Non Invasive Device in Clinical Trials AUM Cardiovascular System Detects Coronary Artery Disease

<p>This has not been approved by the FDA, but it is in clinical trials.  This is a pretty amazing device.<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="174" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-a1p-0Sk2o_8/UxAUiUYWYLI/AAAAAAABJeQ/K4LOyoMrjsI/image%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="187" />  CADence is the name of the device.  For the <a href="http://aumcardio.com/faq-for-clinicians/">trials</a> what they are looking for are patients that already have issues to use the device to check for accuracy. </p> <p>The device hums and works from sound waves and is able to identify blockages in the coronary arteries and there’s no radiation, and of course we like that.  The device is to be used in an office setting and compared to the tests we do today who wouldn’t prefer this test and device.  BD  </p> <p> <hr />Sounds associated with turbulent blood flow through partially blocked or restricted arteries are used in several common clinical practices. The first is the measurement of blood pressure where the brachial artery in the arm is restricted by a pressure cuff; the sounds generated are called Korotoff sounds and are used to determine the onset and cessation of blood flow and the related systolic and diastolic pressure. Blockages in the carotid arteries in the neck can be detected by the sounds they produce. Similarly, coronary arteries produce a sound associated with blockage. </p> <p>The first time sound was described in conjunction with coronary artery disease was in a 1967 American Journal of Medicine article written by Dock W, and Zoneraich S. They detailed a high frequency diastolic/continuous murmur that was found along the left parasternal area at the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th intercostal spaces. This sound was correlated with moderate to severe proximal left anterior descending coronary artery stenosis. It was named “Dock’s Murmur.”</p> <p><a title="http://aumcardio.com/faq-for-clinicians/" href="http://aumcardio.com/faq-for-clinicians/">http://aumcardio.com/faq-for-clinicians/</a></p>

Non Invasive Device in Clinical Trials AUM Cardiovascular System Detects Coronary Artery Disease

This has not been approved by the FDA, but it is in clinical trials.  This is a pretty amazing device.   CADence is the name of the device. ...

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CMS Says No More Delay on ICD-10, Why Doesn’t CMS Wait and Complete More Testing First Before Announcing Such

<p>Here we go again with digital illits at the top of the helm making statements as such and anyone in technology knows there could be all kinds of glitches and issues unplanned that could pop up.  It would make more sense to me that such a statement be held off until testing is done.  They were not even going to test at first and again there’s the digital illit thinking again coming forward.  After the Healthcare.Gov roll out “trust me” doesn’t mean much at all.  Nobody in their right mind wants to sit back and delay for the sake of delaying it but you have<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="119" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YWSYzPBO3io/UxAKAeyOkzI/AAAAAAABJeA/dyxMgh91fuc/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="239" /> to be a realist and take things a step at a time.  </p> <p><strong>Nobody wants a roll out of ICD10 like Healthcare.gov do they?</strong>  Billing companies and clearinghouses still need to do more testing as well.  There’s money involved here as well as planning for additional time for rejected claims and extra time needed for reimbursement.  Anyone who doesn’t think delays with payments won’t happen, better have their head examined.  The AMA is still on their crusade to stall the implementation date as well.  The US is the only country with such an intricate billing system with layers of complexities when you look at what other countries do.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/01/icd10-sleeping-monster-in-us-health-it.html">ICD10 The Sleeping Monster In The US Health IT System, Other Countries Using New Codes For A Better Clinical Diagnosis While US Tends To Focus On Coding Better Payments</a></h5> <p>But wait…if there’s a problem…well don’t hold your breath…much of the software is being sold with a “hold harmless” clause too…so spin the roulette wheel..you’re not going back on the developers for any malfunctions here.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/02/icd10-software-being-sold-with-hold.html">ICD10 Software Being Sold With “Hold Harmless” Clauses–Sign of the Software Development Times?</a></h5> <p>One hospital had to go out and try to get a line of credit to plan for ICD10 as they are that close to where two months of delayed payments would shut the hospital down as they have almost no reserves.  If there’s major glitches with payment it’s going to be a war out there for sure and for good reason.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/10/hospital-in-wyoming-says-they-are-too.html">Hospital In Wyoming Says They Are Too Poor To Handle ICD Coding Changes Next Year–Don’t Have A Big Enough Bankroll To Cover Transition Period With Reimbursements–Would Need To Get A Bigger Line of Credit If They Can</a></h5> <p>Again I think such a statement would be better off made after some testing has been done, again it’s the anticipated delay with reimbursements that is the issue more so than just the software expense.   BD  </p> <p> <hr />The message that we want you to take back with you is that ICD-10 will go forward," said Denesecia Green, lead for the enterprise e-health operations and governance administrative simplification group in the CMS Office of E-Health Standards and Services. "What we need to do as a health care industry--payers, clearinghouses, vendors, and the like--is to really come together around this initiative. If we can come together, we can make this successful and also reap the benefits of ICD-10." At a CMS Town Hall session earlier in the week, Robert Tagalicod, director of the Office of E-Health Standards and Services, emphatically stated that the October 1 ICD-10 date "is a firm one."</p> <p>According to the announcement, providers that "represent a broad cross-section of provider types, claims types and submitter types" will submit test claims to CMS with ICD-10 codes and receive remittance advice explaining the adjudication of the claims. In addition, from March 3-7, CMS will offer ICD-10 acknowledgement testing. This front-end testing will allow all providers, billing companies, and clearinghouses the opportunity to determine whether CMS will be able to accept their claims with ICD-10 codes. </p> <p><a title="http://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/CMS-holds-firm-on-ICD10-compliance-date-47313-1.html" href="http://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/CMS-holds-firm-on-ICD10-compliance-date-47313-1.html">http://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/CMS-holds-firm-on-ICD10-compliance-date-47313-1.html</a></p>

CMS Says No More Delay on ICD-10, Why Doesn’t CMS Wait and Complete More Testing First Before Announcing Such

Here we go again with digital illits at the top of the helm making statements as such and anyone in technology knows there could be all kind...

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Oracle Pulls 100 Programmers From Cover Oregon Insurance Exchange - Remember They Were the Only Contractor That “Did Not” Withdraw Their Bid When the State Upped The Anny With Additional Social Services Coding Added

<p>Here we go again as the matter of complexities comes back around again.  I have been writing about this for a while but we still have way too many out there counting on those “algorithm fairies” and have not landed on earth yet to at least get an understanding on how complex systems are today.  Covered California<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="181" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-XL0lEddslOw/Uw_8CNJZ64I/AAAAAAABJdo/kQOKPOa6gPo/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="277" /> was down for several days and just came back up Monday.  <strong>I call it the “Sebelius Syndrome”</strong> since she was so public in so many statements that technologists knew were just pulled out of the sky with her perceptions.  The Feds now have a former Microsoft Executive working on Healthcare.Gov.</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/12/white-house-names-former-microsoft.html">White House Names Former Microsoft Executive To Head Up Fixing “The Sebelius Syndrome” Plaguing What Ended Up On Healthcare.Gov</a></h5> <p>One does also begin to wonder what the data looks like too at this point and how much corruption has to be taken out and that’s a given that has to be done with any data bases, need to be prepared and cleaned as no matter how good the software could be and with minimal flaws, corrupt data won’t run through it.  Data gets corrupt just by being used and nobody’s at fault, just is what it is.</p> <p>So now Oracle has pulled back on some of the programmers and 65 are left…ok did you guys get this 165 guys writing code for this project.  Keep that in mind as it’s a big job and when the state decided to add more too it, that’s when the other contractors withdrew their bids and probably about now Oracle might be wishing they had too:)  We had Rocky King resign and you know what, with the amount of pressure it’s enough to make anyone sick. </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/01/rocky-king-of-cover-oregon-resigns-from.html">Rocky King of Cover Oregon Resigns From Position Citing Medical Problems–The Exchange That Only Oracle Wanted As All Other Contractors Withdrew Their Bids Due to Extreme Complexities And Short Time To Do It</a></h5> <p>Let’s go back and once more again revisit a post I made several months ago…consumers and government are getting one real cold hard lesson here on complexities.  It’s not like the good old days when things were in silos when you could yank and pull and migrate servers as everything is connected today.  <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="151" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-y82BlzWCPWo/Uw_8CqHKitI/AAAAAAABJdw/KKR1SwHm43g/image%25255B7%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="228" />This is a big reason why I don’t want to write code anymore for any big projects..the geeks are always the losers, they can’t get it right fast enough and then you have the politicians with their perceptions of algorithms fairies too and they think they can control this, they can’t.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/10/us-consumers-and-government-are.html">US Consumers and Government Are Learning a Cold Hard Reality Lesson About IT Infrastructure Complexities With Models and Algorithms Thanks to Health Insurance Exchanges</a></h5> <p>We have the stories of <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/11/state-of-massachusetts-it-problems-with.html">Massachusetts</a>, <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/01/in-depth-story-of-maryland-insurance.html">Maryland</a> and <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/01/minnesota-health-insurance-exchange.html">Minnesota</a> out there too, so do you need anything else to hit you over the head to understand the complexities we have today and come to realize there are no “algorithm fairies” to wave a magic wand?  The state of Oregon threw the monkey wrench into this one with adding part of their social services to the project which required 9 additional months of custom code.<strong><em>  </em></strong></p> <p><strong><em>I’m still rolling on this one (line below) with the Office of the Inspector General to audit and find out what went wrong on Healthcare.Gov.  How many Oracle, MarkLogic, JBoss, Red Hat, etc. expert do they have to complete the audit?  OIG just got dumped on for that one sadly.  I don’t know why Sebelius just doesn’t keep quiet when she doesn’t know and uses her off the wall perceptions to keep sticking her foot in her mouth.  </em></strong></p> <p><strong>Yup that was another Sebelius “thingy” with shifting some attention over there.</strong></p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/12/sebelius-asks-inspector-general-to.html">Sebelius Asks Inspector General To Review Healthcare.Gov, How Many JBoss, Red Hat, Linux, Oracle, MarkLogic And Other Experts Does OIG Have? Time Elements of Baking A Cake From Scratch With Writing Custom Code Was Just Not There..</a></h5> <p>If Oregon would have just built an exchange without all the other stuff added on, could have been different but that’s hind site now.  The Sebelius Syndrome I’m sure lives at many levels with the state government  in Oregon, otherwise they would have just built an exchange “only”.  If Oracle leaves all together the next best thing is to start paying all over again with an “Oracle” gold partner and some new programmers as you still need code writers that can write to an Oracle system.  BD  </p> <p> <hr />Oracle Corp., the giant technology company at the center of the <a href="https://www.coveroregon.com/">Cover Oregon</a> controversy, has significantly downsized its army of software developers <a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2014/02/oregon_health_exchange_may_go.html">trying to salvage</a> Oregon’s health insurance exchange website.  What that means for the Oregon exchange -- which has been <a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2014/02/oregon_health_exchange_may_go.html">plagued by bugs</a> and remains largely unfinished -- is an open question. <br /></p> <p>Exchange acting director Bruce Goldberg did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday afternoon. <br />In the past week about 100 Oracle employees have peeled off the Cover Oregon project, leaving approximately 65 in place. State officials have repeatedly blamed its failed health exchange website on Oracle’s shoddy work and missed deadlines.</p> <p>Cover Oregon emerged this fall as a political and business disaster, both for state of Oregon and Oracle. The exchange stopped paying Oracle in September after it became clear it could not deliver the promised functional health care exchange on time. The firm had already been paid more than $90 million.</p> <p><a title="http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2014/02/oracle_pulls_100_programmers_f.html" href="http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2014/02/oracle_pulls_100_programmers_f.html">http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2014/02/oracle_pulls_100_programmers_f.html</a></p>

Oracle Pulls 100 Programmers From Cover Oregon Insurance Exchange - Remember They Were the Only Contractor That “Did Not” Withdraw Their Bid When the State Upped The Anny With Additional Social Services Coding Added

Here we go again as the matter of complexities comes back around again.  I have been writing about this for a while but we still have way to...

