Medical Quack

Healthcare Records are not alone with breaches - Air Traffic Software also on the list of being hacked routinely

<p> If one were involved in an aircraft accident this could certainly have an effect on your health.  In the news this week are 2 healthcare breaches, one in Virginia and one in California.  According to this article, there is also a lack of budgeting to help protect the FAA with security and web based software and more money is allotted towards bird abatement.  The return here for a hacker would not be as great as securing credit cards and social security numbers as found in healthcare records, but the consequences with one crash could be horrific.  </p>  <p><strong>One more time we are back to budgets and money.</strong>  Will those who serve on budget committees wake up and realize that if we are to fully utilize <a href="http://mschnlnine.vo.llnwd.net/d1/ch9/3/1/2/5/6/1/The_Code_Room3_512K.wmv"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="132" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgXCq93NWEI/AAAAAAAAPho/I4meMYR_95g/image%5B23%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="177" /></a>and take advantage of technology, we need to ensure security on web based applications as well as internal servers.  Hopefully, this last week has helped make the point here.  </p>  <p>One example of how security can be enhanced is shown here at Harvard, using a vendor to monitor and keep watch over web based applications:  </p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/06/harvard-medical-school-deploys-third.html"><font size="2">Harvard Medical School Deploys Third Brigade For PCI Security</font></a></h4>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/03/cool-technology-of-week-security.html"><font size="2">Cool Technology of the Week - Security Enhancements</font></a></h4>  <p>The attack on Berkeley is now being reported as a <strong>potential SQL Injection attack.</strong>  Below is a link on a fictional account on <strong>how far a SQL injection attack can go. </strong> The video is in Windows Media format and uses Las Vegas as the setting for the story.  You can also go <a href="http://channel9.msdn.com/shows/The+Code+Room/Episode-3/">here to view in Silverlight</a> from the site.  This is a race between the good guys and bad guys.  The good guys come in and find flaws, etc. and save the day.  It is not too technical and almost anyone can grasp what is going on here.  <strong>Great video.  </strong><a href="http://mschnlnine.vo.llnwd.net/d1/ch9/3/1/2/5/6/1/The_Code_Room3_512K.wmv"><strong><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="133" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgXCsXROgLI/AAAAAAAAPhs/7QXwPn8NnH4/image%5B22%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="177" /></strong></a> </p>  <ul>   <li><a href="http://mschnlnine.vo.llnwd.net/d1/ch9/3/1/2/5/6/1/The_Code_Room3_512K.wmv">MSDN SQL Injection - Fictional Accounting on What can Occur</a>  </li> </ul>  <p>The challenge for the team is to keep the system operating as the casino loss of money is huge, but also clean and update the system.  Money is being stolen from both the Casino and big roller guests.  </p>  <p>The long and short of all of this, <strong>SPEND THE MONEY ON SOFTWARE SECURITY SYSTEMS</strong>.  The developers were so busy functioning on the functionality of the software, security issues were over looked.  BD  </p>  <blockquote>   <p>In the past four years, hackers have hobbled air traffic control systems in Alaska, seized control of Federal Aviation Administration network servers, and pilfered personal information from 48,000 current and former FAA employees, according to a newly released government report. </p>    <p>The report, <a href="http://www.oig.dot.gov/StreamFile?file=/data/pdfdocs/ATC_Web_Report.pdf">"Review of Web Applications Security and Intrusion Detection in Air Traffic Control Systems,"</a> was published Wednesday by the Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General. </p>    <p>It's also a matter of money, which could be easier to obtain under a cloud of imminent danger: The FAA has been pushing its <a href="http://www.faa.gov/about/initiatives/nextgen/defined/what/">Next Generation Air Transportation System</a>, a project to update the nation's air transit <a href="http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia/defineterm.jhtml?term=infrastructure&x=&y=">infrastructure</a> that's expected to cost at least $20 billion. </p>    <p><strong>With any luck, that amount of funding will also buy a few scarecrows.</strong> There were almost 10 times as many <a href="http://wildlife.pr.erau.edu/BASH90-07.pdf">wildlife strikes</a> against airplanes in 2007 (7,666) as air traffic control cyberincidents in 2008. Such collisions -- recall the bird strike that sent US Airways Flight 1549 into the Hudson River in January -- cost an estimated $628 million in monetary losses annually, to say nothing of the potential loss of life. <strong>Hackers just don't have that kind of impact, unless they wander onto a runway. </strong></p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/government/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=217300749&cid=RSSfeed_twitter">Air Traffic Control System Repeatedly Hacked -- Government Security – InformationWeek</a></p>  <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/would-someone-give-hacker-10-million.html"><font size="1">Would Someone Give the Hacker 10 Million for Prescription Information In Virginia – We have already been for Sale for quite a while now..</font></a></h4>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/hackers-breach-uc-berkeley-data-base.html"><font size="1">Hackers breach UC Berkeley Data Base System</font></a></h4>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/usb-memory-stick-round-2-more-medical.html"><font size="1">USB Memory Stick Round 2 – More Medical Record Information on a Lost Drive</font></a></h4>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/hackers-could-possibly-push-move-for.html"><font size="1">The Hackers Could Possibly push the move for PHRs – Medical Records Hacked in Virginia Department of Health Professions computers</font></a></h4>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/security-tightened-over-data-loss-flash.html">Security tightened over data loss – Flash Drives Can be One of HealthCare’s Biggest Nightmares</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/12/malware-attack-department-of-defense.html">Malware attack - Department of Defense</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/conficker-and-malware-covered-by-cbs-60.html">Conficker and Malware covered by CBS 60 Minutes</a></h6>  <h6>   <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/more-lost-medical-records.html"><font color="#669966"></font></a></h6>   <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/express-scripts-offers-1-million-award.html">Express Scripts offers $1 million award to nab extortionist in data breach case</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/keeping-private-health-data-private.html">Keeping Private Health Data Private - "Inadvertent Disclosures" with Peer to Peer Networks</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/healthcare-workers-sharing-music-and.html">Healthcare Workers Sharing Music and they could also be sharing Medical Records and Files</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/express-scripts-offers-1-million-award.html">Express Scripts offers $1 million award to nab extortionist in data breach case</a></h6>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:6197f802-df30-41a9-a85a-e7c162aa771b" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/breaches" rel="tag">breaches</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hacker" rel="tag">hacker</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FBI" rel="tag">FBI</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Security" rel="tag">Security</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Data" rel="tag">Data</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FAA" rel="tag">FAA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/aviation" rel="tag">aviation</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+records" rel="tag">medical records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/MSDN.+SQL+Injection" rel="tag">MSDN. SQL Injection</a></div>

Healthcare Records are not alone with breaches - Air Traffic Software also on the list of being hacked routinely

If one were involved in an aircraft accident this could certainly have an effect on your health. In the news this week are 2 healthcare br...

Saturday, May 09, 2009

Chemical Found in Medical Devices Linked to Heart Problems - Cyclohexanone

<p> The loss of memory and/or taste that can occur following bypass surgery has been a mystery and it appears to be the chemical in the tubing , IV bags and catheters.  Perhaps we might see some changes down the road in the manufacturing processes with plastics.  This has not been the only issue <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgWzKM2z7oI/AAAAAAAAPhg/7lrqQcZBlww/s1600-h/image%5B4%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="101" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgWzNT7OxiI/AAAAAAAAPhk/IXgwui1_Uyo/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="126" /></a>with plastic products as the heated discussion on BPA also continues.   </p>  <p>The side effects eventually dissipate, but they can also impair or delay recovery times.  This might explain why after surgery patients have noticed a change in their tasting abilities and decreased heart functioning.  BD</p>  <blockquote>   <p>Johns Hopkins researchers have just discovered that a common chemical used to produce plastic <a href="http://www.yourlawyer.com/practice_areas/defective_medical_devices">medical devices</a> impairs heart function in rats. Science Daily reported that researchers from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine said that the chemical can be found in intravenous (IV) bags and catheters. The findings appear online in the American Journal of Physiology.</p>    <p>According to Science Daily, the research points to some common side effects following medical procedures that involve blood circulation that occurs through plastic tubing, such as occurs during kidney dialysis procedures and heart bypass surgery. Some of the side effects cited include loss of taste, short-term memory loss, swelling (edema), and fatigue. The research also suggests that the findings present some significant issues for medical plastics manufacturing, said Science Daily.  </p>    <p>In lab tests, those rats who were treated with cyclohexanone “developed edema and impaired cardiovascular function, including impaired baroflex function; systemic hypotension; pulmonary hypertension; depressed contractility, heart rate, stroke volume, and cardiac output; and increased vascular resistance,” explained HealthDay News.    </p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.newsinferno.com/archives/5986">Chemical Found in Medical Devices Linked to Heart Problems</a></p>  <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/ban-on-bpa-bisphenol-is-heating-up.html"><font size="1">The Ban on BPA (Bisphenol A) is Heating Up – Congress reviewing potential Legislation</font></a></h4>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/09/some-water-bottles-linked-to-diabetes.html">Some Water Bottles Linked to Diabetes</a></h6>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/phthalates-to-be-removed-from-household.html"><font size="1">Phthalates to be removed from Household Products</font></a></h4>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:07b0ed20-2b39-47b0-b954-fdd80b781e5f" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Congress" rel="tag">Congress</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Bottles" rel="tag">Bottles</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/toxic+chemicals" rel="tag">toxic chemicals</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/plastic" rel="tag">plastic</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/manufacturing" rel="tag">manufacturing</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Johns+Hopkins" rel="tag">Johns Hopkins</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+devices" rel="tag">medical devices</a></div>

Chemical Found in Medical Devices Linked to Heart Problems - Cyclohexanone

The loss of memory and/or taste that can occur following bypass surgery has been a mystery and it appears to be the chemical in the tubing ...

