Health Costs Push Companies to Set Targets for Workers

<p>More employers are getting involved in health care as well as cost soar.  The one item that would tend to make me feel uncomfortable is the overseeing by an insurance carrier.  Also, there is a big "supposed" in the final line below as to who will have access to the records.  Let's hope this is true to form.  BD</p> <blockquote> <p>WATCH your <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/cholesterol/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier">cholesterol</a> and triglycerides. Your boss and fellow workers are counting on it. As the nation’s employers aim to get their money’s worth from ever more expensive medical insurance, many are playing a bigger role in managing and monitoring their workers’ health. Employers not only want a healthy group, they want to keep a lid on health costs — and insurance premiums.  <p>Take Intuit, the Silicon Valley software company known for its Quicken and TurboTax financial software. Intuit pays employees $100 each for voluntarily filling out an online medical questionnaire that is intended to flag problems and suggest remedies. <p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/mem/MWredirect.html?MW=http://custom.marketwatch.com/custom/nyt-com/html-companyprofile.asp&symb=TXT">Textron</a>, a multinational conglomerate that insures more than 30,000 employees in the United States, tries to head off major medical expenses by using a contractor to sift through employees’ insurance claims. If the process detects a condition that may warrant closer monitoring, the employee will receive a call from a “health coach” to offer guidance for questions to ask a doctor. <p>Ms. Wilkins of Intuit said that when her company introduced its health questionnaire last year, she fielded many questions about who would see the data. She said that she reassured workers that no one at Intuit would have access to the questionnaires, which are overseen by Optum, a<em><strong> unit of the insurer United HealthCare</strong></em>. She also reminded them that the survey was voluntary. <p><em><strong><u>Medical records are "supposed" to be accessible only to third-party health-plan administrators or other outside vendors the employee has authorized.</u></strong></em></p></blockquote> <p>Source:  <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/11/business/businessspecial3/11intrude.html?ex=1339214400&en=970f111d212554af&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss">Health Costs Push Companies to Set Targets for Workers - New York Times</a></p>

Health Costs Push Companies to Set Targets for Workers

More employers are getting involved in health care as well as cost soar.  The one item that would tend to make me feel uncomfortable is the ...

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Banner Desert iCare monitors seven hospitals

<p> </p> <blockquote> <p>Doctors and nurses monitor dozens of intensive-care patients in seven hospitals 24 hours a day via flat-screen computers in a command center at Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa.<br>High-tech cameras in ICU rooms at the hospitals allow the doctors to check a patient’s breathing, analyze their pupils, read the medicine labels on IV bags or the pressure gauges at their bedsides — and even give patients and their family encouragement through a speaker in the wall. In the near future, two-way cameras will allow patients to see their doctors. <strong><em>For now, a small “R2D2”-shaped camera moves around the room. <img align="right" height="154" src="http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/images/photos/7gue65x3.jpg" width="240"> </em></strong> <p>There are 126 beds that can be monitored now from iCare. They are at Banner Estrella Medical Center and Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center Neuro ICU, both in Phoenix; Banner Desert’s cardiac ICU, Banner Mesa Medical Center, Banner Baywood Medical Center and Banner Baywood Heart Hospital, all in Mesa; and North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley, Colo. In the next two to three years, Banner plans to provide the telemedicine care to all of its 391 ICU rooms. <br>Nurses say the extra eyes focused on their most critical patients have not only boosted care for those patients but even provided mentoring for new nurses. It helps them prevent patients from pulling out tubes or standing up too quickly.</p> <p>Doctors can analyze late-night tests. One doctor in the center helped health care workers in Colorado save a man whose lung had collapsed by giving directions over the in-room speaker</p></blockquote> <p>Source:  <a href="http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/91262?source=rss&dest=STY-91262">Banner Desert iCare monitors seven hospitals | EastValleyTribune.com</a></p>

Banner Desert iCare monitors seven hospitals

  Doctors and nurses monitor dozens of intensive-care patients in seven hospitals 24 hours a day via flat-screen computers in a command ce...

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Who Pays for Efficiency?

<p> </p> <blockquote> <p>Dr. Baron’s office has saved money — in transcribing medical reports, for example — and his practice now handles its 6,000 patients with three fewer office employees. He described other benefits, mainly the ability to find information quickly for patients, hospitals, insurers and labs with a few keystrokes. <p>The technology, Dr. Baron said, has also helped make him become a more adept physician. But it has not yet paid off in dollars and cents: the savings in salaries is less than the costs entailed in computerization. “It is a high-risk venture,” he said, “and you do it at your own financial peril.” <p>Today, an estimated one-fourth of primary-care doctors use electronic health records, but only 5 percent of them are in offices with five doctors or fewer — where about half of all doctors practice. <p></a></p></blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/11/business/businessspecial3/11save.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1181534920-M76k08vdqSTRb0VZUKaPWA">Who Pays for Efficiency? - New York Times</a></p>

Who Pays for Efficiency?

  Dr. Baron’s office has saved money — in transcribing medical reports, for example — and his practice now handles its 6,000 patients with...

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Medical Tourism - We have it here, but nobody pays the bill

<p>Citizens from other countries travel here, but who absorbs the bill?  This hospital in New Jersey is struggling with this very issue.  BD</p> <blockquote> <p>North Jersey hospitals are treating increasing numbers of foreigners who travel to the U.S. for medical care -- and leave without paying their bill. <p>Mindful that U.S. emergency rooms must take all comers, these medical tourists head from the airport straight to the hospital -- sometimes armed with CT scans and doctor's notes. As soon as they're well, they're back on the plane home. <p>These are cases like the 67-year-old woman from the Dominican Republic who arrived "near death" at Holy Name in 2005 and would spend the next 401 days as a patient there.  <strong><em>Her bill would eventually reach $1.9 million. Medicaid would pay just $78,000, hospital officials said.</em></strong> <p><em><strong>U.S. citizens face collection agencies and lawsuits if they fail to pay their medical bills. Yet hospitals often let medical tourist cases go because it's not cost-effective to chase after debt in other countries.</strong></em> <p>A very small portion of those costs is reimbursed through the state charity-care program. Medicaid can sometimes be tapped for these bills, but in most cases, hospitals must absorb the costs.  They already have in California, where 84 hospitals have closed, overwhelmed by free health care to non-citizens.</p></blockquote> <p>Source:  <a href="http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkzJmZnYmVsN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3MTQ5OTA3JnlyaXJ5N2Y3MTdmN3ZxZWVFRXl5Mg==">North Jersey Media Group providing local news, sports & classifieds for Northern New Jersey!</a></p>

Medical Tourism - We have it here, but nobody pays the bill

Citizens from other countries travel here, but who absorbs the bill?  This hospital in New Jersey is struggling with this very issue.  BD ...

