system implanted are about $60,000.

Brain Implants For Parkinson's Show Benefits, Risks – Study

Related Reading:

The Future – A Day of Going to the Doctor

What is Cyberchondria and Who Has it?

FDA Clears Neurostar® TMS Therapy For The Treatment Of Depression

Legendary Banjo Player's Brain Helped with Deep Brain Stimulation - The Brain Defibrillators are here

Brain Power Technology – Awesome Breakthrough!

Many illnesses may be in for a shock - The Brain Defibrillators

Tapping the Brain for Profit - Medical Devices for the Brain, they do exist

Technorati Tags: Neuromodulation,Brain,Medtronics,St. Jude,Parkinsons Disease,healthcare,depression,brain implants

I had no idea I have been munching on these little guys for years, and probably wearing them as well!  As everything else goes today with being the informed consumer, transparency on what we are wearing and eating will be reflected on the labeled products, gives a whole new meaning to “beetle juice”.  BD  

That’s right, bugs. Specifically, crushed cochineal beetles. The ingredient is also often called carmine.

There has been debate for many years about the safety of using these crushed bugs to color food and cosmetics.

Now the Food and Drug Administration has finally ruled that products with carmine and cochineal list them by name in ingredient lists.

Until now there was no way to know if a product contained the bug-based food color.

It has been found it in yogurt, Good and Plenty candy and Tropicana's Ruby Red grapefruit.

The coloring, which is extracted from the dried bodies of the tiny cochineal bug, have been hidden on labels under the terms “artificial colors” or “color added.”

FDA Rules: Bug Based Food Color Must Be Listed On Label - Consumer News Story - WPXI Pittsburgh

Technorati Tags: FDA,Food coloring,healthcare,transparency,beetle

This is pretty interesting in the fact that the device mixes silver, zinc and copper ions within the device instead of a coating placed on the outside, in other words it is part of the product or solution.  5 percent of spinal surgeries are known to involve infections and this appears to be able to fight off the bacteria after surgery, it is not FDA approved yet but anticipated later this year.  The company is currently existing on “Angel” funding, of which, most investors are surgeons. 

With the never-never events scrutinized at hospitals, this looks like it could have some real benefit in reducing the number of infections after surgery.  BD 

DiFusion Technologies Inc., a start-up medical device company, is gearing up to launch a flagship product that will target the orthopedic market at the same time it's raising additional capital.

Dr. Matthew Geck, founder and board member of DiFusion, said the company will release a medical device this year capable of killing 650 types of bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as MRSA (also known as “Superbugs”), in local surgical wounds for up to four weeks following surgery.

 

DiFusion Technologies takes aim at surgical infections - Austin Business Journal:

Technorati Tags: MRSA,Spinal Surgery,Infections,orthopedics,Angel Funding,bacterial,hospital acquired infection

What was anticipated as being a booming year for health IT relative to electronic medical records has somewhat hit a stall, at least for now due to economic conditions.  We probably won’t know more until the new administration takes office and can go from there. 

Right now there are many hospitals struggling for their survival, much less have enough capital for the expenditure required to convert from paper to a paperless charting and business intelligence system.  Related Reading below has additional details.  BD 

Health care information technology stocks slid Tuesday after a Leerink Swann analyst said the electronic medical records portion of President-elect Barack Obama's economic stimulus package will not help the sector right away.

In afternoon trading, AthenaHealth shares fell 81 cents, or 2.3 percent, to $35.04, while Cerner stock fell $2.09, or 5.3 percent, to $37.25 and Quality Systems shares gave up $2.46, or 5.8 percent, to $39.66. Shares of Allscripts-Misys lost 73 cents, or 7.3 percent, to $9.26.

