Rachel Maddow, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert Are Entertainers But More Importantly Provide Avenues of Communication for Americans With Congress To Include A Shot of Reality–Especially Healthcare (Opinion)

When you stop and think about the popularity of the 3 above individuals, they all have one thing in common, they are great communicators, and I like and watch all 3 of them.  In today’s society I think I have a lot of company in that respect as well.  These folks make sense and are talented enough to break through the walls of deaf ears and at least bring about an awareness in areas that others don’t seem to approach.  All of them not only make us laugh, but they also make us think. 

These are smart folks too and always include technology and in what they speak of too and the public recognizes this and we very rarely get any of that from our leaders but quite the opposite so much of the time.  Anyone in the public eye today is open game for comedy, just goes with the territory, but these folks are not just entertainers, all of them share one commonality with all, they remember they are also citizens and when you watch, that message is clear and alive.  All of them relate to reality today and are very much aware of the changing world we live in today, and this is why we like them.  Jon Stewart even makes the news over at Fox too.

In my opinion politicians should pay attention to what these folks have to say as the American public is tuned in.  All of them are very much to the point on bringing to light the old retired paradigms that live in Congress that need to pack up and go away.  All of them are vey much in tune with how technology is affecting our lives today, a big gray area of what I call “nonparticipants” with so many members of Congress and why public opinion today is so low, people see this, even though they may not understand everything themselves, the view is clear. 

Take a look and see who some of their guests are on the shows, we see Bill Gates, Eric Schmidt and many more from the technology side of the world today, and those folks certainly see the communication avenue here, otherwise they would not be wasting time, they get it and this drives home the point of why “general digital IT literacy” is needed today for all.  You can only have your staff do so much and it’s just like driving a car, sometimes you need to shift for yourself like everyone else does.  On the other hand too, people like Erick Schmidt and Bill Gates know the crowd and the awareness all 3 of them command and spend time with all of them to bring about the need for consumer digital awareness and technology.  In short you have “smarts” working both sides here which is a good thing compared to hearing about mosques in New York and the other non relative distractions that captivate the news and make for the next OMG story. 

Stephen Colbert has coined some new terminology, “proofiness” and it has lead the way for a new book, which I am looking forward to reading as I have been talking about this same item for a couple years with healthcare, those algorithms and what is really going on.  Politicians can make all kinds of promises but if they are not in tune with what runs behind the scenes on what makes their promises happen, aka the algorithms, they look illiterate, and one of these 3 will capitalize on this.  Mr. Colbert this week had the President of Google on the show and what did they talk about:  algorithms.

“Proofiness–The Dark Side of Mathematical Deception”–Created by Those Algorithms–New Book Coming Out Soon

Stephen Colbert Talks to Google CEO Eric Schmidt About Algorithms, Data Mining and the Web

Without first hand knowledge and participation you don’t look too smart out there today, and these folks make a living capitalizing on it, and rightly so.  We love them for that.  If you go back over the 3 years of the Medical Quack you will find embedded videos from all of them as I felt were relative to current day topics and discussions.  I have a couple of my own phrases I used here, like “nonparticipants” so I can speak out and be politically correct and hopefully make a point.  I think we need a “Department of Algorithms”

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

One other great show was with Stephen Colbert taking on technology from the “common sense” side of the world, talking about Glow Caps, a pill bottle that is wireless and does the communicating for the patient with medications.  What is important about this is the fact that he brings this to light, but also touches on the implementation of how this works, disruptive, or helpful?

The Colbert Report Takes On Vitality GlowCaps (Video) – Check Out the Privacy Issues Here As Medication Data is Created That Can Be Sold To Health Insurance Companies For Use With Underwriting Algorithms

Congress for the most part with being “nonparticipants” is not really aware of how biometric monitoring works, but yet as citizens we are having all of this pushed down our throats without a solid plan sometimes.  The vendors and insurance companies think everyone should be tied in to a device that reminds us and keeps us on track, which may or may not be a bad idea, but what if a consumer is already tied into 2 or 3 other devices too, how many can we have room for? 

Personally to bring this point home on healthcare and how these devices work whether it is exercise, taking medications, etc. I think every member of Congress should be a pilot and experience some of this so they understand where sensors and software are going today.  What if they were in session and received messages saying “your need to move more-get up and walk-you are not meeting your daily exercise goals”.  This could make for one heck of a YouTube video and drive home what “participation” is to show both the good and dark side of all of this at once. 

All we would need to do would be equip every member of Congress with a device, a Fitbit, Muve Gruve or use a program on a smart phone to keep them in check, and gosh knows you can see some big BMIs up there with those folks too who need a diet or some exercise.  These devices even monitor you while you sleep, can you see Congress members looking at their own data? This stands to be a Congressional “don’t tell” issue if used  think <grin>.  After all they are the leaders making laws today and as citizens we want to know if they are making the most out of their sleep efficiency as this is what is being marketed to the American consumer today and some companies have programs that kind of force feed this for employees to get discounts to afford their healthcare insurance premiums which are going up next month all over the country. 

Next time there’s some coverage just look around as fat lives there too and this is something members do have in common with the American public, it lives everywhere so thus the need to kill this paradigm of “its for those guys over there”.  I thought maybe the first lady perhaps with not wanting a lot of attention when her program for children and obesity was announced was embarrassed as she was looking at a crowd of adults (all members of he House and Senate) who needed some information in this area too. 

