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What’s the Value of Social Networking Today And Where the Jobs Are…Healthcare Social Networkers Should Be at the “Premium” End of Compensation..

3/16/2012 10:05:00 AM  , ,  

This is a little off topic here for the Quack but the study is interesting to look at as we have many views of social networking from companies that have used it successfully to grow their business and web presence to those who don’t understand it’s value and where the light bulb has not gone on yet.

Being I am both a blogger and a for hire social networker I thought the graphic supplied here was very much of interest to see what folks in this business get paid.  I say it’s not really rocket science in essence but rather a bit of psychology involved with this as well as you “play to the crowd” to increase readership.  I see many folks out there who don’t get this and use it more so as just “bragging rights” and readers lose interest with those folks quickly as I see it.  Sure there’s some of that to where it is appropriate for announcements, etc. but we see those who do it day in and day out and really don’t get “social” and they end up falling by the wayside much of the time.

It’s a changing field, all the time and the job descriptions for the various areas kind of re-write themselves every day too.  Myself I am always looking for new trends, methodologies, etc. in what I do.  I have a business focus and thus the networks I use may be different than others.  I don’t use Facebook as it ended up taking too much time for me and has a little ROI for traffic in what I do.  Twitter is my favorite and the one I consider that “gives” me time, while most of the others “take” my time.  I am still playing with Google plus as well and it has value as well, but again nobody seems to beat the efficiencies of Twitter with allowing me to work quickly and drill down to relative topics. 

When you look at the pie chart too you will see how this has grown to include various specialty jobs with social networking as well, in other words with big companies as an example you will see more than just “one social networker” who has a focus on a specific area, i.e. you have an over all manager as well as a strategist.  Of course in all of this the SEO specialist plays an important role too as when you have someone who is right in there on the web every day, they are aware of the changes and shifts that sometimes move very quickly. 

Of course in healthcare social networking, due to privacy issues also has some other rules and regulations to be aware of as well.  Last year I did a presentation at e-MDs annual meeting, who is a medical records vendor and we have some real lively discussions and great questions too on how different entities in healthcare can use social networks to increase their business and we talked a lot from the small provider office viewpoint which you really don’t see enough of today as far as discussion as the big business focuses seem to be every so present.

What made this presentation special too was Dr. Deborah Peel was in imageattendance who represents patient privacy efforts and the next Health Privacy Summit scheduled in Washington DC on June 7, 2012 and you can read more here. 

In healthcare, privacy is a big deal with social networking and we had a lot of questions in that area.

e-MDs Annual Meeting - Social Networking In Healthcare Presented By the Medical Quack

At any rate, take a look at the chart below and see how this area is growing and I might mention too that social networkers in healthcare should absolutely be at the premium end of compensation, again due to more rules and regulations to be aware of so as not to violate privacy and other laws out there.  BD 

Social Media Jobs and Salaries Guide
© 2012 Onward Search

Introducing the new Onward Search Social Media Jobs Salary Guide - a comprehensive look at the best job markets, the most in-demand job titles and salary ranges for social media professionals in the top 20 U.S. cities.

http://www.onwardsearch.com/Social-Media-Salaries/

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Feds Cut Texas Medicaid Funds Over Exclusion of Planned Parenthood–Stupid Political Battle Over Women’s Health–The “Default” Topic of Digital Illiterate Politicians And Lawmakers Rises Again…

3/15/2012 11:43:00 PM  ,  

This is sad that the federal funds won’t be going to Texas but really stupid is the stance their Governor took on this.  For the life of me, I can’t figure this out and I’ll return to what I have said before that “abortions” is the “default” topic of the digital illiterates as they seem to always revert back to something that upsets everyone and this does it every time and women suffer from either lack of access or funds. 

Digital Illiteracy Still Plagues Law Makers–Severe Focus on Abortion Rights Proves It–Is This Where Our Lawmaking Knowledge Leaves Off or Even Begins? Scary…

Again it’s the only thing I believe they think they can control.  I have respect for all types of religions too and read today where one business owner was going to sue over contraception with his employee insurance plan.  I guess things could be worse but so far they are not one of the states with jail time for doctors on the books but this makes a point of how stupid this all is and women suffer over dumb male egos.  I liked the bill in Ohio to where the significant other of a man had to verify that he had ED before he could get a prescription of Viagra…don’t think that makes sense?  Well neither does this.  BD 

The Obama administration said Thursday it would stop funding a Texas women's health-care program after the state excluded Planned Parenthood from participating, the latest skirmish in a national battle over reproductive-health coverage.

Texas has received federal funds since 2007 to pay for birth control, health screening and family exams for a subset of low-income women in the federal-state Medicaid program. The state got $34 million last year and provided another $7 million from state coffers for the program, which doesn't apply to all women on Medicaid. More than 100,000 women in the state currently receive the services, at one of hundreds of participating clinics.

