White House Announces Launch of “Change The Equation” (aka Algorithms) Program –CEO Efforts With Support of the Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation– for STEM*

What does STEM and Change the Equation stand for:

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, that’s STEM and working with Algorithms (there’s that word again). 

Of course readers around the Medical Quack here the technology end of this all the time and enough about the non participants we have both as citizens and in Congress. 

The point of the program with the initial $5 Million dollar grant is to allow more students to engage in robotics (good for healthcare) improve development for math and science too.  Life Sciences is all about math and algorithms.  So far there are 100 CEO members and one of the big leaders is Craig Barrett from Intel.  He’s been beating this drum for years and rightly so as well as current Intel CEO Paul Otellini.

Intel CEO States the US Faces Decline in Tech Jobs–Announces Purchase of German Wireless Chip Company Infineon

I posted this article back in September of 2007 where Craig Barrett stated we need to get into the education of technology, and here we are at 2010 at around the same place and our leaders don’t offer anything as far as role models, but rather more of a soap opera effect in Washington today, sad. 

Well spoken - Craig Barrett.... Intel Corporation

Here’s a short breakdown of the bullet points highlighted and yes when you look at the third item perhaps we will have students helping Congress on how to create policies some day. 

Transforming Libraries and Museums into 21st Century Learning Labs

National STEM Video Game Challenge:

Raytheon’s New STEM Tool for State Policymakers

National Math Science Initiative’s (NMSI) To Assist Military Families:

Nature Publishing’s “Bridge to Science” Program for Parents and Scientists:

The programs are to be privately funded and will increase the number of teachers who enter the profession to help with a STEM undergraduate degree.  I found this to be one heck of good step in the right direction and I think it may have been overshadowed this week with all the news insanity of the crazy folks out there in the elections.  When you watch the video you hear Craig Barrett emphasize engineering is one of the key areas for focus, as students with this major will have many choices in which direction they may want to go. 

We need scientists as that is where the work lies in Life Sciences to find cures.  If nothing else this article brings home the fact that some smart people are listening and realize what changes are needed as technology is rapidly changing the way we live today and the students and teachers are the future so we don’t end up as a country that gets left behind.  BD  

Change the Equation was founded by astronaut Sally Ride, former Intel Chairman Craig Barrett, Xerox CEO Ursula Burns, Time Warner Cable CEO Glenn Britt, and Eastman Kodak CEO Antonio Perez, with support from Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Carnegie Corporation of New York.  With a membership of 100 CEOs, and funding of $5 million for its first year of operations

Today, President Obama announced the launch of Change the Equation, a CEO-led effort to dramatically improve education in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), as part of his “Educate to Innovate” campaign.  Change the Equation is a non-profit organization dedicated to mobilizing the business community to improve the quality of STEM education in the United States.

The United States is falling behind our foreign competitors in STEM subjects.  According to one, study American 15-year-olds ranked 21st in science and 25th in math compared to other countries.  In his remarks to day, the President emphasized the importance of providing American students with a solid foundation in these subjects in order to compete in the global economy:

Changing the Equation in STEM Education | The White House

Technorati Tags: Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation,STEM,White House,Education,Science,Congress,jobs,innovation,Life Sciences,healthcare,Intel,Craig Barrett,Algorithms

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Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert: 'Rally To Restore Sanity'–(And Maybe Help Stamp Out Some Magpie Healthcare too) On Their October 30th March on Washington

These 2 are my absolute favorites when it comes to making points and using humor – it works!  We all like to laugh and there’s a lot of news out there that tells us that it is good for us to laugh!  Since we are talking humor and satire, let’s take a real look at how consumers value personal health records, not their fault as the value with mobility has not been given to them yet, slow, slow non participants at the heart of this issue.

What’s On the Agenda Tonight–World of Warcraft or Work on My Personal Health Record

We are looking at the terms of “ridiculous” every time we turn around today and most of this comes down to “non participants” in general consumer IT knowledge not working and this goes for our leaders in Congress.  You know a little marketing could go a long way here as we see websites with happy people using their products, so what’ wrong with seeing our leaders using and benefiting from technology instead of the old paradigm of “its for those guys over there”. 

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Rally to Restore Sanity
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

This guy at the post below makes a lot of sense here more on a serious note, but explores one big question:

How do you use technology to solve some of the problems that technology has created?  If you are a tech non participant, this goes over your head.

The Importance of Being Connected and Disconnected–We Need Both and the Balance There Of In Our Business and Personal Lives

Well I’m in there to restore sanity as I get a little touch of it too with doing the blog and Mr. Stewart and Colbert are consumed and see it by the minute.  I’ll be watching this one for sure!  These guys have their hearts in the right place too!  BD 

Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert will march together on Washington.

Or against each other in Washington.

Either way, expect plenty of Comedy Central fans to show up on October 30 when Stewart's "Rally To Restore Sanity" will meet Colbert's "March To Keep Fear Alive" in the nation's capital.

Stewart, Colbert: 'Rally To Restore Sanity' vs. 'March To Keep Fear Alive' (VIDEO)

Technorati Tags: Jon Stewart,Robert Colbert,humor,healthcare,sanity,non participation,magpie healthcare,reality check,technology,stupid,entertainment

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FDA And CMS to Collaborate on Reviewing Medical Products To Help Speed Up the Coverage Decisions–Big Thumbs Up On this Decision

This is truly a good thing as I have interviewed companies such as Cook Medical for one in the past and this is one item they is always a bear for them, the FDA stamp of approval is one thing, but coverage, which is what makes the product available is the other big mountain to climb.