Why Was Michelle Obama 'embarrassed' by The Standing Ovation As Obesity Program for Children Was Announced

“Stop that filibuster, device says I’m not getting enough exercise so everything goes on hold for a few minutes while we stop and walk around and answer to our electronic wellness coach that is calling and nagging me with text messages.  I make this point as this is what is being sold to the American public marketed via many insurance companies and the users have jobs too, so do they stop and tell the customer on the phone, I can’t talk now my devices says I have to move around right now or my wellness coach won’t give me a passing grade here and if I don’t do this my insurance premiums may go up as my company has a contract that says I have to do this to keep my portion of my health insurance premiums down and I get that discount.

Devices can be helpful but participatory sensing and how they fit into daily life is important for the end users.  Marketing and proof of concept today is like a runaway train and this is not happening but rather the chase for the data to analyze is somewhat shoving this down our throats without adequate planning and realizing the effects it has on just living your life.  Stuff like this too in the news scares me as there are stores like Best Buy that help everyone with technology and it’s even available for members of Congress as they are consumers too, read up and get that general consumer IT digital literacy going, we do.  The word “accelerometer” might scare the daylights out of some of our members and this could be a good lesson on device privacy issues to experience this first hand too!  How would members of Congress react to seeing their nutrition and BMI rolled out and charted like this I wonder?

Members of Congress Not Locking Down Their Home Wireless Networks with Passwords Now Angered At Google For Snooping with Street Views?

When I heard one of the members of Congress ask Mr. Colbert this week ask him to leave before he even spoke, well point well made there with “nonparticipation” and lack of curiosity.  Curiosity is the key to learning and this member of Congress basically said I am not curious and have all the knowledge I need, sad.  He doesn’t get it and in my mind he’s one of those “nonparticipants” as Mr Colbert brought to light in his own way, reality with farm workers.  How in the heck do you crack these head that think they know it all already when you hear comments like that?  This post below might shed some light here, as the 2 are connected, duh?

The Link between intelligence and Curiosity Is Discovered

“Magpie Healthcare” is another one I use frequently too, those who just repeat what someone else says but offer little or no knowledge of their own as they come back around to number one, being a “nonparticipant”. 

The third phrase I include quite frequently is “its for those guys over there” and everyone can relate to that with the feeling we get today with those out of touch with “general consumer digital IT literacy” and we stand back and watch and listen to those who “think” they know what is best for us.  They really don’t know as they are “nonparticipants” and live in values and the rhetoric of what made times in the70s work.  All of these 3 hit on that big time and entertain us in the process, why, because it’s the truth, and whether it is Congress or a CEO, this stuff sticks out like a sore thumb today and can’t be buried under the carpet.

Personal Health Records (PHR), I don’t do technology said the CEO, “it’s for those guys over there”

We have a lot of what I call judgmental garbage in the news today that admonishes the general public and tells us how stupid we are, when in reality that is not the case but yet with numbers and stats we all get rolled in there, but again these 3 entertainers dissect this and bring the “real” reality to the screen and at the same time roll the leaders in there too with pointing out this is the pot calling the kettle black.

This week Rachel Maddow did a talk about the stimulus money and used one of our California representatives as an example.  He put down the stimulus money and now is asking for some.  What really brought this home was the fact that the same representative was recently pulled over for using his cell phone while driving.  We have had several folks to include our governor’s wife get busted with this, but the real difference I feel this case was the arrogance displayed here in being in the process of doing a “live radio show” while driving and using the cellphone, again we come back around to the fact that cell phone safety “its for those guys over there” and it seemed to project not only arrogance, but the idea of “I’m important and I am above what is for the rest of the general public”.  As a side note too, watch the blank expression on Dan Lungren ’s face while Stephen Colbert testifies, he looks very confused and very much resembles a “nonparticipant” as the camera was spanning and caught him on film. 

US Congressional Representative Gets Pulled Over for Using a Cell Phone While Driving And Was Live on the Air Doing Radio Interview

This is a device at the link below that I use for hands free in the car and it works well, it plugs into a cigarette lighter and is portable so for those renting cars, etc. a mobile solution once matched with a blue tooth smartphone, and I might hope that members of Congress have graduated to this point with mobility for the jobs they do require them to move around a lot.  Too bad the Oprah police were not on hand for this one. 

Black Series™ by Shift3® Bluetooth® Hands-Free Auto Speaker – It Works!

I’m just noting this fact as the rest of the country was watching as this was all over the news when it happened and stop and give this some thought, do you get any other alternate views of this situation?  He didn’t get a ticket but if this had occurred back in the home state of California, he would have. You can’t hide anymore as we live in the world of sensors and transparency and occurrences like this I believe just tend to drop one’s popularity down a notch or two and again makes for great entertainment and once again shows the world of the “nonparticipants” at work with the paradigm of “its for those guys over there’ once more kicking in. I guess the “nonparticipants” have not come to the reality of all these sensors surround them too. 

Rachel Maddow had a very revealing story this week about digital literacy and blew it up on the screen for all to see with the lack of knowing how to work with pdf files and how the writer of the information simply took one right click on the document.  When you stop and think of the point made here, are these folks “participants” with general consumer literacy? It sure didn’t look like it, so again it was there for the world to get a look at reality and shows what goes on, this is the day of transparency we live in today.  Those not in the know just slip further down the ladder and digital illiteracy shows once again.

