“Inside The Dark Web” Documentary -Digital Illiterate Law Makers in a Panic And the Creator of The Internet Is Soul Searching -Data Collecting and Selling That Defies Our Privacy

<p>Is the web we love been turned against us is the question raised from this video.  Some of those<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="131" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8xQM4QZP2PY/VUGoaNxk84I/AAAAAAABMO4/o3LdTxjnmoE/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="235"> themselves who created the web are soul searching themselves on what was created and scientists are fighting back.</p> <p>This is great and says what I have said for quite a while, people confuse the virtual world values with the real world.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/03/virtual-worlds-real-world-we-have.html">Virtual Worlds, Real World We Have A Problem And It’s A Big One With A Lot of Gray Areas Finding Where The Defining Lines Exist, Confusing Many With A Lot of Weird Values And Strange Perceptions…</a></h5> <p>Your deepest secrets are sold to the highest buyer.  Many times you are repackaged (your data) and sold over and over and over and requeried again and again.  </p> <p>You may never use Wi-Fi again after watching this video.  As along as your phone is on, you can be tracked.  Why do you think Google and others want to put in more Wi-Fi.  Data gives someone control over you and convince you to buy things you may not want to buy otherwise.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/04/world-privacy-forum-report-scoring-of.html">World Privacy Forum Report - The Scoring of America: How Secret Consumer Scores Threaten Your Privacy and Your Future - One Big Element that Fuels the Continued Attack of Killer Algorithms & Demise of the Middle Class Creating Profiteering And/Or Denial of Access</a></h5> <p><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/qXajND7BQzk" frameborder="0" width="560" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>Here’s another good read…</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/04/google-partnering-with-data-brokers.html">Google Partnering With Data Brokers Acxiom And Others To Follow You Around While You Shop On a Test Project-Data Selling Data Businesses Benefit And Tech Companies Operate Off Shore Tax Havens-Do Google and Facebook Pay US Taxes on This Revenue?</a></h5> <p>Check out the Tor Browser, created by the US Navy and used by many, and not just crooks, those who want privacy.  BD  <p><a title="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXajND7BQzk" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXajND7BQzk">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXajND7BQzk</a></p>

“Inside The Dark Web” Documentary -Digital Illiterate Law Makers in a Panic And the Creator of The Internet Is Soul Searching -Data Collecting and Selling That Defies Our Privacy

Is the web we love been turned against us is the question raised from this video.  Some of those themselves who created the web are soul searching themselves on what was created and scientists are fighting back. This is great and says what I have said for quite a while, people confuse the virtual wo…

Read more »

Leave It Up to Congress and the White House to Turn the SGR Repeal into a Media Circus…Daily Show..

<p>He calls it right again, Jon Stewart nails it and boy are we going to miss him.  Congress like he said is just dropping all over themselves <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="147" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GQ4L5Zl_nHU/VTfI4fPj_sI/AAAAAAABMOc/-Sh4Ey0Q78k/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="283">with congratulating each other for doing their job.  It just goes to show how far away from reality we really are today when we need a full on media showering on something that’s been an issue since 1997, Congress can’t model very well or do math as we know.</p> <p>Don’t miss the Boehner/Pelosi kiss on the cheek, give me a break, this is not the soap opera “General Hospital” but it sure plays out that way in the news today.</p> <p>As Stewart points out Congress fixes a law and a problem that they created for themselves (and us) and the President was go giddy he let a “child” film signing the bill, that’s is so funny.  We don’t give a crap about Boehner and Pelosi and what they did, there’s no trophy needed as Jon says.</p> <p>We come back to perception here, as he says “are we supposed to throw Congress a party for that”.  Sure it’s a welcome change by all means but damn, what a frigging circus in the media.  There is a negative side here in the fact that it continues to engage those CMS models with HHS mentored by United Healthcare over the years to let the HHS Secretary determine the quality measure reporting with doctors in the US, so duped again and the Sebelius Syndrome of whacked out perceptions on what humans can actually produce and meet the numbers that Congress “thinks” can be done, just<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="99" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-CZeIhfkmZ0U/VTfI5ZhZWiI/AAAAAAABMOk/usrEeQ-vabM/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="212"> another day in algorithmic profit making.</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/07/bill-to-restore-office-of-technology.html">Bill To Restore Office of Technology Assessment Was Defeated Again This Year As Congress Chooses to Remain In the Dark With Technology At A Time When Private Industry Is Doing Just the Opposite - “The Grays” Live On…</a></h5> <p>The reason they are really excited is that they were able to pass a bill which didn’t require much understanding of IT technology, and part two is where they really bungled things up.  Again the Sebelius Syndrome out there again with perceptions that are not realistic or attainable.  A famous Quant, Paul Wilmott said <em><u><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/04/it-will-never-be-100-bottles-of-beer.html">that 99.9 percent of financial models don’t involve the “real world” and that’s the problem, and we tend to be seeing the same thing in healthcare.</a></u></em>  Healthcare models with numerical structures and formulas, not that much different from financial models except instead of algos ripping around through stock exchanges, it’s humans being pushed to rip around through jillions of algorithmic formulas to get care when we are sick.  It’s much harder than the markets, as we are humans and not just a “piece of code” to whip around as we have a physical existence and are not virtual.  </p> <div style="width: 520px; background-color: #000000"> <div style="padding-bottom: 4px; padding-top: 4px; padding-left: 4px; padding-right: 4px"><iframe height="288" src="http://media.mtvnservices.com/embed/mgid:arc:video:thedailyshow.com:37eb4a2d-d91c-4660-a74b-30f2ecd439f9" frameborder="0" width="460"></iframe> <p style="margin-bottom: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; padding-bottom: 4px; text-align: left; padding-top: 4px; padding-left: 4px; margin-top: 4px; padding-right: 4px; background-color: #ffffff"><b><a href="http://thedailyshow.cc.com/">The Daily Show</a></b> <br>Get More: <a href="http://thedailyshow.cc.com/full-episodes/">Daily Show Full Episodes</a>,<a href="http://www.facebook.com/thedailyshow">The Daily Show on Facebook</a>,<a href="http://thedailyshow.cc.com/videos">Daily Show Video Archive</a></p></div></div> <p>So how many bots covered this story?  Sure there were some as 60% of what you read today is written by bots…let’s add on that factor to the madness.  Read this as you might have to pay to read such soon.</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2015/03/major-us-newspapers-sign-up-and-invest.html">Major US Newspapers Sign Up and Invest With New Start Up That Will Charge You To Read The News–20 Cents Per Article, Probably Written by a Bot and Goes On You Credit Card–And Bolsters the $180 Million Dollar Year Personal Data Selling Business</a></h5> <p>In the meantime, watch this documentary on Silicon Valley and see how far apart our Government flunkies and the code and technology in Silicon Valley really are. run for the hills as this is scary as these folks just manipulate the hell out of the Hill.  It’s so painless and over the heads of Washington, they don’t even feel it but we do as consumers.  <strong>So after you watched the SGR Media Circus, tune in here and see what’s really taking place.  “We’re from California, we’re the future”…watch it.</strong>  <p><iframe style="height: 295px; width: 530px" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/YQy0ZCx3UCY" frameborder="0" width="560" allowfullscreen></iframe> <p>We are as consumers under the <strong>Attack of the Killer Algorithms</strong> and if the news on the markets yesterday didn’t prove that, I don’t know how much more they need and the man arrested is not a lone wolf.  It’s hard to admit you’ve been code hosed and taken advantage of, but that’s what is going on.  Watch the videos at the Attack of the Killer Algorithms page and learn up, from folks smarter than me.  <p><em><u><a href="http://www.ducknet.net/attack-of-the-killer-algorithms/">Attack of the Killer Algorithms…</a></u></em> <p>Again, after you watch this second video, you’ll see how far apart our world of government and technology really are and they are not getting any closer.  BD</p>