Sector Snap: Health care IT falls on funding delay - Forbes.com

Related Reading:

University of Connecticut Health Center asks Legislature to Approve Merger With Hartford Hospital

Desperate Hospitals – Updated November 21, 2008

Hospitals Put Patients' Debt Up for Auction

Tenet Takes A Hit – Even After selling several hospitals this year

Eight Southern California hospitals sue Kaiser

Anaheim General Hospital loses accreditation – Orange County, CA

Judge Rules on Balance Billing in California – Physicians not be able to balance bill

Technorati Tags: EHR,EMR,medical records,heatlhcare,Health IT,technology,hospitals,desperate hospitals

Well this might end up being a good move here as there’s much to gain.  At least invest in something that has the potential to improve and save lives rather than to over deluge us with more social software.  Don’t misunderstand here, I use and like social medias and it works well for me with blog promoting and making connections, but how much more do we need and will there be a VC return?  A question the VC may want answered as well. (grin).  Here’s an article that lists the most exposed VC firms to Web 2.0. 

I talk quite a bit about personalized medicine on the blog here and have an upcoming interview with Rosetta Genomics before the week talking about one such development on the war with cancer.   I just can’t quite compare an online game phenomena to software that can create better cancer and other medical conditions, so perhaps if we can perhaps get over entertaining ourselves as much, some of the new technologies being developed will stand a big chance.   

One good point made in this article too is the minimal cost investments required by a VC firm with Web 2.0 technologies as well, so throw in some good healthcare applications, like personal health records, and we could really see this take off.  Software in every area is getting more complex as it grows and gee when you think about it; how much time do you have to devote to learn each and every new wave that arrives, and later find it it be consumed by a larger fish and then add one more learning curve. 

Again, I like software and what it does, but with every new program we can pretty much count on at least a dozen knock offs, and then the game begins on who will win.  The same thing occurs with healthcare technologies and software with biotech, etc. but hey at least there’s one great goal in place and it has to do with the dream and potential reality of one day ridding the world of cancer and other diseases we fight every day.  Now that’s worth some VC funds if you ask me.  BD 

PERSONALIZED HEALTH CARE Venture capitalists say one sector of the economy that technology has not yet transformed is personalized health care.

Jennifer Fonstad, a managing director at Draper Fisher Jurvetson, is looking at companies that use information about a person’s genetic code to offer predictive medical advice or preventive health services or devices.

Internet companies that help patients, banks and insurance companies manage health savings accounts or help people find assisted-living homes for aging parents are other likely recipients of investors’ largess.

“Cisco was founded two weeks before a stock market crash. Oracle was founded during the Reagan recession,” Mr. Holland said. “In bad times, that’s when the best opportunities come up.”

In Silicon Valley, Venture Capitalists Turn Cautious - NYTimes.com

Technorati Tags: Venture Capital,Start Ups,Personalized Medicine,healthcare,Web 2.0,cancer,R and D,Biotech

Recently there has been quite a bit in the news about eClinicalWorks and perhaps this might be due to the fact that they not only offer a complete electronic medical records program, but they also appear to have a large focus on interoperability as well. 

The related reading section below has a couple other recent announcements as well.  Integration of medical records is the keyword for 2009 and was for 2008, but I believe this year we will see even more movement in that direction.  Also notice the notes about integrating with a personal health record, which is also set to be on fire this year as well. 

I have a widget on the site from a company called Trialx, which is working with PHRs to find clinical trials, based on the information contained in the personal health record, and the natural move here too is also have the ability to search from an EHR/EMR as well.  I have this feeling that there could

very well be some real work in progress with eClinicalWorks with bringing this to the forefront as well by using the software as a service application to mine and find an appropriate trial, based on information that has been added to the electronic medical record.  You can read more from the post below. 

Clinical Trials and Personal Health Records – New Resources on the Medical Quack

By using the widget you can do a search and find an investigator and become connected immediately, but the next best move is to have medical information imported that will narrow the search down to exactly the trials that would apply, based on medications taken, conditions, etc. right from a chart, either an EHR or PHR, to avoid having to sift through those that may not be applicable. 