The Properties of an Adobe pdf Document -Rachel Maddow Rips the GOP on Lack of General Consumer IT Knowledge And Exposes the Input and Authors of the Content–Lobbyists

This is the big story of the week to show that former lobbyists are writing some missions that others follow?  You may not always agree with what Rachel has to say but this is just cold hard facts here and the truth so it serves to bring folks out of denial and shows what is happening and how many choose to live in the past and can’t get up to pace with technology and how it is affecting our day to day lives.  It is what it is.  Tech denial affects both Democrats and Republicans although the latter seems to be having even a more difficult time with curiosity and learning today as we seem to see reported in the news.  We have companies like Intel too warning use on this fact, but doesn’t sink in does it much in Congress as they need to get educated too.

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

In summary I hope I have outlined why these 3 individuals play such an important role today with US citizens and Congress, especially in the area of healthcare, they are the voices that help break through the “nonparticipant” barriers with their humor and can one by one break down some of the bricks in the wall.  As consumers we do feel like just one more brick in the wall when it comes governing bodies that are out of touch and have lost the element of curiosity as no learning takes place when this happens and it’s on the news, in the papers every day.  We need a lot of studies due to non participation and the inability of those to contribute with the paradigm of it’s for those guys over there.

HHS To Conduct Study on Patient Perception on Health IT – Got A Better Idea Why Don’t They Become E-patients Role Models, and Participants – Make IT Personal and Believable

Rachel, Jon, and Stephen are more than just broadcasters, they take an interest and use their talents as entertainers to speak for us and they educate us too in the process. 

Nobody is the king of all knowledge today and it’s working together and getting rid of those old stuffy paradigms and and stopping the unnecessary judging of people.

If we didn’t have their voices being heard and bringing this lack of curiosity and knowledge of our leaders to our door everyday, things would be much worse so I applaud and very much appreciate all their efforts.  BD

Technorati Tags: Rachel Maddow,Jon Stewart,Stephen Colbert,Congress,healthcare reform,leadership,entertainers,politics,reality

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Doctor Given Security After Hedge Fund Investor Threatened Some Type of Verbal Retaliation After a Negative Vote on Lorqessa Anti-Obesity Drug Panel at the FDA

We have heard stories of such and this makes me think back to the drug Provenge which in itself was one huge soap opera with a little bit of everything thrown in.  This is pretty bad when a doctor on the panel is giving his opinion to be verbally and or otherwise abused. 

There may be more of this that occurs but this according to the article below occurred right after the vote, so when money is at stake and you have a physician on the panel doing what he feels is right, unfortunate incidents like this can occur as the pressure today to make money is like something we have never seen in the US and who knows if this hedge fund guy had already run his business intelligence software to project what a potential return would be too, that fuels the fire today for sure.  We are addicted to the data analysis processes to the point where some begin banking on numbers even before decision are made. 

The article from BNET below continues on to speculate who the doctor could have been and says it could have been one of the experts from Cedar Sinai in California, and again that is speculation but the FDA did give him added security.  BD 

A doctor who voted against approval of Arena (ARNA)’s Lorqessa anti-obesity drug in an FDA advisory committee was threatened by a disgruntled hedge fund investor after the vote, according to The Healthcare Channel. The incident underlines the fact that while pharmaceutical investing is often arcane, academic and dry to the point of being boring, tensions run high under the surface. A company’s entire fate can rest on a single vote at the FDA. Indeed, Arena’s stock was more than halved by the FDA vote.

Here’s what happened at the FDA meeting, which was held in a hotel conference room, per HCC TV:

The doctor, who wishes to remain anonymous, was approached in the hallway of the hotel where the AdCom was held by a Caucasian man, approximately 5’10”, mid-40’s, balding, dressed in an “expensive suit”, when the man began to use obscenities. He said, “You are a pompous asshole … you are wrong…you better get the hell out of here fast.” He repeated the comments. The doctor then called security.The circumstances and description of the man indicate that he might have been a disgruntled hedge fund investor.

Fear and Loathing at the FDA: Doc Given Security After Hedge Fund Threat | BNET

Technorati Tags: Lorqessa,FDA,drug panels,committees,security,pharma,doctor,investors,hedge funds

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Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Recall of One Lot of ThermaCare HeatWraps Menstrual Product–Get A Better Recall System

Here we go once again and we all know the answer if you read this blog.  We all know what success you have had with Microsoft Share Point and how it has increased information and efficiencies, and actually I mentioned that with my interview with Mike Naimoli from Microsoft Life Sciences and gave Pfizer some real nice brownie points too back in 2009, so let’s think about the consumer here and offer some value here to the people who buy your products.  Pfizer of course is not alone as I address any company in healthcare with recalls. 

A Deep Dive into Microsoft Life Sciences Today and in the Future – Interview with Michael Naimoli

The instruction are here to make a note of this lot number and then look at your product and see if you have a match.  Using a cell phone to find this would be a lot more convenient and gee as a consumer I get “instant value” here with not having to do a bunch of time consuming research!   I don’t this this recall is as big as the Abbott Labs one where it overloaded servers, but we never know what could be next and what drug or device, could be anyone, but the deal here is to be prepared and not be a BP of the pharma business with being prepared. 