Leave It Up to Congress and the White House to Turn the SGR Repeal into a Media Circus…Daily Show..

He calls it right again, Jon Stewart nails it and boy are we going to miss him.  Congress like he said is just dropping all over themselves with congratulating each other for doing their job.  It just goes to show how far away from reality we really are today when we need a full on media showering o…

Read more »

With Lower Reimbursement from Insurers and Medicare, LabCorp To Allow Customers to To Go Online To Pay for And Schedule Tests Without a Visit to the Doctor, Looking for New Revenue Streams…

<p>We knew someday this would be coming and I would say obviously the tests are limited to those which a consumer can understand and are part of common blood work tests that are done every day.  The article mentions that years ago Quest tried the same thing and it<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="79" src="http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-su55SiTv2MU/VTXkRd6v5LI/AAAAAAABMOI/eDBZq4ZpmR4/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" /> fizzled.  LabCorp is also the company who runs the tests for Twenty Three and Me, a Google company that does light weight genomic and ancestry testing for consumers. </p> <p>How this will take off remains to be seen.  Recently LabCorp made a fairly large acquisition of a company named Covance, a large molecular research and clinical trials company worldwide.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/11/labcorp-to-acquire-covance-for-61.html">Labcorp To Acquire Covance for $6.1 Billion Cash and Stock</a></h5> <h5><strong><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/02/labcorp-buys-covances-high-complexity.html">Labcorp Buys Covance’s High Complexity Genomic Laboratory In Seattle</a></strong></h5> <p>If you want to read the company privacy statement, you can <a href="https://www.labcorp.com/wps/portal/!ut/p/c1/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os_hQV5NgQ09LYwMLD0tLA0_3MAsPdxcfYwMDM30_j_zcVP2CbEdFAL-Cfes!/dl2/d1/L2dQZyEvd0xNQUJKSUEvWUJweGx4dHhqeHJ3LzZfVUU0UzFJOTMwOEg5OTBJR1Y4SEdETDMwMDYvNl9RODZOUTJOMjA4MlU4MDIzRVJDMTRNMDBPNS82X1VFNFMxSTkzME9GVEEwSUtOUTlPUEgyNEQxLzZfUTg2TlEyTjIwODJVODAyM0VSQzE0TTAwNDIvNl9RODZOUTJOMjA4MlU4MDIzRVJDMTRNMDBDMw!!/">read it here</a> and see how much “sharing” is going on.  it will be interesting to see how this catches on and if they have more success than Quest did a few years ago.  In addition, the company will be looking for a drug store to collaborate with and there’s no mention of what the costs will be but in time I’m sure those will be shown as well.  More and more states are passing laws to allow consumers to get lab tests without a doctor’s prescription.  The company of course is facing some big competition from Theranos, a new lab company that charges 50% of what Medicare charges for blood tests and only requires a tiny drop of blood.  I’ve written about Theranos quite a bit here at the Quack and as they grow, this will get interesting to see what the consumer does.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/11/its-basic-human-right-for-individuals.html">“It’s A Basic Human Right for Individuals to Have Access-One Drop of Blood”Theranos CEO & Founder, Elizabeth Holmes TED Video</a></h5> <p>I don’t expect a big rush on this but there could be enough to put some money to the company bottom line.  BD </p> <strong> <p> <hr /></p> <p>NEW YORK</p> • Consumers will soon be able to bypass their doctors by going online to order cholesterol readings, thyroid tests and other bloodwork from the nation's biggest diagnostics company.</strong> <p>Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings, which has about 20 locations in the St. Louis area, will let customers go online to pay for tests, visit a service center to get blood drawn, then view the results on the Web. The company has already been doing back-office lab work for a number of Internet firms that let people order up tests without a doctor.</p> <p>LabCorp's direct-to-consumer business will initially be run online. The company is exploring a partnership with a drugstore chain as well — an idea that rival Quest Diagnostics Inc. tried and scrapped. The company didn't say precisely which tests it will offer or how much it will charge. In some states, the law will still require consumers to get a doctor to order tests.</p> <p><a href="http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/labcorp-to-let-consumers-order-own-tests/article_22731fb1-f045-542c-9bc5-2563d7015333.html">http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/labcorp-to-let-consumers-order-own-tests/article_22731fb1-f045-542c-9bc5-2563d7015333.html</a></p>

With Lower Reimbursement from Insurers and Medicare, LabCorp To Allow Customers to To Go Online To Pay for And Schedule Tests Without a Visit to the Doctor, Looking for New Revenue Streams…