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Dr. Halamka At HIMSS - Providers Are Getting to the Breaking Point Trying To Figure Out How To Survive..He Gets A Lot of Emails…

<p>He gets emails and lots of them.  Providers are getting to the breaking point he says.  Mostly<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="115" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-IPMO02rtQPY/Uw7lEOMsHCI/AAAAAAABJdY/CsRX8-QKcpY/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="image" width="99" /> what he is getting are people trying to figure out how to survive he says, IT Professionals are on the receiving end of the frustration.  He’s the eternal optimist telling all they will survive.  I would say not being there at HIMSS, this is probably the best and most realistic information you can hear.  I don’t think folks outside of the industry realize how large and complex everything is and I guess you could say that HHS learned a hard lesson with Healthcare.Gov come to think of it.  </p> <p>She asks him how he manages everything he does.  As an example we know ICD10 is not going to be on schedule and are waiting for the next announcement as right now those providers trying to get past the breaking point might break without relief here.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/01/icd10-sleeping-monster-in-us-health-it.html">ICD10 The Sleeping Monster In The US Health IT System, Other Countries Using New Codes For A Better Clinical Diagnosis While US Tends To Focus On Coding Better Payments</a></h5> <p>He gets a lot of Meaningful Use questions.  He says some of the emails are group therapy.  The doctor said he would make a brief appearance at HIMSS to hand out his book which is as I understand his entire blog put together in book form.  Security he discusses with risk assessments and the fact that it will never be perfect.  He has 14 different work streams.  You can rad what <a href="http://geekdoctor.blogspot.com/2014/02/social-mobile-analytics-and-cloud.html">he had to say about HIMSS at his blog here.</a> </p> <p>His book was available at the HIMSS bookstore.  If there’s anyone who understands and can talk realistically about Health IT, it’s him and we don’t have to worry about any <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/02/senator-grassley-and-kathleen-sebelius.html">“algorithms fairies”</a> or perceptual madness here at all when he speaks.  BD   </p> <p><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0" height="270" id="flashObj" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=3257202138001&linkBaseURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fvideo%2Fjohn-halamka-himss14&playerID=2681957770001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAABqM5Idsk~,UTvrDi3cj_o7f3HSJxNVjaaZX9gWHLPT&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=3257202138001&linkBaseURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fvideo%2Fjohn-halamka-himss14&playerID=2681957770001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAABqM5Idsk~,UTvrDi3cj_o7f3HSJxNVjaaZX9gWHLPT&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="480" height="270" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object></p> <p><a title="http://www.healthcareitnews.com/video/john-halamka-himss14" href="http://www.healthcareitnews.com/video/john-halamka-himss14">http://www.healthcareitnews.com/video/john-halamka-himss14</a></p>

Dr. Halamka At HIMSS - Providers Are Getting to the Breaking Point Trying To Figure Out How To Survive..He Gets A Lot of Emails…

He gets emails and lots of them.  Providers are getting to the breaking point he says.  Mostly what he is getting are people trying to figu...

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Big Data In Farming, Back to the Data Selling Business Once Again With Concerns of Where the Data is Sold and Who Uses It To Profit, Paying for IP With the Food We Eat Today

<p>One thing for sure is that we all need food to survive and if you read here often enough then you know<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="198" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5yH-CMVlqP4/Uw4Pp59hQkI/AAAAAAABJdI/nSeH6IkDSkE/image%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="246" /> I focus on the use and abuse of data, for profit and when it is used out of context and for profit.  Well the same thing we see in healthcare also exists with farming.  Sure we want good food and better products and big data lurks over there too with “prescriptive planting”.   You can read the entire article at the link at the bottom of the post but here we go again, same thing with data for profit.  Look at how DuPont is filing lawsuits against farmers who saved “seeds”.  Come on if seeds are there and can be used, plant them and don’t put a 75 year old farmer out of business for goodness sakes. </p> <p>Look what happened in the UK with the <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/02/major-insurance-company-in-uk-bought-47.html">NHS selling medical records</a> to an insurance company.  Sure I’m all for technology to help farmers by all means but the group makes some good points as far as their data they contribute being sold to commodities traders and that is a valid concern.  Sure it is helping with production and the results have been mixed and we all want healthy food to eat but what's it going to cost us?  Are we now paying for intellectual property on the food we eat too to support big corporations?  All the planting information gets beamed to big servers.  </p> <p>The farmers also worry about competition amongst themselves too with the data and the same thing we have with housing, renting farm land next.  Monsanto and DuPont so far said they have not sold the data and Deere shares the data with consent from the farmers.  Farming by the algorithms…and the farmers all worry about the long term affect here with the data…just like we have seen with medical records moving from valuable clinical information as the number one priority to “data selling for profit”…with the old double swing to the pitch on some of it, the old bait and switch.  If we want healthy food it looks like we are going to somewhere along line be paying for the intellectual properties of the seeds and the food it creates as well.  BD  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/08/ftc-tries-to-bring-strong-case-for.html">FTC Tries to Bring Strong Case for Consumer Protections With Use of Data–But Nothing About Creating IT Infrastructure Path to Allow Regulation–Gov Can’t or Won’t Model?</a></h5> <p> <hr />Big agricultural companies say the next revolution on the farm will come from feeding data gathered by tractors and other machinery into computers that tell farmers how to increase their output of crops like corn and soybeans.</p> <p><a href="http://quotes.wsj.com/MON">Monsanto</a> Co. <a href="http://quotes.wsj.com/MON">MON -0.17%</a> , <a href="http://quotes.wsj.com/DD">DuPont</a> Co. <a href="http://quotes.wsj.com/DD">DD +0.48%</a> and other companies are racing to roll out "prescriptive planting" technology to farmers across the U.S. who know from years of experience that tiny adjustments in planting depth or the distance between crop rows can make a big difference in revenue at harvest time.</p> <p>Some farmers are leery about the new technology. They worry their data might be sold to commodities traders, wind up in the hands of rival farmers or give more leverage to giant seed companies that are among the most enthusiastic sellers of data-driven planting advice. The companies vow not to misuse the information.</p> <p>"There's a lot of value to that information," says Brooks Hurst, 46 years old, who works 6,000 acres with his father and brothers near Tarkio, Mo. "I'm afraid, as farmers, we are not going to be the ones reaping the benefit."</p> <p>Many tractors and combines already are guided by Global Positioning System satellites that plant ever-straighter rows while farmers, freed from steering, monitor progress on iPads and other tablet computers now common in tractor cabs.</p> <p>In 2012, DuPont hired Agro Protection USA Inc., an intellectual-property-protection firm staffed largely by retired law-enforcement officers, to watch for signs of farmers who are saving second-generation seeds. Saving the seeds violates licensing agreements farmers sign when they buy seeds.</p> <p><strong>Monsanto has filed lawsuits against nearly 150 U.S. farmers since 1997 for replanting seeds that contain the company's proprietary characteristics. Last year, the company won a U.S. Supreme Court victory in a case against an Indiana farmer who was 75 years old at the time.</strong></p> <p><a title="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304450904579369283869192124?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702304450904579369283869192124.html" href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304450904579369283869192124?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702304450904579369283869192124.html">http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304450904579369283869192124?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702304450904579369283869192124.html</a></p>

Big Data In Farming, Back to the Data Selling Business Once Again With Concerns of Where the Data is Sold and Who Uses It To Profit, Paying for IP With the Food We Eat Today

One thing for sure is that we all need food to survive and if you read here often enough then you know I focus on the use and abuse of data...

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Walgreens and UC San Francisco Trying New Pharmacy Model With Pharmacists Being More Involved With Patient Care and Paying More Attention to Prescriptions

<p>This is an effort to try and help keep down re-admissions for one and the pharmacy is located on the hospital campus.  It is not one of the retail clinics that Walgreens has all over the country but rather a unique drug store.  As you can read pharmacists by law were given more authority with patient care.  A while back, the <img align="right" height="175" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UnArINjrpmI/UDUd8z1k3rI/AAAAAAAA8_Y/UGWoJgu0lyQ/image%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" width="198" />medical records system used by Walgreens retail clinics is now made available to all drug stores too so no world if the pharmacists are going to create a medical record for the patient as used at the retail clinics, although the article does say the pharmacists will be putting together medication information the patients can take to their doctors.  Greenway is the EMR used at the retail clinics.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/08/walgreens-expands-take-care-ehr-medical.html">Walgreens Expands Take Care EHR Medical Records to be Available at All Drug Store Locations for Reference–Not For Me I’d Rather Use My PHR And Choose What I Want To Share…</a></h5> <p>We all know too that Walgreens makes between $1 to $2 billion a year selling data, so there’s the other side of this.  I make sure I turn my location service on my phone off anymore when visiting either a Walgreens or CVS store.  I don’t want their ads and don’t want to give away anymore profile data than I have to.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/10/not-to-be-outdone-by-walgreens-in-data.html">Not To Be Outdone by Walgreens In the Data Selling Business, CVS Pushing a New “My Weekly Ad”, Former White House Healthcare Czar Nancy DeParle Now Sits On Their Board, Discloses Award of 562 Shares..</a></h5> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/10/walgreens-cashing-in-big-in-data.html">Walgreens Cashing in Big In the Data Selling Epidemic Arena–Incentives Connected to Apps and Devices That Sell, Re-Query and Re-Sell Our Data And Data Profiles</a></h5> <p>Must not be enough potential business though to put a full on retail clinic here perhaps?  In addition we have this predictive model worked by United Healthcare with some Walgreen locations that want to predict when you are going to become a diabetic or are on the borderline…this provides pay for performance benefits for Walgreen pharmacists.  BD </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/03/united-healthcare-expanding-diabetes.html">United Healthcare Expanding Diabetes Prevention & Predictive Algorithm Program With Walgreens And Pay for Performance Incentives In Atlanta</a></h5> <p> <hr />Newswise — UC San Francisco and Walgreens (NYSE: WAG) (Nasdaq: WAG) have opened a unique Walgreens store today on the UCSF campus that aims to improve medication safety, decrease health care costs and help patients use medicines more effectively by offering pharmacist-based patient care and expanded health and wellness services to the community. A joint effort among Walgreens, the UCSF School of Pharmacy and UCSF Medical Center, “Walgreens at UCSF” will also explore new models for improving overall patient care.</p> <p>“Walgreens at UCSF is an ideal environment for our pharmacists to work with UCSF Medical Center and School of Pharmacy faculty to further innovate in health care while providing greater access to services for the surrounding community,” said Joel Wright, Walgreens divisional vice president, specialty solutions group. “At Walgreens, we are very pleased to share and develop best practices with UCSF pharmacists and pharmacy students, which further our commitment to help people get, stay and live well.” Walgreens at UCSF, located across the street from UCSF Medical Center, is one of Walgreens “Well Experience” stores, which offer expanded health services and are designed to foster increased patient-pharmacist interaction. With an expanded pharmacy including multiple areas for private consultations, Walgreens and UCSF pharmacists and UCSF pharmacy students are more accessible to community members and patients. </p> <p>Core clinical health services include medication counseling by a pharmacist as the standard of care and comprehensive medication reviews for customers who receive prescriptions. <strong>Pharmacists will work with patients to create and update accurate, portable medication lists to take to their appointments with medical providers. This approach can help decrease drug-drug interactions and encourage patient medication adherence.</strong> </p> <p><strong>The new pharmacy model also comes on the heels of the California provider status law based on Senate Bill 493, which took effect Jan. 1, 2014,</strong> expanding the role of pharmacists on the patient care team. Under the new bill, pharmacists can perform additional healthcare responsibilities within the realm of their expertise, such as furnishing certain medicines, monitoring patient health and adjusting prescriptions, as needed.</p> <p><a title="http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/614218/?sc=rsla&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NewswiseLatestNews+%28Newswise%3A+Latest+News%29" href="http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/614218/?sc=rsla&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NewswiseLatestNews+%28Newswise%3A+Latest+News%29">http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/614218/?sc=rsla&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NewswiseLatestNews+%28Newswise%3A+Latest+News%29</a></p>

Walgreens and UC San Francisco Trying New Pharmacy Model With Pharmacists Being More Involved With Patient Care and Paying More Attention to Prescriptions

This is an effort to try and help keep down re-admissions for one and the pharmacy is located on the hospital campus.  It is not one of the ...