Microsoft Tag Bar Codes–Who’s Been Scanning the Medical Quack–The Bing Heat Map Tells All And Could Help Find Stolen or Expired Drugs and Devices With This Methodology

There will be more recalls in both food, drug and device products so we need a system that can work for everyone and especially the consumer as we are the ones affected.  When you look at this map, and when products were scanned, guess what, it could give Abbott even more intelligence in knowing where the product was due to “spots” on the map so they in turn could be more pro-active here too with finding the product quicker!  What technology that is available today for implementation can do and save lives too.  Click on the Bar Code Campaign image to read more.

Here’s a hint from a Mom who recently had to check products from another company, she wanted the convenience and value.  The technology is here today and needs to be designed and requires collaboration of the FDA, DEA and other government entities and a pilot program would sure be nice to give this a try.  Also I have a poll going here and consumers seem to like the idea too, look at the votes!  BD

The company said it is taking this precautionary step after finding a potential for a leak of the components contained in the wrap, which could cause skin injury such as irritation or burn. The issue is limited to the recalled lot.  No other ThermaCare products are impacted.  Pfizer has notified the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

The lot number of the product involved is:

Lot #

Exp. Date

Product Name

E06831

8/2012

ThermaCare HeatWraps Menstrual

This lot number is listed on both the outer carton and the foil pouch.  The lot number may be followed by either an S or an N. For more information on the recall and where to find this information on the package please visit www.thermacare.com or call 1-800-323-3383, Monday through Friday, 9am to 5pm EDT.

Pfizer Consumer Healthcare is removing the product in question from store shelves and asking consumers who have purchased and are still in possession of the affected product to record the lot number, throw the product away in its entirety without opening the foil pouch, and call 1-800-323-3383 for replacement.

Pfizer Consumer Healthcare Issues Voluntary Recall of One Lot of ThermaCare HeatWraps Menstrual... -- NEW YORK, Sept. 24 /PRNewswire/ --

Technorati Tags: Microsoft,Microsoft Life Sciences,Management,information management,Microsoft Tags,recall,FDA,healthcare,Pfizer,Heat Wraps

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Health Insurers Spending Millions to Update IT Infrastructure to Comply With Federal Laws–New Software, Algorithms and Other Health IT Systems To Provide Accurate Information

This is an expense where there’s no getting around the need as new algorithms will be needed in order to assist customer service individuals and agents to give you the correct answers and information.  After all we all know that any information you received today via a question that is asked comes right off the computer screen.  The algorithms for enrollment, for example on children need to be changed so when an agent is taking information to qualify an individuals, those updated decision making algorithms will appear correctly on the computer screens and calculate additional information as needed. 

Companies like United Health Group I’m sure are maybe ahead of the game here as they own a technology company that built it’s business on the algorithms and software they provide as with subsidiaries too they are also able to mine and combine data from other available sources.  This article even confirms this as it sates United did their work in advance.  Algorithms will also need to be adjusted to allow claims to go through on office visits that are preventive to where there is no longer a co-pay.  This is all an automated process today and there are not big rooms of people looking at paper for the most part.  In addition, Ingenix is preparing to also sell you more software on how to code better if you are a healthcare provider.

Ingenix (Wholly Owned Technology Subsidiary of UnitedHealth to Acquire A-Life Coding Software/Services–Tons of Money and Profit With Coding Transactions and Algorithms - Subsidiary Watch

Also don’t forget to get your claims in for the under payment legal suit settlement that was based around the Ingenix algorithms used for customary fees for a number of years.  It’s all about those “algorithms” or formulas used to calculate accurate or “desired” results that we have to deal with. 

AMA Has Online Assistance and Forms For Filing Claims For UnitedHealthCare/Ingenix

Blue Cross had some challenging times too with getting their algorithms in line to comply and their issue in California was the amount of an increase they were going to provide to consumers.

HHS to California Blue Cross – Bring Your Algorithms to Washington And Explain

The connecting of data too goes beyond just the commercial end as some Medicare contractors are owned by insurance companies too, so we have more data to bring together here too.  At the link below a reader of the Medical Quack took a lot of time to provide some history and information on how some of this works so check out the comments too.

Medicare Contractor Gets Deal to Monitor Physician Incentive Payments–Same Folks Earlier This Week Admonished For Not Doing Enough for Fraud Prevention?

In summary as you can see, once new laws go into place, it is a lot of work to make sure all the data flows correctly and consumers are given accurate information.  We of course don’t see how the processes are done since this is all outsourced if you will and not housed internally with government software, so how they do all of this to remain compliant is that we need to somewhat take their word and do audits to make sure everything is correct. 

One other note that was kind of disheartening too was the fact that the Senate cut “cloud computing” from the budget, so what you have here is basically the idea that you are going to get your Cheerios with web services but without the cloud, you have no milk to pour on so laws like this make it even harder at times for our government to move quicker in many areas of IT, and Health IT in particular. 

Senate Cuts Cloud Services From Budget That Would Allow for Data Center and IT Infrastructure Consolidation–Back to the 8 Track Tapes Next?

Anyway, just be prepared and know that it’s the mathematical processes with computers that need to be in place for all of this to happen and the information you are given depends on it.  BD 

Sept. 24--Health insurers are spending tens of millions, are overhauling health plans they offer and are reconfiguring the technology used to assist customers to comply with federal health reform laws passed in March.