We knew someday this would be coming and I would say obviously the tests are limited to those which a consumer can understand and are part of common blood work tests that are done every day.  The article mentions that years ago Quest tried the same thing and it fizzled.  LabCorp is also the company …

Read more »

Mayo Clinic is the Latest to Outsource Revenue Cycling to Optum 360, A United Healthcare/Dignity Health Company Pursuing Hospital Contracts All Over the US For Profit…

<p>If you haven’t seen this way of outsourcing hospital revenue cycling and employees, here’s the latest from the Optum 360 group.  It’s a company owned by both Untied and Dignity Health with Optum/United Healthcare being the controlling party.  You could certainly assume this provides some revenue for <img align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-tijkSzKtJCo/UlyAMU3pkJI/AAAAAAABIIQ/Snjq2bIa4hg/image%25255B7%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" />Dignity Healthcare and as they have recently been hit with employees suits stating their pension funds are not adequate.  So add on Optum 360 and bump a bunch of folks off the pension plan right?  That’s basically what has occurred as Optum 360 was rolled out through the Dignity Healthcare system of hospitals first. </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/12/dignity-health-gets-temporary-reprieve.html">Dignity Health Gets a Temporary Reprieve on Pension Plan Lawsuit–Employees Claim As Being Under Funded</a></h5> <p>A judge just recently gave Dignity a bit of a reprieve on the pension issues, but it’s not over yet.  Optum itself without the 360 combined Dignity Health subsidiary has been at the center of revenue cycling for years and if I’m not mistaken, Cerner still licenses their software modules so every time a Cerner system is sold, there’s Licensing royalty payments to be made to Optum, one more way they make money and of course they own a few other subsidiaries in the medical records business as well.</p> <p>Dignity Health also has a big fine to pay so they are looking for revenue streams I could guess and this partnership company with Optum as they gain more hospital contacts to gain business with outsourcing revenue cycling to them should help their income.  Mayo is just the latest to outsource to Optum 360.  Employees are no longer employed by the hospitals and I could guess some get hired back.  On one of the job boards one employee commented about how their benefits plan under Optum 360 really sucked compared to what they had provided formerly by Dignity and said it was all about greed.  Here’s the link on the initial announcement of the company and a couple of former Medicare employees told me they about fell over<img align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-SY08Bt8wa40/UlyAOJSv2II/AAAAAAABIIo/Tg8ePmVDuL4/image%25255B27%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" /> seeing this.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/10/united-healthcare-adding-yet-one-more.html">United Healthcare Adding Yet One More Subsidiary to the Very Large Number of Subs They Already Own/Operate-Optum and Dignity Healthcare (A System Wide Cerner EHR Client) Form New Venture Called Optum 360–Subsidiary Watch</a></h5> <p>Dignity Health is already a partner in the Optum Labs group and I believe most of their hospitals do use Cerner medical records so some of the revenue cycling coding and software may already be in place.  </p> <p>You can watch the  <a href="http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/10/creating-a-sustainable-model-for-health-care/?utm_source=Socialflow&utm_medium=Tweet&utm_campaign=Socialflow"><em>CEO of Mayo doing somewhat of a solicitation for United Labs too in the Harvard Review</em></a><em>,</em> that’s where the data selling with Humedica rolled in there will take place, another subsidiary of the giant United conglomerate.  In addition this week there was also news about Optum/UHC buying a chain of urgent care centers and of course that gets rolled right in here to with Optum 360.  As a matter of fact if you visit the website of the new subsidiary, they want to talk to doctors who might want to sell their practices too so this subsidiary goes after the doctors while the Optum 360 subsidiary goes after the hospitals. </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2015/04/optum-united-healthcare-buys-medexpress.html">Optum (United Healthcare) Buys MedExpress Urgent Care Business- 141 Full Service Clinics In 11 States–Company Advertises They Are In the Market to Buy Your MD Practice, As A “Too Big To Fail Insurer” Moves Forward With More Acquisitions</a></h5> <p>So this again is another cost cutting effort and revenue gaining proposition for Optum and is allowing huge additional market exposure.  Optum has already opened up 9 of their own urgent care centers in Texas as an example.  If you look at the job sites, you’ll even see “admitting clerks” as part of the job listings that Optum 360 is looking for.  In the OC where I am, United owns some of the biggest IPAs (doctors groups) so they used that power as well to cut payments to MDs and many of which through very complex contracts here in the southern California area of getting paid at rates less than Medicare, which doesn’t make them very happy.  Keep in mind too now that Medicare is also run by a former United Executive who got his start in life as a Goldman Sachs banker.  That’s doesn’t seem to make anyone feel very good does it?  </p> <p>United and Optum love complexities as that’s what helps make money for them so don’t look for the company to make anything any simpler for you the patient to deal with as it’s not on the agenda as the whole focus here is to shift more money over to the consumer to pay.  I might add that your premium payments with United and other insurers also go to fund stock buy backs as those cost money to facilitate as well.  Look at Walgreens as another example and their record $8 Billion dollar debt/bond issue they had last year to raise money, so they could also keep buying back their stock.  </p> <p>Here’s a little bit more about the Optum Labs operation at the link below, that makes money for their founding members such as Dignity, Mayo and of course Optum by selling data and allowing companies to use apps to research the medical records that hospitals like Mayo, Dignity, McClaren and more provide, your medical records with claim data tied in.  So far, in a couple years nothing earth shattering out of the labs as they all proclaimed the research would end up with some real life saving stuff, yet to be seen.  <strong>It’s more about making money from those who pay to use the data.</strong>  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/10/unitedhealthgroup-and-aarp-get-cozier.html">UnitedHealthGroup and AARP Get Cozier, AARP Still Gets Paid for Marketing Use of AARP Name As AARP Becomes an Optum Labs Data Selling Promoter Amidst Doctor Complaints Received Relative To United Firing of 5500 MDs–Subsidiary Watch</a></h5> <p><strong>Anyway it sounds like a bunch of Mayo folks are about to lose jobs and get rehired by Optum 360</strong> as they join the outsourcing revenue cycling company.  It is interesting on how Mayo’s participation will end up providing income for Dignity Healthcare, another company of hospitals in the west.  By the way, United has a subsidiary that helps device and drug companies get their products approved from the FDA too.  I thought this was kind of interesting after we read the news articles about how United is going to control strict authorization of C-Sections now.  They kind of walk both sides of the street here, you think? </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/09/united-healthcare-optum-owns-consulting.html">United Healthcare (Optum) Owns A Consulting Firm for FDA Drug and Device Approvals, Clinical Trials–CanReg - Subsidiary Watch</a></h5> <p>Again, just look at any job market page and see what positions Optum 360 is advertising for and you’ll get the picture of what parts of the hospital revenue cycling and then maybe even more they are taking over.  They have to keep those infamous Ingenix fraud detection algorithms running too.  <img align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9ifGIaOPcUg/Un2sDRQ0ZMI/AAAAAAABIi4/_yb0FA4o254/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" />Do pay attention to all the Quants that are being hired throughout United and other insurers as those are the folks now designing the insurance policies you buy too and you kind of wonder how many former bank and high frequency trader quants they are hiring as quants do change industries as their work is all math and models beyond just stock markets.  One more note worth a short mention, Optum wants to be your medical records consultant, integrator and more so pop that in here with the Optum 360 subsidiary and what are they leaving untouched?</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> <p>So what is the behemoth not doing?  Here’s a couple links where you can view some very lengthy lists of subsidiaries as listed with the SEC for UnitedHeatlhGroup and United Healthcare.  Look now before the individual names go away as they are incorporating most all of them under the Untied or Optum name.   There’s even a listing for their tax haven company that has no officers in the mix.  BD  </p> <h5><a href="http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/731766/000119312503075552/dex21.htm">http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/731766/000119312503075552/dex21.htm</a></h5> <h5><a href="http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/731766/000119312510027229/dex211.htm">http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/731766/000119312510027229/dex211.htm</a></h5> <p> <hr />WAKEFIELD, Mass. & ROCHESTER, Minn., Apr 14, 2015 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Optum360 and Mayo Clinic announced today that they are partnering to develop new revenue management services capabilities aimed at improving patient experiences and satisfaction while reducing administrative costs for health care providers.</p> <p>Optum360 and Mayo Clinic will collaborate on enhancing and redesigning specific elements of the revenue cycle to increase efficiency while creating a convenient, accurate, transparent and personal experience for patients. A key focus is improving the interaction between the provider and payer by opening channels of communication early in the care process. The partnership includes a next-generation patient cost estimator, streamlining prior authorization/pre-certification, enhanced claims editing functions and administrative simplification of billing activities associated with pre-care packaged pricing.</p> <p><a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/mayo-clinic-and-optum360-partner-to-improve-experience-for-patients-2015-04-14">http://www.marketwatch.com/story/mayo-clinic-and-optum360-partner-to-improve-experience-for-patients-2015-04-14</a></p>