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Novartis Samples Wilt In Sales Reps’ Garages

<p>Where does your drug rep store their samples and how secure are they?  BD</p> <blockquote> <p>Sales reps ride around with an awful lot of samples in their cars. And at the end of the day, those samples should be stored in “conditions that will maintain their stability, integrity, and effectiveness, (to) ensure that the drug samples are not contaminated, deteriorated, or otherwise adulterated,” says the <a href="http://www.fda.gov/cder/regulatory/PDMA/59FR11842.htm">Prescription Drug and Marketing Act</a>. <p>Common sense, right? Get ‘em out of the trunk into a cool place. But some Novartis reps complain the drugmaker is allegedly willing to reimburse only $50 a month for storage, which doesn’t cover costs. So some admit to keeping them in the car overnight or the garage, according to the chatter on <a href="http://www.cafepharma.com/boards/showthread.php?t=207985">CafePharma</a>, the web site where overheated sales reps love to vent. Here are some comments… <p>ANOTHER NOVARTIS “REVELATION” FROM CAFE PHARMA: <p>“Samples need to be discontinued altogether! ship them directly from manufacturer! we keep them in our garages; overheated cars and my friend found BUGS in hers!! this isnt just novartis but all reps that sample; i drove by a drug reps house one time and they had all their samples in the garage door wide open and no cars around and no one home!”</p></blockquote> <p>Source:  <a href="http://www.pharmalot.com/2007/06/novartis-samples-wilt-in-sales-reps-garages/">Pharmalot » Novartis Samples Wilt In Sales Reps’ Garages</a> </p> <p>Hat Tip:  <a href="http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/06/are-your-drug-samples-spoiled.html" target="_blank">Kevin, MD</a></p>

Novartis Samples Wilt In Sales Reps’ Garages

Where does your drug rep store their samples and how secure are they?  BD Sales reps ride around with an awful lot of samples in their car...

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Privacy arguments follow rollout of electronic health records

<p>(article continues below after commentary)</p> <p>As electronic records evolve, who has the records, who stores them, who has access, who shares the information and so on is still a highly debated and discussed item.  We all can agree that documentation can lead to better health care, but who will be the "store keeper" here?  Will a patient have "any control" over the "store keeper"?  Will the primary care physician have any influence or control with dealing with the "store keeper"?  As outlined in this article, insurance companies are certainly in the forefront with accelerating this technology and offering various plans and avenues for individuals to document their personal health records and have access via the Internet. </p> <p>Next question that comes to mind...once the information is contained in an offering from an insurance company or any other commercial offering , where else does the information go?  Does it go to the huge MIB (medical insurance bureau) to be shared with all members (insurance companies)?   As a patient I am not too overly concerned about the potential hackers at this point, but rather where the information could travel from here and whether or not it could be used against me for qualifying for insurance or have the potential of rejecting medical claims.  </p> <p>The one comment below from a nurse stating that alcoholics didn't want their condition on paper reflects another side of this coin for fear that it would affect the quality of care they receive.  With all the data collected today, anything along this line has the potential of affecting the quality of care we receive.  If an individual is a diabetic today, how does this affect the quality of care received?  </p> <p>Physicians are helped immensely by having access to this information to provide a plan of action whether it be health maintenance or emergency care.  We all read the recent stories of <a href="http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D8O9CKAO0&show_article=1&catnum=6" target="_blank">Mr. Universe</a> being arrested for behavior related to hypoglycemia, with the misunderstanding that he was intoxicated.  It's a very scary feeling when one is about to pass out and is in need of sugar to relieve the low blood sugar attack and timing can be everything with the individual not having enough time to explain and in a state of panic - just needing the sugar to avoid a black out.  Granted having something with him could have eliminated the incident, but we are human and do the best we can and may not always be 100% prepared, especially if this is a new chronic condition diagnosed or if a new medication was being used, as was stated in this case.  We are humans and sometimes might forget.</p> <p>When information goes beyond the physician-patient relationship we seem to enter somewhat of a "gray" area.   Some medical record information is now being used in courts and this is the fine line of privacy issues we all <em>worry about.</em>  My real question here is are we creating records for the pursuit of better health care or are we generating "<u>media</u>"?  If you have ever signed a release for a media interview we are aware of the fact that anything we say can be printed, etc., so does the same go for our medical records?  Are they "media objects" or a tool used in the pursuit of better health care?   As data bases of personal information continue to grow and evolve, what is the answer?  Is it possible to remove the financial and political areas of this topic and focus on better health care?</p> <p>Electronic health records are a good thing and save lives and I could almost bet any physician would not dispute the fact that having this information available is a huge benefit when it comes to better health care and saving lives, and we all depend on their advice, directives and actions in helping us live better lives.  The physician-patient relationship should never deteriorate, nor be coerced to a level of "created media".  As the old saying goes "media loves media" and hopefully we can find a solution for medical records that will neither expose or violate crossing the fine line of privacy and dignity we enjoy as US citizens.  BD</p> <p>____________________________</p> <p> HARTFORD, Conn. -- Privacy groups are sounding alarms as the nation's largest insurance companies finalize plans to allow millions more customers to post their health records on the Internet.  Insurers like Hartford-based Aetna Inc. say Web-based tools help patients and physicians keep track of medical information while potentially holding down spiraling medical costs. </p> <p>But privacy advocates say there's no guarantee that the records will be safe from hackers. Some worry that patients may refuse to disclose some illnesses to their doctors to keep documents out of databases.</p> <p><em><strong>"As a former nurse I know that back in the 1980s, patients who were alcoholics did not want to have paper records," said Sue Blevins, president of the Institute for Health Freedom in Washington, D.C.. "They just didn't want people to know. They didn't tell people they were alcoholics. That could affect the quality of their care."</strong></em> <p>Source:  <a href="http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/connecticut/ny-bc-ct--e-healthrecords0610jun10,0,6112214.story?coll=ny-region-apconnecticut">Privacy arguments follow rollout of electronic health records - Newsday.com</a></p>

Privacy arguments follow rollout of electronic health records

(article continues below after commentary) As electronic records evolve, who has the records, who stores them, who has access, who shares t...