The decision comes amid renewed controversy over contraception and abortion, as well as the coming battle at the Supreme Court over the roles of state and federal governments in funding health care.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702303863404577283972576906862.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

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FDA Approves Effervescent Tablet for Treating Osteoporosis–BINOSTO

3/15/2012 10:28:00 PM  ,  

For those who have trouble swallowing pills a new delivery system for taking a medication to increase bone mass.  It won’t be available until sometime in the 3rd quarter.  BD

FREIENBACH, Switzerland, March 14, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- EffRx Pharmaceuticals SA today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug imageAdministration (FDA) has approved BINOSTO™ (alendronate sodium) Effervescent Tablets, previously known as EX101, for the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women, and as a treatment to increase bone mass in men with osteoporosis. EffRx anticipates that BINOSTO™ will be commercially available in the United States in the third quarter of 2012.

Christer Rosen, Chairman & CEO of EffRx states: "We are very pleased to receive this approval from the FDA. BINOSTO™ is a breakthrough innovation for the treatment of osteoporosis, offering those patients who have difficulty with tablets the proven fracture risk reduction of alendronate in a pleasant tasting and easy-to-swallow buffered solution."

http://www.bradenton.com/2012/03/14/3938840/fda-approves-binosto-first-and.html

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New Computer Algorithm Developed at Stanford Finds an Average 329 Side Effects For Most Drugs–Some Algorithm- Found Side Effects Are Added by the FDA to Drug Labels

3/15/2012 09:37:00 PM  ,  

This is pretty interesting as when you see 329 you must assume we have quite a few rare side effected included.  The software was developed at Stanford and uses information from the FDA and Canadian data bases.  Most drug labels list imagearound 69 and could you imagine if all of 300 plus were added.  This is another good place to add some bar codes when the information gets lengthy.

In view of the report though it is still wise for doctors to use their clinical common sense knowledge to determine if any of the new side effects are significant.  The next level is to develop an algorithm that can come through medical records to gather information for patterns as such that may be hidden.  BD 

On average, the program found 329 side effects for every drug, when most drug labels list an average of 69 effects. The new program, developed at Stanford University, combs through millions of doctor and patient reports to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Canada's MedEffect and similar databases.

Though it seems obvious to check the FDA's report database for new side effects, it's been difficult to do because the people in the database are too different from one another to conduct proper scientific studies. Outside of lab, real life is messy. "It's hard to compare one patient with another because each patient is so unique in their medical history, in their personal health," Tantonetti told InnovationNewsDaily. Because people in the database aren't comparable with each other, it's difficult to find true, new side effects.

Theoretically, that means the matches the new algorithm makes aren't as close as those from other programs. When Tantonetti checked his program, however, he found his results were as accurate or better than others', because his program doesn't need to ignore as much data, he said.

In the past, the FDA has added algorithm-found side effects to drug labels, Tantonetti said, though usually there is other corroborating evidence as well.

http://www.mnn.com/health/fitness-well-being/stories/computer-program-uncovers-thousands-of-new-drug-side-effects

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$2.8 Million Federal Grant will Create 363 New Healthcare Jobs, Provide Training for Additional 400 Workers in the Long Beach Area

3/15/2012 04:40:00 PM  ,  

This is nice and year back I did some data work and consulting for Community Hospital in Long Beach which is now part of the Memorial System.  Community always had a good share of outreach programs on their agenda and one of them I worked with the students from Cal State where by they offered free nutrition classes teaching anyone interested on how to eat better along with some exercise programs.  I never knew food was that complex until I set up a SQL server program for entries and so forth so all could track and this was a number of years ago and now we all have that on our phones.  If you live in the area, contact information is listed below.  BD  

Community Hospital of Long Beach Officially Becomes Part of The Memorial Care System

Press Release:

LONG BEACH, Calif., March 13, 2012 – Pacific Gateway, the region’s workforce development agency, has been awarded $2,816,000 from the U.S. Department of Labor to upgrade skills, certifications and training needs in the healthcare sector. This important project was developed through a public-private partnership with Long Beach Memorial, Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach and Community Hospital Long Beach, which are part of the MemorialCare Health System.

The grant, made nationally through the H-1B Visa Skills Training Grant Program, will provide customized training to unemployed job seekers for 363 new positions within Long Beach Memorial, Miller Children’s, Community Hospital Long Beach, the MemorialCare Health System and other healthcare sites. An additional 400 MemorialCare employees will receive updated training and certifications to help them advance in their career pathways.

“This federal grant is huge for more than 700 people who will now be fully employed or will add additional training to advance their careers,” said Mayor Bob Foster. “In addition, it will strengthen the local economy while supporting local businesses and their employees. I want to thank Long Beach Memorial, Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach and Community Hospital Long Beach for their partnership to help bring this grant to our city.”