Mayo Clinic is the Latest to Outsource Revenue Cycling to Optum 360, A United Healthcare/Dignity Health Company Pursuing Hospital Contracts All Over the US For Profit…

If you haven’t seen this way of outsourcing hospital revenue cycling and employees, here’s the latest from the Optum 360 group.  It’s a company owned by both Untied and Dignity Health with Optum/United Healthcare being the controlling party.  You could certainly assume this provides some revenue for…

Read more »

News Rigging Has Arrived! Astroturf and Manipulation of Media Messages-TED Video About “The Fake Grass Roots” Of Big Pharma and Other Campaigns That Fool and Fool Again…

<p>This is a great video and if you read at the Medical Quack, news rigging has been a somewhat frequent content. <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="187" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gu1Kr2Z4Dkk/VS8t4e1lzVI/AAAAAAABMNs/ZfeYqeXY6cg/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="146" /> To a degree, everyone is really becoming more skeptical of what’s in the news.  Here’s a post from a couple of years ago, from Quant Cathy O’Neill, “On Being a Skeptic”.  Who knows better than those who model as once it’s designed you have to use the darn thing, right?  Of course you do.</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>Who are these experts on the web?  Sharyl Attkisson does a good job on telling you how it all works and how little truth there can be out there.  She brings up all the pharma companies using Twitter and Facebook accounts set up to steer your interest.  These are “fake grass roots” movements.  </p> <p>She further goes on to talk about how those selling astroturf don’t like it if you go against what they are saying and that’s the truth if I ever heard it.  God forbid you come out and say something against the fake astroturf on “wearables”…try it sometimes and see what happens as it’s almost comical in nature too.  Just put on your tough skin and watch the fire works and enjoy.  </p> <p>Throwing experts into the mix really confuses a lot of issues and who are they anyway?  Here’s another TED video that addresses that topic as we find they may not really exist and might be astroturfing instead.  Thank goodness we do still have some quality journalists out there as well and if you read the news often enough, well you end up being able to pick them out amongst the astro turfers and the click baiters who only want ad revenue anyway.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/02/relying-on-experts-when-they-may-not.html">Relying on Experts When They May Not Exist–Many Intelligent and Smart People But Do We Have Misconceived Paradigms-TED</a></h5> <p>Listen to what’s going on with Wikipedia.  One man was not considered a reputable expert on himself.  The algos of the peer news would not let it happen.  I think like me you might be able to recognize the Twitter and Facebook paid professionals drug companies hire.  Also listen to how the drug companies manipulate study news and Google Search on top of that!  When you get done here, one more video and it’s #1 in the footer of this page “Context is Everything” from 3 years ago, Professor Siefe will explain how you are duped with math, which also enables further attacks of the Killer Algorithms.  BD  </p> <p><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/-bYAQ-ZZtEU" frameborder="0" width="560" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>So, how about when the astroturfers employ bots to react and play to the sounds of the bots on the SIP which sends news to the stock exchanges…oh yes..it becomes a bot to bot world as the journobots can read how the bots react to the news in the news feed and then quickly write up and public an article that can indeed sway stock investors in a very short time, like a few minutes or seconds.  Do you want to pay for this type of news too is the next question…20 cents to read an article written by a bot?  Read the link below for more on that topic as the big media papers have stated they are “in” with this new start up that plans to do exactly that.</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2015/03/major-us-newspapers-sign-up-and-invest.html">Major US Newspapers Sign Up and Invest With New Start Up That Will Charge You To Read The News–20 Cents Per Article, Probably Written by a Bot and Goes On You Credit Card–And Bolsters the $180 Million Dollar Year Personal Data Selling Business</a></h5> <p>Here’s a video that shows how jounobots do their work and this is what you get today.  By the way, this video was done n 2007, so jounobots have been around for a while.  BD  </p> <p><iframe style="height: 315px; width: 570px" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SkS5PkHQphY" frameborder="0" width="420" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bYAQ-ZZtEU&feature=youtu.be">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bYAQ-ZZtEU&feature=youtu.be</a></p>