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Major Insurance Company in the UK Bought 47 Million Medical Records From the NHS

<p>The Staple Inn Actuarial Society – a major organization for UK insurers created the report on how it was able to use NHS data from a time from of 1997 to 2010 to track medical histories of patients using a<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="154" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-s0KlN6sEVKw/Uww7PjtdkII/AAAAAAABJc4/a92ot1X3HOU/image%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="image" width="187" /> DOB and post code.  What do you hear about re-matching record, sure it happens all the time and here’s a prime example.  Read further how it went to credit agencies next to use to increase premiums.  This is why it will be a while before any patient matching algorithms will do the job in the US.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/08/can-medical-medication-information-be.html">Can Medical Medication Information be Re-Identified – Sure It Can Just Run the Queries and if Those Don’t Work, Write New Ones</a></h5> <p>Below is an image on how all our prescription data is bought and sold by two of the biggest, United Healthcare and Intelliscript in the US.  This in the UK should be a huge warning for the US as we know anyone who gets a hold of some data will query it and with what other data we don’t know and what type of analytics get created, we don’t know</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/07/states-reviewing-selling-de-identified.html">States Reviewing Selling de-identified Medical Record Procedures–The Data Selling Epidemic</a></h5> <p>Looks like the UK could also use some licensing on their data selling, just like I keep proposing here.  Record sharing for research can be helpful but there’s always the other side that uses data for profit.  </p> <p>United Healthcare already has a strong foot in place with prescribing software in the UK, <a href="http://www.scriptswitch.com/">ScriptSwitch</a> .  In addition, Tony Blair’s old advisor who has been with United Healthcare in the US for a number of years is to be the <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/11/united-healthcare-executive-to-leave-us.html">new chief of the NHS April 1st.</a>   After this news…kind of makes one go hmmmm…who’s in charge, the NHS or the insurers?  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/11/united-healthcare-executive-to-leave-us.html">United Healthcare Executive to Leave the US and Run the NHS in England-Big Data Math Models and Algorithmic Business Intelligence Formulas On the Move…All About Money…</a></h5> <p><em>“ScriptSwitch is installed in more than 7,500 GP practices, across over 160 NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups, NHS local health boards and NHS health boards throughout the United Kingdom.”</em></p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/08/ftc-tries-to-bring-strong-case-for.html">FTC Tries to Bring Strong Case for Consumer Protections With Use of Data–But Nothing About Creating IT Infrastructure Path to Allow Regulation–Gov Can’t or Won’t Model?</a></h5> <hr />Less than a week after the <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/nhs">NHS</a> was forced to postpone its huge GP and hospital record-sharing plan, it has emerged that a major insurance body bought more than a decade's worth<img align="right" height="258" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SoDCXZTv9cI/AAAAAAAAZWs/jQ2R5TLRNJQ/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" width="321" /> of hospital data covering 47 million patients which, it was claimed, is to be used to help insurers refine their premiums. <p>The Staple Inn Actuarial Society said that data covering all hospital in-patient stays between 1997 and 2010 was used to track patients' medical histories, identified by date of birth and postcode, <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/10656893/Hospital-records-of-all-NHS-patients-sold-to-insurers.html">according to the Daily Telegraph</a>.</p> <p><strong>The details were then reportedly combined with information from credit ratings agencies and used to advise insurance companies, resulting in increased premiums for most customers below the age of 50.</strong></p> <p>The news comes at a time of heightened sensitivity about patient record confidentiality after the postponement of the NHS's massive care.data scheme. The project, which would be the first time that the entire medical history of the nation had been digitised and stored in one place, has been put on hold for six months.</p> <p><a title="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/feb/24/hospital-records-nhs-patients-insurance" href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/feb/24/hospital-records-nhs-patients-insurance">http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/feb/24/hospital-records-nhs-patients-insurance</a></p>

Major Insurance Company in the UK Bought 47 Million Medical Records From the NHS

The Staple Inn Actuarial Society – a major organization for UK insurers created the report on how it was able to use NHS data from a time fr...

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White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and MIT Co-hosting Public Workshop - Big Data Privacy-Not Possible Unless We License and Excise Tax The Sellers, The Corporate Profit Epidemic Continues to Spread

<p>You can’t really talk about privacy without addressing the “epidemic” we have of data selling. <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="190" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mnthgxaOygY/Uww0I_0M0_I/AAAAAAABJcg/yi7U76te2SI/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="342" /> You can’t regulate it without knowing who all the players are and as citizens of the US, we are given no clue at all other than reading the news and that only scrapes the surface.  Little data figures in here as well as far as privacy as both lead to security breaches.  Look what happened about a week ago in the UK with a bank, Barclays selling all kinds of personal client information…they had everything, income, health data, etc. and it was rolling around from one broker to another.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/02/barclays-brokers-caught-selling.html">Barclays Brokers Caught Selling Confidential Data of Thousand of Clients–Whistleblower Exposes The Largest Detailed Information Bank Data Breach On Record, Information Included Health Information, Mortgages, Earnings and So On…Kind of Reads Like An Inside Job…</a></h5> <p>Senator Rockefeller recently sent letters to a number of data brokers.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/12/senator-rockefeller-puts-data-sellers.html">Senator Rockefeller Puts the Data Sellers on Notice–We Need to Index and License All Data Sellers to Include Banks, Insurers And Other Companies In Addition to the Data Brokers..</a></h5> <p><strong>We have absolutely nothing as consumers with the exception of HIPAA for medical records in the US</strong>.  We have lawyers that work on the legal verbiage of laws <strong><em>while code and data run “hog ass wild”</em></strong> and banks and companies are<img align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-EDZingdu5LU/Ud4kY6fyEyI/AAAAAAABHNI/JIzGVDTsxdg/image%25255B23%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" /> racking in the billions selling data.  We can’t have any privacy without an index of who everyone is and a license would do that plus raise a little tax money as it’s only fair as we also are the “free labor” who has to fix flawed data as we are denied access to something and those selling our data know it and could care less about a lot of accuracy.</p> <p><strong><u>ANY PRIVACY LAWS THAT DO NOT INCORPORATE DATA SELLING IT INFRASTRUCTURES FOR REGUALTION ARE LAWS WITH NO BALLS AND DO NOTHING FOR CONSUMERS AND THAT’S ALL THAT WE HAVE SEEN.</u></strong></p> <p><strong>FTC efforts so far…totally useless.</strong></p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/06/ftc-reclaim-your-name-campaign-not-good.html">FTC “Reclaim Your Name Campaign” Not Good Enough–No Path for Regulation Identified–All Data Sellers Including Banks, Insurers, Etc. Should Be Required to Buy a License</a></h5> <p>Hope they accomplish something as time’s running out for the consumer and the data selling epidemic that substantiates lack of privacy continues to grow with nobody watching the show at all.  BD  </p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:719e8b0b-9364-4839-83c2-74d7d665cee1" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object height="252" width="448"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/x2eCAgQ1DTo?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/x2eCAgQ1DTo?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Data Dealer Game…</div></div> <p> <hr /></p> <p>The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and MIT are co-hosting a public workshop entitled “Big Data Privacy: Advancing the State of the Art in Technology and Practice” on March 3, 2014. <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="170" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-U1D14PptAlo/Uww0JYN5AYI/AAAAAAABJco/Je3xx8Zq8_Q/image%25255B14%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="311" />This event is part of a series of workshops on big data and privacy organized by the <a href="http://bigdata.csail.mit.edu">MIT Big Data Initiative at CSAIL</a> and the MIT Information Policy Project. </p> <p>This workshop is also the first in a series of events being held across the country in response to President Obama’s <a href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2014/01/23/big-data-and-future-privacy">call for a review of privacy issues</a> in the context of increased digital information and the computing power to process it. </p> <p>The workshop will convene key stakeholders and thought leaders from across academia, government, industry, and civil society for a thoughtful dialogue on the future role of technology in protecting and managing privacy. We will concentrate on core technical challenges associated with big data applications and provide a theoretical grounding for privacy considerations in large-scale information systems. We will explore the state of the art in privacy-protecting technologies and discuss how they can be applied to a diversity of big data applications</p> <p><a title="http://web.mit.edu/bigdata-priv/" href="http://web.mit.edu/bigdata-priv/">http://web.mit.edu/bigdata-priv/</a></p>

White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and MIT Co-hosting Public Workshop - Big Data Privacy-Not Possible Unless We License and Excise Tax The Sellers, The Corporate Profit Epidemic Continues to Spread

You can’t really talk about privacy without addressing the “epidemic” we have of data selling. You can’t regulate it without knowing who al...

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Samsung Galaxy S5 - Contains Heart Rate Hardware/Software

<p>There’s not a lot that needs to be added here for comments..and this phone has Heart Monitor that you use you<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="112" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-QBMlcvdAw_M/UwwmKepo2uI/AAAAAAABJcQ/jIUGna81ue4/image%25255B7%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="118" />r finger to get your rate.  </p> <p>They also introduced a new watch…but will we wear it?  </p> <p>It really is kind of funny to see the watch make another go at it as it’s been out before but consumers didn’t buy.  </p> <p>The new phone is due out in April.  BD  </p> <p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:8eb03039-9b8b-4a18-a8b7-caf2db7e4099" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object height="252" width="448"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/98haRXvdzlY#t=61?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/98haRXvdzlY#t=61?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Samsung S5 Galaxy</div></div> </p> <p> </p> <script height="574px" width="1016px" src="http://player.ooyala.com/iframe.js#ec=A1ZjN0azr-MEhNVpBzbdmkwE5rLh17ij&pbid=dcc84e41db014454b08662a766057e2b"></script> <hr />The things we are really into, so far... <ul> <li>Display is a 5.1 Super Amoled screen with full HD</li> <li>16 megapixel camera with real-time HDR</li> <li>Heart-rate monitor</li> <li>12 hours of video playback</li> <li>It's water-resistant (NOT waterproof)</li> </ul> <p>BIG CON: We have to wait six weeks for this thing. The Galaxy S5 won't hit stores until April 11 in nearly 150 countries.</p> <p><a title="http://mashable.com/2014/02/24/live-samsung-galaxy-s5/" href="http://mashable.com/2014/02/24/live-samsung-galaxy-s5/">http://mashable.com/2014/02/24/live-samsung-galaxy-s5/</a></p>

Samsung Galaxy S5 - Contains Heart Rate Hardware/Software

There’s not a lot that needs to be added here for comments..and this phone has Heart Monitor that you use you r finger to get your rate.  ...