“We are so pleased with the announcement. Pacific Gateway has been an integral partner in helping identify and educate our nurses and allied healthcare positions,” says Diana Hendel, CEO, Long Beach Memorial, Miller Children’s and Community Hospital Long Beach. “We look forward to our continued success together. This partnership has contributed not only to the services we can provide but also to keeping up employment in our community.”

Employment opportunities include patient care assistants, surgical sterilization technicians, clinical lab scientists, phlebotomists and other positions. Many of the jobs created during the four-year grant period will be new occupations, developed in response to upcoming changes in healthcare law. Joint investment from MemorialCare will help Long Beach City College and Los Angeles Harbor College develop new patient care and medical billing training designed to both maintain Long Beach Memorial’s, Miller Children’s and Community Hospital Long Beach’s award-winning level of care and bring about operational efficiencies. These innovative practices will be studied for possible replication at other hospitals.

Participants in the program also will have access to personalized academic counseling to help them continue their community college education to earn additional certifications or work toward degrees in healthcare. The first cohort of 10 participants began on November 7, 2011. The project builds upon a longtime collaboration between Pacific Gateway, the region’s workforce development agency, and Long Beach Memorial, Miller Children’s, Community Hospital Long Beach and the MemorialCare Health System as a whole.

“This will be incredibly transformational for our customers,” said Larry Rice, a Board Member representing the Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Board. “These are good jobs with an employer that has made a significant investment in their futures, and in the future of the region.”

The grant is funded through the U.S. Department of Labor to address the U.S. H-1B Visa program, which raises the technical skills of American workers in occupations and industries that have seen shortages of skilled workers.

Individuals interested in these job opportunities are encouraged to begin by visiting one of Pacific Gateway's three Career Centers: Long Beach (3447 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach, 90807),
San Pedro (1851 N. Gaffey St., Suite F, San Pedro, 90731) and Torrance (1220 Engracia Ave., Torrance, 90501) or by calling (562) 570-WORK. 

About Pacific Gateway:
Administered by the City of Long Beach, Pacific Gateway Workforce Investment Network is the region's public workforce agency, serving the communities of Long Beach, Torrance, Signal Hill, and Lomita, as well as the communities of San Pedro, Wilmington, and Harbor Gateway through a partnership with the City of Los Angeles.  Pacific Gateway, one of 49 Workforce Investment Boards in California, is dedicated to helping job seekers find quality employment through a variety of programs, and to helping businesses thrive by connecting them to skilled workers. Last year, Pacific Gateway helped more than 3,000 adult and youth jobseekers find employment. 

About Long Beach Memorial, Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach and
Community Hospital Long Beach:

Long Beach Memorial, Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach and Community Hospital Long Beach are a part of the MemorialCare Health System, a nationally recognized not-for-profit integrated delivery system with top ratings for quality and safety.  Long Beach Memorial has been providing compassionate care with the latest state-of-the-art technology for more than 100 years and is the region's first choice for comprehensive care in virtually every medical and surgical specialty. Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach provides specialized pediatric care for children and young adults, with conditions ranging from common to complex—as well as maternity care for expectant mothers—all under one roof. Community Hospital Long Beach has been providing warm and personalized top-quality medical care that its patients have come to treasure and trust since first opening its doors in 1924, offering state-of-the-art imaging, a comprehensive cancer care center, cardiovascular diagnostics, behavioral health, women's heart screenings, occupational medicine, wellness and diabetes services and more. Visit MemorialCare.org for more information.

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Blue Collar Labor Robots In Hospitals–Providing Services Delivering Drugs and Linens and They Clean the Floors Too

3/15/2012 03:09:00 PM  ,  

This is yet another way that hospitals cut costs.  They don’t take breaks and carry linens and medications throughout.  I have covered many of these over the years at the Quack and some even ride the elevators and talk.  They have sensors so they don’t crash into you if you step into their path.  Here’s one that blasts bacterial in a hospital room. 

Hospital Robot Blasts Bacteria With One UV Swoop to Disinfect Rooms And All the Contents

Some already have CPT codes like this one for use at home.  This one at the link below has a video that looks like Rose the Robot from the Jetsons. 

New CPT Codes - Billing Codes for Robot and Home Monitoring Services – Telemedicine

How far will it all go, here’s one that gives sponge baths…not sure if I would be ready for this one yet.