News Rigging Has Arrived! Astroturf and Manipulation of Media Messages-TED Video About “The Fake Grass Roots” Of Big Pharma and Other Campaigns That Fool and Fool Again…

This is a great video and if you read at the Medical Quack, news rigging has been a somewhat frequent content. To a degree, everyone is really becoming more skeptical of what’s in the news.  Here’s a post from a couple of years ago, from Quant Cathy O’Neill, “On Being a Skeptic”.  Who knows better …

Read more »

Optum (United Healthcare) Buys MedExpress Urgent Care Business- 141 Full Service Clinics In 11 States–Company Advertises They Are In the Market to Buy Your MD Practice, As A “Too Big To Fail Insurer” Moves Forward With More Acquisitions

<p>No word on how long before “rebranding” may take place with the name yet.  Optum has already been in this business to a small<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="128" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Vv6LeCV5sf0/VStgMqliwSI/AAAAAAABMNQ/mwxWYMPjqtU/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="209" /> degree in Texas and I believe one in Kansas so far.  The link below tells you what’s going on there and I think they are up to nine clinics now.  MedExpress plans on opening 25 more clinics so now I guess they too will be “Optum” clinics.   </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/11/united-healthcare-optum-opens-three.html">United Healthcare (Optum) Opens Three More Urgent Care Clinics In Houston</a></h5> <p>Here was another recent purchase for the “too big to fail insurer”.  Yes I said that as United with health insurance is like the banks getting “too big” and if you have not looked at their truckloads of subsidiaries, where all the action takes place, do it.  It was interesting the FTC got involved with the medical records business with stating there was not enough competitions and United is following right down that path.  A week ago, there was this acquisition with the Catamaran Pharmacy Benefit Management company.  Hardly anyone mentioned the class action law suit filed against Catamaran by independent physicians across the US.  In Brazil, United owns 90% of the biggest HMO in that country and also includes managing hospitals as the laws are different there.   </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2015/03/united-healthcare-buys-catamaran.html">United Healthcare Buys Catamaran Pharmacy Benefit Manager Just As the PBM Gets Hit With A Class Action Lawsuit For Low Balling Pharmacy Reimbursements..And More Patient Data to Sell and Analyze For Profit</a></h5> <p>By the way, on electronic medical records, Optum wants part of that business too as the implementation and integrator/consultant for major medical records systems too.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/11/united-healthcare-optum-insight.html">United Healthcare (OptumInsight Subsidiary) Wants To Be Your Allscripts, Epic And GE Centricity EHR Consulting Service Starting With Implementation And Beyond</a></h5> <p>It was also in the news that Whole Foods is preparing to join the circus with retail clinics with having professionals available at the stores to see minor conditions and actually sounded like they were going to be more of a counselor.  MedExpress also runs an open advertisement on their site that they are willing to talk with doctors about buying their practices too, so a little competition you could say with hospitals who are already buying MD practices like they are going out of style.  In a recent documentary, the NHS in the UK does not appear to be very happy with United’s “take over and sell off” over there, and again all are asleep at the wheel here while one company grows in plain site and government agencies like the FTC spend their time on other less significant areas of lack of competition.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/11/the-take-over-and-sell-off-of-nhsby.html">The Take Over and Sell Off of the NHS–By Companies from the United States, United Healthcare and Others - A Documentary</a></h5> <p><a href="http://medexpress.com/about-us/newsroom.aspx">From the Website…</a></p> <p><em>“MedExpress Urgent Care is the national leader in urgent care delivery, providing high-quality, fast and affordable care to those seeking medical treatment for illness and injury. MedExpress operates multiple full-service, walk-in urgent care facilities in </em><a href="http://medexpress.com/local-centers/arkansas.aspx"><em>Arkansas</em></a><em>, </em><a href="http://medexpress.com/local-centers/delaware.aspx"><em>Delaware</em></a><em>, </em><a href="http://medexpress.com/local-centers/florida.aspx"><em>Florida</em></a><em>, </em><a href="http://medexpress.com/local-centers/indiana.aspx"><em>Indiana</em></a><em>, </em><a href="http://medexpress.com/local-centers/maryland.aspx"><em>Maryland</em></a><em>, </em><a href="http://medexpress.com/local-centers/michigan.aspx"><em>Michigan</em></a><em>, </em><a href="http://medexpress.com/local-centers/new-jersey.aspx"><em>New Jersey</em></a><em>, </em><a href="http://medexpress.com/local-centers/pennsylvania.aspx"><em>Pennsylvania</em></a><em>, </em><a href="http://medexpress.com/local-centers/tennessee.aspx"><em>Tennessee</em></a><em>, </em><a href="http://medexpress.com/local-centers/virginia.aspx"><em>Virginia</em></a><em> and </em><a href="http://medexpress.com/local-centers/west-virginia.aspx"><em>West Virginia</em></a><em>. MedExpress centers are open 12 hours per day, 7 days per week, and always have a full medical team on site. Founded in 2001, MedExpress has administrative offices in Morgantown, West Virginia, and Canonsburg, Pennsylvania.”</em></p> <p> <hr />WAKEFIELD, Mass. & MORGANTOWN, W. Va.--(<a href="http://www.businesswire.com/">BUSINESS WIRE</a>)--Optum, a leading health services company, announced it is joining with MedExpress, a national leader in high-quality, affordable walk-in care. Terms of the acquisition agreement were not disclosed.</p> <p>MedExpress and Optum share a focus on expanding access to high-quality, cost-effective<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="56" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Z54-7eje28M/VStgNqxdj_I/AAAAAAABMNY/313H2ik_Ldc/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="221" /> health care services in communities nationwide. The combination serves the growing demand among consumers, health systems, employers and health plans for more convenient, lower-cost services on an unscheduled basis for a comprehensive scope of outpatient health care needs.</p> <p>MedExpress currently operates 141 full-service neighborhood medical centers in 11 states, and plans to accelerate its expansion by opening 25 to 30 additional centers in 2015 in both existing and new states.</p> <p>The combination will create opportunities to integrate Optum care management and clinical programs with MedExpress’ services, simplifying patient access to health resources and treatment options in their community.</p> <p><a href="http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150408006549/en/Optum-MedExpress-Join-Serve-Consumer-Health-Care#.VStYEFNtfEQ">http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150408006549/en/Optum-MedExpress-Join-Serve-Consumer-Health-Care#.VStYEFNtfEQ</a></p>