I think this decision makes absolute sense from all areas as collaboration is what it is all about.  CMS stands to delve deeper into the reasoning for FDA approval and on the other hand the FDA gets a glimpse too at how coverage is decided for the products. Not too long ago I said the FDA stand to become the most connected government entity out there as they touch so many other government and private areas of healthcare and have the responsibility to protect US citizens weighing heavily on their decisions. Here’s one more recent example with the FCC and the FDA working together with wireless devices. 

FDA and FCC To Partner on Telehealth Innovation and Implementation – FDA Stands to Become One of the “Most Connected” Federal Agencies

There has been a lot of discussion of late too on what resources the FDA has and where new technology needs to be added.  They need the latest and greatest technologies as their educated decision depend on being 100% up to date on what’s happening out there from both the business and consumer side of healthcare.

FDA's Sentinel Initiative Will Need to Embrace Mobility Sooner or Later–Better Sooner Than Later–Data Beyond the Desktop

As a consumer product becomes available, it’s not always that easy and fast to connect it to the healthcare infrastructure as one may think, and yes it pretty much can be done, but it takes time and safety is the all out mission here too.  Now if they can start augmenting a non existent recall system, I’ll be happy!  BD 

Stolen Advair Demonstrates Need for Tag Bar Coding of Drugs – Encrypted Bar Codes Could Identify Stolen and Counterfeits When Scanned With a Cell Phone

(Reuters) - A new process to review medical products at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in tandem with the nation's Medicare insurance program could help speed up coverage decisions, the FDA said in announcing the move on Thursday.

Under the proposal, the FDA would review and make approval decisions alongside the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which decides whether and how to pay for new medical products for its elderly and disabled patients once they are approved for the U.S. market.

To start, the agencies proposed a pilot project for devices after both FDA and CMS had time to review public comments on the proposal.

FDA to review medical products alongside Medicare | Reuters

Technorati Tags: FDA,infrastructure,technology,tech denial,participatory sensing,cell phones,FCC,wireless,Congress,Devices that report data,medical devices,telehealth,HHS,insurance,barcodes,CMS

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Wendell Potter Tell All Book–Deadly Spin–One to Put On My List as “He Knows Algorithms and How they Create Profits”

Who knows better than one who served on the inside and had the responsibilities that lead to creating profits.  This is someone we need to pay attention too as he offers a glimpse inside the world of corporate healthcare that we normally do not get to see.  He can share the mathematical processes and how this is calculated from the beginning up, something we all need to pay attention to instead of the next OMG stories as this is where the action takes place. 

And Now A Word From Wendell Potter About Healthcare Reform and Medical Loss Ratios..

I think Mr. Potter might in some way agree with something I wrote over a year ago suggesting a Department of Algorithms as digital laws are needed today as the old format of words and more words is becoming dated and almost impossible to police. 

“Department of Algorithms – Do We Need One of These to Regulate Upcoming Laws?

You can read all the stories of unfairness in this business and how people are denied care due to profitability and yes there needs to be work done here but decisions made coldly on an algorithm presented on a screen when someone’s life it at hand is cold and unethical, there’s tons of this in the news, but as a society we need to acknowledge and grasp where this reality comes from and understand the folks with the data and the accelerated intelligence for profit drive this. 

No drama queens or kings are going to make any difference from consumers all the way up to Congress as they can’t govern and create laws for a process they do not understand or acknowledge.  It is what it is.  Unfortunately today though as it is just how we are geared, the OMG stories seem to take precedence at times in keeping us fully distracted from dealing with what is really going on behind the scenes.  The folks with the data and intelligence have all the money, can’t you see this?  That part is not brain surgery.

Mr Potter has been featured on many shows such as Dateline to explain, but again we need to pay more attention to the processes here and get with it and drop the OMG stories that keep us distracted with not getting to the core of the problems. 

Dateline NBC – Critical Condition” Investigation Into the Practices of Health Insurance Companies

Algorithms giveth and they take away as there are algorithms run for accurate results and those run for “desired” results. 

Wendell Potter Speaks About the Health Insurance Industry’s Lethal Bottom Line – The Algorithms

So in summary, this one book I will find time to read as with today’s busy schedule my reading time is so limited with books, but I get a ton of reading material from the web so no lack of information in that respect!  With the information and facts he has provided could I almost be hearing the potential of Oliver Stone perhaps knocking on his door soon!  BD 

I’m about halfway through the book, which I got as an advance reading copy. Those looking for news can safely skip the parts of the book that recount the history of the public relations industry and recap the health reform debate. Mixed in with those topics Potter gets more personal, describing his life as a journalist, then a PR man in the health care industry, and later as a whistle blower.

*A week in the life of a corporate PR exec: Monday meetings with lobbyists and executives. Daily compilations of all news coverage. Writing speeches, annual reports, investor communications. And: “I decided who was worthy of interviewing our CEO…I never let in a reporter I didn’t know…I always sat in on the interviews so I could cut them short.”