Thursday was a major deadline, ushering in new mandated benefits for consumers. Insurers now pay for the full cost of preventive services such as mammograms and colonoscopies. They also must accept children regardless of their medical conditions, as well as waive the cash spending limits they had on customers for each year and for each person's lifetime.

"The removal of cost share on preventive services was a major change that impacted a lot of plans," said ConnectiCare spokesman Stephen Jewett. "That's a broad one. ... I suspect it impacted a lot of different plans at a lot of different insurance companies."

The public's first glimpse of changes related to reform was a batch of proposed rates announced in recent weeks -- increases of much more than 20 percent in some cases -- for health plans sold directly to individuals and families. Those rates take effect Oct. 1, and primarily affect new customers to the individual market. Rates for 2011 are expected in October and November.

Insurance News - Insurers Spend Millions To Comply With Reform

Technorati Tags: United Health Group,Ingenix,Health IT,healthcare reform,infrastructure,computers,algorithms,data,aggregation,Cigna,medical billing

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Amgen and J and J Product Recalls–Time to Go Search the Web and Find Out Where the Products Are and Who Has Them- Big Hassle-Bar Code Technology Would Make This Much Easier

It doesn’t matter why the recall is being done, but whether it is a consumer, a pharmacy, pharmacy benefit manager or a hospital, here goes the long pain-staking process once again and stuff can get missed too.  I’m not going to elaborate again and re-type the solution but will copy and paste a solution.  Some nice heat maps to find the drugs when scanned would be be very cool. 

But we don’t choose to investigate this and still drive individuals to the long pain staking process of looking up lot numbers etc. when a simple cell phone scan could do the trick.  My bar code campaign would be an effort of the FDA, DEA and drug and device companies working together and everyone benefits if collaboration were able to be facilitated, the key to data resolutions today.  Here’s my heat map where I can see who has scanned my Tags (bar codes).  Pretty neat and in real time.

Abbott Recalls Certain Similac® Brand Powder Infant Formulas–Bar Codes and Heat Map Technology Would Have Made the Process Easier-Scan for Recalls with Cell Phones

I just read over at the Wall Street Journal the Abbot Recall Site and Hotlines are over whelmed so be prepared to wait.  In the meantime, there’s other technologies like Microsoft Tags that could have (if used) enabled consumers the opportunity to scan for recalled products by using their cell phone.  If you like this idea, give it a positive vote on the poll.  There’s a long write up summary on the image above and it can be found at the top of my blog where it has a permanent resting spot. 

Microsoft Tag Bar Codes–Who’s Been Scanning the Medical Quack–The Bing Heat Map Tells All And Could Help Find Stolen or Expired Drugs and Devices With This Methodology

There will be more recalls in both food, drug and device products so we need a system that can work for everyone and especially the consumer as we are the ones affected.  When you look at this map, and when products were scanned, guess what, it could give Abbott even more intelligence in knowing where the product was due to “spots” on the map so they in turn could be more pro-active here too with finding the product quicker!  What technology that is available today for implementation can do and save lives too.

I’m actually surprised to see investors not demanding a better recall system too as this affects their profits and of course we know Wall Street uses the most coveted and highest performing technology with data and algorithms available today.  BD

The recall of the Puerto Rico-manufactured drugs is not expected to disrupt the availability of Epogen to patients, according to Amgen spokeswoman Emma Hurley.

She also said the biotechnology company does not expect a material financial impact from the recall.

Amgen manufactures Epogen, used mostly for kidney dialysis patients, and Procrit, used mostly for cancer patients. Amgen sells Epogen in the United States and J&J's Centocor Ortho Biotech unit distributes Procrit in the United States. J&J has been dealing with a rash of recalls of its consumer medicines.

Amgen, J&J anemia drugs recalled over glass flakes | Reuters

Technorati Tags: Amgen,Johson and Johnson,recalls,FDA,bar codes,Microsoft Tags,drugs,pharma

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The Properties of an Adobe pdf Document -Rachel Maddow Rips the GOP on Lack of General Consumer IT Knowledge And Exposes the Input and Authors of the Content–Lobbyists

She talks about the GOP Pledge and the pdf format that was used for the original presentation.  We all deal with pdf documents all the time and she of course brings something forward we all probably use, “right click’ properties.  The properties show the some of the folks who created input here to include AIG, Pfizer, some oil companies and others so it appears they all had input and this is the Republican pledge that came from a staffer who was formerly a big time lobbyist.  Do lobbyists have influence, sort of looks that way when the properties of his document show the sources here. 

This is one more example of the folks living in the 70s and not up to date with what is happening in current times.  We have a good example of what I call the “non participants” with technology, basic understandings.  This is the world of transparency and open data folks and it’s good to know how your document creation can be tracked back to origins. 

It doesn’t matter much what you say today if you don’t have the appropriate algorithms in place to back you up, read it every day in the news with the OMG stories.  I wrote my own analogy about some of this and flat out we have lawmakers trying to create laws that govern technology that they have no clue on how it works, dangerous.  I see this rhetoric of going back to the 70s and I guess it appears to be a time when folks seem to find a subject they feel qualified to talk about, best I can figure.  In another video you can listen to Rachel talk about the GOP talk about those wanting to privatize Medicare, Social Security and the VA.  This one will get your blood pumping.