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$1,500 price tag on your health - the boutique practice alternative

<p> </p> <blockquote> <p>Can you put a price on good health? How about $1,500 a year? <p>That is what doctors Arnold Goldstein and Barbara Shonberg will charge patients in their longtime Middletown internal medicine practice starting next month. The membership fee isn't the only change patients can expect, either. <p>The Bucks County doctors are joining a small, but growing number of colleagues nationwide who are practicing concierge — or fee-for-access —medicine in an effort to return to the days where patients came before paperwork. <p>Patients who pay the retainer get enhanced services or amenities such as cell phone numbers for doctors, same day appointments for non-urgent care, personalized lifestyle improvement plans, and a CD with up-to-date, personal health data including test results and X-rays. <p>The U.S. Health and Human Services Department has concluded that as long as the fee clearly covers services Medicare doesn't, they don't violate the law.</p></blockquote> <p>Source:  <a href="http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/147-06102007-1360707.html">$1,500 price tag on your health (phillyBurbs.com) | Local Business</a></p>

$1,500 price tag on your health - the boutique practice alternative

  Can you put a price on good health? How about $1,500 a year? That is what doctors Arnold Goldstein and Barbara Shonberg will charge pati...

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Michael Moore to Schedule Live Chat on Blog Site -Guaranteed Healthcare

<p> </p> <p>Please check back for details--Michael Moore will be here to chat about his new healthcare blockbuster movie SiCKO and how RNs and other patient advocates can use it to change healthcare in this country. Date and time to be announced! Please check back and join us!</p> <p><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/RmuGORE_0xI/AAAAAAAAAFI/1xku8V4CtJ4/s1600-h/sicko.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img align="right" alt="" border="0" height="189" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5074296984823649042" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/RmuGORE_0xI/AAAAAAAAAFI/1xku8V4CtJ4/s200/sicko.jpg" style="float: left; margin: 0px 10px 10px 0px; cursor: hand" width="168"></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>GuaranteedHealthcare.org is a project of the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, and patients and community groups around the country.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>Source:  <a href="http://www.guaranteedhealthcare.org/blog/shum-preston/2007/06/04/michael-moore-online-chat-here-tuesday" target="_blank">http://www.guaranteedhealthcare.org/blog/shum-preston/2007/06/04/michael-moore-online-chat-here-tuesday</a></p>

Michael Moore to Schedule Live Chat on Blog Site -Guaranteed Healthcare

  Please check back for details--Michael Moore will be here to chat about his new healthcare blockbuster movie SiCKO and how RNs and other ...

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Pot Card Applications starting this week in Los Angeles County

<p>The last line here is interesting...is is legal or is it not legal..who has the final say?  Many states besides California have the same or similar laws.  It's has to be somewhat of a peculiar scenario for physicians.  BD</p> <blockquote> <p><i>(CBS)</i> <i>LOS ANGELES</i> Los Angeles County has started taking applications for medical marijuana identification cards.<br>The applications are available from the Department of Public Health and will be processed by state officials. The cards will be issued next month, county officials said.<br>The county charges $153 for the identification cards, which were to be issued as part the legislation legalizing pot for medical purposes. People eligible for Medi-Cal pay $76.50.</p> <p>The cards will enable holders to get pot from designated dispensaries. <br><em><strong>However, under federal law, marijuana is not legal for any purpose.</strong></em></p></blockquote> <p>Source:  <a href="http://cbs2.com/topstories/local_story_153150754.html">cbs2.com - Medical Marijuna I.D. Applications Now Being Taken</a></p>

Pot Card Applications starting this week in Los Angeles County

The last line here is interesting...is is legal or is it not legal..who has the final say?  Many states besides California have the same or ...

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High-tech bracelets at the hospital ease moms' fears

<p> </p> <blockquote> <blockquote> <p><img border="0" height="134" src="http://cmsimg.detnews.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C3&Date=20070609&Category=LIFESTYLE03&ArtNo=706090307&Ref=V2&Profile=1005Q=100&MaxW=500" width="162"></p></blockquote> <p><b>PONTIAC</b> -- As a first-time mother, Bethany Rudnicki made sure to follow her doctor's orders -- eat healthy, get enough rest and take vitamins -- during her pregnancy. <p>But the 27-year-old from Waterford Township was still a little nervous this week when she went into St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital in Pontiac for the delivery. She had heard the horror stories about babies switched at birth and infant abductions from hospitals.  Her fears were put to rest, however, the moment she held her newborn son, Devin David, and heard a lullaby. Rudnicki knew the soft chime emanating from microchip-embedded ID bracelets she and Devin were wearing meant she was matched up with the right baby. <p>More hospitals are using the high-tech bracelet system, called Hugs and Kisses, to help deter baby identification mix-ups and ensure baby safety. In addition to St. Joseph Mercy Oakland, William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak is planning to install the system in September, and officials at Macomb County's St. Joseph Healthcare are considering the technology. <p>The bracelets play a lullaby every time the baby is placed near mom. Also, the microchips -- embedded in a small music box on the plastic band -- are wired to a sophisticated system that locks down the maternity unit's elevators and stairwells if the baby is taken too close to the exits without mom. <p>The hospital's alarm will sound even if dad, who doesn't get a bracelet, tries to take the baby off the unit, if only for a walk, said Kate Austin, director of Women and Children Services at the Pontiac hospital.</p></blockquote> <p>Source:  <a href="http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070609/LIFESTYLE03/706090307/1005/LIFESTYLE">High-tech bracelets ease moms' fears</a></p>

High-tech bracelets at the hospital ease moms' fears

  PONTIAC -- As a first-time mother, Bethany Rudnicki made sure to follow her doctor's orders -- eat healthy, get enough rest and t...