From what I have been reading and seeing on the web, eClinicalWorks certainly seems to be dialed in, as they also work with most of the major hospital systems to integrate as well, such as McKesson, Epic, and a few more, and it operates with Linux too.  BD 

From the eClinicalWorks website:

• Hospital Interfaces—eClinicalWorks interfaces with most major hospital networks including Siemens, IDX, Epic and Meditech so that patient information can be streamlined between in-patient and out-patient.
• Physician-to-Physician Communication—With patient consent, records can be shared between treating physicians to ensure greater accuracy and more complete patient information.
• eReferrals—Referrals can be sent via the EMR, eliminating extra paperwork
• Personal Health Record (PHR)—Patients can modify personal information, view lab results, request refills and other patient/provider correspondence, allowing patients to have a more active role in their care, while reducing the number of phone calls to the office. 
• Continuity of Care Record (CCR)—eClinicalWorks uses CCR to integrate Patient Portal and the EMR, demonstrating the company’s commitment to standards.
• Registry Reporting

WESTBOROUGH, Mass.--(Business Wire)-- eClinicalWorks, a market leader in ambulatory clinical systems, today announced that Children`s National Medical Center of Washington D.C., one of the nation`s top-ranked pediatric hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, has selected eClinicalWorks unified electronic medical record (EMR) and practice management (PM) software for its Children`s IQ NetworkSM. Children`s IQ Network is dedicated to improving connectivity, care and outcomes for children-and will be the first of its kind in the Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia region.

Pediatricians that are part of the Children`s IQ Network will implementeClinicalWorks unified EMR/PM system using a Software as a Service (SaaS) modelso members are able to access the system via the Internet. The system willstreamline clinical processes between practice locations and promote patientsafety while reducing costs. Providers will also have access to eBO, which usesmeta-data to give the practice more flexibility through the creation ofcustomized reports and by performing clinical and financial analysis. eEHX willcreate a community record that will enable physicians to have access to patients` vital health information and allow physicians to exchange data more effectively.

Children`s National Medical Center Selects eClinicalWorks for Children`s IQ Network | Reuters

Dr. Mostashari said New York’s system had already attracted interest from President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team; Mr. Obama pledged during his campaign to spend $50 billion over five years on electronic health records.

The system, custom-designed for New York by a Massachusetts company, eClinicalWorks, would cost a typical doctor’s office $45,000 to implement, but city subsidies reduce that to $24,000 for practices with at least 10 percent of their patients on Medicaid or uninsured; those in neighborhoods with the highest poverty rate pay $10,000. The health department is also putting together groups of doctors to share services like calling or sending text messages to patients to remind them of follow-up visits.

The health department has marketed the program most aggressively in three of the city’s poorest areas — Harlem, the South Bronx and central Brooklyn — sending employees to visit every doctor’s office in an effort to enroll them.

Particularly for less experienced doctors, the system provides what Dr. Jesse Singer, a health department records expert, described as CliffsNotes-style advice on how to handle medical problems based on a patient’s age, sex, ethnic background and medical history. It prompts doctors to provide routine tests and vaccinations, advises them on appropriate treatment and medication for certain conditions, and warns of potentially dangerous drug interactions.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/30/nyregion/30records.html?_r=3&ref=nyregion

Related reading:

Obama's Healthcare Economic Plan – Leaders with “Hands On” Technology Experience and Algorithms Needed

eClinicalWorks Users Annual Meeting – Integration and the Future of EHRS and PHRs

The Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative announces the rollout of WellportSM, the greater-Newburyport health information exchange

The MAeHC Blog: Blog Update and Press Release...

Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative - Press Release

How electronic records reach your doctor – Integrated through the Hospitals

EHR Adoption Remains Off in the Distance – Getting way to complicated

Tufts Medical Center In Boston to Subsidize EHRs

Hoag Hospital Selects eClinicalWorks for Its EHR Subsidy Program- Newport Beach, CA

Technorati Tags: eClinicalWorks,healthcare,EHR,EMR,medical records,New York,pediatrics,Washington DC,Interoperability,Practice Management,Software as as Service,PHR,personal health records

One more warning about the status of hospitals in the US, and she gets right to the point, the first statement pretty much says it all below, and the comment about Medicare makes sense too, making a larger crowd and a varied mix of patients, if 55 were a starting point, it would add younger and healthier patients to the entire mix, thus making it perhaps easier to spread the cost as well.  I can see why she is searched for speaking and opinion statements relative to hospital care.  BD 

“There are only three ways to save money in the healthcare system -- you serve fewer people, you provide fewer services, or you pay less for the services you provide.”