Robots Giving Sponge Baths In the Hospital –Proto Type at Georgia Tech

In Scotland here’s a hospital that has a pretty big fleet of them including their own parking spots in the garage.  The robots use laser technology to find their way around. The technology is similar to that already used in car plants and industrial shop floors as well as in hospitals in some parts of Europe and the USA.  The machines will be loaded and unloaded in a basement area and make their deliveries to wards via a number of special lifts.  BD

Scottish Hospital Using Robots to Perform Tasks Such as Cleaning, Delivering Supplies And Dispensing Drugs

http://online.wsj.com/video/robots-take-over-hospitals/9DFFAA55-D89A-4A84-B128-F53D76C86802.html

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Dying Patient With Inoperable Brain Tumor Kicked Out of Hospital for Medical Marijuana–Video

3/14/2012 10:29:00 PM  , ,  

The video here is with a news station and right in the middle of it she has a seizure imageand they call 911.  I don’t know what type of medical marijuana she had but I am guessing it was the smoke from the tone of all of this and that it could not be vaporized in some fashion. 

At any rate she was taken to another hospital and she was also very much involved in getting the California law written and sadly doesn’t have much longer to live. BD 

A California woman who says she is dying from a brain tumor was kicked out of a California hospital this week for using doctor-prescribed medical marijuana.

Angel Raich told NBC Bay Area that the UCSF Medical Center in San Francisco asked her to leave after she refused to stop using the drug.

“I’m in a state university hospital in the state of California,” she explained. “And I have a right to have the same medical care that any other patient does, and [the pharmacist] says, ‘We’re going to have to ask you to leave then if you’re not going to not use your cannabis.’”

As Raich was speaking to the NBC Bay Area reporter outside of UCSF Medical Center, she had a seizure and was taken to St. Mary’s Medical Center in San Francisco.

UCSF Medical Center released statement saying that their smoke-free policy extended to marijuana use.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/03/13/dying-cancer-patient-booted-from-hospital-for-medical-marijuana/

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India Authorizes Local Drug Manufacturer to Make and Sell Generic Copy of Patented Bayer Cancer Drug To Make It Affordable

3/12/2012 06:07:00 PM  ,  

This is almost a game changer to a degree but the sales due to the price have not been large in India so there’s not a big impact expected.  If one goes through it might make you wonder who might be next on the list.  Even here in the US we have problems affording expensive cancer drugs and some of the generics run in short supply that are affordable.  image

India did not start giving patents until the year 2005 and they have a law which I guess is what they used here to grant a compulsory license if the drugs were not affordable.  Come to think of it, maybe that’s not a bad law after all?  One message I guess this does send out is that they want affordable drugs and we certainly use enough generic drugs manufactured either in India or by Indian companies here in the US too.  This was the first time the law was used in India and we shall see if it by chanced opens up any floodgates when it comes to drug pricing in the future as what’s to stop India or any other country from considering a similar move.  BD

MUMBAI, India — India’s government on Monday authorized a drug manufacturer to make and sell a generic copy of a patented Bayer cancer drug, saying that Bayer charged a price that was unaffordable to most of the nation.

The decision by the controller general of patents, designs and trademarks was the first time a so-called compulsory license of a patented drug had been granted in India.

Legal specialists and patient advocates said it could open the door to a flood of other compulsory licenses in India and possibly in other developing countries, creating a new supply of cheap generic drugs.

According to the decision, Bayer must license the drug Nexavar, or sorafenib, to Natco Pharma, an Indian company. In exchange, Natco must pay Bayer a 6 percent royalty on its net sales and must sell the drug for 8,800 rupees ($176) a month, about 3 percent of the 280,000 rupees ($5,600) that Bayer charges for it in India. Natco’s drug will be for use only in India, the decision said.

Nexavar, which Bayer developed with Onyx Pharmaceuticals, a California biotechnology company, is used to treat advanced kidney cancer and liver cancer and has been shown to extend lives by a median of about three months. Fewer than 200 Indians used the drug, a tablet, in 2011. Advocates for cheaper generic medicines cheered the decision, which they said could provide a model for developing countries.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/13/business/global/india-overrules-bayer-allowing-generic-drug.html?smid=tw-nytimeshealth&seid=auto

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T-Haler An Asthma Inhaler Training Device–Sensor and Wireless Technology From Cambridge Consultants

3/12/2012 11:12:00 AM  , ,  

In case you need help with inhalers, Cambridge Consultants has created a training inhaler device called T-Haler to help bridge the gap for the nearly 75% of asthma sufferers who use their inhalers wrong.  It is filled with sophisticated sensors and wireless electronics instead of medicine. By connecting the inhaler device with a videogame-like interface, it effectively trains users on three key usage areas.  In a way this is telling use how complicated devices are becoming to a degree when we need a “trainer” before using the real thing? 

These are the same folks that came up with the blue tooth inhaler as a refresher a few years ago that does complete data trails and so on so maybe this is the training device for that.  If you are curious on how that one works, another video at the link below.  BD 

The VenaHub Medical Device Hub Wirelessly Reports Health Data Compliance and the Blue Tooth Inhaler

T-Haler

Press Release:

Cambridge, MA and UK – Embargoed until March 12, 2011 – Cambridge Consultants, a leading technology design and development firm, has created T-Haler, an asthma inhaler training device. A recent imagestudy has shown the T-Haler more than doubles patient compliance.