Optum (United Healthcare) Buys MedExpress Urgent Care Business- 141 Full Service Clinics In 11 States–Company Advertises They Are In the Market to Buy Your MD Practice, As A “Too Big To Fail Insurer” Moves Forward With More Acquisitions

No word on how long before “rebranding” may take place with the name yet.  Optum has already been in this business to a small degree in Texas and I believe one in Kansas so far.  The link below tells you what’s going on there and I think they are up to nine clinics now.  MedExpress plans on opening …

Read more »

Pioneering Clinical Trials Using Man Made DNA to Battle Cancer, Ebola, Flue and HIV

<p>This is exciting stuff as scientists have now been able to create DNA strands that can mimic diseases and the <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="100" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9dTwCmR0q3M/VStVgKLbU9I/AAAAAAABMNA/j2iY0w3XuRA/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" />clinical trials involved injecting them into patients  and that process eliminates the disease threat.  A company by the name of Inovio has begun clinical trials with humans and the first disease on the attack list is cervical cancer.  So far they have been able to cure pre-cancerous lesions.  </p> <p>Below is an introduction video that talks about what Inovio does and their methodologies to create vaccines that work by stimulating the body’s own immune system.  BD  </p> <p><iframe style="height: 286px; width: 503px" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rghAsCJiQtQ?rel=0" frameborder="0" width="560" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <hr />Pioneering new treatments for flu, ebola and cancer are being developed by scientists using man-made DNA. <p>Experts have worked out how to create strands of artificial DNA, each mimicking a different killer disease, and inject them into patients.</p> <p>The idea is that the patients' immune systems will then be able to recognize the threats and eliminate them.</p> <p>Inovio, one of the companies behind the technique, has begun trials in humans, after strong results in the lab.</p> <p>The American company is using the method to attack flu, ebola and certain types of cancer – as well as HIV and hepatitis.</p> <p>Experts have already started trials on female patients to see if they can stop them developing cervical cancer. </p> <p>Dr Joseph Kim, Inovio's chief executive, said: 'We are able to clear pre-cancerous lesions which, left untreated, can turn into full-blown cervical cancer.'</p> <p><a href="http://www.bostonnewstime.com/regional/99274-pioneering-trials-using-man-made-dna-begin-in-battle-against-cancer,-ebola,-flu-and-hiv-with-scientists-saying-the-treatment-could-be-the-key-to-defeating-them.html">http://www.bostonnewstime.com/regional/99274-pioneering-trials-using-man-made-dna-begin-in-battle-against-cancer,-ebola,-flu-and-hiv-with-scientists-saying-the-treatment-could-be-the-key-to-defeating-them.html</a></p>

Pioneering Clinical Trials Using Man Made DNA to Battle Cancer, Ebola, Flue and HIV

This is exciting stuff as scientists have now been able to create DNA strands that can mimic diseases and the clinical trials involved injecting them into patients  and that process eliminates the disease threat.  A company by the name of Inovio has begun clinical trials with humans and the first di…

Read more »

Because They Lied About Their Code Being Done With Eclipsys EMR Software Merger, Allscripts Agrees to Pay A $10 Million Dollar Fine To Settle Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit..

