Medical Quack

Insurers Add 4th Tier to Prescription Pricing–Higher Costs for Patients–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Part 31 As That is What Calculates the Cost

Well we all know that once you leave tier one and two the costs go up tremendously so when does tier five appear one might ask?   The one man quoted in the article states that his HIV drugs went from $80 a month to $450 a month.  One state, New York has banned tier four plans. There has to be some give and take between pharmaceutical companies and insurers and in this instance the insurers are not completely <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9ug7r99fIHc/T8hIgYVdGiI/AAAAAAAA7Pk/xP6Xl9saU9o/s1600-h/image%25255B4%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="108" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7AtyI_fmbc4/T8hIgt4wiVI/AAAAAAAA7Ps/SPcVGPpfw1o/image_thumb%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="138" /></a>the bad guys as they usually are with risk analysis comparisons.  In some areas there are no tier one and two drugs available and so tier three and four are the only ones available.  Research and development is expensive for drug development as well, so where does all of this hit the road for consumers?  We already know that in the US we pay more for our drugs than any other country and basically somewhat subsidize the lower costs that others get.  It’s all about the math and profits here and granted a certain amount of profit is needed to keep companies alive but let’s face it the big huge profits of the pharmaceutical business can stay forever.  BD <hr /> Thousands of patients in California and across the nation who take expensive <a href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/drugs-medicines/prescription-drugs-HEDAR00000155.topic">prescription drugs</a> every month for <a href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/diseases-illnesses/cancer-HEDAI0000010.topic">cancer</a>, <a href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/diseases-illnesses/rheumatoid-arthritis-HEDAI0000036.topic">rheumatoid arthritis</a> and other ailments are facing sticker shock at the pharmacy. Until recently, most of these patients typically paid modest co-pays for the advanced drugs. But increasingly, Anthem Blue Cross, <a href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/economy-business-finance/aetna-inc.-ORCRP000343.topic">Aetna</a> and other insurers are shifting more prescriptions to a new category requiring patients to shoulder a larger share of the drug's cost. To help lower their costs, health plans are changing their approach to drug coverage, often expanding from a three-tier to a four-tier plan. The first tier would be generic drugs at a $10 co-payment, for instance, the second tier preferred brand-name drugs at a $30 co-pay, the next tier non-preferred brand-name drugs for $50, and the top tier would be dozens of specialty drugs costing patients 10% to 30% co-insurance or $150 co-pays. <a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-expensive-drugs-20120529,0,2965274.story">http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-expensive-drugs-20120529,0,2965274.story</a>

Insurers Add 4th Tier to Prescription Pricing–Higher Costs for Patients–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Part 31 As That is What Calculates the Cost

Well we all know that once you leave tier one and two the costs go up tremendously so when does tier five appear one might ask? The one m...

Thursday, May 31, 2012

Medical Quack Will Be Back Blogging Soon

Medical Quack Will Be Back Blogging Soon

I have just moved after 28 years in one house and what a move it was to include a nice spider bite from a brown recluse. I am lucky there t...

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Former FDA Commissioner Andrew Von Eschenbach Joins Another Board–Banyan Biomarkers

Banyan Biomarkers provides analytical services to pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies and investigators at academic research institutes.  The company has a focus on traumatic brain injury and developing assays to qualify biomarkers.  BD  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/01/former-fda-leader-von-eschenbach-named.html"> Former FDA leader von Eschenbach Named to Viamet Board of Directors</a> </h5> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/former-fda-commissioner-dr-andrew-von.html">Former FDA Commissioner, Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach Finds a Home on the Board of HistoSonics</a></h5> <blockquote></blockquote> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/11/former-fda-chief-dr-andrew-von.html">Former FDA Chief Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach Appointed to the Board of Directors For BioTime and OncoCyte</a></h5> <hr /> ALACHUA, Fla.--(<a href="http://www.businesswire.com/">BUSINESS WIRE</a>)--Banyan Biomarkers, Inc. <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-KdXjUiU5Ia0/T7NSxAI1pwI/AAAAAAAA7Ew/mX-4x9OUUS0/s1600-h/image%25255B5%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="175" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-K3lTXWKke8I/T7NSxjTXCMI/AAAAAAAA7E4/uWbwbaaITlw/image_thumb%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="138" /></a>today announced that Andrew von Eschenbach, MD, former Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and former Director of the National Cancer Institute (NCI), was elected to its Board of Directors. “Banyan Biomarkers is developing a technology that would revolutionize how we diagnose and evaluate the traumatic brain injuries that are taking a devastating toll on soldiers, athletes, and accident victims. I am eager to contribute to Banyan Biomarkers’ efforts to rapidly bring such hope for a better outcome to so many in desperate need,” stated Dr. von Eschenbach. <a href="http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120509005103/en/Banyan-Biomarkers-Announces-Andrew-Von-Eschenbach-Joins">http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20120509005103/en/Banyan-Biomarkers-Announces-Andrew-Von-Eschenbach-Joins</a>

Former FDA Commissioner Andrew Von Eschenbach Joins Another Board–Banyan Biomarkers

Banyan Biomarkers provides analytical services to pharmaceutical companies, biotechnology companies and investigators at academic research i...

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

MyMedicalRecords PHR 30 Day Account To Be Offered at Mickey Fine Pharmacy Chain in California

Who says the old traditions don’t mix with the new, and here’s an example of what is said to be the last pharmacy with a soda fountain in the<img align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mjYgT0kXgb0/TiolQ9EEmgI/AAAAAAAA2D0/FkhSTHbJ8Es/image_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" /> store.  If you under around 40 years old, you won’t know what one looked like as pharmacies today don’t have them any longer.  MMR Global as you all know gained nationwide recognition over stocks and shares and the Hollywood suicide that occurred.  Sometimes people say any publicity is good but in this case with getting the financials in order the company did get some press.  At any rate if you have never heard of Micky Fine it’s in Beverly Hills and is a landmark.  The Medical Quack has <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/search/label/Personal%20Health%20Records">pretty large section all about PHRs</a> and it goes back to the beginning of when both Google and Microsoft began their programs and as we all know now Google Health is no longer around and at one point MMRGlobal connected with Google Health as well.  BD  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/mmr-global-phr-law-suits-and.html"> MMR Global PHR Law Suits and Patents–Company That Drew Attention With the Russell Armstrong Suicide in Hollywood</a></h5> <h4> </h4> A very good target market for personal health records is seniors and I know that for a fact as a few years ago when I was guest speaker at the Computer Friends Group in Newport Beach, a senior tech group (and yes they exist) that was one of the first questions they asked about was having access and copies of their medical records, and let’s face it a we get older, more of us might see the importance as well.  The second most important topic the seniors asked me about if you look at the link below will tell you they wanted to know about speech recognition and mind you this was back in 2008 and my friends at Nuance will appreciate that plug for sure as look where we are today.  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/09/microsoft-speech-recognition.html">Microsoft Speech Recognition Presentation - Computer Friends at the Oasis - Newport Beach, CA</a></h5> I have mine and my mother’s records all together and with all of her medications and documents in one spot it sure is convenient for me since we don’t live real close. Today is the first day of offering, May 10th. In addition to their interest in medical records the company also is diversified with some biotech holdings as well working in the area of clinical trials.   BD <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/favrille-biotech-and.html">Favrille Biotech and MyMedicalRecords.com, Inc. Announce Merger Agreement</a></h5> <a href="http://www.qualitystocks.net"> <hr />QualityStocks</a> would like to highlight <a href="http://app.quotemedia.com/quotetools/clientForward?action=showDetailedQuote&symbol=MMRF&targetURL=http://www.qualitystocks.net/stocks1.html">MMRGlobal, Inc.</a>, a publicly traded company. Through its wholly-owned operating<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-FXHB0UNREXo/T6wwXnbUmJI/AAAAAAAA6_Q/a9O7V7XcbZ4/s1600-h/image%25255B10%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="167" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Bo8xDoTsLdY/T6wwYMRCXEI/AAAAAAAA6_Y/qs6aa072S2c/image_thumb%25255B6%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="200" /></a> subsidiary, MyMedicalRecords, Inc., the company provides secure and easy-to-use online Personal Health Records ("PHRs") and electronic safe deposit box storage solutions, serving consumers, healthcare professionals, employers, insurance companies, financial institutions, and professional organizations and affinity groups. The MyMedicalRecords PHR enables individuals and families to access their medical records and other important documents, such as birth certificates, passports, insurance policies and wills, anytime from anywhere using the Internet. In the company’s news last week, MMRGlobal announced it will begin offering its MyMedicalRecords PHR at the <a href="http://www.mickeyfine.com/index.html">Mickey Fine Pharmacy</a> chain in Beverly Hills beginning May 10, 2012. MMRGlobal pointed out Mickey Fine Pharmacy’s established presence in the Los Angeles area, attracting many movie stars, athletes, business leaders, and politicians. MMRGlobal’s program offer Mickey Fine customers a 30-day MyMedicalRecords.com PHR account, which covers up to 10 family members, including pets, and incorporates the company’s MyEsafeDepositBox so that users can securely store important documents, accessible from any Internet-connected device. <a href="http://www.virtual-strategy.com/2012/05/08/qualitystocks-news-mmrglobal-launches-mymedicalrecords-program-mickey-fine-pharmacy">http://www.virtual-strategy.com/2012/05/08/qualitystocks-news-mmrglobal-launches-mymedicalrecords-program-mickey-fine-pharmacy</a>

MyMedicalRecords PHR 30 Day Account To Be Offered at Mickey Fine Pharmacy Chain in California

Who says the old traditions don’t mix with the new, and here’s an example of what is said to be the last pharmacy with a soda fountain in th...