Saturday, May 09, 2009

Overeating to blame for U.S. obesity epidemic – Lack of Exercise is Secondary

<p> It appears lack of activity is secondary according to the study, so problem #1 is learning when to push ourselves away from the table.  BD  </p>  <blockquote>   <p>NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – The major reason for the obesity epidemic that has gripped the United States in the past three decades is increased food intake, not reduced physical activity, according to a study released Friday at the European Congress on Obesity in Amsterdam.</p>    <p>The study is the first to quantify the relative contributions of food and exercise habits to the growing number of Americans with bulging waistlines.</p>    <p>"In the U.S., over the last 30 years, it seems that the food side of the equation has changed much more than the physical activity side," Professor Boyd A. Swinburn, director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Obesity Prevention at Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia, noted in a telephone interview with Reuters Health.</p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090508/hl_nm/us_overeating_obesity_1">Overeating to blame for U.S. obesity epidemic</a></p>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:ef00d626-8598-4341-881d-55887fe4c231" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/overeating" rel="tag">overeating</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/obsesity" rel="tag">obsesity</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a></div>

Overeating to blame for U.S. obesity epidemic – Lack of Exercise is Secondary

It appears lack of activity is secondary according to the study, so problem #1 is learning when to push ourselves away from the table. BD ...

Saturday, May 09, 2009

Knee Surgery Done with a Robot - MAKOPlasty Tactile Guidance System™

<p>This is almost like having GPS for your knee surgery and this story is about a 72 year old man who underwent the procedure at a hospital in the Los<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgSdj95WcTI/AAAAAAAAPgg/yc3cAsMt524/s1600-h/image%5B35%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="260" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgSdkn5X-YI/AAAAAAAAPgk/qC7h6dN9O4E/image_thumb%5B16%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="156" /></a> Angeles area.  The robot surgery procedure is available so far at around 20 hospitals in the US.  You can find a listing of surgeons who perform the robotic knee <a href="http://www.makosurgicalcorp.com/08/patients/featuredsurgeons.htm">surgery here.</a>  </p>  <p>The procedure and product is FDA approved of course.  The surgeons still have the job of mapping and planning the procedure ahead of time and you can see with the pictures below, the accuracy of navigating is enhanced.  Normally only 24 hours is required in the hospital and patients are driving again within a week and walking within a day or two. </p>  <p>Patients are regaining quality of life without the pain with the procedure.  An implant replaces lost cartilage and stops the bone on bone grinding that causes pain.  The accuracy versus free hand surgery seems to be the real advantage here, again with a focus on higher success rates with precision targeting.  </p>  <p><a href="http://www.or-live.com/makosurgical/2570/event/rnh.cfm?"><img alt="image" border="0" height="117" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgSdl0gNiGI/AAAAAAAAPgo/8idLYE9gZtE/image%5B30%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="149" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgSdpPnbmrI/AAAAAAAAPgs/7POY-0s9x-s/s1600-h/image%5B29%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="119" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgSdrFzaXhI/AAAAAAAAPgw/bA08mAuTXQc/image_thumb%5B13%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="151" /></a> </p>  <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgSdv8f96dI/AAAAAAAAPg0/DbmfulnLgIE/s1600-h/image%5B24%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="116" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgSdyfWNIiI/AAAAAAAAPg4/_3BqeFmTy8g/image_thumb%5B10%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="146" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgSd24t_GwI/AAAAAAAAPg8/kHBx1OG32sU/s1600-h/image%5B28%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="120" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgSd5mhCzVI/AAAAAAAAPhA/SYy14BgWXfk/image_thumb%5B12%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="156" /></a> </p>  <p><strong>OR Live Surgeries,</strong> who is featured on the blog here as a reference also has a full video available to see how the entire procedure is done.  The web site also had many videos available for both professionals and patients.  BD  </p>  <p><a href="http://www.or-live.com/makosurgical/2570/event/rnh.cfm?">OR Live - MAKOPlasty Surgery Video</a></p>  <p><strong><u>From the Website:</u></strong></p>  <p><em>The robotic arm with tactile guidance adds the sense of touch, making bone resection highly precise and <a href="http://www.makosurgicalcorp.com/08/home.htm">MAKOplasty®</a> surgeon-friendly. The MAKO Tactile Guidance System™ is a proprietary, FDA-cleared, surgeon–interactive robotic arm system that enables the orthopedic surgeon to pre-<a href="http://www.makosurgicalcorp.com/08/patients/patientexperience.htm"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgSd7Oo3tBI/AAAAAAAAPhE/4jqRgVdRLXI/image%5B38%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="136" /></a>operatively plan the      <br />alignment and placement of knee resurfacing implants and to intra-operatively make complex, anatomic, tissue-sparing and bone-conserving cuts accurately. </em></p>  <blockquote>   <p>HUNTINGTON BEACH – All the years of extreme sports, scaling telephone poles and engaging in shooting competitions had finally caught up with Jack Edmondson. </p>    <p>While Edmondson, 72, had retired from his physically taxing job climbing telephone poles and repairing wires and no longer hit the lake for waterskiing trips, long-range rifle shooting remained a favorite extracurricular activity.</p>    <p>Edmondson underwent MAKOplasty surgery in January at Los Angeles-based Good Samaritan Hospital in which a robot is used rather than a surgeon's hands for a knee implant. </p>    <p>"There are fewer mistakes that can happen and that's the beauty of it," Edmondson said. "It's deleting the human potential for mistakes, <strong>not deleting the human part that knows what he's doing."</strong> </p>    <p>Good Samaritan Hospital is one of about 20 medical centers nationwide that has welcomed a robot into the operating room, said Dr. Lawrence Dorr.</p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.ocregister.com/articles/edmondson-shooting-knee-2397405-dorr-range">Robot performs knee surgery on 72-year-old sharpshooter | edmondson, shooting, knee, dorr, range - News - OCRegister.com</a></p>  <p></p>  <p></p>  <p></p>  <p></p>  <p></p>  <p></p>  <p></p>  <p></p>  <p></p>  <p></p>  <p></p>  <p></p>  <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/12/robot-helps-out-with-knee-surgery.html"><font size="1">Robot Helps Out With Knee Surgery - Makoplasty</font></a></h4>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:6da29bf1-8694-4c09-b1ca-a639ee3f00ae" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Knee+surgery" rel="tag">Knee surgery</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Robotics" rel="tag">Robotics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Robitic+surgery" rel="tag">Robitic surgery</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/MAKOPlasty" rel="tag">MAKOPlasty</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/surgery" rel="tag">surgery</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/OR+Live" rel="tag">OR Live</a></div>

Knee Surgery Done with a Robot - MAKOPlasty Tactile Guidance System™

This is almost like having GPS for your knee surgery and this story is about a 72 year old man who underwent the procedure at a hospital in ...

Friday, May 08, 2009

Would Someone Give the Hacker 10 Million for Prescription Information In Virginia – We have already been for Sale for quite a while now..