<p>This is some good soap opera material here.  When this all hit, I wrote that “they lied about their code” and that turned out to be the case, it was not done.  I have a couple analysts call me and they were confused and chatted with me.  “What do you mean the code was not done, they had a deadline to meet”…and to that I say “LOL”.  You can read my original blog post below.  This was about the same time that Intuit thought they could “shove developers into a room until they got their code right”.  As a former developer, when I hear stories as such my head just rolls with people not understanding that writing code does not work that way, you can’t push it.  I know, I’ve been there and done that and you can’t push any faster as it has to be done correctly.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/05/class-action-lawsuit-filed-against.html"><strong>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</strong></a></h5> <p>You know that’s where the value comes with in with CEOs of companies that write or did write code, like Bill Gates, <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="125" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-cfaoTJG6Sao/VSHeDQvp2DI/AAAAAAABMMo/QkmkNMwMkfc/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="284" />Larry Ellison and more.  They know and when they sound warnings, time to listen and ditch the idiotic perceptions painted by the media about coding being s simple task and how developers can meet deadlines set by CEOs and Sales People.  The problem was amplified as they sold systems based on systems that were not done.  You can listen to some of the early days of Oracle and Larry Ellison will tell you, they did that but that was back in the early days when things were not to the level of complexities we have today.  So Allcripts tried and it cost the CEO his job and now $10 million.  CEOs who don’t have actual on hands experience, even just a little make rotten CEOs at times as they don’t get it.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/04/allscripts-cfo-resigns-along-with-few.html">Allscripts CFO Resigns Along With A Few Other Key Individuals, Board Fires Chairman–1st Quarter Had Lower Sales And Net Earnings Down–Long Haul to Get Software Technologies Merged So They Work</a></h5> <p>So in a short amount of time, Allscripts had to ask Microsoft for help since Eclipsys was written with their technologies.  </p> <h5><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></h5> <p>Thins for a while were pretty grim to even where they were considering a sale.  In due time when folks finally decided to look at the real world, it was pretty apparent “they lied” about their code being done.  Now if this does not turn you into a skeptic on some of what you read today about software, I don’t know what would.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/11/allscripts-states-they-are-considering.html">Allscripts States They Are Considering Sale to Third Party–Follow the Code Technologies To Think About Caradigm As An Educated Speculation Being A Potential Match</a></h5> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/12/allscripts-ousts-ceo-glen-tullman-and.html"><strong>Allscripts Ousts CEO Glen Tullman and Lee Shapiro, President, Appoints Board Member To Take Over</strong></a></h5> <p>Then to distract and draw attention away from their lies about the integration of both software platforms, they turn around and sue NYC health, plus at the time I’m sure money was in the forefront as well.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/12/allscripts-sues-nyc-health-and-hospital.html"><strong>Allscripts Sues NYC Health and Hospital System Over Contract Award to Epic - EHR Vendor Playing the Same Game as Health Insurance Companies With Lawsuits</strong></a></h5> <p>Here’s one more with another “old” class action lawsuit with their original software which they bought from Mysis, who’s now no longer in the medical record business and went into producing banking software.  Don’t you just love it:) </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/01/allscripts-has-more-issues-with-class.html"><strong>Allscripts Has More Issues With a Class Action Lawsuit Filed in Florida Claiming MyWay EMR Product Non Performance and Large Expenditures Expenditures</strong></a></h5> <p>Last but not least, speaking of code, let’s just jab a little Healthcare. Gov in here and guess what they did?  We all remember it very well but in short, Sebelius and company pulled an Allscripts wouldn’t you say?  See this all comes back to consumers not understanding and journalists not reporting correctly as to what’s really happening out there.  In the case of Allscripts I think I was the lone soul that jumped out there and said they lied and “code’s not done”.  Again, this whacked out perceptions on how computer coding and programming was topped by HHS as we all watched.  I call these public appearances and awful and silly public exposures as “The Sebelius Syndrome” as she was so visible and techs all across the US would just about roll all over themselves when she spoke with her whacked out perceptions that were not true.  Sure she could try to fool the public but you can’t fool the people in the business.  </p> <p>So there was the sequel to the Allscripts lie…we had the even bigger lie and whacked out perceptions and stories from HHS:)  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/11/hhscms-pulls-allscripts-mistakecodes.html">HHS/CMS Pulls An “Allscripts” Mistake–”Code’s Not Done With Healthcare.Gov”…And Did Anyone Look at the Oracle and Microsoft “Turnkey” State Health Insurance Platforms…There’s a Time and Place for Open Source And The Insurance Exchanges Are Not It Right Now..</a></h5> <p>Here’s one of my back articles on the “Sebelius Syndrome” if you want to check it out below.  There’s more than just her afflicted with this which would probably be about 95% of Congress and a good chunk of the White House too.  I caught the White House using “junk science” numbers nobody could predict on one of their emails and sad but when the whacked out folks try to dazzle people with numbers that are not even feasible, it comes back to haunt them and in the long run it’s even worse.  <strong>So let’s see, you think some high frequency coders, banks and software developers might be doing some lying out there?  Of course not all are not this ruthless or in the case of HHS, that dumb, but it is out there amongst those who lean towards being a lot more honest and not fiddling with risk.</strong>  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/04/markets-are-not-rigged-spoken-like-true.html">“Markets Are Not Rigged” Spoken Like A True Data Mechanics Novice, It’s Like Sebelius at HHS All Over Again, Looking For Algo Fairies at The SEC, One More Government Agency Wrapped Up in “The Grays”…</a></h5> <p><strong><em>By the way, read the two paragraphs below…  who did Allscripts lie to for a big part of this?  Pension Funds…be a skeptic when you need to be one.  BD</em></strong> </p> <p> <hr />Law360, New York (April 03, 2015, 2:33 PM ET) -- Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc. has agreed to pay nearly $10 million to end a proposed shareholder class action that alleges the health care information technology company hid problems sparked by a 2010 merger with Eclipsys Corp., according to documents filed Thursday. <br />Lead plaintiffs the Government of Bermuda Contributory and Public Service Superannuation Pension Plans and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local Union 38 Pension Fund asked an Illinois federal judge for preliminary approval of the deal.</p> <p><a href="http://www.law360.com/articles/639102/allscripts-to-pay-10m-to-end-investor-suit-over-merger-woes">http://www.law360.com/articles/639102/allscripts-to-pay-10m-to-end-investor-suit-over-merger-woes</a></p>

Because They Lied About Their Code Being Done With Eclipsys EMR Software Merger, Allscripts Agrees to Pay A $10 Million Dollar Fine To Settle Shareholder Class Action Lawsuit..

This is some good soap opera material here.  When this all hit, I wrote that “they lied about their code” and that turned out to be the case, it was not done.  I have a couple analysts call me and they were confused and chatted with me.  “What do you mean the code was not done, they had a deadline t…

Read more »

“RX-The Quiet Revolution”–Documentary Focuses on a Diverse Group of Doctors and Healthcare Professionals Transforming Medical Care and Putting the Patient at the Center of Their Practice…

<p>This a long documentary, 90 minutes but well worth watching.  Below the line you can read what the film is all about.  Actually you get to see some of the values we liked about Dr. Welby making a come back, combined with using modern day technology in a way where it fits.  House calls are back and there’s new cultures of respect coming back.  </p> <p>It’s very interesting to see the four different segments on what’s happening and what the doctors are doing.  </p> <p><iframe height="346" marginheight="0" src="http://video.pbs.org/viralplayer/2365443837?chapter=1" frameborder="0" width="460" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" seamless="seamless"></iframe></p> <p>There’s every day “real” patients in the video who have some tough chronic issues.  They are really focusing on getting the patient involved in their care and using some of the old tactics we saw with Dr. Welby along with modern technologies to make it work.  BD  </p> <hr> <p>In this inspiring 90-minute documentary, filmmaker David Grubin - the son of a general practitioner - takes his camera across America<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="107" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0gyQ6Xa98QI/VR-KSZm4nBI/AAAAAAABMMQ/4qn5THRPZ0A/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="235"> to focus on the challenges and triumphs in our country’s health care delivery system. The four segments that comprise Rx: The Quiet Revolution introduce us to a diverse group of doctors, nurses, and health care professionals who are transforming the way we receive our medical care: lowering costs by placing the patient at the center of their practice.</p> <p>A staggering 50 percent of American adults suffer from a chronic disease such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity and arthritis — and one in four has two or more chronic health conditions. In <em>Rx: The Quiet Revolution</em>, you’ll travel across America to discover a quiet revolution happening in medicine. From Maine to Mississippi, Alaska to California, see physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals placing the patient at the center of their practice — transforming the way medical care is delivered while lowering costs and improving outcomes.</p> <p>Along the way, filmmaker David Grubin — the son of a general practitioner — brings you these compelling stories: </p> <ul> <li>In Maine, Grubin meets Dr. David Loxterkamp, who practices family medicine with a team of doctors working to treat patients with chronic illnesses. </li></ul> <ul> <li>In Mississippi, a state with more diabetes cases than any other, Grubin finds a rural health clinic fighting diabetes with the aid of an electronic communications device that provides greater access to medical care, helping patients take responsibility for managing this devastating chronic disease. </li></ul> <ul> <li>In Alaska, the documentary follows Native Alaskans who own and operate their own health system, caring for 65,000 people across 107,000 square miles. In spite of the number of patients and the vast distances between them, they are determined to foster an empathetic relationship between patients and their health care providers. </li></ul> <ul> <li>In San Francisco, Grubin visits a health care facility for seniors called On Lok, dedicated to making it possible for frail, elderly Americans in need of nursing home care to live with dignity in their own homes. </li></ul> <p><a href="http://www.pbs.org/program/rx-quiet-revolution/">http://www.pbs.org/program/rx-quiet-revolution/</a></p>