“For 2009, the biggest challenge will be getting paid. Like the rest of the economy, hospitals are not recession proof.”

“And then I think 65 is too old as a entry point for Medicare. I think if they let people participate starting at 55, you'd add a much healthier group of people, so the price would go down.”

On many occasions, Linda Quick is the voice for healthcare in the region. As president of the South Florida Hospital and Healthcare Association, she represents more than 100 entities in an area that stretches from Key West to St. Lucie County. When a television station needs a comment, a reporter has even gone so far as to track her down at the association's annual golfing event.

Ailing economy affects hospitals' health - Business - MiamiHerald.com

Technorati Tags: Hospitals,Healthcare,Recession,Medicare,Florida

Solano County wants their cards, well and for good reason for those who are medically using pot, so they are not arrested.  BD 

A medical-marijuana advocacy group sued Solano County on Monday for its failure to issue identification cards to users of medicinal cannabis as required by state law.

Of California's 58 counties, 51 comply with the ID card program, Elford said.

Jo Ann Parker, deputy Solano County counsel, said the county had not yet been served with the suit. But she noted that the Board of Supervisors is scheduled to discuss the ID card program in closed session Jan. 13.

Solano County sued over pot ID cards

Can’t get your LDL down, even with statins, one more drug to the rescue if needed, and can be taken with or without statin use and it should also raise the HDL, but there’s nothing related to prevent heart disease.  BD 

The FDA approved the new drug application of a new formulation of fenofibric acid — the first and only fibrate indicated for use in combination with a statin, according to a press release. 

Fenofibric acid (Trilipix, Abbott) is manufactured as delayed-release 45-mg and 135-mg capsules and is intended to reduce both triglycerides and LDL and to raise HDL. However, fenofibric acid has not been shown to prevent heart disease or to prevent MI.

According to a manufacturer’s medication guide, fenofibric acid can be used in conjunction with atorvastatin (Lipitor, Caduet; Pfizer), fluvastatin (Lescol, Novartis), lovastatin (Altoprev, Mevacor, Advicor; Abbott), pravastatin (Pravachol, Bristol-Myers Squibb), rosuvastatin (Crestor, AstraZeneca) and simvastatin (Zocor, Simcor, Vytorin; Merck).

FDA approves fenofibric acid for lipid target controls

Technorati Tags: lipids,LDL,HDL,statins,fenofibric acid,FDA,healthcare,pharma,Drugs

Well one more story about internet addiction and treatment processes, and in the extreme cases, they get drugs too.  You know some of the most connected folks I have run across at times really are some of the most disconnected social people I have met.

This somewhat makes you wonder if this is what is happening to online dating too, the virtual spouses, dates, etc. will never them out of the house, much less away from the keyboard (grin) and seem to be kicking them in fanny with lowering their self confidence, but one thing with a virtual that you can’t do in real life is reboot the significant other, you have to deal with them eye to eye.  Will this make it’s way to the US, I guess only time will tell.  BD 

Thomas sez, "China's People's Liberation Army has made Sex education part of the detox methods for getting people over Internet addiction. They claim it works, but one woman under their care has acquired 68 virtual husbands."

Here, in addition to military-style discipline, some 60-odd patients at his center undergo a three-month regimen of counseling, confidence-building activities, sex education, and in about 60 percent of the cases, medication. The treatment is designed to address underlying family and psychological problems, and boost their self-confidence.