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If it's not tennis elbow, it may be 'Wiiitis' - Family Practice Physician writes to the New England Journal of Medicine

<p> </p> <blockquote>• Physician documents his own case of 'Wiiitis'<img align="right" src="http://www.nintendorevolution.ca/images/wiimedicine.jpg"><br>• Wiiitis is a sore shoulder from playing too much Wii tennis<br>• Wiiitis treatment: Take ibuprofen for one week, no playing Wii <br>• Physician suggests Wii moderation but knows "it's hard to do" <p><b>BOSTON, Massachusetts</b> (Reuters) -- When Dr. Julio Bonis awoke one Sunday morning with a sore shoulder, he could not figure out what he had done. It felt like a sports injury, but he had been a bit of a couch potato lately. <p>Bonis, 29, had spent hours playing Nintendo Co.'s new video game in which players simulate real movements. Bonis had been playing simulated tennis. <p><em>"The variant in this patient can be labeled more specifically as 'Wiiitis,'" Bonis, a family practice physician, wrote in a letter to the New England Journal of Medicine.</em> <p>"The treatment consisted of ibuprofen for one week, as well as complete abstinence from playing Wii video games. The patient recovered fully." <p>Wiiitis -- pronounced "wee-eye-tis" -- is the latest ailment to develop from the video game era, beginning with Space Invaders' wrist in 1981, which was caused by the repeated button mashing required by the popular arcade game. <p>"What convinced me to send the case report was that a friend of mine, after playing 'Wii Sports' suffered from a similar complaint," Bonis told Reuters in an e-mail. "I have not found other cases in my clinical practice, but it is probably an underdiagnosed condition."</p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/fun.games/06/06/wii.elbow.reut/index.html">If it's not tennis elbow, it may be 'Wiiitis' - CNN.com</a></p>

If it's not tennis elbow, it may be 'Wiiitis' - Family Practice Physician writes to the New England Journal of Medicine

  • Physician documents his own case of 'Wiiitis' • Wiiitis is a sore shoulder from playing too much Wii tennis • Wiiitis treatment...

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E-Medical Records No Shortcut to Good Diabetes Care

<p>I agree here with some of the comments.  Being I am in this business, I see many offices not adequately trained, thus they are still trying to manage a multitude of documents instead of letting the software do this for them.  Sometimes <em>old dogs just refuse to learn new tricks</em> as the old saying goes and to not utilize the features in the software and continue to rely on faxing and creating paper files in addition to the electronic records works a real hardship on the support staff as well as the MDs.  This brings me back to my favorite subject....TRAINING and getting everyone to buy in with the MDs at the top of the helm as the captains of the ship.  By doing both, you actually make it more difficult for all and this is where some of the bad taste for EMRs comes in.  <u><strong><em>Storing a ton of Word documents on a drive is not the answer to going paperless by any means. </em></strong></u>BD</p> <blockquote> <p>"The question is, how do we translate these findings from big institutions with lots of resources out to where most of the care is being given," Crosson said. "The technology itself won't enhance the process, but rather <u>the people in the practice working on ways to improve quality have to ask 'how can they use this tool?'"</u> <p>"Just having electronic medical records is simply not enough," added Dr. John Hsu, a physician scientist in the division of research at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, Calif. <u>"How you integrate it into clinical practice is critical."</u> <p>Hsu noted that many of the offices had rudimentary electronic systems which are underpowered with limited information-handling abilities. "It is not a question of whether we should use electronic medical records," Hsu said. "It is a question of when and how should we use them."</p></blockquote> <p>Source:  <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20070607/hl_hsn/emedicalrecordsnoshortcuttogooddiabetescare">E-Medical Records No Shortcut to Good Diabetes Care - Yahoo! News</a></p>

E-Medical Records No Shortcut to Good Diabetes Care

I agree here with some of the comments.  Being I am in this business, I see many offices not adequately trained, thus they are still trying ...

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Parkland's kiosks speed check-in

<p>Nice addition to the ER room.  Although this hospital spent a lot of money in setting this up, there are other cost effective solutions, such as placing a <a href="http://www.tabletkiosk.com/products/custom/index.asp" target="_blank">Tablet PC</a> in a Kiosk.  Below is a picture from Tablet Kiosk demonstrating how using a tablet with a touch screen can easily accomplish this.  Anyone who has a good understanding of Windows technology knows that <u>multi language is no problem</u> and much of this is already built into the Tablets.  This solution could work in an physicians office too, as the tablet can be moved and updated with software very easily.  Good to see a hospital taking "baby steps" in adding new technology.  Baby steps work and are an improvement to better health care and hospitals who take the lead and work with their physicians will be the winners versus those who choose to remain on paper and don't share the wealth of information with the physicians they need on staff.  It amazes me too that more hospitals don't take the opportunity to share this type of information with their physicians, but rather leave them out there more or less fending for themselves. <u> <em>The better the sharing, the better the health care...BD</em></u> <p><b></b></p>After Vivian Beachum mistook anti-fungal solution for contact lens drops, her first conversation at Parkland Memorial Hospital's emergency room wasn't with a nurse. </p> <blockquote> <p>A computer asked her where she hurt. <p>Instead of standing in line – sometimes for hours – just to explain their symptoms at one of the nation's busiest emergency rooms, Parkland patients now type their woes into a computer at one of three automated check-in kiosks. The idea is to keep sick folks from having to stand while waiting, and to more quickly reach patients who might not look sick but whose illness demands immediate attention. <p>While similar machines are popping up nationally to check in patients at medical clinics, Parkland officials said they believe they are among the first to have a system in a hospital emergency room. A donation through UT Southwestern Medical School paid for the $50,000 project. <p>Before the system went in, patients could stand for hours, "like a ride at Six Flags," Mr. Ensminger said. Nurses constantly monitored the condition of people waiting – and pulled from the line people who were in obvious need of immediate help. <p>At the kiosks, patients type in their name, birth date and gender before being led to myriad ailments from which they choose their chief complaint. Patients can choose English or Spanish. <p>If the first laundry list of problems doesn't fit – allergic reaction, homicidal thoughts, shortness of breath, and so on – patients can point on the screen to a specific body part that hurts. Certain ailments, combined with information like the person's age, are immediately flagged. Monitors in the nurses' station keep a tally of who is waiting, and blinking dots cue them to people who should be seen right away – like an older person with chest pains, for example. <p><img align="right" src="http://www.tabletkiosk.com/products/custom/images/img_custom_hp.jpg"> </p></blockquote> <p>  <p>TabletKiosk can develop custom hardware solutions and kiosk encasements to meet your specific project requirements. By establishing key relationships with worldwide manufacturers, TabletKiosk can provide you with the most powerful, cutting edge hardware solutions at the best prices available to help you accomplish your project goals. <p>Add a nice wedge reader too.  The hardware is here and can run any software that any normal notebook or desktop computer can run.  BD <p><img height="138" src="http://www.tabletkiosk.com/tkstore/pc/catalog/wedge_reader_details.jpg" width="138"> <p>Working closely with a network of strategic partners, TabletKiosk offers a wide range of design and manufacturing services.  <a href="http://www.tabletkiosk.com/products/custom/index.asp" target="_blank">Tablet Kiosk</a> <p>Source:  <a href="http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/060707dnmeterkiosk.37be576.html">Parkland's kiosks speed check-in | Dallas Morning News | News for Dallas, Texas | Latest News</a></p>