Cheap Soap Opera Political Antics Again With Newt Gingrich Suggesting to Force Kathleen Sebelius out of HHS And Other Extra Ordinary Tales of Non Participating Illiterates

Wendell Potter knows algorithms and is trying to help and give some inside information on how this all works after years in the business, but we focus on a mosque in New York instead.  Big business loves this distraction as they use their elevated intelligence to keep moving their algorithmic plans for profits forward. 

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

There’s a lot of talk about improving health literacy, well first of all all members of Congress and other leaders should expand their own.  Last year at the stimulus testimonies I watched the Senate Finance committee listen to Kaiser and Microsoft and none of them had one clue on what a PHR (personal health record) is, rest my case and it’s back to we can be fat, ignorant, but the American public has to be up to date and literate, big fat role models that are short changed in the technology department and have to guess at how laws might work with some of this. 

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

How important are the algorithms and computer code we use for decision making processes, check out what happened at Goldman, they had cows and were on a huge hunt here.  This is highly sophisticated technology and not a pdf document that Rachel discusses that we all use in business today.

Somebody Stole Goldman’s Algorithms – Code that Makes Their Money Just Like Health Insurers Use

All you are going to get from insurers are more algorithms that create profit and the lobbyist appear to be there in number even to helping produce the “pledge” for what their profit interests represent. 

Health Care Insurers Suggest Algorithms and Business Intelligence solutions to provide health insurance solution

I talk about backing up with your say with technology and algorithms to support, but in this effort here some are having problems with even the simplest forms of documentation and keeping things straight, a pdf.  I don’t feel comfortable with folk so far out of reality here and low levels of participation to make decisions.  Sad this is the reality of the soap operas and scary antics we see today.  It’s no longer a dog and pony show, it’s a technology and ethics show for those who have not figured this out.  BD

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/ns/msnbc_tv-rachel_maddow_show/#39336480

Technorati Tags: Social Security,VA,Veterans Administration,healthcare reform,Pledge to America,GOP,politics,non participants,Medicare

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ClickFreeMD Selling Software EHR, Practice Management Bundled Records Solution–Emphasis on AMA Endorsement And Software “Powered” by Ingenix–Tethered or Untethered

This is a new one for me but new medical records folks pop up all the time.  I looked and saw a street address, but the big thing, nothing on where your records are stored.  We all know what Care Tracker EHR is from Ingenix but “powered” seems to indicate the records are stored……hmmmmm…..where?  ClickFreeMD “represents” Ingenix Care Tracker, so record server where might you be?

Here’s some information from the website area where the a pdf links:

“ClickFreeMD is a leading provider of internet based software and business services for physician practices. ClickFreeMD represents Ingenix
CareTracker software and uses it to power its medical billing, practice management and EHR services. Since 1996 Ingenix has been a leader
in health care data, analysis and solutions with more than 200,000 physicians and providers, 1,500 payers, and 100 FORTUNE 500®
companies relying on their software, services, and expertise. ClickFreeMD is headquartered in Ridgewood, NJ, with an office in Chevy Chase,
MD. For more information, please visit www.clickfreemd.com or call (888).548.4150”

I did a search and came up with more press release copies and the home page, and I looked there to find out more and again a lot about what Ingenix Care Tracker does but little about ClickFree MD by comparison.

I’m a different of hybrid person with both coding and marketing in my background and this seems to have the look of some fancy marketing here, my opinion and I may not be correct, but it sure looks like it with what I am seeing here.  A few weeks ago we had the announcement of a new marketing strategy department so I am just pondering if this is maybe part of that effort? 

Ingenix Consulting Adds New Consulting Gig–Strategic Technology Solutions–Focus on Health IT Executives On How to Invest and Implement Algorithmic Performance Strategies

They also have this subsidiary that bought a company in China that works with regulatory agencies for approval and distribution of devices and drugs a couple months ago.  You can read between some lines here if you like. 

UnitedHealth subsidiary (Ingenix Subsidiary I3) Acquires ChinaGate – Working to Sell Chinese Products Globally

Data is being integrated today and new algorithms are showing up daily with everyone trying to build the better mouse with data systems being aggregated and integrated like we have never seen before and companies that in the past you would not have even given any thought of any strategic alliances, private equity folks are doing the same all over the place.  I call this type of reading “subsidiary watch”. 

Nobody buys a company today without digging into the value of their data, it is what it is.  If they can plug in some algorithms and make a buck at it, they do it and much of this runs behind the scenes and moves along while we are in emotional turmoil over the mosque in New York, strategists love this distraction so they can lay low and keep working the data. 

I tell everyone whether it is a PHR or an EHR to find out where you data is and who has access.  Who knows maybe the AMA has the data on their servers here as there’s no other information shown.   Many places that used to be heavy on support don’t seem to be that way today and are turning into just one more software house. 

I see better opportunities than this out there and would rather do business with having everything up front and the way this whole site and the information's presented does not make me feel comfortable at all and again it somewhat reeks of some new marketing models someone is trying out to see if folks bite.  This could be where that new coding company software fits in too?

Ingenix (Wholly Owned Technology Subsidiary of UnitedHealth to Acquire A-Life Coding Software/Services–Tons of Money and Profit With Coding Transactions and Algorithms - Subsidiary Watch

We are focused here on the billing, transactions where all the big bucks are made when software systems feed each other with layers and the new cha chings add up.    I am starting to see this new corporate title creep up a lot today, the Chief Growth Officer, interesting name for marketing. 