China treats "Internet Addicts" with boot-camp discipline and sex ed - Boing Boing

Technorati Tags: Addiction,Internet,Sex Education,China,virtual

Hospital issues continue in Boston and the fact that Blue Cross/Blue Shield is making some large profits probably doesn’t help matters much either.   Last week, Partners was in the news (related reading) over similar issues of being paid at a higher rate.  You might think that the rates could be a bit closer, but as time goes on we will all watch and observe.  We have similar issues in California too with contracts.  BD   

Tufts Medical Center has begun warning thousands of patients that Tufts doctors will no longer accept Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO coverage after Jan. 31, asserting in a letter that the state's largest health insurer refuses to pay Tufts doctors at a "reasonable rate."

But Tufts officials said they had no choice but to begin phasing out Blue Cross coverage after 11 months of what Tufts described as fruitless negotiations with the company. Ellen Zane, Tufts Medical Center's chief executive, said that Blue Cross pays her doctors and hospital 20 to 40 percent less than other major teaching hospitals even though she said Blue Cross ranks Tufts among the top three teaching hospitals in Massachusetts for overall quality. Unless Blue Cross offers Tufts a major payment increase before the end of the month, the Blue Cross HMO contract with Tufts doctors will end on Feb. 1.

Tufts says it will break with Blue Cross over doctor pay - The Boston Globe

Related Reading:

State panel to examine payments to Partners Hospitals in Boston – Other hospitals in the State are looking for a bail out…

Madoff Scam Hits Harvard Medical School Grants and affiliate Beth Israel Medical Center

Wall Street Greed and Fraud Hits Boston Hospitals and Healthcare - donors bilked out of millions

Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Massachusetts reports $57.6 million profit for the 3rd quarter

BlueCross BlueShield Create New Venture Capital Organization

Insurers' reserves criticized

Technorati Tags: Hospitals,Boston,HealthCare,Blue Cross,Health Insurance,Contracts,HMO

This is a bit out of the normal posting business here, but with all the events of 2008 that have taken place, I felt that perhaps a suggested inspirational song for the new year might be appropriate.  

This being one from Enya, not a new song, but one of my favorites that I have used during speaking events to set the tone, and carries some very strong words “if you really want to”, which is something we are all going to have to give some real thought to in 2009.

“Do we really want to” and “only if we want to” as the desire to grow, expand and learn will be more important than it has been in any year past, especially in healthcare. 

Lyrics can be found here and she has a new album out as well. 

It will be more important and vital in the upcoming year to decide to “seize the day” in more ways than one.  BD 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgU7LCh4hgM

When there’s a shadow, you follow the sun.
When there is love, then you look for the one.
And for the promises, there is the sky.
And for the heavens are those who can fly.
If you really want to, you can hear me say
Only if you want to will you a way.
If you really want to you can seize the day.
Only if you want to will you fly away.
When there’s a journey, you follow a star.
When there’s an ocean, you sail from afar.
And for the broken heart, there is the sky.
And for tomorrow are those who can fly.

Ooh go doe bay mwa.
Ooh go doe bay mwa.
Chorus
Ah! je voudrai voler comme un oiseau daile
Ah! je voudrai voler comme un oiseau daile,
Daile...
Ooh go doe bay mwa.
Ooh go doe bay mwa.
If you really want to you can seize the day.
Only if you want to will you fly away.

Technorati Tags: 2009,Inspiration,Heatlhcare,Education,Desire,Motivation,Enya

I read this article and my thought here are why?  Is there that much money being saved on sending to another facility to sterilize equipment?  Also, after spending many years in logistics, how would one like to maybe be the courier services taking care of this, you packages do get damaged in transit too, but there was no mention of how the equipment was being transported to the other facilities to sterilize.  Imagine a package being damaged in transit and having your local FedEx or UPS driver having a nice surprise pop out? 

Only my opinion here, but this is crazy!  And the other question posed here, what do you do when you run out of sterilized instruments, put them in the sink an drag out some bleach?  Now there is an issue with some patients being affected with the use of non sterilized instruments or perhaps not adequately sterilized.  When it comes to efficiencies and saving money, I hope this is not a prime example on how some of this ends up crossing the line of good health care and saving a few bucks!  BD 

A national VA inspection team is now investigating a possible infection threat to select veterans from specific colonoscopy equipment used at York.