<p> The information on prescriptions may not hold a lot of merit for a monetary return; however, additional information compromised could, such as <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgSSvzjkYvI/AAAAAAAAPgY/3w39gdQc5YQ/s1600-h/image%5B5%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="118" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgSSxI87mRI/AAAAAAAAPgc/4FNS4FZcm0k/image_thumb%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="173" /></a>social security numbers as well as credit card accounts.   </p>  <p>There are a couple of firms who have been buying this type of prescription information and selling it to insurance companies for a number of years through pharmacy benefit manager data bases.  </p>  <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/prescriptions-risk-score-used-to-deny.html"><font size="2">Prescriptions risk score used to deny health insurance</font></a></p>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/07/sorry-folks-but-its-true-you-are-for.html"><font size="2">Sorry, folks, but it’s true: You are for sale</font></a></h6>  <p><strong>Is there a market to pay the ransom?</strong>  Good question here and I think more interest will be focused on the crime of breaching itself.  This makes me tend to think that the hacker is maybe outside of healthcare as it relates to the demands.  On the other hand, will security breaches finally make the case for consumers to utilize personal health records?  BD  </p>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/hackers-could-possibly-push-move-for.html">The Hackers Could Possibly push the move for PHRs – Medical Records Hacked in Virginia Department of Health Professions computers</a></h6>  <blockquote>   <p>So hackers have <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/07/AR2009050702515.html">stolen the state of Virginia's pharmaceutical records</a> and want $10 million to give them back. The hackers have threatened to sell the data if they don't get the ransom.</p>    <p>Hollywood makes hackers out to be some sort of evil geniuses but these guys sound pretty dim. Stealing <em>prescription records?</em> Who would even want that information? What would someone <em>do</em> with it? Most of us already get plenty of spam for "Ci@li$" without our personal medical info bouncing around the Internet.</p>    <p><em>“Still, someone must think there's a market for this stuff and $10 million is nothing to sneeze at. </em></p>    <p><a href="http://voices.washingtonpost.com/commons/2009/05/im_a_hacker_give_me_money.html">I'm a Hacker, Give Me Money - John Kelly's Commons - A digital conversation with Post columnist John Kelly</a></p> </blockquote>  <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p>  <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/search-for-john-doe-whos-running.html"><font size="1">The search for John Doe – Who’s running the queries (Algorithms) and wants to know</font></a></p>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/is-this-case-for-new-law-illegal.html">Is This a Case for a New Law – Illegal Algorithms? How Do You Sleep at Night Rockefeller asked the CEO of United Health Care</a></h6>  <h6>   <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/search-for-john-doe-whos-running.html"><font color="#669966"></font></a></h6>   <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/ingenix-inquisition-hearing-requested.html">The Ingenix Inquisition – Hearing Requested by Senator Rockefeller</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/andrew-cuomo-you-have-to-like-this-guy.html">Andrew Cuomo – You Have to Like This Guy – Healthcare Reform</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/excessive-incentives-and-rules-where.html">Excessive Incentives and Rules – Where Did the Wisdom Go in HealthCare?</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/consolidation-in-health-insurance.html">Consolidation in Health Insurance Carriers – Who will be the king of risk management?</a></h6>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:9dcc576e-af0c-4422-975b-447250b60316" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/records" rel="tag">records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/breaches" rel="tag">breaches</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FBI" rel="tag">FBI</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Security" rel="tag">Security</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Data" rel="tag">Data</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/encryption" rel="tag">encryption</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/USB+drives" rel="tag">USB drives</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+records" rel="tag">medical records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+nightmare" rel="tag">medical nightmare</a></div>

Would Someone Give the Hacker 10 Million for Prescription Information In Virginia – We have already been for Sale for quite a while now..

The information on prescriptions may not hold a lot of merit for a monetary return; however, additional information compromised could, such...

Friday, May 08, 2009

Hackers breach UC Berkeley Data Base System

<p> This one is particularly scary in the fact that it went on for such a long period of time, 6 months approximately.  Hopefully none of the critical information has been compromised.  I wonder how long it would have taken to find the breach if the hackers had not left messages. <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgSOLu6K-cI/AAAAAAAAPgQ/xRatLUxU-h4/s1600-h/image%5B4%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="121" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgSONa_hfbI/AAAAAAAAPgU/7Ra46m1dYcs/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="129" /></a></p>  <p>Everyone was just notified a couple weeks ago who could have been affected.   This says a lot for having an outside scanning company run regular routines to check for security.  BD   </p>  <blockquote>   <p>SAN FRANCISCO—University of California, Berkeley, officials said Friday that hackers infiltrated restricted computer databases, putting at risk the personal information of 160,000 current and former students, alumni and others. </p>    <p><strong>The university said data include Social Security numbers, health insurance information and some medical records dating back to 1999. Personal medical records—such as patient diagnoses, treatments and therapies—were not compromised, officials said.</strong> </p>    <p>The databases also included personal information of parents and spouses as well as Mills College students who used or were eligible for Berkeley's health services. </p>    <p><strong>The server breach occurred on Oct. 6, 2008 and lasted until April 9, when campus staff performing routine maintenance found messages allegedly left by the hackers, the school said.</strong> </p>    <p>Former and current students did not receive e-mail notification of the hacks until Friday morning. </p>    <p></p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_12326692">http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_12326692</a></p>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:1e246ac1-d2d9-4262-aef6-3a2693d649f0" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/security+breach" rel="tag">security breach</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Berkeley" rel="tag">Berkeley</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+records" rel="tag">medical records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/University+of+Southern+California" rel="tag">University of Southern California</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/data" rel="tag">data</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hackers" rel="tag">hackers</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+IT" rel="tag">health IT</a></div>

Hackers breach UC Berkeley Data Base System

This one is particularly scary in the fact that it went on for such a long period of time, 6 months approximately. Hopefully none of the c...

Friday, May 08, 2009

Now, Connect to Your EMR Through Your iPhone

<p>Today I have a <strong>“guest post” from Kat Sanders </strong>who has taken some time to explain about how the iPhone works with medical records software from Allscripts and <a href="https://www.epocrates.com/sessionManager.do?type=rxweb&referurl=/online.do&refernext=https://online.epocrates.com" target="_blank">Epocrates</a>.  I like Epocrates too and have the widget on the blog for a quick drug look up. </p>  <p>Thanks to Kat for being a guest today on the Medical Quack!  BD  </p>  <p>It has already revolutionized the way we visualize a cell phone; now the iPhone is going one step higher and making itself extremely useful to the <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgRyCHSC04I/AAAAAAAAPgI/EkFSFaic5is/s1600-h/image%5B4%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="124" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgRyC5k-2LI/AAAAAAAAPgM/YfgClYqsCXk/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="155" /></a>medical community. With the SDK released to third party developers, applications that are necessary for the medical community are finding their way into the iPhone’s memory. Yes, your PDA is able to do the same thing, but the<strong> iPhone uses the applications in unique ways </strong>that make it indispensible – for example, the popular drug reference database application Epocrates allows iPhone users to find the names of pills based on their color, shape and size.  </p>  <p>Now, if you use an EMR and own an iPhone, you can combine the two applications and access patient records on your phone no matter where you are. <strong>Allscripts-Misys Healthcare Solutions has introduced Allscripts Remote, an application that allows physicians to read patients’ medical records, their relevant case histories and the medication that they’re on using their iPhone.</strong> This saves them the trouble of carrying their notebook computers and connecting to WiFi networks in order to check up on patients while away from the office. </p>  <p>Besides this, Allscripts Remote allows medical practitioners access to real time laboratory test results based on which they can use the ePrescribing tool to prescribe medicines for the patient from their regular pharmacy. The application also <strong>allows the doctor to fax the medical report</strong> along with his instructions for the treatment of the patient to emergency rooms so that patients don’t have to wait for emergency and immediate treatment in case of accidents or injuries. </p>  <p>This application works out to both the patients’ and the doctor’s advantage. It allows the physician to travel and still keep in constant touch with his practice and it gives the patient access to immediate medical care even though their doctor is away. </p>  <p><b><u>By-line:</u></b></p>  <p>This article is written by Kat Sanders, who regularly blogs on the topic of <a href="http://phlebotomytechnicianschools.com/">phlebotomy technician programs</a> at her blog Health Zone Blog. She welcomes your comments and questions at her email address: <a href="mailto:katsanders25@gmail.com">katsanders25@gmail.com</a>.</p>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:faea899c-d57b-47bf-a082-c271ab80b028" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/iPhone" rel="tag">iPhone</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Allscripts" rel="tag">Allscripts</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/technology" rel="tag">technology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/mobility" rel="tag">mobility</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/EHR" rel="tag">EHR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/PHR" rel="tag">PHR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/software" rel="tag">software</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/PDA" rel="tag">PDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Epocrates" rel="tag">Epocrates</a></div>

Now, Connect to Your EMR Through Your iPhone

Today I have a “guest post” from Kat Sanders who has taken some time to explain about how the iPhone works with medical records software fro...

Friday, May 08, 2009

What Physician Did Manny Ramirez See, an MLB Doctor?