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Blue Cross Venture - Blue Health Intelligence Proving to Be Very Costly And Received Another 9 Billion From Undisclosed Source–Subsidiary Watch

So far according to this article it has been hard to quantify the real dollar amounts that have been saved.  We all know there’s a lot more data out there of course with the creation of the venture.  Recently it was announced that the firm that manages the Blue Cross venture was moving to San Francisco to start up an incubator so is this a sign of perhaps where some of the funding may have come from?  With starting an incubator this is a sure sign that they are looking for more code for analytics.  <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/04/sandbox-vc-firm-that-manages-blue.html"> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/04/sandbox-vc-firm-that-manages-blue.html">Sandbox VC Firm that Manages Blue Cross/Blue Shield VC Funds Is Moving to San Francisco–An Incubator for Some New Coders To Write Algorithms for Profit?</a></h5> </a> <h4> </h4> <img height="299" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/ShZICGNC-2I/AAAAAAAAP0k/SXGg-ykTJpk/image_thumb%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" width="433" /> We also recently had this purchase from the Venture division.  BD  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/09/wellpoint-partners-buy-bloom-private.html">WellPoint & Partners Buy Bloom Private Health Insurance Exchange From Their Own Venture Capital Company (Sandbox) –Subsidiary Watch</a> <hr /></h5> (Crain's) — A venture of the Blue Cross & Blue Shield Association that analyzes health care information on 110 million people has raised more than $9 million in equity, as insurers comb patient records for ways to cut costs and improve medical care. Blue Health Intelligence uses claims data that has been stripped of identifying information to study health care trends, using records covering nearly one-third of the U.S. population. Founded in 2006, the venture is backed by the Chicago-based association and 18 of the 38 insurers that use the Blue Cross name, which is licensed to them by the association. Despite showing promise, Blue Health Intelligence has proven to be a costly endeavor, with $31 million in revenue and $43.6 million in expenses in 2010, the most recent year available, according to the tax return for the nonprofit association. The $9.4 million in capital was disclosed last month by Blue Health Intelligence in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which does not identify the source of the money. The funding still leaves the venture short of its goal of raising $13.1 million, according to the filing. <a href="http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20120503/NEWS03/120509903/blue-cross-association-raises-9-4-million-for-data-venture/healthcare">http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20120503/NEWS03/120509903/blue-cross-association-raises-9-4-million-for-data-venture/healthcare</a>

Blue Cross Venture - Blue Health Intelligence Proving to Be Very Costly And Received Another 9 Billion From Undisclosed Source–Subsidiary Watch

So far according to this article it has been hard to quantify the real dollar amounts that have been saved. We all know there’s a lot more ...

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Pebble Watch–Companion for iPhone and Android As a Companion for mHealth Apps With Crowd Source Funding (Video)

This entire story is interesting in going just beyond<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-p46yUGfrRQk/T6vulbredxI/AAAAAAAA6-o/BUrNZ8gXmkg/s1600-h/image3.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="103" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-pLB_EdFTBJw/T6vuliNHJUI/AAAAAAAA6-w/I5eGixX_7xQ/image_thumb1.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="175" /></a> what the watch does in the fact that it was funded by a company called Kickstarter.  You can review the page and see the folks that pledged money to get the project off the ground here and this relates to the hot topic of crowd funding.  All it took to contribute was a dollar and 283 backers jumped in.  The watch supports blue tooth and connects to your phone, so just convenience with being on your wrist to check emails, get alerts, and so on shows how this will probably be a big hit.  It is water resistant.  There have been smart watches out before and this is not the first but the design and connection to the cell phone might be the trick here.  If you were receiving alerts as an example to remind you to take your meds, this would be convenient as one example to not have to reach for your phone.<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-xW3tny4O4CM/T6vumD4Yr4I/AAAAAAAA6-4/VLImO8DzNlo/s1600-h/image7.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="98" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-3LngN2An-YY/T6vumdsK-wI/AAAAAAAA6_A/vPXuE4kezMw/image_thumb3.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="200" /></a>  Battery life is stated to be about 7 days, less time than charging your phone.  You can listen to music, take it on the golf course and it will track GPS information from your bike, which of course is right into exercise.  I like the fact that you can shake your wrist to dismiss a message too.  A watch with apps!  The watches have all sold out and will ship in September with “backers” getting the option to buy first, smart marketing there.  It has a built in accelerometer which by now we all know what that does.  Interesting and I can see this with mHealth Apps for sure.  BD <iframe height="360" src="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/597507018/pebble-e-paper-watch-for-iphone-and-android/widget/video.html" frameborder="0" width="410"></iframe> <hr />Apps bring Pebble to life. We're building some amazing apps for Pebble. Cyclists can use Pebble as a bike computer, accessing the GPS on your smartphone to display speed, distance and pace data. Runners get a similar set of data displayed on their wrist. Use the music control app to play, pause or skip tracks on your phone with the touch of a button. If you're a golfer, feel free to bring Pebble onto the course. We're working with <a href="http://www.freecaddie.com/">Freecaddie</a> to create a great golf rangefinder app for Pebble that works on over 25,000 courses world-wide. Instead of using your phone, view your current distance to the green right on your wrist. These apps will be the first, with more in the works!   <a href="http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/597507018/pebble-e-paper-watch-for-iphone-and-android">http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/597507018/pebble-e-paper-watch-for-iphone-and-android</a>

Pebble Watch–Companion for iPhone and Android As a Companion for mHealth Apps With Crowd Source Funding (Video)

This entire story is interesting in going just beyond what the watch does in the fact that it was funded by a company called Kickstarter. ...

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Congress Drops the Ball While Children Can’t Get Their Drugs for Cancer Treatment–And Many of the Cancers Can be Cured–Shame on Boehner’s Response–For 14 Months the Bill Has Been In the Works

Over a year ago the bills started and today drug shortages<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-_Ywxo6568kE/T6i3O0lnFfI/AAAAAAAA69A/jDttq-RDWwc/s1600-h/image%25255B4%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="135" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-xAnz5QTJ_gs/T6i3PRvn3LI/AAAAAAAA69I/uM0aNIZOuGo/image_thumb%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="188" /></a> are still looming.  The bill is stuck in the Senate, why does it take 14 months before anything begins to happen.  The FDA commissioner, Dr. Margaret Hamburg  has called for the law to put through so they can be notified when there are drug shortages looming.  Watch the video and see what Boehner has to say, he respect the system..boy are in bad shape if that’s the case.  Many of the drugs in short supply are generic as some companies are no longer making them due to not enough profit.  The bill needs a full vote of the Senate to become law and that’s where it has been stuck so one more tarnish on the GOP lawmakers for sure.  Harry Reid said they should have it on the floor shortly and his response was “it’s always been that way here, slow”.   We all know different and have seen things hit the floor and get passed, it just seems to depend on who has a sense or urgency and concern for their fellow man and children. There’s all this talk about saving money with cancer care, well not too long ago I had this story about UCLA spending two hours out of every day, calling around to borrow or work with suppliers to ensure their cancer patients when they come in for treatment, that the drugs will be there.    As long as this goes on who can even think about cost savings it goes right out the door and patients may or may not get their cancer drugs.  What is also ironic is that the Cancer facility at UCLA is making some breakthroughs with cancer research and targets.  BD  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/04/drug-shortages-continueucla-spends-2.html">Drug Shortages Continue–UCLA Spends 2 Hours A Day Checking on Cancer Drug Availability–ASHP Website Lists All Current Shortages</a></h5> <embed src="http://cnettv.cnet.com/av/video/cbsnews/atlantis2/cbsnews_player_embed.swf" scale="noscale" salign="lt" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" background="#333333" width="425" height="279" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" FlashVars="si=254&&contentValue=50124358&shareUrl=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57429527/life-saving-cancer-drugs-for-children-stuck-in-federal-legislative-limbo/" /></embed> <hr />Fifteen months ago today, Republicans and Democrats introduced bills to solve to problem. The Preserving Access to Life-saving Medications Act would require drug companies to notify the FDA if a shortage is coming. Both parties and the President support the bills, yet they haven't passed. CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook found out more about the shortage and then traveled to a place he'd never worked before -- the U.S. capitol. "I've been in Congress for 16 years," Degette said to CBS News. "I have never seen a Congress more difficult to pass legislation. I think you should call the leadership and ask them why they haven't brought this bill up for vote!" <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57429527/life-saving-cancer-drugs-for-children-stuck-in-federal-legislative-limbo/">http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57429527/life-saving-cancer-drugs-for-children-stuck-in-federal-legislative-limbo/</a>

Congress Drops the Ball While Children Can’t Get Their Drugs for Cancer Treatment–And Many of the Cancers Can be Cured–Shame on Boehner’s Response–For 14 Months the Bill Has Been In the Works

Over a year ago the bills started and today drug shortages are still looming. The bill is stuck in the Senate, why does it take 14 months ...

Monday, May 07, 2012

ReWalk Robot Enables Patients with Lower Limb Paralysis to Walk In Downey, CA–Only Hospital in the West That Has the System

This is very cool and it is FDA approved but costs a few dollars for sure.  The hospital was lucky as they were the recipient of a donation to make this happen.  You can read the back article below. and <a href="http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-exo-skeleton-robot,0,2433207.story">visit the news website</a> here to see it in action.  BD  <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5XbkjrrdMZg/T6h1pipS9WI/AAAAAAAA68Y/0l3OWBYOdQc/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="254" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-IquaAmLnHVM/T6h1qHg4ZtI/AAAAAAAA68g/ZkQKwCDR8aE/image_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="425" /></a> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/01/fda-approves-rewalk-device-that-enables.html">FDA Approves “Rewalk” Device That Enables Paralyzed Individuals to Walk</a> </h5> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:ac871219-8c9c-46df-b123-484cf5799401" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="eea44c4c-264b-4e94-9753-c3d3005260a8" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQRQs-N-ZIM" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('eea44c4c-264b-4e94-9753-c3d3005260a8'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"416\" height=\"234\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/gQRQs-N-ZIM?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/gQRQs-N-ZIM?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"416\" height=\"234\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-EPODb_Qcwtg/T6h1qVr3DjI/AAAAAAAA68o/dPex2TDgR6w/videoc8f51bb89cc6%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div><div style="width:416px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">ReWalk</div></div> DOWNEY, Calif. (KTLA) -- An amazing new exo-skeleton robot is enabling patients with lower-limb paralysis to walk again. Rancho Los Amigos National Rehabilitation Center in Downey is the only hospital in the Western U.S. to get the ReWalk system. The ReWalk robots were donated to the facility, and they're worth about $85,000 each. <a title="http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-exo-skeleton-robot,0,2433207.story" href="http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-exo-skeleton-robot,0,2433207.story">http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-exo-skeleton-robot,0,2433207.story</a>

ReWalk Robot Enables Patients with Lower Limb Paralysis to Walk In Downey, CA–Only Hospital in the West That Has the System

This is very cool and it is FDA approved but costs a few dollars for sure. The hospital was lucky as they were the recipient of a ...