This also could allow for the solicitation of more data to mine to create anonymous name study information to substantiate what will be paid for in the way of certain medications and procedures too, Ingenix mines and does data as a business model.  We had something along those lines with the Oncologists earlier this year where they cranked their data and sent out letters as it all goes into the big United pocket book in the long run with dividends and investor reports and earlier this year too come to think of it they decided to pay dividends more frequently too and the board said no caps on executive pay.  BD 

ClickFreeMD today launched the Nation's first unlimited use, medical billing, practice management and electronic health records solution that works together and includes all services, software and support for a low monthly flat fee. The quickest and easiest way for busy group practices to six figure savings, Federal HITECH Act incentives and getting paid more, faster. Physicians can see their flat fee and savings calculated in just seconds at www.clickfreemd.com

ClickFreeMD Saves Medical Practices Six Figures with First All-Inclusive, Unlimited Use, Flat Fee Medical Billing, Practice Management and EHR Solution

Technorati Tags: ClickFreeMD,Ingenix,United HealthGroup,EHR,software,Care Tracker,web services,marketing,billing,coding

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California Health Insurance Rate Increases In Effective October 1, 2010

If you have just digested the new rules that went into effect today with healthcare reform and live in California, here’s the roll of news.  The California Insurance Department  does not have to give prior approval for rate increases.  An outside agency was used to review the increases.  In California the state Legislature voted down a bill that would require carriers to submit increases like the automobile and home owners insurers presently comply with.  I think the Insurance Department was able to lean on using the outside agency as a way of having the rates reviewed in some form or another.  The federal government is also in support of helping states in this effort as well.  Here’s what is on the agenda for 3 of the largest carriers in California. 

Aetna – 19% average

Health Net –16% average

Blue Cross – 14-20% average

Here’s a recap of what changes went into effect this week.  BD 

Recap of New Healthcare Reform Insurance Provisions That Take Place On September 23, 2010 From HealthCare.Gov

The California Department of Insurance has given the green light for Aetna to raise premiums rates an average of 19% on individual health insurance plans, impacting about 65,000 people in the Golden State.

Aetna was the last of the four major health insurers in California whose double-digit rates increases were approved by the insurance regulator.

Over the past several weeks, the department also approved premium rate hikes for Health Net, which was cleared for an average rate increase of 16% on its individual health plans; as well as Blue Shield of California and Anthem Blue Cross. All of the rate increases take effect Oct. 1.

Insurance News - Aetna Last of Four Insurers Approved in California for Double-Digit Premium Rate Hikes

Technorati Tags: California,Health Insurance,healthcare,healthcare reform,Department of Insurance,rate hikes,Blue Cross,Health Net,Aetna

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Alleged Shoplifter Hides In Dumpster–Compacted by Garbage Truck and In Hospital in Critical Condition (VIDEO)

This is one of those strange tales but he’s lucky to be alive after surviving several compacts from the trash truck. Dumpster is NOT a good place to hide.  BD

A suspected Walmart shoplifter who hid from police in a dumpster may have chosen too good of a hiding spot.

At 6:00 AM Wednesday morning, police say they saw a man exiting through a side door of the Alliance Walmart with a shopping cart full of merchandise, according to local news station WKYC.

James Brienzo, Alleged Walmart Robber, Hides In Dumpster, Gets Compacted (VIDEO)

Technorati Tags: Walmart,shoplifting,garbage compactor,hospital,accidents

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FCC Approves White Space Frequencies - Google’s TV White Space Hospital Experiment in Ohio

If you have not heard the news today, the FCC has given the go ahead to use white spaces for Super Wi-Fi.  Granted this is still operating with our current wireless standards, but this unused airspace is not tied to phone companies and has the ability to connect at greater distances and faster speeds. 

Google already has a pilot program that was announced last week using white spaces for a hospital.  All will be equipped with high speed wireless access over white spaces.  The program will explore and demonstrate the many uses of white spaces in healthcare.  This is working with a new smart grid network.  This comes at a time when the hospital is just closing their OB Department.

They will be able to use Google Power Meter for efficiencies in utility use to lower bills as well as having the fast WiFi connection.  The approval for the use of white spaces has been on the burner for quite a while now and other companies besides Google were pitching for the approval as well such as Microsoft and Cisco for a couple examples.  BD 

The small pilot program, announced a week before the FCC votes on final technical rules governing white spaces, will use the spectrum to deploy a broadband network. The program is the first of its kind for a hospital. First responder vehicles, the hospital’s ground and the health department will be equipped with high-speed wireless Internet access using the TV white space. According to a post on Google’s public policy blog, the search engine giant and Spectrum Bridge — a company its already partnered with in another white space-to-wireless broadband program — will use this demonstration project to show off the many uses for TV white space.

What Google’s TV White Space Hospital Experiment Means for the Smart Grid | BNET

Technorati Tags: FCC,White spaces,hospital Hocking Valley Community Hospital,healthcare,technology,wireless,WiFi,Google

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Hot Flash Havoc–Menopause Exposed and Explained Documentary For Anyone Who Is A Woman or Knows a Woman–Interview With Heidi Houston, Executive Producer

I had the opportunity recently to speak with Heidi Houston, the Executive Producer of Hot Flash Havoc the new documentary about menopause.  We had a great conversation and having been though a lot of the same types of situations myself I could relate.  I had a great doctor who after my surgery came through the hospital the day after surgery and slapped a patch on me, she knew and was pretty well informed.  After Heidi and I chatted, she was kind enough to send me a preview copy so I could do a complete review and high light both our conversation and the movie itself.  Be sure to watch the entire move to include the credits at the end as the movie had a special song created called “Power Surge” and it will get you motivated and is a perfect fit, written by Grammy Award Winner Siedah Garrett.  If you visit the  HOT FLASH HAVOC  website you can also hear the sound there as well.  The documentary is making its Washington DC premier next week. 