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LabCorp Buys Covance’s High Complexity Genomic Laboratory In Seattle

<p>LabCorp did not buy the company, just the lab to be clear.  The services of the lab will continue <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="187" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FyUerj2kZq0/UwwSLptLArI/AAAAAAABJcA/UQup7Tlsc48/image%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="183" />to be of service to clients, so no change there.  In addition Covance was stopping work on it’s non finished site in Virginia and another location in Switzerland.  Seattle is the location of the lab purchased by LabCorp.  </p> <p>LabCorp also purchased Medlab Indiana   facilities for a little over $10 Million as it was bankrupt and filed for re-organization with over $40 million in debt.  Cuts related to the Affordable Care Act were cited as part of the reasons that lead to bankruptcy with Medlab.  BD </p> <hr />NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings has acquired Covance's high-complexity genomic laboratory for an undisclosed amount. <p>Additionally, the companies have entered into a five-year services agreement under which Covance and LabCorp will collaborate to continue offering the Seattle-based laboratory's services to clients. </p> <p>LabCorp said in its LabCorp Clinical Trials Newsletter that the genomic analysis services offered by the Covance lab include gene expression studies, translational biomarker projects, and next-generation sequencing applications to support drug development work. Covance said it will provide other genomics services to its clients through its central laboratories. </p> <p><a title="http://www.genomeweb.com/clinical-genomics/labcorp-acquires-covances-high-complexity-genomic-laboratory" href="http://www.genomeweb.com/clinical-genomics/labcorp-acquires-covances-high-complexity-genomic-laboratory">http://www.genomeweb.com/clinical-genomics/labcorp-acquires-covances-high-complexity-genomic-laboratory</a></p>

LabCorp Buys Covance’s High Complexity Genomic Laboratory In Seattle

LabCorp did not buy the company, just the lab to be clear.  The services of the lab will continue to be of service to clients, so no change ...

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Tenet Faces Fraud Investigation from the DOJ And Posts Loss For 4th Quarter Related to Purchase of Vanguard Health System

<p>Buying Vanguard was a big expenditure and they bought a big chunk of debt as well.  This is what accounts for the 4th quarter loss.  During the first quarter in 2013 Tenet lost $88 million, so they have been up and down.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/06/tenet-healthcare-buys-vanguard-health.html">Tenet Healthcare Buys Vanguard Health for $1.8 Billion Cash and Assumes $2.5 Billion in Debt<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="157" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-DXOfItfIkkk/UwwDWoMVbmI/AAAAAAABJbw/JEkcHslszQY/image%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="187" /></a></h5> <p>Now we have the suit filed here, the result of a whistle blower for referral payments.  Admissions were down the 4th quarter as well they were pretty much across the US.  </p> <p>In addition we have the CommonWell news that the hospital system will use their system to exchange records and will work with CommonWell on the next phase of “patient matching”…that one requires some real ass kicking algorithms so the group will be working on that for a few years.  The document query and retrieval services will show up long before the matching I believe.  A couple years ago Community Hospital System was trying to take over Tenet.  Tenet also has a couple of technology subsidiary companies.  </p> <h5><strong><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/tenet-subsidiary-conifer-health.html">Tenet Subsidiary Conifer Health Solutions Buys MediHealth Outsourcing-Even Hospitals Are Becoming Software Factories Today Purchasing More Algorithmic Formulas–Subsidiary Watch</a></strong></h5> <h5><strong><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/10/med3ooo-company-with-tenet-analytics.html">MED3OOO (Company with Tenet Analytics Joint Venture Solution) Acquires Insurance Solutions Group - Subsidiary Watch</a></strong></h5> <p>In addition Tenet signed a new 2 year agreement with Aetna which also covers those with Coventry, which is also owned by Aetna.  The original lawsuit was filed in 2009 and Claims Florida Health management Associates entered into contracts that referred pregnant women in the US to hospitals operated by HMA and Tenet for kickbacks from Medicaid claims that were fraudulent in nature.  Four Tenet hospitals are involved along with one HMA hospital.  <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/11/health-management-associates-hospital.html">HMA recently</a> by the way had to send money back to CMS as 11 of their hospitals did not meet Meaningful Use criteria.  A lot of Tenet news all at once.  BD</p> <p> <hr />A federal investigation into kickbacks allegedly paid by Tenet Healthcare Corp. marks the latest fraud inquiry involving the Dallas-based hospital giant over the last decade.</p> <p>The disclosure this week comes as Tenet has tried to reshape its image and operations since 2006, when it reached a $900 million settlement, one of the largest ever, with the U.S. Justice Department to resolve fraud accusations.</p> <p>The new investigation alleges that four Tenet hospitals in Georgia and South Carolina made improper payments in return for patient referrals. Both investigations also were triggered by whistle-blower lawsuits filed under the U.S. False Claims Act, leading federal authorities to intervene as plaintiffs.</p> <p>The FBI said in its release that the hospitals paid kickbacks to obstetric clinics serving “undocumented Hispanic women.’’ The money was in exchange for providing labor and delivery services to the patients. The hospitals then falsely billed Medicaid for reimbursements tied to the procedures, the statement said.</p> <p><a title="http://www.dallasnews.com/business/health-care/20140220-federal-probe-latest-fraud-inquiry-involving-tenet.ece" href="http://www.dallasnews.com/business/health-care/20140220-federal-probe-latest-fraud-inquiry-involving-tenet.ece">http://www.dallasnews.com/business/health-care/20140220-federal-probe-latest-fraud-inquiry-involving-tenet.ece</a></p>

Tenet Faces Fraud Investigation from the DOJ And Posts Loss For 4th Quarter Related to Purchase of Vanguard Health System

Buying Vanguard was a big expenditure and they bought a big chunk of debt as well.  This is what accounts for the 4th quarter loss.  During ...

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Operation Spinal Cap-Former Owner of Orthopedic Hospital Admits He Bribed California State Senator Calderon-Hospital Closed And Sold But Still Listed on HealthGrades

<p>State Senator Calderon sounds like he was really working it for the money.  Lumber Fusion surgeries got a kick back of $15,000.00 and the list went on and on for different procedures.  The state senator set up meetings and more to work on laws that would allow his efforts to continue.  </p> <p>Pacific Hospital was where all the action took place in Long Beach.  The former hospital CEO was doing bad as he lives in the OC in Corona Del Mar, just south of Newport Beach.  Remember Dr.  Justice the Orange <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="162" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-z68r6ic79Mw/Uwrm3Bk2idI/AAAAAAABJbY/ZpZtgmIsKnM/image%25255B19%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="image" width="273" />County oncologist caught for fraud, well used to live down in the same area.</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/03/orange-county-oncology-doctor-who.html">Orange County Oncology Doctor Who Couldn’t Stop Defrauding Medicare Will Get His License Back After He Serves Time & House Sold for Just Under $10 Million</a></h5> <p>The hospital has been closed and the building has been sold, but guess what, Health Grades says it’s still there (grin) and they have average ratings…gosh don’t rely on those sites as they are full of errors as well as Vitals and a few other sites, they are just there to expose you to ads as even hospitals that are closed are “click bait” out there today.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/02/flawed-data-with-physician-and-hospital.html">Flawed Data With Physician and Hospital Rating Sites- Want To Go See Michael Jackson’s Former Dermatologist? Vitals and Healthgrades Says He’s Still There - Not…Flawed Data & Algorithms Persist…</a></h5> <p>So far none of the patients have had any reported problems with the surgeries they had done at the facility.  The senator’s brother has also been arrested by the FBI as a participant.  Now is the state senator going to resign?  BD</p> <p><iframe height="300" marginheight="0" src="http://embed.newsinc.com/Single/iframe.html?WID=1&VID=25646357&freewheel=69016&sitesection=selatimes&width=420&height=300" frameborder="0" width="420" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p> <p> </p> <hr />LOS ANGELES (AP) - The former owner of a tiny orthopedic hospital with an unusually heavy roster of spinal surgery patients was charged Friday with health care fraud in a $500 million scheme to defraud workers' compensation insurance providers with the help of a California state senator. <p>The state insurance commissioner called the 16-year scheme one of the largest workers' comp fraud cases in the history of California's Department of Insurance.<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="121" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-RjgTJdWMvZQ/Uwrm3n0HtnI/AAAAAAABJbg/MrSe6cNoaZk/image%25255B18%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="image" width="229" /></p> <p>Michael D. Drobot, 69, a central figure in the scandal that ensnared state Sen. Ronald S. Calderon and his brother, agreed to plead guilty and testify in return for a reduced sentence. Calderon is charged with accepting bribes and luxury perks from Drobot to influence legislation that would allow him to continue the scam.</p> <p>"In some cases the patients lived dozens or hundreds of miles from Pacific Hospital, and closer to other qualified medical facilities," the court documents said. The patients were not told that their medical professionals were getting kickbacks for sending them to Drobot's facility.</p> <p>Drobot had a bribery payment scale for specific surgeries, the documents said. He would pay a kickback of $15,000 per lumbar fusion surgery and $10,000 per cervical fusion surgery.</p> <p>With Calderon's help, Drobot said he was able to meet with other senators to discuss his legislative agenda and advocate for bills that would financially benefit him and his hospital. No other senators were named in the indictment.</p> <p>Many of Drobot's revelations centered on his extraordinary largesse when dealing with Calderon. In addition to money, there were jobs given to Calderon's children, expensive dinners, trips to golf resorts and free flights on a private plane, the indictment said.</p> <p><a title="http://www.hometownlife.com/usatoday/article/5711613" href="http://www.hometownlife.com/usatoday/article/5711613">http://www.hometownlife.com/usatoday/article/5711613</a></p>

Operation Spinal Cap-Former Owner of Orthopedic Hospital Admits He Bribed California State Senator Calderon-Hospital Closed And Sold But Still Listed on HealthGrades

State Senator Calderon sounds like he was really working it for the money.  Lumber Fusion surgeries got a kick back of $15,000.00 and the li...

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CVS Flip Flops With Medical Records Choice For Minute Clinics, Selecting Epic, Did Allscripts Lose Some Potential Business? In 2012 They Were Announced As the CVS Choice

<p>Well that didn’t last too long as the original electronic medical record used by the clinics were <img align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sik-WFaJ2QI/AAAAAAAAQFU/1uH7NCirz0E/image%5B23%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" />their own home grown EMR which was based on systems created by e-Clinical Works. So I guess they didn’t have time to convert any clinics over to Allscripts.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/minute-clinics-moving-to-allscripts.html">Minute Clinics Moving to Allscripts Medical Records System So I Guess E-Clinical Works Who Started With CVS Clinics Is Out the Door? How Do Medium/Small Companies Compete with Huge Corporate Conglomerates</a></h5> <p>Here’s what was said in February of 2012, two years ago (from the link above) </p> <p><em>"MinuteClinic is partnering with Allscripts to assure that we are utilizing the most advanced electronic health record platform in the market," said Andrew Sussman, M.D., president, MinuteClinic and senior vice president/associate chief medical officer, CVS Caremark. "This will help support our nurse practitioners and physician assistants in continuing to meet and exceed the high standards we have set for quality and adherence to practice guidelines."</em></p> <p>One of the first things that comes to mind here is that they want to be able to have records that communicate with hospitals.  A couple weeks ago we had the bit marketing push from CVS about the tobacco, and of course there will be more data sold to make up some of the revenue.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/02/cvs-tobacco-announcementgood-marketing.html">CVS Tobacco Announcement–Good Marketing, Good Ethics, Good PR, But What Does It Have To Do With Filling Prescriptions And What Will Replace The Revenue Streams…</a></h5> <p>With big hospital system like the Cleveland Clinic and their sharing records with CVS Minute Clinics, maybe Allscripts was the odd man out?  You can read at the link below where it may have been a pilot going on in Cleveland.  BD</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/cleveland-clinic-and-selected-minute.html">Cleveland Clinic and Selected Minute Clinics to Share Medical Records</a></h5> <p> <hr />WOONSOCKET, R.I., Feb. 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- MinuteClinic, a division of CVS Caremark Corporation and the largest and fastest growing retail clinic provider in the United States, announced today that it will switch to the Epic electronic medical record (EMR) called EpicCare. MinuteClinic currently uses its own proprietary EMR. </p> <p>"EpicCare's rich platform will allow us to continue to provide the highest quality of care and advance our services through a robust, world class EMR," said Andrew Sussman, M.D., president, MinuteClinic and senior vice president/associate chief medical officer, CVS Caremark Corporation. </p> <p><a title="http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20140221-907083.html" href="http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20140221-907083.html">http://online.wsj.com/article/PR-CO-20140221-907083.html</a></p>

CVS Flip Flops With Medical Records Choice For Minute Clinics, Selecting Epic, Did Allscripts Lose Some Potential Business? In 2012 They Were Announced As the CVS Choice

Well that didn’t last too long as the original electronic medical record used by the clinics were their own home grown EMR which was based o...