Monday, May 07, 2012

Illegal Drugs Smuggled Out of China Containing “Powdered Humans” or “Flesh Pills” Contain Bacteria and Are Dangerous–South Korea Steps Up the Fight to Battle With Documentary

This is just a yucky story all the way around but the summary<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-MWyyL0WtN5g/T6hnXJuPogI/AAAAAAAA68E/JV-DKh2lB40/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="93" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-sMjEQuQ8ndk/T6hnXlM0fsI/AAAAAAAA68M/kwOaiAbvrag/image_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="147" /></a> of this is that the pills are supposedly sold/marketed at performance drugs and the Korean government even made a documentary about the topic.  It is not known if any of these pills made it to the US.  The flesh contained is from the fetuses of aborted babies and can contain a high degree of bacteria as there is nothing known about how the pills are made.  The pills are being found in tourists luggage. It’s an old Chinese belief that a human fetus can cure disease so thus came the pills I assume.  So far no comment from the Chinese government.  MRSA, e coli, salmonella and other bacteria could be present.  Hepatitis B is also incredibly high in China.  BD  <hr /> South Korean customs officials are boosting efforts to stamp out illegal smuggling of drugs that are allegedly coming from China. Reason: The drugs supposedly contain human flesh. Since August, Korean authorities have discovered nearly 17,500 of the human flesh capsules in the luggage of tourists and in international mail, the state-run Korea Customs service said in a statement Monday. The pills, disguised as performance enhancement drugs, have been smuggled in by ethnic Koreans living in northern Chinese cities and contain so-called super bacteria that is hazardous to human health, the statement said.  The documentary claimed that DNA tests verified that the pills were made from powdered humans. The Korean customs announcement comes less than a month after China’s drug regulators announced the suspension of sales of 13 drugs (11 Chinese traditional medicines and two antibiotics) after finding they were encased in gelatin capsules that contained excessive levels of chromium. According to China’s state broadcaster, CCTV, the toxic drug capsules were believed to originate from factories in China’s coastal Zhejiang province and had been made using scraps of leftover leather. <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2012/05/07/south-korea-steps-up-fight-against-human-flesh-pills-from-china/">http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2012/05/07/south-korea-steps-up-fight-against-human-flesh-pills-from-china/</a>

Illegal Drugs Smuggled Out of China Containing “Powdered Humans” or “Flesh Pills” Contain Bacteria and Are Dangerous–South Korea Steps Up the Fight to Battle With Documentary

This is just a yucky story all the way around but the summary of this is that the pills are supposedly sold/marketed at performance drugs a...

Monday, May 07, 2012

Cutting Healthcare Costs Massachusetts Governor States Using Insurance Plans That Cut Out Some of the Harvard Teaching Facilities (Video)

This is an interview asking the Governor how they are decreasing cost and he addresses the premium costs and states they are making progress.  Fee for Service is discussed as it is all over the country.  Limited networks plans encourage people to go to community settings he states.  Not all of Harvard Teaching facilities are on the “high”list though and some of the community hospitals ended up on the high list too.  On the <a href="http://www.bluecrossma.com/plan-education/pdf/hospital-list.pdf">Blue Cross Study,</a> Massachusetts General was on the “high” list.  Limited Network Plans mean a smaller network of providers, in other words those with contracts that are acceptable.  BD  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:13a8648d-572a-4c81-9fb0-aa6d75f4168c" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="2ba1e0d8-3096-463c-98e9-bcd8b845c3ae" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KA2vxozA1wE" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('2ba1e0d8-3096-463c-98e9-bcd8b845c3ae'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"418\" height=\"235\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/KA2vxozA1wE?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/KA2vxozA1wE?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"418\" height=\"235\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-r05DuHYvXxc/T6V9AmZWbXI/AAAAAAAA65Y/3ZG0x_sGJkA/videoa3592a145579%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div><div style="width:418px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Massachusetts Governor</div></div> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/12/blue-cross-launching-new-health.html">Blue Cross Launching New Health Coverage Option in Massachusetts-Encourages Consumers Via Employer Plans to Avoid 15 Named High Cost Hospitals</a></h5> Massachusetts Governor Patrick discusses how they are cutting healthcare costs by encouraging <a href="http://www.mass.gov/anf/employee-insurance-and-retirement-benefits/benefit-enrollment/benefit-decision-guides/active-employee-benefit-dec-guides/limited-network-plans-emp.html">limited network plans </a>that do not include Harvard and other teaching hospitals, as well as getting away from fee for service. <a href="http://currentmedicine.tv/2012/other-categories/policy/how-to-cut-healthcare-costs-in-massachusetts-ban-harvard-from-insurance-plans/">http://currentmedicine.tv/2012/other-categories/policy/how-to-cut-healthcare-costs-in-massachusetts-ban-harvard-from-insurance-plans/</a>

Cutting Healthcare Costs Massachusetts Governor States Using Insurance Plans That Cut Out Some of the Harvard Teaching Facilities (Video)

This is an interview asking the Governor how they are decreasing cost and he addresses the premium costs and states they are making progress...

Saturday, May 05, 2012

Prime Healthcare Cited for Violating Patient Privacy

I think we all remember this story from a short while <img align="right" height="108" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-BrzGRs6h5cg/TrseXx6qDAI/AAAAAAAA4Oo/-jX2fIbPq-M/image_thumb.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="161" />back with the CEO responding about a patient and making a little too much information available relative to her diabetes records.  They were responding to a news report and it also ended up in the Los Angeles Times.  Prime was already being watched for the Kwashiorkor Malnutrition billing codes they were using.  I’ve done other posts too on billing software and the algorithms used for billing so there’s a little of both involved here with input and how the software does the ultimate coding as well. <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/10/prime-healthcare-responds-to-billing.html"> Prime Healthcare Responds to Billing Practices–Flawed Data and Algorithms Once Again-Who Got Sold a Bill of Goods as Kaiser, Stanford & Other Hospitals Had a Ton of Kwashiorkor Malnutrition Billings</a> </h5> The patient just wanted restitution and wanted her records correct, which every patient should demand if they find errors.  In the meantime the hospital has it’s ongoing issues with Blue Cross.  What hospital today doesn’t have billing issues with at least one insurer.  BD  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/11/shasta-regional-hospital-in-california.html"> Shasta Regional Hospital In California Suing Blue Cross/Blue Shield for Unpaid Medical Bills</a> <hr /></h5> A Prime Healthcare Services hospital in Redding broke state law when it publicized a patient’s confidential medical files in an effort to discredit a California Watch news report, state regulators say. The state Department of Public Health on Tuesday issued five "deficiencies" against Shasta Regional Medical Center for what were described as repeated breaches of patient confidentiality last year. At one point, the hospital CEO sent an e-mail to 785 people – virtually everyone who worked at the hospital – disclosing details from a 64-year-old diabetes patient’s confidential files, state investigators found. The disclosures occurred as Prime was attempting to rebut <a href="http://californiawatch.org/health-and-welfare/prime-hospital-bills-malnutrition-patient-says-she-wasn-t-treated-14055">a California Watch story</a> on a supposed outbreak of a Third World nutritional disorder called kwashiorkor at the Redding hospital. The hospital had billed Medicare for treating more than 1,000 senior citizens for kwashiorkor over a two-year period, records show.  <a href="http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/prime-hospital-cited-violating-patient-confidentiality-16049">http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/prime-hospital-cited-violating-patient-confidentiality-16049</a>

Prime Healthcare Cited for Violating Patient Privacy

I think we all remember this story from a short while back with the CEO responding about a patient and making a little too much information ...

Friday, May 04, 2012

UnitedHealthCare Found a New Way to Market Health Insurance – “High Performance Networks”