*Potter argues that the movement toward “consumer-driven healthcare” in which patients pay a bigger share of the expenses in order to give them an incentive not to over utilize care, is really just a way for the insurers to make money by deterring people from getting care they need. He describes how internally at Cigna nobody really understood why customers would want to shift to these kinds of plans unless they were young and healthy.

Spying On Michael Moore And Dumping Sick People Overboard: Highlights From Wendell Potter’s Harsh HMO Memoir (Part I) - David Whelan - Health Dollars - Forbes

Technorati Tags: heatlhcare,Michael Moore,Sicko,Wendell Potter,PBS,public option insurance,Obama Healthcare Reform,Executive,lobbying,medical loss ratio,book

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Johns Hopkins Hospital Shooting–Doctor Expected to Survive–Hospital has Over 80 Entrances to Police

We hear about more incidents as such as hospitals today and with 80 entrances someone got by with a gun as security police do check for this but can’t get everyone or have metal detectors at every door. 

From what is stated here the fact that his mother’s condition was not corrected with surgery is what set him off as she had suffered from arthritis and rheumatism for years.  The hospital of course will review security procedures.  The shooter’s mother had been in the hospital for a number of months and he was pretty much living there with here to be at her side. 

Johns Hopkins is the largest employer in Baltimore.  The Joint Commission reports acts of violence at hospitals are getting higher every year.  BD

BALTIMORE — A man who became distraught as he was being briefed on his mother's condition by a surgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital pulled a gun and shot and wounded the doctor Thursday, then killed his mother and himself in her room at the world-famous medical center, police said.

The gunman, 50-year-old Paul Warren Pardus, had been listening to the surgeon around midday when he "became emotionally distraught and reacted ... and was overwhelmed by the news of his mother's condition," Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III said.

Pardus pulled a semiautomatic gun from his waistband and shot the doctor once in the abdomen, the commissioner said. The doctor is expected to survive.

Pardus then holed up in the room in a more than two-hour standoff. When officers made their way in, they found Pardus and his mother, 84-year-old Jean Davis, shot to death, he on the floor, she in her bed.

"I guess he just couldn't bear to see her the way she was," said Pardus' brother, 59-year-old Alvin Gibson of Remington, Va. He said their mother suffered from arthritis and rheumatism and had surgery last week, but it didn't help her.

Johns Hopkins Hospital Shooting: Doctor Reportedly Shot In Baltimore

Technorati Tags: Johns Hopkins,shooting,security,stress,patient,surgery,vilence,doctor,hospital

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GE To Begin Trials of the “Smart Hospital Room”–Using a Multitude of Sensors and Algorithms

GE has been working on this for a while.  I first started talking about Smart Rooms here back in 2008.  Technology will track things like facial recognition, using an algorithm and track when the patient is in and out of the bed.  Of course this means lots of RFID at work with computer vision algorithms.  The facial recognition is interesting as it sends out alerts if you have a perhaps not so pleasant look on your face too, so if you cry here comes someone to check on you. <grin>.

The Hospital "Smart Room"

Another one of the features is hygiene compliance, washing hands and there’s been a couple of posts around here that talk about automated systems.  Cerner has a smart room developing too.  You can read a bit more at the link below and watch a video.

Cerner Receives FDA Clearance for CareAware iBus to Connect Devices and EHR Systems

Here’s a video from the GE Website that shows how this will work with a nice big white screen above the patient bed.  BD

GE Healthcare has received the go-ahead from the Institutional Review Board at Bassett Medical Center, in Cooperstown, N.Y., to begin testing its Smart Patient Room health-monitoring technology at the facility. 

Part of GE's Healthymagination initiative, the Smart Patient Room can determine whether soap and sanitizer dispensers are used by medical personnel before and after seeing a patient.

According to Scott Gallagher, a senior consultant for GE Healthcare, RFID sensors are installed in dispensers for soap or alcohol-based hand sanitizers to determine when medical personnel are using them and following hygiene protocol.

The technology was developed at GE's Global Research Center in Niskayuna, N.Y., and will be tested at the Bassett Medical Center inpatient teaching facility. The pilot project marks GE's first implementation of the Smart Patient Room in a clinical environment, according to Gallagher.

GE Tests Smart Patient Room to Monitor Patient Safety, Cut Medical Errors - Health Care IT from eWeek

Technorati Tags: GE Healthcare,Smart Room,hand washing,RFID,sensors,hospital,technology,Bassett Medical Center,monitoring devices

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The Importance of Being Connected and Disconnected–We Need Both and the Balance There Of In Our Business and Personal Lives

Multitasking is constantly shifting attention and the consequences are constant distractions.  This is an interesting video that discussed what we deal with every day and the the author David Berlind gives some very interesting points.  We are all certainly under pressure to feel the need to be connected. 

How do you use technology to solve some of the problems that technology has created?

It’s hard to disconnect and still remain competitive.  When constantly connected we begin to lose our ability to determine what is trivial and what really contains important information.  Screening out interruptions is important and paying attention to one thing – Conceptual thinking is only possible when focusing on one thing at a time and this has value both in business and is needed in personal life too.  Mr. Berlind is ahead of his time with his thinking but I believe is right on the money. 