<p> This is an interesting point of view here on the subject, <strong>was the physician one of the MLB doctors</strong>, and if so, why would be not be aware of the banned substances?  On the other hand, <strong>did Ramirez not see one of the MLB physicians and</strong> looked for help from a physician outside the MLB doctors?  One more scenario,<strong> did he get it from a friend?</strong>  </p>  <p>The drug in question is one that one that corrects testosterone levels after doing steroids it is reported.  It is also used as a fertility drug for women trying to conceive, and I am sure that was not on his list.  <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgRpZsxdZWI/AAAAAAAAPgA/4Nq3czotmec/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgRpbr6IEZI/AAAAAAAAPgE/EeVwse24_Qw/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="152" /></a> Perhaps he might has worried about this condition after the season was over too, just a thought if it was not crucial.  </p>  <p>In a related story, <strong><a href="http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/9956">Queen Elizabeth’s stable is not too clean either</a></strong> as one of her horses was tested positive, so does the Queen cheat too?  Where are the honest folks today?  When it comes to money it appears everything goes until you get caught,<strong> scary to see this making inroads in healthcare</strong>, but more so from the data side of things with<strong> business intelligence working against those who do not have the information</strong>.  See the related reading below on how algorithms create the solutions which are the grounds for decision we make today, and there is money, big money attached to those algorithms, like we all remember with Wall Street.   When the queries are run and the assets can’t create the <strong>expressions desired,</strong> it’s down hill from there.  BD</p>  <blockquote>   <p>How is it that Major League Baseball players can't find medical doctors who know what constitutes a banned substance?</p>    <p>Look, I realize people like me who are restricted to certain insurance approved doctors will never, for instance, get any approval for payment for any treatment other than the common cold, except, of course, having eight kids at a time or a plastic surgery lip pump.</p>    <p>But Los Angeles Dodger Manny Ramirez, who has been paid more than $162 million in his career, could not find a medical doctor savvy enough to steer him away from the banned substances of Major League Baseball. Even this year, with his paltry $15 million annual guaranteed salary, Manny couldn't find a doctor to help him. <strong>Manny had to take a banned substance because, apparently, Major League Baseball's kajillion dollar HMO plan can't find doctors who were given or understand the banned substance list.</strong></p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://bleacherreport.com/articles/170190-manny-this-buds-for-you">Manny: This Bud's For You | Bleacher Report</a></p>  <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/is-this-case-for-new-law-illegal.html">Is This a Case for a New Law – Illegal Algorithms? How Do You Sleep at Night Rockefeller asked the CEO of United Health Care</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/texas-joining-ingenix-inquisition-with.html">Texas Joining the Ingenix Inquisition with Introducing Bill for New Penal Codes – Fraud Against Practitioners</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/doctors-fight-balance-billing-ban-on.html">Doctors fight balance-billing ban on out-of-network costs to survive</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/texas-joining-ingenix-inquisition-with.html">Texas Joining the Ingenix Inquisition with Introducing Bill for New Penal Codes – Fraud Against Practitioners</a></h6>  <h6><font color="#669966"></font></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/beware-of-geeks-bearing-formulaswarren.html"><font color="#669966"></font></a></h6> <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/ama-and-california-medical-association.html"><font size="1">The AMA and the California Medical Association file legal suit – WellPoint and Ingenix</font></a>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/search-for-john-doe-whos-running.html">The search for John Doe – Who’s running the queries (Algorithms) and wants to know</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/ingenix-inquisition-hearing-requested.html">The Ingenix Inquisition – Hearing Requested by Senator Rockefeller</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/andrew-cuomo-you-have-to-like-this-guy.html">Andrew Cuomo – You Have to Like This Guy – Healthcare Reform</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/prescriptions-risk-score-used-to-deny.html">Prescriptions risk score used to deny health insurance</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/consolidation-in-health-insurance.html">Consolidation in Health Insurance Carriers – Who will be the king of risk management?</a></h6>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:e2fc09cf-50c3-40c5-8654-08fd19fbad37" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Manny+Ramirez" rel="tag">Manny Ramirez</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/drug+abuse" rel="tag">drug abuse</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/testosterone" rel="tag">testosterone</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/MLB" rel="tag">MLB</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/physicians" rel="tag">physicians</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/banned+drugs" rel="tag">banned drugs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HMO" rel="tag">HMO</a></div>

What Physician Did Manny Ramirez See, an MLB Doctor?

This is an interesting point of view here on the subject, was the physician one of the MLB doctors , and if so, why would be not be aware o...

Friday, May 08, 2009

Medical Monitoring and Info Devices: GSM/GPRS Wireless Telehealth Monitor – Life Span Medical Screen Phone

<p><strong>Here’s a couple more devices making their way to market, both have wireless and Bluetooth capabilities.  </strong></p>  <p> This is a pretty interesting medical devices, goes right on your home network with it’s IP address and had a multitude of blue tooth wireless devices that talk to it and add information, such as scales, glucose monitors, etc.  Specifications can be <a href="http://www.tunstallhealthcare.com/Spec._RTX3371_(GSM/GPRS)-2144.aspx">found here.</a>  </p>  <p>One day, first thing in the morning after awakening, talk to your device I think may be the future?  One day down the road we may have to transmit all this data to the ER room before we even show up.  </p>  <p><strong><a href="http://www.lifespaninc.com/joomla_22182/index.html">LifeSpan</a></strong> also has one more interesting device below that will work with an EHR/EMR. (below).  I wonder if this type of device could effectively talk to a PHR like the HealthVault too.  </p>  <blockquote>   <p><strong><a href="http://www.tunstallhealthcare.com/How_does_it_work-839.aspx">Tunstall Healthcare</a></strong> has announced the launch of its RTX3371 telehealth monitor - an interactive telehealth device with in-built GSM/GPRS mobile phone technology that collects vital signs wirelessly from a range of external devices such as weight scales and blood pressure cuffs.</p>    <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPuri_2P2I/AAAAAAAAPfk/OSZf9jdQ9yw/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="209" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPutlRon5I/AAAAAAAAPfo/IkFoeH9Bblg/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="355" /></a> </p>    <p>The launch further expands Tunstall Healthcare's range of telehealth products and solutions available to healthcare organizations and providers in USA, which have been designed to effectively monitor patients with chronic diseases in the home.</p>    <p>In addition, the RTX3371 telehealth monitor's spoken voice functionality allows it to collect subjective patient information from patient questionnaires, and to automatically transmit the data to a clinical backend software application based on an open architecture interface.</p>    <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPuwj8mWOI/AAAAAAAAPfs/odgm3bB-dDk/s1600-h/image%5B7%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="370" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPuzOSVpQI/AAAAAAAAPf0/V88QV3xhGWY/image_thumb%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="341" /></a> </p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.themobilehealthcrowd.com/?q=node/263">Tunstall Clear to Market GSM/GPRS Wireless Telehealth Monitor in USA |</a></p>  <p><strong>Lifespan</strong> will commence the marketing of the<strong> Medical ScreenPhone</strong>, its internet access telephony product, to the 14 trillion dollar US healthcare industry as a medical verification, authorization and billing solution as well as a home care communications tool. Lifespan anticipates that the medical marketplace introduction will be rapidly followed by deployment into the hospitality, banking/finance, security and other telecom markets.</p>  <p>Lifespan CEO, Mr. Ken Berscht stated, “Increased efficiencies are sorely needed in healthcare. Currently, administrative costs in healthcare exceed $200 billion each year. The Medical ScreenPhone can be easily utilized to significantly improve the efficiency of a small part of the US medical electronic data transfer (EDT) and electronic medical record (EMR) market. But the best part of the use of the Medical ScreenPhone in this industry is that it will ultimately improve the practice and delivery of healthcare to the benefit of doctors and their patients.</p>  <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPu4zuO--I/AAAAAAAAPf4/LAT1hryjeoM/s1600-h/image%5B11%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="387" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPu90jdAwI/AAAAAAAAPf8/L24e64FEBSY/image_thumb%5B5%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="361" /></a> </p>  <p><a href="http://www.themobilehealthcrowd.com/?q=node/266">http://www.themobilehealthcrowd.com/?q=node/266</a></p>  <p></p>  <p></p>  <p></p>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:7b05182a-f997-4d26-b3d8-ba19b57c0ab7" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+devices" rel="tag">medical devices</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Lifespan" rel="tag">Lifespan</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/monitors" rel="tag">monitors</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/EHR" rel="tag">EHR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/EMR" rel="tag">EMR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/bluetooth" rel="tag">bluetooth</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Tunstall+Healthcare's" rel="tag">Tunstall Healthcare's</a></div>

Medical Monitoring and Info Devices: GSM/GPRS Wireless Telehealth Monitor – Life Span Medical Screen Phone

Here’s a couple more devices making their way to market, both have wireless and Bluetooth capabilities. This is a pretty interesting med...