Well this is a new press release that came out and gee I thought everyone today was high performance so where are the low performance folks? I guess those are the ones who are not under contract?  <img align="right" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TXCfvYCDCBI/AAAAAAAAsv0/8biVjC7dBI0/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" />The official name is “SignatureValue Alliance” in California so I guess this means the doctors and hospitals have signed on the dotted line <grin>.  It mentions evidence based medicine and for what I see most are already practicing that way and have for years.  The rating algorithms come in here and again we all know how ratings go these days and depends on who’s algorithms are being use and the integrity of the data collected along with accuracy.  Being this is in California it kind of looks like a revival of the old PacifiCare HMO type of contract if you ask me.  United bought them years ago and tons of Orange County employers were strapped a while back to find new HMO insurance policies for employees as the rates when up quite a bit.  This goes back to 2010 with HMO agreements.  Beckman was given as one of many companies who were scrambling.  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/04/employers-in-orange-county-looking-for.html">Employers in Orange County Looking for New HMO Contracts as St. Josephs and Some Others Begin Cancelling Agreements with Pacificare (UnitedHeatlhCare) – Employer Capitation Contracts</a></h5> <h4> </h4> With this new plan several IPAs are already enrolled including Monarch Healthcare which they own.  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/12/united-healthcare-acquisition-of.html">United Healthcare Acquisition of Monarch Healthcare HMO Already Causing Confusion and Access Problems for Blue Shield Patients in Orange County</a></h5>   Again it sounds like a version of Pacificare all over again and  ratings doesn’t make much difference anymore as so many reports are skewed as sometimes it’s like comparing Apples to Oranges as demographics and other such items can’t play out fair for all.   If you read here often enough then you know for an example how bad the data was and may still be on HealthGrades as I found my former doctor who had been dead for 8 years still alive and kicking on their ratings.  “High-performance networks, which include physicians rated both on quality and efficiency measures, are becoming increasingly popular as a way to improve outcomes and more effectively manage costs.” I wonder if the hearing aides are coming next to California too?  In looking at all the insurance first quarter reports all seem to be down except United so I guess marketing, algorithms and huge slew of subsidiaries works for shareholders.  BD  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/10/united-healthcare-gets-in-medical.html">United HealthCare Gets In the Medical Device Business–Distributing Cheap Hearing Aides Sold Via Hi HealthInnovations Division –Subsidiary Watch</a> <hr /></h5> UnitedHealthcare is offering "SignatureValue Alliance" in California, a new health benefits plan featuring high-performance care provider networks committed to delivering effective, evidence-based and cost-efficient care. The SignatureValue Alliance plan enables employers and plan participants to save on their health care costs through lower premiums while still having access to a wide range of traditional and deductible HMO plans. The Alliance network includes six large physician groups in Southern California and parts of Northern California that include 90 hospitals and about 26,000 physicians and specialists. Participating Alliance physician groups include: HealthCare Partners Medical Group, Heritage Provider Network, Monarch HealthCare Medical Group, PrimeCare Medical Group, Sante Community Physicians, and Scripps Health. <a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/unitedhealthcare-offers-new-health-plan-featuring-high-performance-networks-in-california-2012-05-03">http://www.marketwatch.com/story/unitedhealthcare-offers-new-health-plan-featuring-high-performance-networks-in-california-2012-05-03</a>

UnitedHealthCare Found a New Way to Market Health Insurance – “High Performance Networks”

Well this is a new press release that came out and gee I thought everyone today was high performance so where are the low performance folk...

Friday, May 04, 2012

Woman Buys A Box of Tampons at Close Out Bargain Store and Finds Cocaine–Obviously Not for Internal Use On This Box

This is one of those stories from the beyond and I worked in <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-P0XN8nM0nnE/T6P6Fo7rtaI/AAAAAAAA64E/-RByhMm24E8/s1600-h/image%25255B7%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="120" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/--oMgsNB9nG4/T6P6GApFhYI/AAAAAAAA64M/oevspBukTjM/image_thumb%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="110" /></a>logistics for years and transportation companies used to have sales as such on lost products, damages, and so on relative to freight claims.  After the company paid a claim for goods that could not be sold as new, this is very common to recover a portion of the money.  This box came from the UK and had a “Boots Label” which is a British drug store and this will be interesting to see how this moves along for sure with tracing how the product got there and through any distributors for sure and see if there’s any more like this out there.  Last year the NHS talked about using the Boots chain to deliver chemotherapy to patients…hmmm..something else to keep close track on and I’m sure all will be looking at Boots all the way around and their distributors.  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/01/nhs-health-secretary-submits-plan-for.html">NHS-Health Secretary Submits Plan for Patients to Receive Chemotherapy at Local Retail Boots Store as Part of Reorganization</a></h5> Perhaps this is a new way of smuggling drugs? <img align="right" height="115" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TT8hX3RRBDI/AAAAAAAApco/UXQe30E_wG4/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="141" /> The white powder tested positive for cocaine.  The box showed no signs of tampering either so again this one of those to be tracked and solved.  The store is probably clue less of course as they buy products to liquidate and hopefully we have no “blind shipping” documents here, which is where a point of origin is not shown, but the common carriers, if this is the case can track it through and find all that information out.  BD  <iframe height="320" src="http://eplayer.clipsyndicate.com/embed/iframe?aspect_ratio=3x2&auto_next=1&auto_start=0&page_count=5&pf_id=9207&pl_id=20010&rel=3&show_title=0&tags=news&va_id=3469555&volume=8&windows=2" frameborder="0" width="320" scrolling="no"></iframe> <hr />Cindy Davidson is good at sniffing out bargains, so when the Salt Lake City mom saw tampons on sale last Saturday, she didn't exactly turn up her nose at a good deal. However, inside the box, along with the tampons and the applicator was something extra: Cocaine. "I didn't look like it was tampered at all," she told <a href="http://KTVX-TV.">KTVX-TV.</a> "There was cellophane filled with white powder." The box of Boots tampons -- a British brand -- was supposed to contain 16 tampon. She noticed, however, some inconsistencies in they way they were packed. When she found the suspicious little package inside, her heart began to race -- and it certainly wasn't the euphoria coke users experience. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/04/cocaine-tampons-accidenta_n_1477321.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/04/cocaine-tampons-accidenta_n_1477321.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003</a>

Woman Buys A Box of Tampons at Close Out Bargain Store and Finds Cocaine–Obviously Not for Internal Use On This Box

This is one of those stories from the beyond and I worked in logistics for years and transportation companies used to have sales as such on ...

Friday, May 04, 2012

Novartis Buys Generic Dermatology Company Fougera Pharma for $1.5 Billion

Sandoz is the generic division of Novartis and the acquisiton of Fougera will reside within this division it appears.  The two companies already service some of the same accounts.  BD <a href="http://www.genengnews.com/keyword/novartis/234"> Novartis</a> is buying specialty<a href="http://www.genengnews.com/keyword/dermatology/836"> dermatology</a><a href="http://www.genengnews.com/keyword/generics/4542"> generics</a> firm<a href="http://www.genengnews.com/keyword/fougera/8043"> Fougera</a> Pharmaceuticals for $1.525 billion in cash. The Swiss drug <a href="http://www.genengnews.com/keyword/novartis/234"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="58" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-cAX8WoOqvvE/T6NzvY7yb7I/AAAAAAAA63o/Hy9CMyUAi3k/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="136" /></a>giant says adding Fougera to its Sandoz generics business will transform the latter into the world’s biggest generic dermatology medicines operation, with estimated annual global sales approaching $620 million. “ The addition of Fougera’s leading portfolio further strengthens Sandoz’ differentiated products strategy,” comments Jeff George, global head of Sandoz. “Fougera brings us valuable technical capabilities in the area of topical dermatology products, particularly in the development and manufacturing of semisolid forms such as creams and ointments.” <a href="http://www.genengnews.com/gen-news-highlights/novartis-to-buy-dermatology-generics-firm-fougera-for-1-525b-cash/81246720/">http://www.genengnews.com/gen-news-highlights/novartis-to-buy-dermatology-generics-firm-fougera-for-1-525b-cash/81246720/</a>

Novartis Buys Generic Dermatology Company Fougera Pharma for $1.5 Billion

Sandoz is the generic division of Novartis and the acquisiton of Fougera will reside within this division it appears. The two companies alr...

Thursday, May 03, 2012

Researcher At San Francisco VA Medical Center Dies After Handling Rare Strain of Bacteria–Was Working On a Vaccine for Meningitis

All who worked at the lab have all been vaccinated to protect<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-7CcZXlG9_9M/T6Nxyg6XRcI/AAAAAAAA63Y/MmKuHfDhU1U/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="131" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-WZ--uT2V7Rg/T6NxzGEUrLI/AAAAAAAA63g/oGX6WB-MSZ0/image_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="166" /></a> as well as family members but according to the story here the vaccine would not have helped in his situation.  This was fast as he woke with a rash and then died on the way to the hospital from a heart attack.  Cal-OSHA is investigating and stated they are verifying that this was the same bacteria he was working with.  Back in 2001 we had an ex-Pfizer researcher speak out about safety in labs as she suffered exposure due to unsafe working conditions.  BD <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/04/ex-pfizer-scientist-wins-137-million-in.html"> Ex-Pfizer Scientist wins $1.37 Million in Lawsuit Against Pfizer in Biotech Viral Exposure Lawsuit</a></h5> Lab workers at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs medical center will be urged to get vaccinations for the diseases they study as a precaution as investigators continue looking into a researcher's death after he handled a rare strain of bacteria, officials said Thursday. Richard Din, the meningitis research associate who died Saturday in a possible lab exposure, wasn't vaccinated for the illness despite Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations to the contrary. Nonetheless, the VA's Harry Lampiris said a vaccine may not have protected Din, 25, because he was helping to develop a vaccine for a meningitis strain resistant to vaccine. "Laboratory-acquired infection represents an occupational hazard unique to laboratory workers, especially those in the microbiology laboratory," Kamaljit Singh of Chicago's Rush University Medical Center concluded in a 2009 scientific paper published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases. Singh estimated that 500,000 lab workers handle dangerous germs in the United States. <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/05/03/national/a160829D91.DTL">http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2012/05/03/national/a160829D91.DTL</a>

Researcher At San Francisco VA Medical Center Dies After Handling Rare Strain of Bacteria–Was Working On a Vaccine for Meningitis

All who worked at the lab have all been vaccinated to protect as well as family members but according to the story here the vaccine would n...