Exactly what happened and when it happened, no one has said, but Howard blames the Nashville VA.

"It's not York's fault; it's Nashville's fault because they're not doing the sterilization," she said.

Howard said since 2000, the tools have been packed up each night, placed in a box and shipped to Nashville's VA Hospital to be sterilized.

A spokeswoman for the Veterans Integrated Services Network, which oversees all six VA Hospitals in this region, said the tools are cleaned "in house," but "in house" means at either the Murfreesboro or Nashville facility.  A volunteer who said she's seen instruments delivered day after day in the women's and dental clinic for 20 years said they're often dirty, even after supposedly being sterilized more than 30 miles away.

VA Volunteer Calls Hospital Tools Dirty - News- msnbc.com

Technorati Tags: hospital,VA,veterans Administration,healthcare,outsourcing,surgery

This site follows Lance throughout his training and worldwide cancer awareness campaign.  Information from the website below.  I appreciate and thank the foundation and Livestrong for featuring posts from the Medical Quack!  More about grants awarded can be viewed here. 

If there is anyone who is a cancer survivor, this is a very good site to visit.  BD 

The Lance Armstrong Foundation is proud of its 10-year history of awarding grants to established and young investigators funding research in the areas of cancer survivorship and the basic and clinical science of testicular cancer.

We are excited to announce the recipients of the 2008 research grants. Read more about the grants that we funded through our 2008 RFP.

Additionally, in 2009, we will fund research in three important ways.

• Ongoing support of the LIVESTRONG Survivorship Center of Excellence Network
• Continued funding of the Germ Cell Tumor and Tissue Bank Resource at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center
• Funding of research initiatives to further understand the biology of adolescent and young adult cancers as recommended by the Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Progress Review Group

Later in 2009, the Journal of General Internal Medicine (JGIM) will release a special supplemental issue, sponsored by the LAF. The goal of this supplement is to raise awareness of, stimulate interest in and increase research into issues pertaining to cancer survivorship care in general internal medicine.

http://www.livestrong.com/bbnews/?bbPostId=BAfMYODD5A1mB4i22hiR9pHlCzAJAgK0axKBZCzD4aJh16EOmJ

http://www.livestrong.com/bbnews/?bbPostId=BAfMYODD5A1mB4i22hiR9pHlBEKMuZKSg3AmB12mnTMOOoDc

Technorati Tags: Cancer,Medical Quack,Lance Armstrong,Livestrong,healthcare

I can’t think of one individual that was particularly happy with 2008 to say the least, but 2009 is not a cure all as the new year comes in.  There’s still a lot of clean up and rethinking on how we live and work to come through. 

 As the article states, fixing what is broken is first on the list.  I think I started feeling this in the Spring of 2008, being the geek and code head that I am and believe it or not, knowing how business functions and the ability to foresee combination of efforts from the technology and data side of things I believe gives me a bit of a head start, or at least it seems that way.  In other words, things are not coming as a surprise to me as data technology and transparency is on the move as the ability to keep things under the rug these days is almost non-existent nor possible, those inquiring servers and minds always want to know. 

One of the comments that sticks out in my mind is that which mentions there’s a new piece of technology out EVERY DAY to help either diagnose, treat, or offer some type of better health care, I know, I post a lot of them here on the blog!  

One other item mentioned here is the amount of time we spend online, which of course is increasing all the time, but having the ability to balance what is online and the real world can be a challenge as I can attest for that as well, as something I work at all the time.  With all the various worlds I seem to visit online, it is a balancing act.  Sometimes Twitter irritates me, sometimes I am happy with the information found, same with Facebook, Friend Feed, and the other social networks out there. 

I see a lot of content every day and read quite a bit and go from let’s say the world of gadgets and technology back to healthcare problems and issues.  Sometimes I see the gadget folks not having one single clue as to the urgency of what is happening in healthcare and see only a bliss world of those wrapped up in technology and gadgets.  On the other hand, I communicate with those in healthcare that don’t like gadgets and barely understand technology so there can be a rub on both sides, and my wish at times would be to get both worlds together to share, but again with individual focuses on the internet, that might be hard to do at times, although some just normally cross over though and visit the other side.