With, on average, more than three Americans going to the emergency room every minute due to asthma attacks, the T-Haler could be a truly life-changing technology. Poor inhaler technique prevents patients receiving the full therapeutic benefit, and can often lead to more severe conditions that result in emergency room visits. According to the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, 5,000 people visit the emergency room due to asthma every day. Studies show that as many as three out of every four asthma sufferers fail to use their inhaler correctly and, while training can improve technique, it is mainly performed through observation and is generally ineffective.

With this in mind, Cambridge Consultants developed the T-Haler concept, a simple training device. Interactive software, linked to a wireless training inhaler, monitors how a patient uses their device and provides real-time feedback via an interactive video ‘game’. T-Haler provides visual feedback to the user on their performance and the areas that need improvement. These tools could help the estimated 235 million asthma sufferers worldwide to get the most from their inhaler, and potentially reduce the millions spent annually on asthma-related emergency room admissions.

More than 50 healthy participants, aged 18-60, took part in a recent study conducted by Cambridge Consultants to test the efficacy of T-Haler. Before using the training system, the average success rate of the group in using an inhaler correctly was in the low 20% range – in line with numerous other studies carried out. The participants had no prior experience with asthma or inhalers and were given no human instruction beyond being handed the T-Haler and told to begin. The on-screen interface walked the group through the process, which takes just three minutes to complete.

“What was remarkable about the T-Haler in our own study was how quickly the participants learned, and how well that knowledge stayed with them,” said Kate Farrell, Senior Design Engineer, Medical Technology at Cambridge Consultants. “Without any human direction beyond the word ‘go’, participants went from around a 20% success rate without training to a success rate of more than 60% after only three minutes with the T-Haler device. This is more than twice the compliance rate we have seen in other studies with trained participants. Interestingly, a week later, 55% were still correctly using the device – showing that they retained what they learned.”

The T-Haler measures three key factors for proper inhaler use. First, whether the patient has shaken the inhaler prior to breathing in; second, the force with which they breathed in; third, when they pressed down on the canister (the step which releases the drug). These three variables can determine the efficacy with which drugs are delivered in a real metered dose inhaler (MDI) device.

The T-Haler is the latest example of Cambridge Consultants applying its expertise in ‘Px’ development – the art and science of designing around the patient experience, often through a consumer lens. The firm was able to produce the training concept by taking a multi-disciplinary approach to the problem, and drew on its expertise in human factors, user interface design, mechanical and electronics engineering, wireless connectivity and drug delivery. Although T-Haler is not market ready yet, the training concept was created to show what could be achieved with simple, well-understood technologies that are readily available, and the difference such a device could make in helping to reduce both the anguish caused and the cost of treatment for such a common disease.

As healthcare trends toward a focus on preventive care and devices which offer greater consumer appeal and compliance, innovations such as the T-Haler may soon become the norm in doctors’ offices, pharmacies and clinics.

****

Cambridge Consultants develops breakthrough products, creates and licenses intellectual property, and provides business consultancy in technology critical issues for clients worldwide. For 50 years, the company has been helping its clients turn business opportunities into commercial successes, whether they are launching first-to-market products, entering new markets or expanding existing markets through the introduction of new technologies. With a team of over 300 engineers, designers, scientists and consultants, in offices in Cambridge (UK) and Boston (USA), Cambridge Consultants offers solutions across a diverse range of industries including medical technology, industrial and consumer products, transport, energy, cleantech and wireless communications. For more information visit: www.CambridgeConsultants.com

Cambridge Consultants is part of Altran, the European leader in innovation and high technology consulting. The Group’s 17,500 consultants, operating worldwide, cover the entire range of engineering specialities, including electronics, information technology, quality and organization. Altran offers its clients ongoing support throughout the innovation cycle, from technology watch, applied basic research and management consulting to industrial systems engineering and information systems. The Group provides services to most industries, including the automotive, aeronautics, space, life sciences and telecommunications sectors. Founded in 1982, Altran operates in 20 priority countries. In 2008, it generated a turnover of €1,650 million. For more information visit: www.altran.com

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Asahi Kasei From Japan to Buy Zoll Medical for $1.2 Billion

3/12/2012 07:20:00 AM  , ,  

Zoll Medical makes some very interesting products and recently had their Wi-Fi defibrillator approved by the FDA.  Now in case you need instructions, here’s the program for the iPhone.   There’s also a wearable vest made by the same company that is is temporary defibrillator. 

Wi-Fi enabled defibrillator from Zoll medical approved by FDA

LifeVest wearable defibrillator – for interim care and those imagewho ...