IT systems do influence the way we think and behave he states, and I have said one many times here.  The need for speed, which is how IT organizations pace themselves and find their value has negatives too which corporations are now learning exist.  A shift of paradigms he says of “more is better” to a shift of “what’s really important here” he says is key.

BEHAVIOR NEEDS TO CHANGE IN BOTH DIRECTIONS AND IF TECHNOLOGY CAN PLAY A ROLE IN THAT, THEN ALL THE BETTER. 

Ethics get lost in our excitement to do new things (bingo).  Sometimes folks may not see as enthusiastic enough on every bit of technology that rolls out, which is not necessarily true, as I mention ethics on this blog until it’s coming out our ears! 

He addresses one thing is is the crux of many errors in healthcare and that is “DISTRACTION” , which over done leads to deadly disruptions, thus there’s a time to stop the wheels of multi tasking to focus and not spread ourselves too thin with too many technologies all at once.  Anyone else reading this relate?  I do as I find myself in the same predicament at times and do have to shut out the distractions of those things are are not critical.  BD 

David Berlind interviews the author Nicholas Carr

David Berlind interviews the author Nicholas Carr - InformationWeek

Technorati Tags: Internet,being connected,self discipline,multitasking,distractions,disruptions,employees,pressure

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West Wireless Center Hosting First Health Care Innovation Day in Washington DC In October–Bring on The Mobile Aggregators

If you are a regular reader here then you have probably heard about the West Wireless Institute in San Diego and Dr. Eric Topol who spoke at the TED conference this year and is the Scripps Director of of Translational Science.

CareFusion, Cisco and Medtronic to Collaborate With West Wireless Health Institute on Technology – Additional Grants Awarded From Philanthropists Gary and Mary West

The following month we have the mHealth Summit also being held in Washington DC with some big heavy hitters speaking and that event to me is looking to be probably one of the biggest mobile healthcare events to take place this year as it involves the National Institute of Health with their contributions from the science and genealogy side of things. 

Bill Gates Named Keynote Speaker at 2010 mHealth Summit To Be Held November 8-10

Mobile technology is almost developing at a pace that is faster than we can consume and understand before the next new wave appears and thus my comments in the title about aggregating some of these software programs, like what has been done on the desktop side of healthcare.  We see that in the news all the time and mergers and acquisitions are based on combining technologies to make systems more comprehensive and hopefully easier for the end users and consumers.  Speaking of consumers we need to organize the software efforts as they continue to work smartly with devices and not over run and over do the consumer too as if you have a person busy responding and having to work with too many systems, they zone out. 

This is why studies on Participatory Sensing are important so we can basically see how we can be productive and not fry consumers and doctors at the same time as the old story goes if you walk into a store with too many choices you end up walking out with zero, so if you innovate all over the place with nobody using enough of the technology then we haven’t completed the mission. 

Participatory Sensing – Medical Devices Reporting Data for Patient Compliance

Bring on the aggregators and with companies such as Cisco and Medtronic involved, perhaps we will see this start developing.  BD 

Here’s the information from the website below:

WWHI Health Care Innovation Day DC (HCI-DC)

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

Ronald Reagan Building

In keeping with the its mission to accelerate low cost health care solutions through innovation, the West Wireless Health Institute (WWHI) will host its first Health Care Innovation Day in Washington D.C. (HCI-DC) on October 12. HCI–DC will focus on bridging the gap between industry and government to enable a thriving ecosystem.

HCI–DC will deliver:

• Exclusive access and valuable content: will provide 300 attendees unprecedented, interaction with industry leaders, government stakeholders and public/private funders through a combination of keynotes, panels, roundtable discussions and one-on-one networking opportunities.
• Innovation at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): will provide insight into the $100 million VA Innovation Initiative (VAi2) including the announcement of telehealth winners from the 2010 Industry Innovation Competition. Be the first to see what projects VA is funding in the wireless health and telehealth areas. Learn directly from VA how the nation’s largest hospital system is deploying telehealth solutions.  Discover what is required to submit the most competitive proposals and business plans to obtain funding for innovative solutions.
• Industry perspective: will showcase exciting demonstrations of wireless health solutions from a variety of leading companies.

Who should attend:

HCI–DC is open to policy makers, strategic leads, business development executives, product and technology specialists with a focus on or interest in health care innovation particularly in the areas of wireless health or telehealth. The event is free of charge, however space is limited and we will not accept onsite registration.

http://www.hcidc.org/index.php/component/content/article/20

Technorati Tags: Carefusion,Cisco,Medtronics,technology,West Wireless Health Institute,Wireless heatlhcare,telehealth,devices that report data,Blue tooth,Zigbee,Eric Totpol,Scripps

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Diabetes Police Telephone Solicitation Patrol–4 Calls Today In 2 Hours Mom Asking If There Was A Diabetic in the House

This is just a post with marketing and compliance issues with diabetes.  Mom was not sure exactly who it was but within about 2 hours there were 4 phone calls from a call center, asking if anyone in the house was a diabetic.  Mom of course is and stated so.  The company identified themselves as a “Diabetes Association” and which one, we don’t know.  If you do a search on the web, there are quite a few of them. 

Everyone seemed to have a foreign accent she stated and this leads me to believe this is a call center of some sort with computerized number dialing.  She could not get the number to call back – unavailable when she called back.