Friday, May 08, 2009

Robotic Surgery The daVinci Si HD Surgical System – Prostate Gland and Other Surgeries

<h4><font size="2">As posted a few weeks ago, the daVinci just received an upgrade.  This is a good report from ABC News on the daVinci robotic device.  The patient only had one small incision in his belly button to remove his prostate.  What is also interesting is how the robot bags the organ when removed.</font> </h4>  <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/da-vinci-si-hd-surgical-system-gets.html"><font size="2">Da Vinci Si HD Surgical System Gets an Upgrade – Advanced 3D high definition and Updated User Interface</font></a></p>  <p>In other Prostate Cancer news, the Harvard Medical School just created a site for additional information that can be <strong><a href="http://www.harvardprostateknowledge.org/">found here.</a></strong>  </p>  <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPnaHUjOuI/AAAAAAAAPfQ/wcssft3Doos/s1600-h/image%5B10%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="39" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPna5mWQiI/AAAAAAAAPfU/EnynHTVPnNg/image_thumb%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="371" /></a> </p>  <p>below are a few screenshots from the video and a few lines about the recent update to 3D HD vision.  I think in time we will have everything in high definition, and in healthcare that certainly can’t hurt when diagnosing from images and videos.  BD</p>  <blockquote>   <blockquote>     <p><strong><font size="1">Launched in April 2009, the da Vinci Si introduces several enabling features, including:</font></strong></p>      <p><em><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SeIsnEAqLTI/AAAAAAAAPHY/nQEOKXLK7ss/s1600-h/image%5B8%5D.png"><font color="#000000" size="1"><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=7503367"><img align="left" alt="image" border="0" height="114" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SeIsngPbd_I/AAAAAAAAPHc/q52uImYxpw4/image_thumb%5B5%5D.png?imgmax=800" title="image" width="186" /></a></font></a><font size="1">Enhanced high-definition</font></em><font size="1"> 3D vision for superior clinical capability </font></p>      <p><font size="1"><em>An updated user interface</em> for streamlined setup and OR turnover </font></p>      <p><font size="1"><em>Extensibility</em> for digital OR integration </font></p>      <p><strong><font size="1"><em>Dual-console capability</em> to support training and collaboration during minimally invasive surgery.</font></strong></p>      <p><em><font size="1"><b>Advanced 3D HD visualization</b> with up to 10x magnification and an immersive view of the operative field </font></em></p>      <p><em><font size="1"><b>EndoWrist<sup>®</sup> instrumentation</b> with dexterity and range of motion far greater than even the human hand </font></em></p>      <p><em><font size="1"><b>Intuitive<sup>®</sup> motion technology</b>, which replicates the experience of open surgery by preserving natural eye-hand-instrument alignment and intuitive instrument control</font></em></p>   </blockquote>    <p><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=7503367"><img alt="image" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPndnP59WI/AAAAAAAAPfY/8cSpjsGQOtI/image%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="244" /></a> </p>    <p>For a demonstration, the machine is peeling a grape.  </p>    <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPnhHBqcWI/AAAAAAAAPfc/d6YfgqKLKoU/s1600-h/image%5B6%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="160" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPnkgIlJAI/AAAAAAAAPfg/Fk50xn4Q4F8/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="244" /></a> </p>    <p>The video is very interesting and shows some additional robots that can be used at home, well worth the watch.  BD  </p>    <p>A small but <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Health/CancerPreventionAndTreatment/story?id=7050417&page=1">growing number of patients are getting a new option</a> in the operating room -- robots that are helping surgeons perform more complex procedures</p>    <p>When 54-year-old Bill Souter was diagnosed with cancer last month and told his prostate would need to be removed, he was offered <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Health/HeartDiseaseNews/story?id=5635895&page=1">the chance to make medical history</a> at the Cleveland Clinic by becoming the ninth person in the world to have his prostate removed through a tiny incision in his belly button. </p>    <p>"I feel like I'm pretty important to my family and my friends," he said. " And I don't want to lose that right now. So I feel this is the way to go." </p>    <p><a href="http://urology.med.nyu.edu/da-vinci">The new technology</a>, called the daVinci Si HD Surgical System, takes the notion of minimally invasive surgery to an entirely new level.</p>    <p>And the <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=7237249&page=1">new technology </a>is not just for prostates. It can be used for appendixes, hysterectomies, even to take out parts of the liver, and lymph nodes, all through the belly button. And the robot can even seal the organ in a plastic bag before it's removed from the body.</p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=7503367">Robotic Surgery Offers Precise Handling, Quicker Procedures - ABC News</a></p>  <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/12/doctor-and-robot-life-saving-team.html">Doctor and robot a life-saving team - Orange County, CA</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/08/helping-bring-robotic-surgery-to-south.html">Helping bring robotic surgery to south county</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/08/surgeons-use-new-high-definition-robot.html">Surgeons Use New High-Definition Robot During Living-Donor Kidney Transplant</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/08/new-da-vinci-code-many-systems-are.html">A new Da Vinci code- many systems are paying off faster than anticipated....</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/07/this-da-vincis-code-less-pain-fewer.html">This da Vinci’s code: Less pain, fewer scars for women having robotic hysterectomy procedure</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/05/bloodless-prostate-cancer-surgery.html">Bloodless Prostate Cancer Surgery Performed</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/03/surgical-da-vinci-code.html">The Surgical Da Vinci Code</a></h6>  <p></p>  <p></p>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:a4c833d9-c129-49ba-82a6-dcdc7c3b3e83" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/DaVinvi+Robot" rel="tag">DaVinvi Robot</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Robotic+Surgery" rel="tag">Robotic Surgery</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/motion+technology" rel="tag">motion technology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/surgery" rel="tag">surgery</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/technology" rel="tag">technology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/prostate+cancer" rel="tag">prostate cancer</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/robotics" rel="tag">robotics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Harvard+Medical+school" rel="tag">Harvard Medical school</a></div>

Robotic Surgery The daVinci Si HD Surgical System – Prostate Gland and Other Surgeries

As posted a few weeks ago, the daVinci just received an upgrade. This is a good report from ABC News on the daVinci robotic device. The pa...

Friday, May 08, 2009

Abbott sues Johnson and Johnson – Rheumatoid Arthritis Legal Battles

<p>   <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/here-come-bio-similar-drugs-bill-in.html"></a></h6>  The money is rolling in, but who’s going to get it.  The drug, Simponi was just approved by the FDA last month and the lawsuit is still pending on the case where Abbott was sued by Centocor, so you sue me and I’ll sue you.  Humira is Abbotts biggest selling drug.  </p>  <p>Simponi is the new drug to go on the market from the Johnson and Johnson Centocor Unit and is expected to do well, so this is a big pot of money to haggle over.  BD</p>  <blockquote>   <p>Get ready for a battle in the rheumatoid arthritis segment. Johnson & Johnson's Centocor unit is prepping for a launch of its new Humira<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sd6YCULaB8I/AAAAAAAAPFo/eYS6j6GO7CM/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="60" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sd6YDF6J73I/AAAAAAAAPFs/PdIZb__uQ-s/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" title="image" width="122" /></a> competitor Simponi, and Abbott Laboratories is not amused. So unamused, in fact, that Abbott slapped J&J with allegations of patent infringement.</p>    <p>All in a day's work for the folks who defend Big Pharma intellectual property, right? Yes and no. Abbott's suit follows up a set of reverse accusations: Last year, Centocor and NYU sued Abbott, saying that they were entitled to patent royalties on Humira. And that case is still pending.</p>    <p>Like Enbrel, Humira, and J&J’s Remicade, the new product works by blocking TNF, or tumor necrosis factor, a germ-fighting protein that also can cause the inflammation found in rheumatoid arthritis patients.</p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.fiercepharma.com/story/abbott-sues-j-j-over-new-humira-rival/2009-05-05">Abbott sues J&J over new Humira rival - FiercePharma</a></p>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:40851b20-b01e-4769-9df7-0c09c6b88ba9" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Johnson+and+Johnson" rel="tag">Johnson and Johnson</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Abbott" rel="tag">Abbott</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/arthritis" rel="tag">arthritis</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Intellutual+property" rel="tag">Intellutual property</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+care" rel="tag">health care</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pharma" rel="tag">pharma</a></div>

Abbott sues Johnson and Johnson – Rheumatoid Arthritis Legal Battles

The money is rolling in, but who’s going to get it. The drug, Simponi was just approved by the FDA last month and the lawsuit is still...

Friday, May 08, 2009

White House now on Facebook to Increase Transparency

<p> Not to be outdone by the CDC, the White House has their site up and going and yes you can write on the “wall”.  I didn’t see any Swine Flu on there, <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPYZuTOXzI/AAAAAAAAPfA/Xv_veiO1Cz0/s1600-h/image%5B8%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="173" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPYbbGw2eI/AAAAAAAAPfE/ZdOgK2vuHKI/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="200" /></a>yet.  The CDC site has plenty of that.  Best picture on the site, the one with the dog!  BD  </p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/cdc-now-on-facebook.html">CDC Now on Facebook….</a></h4>  <blockquote>   <p>During the campaign season, President Obama amassed a huge network of nearly 6 million Facebook fans of his <a href="http://www.facebook.com/barackobama">public profile page</a> to organize supporters and raise money. Recently, however, the President has refashioned his Facebook presence to highlight his efforts to govern and drive policy changes in Washington with the launch of the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/WhiteHouse">White House public profile</a>.</p>    <p>The new presence, which launched last week, has grown substantially in the past few days. Just last Friday, it claimed around 31,000 fans. Since then, that number has surged to more than 172,000 fans.</p>    <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPYeWuh87I/AAAAAAAAPfI/r0WtiqpKRuU/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="251" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPYgWB6mvI/AAAAAAAAPfM/KjVIHTOyF_A/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="359" /></a> </p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.insidefacebook.com/2009/05/05/white-house-launches-new-facebook-profile-to-increase-transparency/">White House Launches New Facebook Profile to Increase Transparency</a></p>  <p></p>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:5bbfb3c2-7e9d-4183-a3af-1279c8be7a91" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Facebook" rel="tag">Facebook</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/CDC" rel="tag">CDC</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/government" rel="tag">government</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Center+for+Disease+Control" rel="tag">Center for Disease Control</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/social+networks" rel="tag">social networks</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/White+House" rel="tag">White House</a></div>

White House now on Facebook to Increase Transparency

Not to be outdone by the CDC, the White House has their site up and going and yes you can write on the “wall”. I didn’t see any Swine Flu ...