Parkland's kiosks speed check-in

Nice addition to the ER room.  Although this hospital spent a lot of money in setting this up, there are other cost effective solutions, suc...

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Ready for a tablet to help manage your information - the NBA is and uses Tablet PCs quite extensively

<p>The NBA referees are cashing in big time with tablets...if it does so well for sports, think about how managing medical information can work..and does work, just talk to any physician using a tablet for information management.  BD</p> <blockquote></blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.notebooks.com/2007/06/07/thinkpads-sit-courtside-at-nba-finals/"></a>As the Cavaliers and Spurs tip off in the NBA Championships, the last thing on most people’s minds are computers. But behind the scenes, the NBA uses a slew of technology to provide fans and media with accurate real-time statistics and ensure fairness.<img align="right" src="http://www.notebooks.com/wp-content/uploads/nbastatsx60.thumbnail.JPG"> </p> <p>At the courtside statisticians’ table, X60 tablets are used to keep track of hundreds shots, fouls and other events during games. As many as three statisticians use X60 touch-screens to quickly enter the details of each play.  Referees constantly interact with computers both on and off court. Each time they blow their whistle to start or stop the game clock, a ThinkPad works with the NBA’s Precision Timing System to log the event. Just a few years ago clock starts and stops were controlled manually and it was impossible to tell exactly when a whistle was blown. As basketball fans know, a  fraction of a second can change the outcome of a game.</p> <p><img align="right" height="151" src="http://www.notebooks.com/wp-content/uploads/nbaworkstations.JPG" width="93"> </p> <p><em>ThinkCentre Workstation in Ref’s Locker Room to the right....</em></p> <p>The appearance of a locker room has certainly changed.. BD</p> <p>Source:  <a href="http://www.notebooks.com/2007/06/07/thinkpads-sit-courtside-at-nba-finals/">ThinkPads Sit Courtside at NBA Finals | notebooks.com</a> </p> <p>Hat Tip:  <a href="http://jkontherun.blogs.com/jkontherun/2007/06/nba_using_table.html" target="_blank">J K on the Run</a></p>

Ready for a tablet to help manage your information - the NBA is and uses Tablet PCs quite extensively

The NBA referees are cashing in big time with tablets...if it does so well for sports, think about how managing medical information can work...

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Michael Moore Wants to Hear From You Via You Tube

<p>As the date gets closer to the release, Michael Moore is also looking for individuals to tell their stories via You Tube.  As I looked this evening, I saw 10 videos posted thus far and many responses.  Interesting fact is that a couple of the videos are from individuals from other countries giving support.   In the comments section, some folks have already either given links or search information on videos they have already posted relative to insurance issues.  In the video below, he states he is using You Tube to reach out and gather additional stories and films to take to Congress.  I probably feel the same as everyone else too in the fact that I sure hope everyone can rally together and create a solution soon, as it's not getting any better and as complicated as the plans appear today, it is getting very difficult to make that "good" decision, or at least what we want to believe is a "good" decision when it comes to health care and insurance and hopefully it will be there for us in our time of need.  BD</p> <p><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/VEFoq_5RbC4" width="425" height="350" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent"></p> <p>Source:  <a href="SiCKO Movie -- Michael Moore Wants to Hear From You" target="_blank">SiCKO Movie -- Michael Moore Wants to Hear From You</a><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEFoq_5RbC4" title="SiCKO Movie -- Michael Moore Wants to Hear From You"></a></p>

Michael Moore Wants to Hear From You Via You Tube

As the date gets closer to the release, Michael Moore is also looking for individuals to tell their stories via You Tube.  As I looked this ...

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California Senate OKs Move To Single-Payer Health Care System

<p> </p> <blockquote> <p>The California Senate on Wednesday approved legislation (<a href="http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=sb_840&sess=CUR&house=B&author=kuehl">SB 840</a>) by Sen. Sheila Kuehl (D-Los Angeles) to create a state-run, single-payer health care system, the <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-legis7jun07,1,2716851.story"><cite>Los Angeles Times</cite></a> reports (Rau, <cite>Los Angeles Times</cite>, 6/7). <br>Kuehl said, "SB 840 offers genuine affordability, because our premiums will be based on income and each of us will pay our share, as would employers." <br>The bill would rely on funding from: <ul> <li>Employer contributions; <li>Consumer copayments; and <li>Premiums based on income.</li></ul><br>The measure is intended to decrease costs by reducing administrative spending and using bulk purchases of prescription drugs (Boerger, <a href="http://www.mtshastanews.com/articles/2007/06/06/news/area_news/03singlepayer.txt"><cite>Mt. Shasta News</cite></a>, 6/7). <br>Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) in 2006 vetoed SB 840 and continues to oppose it (<cite>Los Angeles Times</cite>, 6/7).</blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.californiahealthline.org/articles/2007/6/7/California-Senate-OKs-Move-To-SinglePayer-Health-Care-System.aspx">California Senate OKs Move To Single-Payer Health Care System - California Healthline</a></p>

California Senate OKs Move To Single-Payer Health Care System

  The California Senate on Wednesday approved legislation ( SB 840 ) by Sen. Sheila Kuehl (D-Los Angeles) to create a state-run, single-pa...