The Internet has done one thing probably better than any other single element today and that is choice, we have more choices today than we ever have had, and there’s no sign of that stopping anytime soon, so many choices that it can make the selection process a tedious job too!  That applies to purchasing any product on the web, social sites, dating sites, you name it, and sadly but true when faced with too many choices, as the old saying goes we often leave “empty handed” or far from reaching any type of level of satisfaction and/or feeling of accomplishment too.

In 2009 we will have a lot of disruptive people in our face, which will continue on from 2008, simply due to the economic times and mismanagement of business that has been the ruling factor of the past.  Reading and increasing one’s knowledge base can be a big help, as we all fear the unknown, and with fear comes anger.  Sometimes who ever seems to be in our path at the time is the one who gets it, even though we have no beef with that person, but need to blow. 

In real life I experience frustration of others frequently since I like technology and usually the one who is upset is one that resents what technology is doing, and granted there is intrusive technology out there to irritate us, but be kind to your fellow human and see what a geek might be able to teach you instead of being angry with the “piano player”, as well all learn from each other and there’s no going backward at this point too.

In 2009 the number of choices we have will continue to grow and so will the number of filters we have in life, in 2009 rebooting with added filters is going to be the key to survival as well as returning to values, the value of your fellow human being and how to relate with out “text box”or gadget too, even though those are great to fill in the gaps and stay in touch, gadgets and non emotional and expressions should not be allowed to take over and rule, otherwise, well we end up with some of the most connected and yet disconnected people walking the face of the earth without a clue on what to do when they meet another human eye to eye.  BD  

"2009 is going to be the year we totally reboot," she said. "The system is totally down. It's like the Kennedys as we know them, we're going to reboot with Caroline. The presidency as we know it, we're going to reboot with Obama. And the American city as we know it is over and we're going to reboot with Chicago."

Salzman researched and wrote her 2009 trend predictions in a report titled "Intellect Dialogue: Change is Now," for the Porter Novelli public relations firm. After studying everything from quantitative research reports to Facebook posts, Salzman isn't forecasting any quick fixes to our country's problems. But her predictions do have a few bright spots, such as a return to civility, improvements in health care, and a worldwide appreciation of Chicago.

A return to values: 

The age of less-is-more is here. Value will be placed on how people live their life and not on what they own, where they live or what they do for a living.

Luxury is out, and more attention will be paid to corporate behavior and environmental issues, Salzman says. Listen for more consumers to say, "I'm not paying for all those extra features, I just need the basics."

Taking risks to change health care.

With so much money to be made in this field, change is on the horizon. Personalized medicine, technology and genetic analysis will make medical treatment far more effective, focused and cost-efficient, Salzman predicts.

Money is already being invested in biomedical and genetic enhancement, which some consider "the new space race," the report says. Plus, patents will expire for many brand-name drugs, so cheaper generics are on the way.

"Things are definitely changing," Heim said. "Every day there's a new piece of technology that makes it faster and easier to take care of patients, to diagnose them, and to treat them if necessary."

Living in your "Third Place."

It's not work, and it's not home. Your "Third Place" is your personal den of 21st century media (your choices of Web sites, blogs, DVDs, etc.) where you retreat from the world, connect with people, explore, learn, have fun or fantasize. A big appeal of the Third Place is that it's free and accessible 24/7 from anywhere in the world.

"It's going to be a parallel universe," Salzman said. "We're going to see an explosion. As we spend less time shopping, it's only logical we'd look for other places to be."

Daily Herald | 2009: The year of the total reboot, experts say

Technorati Tags: algorithms,healthcare,reboot,internet

Is this perhaps an attempt to begin some standardization along the line as well?  Well here we go with 2009, more information overload to a degree and not enough folks in government offices to bring this to the table, but it is also the nature of the business, personalized medicine is still very much of a science and as much as we would like, it can’t materialize any faster than R and D can produce.  BD 

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) — The National Institute of Standards and Technology wants genomics, proteomics, and other biomedical researchers to submit ideas about needed advances in personalized medicine, and has asked for white papers detailing these pitches.