Last week she had the compliance police from her Medicare Part D plan and her pharmacy, Walgreens on the phone call patrol.

Compliance Police Out In Force for Seniors–Health Plans and Drug Stores Making Phone Calls-Business Models & Caller Behavior Sucks -A Result of Pay for Performance Efforts?

Everyone was asking old is your glucose device for testing and were telling her she needed a new one.  She said she had had her device for a while and it was working fine. Each caller was telling her she needed to get a new device and that she should call Medicare and see what new devices were available and that she might not be getting accurate readings. 

She couldn’t understand why all of them were asking her to call Medicare!  There was no particular product being pushed, but just get a new glucose reader so she could be assured she was getting accurate readings. 

I know we are all trying to get the word out and educate all, but having a call center functioning this way doesn’t seem to be getting the job done.  The whole focus of all the calls she said were for her to get a new glucose reader and the solicitors had a “canned speech” they read off and were not able to answer even some very simple questions she asked when inquiring about what type of glucose reader she should have. 

We can’t market like this with phone calls coming out our ears like we did in the 70s as people are busier today and there’s better ways to educate and help.  This sounded like a real circus event as she described it.  BD 

Technorati Tags: Diabetes,Medicare,phone calls,call centers,glucose readers,solicitors

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Johnson and Johnson Consumer Group Chairman Colleen Goggins Announces Retirement Effective March 1, 2011

The letter of announcement from Bill Weldon is shown below.  We keep seeing many top executives from all areas of healthcare and government following this process.  It’s complicated out there today and technology is running a muck on those who may not be up to date as the decision making processes depend on the information we receive from our computer screens. 

Johnson and Johnson McNeil Healthcare Group Recalls Children’s Over the Counter Liquid Medications

With the recent recalls and consumer product issues from the various areas of Johnson and Johnson, I guess it’s time for a new face at the top of the helm.  With retooling the factories and closing one, the consumer group has had their share of being under the public spotlight for sure. 

Johnson and Johnson (McNeil) Lays Off 300 Employees and Will Re-Tool the Tylenol Factory

Perhaps new leadership might entertain a better recall system too and get the FDA and DEA in on this too for a pilot program….hint…hint…

This news may not be too shocking as it has gone on for years that heads eventually roll when things are not going right with big corporations so here’s one.  BD 

Microsoft Tags on CBS Early Show – Wake Up FDA, Pharma and Medical Device Companies –Scan Those Drugs, Medical Devices and Synchronize with an FDA Tag Data Base – Recalls, Theft Tracking and More….

---

“After a long, successful and distinguished career, spanning almost 30 years, Colleen Goggins, Worldwide Chairman, Consumer Group has decided to retire effective March 1, 2011.   Colleen and I will work to ensure a smooth and successful transition of her responsibilities.  We will make a timely announcement of succession plans for this critical position for the Company.

Colleen joined Johnson & Johnson in 1981, working in various assignments of increasing responsibility.  She became President of Johnson & Johnson Canada in 1992; President, Personal Products Company, U.S. in 1994; and President, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Companies Inc. in 1995.  She was promoted to Company Group Chairman in 1998.  Colleen assumed her current position as a member of the Executive Committee in June 2001 and has overseen a remarkable period of growth, expansion and profitability in the Consumer Group. 

Throughout her tenure, Colleen has demonstrated our commitment to our consumers and our people, and has made major contributions to our success.  Please join me in thanking Colleen for her dedication and extraordinary service, and in wishing her all the best in the years to come.”

Bill Weldon

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer”

Technorati Tags: recalls,FDA,Windows Tags,safely,medical devices. heatlhcare,technology,scanning,drugs,cell phones,Tags,information,Johnson and Johnson,McNeil Consumer,Colleen Goggins,Bill Weldon

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Microsoft Tags Doing Their Job on Boxes of Special K At the Grocery Store-Working with Lucky Magazine to Encourage Healthy Eating to Lose Weight

The idea here is to push the Special K Challenge to lose weight.  Are you still just using your cell phone for phone calls?

If you like this idea and would like to be able to scan and find FDA recalls at the drug store cast a vote for a yes if you would.  You can read more about how Microsoft Tags and barcoding would work here: 

Microsoft Tags – Microsoft MSDN Posts Ideas from the Medical Quack About Use in Healthcare!

This same technology is available and in the works for entering information into your HeatlhVault, Google Health or Dossia personal health record and I touched on that a bit today when discussing the new revised portal announced today for Google Health.  BD 

Google Health PHR Gets a Facelift and Adds Some New Features–Augmentation for the Consumers

Swipe your smartphone across the 2D bar code on a box of Special K cereal in the US, and you may be surprised to see Lucky magazine editor-at-large Elise Loehnen pop up in a video with tips about finding figure-flattering jeans. It’s a, well, fitting and organic partnership from the cereal whose mantra is how to feel better in your jeans, and a magazine featuring the latest jeans and other styles.

http://www.brandchannel.com/home/post/2010/09/07/Special-K-Lucky.aspx

Technorati Tags: Microsoft Tags,healthcare,cereal,advertising,information,weight loss,nutrition,FDA,recalls

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Rite Aid Distribution Center in Rome New York To Close by Next Year–Some Employees May Be Able To Transfer

The facility will be completely closed by July of next year so it sounds like there’s some time for employees to begin looking or trying to make alternative plans.  According to the article the building was old, the roof leaked and there was no additional money invested in the facility for a while.