Thursday, May 03, 2012

Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Allscripts For Misleading Investors With Merging Data Systems–Too Much Code and Not Enough Time – Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 30

Let’s start out with this, if one is a developer/coder this is probably not a great atmosphere to be in right now, I would not want to be <img align="right" height="75" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Hj-xK6lcMu8/Tfr_S4MGRrI/AAAAAAAAzbw/yX1z8S0yVXk/image_thumb%25255B9%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="146" /> working there writing code to integrate.  I don’t know the entire insides and outs to intelligently talk specifically on some of this but do know we had 2 very differently constructed system that needed to come together with the merger of the two companies for an even more powerful system for medical records.   I wonder if somebody got sold a bill of goods here?  When you have management involved they are basically “magpies” as far as knowing what the whole job entails as they rely on the “hands on” folks for accurate information.  On the other hand too, you cannot push the coders and get good algorithms and software and the average person is not really cognizant of how massive these system have become with all the working parts that need to integrate and support each other.  When I did my little integration on the desktop with client server with billing software, that even took me a while but I had the same data product for the back end and I’m sure on the two products merged here.  With existing clients, some would need to be migrated if they are different, the way data works and when as a consumer you sit down and see the magic, you have no clue on all the coding work that goes into the system, you just want it to work.  According to this article the join in date expires on 2012 for investors to stake their claim.  Sometimes you can’t put developing on a schedule as there’s always something that comes up that is not expected and will take extra time, especially with writing to HIPAA standards and security which is of course a major concern and component with any medical records system.  This was the news a few days ago.  Investors, better ask more questions and in cases with complex software like medical records, don’t think we have web fairies out there flying around.  Just with some of the small stuff I do I have people thinking oh you just sit down for a couple hours and like magic you have their project done..not so.  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/04/allscripts-cfo-resigns-along-with-few.html">Allscripts CFO Resigns Along With A Few Other Key Individuals, Board Fires Chairman–1st Quarter Had Lower Sales And Net Earnings Down–Long Haul to Get Software Technologies Merged So They Work</a> </h5> Let’s go back in time a little further as I have been around this business for a while to Misys Memory Lane when Misys and Allscripts merged in 2008, this was done once with integrated code, so a few years later here we go again and new compilers, <img align="right" height="130" src="http://lh4.google.com/DucknetServices/R9_kGW1DPQI/AAAAAAAAD18/AkeNWubJfgE/image_thumb%5B1%5D?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="216" />etc. to bring in.  I don’t know how much or if any of the old Misys code is left but they grew by integrating and buying up other software so before Allscripts even came along you had integrated code to work with, so one wonders how much more can it go before you scratch and write a new system or considerably revamp big portions of the entire program.  This stuff takes time.  Remember these 2 guys telling us how great it would be and it did work but again we don’t know the back side and now it’s lot more expensive as there’s a lot more code.  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/03/misys-allscripts-merger-is-all-about.html">Misys-Allscripts merger is all about SaaS</a> </h5> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/06/misys-sells-allscripts-shares-to-enable.html">Misys Sells Allscripts Shares to Enable Eclipsys Merger – Medical Records</a> </h5> Misys is still around but they don’t do medical records any more.  Last year they were even working with Humana to give doctors discounts to buy and again this was the original Allscripts system as the merged system had not arrived. Revenue projections were based on the successful integration here-so much for business intelligence projections if the code is not all done.  I hope we get <img align="right" height="103" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6HDDm04lOwA/Ts0zq-EuFHI/AAAAAAAA4d8/nMT-KL0JEDY/image_thumb%25255B12%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="211" />to hear more on this topic as folks dig in.  Investors beware of what some software folks claim when you have projects of a big magnitude as this.  I don’t think that maybe they lied outright, they may not have said anything as heck investors and consumers buying this kind of stock don’t understand it anyway and how it all has to come together, they just want money.  The creative projecting with clients and revenue though I would think that some curious tech minded analysts might have asked about, and they are pretty sharp but when you get down to asking about “real” work in progress and don’t nail down the right specific questions, nobody’s going to tell you.  So due to this fact and usually it’s the consumers getting bit by the algorithms and this time investors based on this lawsuit so we have the Attack of the Killer Algorithms (or lack of in this case) that came to bite.  Analysts with some IT background might want to think about making some on premise visits in the future you think?  That could or could not help though if they are not shown the entire picture and saw a lot of “virtual” work.  You just don’t know.  If you would like to read more about the other Killer Algorithm Chapter, use the link below or scroll down to the bottom left hand side of my blog for more every day examples on how the Killer Algorithms function today along with a ton of flawed data accumulating out there.   BD   <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/attack-of-killer-algorithmsdigest-links.html">Attack of the Killer Algorithms–Digest & Links for All Chapters–How Math and Crafty Formulas Today Running on Servers 24/7 Make Life Impacting Decisions About You–Updated 3-11-2012</a></h5> <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/attack-of-killer-algorithmsdigest-links.html"> </a> <hr /> Levi & Korsinsky announces that a class action lawsuit has been commenced in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on behalf of investors who purchased Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc. (“Allscripts” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: <a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=mdrx">MDRX</a> - <a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/q/h?s=mdrx">News</a>) securities between November 9, 2010 and April 26, 2012. The Complaint alleges that the Company made materially false and misleading statements in regards to its progress in assimilating both Allscripts’ and Eclypsis’ disparate systems and its ability to translate its fragmented product lines into revenue. In particular, the Complaint alleges that defendants concealed from the investing public that: (a) the process of developing a unified product offering after the Merger had suffered debilitating setbacks which ultimately resulted in the loss of key personnel and harmful upheaval in Company leadership; (b) a material portion of Allscripts' revenue and net income was based on the successful integration of these systems and substantial business relationships had been destroyed by the inability to make material progress in this area; and (c) as a result of the foregoing, Allscripts lacked a reasonable basis for its claims of progress in post-Merger integration and continued growth. <a title="http://finance.yahoo.com/news/law-firm-levi-korsinsky-notifies-221000244.html" href="http://finance.yahoo.com/news/law-firm-levi-korsinsky-notifies-221000244.html">http://finance.yahoo.com/news/law-firm-levi-korsinsky-notifies-221000244.html</a>

Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Allscripts For Misleading Investors With Merging Data Systems–Too Much Code and Not Enough Time – Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 30

Let’s start out with this, if one is a developer/coder this is probably not a great atmosphere to be in right now, I would not want...

Thursday, May 03, 2012

Komen Public Relations Vice President In Charge of Public Relations, Branding and Marketing Resigns–Business Intelligence Decisions/Marketing Not Popular With Consumers–Algorithm Attack #10 Revisited

I think we have reached a stage to where consumers are a bit tired of hearing “it was business decision” when those decisions cut care and funds that helped people.  Sure it exists in other businesses but right now with the war on women’s health, not popular and myself I took their link off and replaced it with Planned Parenthood.  This was the second strike though as a year ago they suing other non profits who also helped people for using the name “cure”.  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/01/susan-g-komen-foundation-attacking.html">Susan G. Komen Foundation Attacking Other Charities Over Use Of The Word 'Cure'</a></h5> Ok so the lady resigning today, was that her call too?  Inquiring minds asking questions here.  I talk a lot today about the imbalance of using business tools today for intelligence and we don’t have enough people sometimes with enough common sense on how to use them.  Komen found out the hard way about “unintended outcomes” and again you have very unsympathetic public with the economy in it’s current state.  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/01/komen-foundation-cuts-of-funds-to.html">Komen Foundation Cuts of Funds to Planned Parenthood - Wall Street Was Lit up in “Pink” Last Week For Fund Raising from Hedge Funds and Other Financial Companies</a></h5> I have said it many times that when you have folks in positions without a little bit of tech background that make decisions you are in  trouble.  No doubt we will see more of this as we are reaching a crossing point of where decision hurt and nobody seems to care and that is sad.   I watched the women struggle with this on the videos they put out and it was not enough.  I keep using this picture of the New York Stock Exchange as a reminder for all as to where some philanthropy efforts are going.  <img height="307" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-j1Q4JLjl_Dg/TyjBLs87vOI/AAAAAAAA5Hc/iGmczFPd2mg/image%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="434" /> The Komen Foundation made the number 10 spot on my Attack of the Killer Algorithm series.  I suppose when you can’t justify in words any longer to meet with approval form the public, it’s time to move on.  BD  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/komen-reverses-decision-with-planned.html"> Komen Reverses Decision With Planned Parenthood–Hard Lesson on How Business Analytics Are Misunderstood And/Or Abused–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 10</a> <hr /></h5> <h4> </h4> Another key executive at Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s national headquarters is leaving the organization after a public relations debacle regarding funding to Planned Parenthood of America. Leslie Aun, who as vice president of marketing and communications served as the lead spokesperson for the organization, will leave Komen May 15 to become vice president of communications at Venture Philanthropy Partners (VPP). She will become at least the sixth executive to leave the organization, either at headquarters or at the affiliate level, since the Planned Parenthood controversy exploded four months ago. As vice president of marketing and communications, Aun was responsible for directing Komen’s public relations, branding, advertising, interactive marketing and event planning teams. Prior to joining Komen in March 2011, Aun was vice president of communications for the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and chief communications officer for Special Olympics. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/03/leslie-aun-susan-g-komen-resigns_n_1475587.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/05/03/leslie-aun-susan-g-komen-resigns_n_1475587.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003</a>

Komen Public Relations Vice President In Charge of Public Relations, Branding and Marketing Resigns–Business Intelligence Decisions/Marketing Not Popular With Consumers–Algorithm Attack #10 Revisited

I think we have reached a stage to where consumers are a bit tired of hearing “it was business decision” when those decisions cut care and f...

Thursday, May 03, 2012

Johnson and Johnson Acquires First Medical Device Company In China - Guangzhou Bioseal .

As the <a href="http://www.jnj.com/connect/news/all/johnson-johnson-china-investment-ltd-acquires-guangzhou-bioseal-biotech-co-ltd">press release reads,</a> this is a product used in China<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-XfQxoT-0bVQ/T6MeGA_uGBI/AAAAAAAA62s/OtFLUH13qew/s1600-h/image%25255B2%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="96" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-uxtX3e60j7U/T6MeGTz8u9I/AAAAAAAA620/zHCX4lvZVoM/image_thumb.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="165" /></a> only and not in the US.  The company will fall under the Ethicon division of J and J and produces a sealant used for adjunct hemostasis undergoing surgery, controls the bleeding when other methodologies are not sufficient. Ethicon biosurgery brands already on the market in China include SURGICEL® and SURGIFLO®.  J and J is not new to China as they have had other interests there for years and have a <a href="http://www.jnj.com.cn/">Chinese website.</a>  BD  <hr /> Health care giant <a href="http://www.massdevice.com/company/johnson-johnson">Johnson & Johnson</a> (NYSE:<a href="http://www.google.com/finance?q=jnj">JNJ</a>) made its 1st acquisition in China this week, picking up Guangzhou Bioseal Biotech for an undisclosed amount. J&J has been doing business in China for more than 25 years, including last year's launch of a medical device and diagnostics innovation center there. "This transaction reinforces our commitment to China and delivering innovative medical device solutions to the Chinese market," J&J's Chinese medical president Xie Wen Jian said in prepared remarks. "We are very pleased to add the Bioseal brand to our growing portfolio of hemostasis products in China and we look forward to working with our new Bioseal colleagues to bring their innovative products to more physicians and patients." <a href="https://www.massdevice.com/news/jj-nabs-its-1st-chinese-device-maker-wall-street-beat">https://www.massdevice.com/news/jj-nabs-its-1st-chinese-device-maker-wall-street-beat</a>

Johnson and Johnson Acquires First Medical Device Company In China - Guangzhou Bioseal .