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Health Net of California Redefines Consumer-Directed Health Plans''

<p> </p> <blockquote> <p>Health/Medical Writers/Health Editors LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 7, 2007--Building on the historical strengths of the California Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), Health Net of California is launching a plan that combines the affordability and focus on preventive care of the traditional HMO with the innovative tools and health education components of a "consumer-directed" plan. </p> <p><br>"Health Net's Optimizer HMO is a consumer-directed plan with no deductible that provides tools to help make better health care decisions and incentives for demonstrating healthy behaviors," said Stephen Lynch, president of Health Net of California. "And because we know that those who make smart health care decisions spend fewer health care dollars, Optimizer HMO can cost significantly less than existing traditional HMOs."</p> <p>The Optimizer HMO comes with a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) allowing employers to provide accounts their employees may use to cover their out-of-pocket medical expenses using a special debit card. Members may easily track their HRA balances and out-of-pocket expenses online. <p>Health Net's Optimizer HMO is available to employers with more than 51 employees and to labor and trust groups. For more information, business owners and labor and trust organizations may speak with their local Health Net account executive or broker.</p></blockquote> <p>Source:  <a href="http://insurancenewsnet.com/article.asp?n=1&neID=20070607290.2_0e03002247811978">Health Net of California Redefines ``Consumer-Directed Health Plans'' - - insurancenewsnet.com</a></p>

Health Net of California Redefines Consumer-Directed Health Plans''

  Health/Medical Writers/Health Editors LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 7, 2007--Building on the historical strengths of the California...

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Ambulance software to be rolled out in three regions in the UK with Tablet PCs

<p> </p> <blockquote> <p>Ambulance software that enables paramedics to record patient details electronically and send them to hospital staff ahead of arrival in A&E is to be rolled out in three English NHS regions. <p>The paramedic takes the tablet PC into the hospital, completes the tablet record and uploads it to CSC’s data center. A verbal handover and sign off is completed with the A&E nurse who can also access the record via a web browser the department. <p>The paramedic takes the tablet PC into the hospital, completes the tablet record and uploads it to CSC’s data center. A verbal handover and sign off is completed with the A&E nurse who can also access the record via a web browser the department. <p>Robert Mason, program manager for the CSC Emergency Care System, who is also a paramedic, told E-Health Insider: “The immediate benefits are the ability to track patient interventions so that they can identify the number and types of interventions that are occurring and the level of intervention.” </p></blockquote> <p>Source:  <a href="http://www.e-health-insider.com/news/item.cfm?ID=2761">Ambulance software to be rolled out in three regions</a> </p> <p>Hat Tip:  <a href="http://www.gottabemobile.com/TabletPCsRollOutWithAmbulances.aspx" target="_blank">GottaBeMobile</a></p>

Ambulance software to be rolled out in three regions in the UK with Tablet PCs

  Ambulance software that enables paramedics to record patient details electronically and send them to hospital staff ahead of arrival in ...

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Oprah and Michael Moore, discuss "Sicko"

<p>Thanks to John Mack for posting this so quickly!  A must watch for all.  In the last few months this has been a topic of conversation around the water cooler in many offices.  Whether you are or are not a fan of Michael Moore, from what I have seen from the clips thus far this movie appears to be the real eye opener to rally the citizens of this country as to what happens behind the scenes.  We may not pay much attention until it happens to us or a love one.  BD</p> <p><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-U_RIK7OyuY" width="425" height="350" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent"></p> <p>Part 2 Below</p></embed> <p><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Icor2ILQtLw" width="425" height="350" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent"></embed></p>Hat Tip:  <a href="http://pharmamkting.blogspot.com/2007/06/moore-oprah-sicko-video.html" target="_blank">Pharma Blog - John Mack</a>

Oprah and Michael Moore, discuss "Sicko"

Thanks to John Mack for posting this so quickly!  A must watch for all.  In the last few months this has been a topic of conversation around...

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Purdue University Invests in Tablet PC Education*

<p>*Workshop on the Impact of Pen-Based Technology on Education</p> <p> </p> <blockquote> <p><b>Save the Date! WIPTE 2007 will be held on June 11-12, 2007.</b><br>WIPTE is open to anyone with an interest in instructional technology. A wide variety of disciplines are embracing Tablet PC's and similar pen-based devices as tools for the radical enhancement of teaching and learning. This conference is intended to leverage this shared passion and to identify best practices in the educational use of pen-based computing so that all educators may benefit from this next generation of technology. <h5>Workshop on the Impact of Pen-based Technology in Education / WIPTE (June 11-12, 2007)</h5> <p><img align="right" alt="Course Image" hspace="2" src="https://www.cec.purdue.edu/eC2K/images/MID1731MV1_1059_105_00.JPG"> For more information on sponsorship opportunities or program content, please contact Ed Evans by e-mail at <a href="mailto:edevans@purdue.edu">edevans@purdue.edu</a> or by phone at (765) 496-6496. For information on registration, please contact John Wellman by e-mail at <a href="mailto:jmw@purdue.edu">jmw@purdue.edu</a> or by phone at (800) 359-2968 or directly at (765) 494-0243. This program is sponsored by Information Technology at Purdue (ITaP).</p> <p>Schedule as follows:  </p> <p><a href="http://www.itap.purdue.edu/tlt/conference/wipte/schedule07-day1.cfm" title="Schedule Day 1">http://www.itap.purdue.edu/tlt/conference/wipte/schedule07-day1.cfm</a></p> <p><a href="http://www.itap.purdue.edu/tlt/conference/wipte/schedule07-day2.cfm" target="_blank">http://www.itap.purdue.edu/tlt/conference/wipte/schedule07-day2.cfm</a></p></blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.itap.purdue.edu/tlt/conference/wipte/index.cfm">WIPTE 2007</a> </p> <p>Hat Tip:  <a href="http://www.gottabemobile.com/TabletKioskUpdatesSaharaI400SeriesUserManualAvailable.aspx" target="_blank">GottaBeMobile</a></p>

Purdue University Invests in Tablet PC Education*

*Workshop on the Impact of Pen-Based Technology on Education   Save the Date! WIPTE 2007 will be held on June 11-12, 2007. WIPTE is open ...

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Should 12 be the legal age to mow the lawn?