Zoll and Vicor Want to Predict Heart Attacks with a Device–One More Effort With Predictive Analytic Algorithms Using Medical Devices

Asahi Kasei plans to distribute more of the Zoll products in Asia and the 2 companies have already had a long time partnership.  Zoll also makes the AutoPulse a revolutionary non-invasive cardiac support pump.  Zoll is also all about mobile health and monitoring and has the program used on a phone that shoes how to resuscitate another individual. 

The company also has a full suite of software and has IPad versions as well for emergency billing , patient information, analytics and so on.  BD 

TOKYO & CHELMSFORD, Mass., Mar 12, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Asahi Kasei Corporation (tse1:3407)(hereinafter:Asahi Kasei), and ZOLL Medical Corporation ZOLL +0.36% (hereinafter:ZOLL) today jointly announced that Asahi Kasei, Japan's leading diversified chemical manufacturer with businesses in the health care, chemicals & fibers, homes & construction materials, and electronics sectors, has entered into a definitive merger agreement with ZOLL, a manufacturer of resuscitation and critical care devices and related software solutions, pursuant to which Asahi Kasei will acquire ZOLL for approximately $2.21 billion. The transaction has been approved by the Boards of Directors of both companies.

Asahi Kasei, through a U.S. subsidiary, will make a cash tender offer to purchase all of the outstanding shares of ZOLL common stock for $93 per share. The purchase price represents a premium of 29.6% over ZOLL's volume weighted average closing stock price over the 30 trading day period ended March 9, 2012, and a 23.8% premium over the closing price on March 9, 2012. The tender offer is expected to commence within 10 business days and will remain open for a minimum of 20 business days. Closing of the tender offer is subject to customary conditions, including receipt of applicable regulatory clearances and the minimum tender of at least two-thirds of the outstanding shares of ZOLL (on a fully diluted basis). The transaction is not subject to a financing condition. The ZOLL Board of Directors has recommended that ZOLL stockholders accept the offer and tender their shares into the offer when it is made. The transaction is expected to close in the second calendar quarter of 2012.

Moving forward, Asahi Kasei plans strategic investments to accelerate the realization of ZOLL's mission of leading the world in resuscitation technologies, and to build on the ZOLL platform to achieve Asahi Kasei's long term strategic objective of creating a globally competitive health care business with a clear and unique focus on the field of critical care. Asahi Kasei has identified health care as a key strategic sector that will power a new phase of growth for the group, and believes that the acquisition represents a significant milestone in fulfilling its core vision for the health care sector: improving patient quality of life through the creation of innovative technologies and devices for critical care.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/asahi-kasei-announces-agreement-to-acquire-zoll-medical-2012-03-12

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FDA Clears Female Incontinence Device–Therapy for Bladder Leakage To Build Up Pelvic Muscle Tone for Greater Control

3/12/2012 12:58:00 AM  ,  

We are definitely seeing some very new innovative devices on the market being approved by the FDA and this one costs around $600 and you need a prescription from your doctor to get one, and he/she has to program it for you as it collects data and monitors your progress…this thing could have some side benefits when you think about it:)  The FDA kind of took care of the men first of course in this area as last summer we had this approved and it also needs a prescription.  image

FDA Approves First Male Vibrator for Use for Men Suffering From ED–Available By Prescription Only

You can watch the video below and hear about how it works and it sounds like it has potential and if it works versus taking pills, then it’s a good deal for sure.  Here’s the “talk to your doctor” page at the site for more information.  It operates similar to a tens unit. 

“Once the prescription is received you will see your physician or medical provider to personalize the device for your treatment needs.  Once InTone has been set up by your provider you can begin your home program to cure your unwanted bladder leakage or incontinence.  Follow up visits with your doctor are recommended to review data and revise treatment settings.  The frequency of these visits will be directed by your provider, however at least one follow up per month for the first 3 months is recommended”.

InTone

The device talks to you and records all the data and measures the changes in muscle control as it delivers a micro-current to the pelvic floor.  One size fits all as it inflates when inside.  The product even has a guarantee that if conditions do not improve you can get most of your money back and of course the data will tell them whether or not it was used regularly and the numbers.  Each session lasts just 10 minutes a day and again maybe some nice side effects possible <grin>.  Hey you have to have a little humor once in a while.  BD  

Press Release:

(Brookfield, WISCONSIN) – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared InTone™, a medical device, to treat female urinary incontinence.

“InTone is a true medical breakthrough, and welcome news for the millions of women who have incontinence issues,” said Herschel “Buzz” Peddicord, president & CEO of InControl Medical, LLC, and inventor of InTone. “With InTone, we believe we can effectively treat this condition in most cases.”