Hot Flashes Coming To Washington D.C. - Controversial New Film About Menopause, “Hot Flash Havoc”- Exclusive Premier Screening–September 28th - Men are Invited

The movie first of all is a complete delight and presents information with a taste of humor (and we all need to laugh here and there), but uncovers and talks about so many topics relating to menopause that have somewhat been taboo for discussion.  As the movie states, menopause is not a disease, but if not treated properly it can lead to other types of diseases like osteoporosis for one simple example.

The movie begins with the history of menopause and how went back ancient Greek times.  The video below is a quick preview. 

History of Menopause

Heidi said the reaction of many when she talked about making the movie was mixed and some didn’t respond to her at all.  Heidi stated the purpose of this movie was to educate and offer information so women could make decisions and become aware of what was happening and be able to gain better “Quality of Life”.  The decision making process comes back to us, the patient and our doctors with knowledge we are gaining over the years and it’s not over yet as new information becomes available all the time.   

She told me none of the funding for this documentary was free from any pharmaceutical company so it is free from any potential influence from pharma and her hope was to show the history and both sides of the story. All money generated from the sale of the DVD goes to agencies to further the research and development of hormone replacement therapy and treatment.

What was really of interest to me was the additional information about the Women’s Health Initiative she provided.  I have done a bit of research and a couple interviews on the Medical Quack about hormone replacement therapy but I did not have the whole story on the how the initiative took place and further more the details on how the results of the study today are still under lock and key with nobody able to get their hands on the data.  In the movie you will see a couple comments here with some researchers stating that fact and who would also like to have that opportunity to look at and analyze the data.  The Women’s Health Initiative was started at the NIH when there was a woman at the top of the helm, but as you watch the movie you will be enlightened at to what occurred after she left and it’s not really a pretty story to say the least as women throughout the world and US stopped using their hormone replacement therapy. 

Heidi used a full panel of experts that you see discussing their points of view and just some plain actual fact that you may not be aware of.  One expert seen quite frequently throughout the films is Dr. Alan Altman, President of the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health and former Assistant Clinical Professor at Harvard Medical School.  One other expert who is interesting here too is Joanne Manson, the WHI principle investigator  and professor at Harvard Medical School, who still stands by the findings but has mellowed a bit and as a woman shares some of the same feelings with the fact that more education is needed. 

The WHI trial was flawed in the fact that it used women who were over 70 starting HRT for the first time in their life and only looked at Premarin and Prempro for the study, no other replacement therapies.  The results were generalized to the entire female population of all ages across the US and the study was initially for studying to see if heart disease was affected by hormones. If you fast forward a few years we now have statins that handle much of the fear with heart disease treatment. Women in their 40s and 50s were not adequately represented, who are the ones going through menopause.  The WHI stated age didn’t matter but in fact it does.  Over a billion dollars of government money was used and yet the data is still locked up and researchers today have a problem with that and for good reasons when the era of today is to share data. 

One part of the movie that was done very well was the using of animations with the brain talking to the rest of the body and using today’s’ methodologies of communication the points are made as you watch the brain chewing out the ovaries for non production and trying to wake up the libido.

New laws were passed to allow for natural supplements to be created to take the place of hormone replacement therapy and as the movie states, the ones who benefited most here were the “snake oil sales” reps.  I do remember all of this myself and buying my share. 

In her efforts, Heidi tried to see if the NIH would release any information as to whether or not they have changed their views in light of new and updated information with hormone replacement therapy and it was denied.

However, recently they have admitted that estrogen does not increase the risk of breast cancer; however hormone therapy remains a viable option for women.  It does contribute to the growth though if it is present. 

In addition, Heidi brought to my attention the “Bloom Study” which is a clinical study for women which is a testosterone cream applied once a day to see if it can help increase testosterone levels. 

She went on to further tell me that there are only about 1000 certified doctors in the US to treat women going through menopause and how the need is there for more to enter into this area as a normal primary MD first of all doesn’t have the time and many do not have the additional training/knowledge on how to advise and treat menopause.

In addition the California National Organization for Women spoke with Heidi this month and you can also see what was said during their interview and at the Doctor’s Channel.

What is hormonal shock – the hysterectomy –watch the video below as I know this one well too.

Hormonal Shock!

I appreciate the time Heidi took to speak with me and further more for making this documentary as it does answer a lot of questions and brings so much more into the open.  Without some type of treatment, we can just literally dry up. 

I think the movie is excellent and would make for a great viewing at a hospital, a theatre, anywhere were women go, in other words there’s a lot of information here that has not been talked about or exposed, and after watching the movie, you will get it and it’s a good idea for men to watch as well so they can increase their awareness as they have to live with us.  BD 

Technorati Tags: Society for Women¹s Health Research,Womens' health,Menopause,Hot flashes,Hot Flash Havoc,Washington DC,Heidi Houston,WHI,Siedah Garrett.,NIH,HRT,hormones,bioidentical HRT,FDA

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