As the press release reads, this is a product used in China only and not in the US. The company will fall under the Ethicon division of ...

Thursday, May 03, 2012

Colbert Talks Accretive Care–Collections in the Hospital ER (Video) Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 30!

The blue ball system Accretive uses..funny but you know what <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-eClfiTRpePY/T6LP2eMBOlI/AAAAAAAA62E/641PoKBKdyM/s1600-h/image%25255B6%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="135" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ZYejZJm1Wb4/T6LP2xdxcNI/AAAAAAAA62M/-s_yfIsnT88/image_thumb%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="194" /></a>it’s about the Killer Algorithms once again.  I’m glad he did this one as it needs attention as there’s more of this under the rafters that consumers don’t see.  It’s all about the math and flawed data, and/or formulas created for profit, and accuracy and ethics take the back seat.  Read the link below for a couple other examples of how “consultants” function today, all in the math and algorithms. Kind of sad that pay for performance has to enter the ER before one can get care with employees being graded on what they collect.  <img height="84" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TJcGp1oHKzI/AAAAAAAAhfM/jyY8xKNrAKY/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto" width="220" /> If you have followed this from the start, it all began with a stolen notebook that exposed all, with a consultant running around with patient medical records on it and they had been sharing this information with Wall Street investors.  <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/01/accretive-health-debt-collector.html"> <h5></h5> </a><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/01/accretive-health-debt-collector.html"> <h5></h5> <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/01/accretive-health-debt-collector.html">Accretive Health Debt Collector Employee Has Laptop Stolen With Non Encrypted Patient Data from 2 Hospitals And Had Access to All the Data Via Revenue Cycling - Patient Information Was Shared With Wall Street Investors – Algorithms For Profit Again?</a> </a></a> </a></a> <div style="background-color: #000000; width: 420px"> <div style="padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 4px"><iframe height="238" src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/embed/mgid:cms:video:colbertnation.com:413584" frameborder="0" width="412"></iframe> <p style="text-align: left; padding-bottom: 4px; background-color: #ffffff; margin-top: 4px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 4px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 12px; padding-top: 4px">The Colbert Report Get More: <a href="http://www.colbertnation.com/full-episodes/">Colbert Report Full Episodes</a>,<a href="http://www.indecisionforever.com/">Political Humor & Satire Blog</a>,<a href="http://www.colbertnation.com/video">Video Archive</a> </div> </div> Now the next back link for some additional history here below and this makes Chapter 29 of the Attack of the Killer Algorithms at the Medical Quack.  What is that…read further…it’s on the front page of the Medical Quack every day so see how numbers and formulas with spun marketing to save or make money are affecting lives all over the US, actually this is the reasoning behind the Occupy movement.  You can’t see, feel or touch those algos and we are also gathering a lot of flawed information.  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/04/accretive-medical-collections-and.html">Accretive Medical Collections and Analytics Cited by Minnesota by Attorney General For Collecting from Patients At Bedside and Worse–Employees on Pay for Performance Too? Killer Algorithms Chapter 28</a></h5> <h4> </h4> Here’s a digest along with a great video that will get you up to speed and <img align="right" height="86" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6HDDm04lOwA/Ts0zq-EuFHI/AAAAAAAA4d8/nMT-KL0JEDY/image_thumb%25255B12%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="177" />hopefully explain some of this.  I work with code and numbers and to the average consumer you would never see this and of course the connection between financial and healthcare is critical.  You can be easily snowed. <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/attack-of-killer-algorithmsdigest-links.html">Attack of the Killer Algorithms–Digest & Links for All Chapters–How Math and Crafty Formulas Today Running on Servers 24/7 Make Life Impacting Decisions About You–Updated 3-11-2012</a> </h5> Take it from a higher source than me and this is the same video that is on the front page of the Medical Quack.  Actually Professor Siefe borrowed a word from Colbert “Proofiness” so these two are in tune.  The name of his book is called “<a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/proofinessthe-dark-side-of-mathematical.html">Proofiness, The Dark Arts of Mathematical Deception”</a> and it’s out there but few want to talk about it.  I have the National Institute of Statistical Science talking to me too about the Killer Algorithms as they know as well they are out there and emailed me a while back and said “keep it up, this needs attention and awareness”.   <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:44948097-4fe5-470d-9745-2463a9b5a868" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="7c050465-4c05-4ab5-9946-cf2e9f29eb73" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiQwZ6inbOM" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('7c050465-4c05-4ab5-9946-cf2e9f29eb73'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"422\" height=\"237\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/qiQwZ6inbOM?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/qiQwZ6inbOM?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"422\" height=\"237\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-y3UCHuS5QRs/T6Nukiezd0I/AAAAAAAA63M/Ukb7Un44k2Y/videob1b918124427%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div><div style="width:422px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">It’s all about context!</div></div> We need balance and ethics with using our intelligence and need to make sure we are not marketed with numbers but rather given intelligence to help us.  BD  <a href="http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/413584/may-02-2012/the-word---debt-panels">http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/413584/may-02-2012/the-word---debt-panels</a>

Colbert Talks Accretive Care–Collections in the Hospital ER (Video) Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 30!

The blue ball system Accretive uses..funny but you know what it’s about the Killer Algorithms once again. I’m glad he did this one as it ne...

Thursday, May 03, 2012

Practice Fusion Medical Records Launches First of It’s Kind Lab API Where Any Lab in the US Can Connect

This is pretty good and I remember back when I wrote an<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-RvdIc2kCF3Y/T6IpKduG6BI/AAAAAAAA61U/vjuyDC0ovLY/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="73" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-l1z4DNN_QCs/T6IpKjLrB5I/AAAAAAAA61c/OUGHoYekanE/image_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="194" /></a> interface to work with Quest Labs that I about fell off my chair when it worked.  That was back when HL7 was still in it’s infancy and creating the crosswalk at the time was a lot of work, for me anyway as I never done one before.  Things are long past those days for sure with the sophistication that we have today by comparison.  Back in 2009 the company was also one of the first medical records systems to embrace cloud technology.  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/08/practice-fusion-emr-to-sit-on.html">Practice Fusion EMR to Sit on Salesforce.com’s Cloud</a></h5> If you want to find out more about Practice Fusion, follow the link on the Medical Quack for more information on the left hand side of the page.  BD  <hr /> SAN FRANCISCO, May 2, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- Practice Fusion, the free Electronic Medical Record (EMR) company, today announced the launch of its new lab API, which allows any laboratory in the country to connect directly to the EMR. The lab API - first of its kind in the health sector - enables rapid deployment of new laboratory connections that would ordinarily take weeks or months to establish, giving over 150,000 medical professionals easy access to their local commercial, hospital and private laboratories. Practice Fusion already has 70 labs signed up for connectivity with the help of the new API Practice Fusion's Lab API allows laboratories to connect to the EMR platform instantly with almost no turnaround time Labs can use the API connection to instantly send lab results to Practice Fusion users with standard HL7 data files Labs interested in connecting to Practice Fusion's EMR should contact Erica Martinez at emartinez@practicefusion.com or request more information online. Physicians interested in signing up for the free EMR should visit http://www.practicefusion.com <a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/practice-fusion-launches-api-to-democratize-lab-integrations-2012-05-02">http://www.marketwatch.com/story/practice-fusion-launches-api-to-democratize-lab-integrations-2012-05-02</a>

Practice Fusion Medical Records Launches First of It’s Kind Lab API Where Any Lab in the US Can Connect

This is pretty good and I remember back when I wrote an interface to work with Quest Labs that I about fell off my chair when it worked...

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

San Diego Hospitals Having Issues With Anthem Blue Cross Refusing Claims for Psychiatric Emergency Services–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 29

The California Hospital Association is involved here with stating there<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WATSOzAgolY/T6IcUa9fU0I/AAAAAAAA604/I5qtW2L2GcI/s1600-h/image%25255B6%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="113" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-y2CQ8w4rTXw/T6IcUwmPJBI/AAAAAAAA61A/Qq84YOqdPXU/image_thumb%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="134" /></a> had been several complaints from providers.  The story states that they have more denied claims from Blue Cross than all the other carriers combined.  Mental health again is getting the short end of the stick.  Sharp Hospital says that patients are not getting access to proper care.  Two years ago is when the hospital began to change how it reviewed claims, and hmmmm let me see that’s when the new business intelligence algorithms could have come into play, right?  That’s what usually happens with insurers and it’s algorithms that give the yes or the no based on analyzing data.  About one third of the days submitted have been refused and now an increasing number of doctors are refusing to see patients.  BD <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:e83854cd-7f4f-421b-94e9-d6a2a0027381" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="d6d64547-8fe1-4110-ae0f-b442d15eb463" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49uOwMlCZi0" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('d6d64547-8fe1-4110-ae0f-b442d15eb463'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"424\" height=\"238\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/49uOwMlCZi0?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/49uOwMlCZi0?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"424\" height=\"238\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Vti1HxWyQxY/T6IcVEttgWI/AAAAAAAA61I/G_9OLhSCSkU/video81368cfcda92%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div><div style="width:424px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">San Diego Hospitals Blue Cross</div></div> <hr /> SAN DIEGO — San Diego’s largest private providers of mental health services are having problems with California’s second biggest HMO. These hospitals complain <a href="http://www.anthem.com/health-insurance/home/overview">Anthem Blue Cross</a> refuses to cover a high percentage of hospital stays for psychiatric emergencies.  Health care providers complain the situation is affecting access to care. We now have more denied days from Anthem Blue Cross than any other payer," Dr. Plopper said. "We have more hospital stays here that include denied days by the insurance company, than all of our other insurance companies combined." Medical director <a href="http://www.psychiatriccenters.com/resume_psychiatrists.aspx">Tom Flanagan</a> used to sit on one of Anthem Blue Cross’s medical advisory committees. But he resigned two years ago, when he noticed the insurer began to deny care for a high number of his patients. Sharp has recently appealed 366 hospitalization days that Anthem wouldn’t pay for. The company reversed its decisions on only six of those days, a reversal rate of 1.6 percent. Sharp said the average reversal rate for all of its insurers is 53.8 percent. <a href="http://www.kpbs.org/news/2012/may/01/san-diego-providers-having-problems-anthem-blue-cr/">http://www.kpbs.org/news/2012/may/01/san-diego-providers-having-problems-anthem-blue-cr/</a>

San Diego Hospitals Having Issues With Anthem Blue Cross Refusing Claims for Psychiatric Emergency Services–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 29

The California Hospital Association is involved here with stating there had been several complaints from providers. The story states that ...