Urinary incontinence, or unwanted bladder leakage, affects up to 30 million American women. Stress incontinence is unwanted bladder leakage that can occur after coughing, sneezing, laughing, or exercise, and urge incontinence is a strong, sudden need to urinate due to bladder spasms or contractions. In most cases the root cause of incontinence is poor muscle tone in the pelvic floor muscles. It can be caused by childbirth, trauma, excessive exercise, lack of exercise and other factors.image

InTone is the first medical device that combines mild micro-current stimulation (similar to a TENS unit), exercises and guided biofeedback to strengthen the muscles in the pelvic floor.

After prescribing InTone, the physician customizes the settings for InTone and the patient is shown how to use it at home. A sensor in the unit measures pressure to determine if the patient is doing the exercises properly. The biofeedback unit uses voice-guided instruction to take her through the routine and reports her muscle isolation and strength. Each daily session takes about ten minutes, and data from each session is recorded. After two weeks or so, the physician analyzes the recorded data and adjusts InTone based on the patient’s progress, and at-home treatment sessions continue. Most patients should experience progress in a few weeks, and most patients should experience effective relief in 90 days.

Many women with urinary incontinence endure it in silence. Absorbent pads and diapers do nothing to treat the condition. Medications, if imageprescribed, can cause side effects and are not always effective. Surgery, if performed, can be traumatic and painful, and is not always effective. Research has shown that even when properly taught how to perform pelvic floor, or Kegel, exercises, about half of all women do them incorrectly.

InTone is now available by prescription to patients in the United States. More information on InTone can be found at www.incontrolmedical.com.

InTone was developed by InControl Medical, LLC, an FDA-listed company based in Brookfield, Wisconsin providing specialty medical products for women’s health, and is sourced and manufactured entirely in the United States.

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CEO Indicted For Human Trafficking In the Nursing Business-Lured Foreigners To Work in the US For Jobs That Did Not Exist and Then Put Them To Work In Long Term Nursing Homes & Kept Half Their Pay

3/11/2012 10:33:00 PM  ,  

Foreign Healthcare Professional Group (FHPG) was the name of the company he operated the immigration scheme here and those from other countries also had to imagepay up front as well for their services.  It sounds as though they were promised some high paying jobs and ended up in nursing homes and then the company kept half their pay.  Talk about a captive audience when coming in from another country here with what they could do and rights they might have.

He also had an accomplice who is still at large that created a fake University that was where the folks were to work upon coming to the US.  In addition, he also had a company where he is the CEO and chairman called Global Energy Initiatives that manufactures and send hydro-kinetic power generators to Brazil and he attended a White House briefing in September.  When you go to the website you get a window that says this account has been suspended.  BD   

A Colorado CEO is accused of luring foreigners to the United States to work for a nonexistent university and then stealing portions of their salaries after setting them up with other jobs in what the government has called an "elaborate scheme."

Kizzy Kalu, 47, of Highlands Ranch, Colo., allegedly enticed foreign nurses to work as teachers at an Adam University in Denver, an institution that Kalu's alleged accomplice, Philip Langerman, 77, of McDonough, Ga., made up, according to a federal indictment.

Langerman was also indicted, but remains at large. Kalu is being held by U.S. Marshals, and phone calls to his companies were not returned.

Kalu promised a salary of between $68,000 and $72,000 annually for the fictional teaching positions through the Foreign Healthcare Professional Group (FHPG), a company he operated, according to the indictment. The fictional positions were considered to be "specialty occupations" under U.S. immigration regulations.

The foreign nationals had to pay fees to FHPG and Kalu in exchange for assistance in obtaining the visas, according to the indictment.

Once they were in the United States, Kalu informed them that the aforementioned positions were no longer available, and put them to work at various long-term care facilities, the indictment states.

Kalu also operates the Global Village Hope Foundation, an international voluntourism program whose motto is "You are the hope for the hopeless."

On the foundation's website, supporters are asked to send donations to 5630 Wickerdale Lane in Highlands Ranch, Colo., Kalu's residence.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/colorado-man-indicted-human-trafficking-money-laundering/story?id=15897558

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FDA Correctly Identified Risks With Risk From Statins States Orthopedic Surgeon–Recognizing Side Effects & Muscle Pain

3/11/2012 08:14:00 PM  ,  

Again with marketing today and finding short comings on various clinical trial reportings what is the real truth about statins?  This doctor said the FDA called it right and granted they have to personally sift through all the reports and so forth before making their decision as they are accountable and who the US citizens depend on for their information.  Most of the time they seem to get it right but they are not like anyone in the fact that they have to take the time to do a full review of all the information at the FDA.image

I am glad he addressed the sore muscle side effect that everyone seems to miss and recommend supplementing COq10 so when the statins deplete the body a supplement can be taken to help out.  I don’t take statins but I take COq10 and it does make a difference in how I feel and I don’t get cramps in my legs anymore.  I didn’t experience a lot of them, but none is better for me.  Remember the Jupiter report that says we should all be taking a statin?

The Jupiter Report with Crestor – What Side effects?