Friday, May 08, 2009

Injectable testosterone may provide effective male contraception – Clinical Trial In China

<p> This is a bit strange and with hormones, there’s no report on what long term use would do, as 2 of the individuals did not return to normal afterwards with over 1000  participants.  In the US, this would be definite downturn from the FDA to say the least.  It does contrast a bit on how clinical studies may differ from those here in the US and condoms are still at the top of the list for both pregnancy prevention as well as disease control.  BD   </p>  <blockquote>   <p>Researchers in China may have found a method for male contraception that is effective, reversible and without serious short-term adverse effects according to a new study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society’s <em>Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism</em> (<em>JCEM</em>).</p>    <p>“Despite the present encouraging results, the long-term safety of this hormonal male contraceptive regimen requires more extensive testing with a focus on cardiovascular, prostate and behavioral safety,” said Dr. Gu.</p>    <p>Dr. Gu said this study is the largest multi-center, male hormonal contraceptive efficacy clinical trial of an androgen preparation in the world. Participants included 1,045 healthy fertile Chinese men aged 20-45 years. Each participant had fathered at least one child within the two years before the study and had a normal medical history. Their female partners were between 18 and 38 years of age and had normal reproductive function.</p>    <p>Males were injected monthly with 500 mg of a formulation of testosterone undecanoate (TU) in tea seed oil for thirty months. Results showed a cumulative contraceptive failure (pregnancy) rate of 1.1 per 100 men in the 24-month efficacy phase. No serious adverse events were reported and reproductive function returned to the normal fertile reference range in all but two participants.</p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.breakthroughdigest.com/medical-news/injectable-testosterone-may-provide-effective-male-contraception/">Injectable testosterone may provide effective male contraception | BreakThrough Digest Medical News</a></p>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:43ed3390-df0b-459d-b855-454b5b702042" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/contraception" rel="tag">contraception</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/China" rel="tag">China</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/clinical+trial" rel="tag">clinical trial</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/testosterone" rel="tag">testosterone</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hormones" rel="tag">hormones</a></div>

Injectable testosterone may provide effective male contraception – Clinical Trial In China

This is a bit strange and with hormones, there’s no report on what long term use would do, as 2 of the individuals did not return to normal...

Thursday, May 07, 2009

First U.S. Face Transplant Patient Talks on Camera from the Cleveland Clinic

<p> This is sad and yet great story on how the facial transplant is helping.  She may not be beautiful, but what a surgical feat.  The only thing that is somewhat bothersome to me in the story is the fact that she would take her husband back, the one who shot her in the face.  I can see forgiving, but to take him back?  Just my own personal opinion there.  </p>  <blockquote>   <p>A shotgun blast shattered Connie Culp's face in September 2004, smashing her nose, cheek and jaw. It robbed her of the ability to see, smell, even to smile.  Dr. Kathy Coffman, the psychiatrist who worked with Culp, said she was a resilient patient, having been through 27 other procedures before the face transplant, and she believes Culp will be a good ambassador to other potential patients.</p>    <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPTBTAleZI/AAAAAAAAPeo/cyehJdaDR7U/s1600-h/image%5B2%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="181" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPTDd0aYII/AAAAAAAAPes/0c3Q2eumdG4/image_thumb.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="244" /></a> </p>    <p>This is how she looks today and the extra skin is hanging for a specific reason and will be tucked in later.  </p>    <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPTGIULa0I/AAAAAAAAPew/6-ghS5jUtQs/s1600-h/image%5B5%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="181" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPTIi0S1gI/AAAAAAAAPe0/ZOH6D8lBQss/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="244" /></a> </p>    <p>This is how she looked before the gun shot in her face.  </p>    <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPTLK3dpQI/AAAAAAAAPe4/q0KEqLRQUts/s1600-h/image%5B8%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="187" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPTNqRy4nI/AAAAAAAAPe8/mF9dc5y01XQ/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="244" /></a> </p>    <p>This is how they hope she will look when everything is healed.  What a big transition and at least she will have some quality of life.  Watch the video at the <a href="Culp required the surgery from injuries she sustained when she was shot in the face in 2004. The episode left her unable to eat, smell, or taste, according to a statement from the Cleveland Clinic. Culp was also unable to breathe without a tracheotomy.">link below to see the full video from ABC</a>.  BD</p>    <p>So when Culp, who became <a href="http://blogs.abcnews.com/health_insider/2008/12/cleveland-clini.html">the first patient in the United States to undergo a face transplant operation</a> last December, appeared publicly to thank the doctors who performed the surgery, the occasion was an emotional one.</p>    <p>Culp required the surgery from injuries she sustained when she was shot in the face in 2004. The episode left her unable to eat, smell, or taste, according to a statement from the Cleveland Clinic. Culp was also unable to breathe without a tracheotomy. </p>    <p>"I just want to say when somebody has a disfigurement and don't look as pretty as you do, don't judge them, because you never know what happened to them. I was shot," Culp said. </p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Health/MindMoodNews/story?id=7511337&page=1">First U.S. Face Transplant Patient Appears Before Cameras - ABC News</a></p>  <p></p>  <p></p>  <p></p>  <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/chimp-attack-victim-flown-to-cleveland.html"><font size="1">Chimp attack victim flown to Cleveland Clinic to see a reconstructive surgery specialist</font></a></h4>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/12/face-transplant-first-for-us.html"><font size="1">Face Transplant a First for the US</font></a></h4>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/08/two-more-face-transplants-show.html"><font size="1">Two More Face Transplants Show Promising Results - in Surgery</font></a></h4>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/03/world-first-full-face-transplant-hailed.html"><font size="1">World's First Full Face Transplant Hailed</font></a></h4>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:122fab5e-95a2-490d-98c1-22e9143b12f0" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Face+transplant" rel="tag">Face transplant</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/surgery" rel="tag">surgery</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/plastic+surgery" rel="tag">plastic surgery</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/technology" rel="tag">technology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Cleveland+Clinic" rel="tag">Cleveland Clinic</a></div>

First U.S. Face Transplant Patient Talks on Camera from the Cleveland Clinic

This is sad and yet great story on how the facial transplant is helping. She may not be beautiful, but what a surgical feat. The only thi...

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Massachusetts Working on Putting Hospitals and Doctors on a Budget – The HMO Revisited?

<p><strong> Are we trying to re-invent the HMO here?</strong>  It does take a bit of business intelligence software to analyze and compute to bring the entire picture of one patient into focus.  The one statement that I thought was caught in this whole article was a section below about patients being protected from <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPPMYsBb0I/AAAAAAAAPeg/HmLRbRNM-Ac/s1600-h/image%5B10%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="116" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPPNqeus2I/AAAAAAAAPek/uyclmovSH78/image_thumb%5B6%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="133" /></a>Doctors denying services.  If I am correct here, they are the ones who are trying get services for patients and it is rather the insurance companies for the most part that deny services. </p>  <p>Again we are talking about software and technology to be able to create all these figures we need to evaluate the care of one patient from start to finish and a lot on a budget.  Just last week here in California, Sutter Hospitals signed a 5 year contract with Sutter for physicians to use to calculate the cost and quality of healthcare portions.   </p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/sutter-hospitals-and-ingenix-working.html"><font size="2">Sutter Hospitals and Ingenix working together on Business Intelligence Software</font></a></h4>  <p>My personal feelings, I want the doctor to take care of me and not be distracted with cost, especially if it is something that is urgent.  Small items certainly can be looked at, but when the big one hits, I don’t believe I want the doctor sitting there trying to figure out what I could afford.  I do one other item worth mentioning here too, we have not even crossed the electronic medical records plateau yet, so are we putting the cart before the horse in a big race to save money and how many of the doctors will use it?  <strong>Utilization managers will be all over</strong> it to audit what the physicians have done you can bet.  If we make it any more difficult to practice medicine, it will only serve to discourage more from entering the field.  </p>  <p>It looks in essence like this is just another way to <strong>reduce services in order to save money.</strong>  If you don’t offer the services to the patients, the money is not spent and then you are back to square one, not improving their healthcare and going without.  BD  </p>  <blockquote>   <p>Massachusetts soon may embark on another bold healthcare experiment, with a state commission poised to recommend this month that insurers radically change how they pay doctors and hospitals.</p>    <p>Commission members said they will urge Governor Deval Patrick and the Legislature to replace the current system, in which insurers typically pay doctors and hospitals a negotiated fee for each individual procedure or visit, with a set payment for each patient that covers all that person's care for an entire year.</p>    <p><strong>Massachusetts would be the first state to broadly adopt such a system, which would essentially put doctors and hospitals on a budget in an effort to restrain health spending.</strong></p>    <p>The<strong> </strong>10-member commission includes administration officials, key legislators, and representatives of hospitals, physicians, and insurers, boosting chances that Massachusetts will overhaul its payment system.</p>    <p><strong>Patients would be protected from doctors' denying them services, because the new system would monitor the quality of care doctors provide, members said.</strong></p>    <p>But other commission members who represent providers and insurers say even five years may be impossible, because most doctors and hospitals don't have the computer systems or provider networks in place yet to fully coordinate care for patients, which would cost millions of dollars.</p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/05/07/state_seeks_to_revamp_way_doctors_hospitals_are_paid/">State seeks to revamp way doctors, hospitals are paid - The Boston Globe</a></p>  <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/sutter-hospitals-and-ingenix-working.html"><font size="1">Sutter Hospitals and Ingenix working together on Business Intelligence Software</font></a></h4>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/is-this-case-for-new-law-illegal.html">Is This a Case for a New Law – Illegal Algorithms? How Do You Sleep at Night Rockefeller asked the CEO of United Health Care</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/texas-joining-ingenix-inquisition-with.html">Texas Joining the Ingenix Inquisition with Introducing Bill for New Penal Codes – Fraud Against Practitioners</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/doctors-fight-balance-billing-ban-on.html">Doctors fight balance-billing ban on out-of-network costs to survive</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/texas-joining-ingenix-inquisition-with.html">Texas Joining the Ingenix Inquisition with Introducing Bill for New Penal Codes – Fraud Against Practitioners</a></h6>  <h6><font color="#669966"></font></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/beware-of-geeks-bearing-formulaswarren.html"><font color="#669966"></font></a></h6>  <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/ama-and-california-medical-association.html"><font size="1">The AMA and the California Medical Association file legal suit – WellPoint and Ingenix</font></a></p>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:ef0cd7df-e630-4136-91cd-cfca83508151" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Healthcare" rel="tag">Healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/budgets" rel="tag">budgets</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospitals" rel="tag">hospitals</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/doctors" rel="tag">doctors</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+insurance" rel="tag">health insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HMO" rel="tag">HMO</a></div>