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

Harvard Joins MIT With Offering Education Courses on the Web–MITx and EDX With Certification For Free

We have some of this in healthcare too, some funded by the stimulus and this looks to be the way of the future for at least part of a college education<img align="right" height="148" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TLNbqqQcXAI/AAAAAAAAiDw/Fyjyby8A1cA/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="190" />.  I say part because to do an entire 4 year curriculum online with no other human intervention would be insane, but who knows it might get to that some day, but I don’t think so as you would have folks that may have all the intellect but know zap about how to work with other people.  Just social networks kind of give us a hint of that today as a matter of fact.   <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/free-online-course-available-for-health.html"> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/free-online-course-available-for-health.html">Free Online Course Available for Health IT Certification – EHR, HIE, PHRs and HIT</a> </h5> </a> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/10/nurses-enrolling-in-online-computer.html">Nurses Enrolling in Online Computer Courses With Learning Electronic Medical Records in Maine–Stimulus Money At Work For Healthcare IT</a> </h5> Stanford was the first one out of the barrel last year with online classes.  This also opens the doors for anyone in other countries to participate and the only requirement that I see here is “English”.   I guess if you don’t get that, there are translators from Google and Microsoft that might help you out too online.  Perhaps this will in time help cut down on the cost of a higher education as well.  BD <hr /> Harvard has joined with MIT to deliver courses over the Internet, for free, to anyone in the world. The new joint venture, called <a href="http://edxonline.org/">edx</a>, builds upon MIT’s existing online learning platform, <a href="http://mitx.mit.edu/">MITx</a>, which already runs a handful of courses, including Circuits and Electronics, for around 120,000 students worldwide.  The courses offered through edx will incorporate video lessons, online quizzes, and real-time feedback. Students will receive a certificates of mastery for their efforts. In recent years, there has been a massive groundswell in online learning—enabled by high-speed Internet connections, ubiquitous computers, and back-end technology like cloud computing. Edx is just the latest—and most prestigious—endorsement of that phenomenon. It's interesting to see technology being used to make teaching more efficient. But platforms like edx could also help institutions such as MIT and Harvard identify and nurture the smartest students from anywhere in the world.  <a href="http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/editors/27814/">http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/editors/27814/</a>

Harvard Joins MIT With Offering Education Courses on the Web–MITx and EDX With Certification For Free

We have some of this in healthcare too, some funded by the stimulus and this looks to be the way of the future for at least part of a colleg...

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

IBM Buys Tealeaf Technologies–Mining Software That Captures Users Activities When Visiting Websites

This is one of those software companies that is mining and tracking you on the website, which I don’t mind but when they turn around and<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-k8tubbK0vxI/T6HVbeUff5I/AAAAAAAA60Q/vFlU6NfogGE/s1600-h/image%25255B4%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="68" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-IjP7ZNycFAY/T6HVbgx6Q_I/AAAAAAAA60Y/AG0CC4VSnlM/image_thumb%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="149" /></a> sell my data other than in house use for better intelligence I get concerned with a lot of this software.  I was on a site a few months ago and they had some issues and what was funny is there was a rogue algorithm and on the screen I got to see someone else’s data being captured, it was funny and again a fluke in the software but while I was there I watched.  Now I have used software as such that allows you to watch a user’s activity but for me, does it matter, no. Analytics do matter though as far as seeing what interests visitors and where to better target information and who’s not doing that today.  If you have been on some of the big company websites, Wells Fargo as named here for one as a client, you have been captured.  “Tealeaf has over 450 customers worldwide including 30 of the Fortune 100 companies, including Dell, Wells Fargo, Air Canada, GEICO, Orbitz, Crate & Barrel, Neiman Marcus, Expedia, Zappos, ING Direct, Best Buy, DirecTV, McKesson and StubHub. The company has raised $12 million from Bay Partners, Matrix Partners and Foundation Capital.” ClickTale is another company that does the same thing as far as collecting data and again for smarter marketing not a bad idea but the selling of the data is the part that bothers me the most.  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/04/we-pay-gasoline-tax-to-keep-up-us.html">We Pay Gasoline Tax to Keep Up the US Highway Infrastructure–Why Not Tax the Data Selling Companies and Banks to Keep Up the US Government IT Infrastructure? A “Buffett Tax” Alternative</a></h5> I looked for a privacy policy on the page and didn’t see one, so in addition to <img align="right" height="77" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TJcGp1oHKzI/AAAAAAAAhfM/jyY8xKNrAKY/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="194" />being analyzed, you are more than likely being sold here too.  Wonder if IBM and these folks would be adverse to paying some tax money on what they harvests as banks and companies are making billions mining and selling data and today it is so engrained that some businesses could not stay in business if they took it away, so tax them instead and let’s work on bridging the inequality in the country as soon the mining folks are going to run short on users to mine if we don’t add more jobs, besides those working with algorithms as the economy as it is now is so dependent on formulas that we cant’ get more manufacturing back to the US because of this as it makes billions with very little over head.  BD  <hr /> Another week, <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2012/04/25/ibm-acquires-enterprise-search-software-company-vivisimo-to-boost-big-data-analytics/">another IBM acquisition</a>. Big Blue has announced <a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/ibm-to-acquire-tealeaf-technology-inc-to-help-marketers-deliver-exceptional-digital-experience-for-smarter-commerce-2012-05-02">the purchase</a> of <a href="http://www.tealeaf.com/">Tealeaf Technology</a>, which provides customer experience analytics software that helps organizations access information about consumer web experiences. Financial details were not disclosed.  Basically, Tealeaf’s software captures and records what each customer is doing and seeing in real-time on every page and across all site visits, down to the page-by-page, browser-level experience. By capturing every single customer’s visit, as well as the reaction of the site in response to the customer’s requests, Tealeaf captures both the quantitative and qualitative details of every single interaction. This data is then used towards optimizing the customer experience. <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2012/05/02/ibm-acquires-tealeaf-to-add-customer-buying-analytics-to-smarter-commerce-products/">http://techcrunch.com/2012/05/02/ibm-acquires-tealeaf-to-add-customer-buying-analytics-to-smarter-commerce-products/</a>

IBM Buys Tealeaf Technologies–Mining Software That Captures Users Activities When Visiting Websites

This is one of those software companies that is mining and tracking you on the website, which I don’t mind but when they turn around and se...

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

MedXCom Replaces the After Hours Answering Systems for Doctors That Pushes Patient Profile to the Cell Phone–Works With Medical Records Systems And is a PHR for the Patients…

This sounds pretty cool for the doctor to be able to get a history of<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-sChnmEL8tY4/T6HQycbjKxI/AAAAAAAA6zc/mu4J_AEp3fE/s1600-h/image%25255B11%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="98" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Lj6uGk4gvxo/T6HQygjT66I/AAAAAAAA6zk/rIk5DGzXZPQ/image_thumb%25255B5%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="188" /></a> surgeries, meds, allergies and so forth before talking to the patient.  We live in the information age and this was created by a doctor who of course saw the value of having information rather than playing a guessing game with memory or having to go through other procedures to get his/her hands on the medical records.  If they are in an office, on paper, well we know what that would mean for sure.  The article states it will work with any EHR and the information is migrated to the application once the patient gives permission and is that not a breath of fresh air, patient give permission, the way it should be.  A patient only version is coming out soon which is basically a PHR that the patient can use whether or not their doctor is or is not.  The after hour patient calls are forwarded  and the app records, archives and transcribes them.  I like that part as even with just my cell phone I have that now with messages. Patients are informed that they are being recorded.  At $29.95 a month it won’t break the bank either.  I try to put what I feel is something that is usable on the blog and this certainly fits the bill it appears.  <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-uEcZwzDswfo/T6HQyx56pKI/AAAAAAAA6zs/srv20HrzCuU/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="275" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-U12h87_XmA4/T6HQzGm9F2I/AAAAAAAA6z0/tuVmqgZf_RY/image_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="419" /></a> You can also e-prescribe through the software and do referrals with doctors who are also using the system.  I am guessing this is modular and service levels, depending upon what is chosen might raise the price a little as it appears you can use as much or as little of the features as desired.  BD  <hr /> Michael Nusbaum rarely thought twice about giving his personal cell phone number to patients after he operated on them. Nusbaum is a<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Zpqjp41ozto/T6HQzcnCJFI/AAAAAAAA6z8/6ed4ejEd7uI/s1600-h/image%25255B7%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="152" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-CZTfotv7sFA/T6HQzoorP8I/AAAAAAAA60E/Mz_mQlEoubI/image_thumb%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="108" /></a> bariatric surgeon at New Jersey’s Morristown Medical Center, and he wanted patients to be able to reach him easily by phone or text. But then he found out that sending text messages to patients violates federal privacy laws. Whenever patients texted him, “I wouldn’t text them back,” Nusbaum says. “I had to pick up the phone and call them so I wouldn’t violate the law.” If a doctor is subscribed to <a href="http://medxcom.com/">MedXCom,</a> after-hours calls get forwarded to his cell phone instead of an answering service. “Before I speak to you, it will push your entire health profile to my cell phone,” Nusbaum says. “I can see everything—what surgeries you’ve had, what allergies you have, the medications you’re on. I have all that information even before I take the call.” If the doctor wants to order a prescription, he can do so right through the app. MedXCom is designed to work with any EMR. When patients agree to use the product with their doctors, their EMRs are automatically migrated into the app. Patients can then add information to the app, and they can scan and upload paper records from their visits to other doctors. They can also sign up to get reminders of routine checkups for themselves or their kids by phone or text, and they can use the app to schedule appointments. Giffen charges physicians an average of $49 a month to use the telecommunications features of MedXCom—far less than the $250 or so they would pay per month for an answering service with a live operator, Nusbaum says. Doctors who opt out of the telecom services can still use the EMR features at no charge, and everything is free for patients, he says. <a href="http://www.xconomy.com/new-york/2012/05/02/giffen-solutions-created-by-fed-up-doc-connects-mds-and-patients/?single_page=true">http://www.xconomy.com/new-york/2012/05/02/giffen-solutions-created-by-fed-up-doc-connects-mds-and-patients/?single_page=true</a>