<p> </p> <blockquote> <p>Many parents may be planning to hand over lawn mower duty to their children this summer; however, this routine task can be dangerous if proper safety precautions are not taken. <br>"Lawn mowers can be dangerous if not used properly," said AAOS President Jim Beaty, MD. "It is important to follow a few simple safety tips to prevent injuries from occurring." <br><b>The ASRM, AAOS, ASPS and AAP offer the following tips to help prevent lawn mower-related injuries.</b><br>-- Children should be at least 12 years old before they operate any lawn mower, and at least 16 years old for a ride-on mower............</p> <p>Source:  <a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=73202&nfid=rssfeeds">Mowing The Lawn Can Be A Dangerous Chore For Kids</a></p></blockquote>

Should 12 be the legal age to mow the lawn?

  Many parents may be planning to hand over lawn mower duty to their children this summer; however, this routine task can be dangerous if ...

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Hospital Associations Object To Proposed Medicare Rule They Say Would Reduce Scheduled Payment Increase

<p>More changing of the payment codes and the numbers...BD</p> <p>Hospital associations are "in a state of outrage" over a Medicare rule proposed by <a href="http://www.cms.hhs.gov/">CMS</a> that they say would reduce a scheduled increase in hospital reimbursements by assuming hospitals will "game the new system," the <a href="http://www.philly.com/philly/business/7802046.html"><cite>Philadelphia Inquirer</cite></a> reports. The rule -- which is under a comment period until June 12 and would go into effect in October if approved -- would increase the number of diagnosis-related groups from 538 to 745 to more accurately classify hospital care and provide higher reimbursements for treating sicker patients. Medicare reimbursements for hospitals are scheduled to increase an average of 3.3%, or $3.28 billion, this year in accordance with the market-basket rate. However, the CMS rule includes a "behavioral offset" of 2.4%, which the agency says is necessary to compensate for anticipated higher average patient severity scores that will result from the updated DRG system.</p> <p><a href="http://www.aha.org/aha/about/">American Hospital Association</a> Vice President for Policy Don May said the offset was "back-door budget slashing" and would cost hospitals $2.4 billion. <blockquote> <h5>Source:  <a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=73089&nfid=rssfeeds">Hospital Associations Object To Proposed Medicare Rule They Say Would Reduce Scheduled Payment Increase</a></h5></blockquote>

Hospital Associations Object To Proposed Medicare Rule They Say Would Reduce Scheduled Payment Increase

More changing of the payment codes and the numbers...BD Hospital associations are "in a state of outrage" over a Medicare rule pr...

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United Gunning for Growth in Washington Market

<p> </p> <blockquote> <p> <p><strong></strong></p>NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 6 /PRNewswire/ -- HealthLeaders-InterStudy, the leading provider of managed care market intelligence, reports that more than two years after purchasing PacifiCare Health Systems, UnitedHealthcare is making a concerted effort to grow its membership in Washington with its consumer-directed and traditional products. According to the latest Oregon and Washington Health Plan Analysis, the health plan's new products will be available statewide to employers with 50 or more workers, and include PPO and consumer directed health plans. <p></strong></strong></p></blockquote> <p>Source:  <a href="http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,117739.shtml">United Gunning for Growth in Washington Market</a></p>

United Gunning for Growth in Washington Market

  NASHVILLE, Tenn., June 6 /PRNewswire/ -- HealthLeaders-InterStudy, the leading provider of managed care market intelligence, reports th...

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Doctor Honored for Mentoring. using Technology

<p>Something to think about, does your MD have a way of monitoring items for "check up"?  A registry item in an EMR will not only help MDs keep on top of monitoring patients for chronic care, but can also help with reports in determining other statistics as far as general demographics information, percentage of diabetic patients, patients receiving selected care with selected medications, etc.  Registry modules come in various shapes. sizes and formats and can also be very helpful with researching data for P4P issues that would take a huge amount of time to research by going through high piles of patient charts manually.  BD </p> <p><em>Special notes in electronic records for her patients with diabetes remind office workers to ask the patients to remove their shoes and socks before they meet with the doctor.</em> <p>The bare feet are a gentle reminder to Marin to perform a foot examination, an important procedure for diabetics who often suffer from foot ailments that can lead to more serious conditions or even to amputations. <p>“In a busy day, you're seeing 29 patients,” said Marin, 48, who co-owns Metro Family Physicians Medical Group. “If (a diabetic patient's) shoes are off, you're going to do the exam. If they're not, you will probably delay it until the next visit.” About 80 percent of Marin's diabetic patients now receive foot exams when they visit her office in the Kearny Mesa area of San Diego – more than double the previous rate. <blockquote> <p><em>Among other things, the sessions taught Marin how to set up an electronic registry of her 400 diabetic patients to identify them from among her other 3,000 patients.</em> <p>With the registry, Marin and her staff can periodically print lists of diabetic patients who are due for exams and tests crucial to keeping them healthy and preventing problems, such as blindness and foot infections, that can be brought on by the chronic disease. <p>“It really helps me manage these patients much, much better,” she said.</p></blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/business/20070605-9999-1b5marin.html">SignOnSanDiego.com > News > Business -- Modern medicine</a></p>

Doctor Honored for Mentoring. using Technology

Something to think about, does your MD have a way of monitoring items for "check up"?  A registry item in an EMR will not only hel...

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How do the physicians grade the payors

<p>The page in pdf format tells the story.  Sometimes as a patient we never see the "work behind the scenes" with your physician literally having to "go to bat" for you to work with the payors to submit all the necessary documentation, faxes, medication lists, and so on to help patients get the care they need and not receive a "denied" claim or referral.  I see this very frequently in medical offices whereby the time spent with administrative paperwork is horrendous.  We do have many "guardian angels" out there working for us behind the scenes to help us, the patients, get the care we need.  </p> <p>The list resembles a "report card that a student would receive at school, and there are no A's in this report and for that matter not even a B+ anywhere, many Cs, Ds and some Fs.  </p> <p>Source:  <a href="http://www.aafp.org/fpm/20070600/payerreportcard.pdf" title="Payor Report ">http://www.aafp.org/fpm/20070600/payerreportcard.pdf</a></p> <p>Hat Tip:  <a href="http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2007/06/grading-payers.html" target="_blank">Kevin, MD</a>  </p> <p>Related Story:  <a href="http://www.aafp.org/fpm/20070600/43arep.html" target="_blank">http://www.aafp.org/fpm/20070600/43arep.html</a> (also from Kevin, MD)</p>

How do the physicians grade the payors

The page in pdf format tells the story.  Sometimes as a patient we never see the "work behind the scenes" with your physician lite...