Massachusetts Working on Putting Hospitals and Doctors on a Budget – The HMO Revisited?

Are we trying to re-invent the HMO here? It does take a bit of business intelligence software to analyze and compute to bring the entire ...

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Genomic analysis in the Amazon Clouds…

<p> What is interesting here is that the service will be using Amazon Web Services along with the software from Geospiza, a Seattle-based maker of software to support biological research.  <a href="http://www.appliedbiosystems.com/about/"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="49" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPJ3a_WxDI/AAAAAAAAPeU/k5zhkl9gGrE/image%5B7%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="165" /></a> With the large amounts of data to analyze and research with genomic research, this makes sense to embrace perhaps an even virtual cloud.  BD  </p>  <blockquote>   <p>Analyzing the huge amounts of data involved in mapping DNA sequences requires formidable computing resources, but not every scientist working in the field has access to a large network or supercomputer, making genomics the perfect candidate for cloud-computing. <a href="http://www.appliedbiosystems.com.au">Applied Biosystems</a> and <a href="http://www.geospiza.com">Geospiza</a> have announced the launch of a genetic analysis solution using cloud-computing that aims to put the tools required for this important field of study into more hands.</p>    <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPJ5ZIwtSI/AAAAAAAAPeY/2bnQNCKQ65M/s1600-h/image%5B2%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="208" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPJ7Jej0RI/AAAAAAAAPec/AJujh8mZli4/image_thumb.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="244" /></a> </p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.gizmag.com/genomic-analysis-in-the-clouds/11610/">Genomic analysis in the clouds</a></p>  <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/geospiza-cuts-deal-with-illumina-to.html">Geospiza Cuts Deal With Illumina, To Help Scientists Cope With Information Overload</a></h4>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:6137ad80-fc2f-4a15-9f10-50def71f34a4" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/genomics" rel="tag">genomics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/sequencing" rel="tag">sequencing</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/software" rel="tag">software</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Science" rel="tag">Science</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/DNA+Testing" rel="tag">DNA Testing</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/personalized+medicine" rel="tag">personalized medicine</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Applied+Biosystems" rel="tag">Applied Biosystems</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Geopiza" rel="tag">Geopiza</a></div>

Genomic analysis in the Amazon Clouds…

What is interesting here is that the service will be using Amazon Web Services along with the software from Geospiza, a Seattle-based maker...

Thursday, May 07, 2009

New Pill Splitting Device – BullsEye Tablet Splitter

<p> This is pretty good speed, 16 pills a minute and gets the job done accurately.  Now this may not sound like a big deal, but when you may not be able to get a lower strength of a medication, it can be a big deal.  Many facilities are not stocking lower dosage medications to save money too.  </p>  <p>Also, when you do it yourself, how accurate can you be and do you lose part of the pill?  Having pills split can also save on co-pays.  BD  </p>  <p><a href="http://www.tcgrx.com/new/prods-inpatient.html"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="203" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgPHPdmuf5I/AAAAAAAAPeQ/f3PBXbGs_c8/image%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="171" /></a> </p>  <blockquote>   <p><strong><a href="http://www.tcgrx.com/new/prods-inpatient.html">TCGRx (TCG),</a></strong> one of North America's leading suppliers of pharmacy equipment, announced the commercial availability of the BullsEye Tablet Splitter, an innovative device that quickly and accurately splits medication with an industry-leading two percent variability between the split halves. Other products on the market frequently crush or split tablets unequally, which may put patient safety at risk. Additionally, existing products are difficult to clean, which can lead to potential contamination of medications. The BullsEye Tablet Splitter can automatically split up to 16 pills per minute and contains a replaceable blade and HEPA filter to decrease potential contamination.</p>    <p><strong>Many health insurers, including UnitedHealthcare, Aetna, Medical Mutual, Dean Healthcare and others, offer tablet-splitting programs that allow their participants to significantly cut their co-pay costs on their medication.</strong> Conversely, some healthcare payers delay or even<strong> deny payment for lower strengths of certain medications</strong>; this often requires that pharmacies and other healthcare facilities split tablets in order to fulfill prescriptions.</p>    <p>"People ask us to split pills for them and we do our best, but the old-fashioned pill splitters can cause crumbling," said Darden Heritage, president of Star Discount Pharmacy in Huntsville, Ala., and a 20-year pharmacy veteran. "They split pills, but not accurately, so you're actually wasting time and money."</p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/149274.php">TCGRx Launches Innovative Tablet-Splitting Device For Pharmacies And Patients</a></p>  <p></p>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:2d9909db-140e-460b-bde4-724c12a49acd" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pharma" rel="tag">pharma</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/drugs" rel="tag">drugs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pills" rel="tag">pills</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pill+splitting" rel="tag">pill splitting</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pharmacies" rel="tag">pharmacies</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/prescriptions" rel="tag">prescriptions</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+insuance" rel="tag">health insuance</a></div>

New Pill Splitting Device – BullsEye Tablet Splitter

This is pretty good speed, 16 pills a minute and gets the job done accurately. Now this may not sound like a big deal, but when you may no...

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Harvard Medical School Professors Given an “F” from the American Medical Student Association

<p> This is an interesting piece about the students and their perception and and the conflict of interest with financial relationships.  Of course, without some type of financial support, some projects would never get off the ground.  There have been quite a few stories in the press of late.  The hospitals and school are separate entities so one policy that covers all is difficult to facilitate.  Not only is Congress up in the air, but it appears now that students have some concerns.</p>  <p>Boston though is a high technology area, even outside of health care so it would make sense to maybe have more of a concentrated scenario with outside funding.  BD  </p>  <blockquote>   <p>(NaturalNews) Pressure is building on Harvard Medical School to better regulate the massive gifts and consulting fees that faculty members regularly receive from drug companies, with increasing attention being drawn to the great potential for conflict of interest in such relationships.      <br />"Before coming here, I had no idea how much influence companies had on medical education," said first-year medical student David Tian. "And it's something that's purposely meant to be under the table, providing information under the guise of education when that information is also presented for marketing purposes.". </p>    <p>A full 1,600 of 8,900 teachers have reported at least one financial relationship in an area related to their teaching, research or medical practice.</p>    <p>A student movement has recently taken form at Harvard Medical School, demanding widespread reform of the school's conflict-of-interest policies. The movement was sparked by a number of high-profile scandals in which Harvard medical faculty were revealed to have concealed hundreds of thousands of dollars in pharmaceutical company gifts, sparking a Senate investigation. This was followed by the <strong>American Medical Student Association giving the school an F grade for its conflict-of-interest disclosure policies.</strong></p>    <p>The University of Pennsylvania, in contrast, received an A, while Columbia, Stanford and New York Universities received Bs.</p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.naturalnews.com/026223.html">Harvard Medical School Professors are Paid Big Bucks by Big Pharma to Push Meds</a></p>  <p>Source:  <a href="http://pharmagossip.blogspot.com/2009/05/harvard-med-school-gets-f-from-its.html">Pharmagossip</a></p>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:9c9d57af-9247-4da9-a519-2085a8caae44" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Conflict+of+Interest" rel="tag">Conflict of Interest</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Harvard+Medical" rel="tag">Harvard Medical</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/American+Medical+Student+Association" rel="tag">American Medical Student Association</a></div>

Harvard Medical School Professors Given an “F” from the American Medical Student Association

This is an interesting piece about the students and their perception and and the conflict of interest with financial relationships. Of cou...