Some jobs may go to their Liverpool warehouse and they can apply there.  3 Rite Aid stores have been closed in recent years in the City as well.  BD

Officials, business owners and residents were disheartened Tuesday at the news that Rite Aid Distribution Center will close next year.

But they also said the community will rally around the nearly 400 employees that will begin getting laid off in January.

“We’ve got a pretty solid community,” said Brian Miller, owner of Teddy’s Restaurant, a popular Black River Boulevard restaurant. “We help each other out when we’re down.”

Rite Aid workers, Rome businesses ponder future after layoff announcement - Utica, NY - The Observer-Dispatch

Technorati Tags: Rite Aid,layoffs,drug stores,taxes,warehouse

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Heritage Provider Network May Join Prime Healthcare in Bidding for Bankrupt Victor Valley Community Hospital

If Heritage does not place a bid, then Prime Healthcare would move in as the new owner as by law the process has to be open for bidding.  Prime bid last year unsuccessfully for the 4 hospital chain IHHI in Orange County, CA which returned to the original owner who was run out a few years ago.

IHHI Hospital Bids Continue for the Mortgage –Prem Reddy at 57M and Kali Chaudhuri at 55M

I live in an area where 2 of Prime hospitals are located and compared to the busy days before acquisition, they are like ghost towns and you can roll bowling balls through the once crowded parking lots, but they do run first class emergency rooms as Prime does not sign contracts with any insurers, thus the customary and ordinary fees he files on record are charged.  BD

San Fernando Valley-based Heritage Provider Network is expected to bid on the hospital, an attorney for Prime Healthcare Services and the Prime Healthcare Services Foundation said Wednesday. Prime was expected to acquire Victor Valley Community Hospital under the bankruptcy plan but by law the medical facility is subject to an open bidding process.

Mike Sarrao, an attorney for Prime Healthcare, said by phone from federal court in Riverside that Heritage has at expressed an interest in the 101-bed medical facility. Sarrao was in court for the hospital’s first bankruptcy reorganization hearing.

Heritage may bid for Victor Valley hospital | victorville, bid, heritage - Local News - Victorville Daily Press

Technorati Tags: hospitals,healthcare,investors,money,funds,Orange County,Chaudhuri,hospital,Hertize Provider Network,Prime Healthcare,bankruptcy

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Skull Base Institute in Los Angeles Developed Minimally Invasive Approach to Removing Pineal Tumors–Small Incision Behind the Ear

I have heard about procedures that go through the nose and now for tumors in other areas the endoscopic procedure can be done via a small incision done behind the ear.  Of course with less cutting, recovery time is better for the patient.  The video below talks about one of their other procedures performed at the institute.  Even tumors that are not cancerous can push on the brain and create problems. Pineal tumors can be some of the most challenging brain tumors to remove. 

You can visit the website which as a ton of information and there are a few additional videos here on You Tube.  BD

Press Release:

One of the most difficult-to-remove tumors located deep in the midbrain area can now be safely excised thanks to the work of one Los Angeles surgeon.  Hrayr Shahinian, M.D., medical director of The Skull Base Institute in Los Angeles, has developed a minimally invasive approach to removing pineal tumors so called as they are shaped like pine cones. The new procedure is expected to replace the more invasive open brain approach favored by neurosurgeons, which leaves patients more vulnerable to brain damage and other side effects as well as long and difficult recoveries.  Shahinian says that his patients are enjoying healthier asymptomatic lives not to mention much shorter treatment and recovery times.

Hrayr Shahinian, M.D.

More common in children than adults (average age of diagnosis is 13), pineal tumors can cause headaches, nausea, fatigue, visual impairments, double vision, memory problems, seizures and, in children,precocious puberty.  While 20% of pineal tumors are benign or relatively benign, 80% are highly malignant and their exact cause is unknown.  Even benign tumors can be problematic as they can press on nearby brain structures causing painful and serious reactions.

The new procedure developed by Shahinian involves making a dime-size opening behind the ear, inserting a small endoscope over the top of the cerebellum and through a natural pathway accessing the deep-seated pineal tumor.  This eliminates the need for any metal retractors or having to go through brain tissue to reach the problem area.

“I’m delighted that my endoscopic approach is bringing hope and relief to patients suffering from pineal tumors,” said Hrayr Shahinian, M.D.  “For patients suffering from significant symptoms, open brain surgery is often the first option.  When surgery is required, this minimally invasive approach is an excellent and safe alternative and results in much shorter surgery and hospitalization times and fewer complications.”

For more information, call the Skull Base Institute at (310) 691-8888 or visit www.skullbaseinstitute.com.

SURGEON DEVELOPS REVOLUTIONARY ENDOSCOPIC PROCEDURE FOR REMOVAL OF MOST DIFFICULT TO ACCESS BRAIN TUMOR « Frank Groff Inc.

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FDA's Sentinel Initiative Will Need to Embrace Mobility Sooner or Later–Better Sooner Than Later–Data Beyond the Desktop

This is one “huge” project and the targets and technologies change frequently, maybe hourly if we really had all the data to look at.  Technology is out there throwing us a new left curve every day and when it available and simple, consumers want it now.  No longer are we in the days to where the IT folks could spent a few weeks and build the system or systems someone wants, it’s one big ass job today, as many are finding out – why – there’s a huge mother load of code that needs to be written. 