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MultiNational Underwriters Offers Consumers a New Choice in Short Term Medical Insurance with Amigo Short Term Medical Plan

<p>Just one more place for the American consumer to go.  Today with all the potential solutions and plans available, it's no wonder the American public is confused.  After reading so many pages on the web about who's going to offer the "best deal" or "best coverage" they all seem to run together.  This article is just another example of the over deluged choices for medical care.  Will we soon need an attorney to help up decide which plan works for us, or what plan we believe will wok for us?</p> <p>In today's world we have many choices for services, products, etc. in all areas of our lives and healthcare is no different; however, when one is sick and needs care, the only thing that comes to mind here is...why?  Is choosing a healthcare provider not much different than rolling the dice at a "craps" table in Las Vegas; and with a little luck some will win and some will lose?  We all know the "house" is in the business to make a profit and the same is true today regarding health insurance.  Is choosing health care similar to just a roll of the dice at the "craps" table?  BD</p> <blockquote> <p> <p><i></i></p>(<a href="http://www.prweb.com/">PRWEB</a>) June 5, 2007 -- The new plan, called "Amigo Short Term Medical Plan (SM)," offers consumers cost-saving features such as the choice of deductible and co-payment. Consumers also have options when purchasing Amigo Medical. They may purchase through their professional health insurance agent, which allows them a personal contact for answers to questions and additional information. Moreover, if consumers are familiar with insurance and time is of the essence, they may purchase online at <a href="http://www.amigomedical.com">www.amigomedical.com</a>. </p></blockquote> <p>Source:  <a href="http://www.prweb.com/releases/2007/6/prweb530918.htm">MultiNational Underwriters Offers Consumers a New Choice in Short Term Medical Insurance with Amigo Short Term Medical Plan</a></p>

MultiNational Underwriters Offers Consumers a New Choice in Short Term Medical Insurance with Amigo Short Term Medical Plan

Just one more place for the American consumer to go.  Today with all the potential solutions and plans available, it's no wonder the Ame...

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Google popularity rising for medical information

A June 2005 survey of 1,000 people, which found that when faced with a medical problem 12 percent of people turn to Google first, before family, friends, the media or medical encyclopedias. This is seen by many as the news which hatched Google's interest in the medical arena. <br /><br />The survey, carried out by ICM Health Care for Core-Create, a company that specializes in visual communications for health care clients, found that when all search engines, including Google, were considered, the percentage of consumers who go to the Web first jumped to 21 percent. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1759,2138333,00.asp?kc=EWKNLHCR060607STR5">Google Aims to Extend Data Mantra into Health Care</a>

Google popularity rising for medical information

A June 2005 survey of 1,000 people, which found that when faced with a medical problem 12 percent of people turn to Google first, before fam...

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Caffeine: Shower Shock Caffeinated Body Wash, Javapops

<p>For those who can't get enough caffeine in their coffee, you can now bath in it and suck on a lollipop all day if needed...where do they come up with this stuff..BD</p> <p><img align="right" height="276" src="http://www.thinkgeek.com/images/products/front/shower_shock_gel.jpg" width="145">  </p> <p>Some folks like imbibing their caffeine in coffees and sodas and energy drinks. Others like eating it in candies and mints and "magic" brownies. But if you ask us, the most enjoyable way to get caffeine into your system is to rub glowing gel all over your body and let it seep into your pores. And if you just happen to get cleaner in the process, even better! <p>                                                       From the glowin<img align="left" src="http://www.thinkgeek.com/images/products/front/java_pops.jpg">g-green/yellow Mt. Dew color to the refreshing citrus scent, Shower Shock Body Wash is all about getting you awake and moving. Each normal-sized application gives you about 200mg of caffeine rushing into your blood stream. You'll feel rejuvenated, energized, and you just might tingle a little. And tingling (unless you are being electrocuted by mutant eels) is always fun. <p>  <p>Javapops come in 5 adult flavors, each one a decadent taste of fancy brew. And these suckers aren't for kids, as each one is extra large and loaded with 60mg of caffeine. Please direct your attention to the little wooden stick. That's so you can swizzle your Javapop in some liquid coffee - for even more sweet pep. By now you are probably wondering how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Javapop. Well, whatever you do, don't ask an owl - they cheat. <p>Source:  <a href="http://www.thinkgeek.com/caffeine/" target="_blank">Major Geeks</a></p>

Caffeine: Shower Shock Caffeinated Body Wash, Javapops

For those who can't get enough caffeine in their coffee, you can now bath in it and suck on a lollipop all day if needed...where do they...

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Government Health IT News - FDA to propose rule on e-health records

<p> </p> <blockquote> <p>RICHMOND, Va. — The Food and Drug Administration is working on a proposed rule to regulate only electronic health records that are transferred directly from the medical device to a database. <br>Tim Stitely, the FDA’s chief information officer, said June 4 the agency is close to releasing a draft proposed rule in the Federal Register that would outline how the oversight would work. <br>“As the ability for direct capture evolves, the current direction FDA is heading is the medical record becomes part of the device,” he said after a panel discussion on health information technology at the 27th annual Management of Change conference, sponsored by the Industry Advisory Council and the American Council for Technology. “I don’t think now [EHRs] as defined will be regulated by the FDA. It is not a medical device, food, drug or other thing we regulate.” </p></blockquote> <p>Source:  <a href="http://www.govhealthit.com/article102901-06-05-07-Web">Government Health IT News - FDA to propose rule on e-health records</a></p>

Government Health IT News - FDA to propose rule on e-health records

  RICHMOND, Va. — The Food and Drug Administration is working on a proposed rule to regulate only electronic health records that are trans...

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OxyClinton....

<p>Hilarious...and cute..BD</p> <p><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/FRrIni6V7VM" width="425" height="350" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent"></p> <p>Source:  <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRrIni6V7VM&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fsayanythingblog%2Ecom%2Fentry%2Foxyclinton" target="_blank">You Tube</a></p></embed>

OxyClinton....

Hilarious...and cute..BD Source:  You Tube

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