“RX-The Quiet Revolution”–Documentary Focuses on a Diverse Group of Doctors and Healthcare Professionals Transforming Medical Care and Putting the Patient at the Center of Their Practice…

This a long documentary, 90 minutes but well worth watching.  Below the line you can read what the film is all about.  Actually you get to see some of the values we liked about Dr. Welby making a come back, combined with using modern day technology in a way where it fits.  House calls are back and t…

Read more »

CVS to Share More Medication Adherence Love With New Contracts–Will Have More Data to Sell…

<p>Ok, so now if you wait 2 days to pick up your prescription, your doctor is going to know.  If you don’t pick it up at all, your doctor will know.  With linking other information to paying for your prescription at CVS, you doctor may now know.  </p> <p>Here we go again with “over rated” medication adherence.  Certainly a simple intervention as to ask why a patient doesn’t fill a prescription is not the issue here and we are seeing such actions all over the place and that’s not the problem here.  We see pharmacists inquiring more frequently now everywhere.  </p> <p>All those pharmacy benefit managers have to have more information to sell to companies like <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="134" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-kPR8KQGlBqw/VR1bPIr832I/AAAAAAABML4/52hlZ-nZrsg/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" />IMS who has about 85% of the world’s prescriptions on file and when they can add more “scoring” and I mean scoring you on medication adherence, the money they get for selling it, goes up.  For years we have had Milleman and Optum RX selling your prescription data and it’s hooked right into the PBM centers release and sell the data immediately.  Optum aka United is one of the biggest healthcare data sellers out there, along of course with IMS.</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/11/cvs-to-open-new-e-commerce-technology.html">CVS to Open New E-Commerce Technology Centers in Boston, New York and Palo Alto– Need “New Code” to Make Bigger Profits While They And Others Continue to Destroy “US Consumer Dignity” With the Exploitations…</a></h5> <p>Remember CVS has other marketing agendas out there to be aware of as well.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/10/cvs-to-charge-consumers-higher-co-pays.html">CVS To Charge Consumers Higher Co-Pays With Prescriptions Filled at Drug Stores That Still Sell Tobacco Products–Killer Algorithms Attacking Once Again To Make Sure CVS Gets the Prescription Revenue And Your Data To Score And Sell</a></h5> <p>It’s just something to think about with current breaches out there with all the data selling algorithms and systems CVS has as to how this interacts with the medical records they also have there.  They are two separate systems but information flows on prescriptions.  I see nothing wrong at all with using a CVS retail clinic as price and availability rules today.  Also the sharing with physicians of a visit is helpful too, but can we cut out some of the ridiculous data selling here and keep prescriptions affordable?  I’m sure all the retail clinics are sharing consult information as that’s a good thing to do with care, so again how they do it and this “digital” addition is not really such a big deal and you can get your own copy and share it with your doctor as well with a PHR.  </p> <p>There’s money made in selling wellness programs as well with both CVS and Walgreens.  As the article states CVS clinic visits are shared via fax with other non participating MDs anyway, so we have a cash cow here for some more data to sell.  If you don’t know what medication adherence is and the money made, read about the FICO medication scoring, you socks will fall off when you see all that is generated when you fill a prescription.  BD    </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/06/fico-medication-adherence-scoring.html">FICO Medication Adherence Scoring Should Be Banned As It’s Quantitated Justifications for Profit That Hurts US Consumers Using Proprietary Algorithms That Cannot Be Replicated For Accuracy or Audited</a></h5> <p> <hr />“The fundamental challenge of managing chronic conditions is coordinating and monitoring care when patients are not here in the Rush physician’s office” said Anthony Perry, MD, vice president for <a href="http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/directory/ambulatory-care">ambulatory care</a> and <a href="http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/directory/population-health">population health</a> at Rush University Medical Center. “Oftentimes having patients schedule more frequent visits at Rush is not feasible, but this agreement extends our physicians’ reach through the hundreds of CVS pharmacies and <a href="http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/directory/retail-health-clinic">retail clinics</a> in the area.”</p> <p><strong>In the CVS affiliations, providers at the health systems receive data on interventions conducted by CVS pharmacists to try to improve medication adherence, and alerts about non-adherence, such as failure to pick up a prescription. Clinicians at the affiliate health system are also able to work with nurse practitioners and physicians assistants at the Minute Clinics.</strong></p> <p><a href="http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/cvs-affiliates-rush-tuscon-coordinate-care">http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/cvs-affiliates-rush-tuscon-coordinate-care</a></p>

CVS to Share More Medication Adherence Love With New Contracts–Will Have More Data to Sell…

Ok, so now if you wait 2 days to pick up your prescription, your doctor is going to know.  If you don’t pick it up at all, your doctor will know.  With linking other information to paying for your prescription at CVS, you doctor may now know.  Here we go again with “over rated” medication adherenc…

Read more »