As more software applications come on to the market, there’s more code to make them work with other applications on the desktop and on mobile devices.  The FDA is probably working as fast as they can but as each day progresses, guess what, we have more potential information and data to add.  When it came to safety last year, the FDA had to give a contract to an insurance agency to pilot, as they were not ready for it yet and the insurance company had the IT infrastructure. 

FDA Awards a Big Grant to Health Insurance Company For Pilot Program To Monitor Safety of Drugs and Medical Devices

When we get right down to what the Sentinel project is, it is business intelligence.

FDA's Sentinel Initiative Information Revealed – Business Intelligence

Not only is new technology creating a bit of a rush, but add on 8 years of a leadership there that didn’t embrace technology for the most part so we some catch up going on here too. 

Wireless Healthcare Medical Devices and the FDA – The Reasons They Are Slow to Come to Terms

As a consumer product becomes available, it’s not always that easy and fast to connect it to the healthcare infrastructure as one may think, and yes it pretty much can be done, but it takes time.  You want to make sure those coders are getting it right, and let’s think about medical devices that use software, as those have been heavy in the news today with imaging and other types of devices, don’t rush the code heads on those issues.  Even big companies don’t get everything 100% and deal with growing and changing technologies as we are reminded every week with our Tuesday updates.

In the news today the FBI said they were going to take a lot of their Sentinel IT issues back in house and rely less on contractors, so perhaps this is maybe what the FDA might be looking at too, but the infrastructure needs to be built first!  There’s no magic want to wave.  The FDA stands to become the “most connected” government agency out there due to all the various areas they touch and are responsible for.

FDA and FCC To Partner on Telehealth Innovation and Implementation – FDA Stands to Become One of the “Most Connected” Federal Agencies

Mobility has this to offer and a whole lot more…..

Stolen Advair Demonstrates Need for Tag Bar Coding of Drugs – Encrypted Bar Codes Could Identify Stolen and Counterfeits When Scanned With a Cell Phone

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Take this data base of recalls and stick in the cloud on SQL server or the equivalent and get things rolling so we can start creating some real value. 

FDA Plans Recall Data Base – Nice Still Need Tags on the Products ...

Certainly I’m a bit of a broken record but this is where it’s at with mobile data and showing and finding value.  This is part of the reason I made the comments about being connected as this same technology could authenticate MDS for e-prescribing too, so one technology goes a long, long way and with using the cloud it could be built faster too.  It’s time to seriously start thinking about mobile technology since they are going to be participating in approving such devices more and more.  First hand experience says all.  BD 

A national electronic system that will transform FDA’s ability to track the safety of drugs, biologics, medical devices--and ultimately all FDA-regulated products once they reach the market--is now on the horizon. Launched in May 2008 by FDA, the Sentinel Initiative aims to develop and implement a proactive system that will complement existing systems that the Agency has in place to track reports of adverse events linked to the use of its regulated products.

http://www.fda.gov/Safety/FDAsSentinelInitiative/default.htm

Technorati Tags: FDA,infrastructure,technology,tech denial,UCLA,participatory sensing,cell phones,FCC,wireless,Congress,Devices that report data,medical devices,telehealth,HHS,insurance,barcodes,tags,Health IT,role models

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'Stand Up to Cancer' Show Raises Over $80 Million

One of the big areas to where the “dream teams” want to focus is with Pancreatic Cancer as all the researchers and doctors working together want to get something working as all are frustrated on the fact that not enough progress is being made with this particular area of cancer.  Below is one of the dream team reports. 

If you missed the show you can visit the website here and donations are welcome at any time, not just during the show.  BD

Pancreatic Cancer

Sequencing the genome is high on the list for finding cures and treatments for cancer of the pancreas too.  Pancreatic cancer is caught usually in late stages and thus the rush to find cures and treat patients quickly.  BD

A Progress Report on Stand Up To Cancer

Johns Hopkins

The successful one-hour fundraiser was hosted by network news anchors Katie Couric, Diane Sawyer and Brian Williams, and was simulcast live on ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, Bio, Current TV, Discovery Health, E!, G4, HBO, HBO Latino, MLB Network, mun2, Showtime, Smithsonian Channel, The Style Network, TV One and VH1.

'Stand Up to Cancer' Raises $80 Mil! | Extra

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Former Doctor in Massachusetts Gets Jail Time Over Death of Patient with Botched Abortion Surgery

The MD did not have the resuscitation equipment, and was not certified for cardiopulmonary resuscitation.  He also failed to monitor her vital signs and as the video states the doctor did admit his guilt in this unfortunate loss of life.  He received 30 months in prison but will serve only 6 months.  He stopped practicing medicine 2 years ago and when the case came up it they found out he had tried to update his office after the fact to prove he had the necessary equipment, that is sad. 

The board also found he didn’t call 911 fast enough either when complications arose.  BD

BARNSTABLE — She arrived at the Smith household almost 18 years ago, a small raven-haired girl with tattered and dirty clothing, a black eye, and all her possessions in a plastic grocery bag, except for the doll she held in her hand. Tom and Eileen Smith wrapped the neglected, abused, and abandoned girl with their love, only to lose her later to a botched medical procedure.