MedXCom Replaces the After Hours Answering Systems for Doctors That Pushes Patient Profile to the Cell Phone–Works With Medical Records Systems And is a PHR for the Patients…

This sounds pretty cool for the doctor to be able to get a history of surgeries, meds, allergies and so forth before talking to the patient...

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

FDA Approves New Drug for Treating Genetic Disease Gaucher From Protalix and Pfizer–Will Compete With Genzyme and Help Fill Drug Shortages

The competitor for the drug for the rare genetic disease was <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Ka1vgtT9QL4/T6DhnGuQO7I/AAAAAAAA6yc/TCFEXwrLXY0/s1600-h/image%25255B4%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="77" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-OJmLYVCNMAM/T6DhnVIHVZI/AAAAAAAA6yk/Gw5xUoxEwA4/image_thumb%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="136" /></a>purchased by Sanofi last year for a huge amount and they also create drugs that treat other rare diseases.  There are only about 2000 patients in the US being treated for the condition. <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/02/genzyme-sale-to-sanofi-aventis-finally.html">Genzyme Sale to Sanofi-Aventis Finally Going to Take Place for Over $20 Billion</a> </h5> What also makes this drug interesting is the fact that it is made from carrot cells and is the first FDA approved drug made from a genetically engineered plant.  Protalix is located in Israel and Pfizer paid to have the distribution in the US.  BD  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. drug regulators gave the nod on Tuesday to Protalix Biotherapeutics Inc and Pfizer Inc's experimental biotech drug for a form of the rare <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/health/human-body/genes-chromosomes-HHA000024.topic">genetic</a> disease Gaucher. The <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/health/food-drug-administration-ORGOV0000136161.topic">Food and Drug Administration</a> approved the intravenous drug, known chemically as taliglucerase alfa, after rejecting it last year and asking the companies for more data. Shares of tiny Israeli biopharmaceutical company Protalix jumped nearly 23 percent to $7.60 in after-market trading following the approval of its leading product, which the companies plan to sell under the name Elelyso. Gaucher disease stems from an enzyme deficiency that prevents the breakdown of certain fats in the body. It can cause organ damage or death and affects about one in 50,000 to 100,000 people. It is particularly prevalent among Ashkenazi Jews, according to the <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/topic/health/health-organizations/national-institutes-of-health-ORGOV0000101.topic">National Institutes of Health</a>. <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/sns-rt-us-fda-gaucherbre8401jz-20120501,0,5155428.story">http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/sns-rt-us-fda-gaucherbre8401jz-20120501,0,5155428.story</a>

FDA Approves New Drug for Treating Genetic Disease Gaucher From Protalix and Pfizer–Will Compete With Genzyme and Help Fill Drug Shortages

The competitor for the drug for the rare genetic disease was purchased by Sanofi last year for a huge amount and they also create drugs that...

Wednesday, May 02, 2012

Radiology Society of North America Image Share Project Completes Phase One With Allowing Patients To Use and Store Medical Images in the Cloud–PHRs

the program has been funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering at the NIH.  The next step will allow patients<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-fLrqVkKcCZo/T6DasYI3ATI/AAAAAAAA6yI/77-nNnM93BA/s1600-h/image%25255B4%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="140" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-21nPArayKmo/T6DasqA8VxI/AAAAAAAA6yQ/YJohEm5mKZ0/image_thumb%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="202" /></a> to share images without being uploaded to a PHR.  Normally you would want records connected of course connected to your personal health records; however in case of trauma situations this would be helpful. Phase 3 gets a little interesting as it touches on what we all talk about today and that is privacy, as this phase will allow for the images to be used with clinical trials but they will be de-identifed.  At any rate having this available connected to a PHR now is great.  As it works now patients need to create an account and password and then are given access to images via their PHR and when you read below there’s quite a few mainstream Clinics and Hospitals working the project.   For the rest of us, Microsoft HeatlhVault can store images and Endoscopic videos.  BD  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/04/healthvault-begins-storing-medical.html">HealthVault Begins Storing Medical Images (Dicom) Using Windows Azure Cloud Services With Full Encryption</a></h5>     <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/multi-media-data-sharing-comes-to.html">Multi-Media Data Sharing Comes to HealthVault PHR–Store and Share Your Endoscopic Videos From Physicians</a></h5> <hr /> Patients can successfully pull their medical images from the "cloud" making it faster for them to distribute them to their physicians regardless of where those physicians might be, according to a preliminary report of an image share project that involves five different academic institutions. The image share project includes the University of California, San Francisco, University of Chicago, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, the University of Maryland in Baltimore, and the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, NY. "The patient can arrange with their radiologists' office to have their images and the radiology reports exported into an Internet-based personal health record (PHR)," said David Mendelson, MD, principal investigator of the image share project. Once the information is in the personal health record, the patient has full control over distribution of the images and reports. Images can be viewed immediately online by signing into one's PHR. In addition, e-mail links can be sent to physicians allowing them to view and download the images and reports as needed, said Dr. Mendelson. <a href="http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-04/arrs-isp041912.php">http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-04/arrs-isp041912.php</a>

Radiology Society of North America Image Share Project Completes Phase One With Allowing Patients To Use and Store Medical Images in the Cloud–PHRs

the program has been funded by the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering at the NIH. The next step will allo...

Tuesday, May 01, 2012

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Insurers Add 4th Tier to Prescription Pricing–Higher Costs for Patients–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Part 31 As That is What Calculates the Cost

Medical Quack Will Be Back Blogging Soon

Former FDA Commissioner Andrew Von Eschenbach Joins Another Board–Banyan Biomarkers

MyMedicalRecords PHR 30 Day Account To Be Offered at Mickey Fine Pharmacy Chain in California

Blue Cross Venture - Blue Health Intelligence Proving to Be Very Costly And Received Another 9 Billion From Undisclosed Source–Subsidiary Watch

Pebble Watch–Companion for iPhone and Android As a Companion for mHealth Apps With Crowd Source Funding (Video)

Congress Drops the Ball While Children Can’t Get Their Drugs for Cancer Treatment–And Many of the Cancers Can be Cured–Shame on Boehner’s Response–For 14 Months the Bill Has Been In the Works

ReWalk Robot Enables Patients with Lower Limb Paralysis to Walk In Downey, CA–Only Hospital in the West That Has the System

Illegal Drugs Smuggled Out of China Containing “Powdered Humans” or “Flesh Pills” Contain Bacteria and Are Dangerous–South Korea Steps Up the Fight to Battle With Documentary

Cutting Healthcare Costs Massachusetts Governor States Using Insurance Plans That Cut Out Some of the Harvard Teaching Facilities (Video)

Prime Healthcare Cited for Violating Patient Privacy

UnitedHealthCare Found a New Way to Market Health Insurance – “High Performance Networks”

Woman Buys A Box of Tampons at Close Out Bargain Store and Finds Cocaine–Obviously Not for Internal Use On This Box

Novartis Buys Generic Dermatology Company Fougera Pharma for $1.5 Billion

Researcher At San Francisco VA Medical Center Dies After Handling Rare Strain of Bacteria–Was Working On a Vaccine for Meningitis

Class Action Lawsuit Filed Against Allscripts For Misleading Investors With Merging Data Systems–Too Much Code and Not Enough Time – Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 30

Komen Public Relations Vice President In Charge of Public Relations, Branding and Marketing Resigns–Business Intelligence Decisions/Marketing Not Popular With Consumers–Algorithm Attack #10 Revisited

Johnson and Johnson Acquires First Medical Device Company In China - Guangzhou Bioseal .

Colbert Talks Accretive Care–Collections in the Hospital ER (Video) Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 30!

Practice Fusion Medical Records Launches First of It’s Kind Lab API Where Any Lab in the US Can Connect

San Diego Hospitals Having Issues With Anthem Blue Cross Refusing Claims for Psychiatric Emergency Services–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 29

Harvard Joins MIT With Offering Education Courses on the Web–MITx and EDX With Certification For Free

IBM Buys Tealeaf Technologies–Mining Software That Captures Users Activities When Visiting Websites

MedXCom Replaces the After Hours Answering Systems for Doctors That Pushes Patient Profile to the Cell Phone–Works With Medical Records Systems And is a PHR for the Patients…

FDA Approves New Drug for Treating Genetic Disease Gaucher From Protalix and Pfizer–Will Compete With Genzyme and Help Fill Drug Shortages

Radiology Society of North America Image Share Project Completes Phase One With Allowing Patients To Use and Store Medical Images in the Cloud–PHRs

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