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What Can Healthcare Learn From Aviation? Watch Your Models As The Virtual World Can Be Far Different From the Real World When It Comes to Designing And Implementing Software & Hardware

<p><strong>No this is not another what can doctors learn from pilots again</strong>…that has been hashed enough and the topic seems to come around when other news is slow.  Remember a while back the story about the<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="152" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-8EgPDVwkblM/UwrYdVzOo-I/AAAAAAABJbA/iCGe-lRe7T8/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="231" /> pilot that convinced the AMA for years that he was a doctor?  Here’s the link below if you don’t remember so the AMA didn’t really learn anything from aviation in that respect. (grin).</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/12/pilot-at-united-airlines-claimed-to-be.html">Pilot At United Airlines Claimed to be an MD and Duped Many, Including the AMA With Phony MD Credentials</a></h5> <p><strong>Getting back on track did you see the 60 minute segment on the F-35?  If not you can watch below.</strong>  It is late and way over budget..hmmm..same could be said for a lot of health IT infrastructure programs..remember Healthcare.Gov and it’s still not done.  Just like Healthcare.Gov we are not going to throw out the F-35 either.  As a matter of fact the Air Force reluctantly <a href="https://medium.com/war-is-boring/124c8839989e">upgraded the A-10 software</a> after Congress complained too.  Here’s a little clip from that article..kind of reminds you of medical software, right?  </p> <p><em>“Ayotte pointed out that the Air Force had issued orders to cease development of a package of software updates for the A-10 called Suite 8.</em></p> <p><em>The <strong>Suite 8 software package includes</strong> a new transponder system known as Identification Friend or Foe Mode 5. For an A-10 pilot, this technology is crucial, as it allows other friendly aircraft and ground units to identify your aircraft as friendly.</em></p> <p><em>“They are still cutting the budget so I have to do something, and, unfortunately, the something that is left is worse than cutting the A-10 fleet,” Hostage told Defense News. “It is far worse for the nation if I have to keep the A-10 and cut a bunch of other stuff because they will not give me enough money to keep it all.”</em></p> <p>The video shows how the “tires” which were modeled don’t work and the design was all done via simulation.  This just goes to show that while models are important and get us through the designing states a lot faster, they are not without errors.  This is what bugs me is to see Congress running around with “no models” either, just a budget and you need both.  Again a model is not 100% and needs to be adjusted and corrected at times but you can see from the video, the tired were modeled early one and they don’t work.  </p> <p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:39abd8dd-4627-4e6f-af66-5d260b14b918" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object height="252" width="448"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/FrqSYWfPwww?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FrqSYWfPwww?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">F-35 Project</div></div> </p> <p>Here’s the CBS Extra video…</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:0fe93e06-e64c-4a22-8e7c-19a842f940ed" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object height="252" width="448"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/yp0pCqbiMLg?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/yp0pCqbiMLg?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">F-35 Extra Report</div></div> <p>So what does this have to do with healthcare..a lot the same issues.  When it comes to patient care sometimes the software gets in the way, now this doesn’t mean it’s not supposed to be there as we need it but the model is broken when it comes to help making doctors efficient.  Failure?  Yes we have scribes..so the model got too complicated.  I get so frustrated with what I have coined “The Sebelius Syndrome” to where she and others just don’t get it at all and look for algorithms fairies.  She just frustrates me no end anyway with so many non truthful statements in public that are just due to perceptions and digital illiteracy.  Thank goodness she’s not in charge of the F-35 or she would be sending jets up to fly and crash with software that is not complete (grin).  </p> <p>So both the F-35 and Healthcare.Gov overspending budgets…oh well…here’s a company that Kaiser developed and sold…all they is model..clinical trials is one of their models…so again how they work in the real world might be a lot different than the mode.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/01/kaiser-permanente-sells-archimedes.html">Kaiser Permanente Sells Archimedes Quantitative Math Modeling Subsidiary To Evidera And Symphony Technology Private Equity Firm-Merging of Healthcare Quant (Data Scientist) Technologies With “For Profit” Focused Ownership</a></h5> <p>We are seeing a lot of this today where folks can tell where the virtual worlds leave<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="118" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-eDXiaggkGzI/UwrYd4BpWDI/AAAAAAABJbI/jd1IRDL2g9g/image%25255B10%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="187" /> off and the real world kicks in and when it comes to healthcare, that is important.  As a matter of fact if you have not read the essay “On Being A Skeptic” use the link below and there’s some very good points made here.  You can’t trust the models 100%.  You see this in studies all the time reported in the news…and people seem to think that what ever a model creates is accurate…well this wrong…again think of tires on the F-35.  There’s a model gone wrong and think of it in terms of treatments in healthcare…as patients we don’t want bad tires.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/10/on-being-data-skeptic-modelers-have.html">“On Being a Data skeptic- Modelers Have A Bigger Responsibility Now Than Ever Before”–A Must Read Essay, Start “Sniffing the Data”…</a></h5> <p>The moral of this story here is to be a skeptic when you need to be, don’t suck in every study and report you see, the model may be wrong so ask questions when you feel it is appropriate.  If all the medical record models were correct we wouldn’t need scribes would we?  Keep that though and furthermore how much more difficult life is with models that don’t work, lack ethics or ones that just simply lie for profit.  We see insurers model like crazy and they are hiring more modelers by the grove.  We don’t want to end up with a lot of quantitated justifications for things that are not true.  The F-35 was one huge erroneous model for the military and new models are now being built and used and they cost money when change them too far down the road.  BD </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/12/quantitated-justification-for-believing.html">Quantitated justification For Believing Things That Are Not True And Using Mathematical Processes To Fool Ourselves-The Journalistic Bot Functionality Debuts As Media Can’t Resist the Formulas…</a></h5> <p> <hr /></p> <p>These planes coming off the Lockheed Martin assembly line in Fort Worth cost $115 million a piece, a price tag Bogdan has to drastically reduce if the Pentagon can ever afford to buy the 2,400 planes it wants. </p> <p>Chris Bogdan: I know where every single airplane in the production line is on any given day. You know why that’s important? Because Lockheed Martin doesn’t get paid their profit unless each and every airplane meets each station on time with the right quality.</p> <p>David Martin: So if this plane doesn’t get from that station to this station.</p> <p>Chris Bogdan: On time with the right quality they’re going to lose some of their fee. You’ve got to perform to make your profit.</p> <p>David Martin: They must love you at Lockheed Martin.</p> <p>Chris Bogdan: I try and be fair, David and if they want what I call “winner’s profit,” they have to act like and perform like winners, and that’s fair.</p> <p><a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/f-35-joint-strike-fighter-60-minutes/">http://www.cbsnews.com/news/f-35-joint-strike-fighter-60-minutes/</a></p>

What Can Healthcare Learn From Aviation? Watch Your Models As The Virtual World Can Be Far Different From the Real World When It Comes to Designing And Implementing Software & Hardware

No this is not another what can doctors learn from pilots again …that has been hashed enough and the topic seems to come around when other n...

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Fitbit “Force Wristband” Recall–Device Causing Rashes

<p>The one device named the “Force” is the product that is being recalled.  You can send back your device and get your money back.   The device has also been discontinued and I assume in time <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="121" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-IdhVf079IMk/UwghfQGMRVI/AAAAAAABJaw/rWNPVDoN4Vs/image%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="135" />they may create a new model to replace.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/01/some-fitbit-users-are-finding-out-they.html">Some Fitbit Users Are Finding Out They Are Allergic To Wearables And Are Developing Rashes…</a></h5> <p>It might be the nickel metal where some individuals have an allergy perhaps.  </p> <p>A couple years ago Fitbit had some security issues with data that ended up on the web.</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/07/fitbit-profile-sexual-activity-shows-up.html">Fitbit Profile Sexual Activity Shows Up In Google Search Results–Default Privacy Settings Allow Search Engines To Post</a></h5> <p>I don’t know if this policy hand changed or not but you were not able to get “all” your data and a guy hacked his.  Again we all know that the Fitbit and other similar devices do collect and allow your data profiles to be sold.  BD  </p> <p><strong><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/12/patients-want-their-datathis-guy-hacked.html">Patients Want their Data–This Guy Hacked a Fitbit to Get it Along With The API Algorithms</a></strong></p> <p><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" height="380" id="cnbcplayer" width="400"> <param name="type" value="application/x-shockwave-flash" /> <param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /> <param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /> <param name="quality" value="best" /> <param name="scale" value="noscale" /> <param name="wmode" value="transparent" /> <param name="bgcolor" value="#000000" /> <param name="salign" value="lt" /> <param name="flashVars" value="startTime=000" /> <param name="flashVars" value="endTime=000" /> <param name="movie" value="http://plus.cnbc.com/rssvideosearch/action/player/id/3000248150/code/cnbcplayershare" /> <embed name="cnbcplayer" PLUGINSPAGE="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" bgcolor="#000000" height="380" width="400" quality="best" wmode="transparent" scale="noscale" salign="lt" src="http://plus.cnbc.com/rssvideosearch/action/player/id/3000248150/code/cnbcplayershare" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" /></object></p> <p> </p> <p>Fitness tracking company FitBit is recalling, and ceasing production, of its activity-tracker wristband called "Force" after users complained of a rash they'd attributed to the device. </p> <p>Co-founder and CEO James Park said that the recall was voluntary on the part of the company, and that customers would be issued a full refund. </p> <p><a title="http://www.cnbc.com/id/101435970" href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/101435970">http://www.cnbc.com/id/101435970</a></p>

Fitbit “Force Wristband” Recall–Device Causing Rashes

The one device named the “Force” is the product that is being recalled.  You can send back your device and get your money back.   The devi...

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Allscripts Ends Up With a Loss for 2013 of $104 Million-United Healthcare Subsidiary Ready To Step In To Be An Allscripts Implementer And Beyond…