By all accounts, Laura Smith lived life to the fullest, according to her family and friends.

Former doctor gets prison for death of Cape abortion patient - The Boston Globe

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California's Telehealth Networks Receives $14M From the American Recovery and Reinvestment Acts (ARRA)

In August the California Telehealth Network was announced by our governor and was also attended by Aneesh Chopra from the Executive Branch.  What’s nice is that Governor Arnold uses a technology to announce these events too so if I am working in the office I can tune in.  You can use the link below to watch a couple videos of the event that used Twitter to announce them.  Mentioned here in the kick off is UCI Irvine who also works with Miller’s Children’s Hospital in Long Beach where I did an interview and walk through with the CFO and was able to see the educational side of being able to connect the operating rooms in Long Beach to those in Irvine, CA

Nation’s Largest Telehealth Network Launches-California Telehealth Network With Governor Schwarzenegger & Aneesh Chopra

This new funding is in addition to the $30 Million given by the FCC and the California Emerging Technology Fund and the California PUC. BD

The participating organizations are: The National Coalition for Health Integration, United HealthCare, the California HealthCare Foundation and the University of California.

The grant award, announced Sept. 13 by U.S. Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, will fund telehealth and eHealth equipment and training for healthcare providers implementing broadband-based technologies designed to improve care and expand access to services.

The new funding, part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's Broadband Technology Opportunities Program, follows $30 million from the Federal Communications Commission, the California Emerging Technology Fund and the California Public Utilities Commission to build and connect the network.

California's new telehealth network gets $14M boost | Healthcare IT News

Technorati Tags: Arnold Schwarzenegger,telehealth,Aneesh Chopra,broadband,wireless,Connected Heatlh Policy,UCLA,UCI Irvine,UC Davis,FCC,ARRA,technology,remote technology

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Google Health PHR Gets a Facelift and Adds Some New Features–Augmentation for the Consumers

I can say this was needed as things have progressed in the last couple of years since Google Health was introduced.  We now see some consumer devices that can now connect and make it easier for one to get the data in place. 

Cardio Trainer and Fitbit were named as 2 new devices that connect.  Be sure and read all privacy disclosures on devices though as 3rd party companies do have an effect here on who you grant access to your data.  If you have received a device as part of an employer wellness program, ask questions as to who gets your data and where it goes.

Fitbit Wireless Device Monitors your Daily Activity and Movements Released

If you are doing this on your own and connect to Google Health then you are in control.  You can always find a link to Google Health on the Medical Quack under the Personal Health Records section.  In addition, the Medical Quack has a section with over 300 posts on personal health records you might want to check out and there’s a permanent link at the top of the page, or you can simply use the Google search boxes (#2 is fast) and find all kinds of relative information here as there’s over 2 years of posts. 

I do have to admit it has been a few months since I have logged in to my account so here’s a brief screenshot of the new portal and how it looks.  On the Fitbit integration you can read what others think here from the West Wireless Institute.

CareFusion, Cisco and Medtronic to Collaborate With West Wireless Health Institute on Technology – Additional Grants Awarded From Philanthropists Gary and Mary West

Google Health has added a section to where you can list an insurance company now too.  Here’s a couple past posts that may be of interest too.  If you want to automate getting your labs imported, you can do that.

Quest Diagnostics and Google Empower Patients and Physicians to Share Diagnostic Test Results Online

The link below gives a summary of some of the other options available. 

Google Health Online Services – Connections Beyond Medications – Personal Health Records

Back to my favorite subject in healthcare, bar coding with Microsoft Tags too so you can use a bar code to import your data too so get your digital token.  If you read here often enough I have several posts with this same technology becoming an avenue for the FDA, and drug and device companies to use for FDA recalls. 

Digital Health Tokens – Connect Google Health to HealthJibe – RAZCODE With Microsoft Tags

The video at the link above will show you how to connect your Google Health account and have the ability to add information to your Google Health account simply by snapping the code with your cell phone.

Anyway I hope I covered some areas with Google Health that you may not see in other posts here and show where all of this is headed with augmentation to make things easier for the consumer all the way around.  You can put the bar code reader on your phone and play around at the grocery store with some Wheaties and Cheerios to see how this works, it’s very cool and almost easier than making a phone call!  BD 

Via a new dashboard, Google Health will now organize all of your health and wellness (i.e. fitness) information in one place. The new platform will give provide graphs on your progress with weight loss goals, and you’ll be able to create custom trackers for wellness issues like dietary habits, daily sleep, frequency of exercise, pregnancy or even how many cups of coffee you drink a day.

Of course, one the keys to the overall success of Google Health are partnerships with insurance companies and hospitals to make data more available to consumers. As of last Fall, Google Health still needed to sign up hundreds of insurers in the U.S. Today, Google is announcing relationships with the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) and Sharp HealthCare. Last year, Google announced a partnership with CVS to import prescription data into the platform.

Google Health Gets A Wellness Makeover, Now Integrated With Fitbit And CardioTrainer

Technorati Tags: Fitbit,wellness,heatlhcare,excercise,privacy,health insurance,incentives,medical devices,data devices,computer,PHR,bar codes,tags,cell phones,Google Health

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