Then in 2009 we had the FDA agree with the wider use of Crestor..and again why this drug versus the other statins, including best selling Lipitor is beyond me…

FDA Committee Agrees With Wider Use of Crestor – Is The Jupiter Study Data Creeps Up Once Again

Here’s what a doctor said back in 2008 about statins…and he’s pretty much right on with this article from the orthopedic surgeon. 

  • All Americans will now get Crestor to reduce their CRP to reduce their chances of developing heart disease. 
  • All Americans Will now get lisinopril to prevent the proteinuria they will get from their diabetes they get from Crestor
  • All Americans will now take metformin to treat the diabetes they developed while taking Crestor
  • All Americans will now take Lyrica to prophylax  for the the neuropathic pain they will get from developing diabetes while taking Crestor.
  • All Americans will now take an aspirin to reduce the risk of developing a stroke from the diabetes they got from taking Crestor.
  • All Americans will now take prilosec to reduce the risk of developing an ulcer from the aspirin they were taking to reduce the risk of stroke due to the diabetes they developed while taking Crestor to reduce their asymptomatic CRP level.
  • All Americans will now take carvedilol to reduce the risk of death from the coronary artery disease they developed as a result of the diabetes they developed as a result of the Crestor they were taking to reduce their CRP to reduce their chances of developing coronary artery disease.

Later in 2009 we had this from the UK that said everyone over 55 should take blood pressure medication too.

Expert in the UK Says Everyone 55 and Over Should be Taking Blood Pressure Medication

So again with studies and information we hear out there what is marketing and what is clinical information…you do have to wonder.  Myself I have several posts on this blog about muscle pain and weakness here so you do wonder why that was left out of the entire side effects report from the FDA.  Lack of COq10 makes muscles weaker and that includes the heart as noted by this doctor so again he says that statins are useful and have value but never get discontinued for a patient when levels return to normal.  He also says the group of patients that benefit are those with documented heart disease.  The overall benefit for lifetime use of statins he states is not needed in most situations. 

Listen to this radio show at the link below on how clinical trials and studies are presented to us and how we are sucked in half the time.  BD

“Numbers Don’t Lie, But imagePeople Do”–Radio Interview from Charles Siefe–Journalists Take Note, He Addresses How Marketing And Bogus Statistics Are Sources of Problems That Mislead the Public & Government

I still wonder too whatever happened to the Tomato pill,  ATERONON™ that was deemed as being a potential treatment for high cholesterol too?  Is it still a logical choice being that is has been clinically proven?  BD

The Tomato Pill for the Treatment Of High Cholesterol

“ATERONON™ is the first clinically proven, natural supplement for the inhibition of LDL cholesterol oxidation – a leading cause of atherosclerosis, heart attacks and strokes.

Within just two months, a daily dose of ATERONON™ reduces the oxidation of LDL cholesterol (also known as 'bad' cholesterol) by over 90%.

ATERONON™ is best taken each day to maintain effective levels of lycopene in the body, in order to continue to help inhibit the oxidation of LDL cholesterol and to reduce the risk of plaque build-up in the arteries. “

What does a knee surgeon know about statins' side effects? Plenty, after seeing scores of patients improve their memory, strength, vigor and sex drive after stopping these popular drugs.

Statins — known by brand names such as Lipitor and Crestor — are prescribed to lower cholesterol. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently decided to require that statin labels include warnings about the rare but serious risk of liver damage, memory loss and confusion, and Type 2 diabetes. Certain statins — known by the generic, lovastatin — can also raise the risk of muscle weakness, which I've seen in my patients.

Additionally, when follow-up blood work shows decreasing cholesterol levels, rarely are statins discontinued or decreased. The usual recommendation is to continue statins for the rest of their lives, which amounts to an annuity for the drugmakers.

A recent Cochrane Review of many studies confirmed 1,000 people without heart disease had to be treated with statins to prevent one death. Therefore 999 people, paying $5 per pill, are not going to live one day longer, but they will enrich the pharmaceutical industry's coffers and are at risk for the many real side effects of stopping production of cholesterol — a wonderful molecule responsible for healthy cell membranes, sex hormones, nerve conduction and brain function, all of which contribute to life as we know it today.

Make no mistake: Statins have real benefits, but only for a limited group of people, mostly men with documented heart disease and with only a small benefit. Most healthy people and all women without a history of heart disease will not live one day longer if they took statins daily for 30 years

A final dirty little secret is statins' depletion of Co-Q 10, a vitamin-like substance in our cells important for energy production. Less Co-Q 10 is the main culprit behind muscle aches and pains and even weakening of the heart pump in patients with heart failure. How ironic those patients with congestive heart failure are given a medication that can make them worse.

http://www.mcall.com/opinion/yourview/mc-statin-side-effects-meade-yv--20120310,0,3367573.story

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