<p>It’s been tough for Allscripts ever since they underestimated the time to integrate the code from Eclipsys that they acquired in 2010.  Basically the 4th quarter was flat and the company is receiving renewals from several clients.  <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="78" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ldQejVSZJ3c/Uwb1o019v6I/AAAAAAABJag/7Dvp_s4jp7Q/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="image" width="217" />Integration and code rewriting has been a main stay around Allscripts for a number of years since they grew by acquiring other technologies.  Recently too their <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/01/former-allscripts-corporate-auditor.html">former corporate auditor</a> has been charged with inside trading.  If things get tight though and outsourcing is needed, you have good old United Healthcare that wants to to the implementation of a new system and more.  They are ready to jump in with both GE and Epic medical records a well, and hint, it’s not for free: )</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/11/united-healthcare-optum-insight.html">United Healthcare (Optum Insight Subsidiary) Wants To Be Your Allscripts, Epic And GE Centricity EHR Consulting Service Starting With Implementation And Beyond</a></h5> <h5><a href="http://www.optuminsight.com/hospitals/solutions/clinical-quality-management-hosp/technology-implementation-acceleration/allscripts-consulting-services/"><em>Allscripts Consulting Services</em></a></h5> <p><em>“OptumInsight experts bring significant industry knowledge, solid experience, and Allscripts™ domain expertise to each engagement. Our consultants’ unique skills and practical approaches support efficient, effective, and successful EHR implementation.” </em></p> <p>In addition the company had some <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/12/allscripts-sues-nyc-health-and-hospital.html">interesting law suits</a> out there over contract awards a while back.  If you go to a Minute Retail Clinic in a CVS store, if not now then soon you will find the <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/minute-clinics-moving-to-allscripts.html">“Noctors” or PAs using medical records supplied by Allscripts.</a>  So they have a lot out there, just making money is the issue.   All the problems seemed to have begun when the company tried to skip around that their code to integrate Eclipsys was not complete…hey does this sound anything like Healthcare.Gov?  It was funny as I had analysts asking me about what the deal was back then…I said too much code and not enough time…Chapter 30 of the Attack of the Killer Algorithms below…and cost the CEO his job for lying about code, but nothing like that happened with Healthcare.Gov. </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/05/class-action-lawsuit-filed-against.html">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</a></h5> <p>They had to go back and get some help from Microsoft with the merging of Allscripts and Eclypsis.</p> <p><strong><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/08/allscripts-turns-to-microsoft-to-expand.html">Allscripts Turns to Microsoft To Expand Their Application Development</a></strong></p> <p>In addition there’s also the <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/09/mmrgbobal-mymedicalrecords-files-patent.html">patent lawsuit from MMRGlobal</a> relative to the Universal Health Record Technologies used and as I understand that is still on going with Walgreens facing the same potential patent violations too relative to the PHR system they use at their retail clinics.  I think most of the lawsuits filed over contracts have pretty much gone away and Allscripts has changed course with a new model for client retention.  BD  </p> <hr />But it still wasn't enough to reach revenue levels from the previous year or to lift the <a href="http://www.modernhealthcare.com/section/articles?tagID=66">healthcare information technology</a> company out of the red. Allscripts ended 2013 with a net loss of $104 million on revenue of $1.37 billion, down from $1.45 billion in 2012. <p>Allscripts has struggled in the past few years through a troubled integration of Atlanta-based hospital IT firm Eclipsys Corp., which it acquired in 2010 for $1.3 billion in stock. That, plus a shakeup in management and a failed attempt to sell the company, created what Chief Financial Officer Rick Poulton called a tumultuous time for Allscripts.</p> <p><a title="http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20140220/NEWS/302209948/allscripts-shows-loss-for-2013-but-results-improve" href="http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20140220/NEWS/302209948/allscripts-shows-loss-for-2013-but-results-improve">http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20140220/NEWS/302209948/allscripts-shows-loss-for-2013-but-results-improve</a></p>

Allscripts Ends Up With a Loss for 2013 of $104 Million-United Healthcare Subsidiary Ready To Step In To Be An Allscripts Implementer And Beyond…

It’s been tough for Allscripts ever since they underestimated the time to integrate the code from Eclipsys that they acquired in 2010.  Basi...

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UnitedHealthGroup Buys Majority Interest of Audax, Gamification and Data Mining/Selling Platform Operation–Subsidiary Watch

<p>This is yet another move from the Optum Subsidiary of Untied and if you visit the their pages at the SEC you will find 15 pages of subsidiary companies, everything from a bank, cheap hearing aids, to hospice for profit.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/07/health-insurance-business-under-radar.html">Health Insurance Business Under the Radar With Tiered Subsidiaries–Where All the Action Takes Place With Mergers, Acquisitions and Profit Centers-Subsidiary Watch</a></h5> <p>There’s also some recent <a href="http://www.ocbj.com/news/2013/feb/08/memorialcare-getting-surgery-centers/">investing and ownership with with surgical centers</a>.  We are all aware of hospital systems buying up surgical centers and there’s also insurance company subsidiary action here too.  Via the MemorialCare subsidiary of Optum, <strong>the subsidiary of United HealthGroup created a new venture or subsidiary called Beach Surgical Holdings, LLC in February of 2013</strong> .  <a href="http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/731766/000119312510027229/dex211.htm">Do take a look at the official SEC listing if you don’t believe that all the action is happening with subsidiaries today.</a></p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/07/unitedhealth-group-owns-bank-with.html">UnitedHealth Group Owns a Bank With Deposits Surpassing a Billion – OptumHealth Bank FDIC Insured</a></h5> <p>The LHI subsidiary in the United group does VA exams and big DOD occupational health events.  Information quote from the website below…</p> <p><em>“We have administered private occupational health services in support of various federal agencies including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Federal Occupational Health Service (FOHS), Department of Defense (DoD) and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). <strong>We support a wide variety of customers, including: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/07/unitedhealth-group-owns-bank-with.html"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="135" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-O_3Q4Kl3hjw/UwV9BWe05HI/AAAAAAABJaI/ajDPEmQbAug/image%25255B8%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="250" /></a>U.S. Army Medical Command (MEDCOM), the Army Reserve, Army National Guard, Air Force Reserve, Air National Guard, Army Dental Command, Navy Reserve, Army Corps of Engineers, Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command and other Federal agencies.</strong> LHI also supports a number of private sector clients with occupational health services, including four of the Class 1 railroads operating in the United States.”</em></p> <p>There is just so much complexity here as there’s other subsidiaries that do things that affect healthcare nationally in a big way, like some of these subs, <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/02/unitedhealth-buys-another-wellness.html">biometrics</a>, <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/01/model-for-healthcare-reform-is-non.html">wellness,</a> <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/11/united-healthcare-subsidiary-ppc.html">international benefits</a>, <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/03/qualitymetricingenix-united-healthcare.html">survey analytics with patents,</a> <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/10/unitedhealthcare-throws-in-free-hearing.html">hearing aids,</a> <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/09/united-healthcare-optum-owns-consulting.html">consulting for drug and devices for the FDA and clinical trials</a> , <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/11/so-what-part-of-health-it-has-united.html">clearinghouse sub to work with Epic medical records</a>, <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/01/united-healthcare-buys-humedica-and.html">data mining medical information and records,</a> <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/04/more-data-for-sale-soon-with-shared.html">and here,</a> <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/08/ingenix-subsidiary-of-united-health.html">electronic medical records</a>,<a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/02/emergency-room-physicians-prefer.html">hospital analytics and software even used by the VA,</a>  big <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/07/tri-west-wont-challenge-tri-care.html">contract with Tri-Care where DOD was sued to secure</a>, <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/united-healthcare-buys-two-hmos-in.html">some additional HMOs in Florida, low & middle income housing in New Mexico,</a> <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/axolotl-subsidiary-of-ingenix-creates.html">HIE technologies and analytics,</a> <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/clickfreemd-selling-software-ehr.html">some miscellaneous EMR software,</a> <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/ingenix-wholly-owned-technology.html">coding software,</a> <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/unitedhealthcare-launching-cloud.html">Optum cloud platform to sell software,</a> <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/08/optumhealth-subsidiary-of-united.html">more analytics with software that helps set up insurance exchanges,</a> <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/08/united-healthcare-pbm-optum-rx-hiring.html">an in house pharmacy benefit manager,</a> <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/12/sas-adds-optum-unitedhealthcare-fraud.html">fraud prevention analytics</a>, and a <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/10/evercare-unveils-details-of-nation.html">hospice company</a>.  </p> <p>So in addition to games the platform works with the normal data selling devices and apps you see out there everywhere…and as mentioned there are two former United executives on the board of this company and not the first time United has done this with start ups leaving United and then United opting in to interests or in this case a majority shareholder.  </p> <p> <hr />As MobiHealthNews pointed out last month, at least two of Audax’s executives are former UnitedHealth employees. Dogu Celebi and Phil Harker, Audax senior vice presidents for informatics and client development, <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="95" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-hjGMaYSrN2w/UwV9COog00I/AAAAAAABJaQ/6HZQ31o2xds/image%25255B9%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="328" />respectively, both come from divisions of Optum.Optum, a division of the UnitedHealthcare group, has purchased a majority stake in Audax Health Solutions in a deal “which included cash, options, preferred stock, and significant working capital,” according to Audax.</p> <p>Around the same time, Audax filed a $29 million funding raise with the SEC. It’s likely that Optum’s investment was contained within that round.</p> <p>The deal will not affect Audax’s existing relationships with customers, even United competitors like Cigna, whose CIO Mark Boxer sits on Audax’s board. Audax told MobiHealthNews in an email those existing relationships would continue.</p> <p><a title="http://mobihealthnews.com/30134/unitedhealth-group-buys-majority-stake-in-audax-health/" href="http://mobihealthnews.com/30134/unitedhealth-group-buys-majority-stake-in-audax-health/">http://mobihealthnews.com/30134/unitedhealth-group-buys-majority-stake-in-audax-health/</a></p>

UnitedHealthGroup Buys Majority Interest of Audax, Gamification and Data Mining/Selling Platform Operation–Subsidiary Watch

This is yet another move from the Optum Subsidiary of Untied and if you visit the their pages at the SEC you will find 15 pages of subsidiar...

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“Generation Like”, the Relentless Marketing of Teenagers Online and The Money It Makes, “Fake Like Farms” and The Money Generated There As Well..(Videos)

<p>I’m no fan of Facebook being a privacy advocate but putting these videos here to<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="120" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-GN5MXyoR7xk/UwVzuLeeA9I/AAAAAAABJZ4/aNqFYyrJbGQ/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="187" /> show how money is pulled out of thin air.  Social networks are fine and we use them but in the last couple of years, they have become more than that and it primarily one of the reasons people can’t tell the difference between virtual values and real values anymore.  Larry Ellison said it well…so when you watch the PBS documentary see what’s happening to the kids and further yet see what big corporations and movie companies are doing to maximize the addictive algorithms..to make money.  So as you read about today’s acquisition which as I understand is going to be a separate entity, here’</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/02/larry-ellison-ceo-oracle-hcm.html">Larry Ellison, CEO Oracle, HCM Conference Keynote–”Be Careful About Virtual Relationships With Artificially Intelligent Pieces of Software That’s Smarter Than You“, It’s Really All About People”–Algo Duping and the Killer Algorithms Living Amongst Us…(Update) Video</a></h5> <p>Some of it is kind of sad as they are addicted and it somewhat breeds a bit of insecurity and I know it’s not going away by any means but it does impact the loss of tangibles in the US and maybe the world for that matter.  The documentary focuses quite a bit on “what’s behind the technology”…and again when you look at how Wall Street inflates values of complete intangibles, that doesn’t do much for the job market.   </p> <p><iframe height="376" marginheight="0" src="http://video.pbs.org/viralplayer/2365181302?chapter=1" frameborder="0" width="512" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" seamless="seamless"></iframe></p> <p> </p> <p>Here’s a couple other related videos from YouTube that explain further how the marketing works.  The first one shows a comparison to YouTube and how the marketing is clear compared to what you don’t see from Facebook.  </p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:5cd790d5-ea3d-448a-aa73-13094d4c34cc" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object height="252" width="448"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/l9ZqXlHl65g?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/l9ZqXlHl65g?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">The Problem with Facebook</div></div> <p>The next one here shows the money made fake “likes” and there are companies that pay people to do all these fake likes.  He says it’s overseas, but I get a ton of them in my junk mail offering me the same opportunity.  Of course I ignore them but the Fake likes are done by a lot of Fortune 500 companies and from what I have read they pay every week right on time and the participant gets a list of “likes” to complete and where.  BD</p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:5a3793d4-3e97-4840-8737-9bec731375d9" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object height="252" width="448"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/oVfHeWTKjag?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/oVfHeWTKjag?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Fake Likes</div></div> <p><a title="http://video.pbs.org/video/2365181302/" href="http://video.pbs.org/video/2365181302/">http://video.pbs.org/video/2365181302/</a></p>

“Generation Like”, the Relentless Marketing of Teenagers Online and The Money It Makes, “Fake Like Farms” and The Money Generated There As Well..(Videos)

I’m no fan of Facebook being a privacy advocate but putting these videos here to show how money is pulled out of thin air.  Social networks...

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Supersmoker Bluetooth Electronic Cigarette With a Speakerphone That Plays Music, Will This Be Arriving At Your Local CVS Store Soon?