The NIST call is part of a new program asking for input on a number of subjects it has deemed “areas of critical national need,” including personalized medicine, and the advice will be used to develop new competitions for funding under its Technology Innovation Program.

More information about the NIST call for white papers addressing areas of critical national need may be found here.

GenomeWeb News: NIST Calls Personalized Medicine a 'Critical National Need,' Seeks Advice for New Funding Programs

Technorati Tags: Personalized Medicine,healthcare,genomics,biomedical,government,NIST

It appears that Humana is thinking an Adobe Flash page might generate some additional interest and perhaps some new customers? 

And then you get to click and it does this:

Don’t really know the entire purpose of the graphics here, but for me, not impressed as navigation is not easy and hard to to read at points.  I’d rather play a real game.  BD

http://crumpleitup.com/

Technorati Tags: Insurance,healthcare,web page,Humana

One group, Partners is making money, while others are starving and it has to do with contracts with insurers and patient mix, charity and those insured.  Click on the picture below to get the background on Partners in Boston from a video on the Boston Globe. 

Blue Cross can’t be complaining too bad as they made 57 million profit in the 3rd quarter and have started a Venture Capital firm and bank to boot, so the higher rates don’t they pay Partners don’t seem to have any effect, and there’s always the “reserves”, which nobody seems to ever discuss much, but the reserves are piles of money that is sitting in the bank for “just in case”, billions if added up across the country if not a trillion or two.  So we have this picture and hospitals taking patients to court to get bills paid, make sense? 

Is this a bail out for some and a profitability roll out for others?  We have some of the same in California too with contracts and they are some of the lowest in the nation as well, the “have” and “have not” hospitals.  See the Desperate Hospital series for more information on how many I found that are taking extreme measures or have already filed bankruptcy in the US in the last few months.  BD 

Governor Deval Patrick will convene a panel of top state officials Monday to look into whether a recently disclosed, eight-year-old agreement between Partners HealthCare System Inc. and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts drove up healthcare costs, making it harder to extend healthcare insurance to all residents.

The panel will also look at current contract negotiations between Partners, the state's biggest health care provider, and healthcare insurers to see whether the negotiations might also create artificially high rates that threaten healthcare reform, officials said.

On the other hand we have this, also happening in Massachusetts

Healthcare groups push for federal bailout funds

Cutbacks to healthcare, among the state's largest industries, could produce a "ripple effect, extending to nursing agencies, equipment suppliers, and other businesses that support hospitals," the Massachusetts Hospital Association warned in a recent letter to the governor. The letter noted there are 479,000 healthcare and social service jobs in Massachusetts.

Joe Kirkpatrick, the association's vice president for healthcare finance, said patients, particularly those with mental illnesses, will feel the effects of continued hospital cutbacks.

State panel to examine payments to Partners - The Boston Globe

Related Reading:

Madoff Scam Hits Harvard Medical School Grants and affiliate Beth Israel Medical Center

Wall Street Greed and Fraud Hits Boston Hospitals and Healthcare - donors bilked out of millions

Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Massachusetts reports $57.6 million profit for the 3rd quarter

BlueCross BlueShield Create New Venture Capital Organization

Health insurers reinvent themselves as money managers – Banks

California regulators to audit health insurers

Blue Cross Blue Shield starts new bank for customers

Insurer's Reserves Criticized

Private health insurance study finds disparity between profits, coverage

Beware of Geeks Bearing Formulas

The battle of the medical bills where nobody but the insurers win

How Hospitals Go To War – Tenet and HCA – It’s a Hedge War with Insurers

The 2 New Hot Words in Healthcare: Algorithms and Whistleblowers

University of Connecticut Health Center asks Legislature to Approve Merger With Hartford Hospital

Technorati Tags: Hospitals,Partners,Healthcare,Massachusetts,Blue Cross,Boston