<p>Ok I had to say that in the title…as marketing and what folks and corporations today <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="131" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ltLzGmH7Os0/UwVplguBWeI/AAAAAAABJZo/wuAJIGml3YM/image%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="187" />is pretty nuts and so this is product so<strong> I guess with the Bluetooth connection here they want to make sure they get one of these e-cigarettes Bluetooth devices  in your hands, even to just carry around as a microphone and music player, as that would be advertising for them, a strange form of “product placement”…(grin).  </strong></p> <p>This was just one of those oddities that I couldn’t pass up.  So again you have the device as a microphone and music player and never have to even look at the e-cigarette part of it.  </p> <p>It has buttons on it to make your cell phone hands free and has a USB charger.  CVS was so outrageous with their tobacco campaign and least we forget they had two stores busted by the DEA last year for oxycontin rolling out the doors too so this is just kind of fun to poke back a little bit as the tobacco announcement which I’m sure helped push some of the stock buy back they have on going on to move a little faster.   What will we see next?  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/02/cvs-tobacco-announcementgood-marketing.html">CVS Tobacco Announcement–Good Marketing, Good Ethics, Good PR, But What Does It Have To Do With Filling Prescriptions And What Will Replace The Revenue Streams…</a></h5> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:8476d778-9e66-4d17-b4d0-7f85f5325628" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object height="252" width="448"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/omJQklAcpUM#t=74?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/omJQklAcpUM#t=74?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Blue Tooth Supersmoker:)</div></div> <p> <hr />We've been punked, right? <a href="http://www.supersmokerbluetooth.com/">This thing</a> can't possibly actually exist. We've seen <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/10/beauty-lift-high-nose-puts-the-plastic-in-and-leaves-the-surger/">plenty</a> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/12/05/crapgadget-holidont-edition/">of</a> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2011/03/05/earbud-alarm-clock-takes-the-comfort-out-of-sleeping/">ridiculous</a> <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/17/crapagdget-xmas-2012/">inventions</a> in our day, but a combination <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2013/12/18/smokio-connected-e-cigarette/">electronic cigarette</a> and speakerphone? What the what? According to the people behind this abomination, the Supersmoker Bluetooth "aesthetically combines the convenience of electronic smoking with modern-day technology." (Given that there are bigger fish to fry here, we'll forgive them for calling a speakerphone "modern-day technology.") From what we can tell, the Supersmoker Bluetooth is real, and it's available now from a Dutch e-tailer in black, silver and gold for the princely sum of €84.90 (about $117). Oh, and it plays music, too.</p> <p><a title="http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/19/supersmoker-bluetooth/" href="http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/19/supersmoker-bluetooth/">http://www.engadget.com/2014/02/19/supersmoker-bluetooth/</a></p>

Supersmoker Bluetooth Electronic Cigarette With a Speakerphone That Plays Music, Will This Be Arriving At Your Local CVS Store Soon?

Ok I had to say that in the title…as marketing and what folks and corporations today is pretty nuts and so this is product so I guess with ...

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Senator Grassley and Kathleen Sebelius Duking It Out Over Hospitals Paying Patient Premiums–A Case of One “Who Believes In Algorithm Fairies” Talking To Another…

<p>Here we go again with folks duking it out on wording while algorithms on servers continue to run “hog ass<img align="right" height="145" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fpaB8yOE0io/USv18tNlXUI/AAAAAAABFxM/25MkrAmeTq8/AlgoFairy1%25255B11%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" width="175" /> wild”…so yeah let’s let the hospitals go broke and not protect their interest with seeing patients who can’t afford their premiums…I swear these folks are both under the impression that algorithm fairies exist out there.  I have already identified and coined “The Sebelius Syndrome” which she has the name as the foot in mouth we have seen in the news is so obvious, <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/01/republican-national-committee.html">but she’s not the only one suffering from it by any means.</a>  Here’s the real problem with all of this, it’s the math and formulas that every runs from or denies they exist..flat out.  If you don’t think the machines are running healthcare, you better look again, it’s a rude awakening and things only change when new or revised code and algorithms are created.  I don’t know anything but never mind <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/nancy-ann-deparle-and-kathleen-sebelius.html">I said back in 2009 that both Sebelius and DeParle lacked enough business intelligence to design the law.</a>   They don’t know how to model.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/02/those-damn-killer-algorithms-keep.html">Those Damn “Killer Algorithms” Keep Screwing Up Obamacare, One more Delay Added for Small Businesses, Static Text Laws and Digital Technology Crossing Hairs, We Continue To Endure the Constant Rise And Fall Of The Machines…</a></h5> <p>The link below will help educate you too on how you get duped and it’s daily occurrence as the machines are working it but humans still create the math models, so keep that in mind.  Watch the video on how bots write some of the news you read today, that will shake you up a bit and maybe grind in some new perceptions.  Professor Siefe by the way who’s video clip I used is working on a new book and “the journobot” he told  me will have it’s own complete chapter..he’s a mathematician and journalist, one to listen to as he’s of the talented folks that write<img align="right" height="73" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TJcGp1oHKzI/AAAAAAAAhfM/jyY8xKNrAKY/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" width="196" /> these things..much better than the Algo Fairies if you want a taste of reality.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/12/quantitated-justification-for-believing.html">Quantitated Justification For Believing Things That Are Not True And Using Mathematical Processes To Fool Ourselves-The Journalistic Bot Functionality Debuts As Media Can’t Resist the Formulas</a></h5> <p>This is an A-One perfect example too of folks not seeing what’s virtual out there and what’s real…hospitals staying open and not going bankrupt..that is real…as well as patients not getting care..that is real too if the hospitals don’t have that option.  Sebelius can’t be any clearer as she’s a big algo fairy person out there and putting the website out unfinished with such a decision, it’s crystal clear.  Grassley wanting to even take time out to drag this out for discussion, another one believing in algo fairies.  Move on would you and spend time where it could be productive?   Both of them, no understanding of complex IT Infrastructures so instead of something intelligent in the news, we get this story…so here’s your deal at the link below..it is hard lesson for all.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/10/us-consumers-and-government-are.html">US Consumers and Government Are Learning a Cold Hard Reality Lesson About IT Infrastructure Complexities With Models and Algorithms Thanks to Health Insurance Exchanges</a></h5> <p>So one more “click bait” news story about total nonsense that does nothing for everyone in my opinion.  BD </p> <p> <hr />Sen. <strong>Chuck Grassley</strong> (R., Iowa) sent <a href="http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/GrassleyLetter0219.pdf">a blistering letter</a> to Health and Human Services Secretary <strong><a href="http://topics.wsj.com/person/S/kathleen,-sebelius/7804">Kathleen Sebelius</a></strong> accusing her agency of stonewalling about its guidance on a key question in the health law.</p> <p>“Although your response took three months to compose, it utterly failed to address the questions and information requests in my letter,” the senator said in a letter dated Feb. 12.</p> <p>The issue: As <a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304202204579252520347490190">the Journal reported in December</a>, some hospitals want to be able to pay premiums on behalf of some people so it can guarantee they have coverage if they turn up looking for treatment. Insurers say this move would be a conflict of interest for hospitals and could threaten the economic underpinnings of the law because it would likely lead to more sick people getting enrolled.</p> <p><a title="http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/02/19/grassley-scolds-hhs-over-health-law-guidance/" href="http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/02/19/grassley-scolds-hhs-over-health-law-guidance/">http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2014/02/19/grassley-scolds-hhs-over-health-law-guidance/</a></p>

Senator Grassley and Kathleen Sebelius Duking It Out Over Hospitals Paying Patient Premiums–A Case of One “Who Believes In Algorithm Fairies” Talking To Another…

Here we go again with folks duking it out on wording while algorithms on servers continue to run “hog ass wild”…so yeah let’s let the hospi...

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Larry Ellison, CEO Oracle, HCM Conference Keynote–”Be Careful About Virtual Relationships With Artificially Intelligent Pieces of Software That’s Smarter Than You“, It’s Really All About People”–Algo Duping and the Killer Algorithms Living Amongst Us…(Update) Video

<p>I have been writing about this for quite a while now and recently wrote about the movie “HER” and I did not realize that it was his daughter that produced the movie.  It was during the question and answer portion of<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="187" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-xdAFAFQxH9Y/UvUOcec5aCI/AAAAAAABJWk/70rYOgJuOIA/image%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="image" width="178" /> Ellison’s keynote that this topic came up and I was glad to hear him address it.   I used to be a developer and wrote code and perhaps like others I see it before the layman.  <strong>Well let’s I have been about a year or better out on this.</strong></p> <p>He was giving the closing keynote for the HCM conference in Las Vegas.  I think it was a natural fit if you will as HCM is all about the Oracle human resources social software sold by Oracle.  The HCM Social Software allows people within a company the ability to communicate better and works in the cloud.  </p> <p><strong>Mr. Ellison said he’s very disturbed with seeing kids doing nothing but playing with software on phones, computers and missing out on “being a kid”.</strong>  He next talks about the movie and how a man after a divorce settles for a “virtual” relationship and I’ll tell you there are people about half way there today.  Kids and adults are locked up in the “virtual self” he says. </p> <p><strong>Go on a dating site and you see it all over the place.  People don’t know how to talk to each other and are so tied into what they see on the screens with the queries</strong>.  It makes me nuts and also sad to see that behavior as the<strong> sites are created to make money today with “click bait”…they don’t care if you ever meet someone.</strong>   If one is smart then you circumvent, stay away from all the queries and use the site like a human would with simply finding people with similar ideas, etc. and “do it like a human”…here’s what I wrote a few weeks ago…</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/01/movie-her-good-example-on-how-folks.html">Movie “HER”– Good Example On How Folks Can’t Separate And/Or Unite The Virtual With The Real World, Billionaires Are Made Out of Those Who Know How to Keep These Areas “Gray” With Creating and Maintaining The Addictive Code That Does It…</a></h5> <p>Just last week Larry Ellison’s Foundation <a href="http://philanthropy.com/blogs/philanthropytoday/larry-ellisons-foundation-gives-100-million-for-polio-work/81301">gave $100 million to the Gates Foundation</a> for work on polio and last year provided $20 million to the cause.  Thank goodness have have some real maturity here with both Ellison and Gates, a far cry of course from what we see with Mark Zuckerberg, who’s been noted as one of the biggest givers this last year with philanthropy.  When you look at what Oracle and Microsoft have done, they created value with software that helps productivity and helps us run our companies better and boosts productivity. </p> <p>There’s just no comparison of that value to what Facebook does as it mines and sells our data, drops it out <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="187" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-mXWH8dtMMiw/UwEwzh492nI/AAAAAAABJZM/1EgzRg3Ln00/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="image" width="153" />all over the internet and comes up with more ways for us to waste our time.  Sure there’s some communication values there and it’s not what I think he set out to create but it’s “click bait” haven now with both the legal and fake “Like” routines with a big fire hose that controls and moves what you read by the algorithms.  Due to what it does and grew into, I kind of fell his participation in the <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/01/world-economic-forum-needs-dose-of-bill.html">“Giving Pledge” is more like “The Guilty Pledge”</a> if you will.  If it went away tomorrow, folks would survive but if Oracle and Microsoft went away…well they can’t as there’s way too much business value and client that depend on their software.  He’s made riches just harvesting data and querying it every which way he can think of for goodness sakes.  </p> <p><strong>Now we have the “good part” and of course the maturity of Larry Ellison really shows through here.  I watched the broadcast live and it was impressive as with both Larry Ellison and Bill Gates, they both function in the real world, versus what Facebook does</strong>.  They use technology to create “real world solutions and efficiencies”.  As Larry Ellison says in his keynote, they used Facebook screens as a model so people would not have to learn a bunch of new looking screens but that’s not the first time that’s been done and a good choice to keep the learning curve down and Oracle HCM is integrated with all Oracle’s products and is an internal social network that can reach outside when needed to connect for business.  <strong>At the end of his keynote is a great Q and A and not only myself but many others on the web went crazy over one question about what bothers him and he was right on target and said something we all relate to.  He talked about the Hawaiian Island and using salt water to create drinking water.  Computers will be distributing the water through the island.</strong>  </p> <p>The entire keynote is good but if you want to fast forward to the Q and A advance the video to the 39 minute point, and he said ask about anything.  He said he welcomes folks back to Oracle who leave to follow a dream and if it doesn’t work he says you can come back to Oracle.  He says folks that leave the company and come back are much more matured and bring even more value back.  It’s big mistake he says when big companies have a no hire back policy.<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="187" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pt8CD1L0QOQ/UwEw0WPE7GI/AAAAAAABJZU/N88nQARjWQE/image%25255B6%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="image" width="163" />  He gets asked about ‘human behavior”..and talks about his daughter making the move “HER”…”a guy with a piece of software” he says about the movie.  </p> <p><strong>The man chooses a virtual reality in talking about the movie HER and then Ellison goes into <em>“how he is so disturbed”</em> with kids just doing nothing but playing video games (crows applauds).</strong>  Kick in about the <strong><em>59 minute mark</em></strong> to catch this discussion.  </p> <p>Kids are choosing virtual worlds.  He talked about his childhood, riding a bike and doing things a kid does.  He thinks virtual balls versus real games is not cool.  Virtual reality is very bad for kids he continues on and <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/01/movie-her-good-example-on-how-folks.html">again I say there adults like this out there too.</a>   In the virtual world you can always “win” he continues on. <strong>He talks virtual relationships and the virtual partner keeps telling you how great you are he says.  </strong></p> <p><strong>He says “be careful about virtual relationships with artificially intelligent pieces of software, that’s smarter than you are, than can be bad”…he says part of technology have very negatively impacted children. Great video…</strong></p> <p><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0" height="358" id="flashObj" width="440"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=3163246438001&linkBaseURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.oracle.com%2Fevents%2Fus%2Fen%2Fhcm-world-live%2Findex.html&playerID=1787102915001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAAFcSbzI~,OkyYKKfkn3xPOduPEsqhjskdCvDxqymz&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1&isUI=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=3163246438001&linkBaseURL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.oracle.com%2Fevents%2Fus%2Fen%2Fhcm-world-live%2Findex.html&playerID=1787102915001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAAFcSbzI~,OkyYKKfkn3xPOduPEsqhjskdCvDxqymz&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="440" height="358" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object></p> <p>I was even hoping that Bill Gates would be able to address this at Davos too and wrote about it then as well.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/01/world-economic-forum-needs-dose-of-bill.html">World Economic Forum Needs A Dose of Bill Gates To Help World Leaders Comprehend Where Virtual Software Worlds Work and How To Unite With the Real World, Too Much Math In Financials-Nobody Seems To Understand The Mathematical Causes and Effects Of Economic Complexities…</a></h5> <p><strong>Larry has not given up on “humans” he’s divorced 4 times and keeps going at it.</strong>  When it comes <img align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-iAYIxCUQzBg/UV2UCP7NHQI/AAAAAAABGWM/TQKKLzd0GCk/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" />to Healthcare, tie those folks up to get better to the machines and the phones…well this is nothing new either as for at <strong>least 4 years I have been writing about not leaving the human out and too many are sucked into the technology phases to where to save money, get those folks attached to those machines.  Insurers have been going overboard on this for years</strong>, even to where<strong> we have studies and bullshit reports out there that extend predictive analytics on how much money will be saved if we get these “evil twins” in society hooked up to behavior analytics and fix them.</strong>  </p> <p><strong><u>Machines don’t fix people, people help fix people</u></strong> and one has has to want to be fixed and the reliance on other people with some technology can work but not to the fairy tales we read out there.  I even got to the point where a little satire was due on this topic stating Congress needs a wellness portal so we could start doing live risk assessments on them.  If you want to see yet another example of confusion with virtual versus real values, <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/02/richard-simmons-video-produced-by.html">look at what Covered CA did</a>…<strong><em>this one is such a perceptual miss.</em></strong> </p> <p>In addition we have the head of HHS running around looking for “Algo Fairies” too…strange woman with strange perceptions that doesn’t seem to want to learn as I call it <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/01/in-depth-story-of-maryland-insurance.html">“the Sebelius Syndrome”</a> and others besides here suffer from it too, I just gave her the name as she’s so visual in the news with all her blunders and even <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/01/nancy-pelosi-on-obamacare-and-website.html">Nancy Pelosi, had no problem throwing her under the bus.</a>  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/10/congress-needs-wellness-portal-as.html">Congress Needs a “wellness portal” As Predictive Behavior Analytics And Behavior Modification Is Needed So Consumers Can Start Scoring Congressmen To Create Risk Assessments Along With Adding Pay for Performance Assessments To Their Positions….</a></h5> <p><strong>My inbox every day is full and very little of it has value</strong>, and there is some but I look at the way those marketing me present it, and so much is just “click bait” to buy or read something.  There’s nothing wrong with marketing but it’s out of control today with news medias looking for new revenue streams and they are just about doing anything at some point in time.  We have too many models out there that just “lie” and deceive, just to make money.   </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/12/quantitated-justification-for-believing.html">Quantitated Justification For Believing Things That Are Not True And Using Mathematical Processes To Fool Ourselves-The Journalistic Bot Functionality Debuts As Media Can’t Resist the Formulas…</a></h5> <p>Why is Healthcare such an issue…here’s yet another “Quack” archive…it’s the <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/11/obamacare-continuous-rise-and-fall-of.html">continuous rise and fall and rise and fall of the machines</a>…I’m really glad we have “adults” around like Larry Ellison and Bill Gates that are addressing the realities of technology.  You cans search this blog and watch the 4 videos in the footer here if you want to get a “hold” on what’s happening out there with abuse of technologies.  It’s been going on for years.  Also the <a href="http://www.ducknet.net/attack-of-the-killer-algorithms/">Algo Duping/Killer Algorithm page</a> has some great videos and links to cue you in as well.  Here’s another great interview with Larry Ellison on privacy..he calls it out just as I have been saying here…put the NSA as your second worry, look at what private industry is doing first as it reaches out and touches you every day.  I have embedded the video again here and you can read my commentary at the link below.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/09/larry-ellison-talks-with-charlie-rose.html">Larry Ellison Talks With Charlie Rose About Google, Privacy, the NSA and More, Reiterates That You Need To Worry More About What Data Private Industry Collects and Uses And Less About the Government</a></h5> <p><embed src="http://cnettv.cnet.com/av/video/cbsnews/atlantis2/cbsnews_player_embed.swf" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" background="#333333" width="425" height="279" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" FlashVars="si=254&contentValue=50152857&shareUrl=http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505263_162-57598257/oracle-ceo-larry-ellison-google-ceo-did-evil-things-apple-is-going-down/" /></embed></p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/06/recommended-reading-wheres-outrage-over.html">Recommended Reading: “Where’s the Outrage Over Private Snooping?” “The Killer Algorithms Have Teeth & Don’t Care Who They Might Bite</a></h5> <p>The Killer Algorithms series I started over 2 years ago is true and they are here.  It was the basis of the Occupy Movement and they didn’t even know what they were protesting but they knew something was not right and that was enough.  </p> <p>His daughter Megan, with growing up in the tech world and being exposed has given her a ton of insight <img align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-plljo-PUd4Q/UV2UCf3JAXI/AAAAAAABGWU/TJC27hEzgmA/image%25255B7%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" />here and the messages we see in her movies are great, again especially with “HER”.  She sees it ahead of time as well by just growing up in the environment I think.   She also produced American Hustle which is also up for many awards.</p> <p><strong>Myself, it’s hard at times too because I come across people who are wrapped up in the Algo Worlds and they say things and have strange perceptions out there.</strong>  I just shake my head sometimes and even myself I can get a little carried away with too much time with technology but the cure that works for me is getting out in the real world.  I told some folks on Twitter the same thing the other day, it balances you to do so and we all need balance and none of us are exempt from some of it taking over at times.  <strong>It’s just something to be aware of as you can get yourself out into some wild spaces of justifications and perceptions at times if you read enough content that tells you over and over that “this is it” and  articles that say “you must have this”, or “you need to know”…</strong>those are captivating news titles that might be sucking you in. <strong>They work great as they are tremendously convincing and some are just “click bait” too.  </strong></p> <p><strong>I just had someone I know from the NISS write to me about the absurd and he sent me an article and said “read and weep”</strong> and it has to do with what perceptions some scientists have out there about predictive analytics and the need to replicate your own study and make sure you are in control of the replication process? <img align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-q1ZlYU3i__8/UnXCngdfnNI/AAAAAAABIbk/HRJc-_5HyMI/image%25255B9%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" /> If your work is correct and on target, there should be no problem replicating it.  Anyway just another example on how  perceptual nonsense works and the problem is separating the “junk” from the good stuff and it’s getting pretty gray out there.  </p> <p>Here’s another archived post…healthcare is just like the markets any more, it’s all about how the algorithms come out to play which defines your individual experience, same as buying and selling stock, everyone gets a different experience.  We should trash the term “human capital” as a few years ago it was ok but not what it has morphed into today.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/01/obamacare-for-2014-how-in-world-are-all.html">Obamacare for 2014, How In the World Are All Those Algorithms Going To Play Together, World of Complex IT Infrastructures That Are Attached To Almost Every Law On the Books Might Pose Some Issues To Recently Generated House Bills…</a></h5> <p>One thing for sure is all of us older folks have a period in time to compare with prior to technology, but the younger generation doesn’t have it, and that’s sad as they don’t know. It’s up to us to step up to the plate.  I’m doing my best here.  If you want to dig in deeper, time to hold banks and companies responsible for their proprietary code that manipulates you and takes your money, and common sense for that matter.  I’m just worried now that there’s too many adults sucked in beyond return at times (grin).  I run across them all the time.  There was a story on the web recently <a href="http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2014/01/how-to-hack-okcupid/">about a guy who used all kinds of code and mathematical wizardly to find a mate…</a>it was a sad story indeed as dating is supposed to be fun, not analytical work.  I don’t care if one is or is not a math genius bottom line is we are all still humans…again a very sad story as the poor guy lacked balance along the line.  Sure it entertained us but again dig below the surface for the real issues here I say.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/01/not-only-is-it-time-to-hold-banks-and.html">Not Only Is It Time to Hold Banks and Corporations Accountable, But Rather Hold Their CEOs, Math Model Creations and Proprietary Computer Code Accountable As Well…</a></h5> <p>When you think about it, this study might have some real validity with people being afraid of math as those who are not prey on the ones that are and the make big money doing it.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/10/algo-duping-plos-one-journal.html">“Algo Duping” – PLOS One Journal Publication Explains Why The Fear of Math Plays a Big Role As One Underlying Reason We All Get Duped And Those Who Don’t Fear Math Take All the Money, Gradually, Using “Mathematical Formulas & Algorithms”</a></h5> <p><strong>So in summary, a great presentation by Larry Ellison and nice he took time to get up close and personal…as a human..we all need that today…Again take time out and watch the videos in the footer here that I curated…that is if you want to get beyond the belief in Algo Fairies and look for more balance on how you can get manipulated with computer code from other entities  that lack enough ethics out there today.    BD </strong></p> <p><a title="http://www.oracle.com/events/us/en/hcm-world-live/index.html" href="http://www.oracle.com/events/us/en/hcm-world-live/index.html">http://www.oracle.com/events/us/en/hcm-world-live/index.html</a></p>

Larry Ellison, CEO Oracle, HCM Conference Keynote–”Be Careful About Virtual Relationships With Artificially Intelligent Pieces of Software That’s Smarter Than You“, It’s Really All About People”–Algo Duping and the Killer Algorithms Living Amongst Us…(Update) Video

I have been writing about this for quite a while now and recently wrote about the movie “HER” and I did not realize that it was his daughter...

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