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Drug approved by the FDA to manage Type 2 diabetes – targeting the brain

<p>A new treatment approach for those with Diabetes 2 with a drug that targets activity in the brain, Cycloset.   The drug has been used to treat Parkinson’s disease and it appears via the clinical trials that it is helping control the rise in blood sugar and also can reduce the rate of heart attacks.  Side effects are nausea and dizziness.   </p>  <p>This is not approved for Diabetes 1 patients.  BD</p>  <blockquote>   <p>WEDNESDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- <a href="http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00377676">Cycloset (bromocriptine),</a> a drug that takes the novel approach of managing blood sugar via the <a href="http://www.veroscience.com/"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="59" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgM4vpvwChI/AAAAAAAAPeM/y62zwXizB9U/image4.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="image" width="244" /></a>brain, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, maker <strong><a href="http://www.veroscience.com/">VeroScience Inc.</a></strong> said Wednesday.</p>    <p>The drug, previously prescribed in higher amounts to treat Parkinson's disease, targets a brain chemical that ultimately is involved in regulating metabolism, reports the <i>Associated Press</i>.  </p>    <p>A single dose taken in the morning helped control the rise in blood sugar that typically follows daily meals. After six months of use, 35 percent of people who took Cycloset had recommended blood sugar levels, compared with 10 percent of diabetics who took a non-medicinal placebo, the drug's maker said.</p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.ajc.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/diab/626861.html">Welcome to AJC! | ajc.com</a></p>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:e9f166eb-8875-4779-9a2f-5cb40f94f526" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/diabetes" rel="tag">diabetes</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/cycloset" rel="tag">cycloset</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/drugs" rel="tag">drugs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pharma" rel="tag">pharma</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/clinical+trials" rel="tag">clinical trials</a></div>

Drug approved by the FDA to manage Type 2 diabetes – targeting the brain

A new treatment approach for those with Diabetes 2 with a drug that targets activity in the brain, Cycloset. The drug has been used to tre...

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Cardinal Health Will Resell Allscripts Electronic Medical Records

<p> We saw WalMart enter the market and the move appears to be trending with other companies becoming distributors of electronic medical records, although Cardinal Health is a medical company which has been around for a number of years.  We could start seeing other company alliances in this area as time moves forward.  BD  </p>  <blockquote>   <p><strong><a href="http://www.cardinal.com/">Cardinal Health Inc.</a></strong> will resell the Allscripts MyWay Electronic Health Records software to solo and small physician practices. <a href="http://www.allscripts.com/"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="85" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SdfKKyYd4FI/AAAAAAAAO-c/YUel6KiOxCc/image%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" title="image" width="169" /></a></p>    <p>Dublin, Ohio-based Cardinal Health is a major distributor of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies. Consequently, the alliance gives Chicago-based Allscripts a significant new channel into physician offices looking to adopt EHRs to qualify for financial incentives under the economic stimulus law. </p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/EHR-28172-1.html">Cardinal Health Partners with Allscripts</a></p>  <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/ottawa-regional-hospital-and-healthcare.html"><font size="1">Ottawa Regional Hospital and Healthcare Center Selects Allscripts - Chicago</font></a></h4>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/03/cardinal-health-ge-healthcare-broaden.html"><font size="1">Cardinal Health, Ge Healthcare, Broaden Relationship To Offer Greater Access To Myoview(TM) Imaging Agent</font></a></h4>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:7cf6adb9-67d3-4ce4-9a96-c394dddcf357" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Allscripts" rel="tag">Allscripts</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/EHR" rel="tag">EHR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/EMR" rel="tag">EMR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Cardinal+Healthcare" rel="tag">Cardinal Healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+records" rel="tag">medical records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/technology" rel="tag">technology</a></div>

Cardinal Health Will Resell Allscripts Electronic Medical Records

We saw WalMart enter the market and the move appears to be trending with other companies becoming distributors of electronic medical record...

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Gene Sequencing Companies in Court -Illumina Files Patent Infringement Suit Against Affymetrix

<p> This brings up the question of “what is intellectual property” and how are patents filed and protected in this area and it goes beyond the <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgMvcVH1M6I/AAAAAAAAPeE/uQArC2dJTXw/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="174" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgMvdt4F6NI/AAAAAAAAPeI/X4vmbH04CTw/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="124" /></a>pharmaceutical side of the business, which is what most of us might think about. Who knows where the case will lead and how long, but hopefully it won’t have an impact to slow down personalized medicine growth and technology.  BD   </p>  <blockquote>   <p>NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) – Illumina has filed a lawsuit against Affymetrix alleging infringement its array technology.</p>    <p>The suit, filed yesterday in the US District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin, alleges that a variety of Affymetrix products infringe Illumina's US Patent No. 7,510,841, entitled, "Methods of Making and Using Composite Arrays for the Detection of a Plurality of Target Analytes." The patent was issued on March 31, 2009.</p>    <p>The Affy products named in the suit include the GeneChip HT RG-230 PM Array Plate, the GeneChip HT Array Plate Scanner, the GeneChip HT 3' IVT Express Kit, the GeneChip Array Station, and the GeneTitan Institute.</p>    <p>The Affy products named in the suit include the GeneChip HT RG-230 PM Array Plate, the GeneChip HT Array Plate Scanner, the GeneChip HT 3' IVT Express Kit, the GeneChip Array Station, and the GeneTitan Institute.</p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.genomeweb.com/arrays/illumina-files-patent-infringement-suit-against-affymetrix">Illumina Files Patent Infringement Suit Against Affymetrix | GenomeWeb Daily News | Arrays | GenomeWeb</a></p>  <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/geospiza-cuts-deal-with-illumina-to.html"><font size="1">Geospiza Cuts Deal With Illumina, To Help Scientists Cope With Information Overload</font></a></h4>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/clc-joins-illumina-bioinformatics.html"><font size="1">CLC Joins Illumina Bioinformatics Partnering Program – Sequencing Software</font></a></h4>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/scripps-navigenics-affymetrix-and.html">Scripps, Navigenics, Affymetrix and Microsoft team on groundbreaking health study – Personalized Medicine</a></h6>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:734b4821-dc53-4c4f-a2dc-6d104b5ea7b5" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/personalized+medicine" rel="tag">personalized medicine</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/sequencing+machines" rel="tag">sequencing machines</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/genomics" rel="tag">genomics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/arrays" rel="tag">arrays</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/R+and+D" rel="tag">R and D</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Science" rel="tag">Science</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/biotech" rel="tag">biotech</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/intellectual+property" rel="tag">intellectual property</a></div>

Gene Sequencing Companies in Court -Illumina Files Patent Infringement Suit Against Affymetrix

This brings up the question of “what is intellectual property” and how are patents filed and protected in this area and it goes beyond the ...

Thursday, May 07, 2009

How Secure is your Medical Billing Information – 90 Day Extension for Policies until August 1st

<p> When it comes to security for medical record information, everyone thinks of electronic medical records, but billing information is being addressed as well.  I mention this as quite a few offices have computerized billing software and information stored, even though they are not formally using any <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgMpOOyIqGI/AAAAAAAAPd8/8jlp8tEDpys/s1600-h/image%5B19%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="183" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgMpPDFfsuI/AAAAAAAAPeA/KVy_FpxXYY0/image_thumb%5B7%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="137" /></a>type of electronic medical record.  </p>  <p>With all the confidential information stored here, this could also be deadly when it comes to medical identity theft and breaches, so it’s not just limited to medical records software, billing information too is considered prime territory for theft.  As mentioned, this rule is targeted at creditors, and the AMA is looking to submit some type of provision to omit physicians, but still overall, take a look at the security on your billing software just as a good measure and make sure it is not susceptible to identity theft.  It may be a while before all can come to an agreement here on the language, but common sense will tell you that nobody wants a breach when it can be avoided.  </p>  <p>It is interesting that breaches are still up in the air for personal health records, but this is a much bigger target as if someone were going to take the time to break into one PHR, it would hardly be worth the effort where large data bases are the fruitful targets.  BD</p>  <blockquote>   <p>Hospitals and physicians <u><b><a href="http://www.modernhealthcare.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090501/REG/304309941">have another three months before they are held accountable for complying with what’s called the “red flags” rule,</a></b></u> intended to compel financial institutions and creditors to help prevent identity theft, though doctors have yet to give up arguing that the regulation shouldn’t apply to them in the first place.       <br />The rule, which stems from the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003, requires covered organizations to have <strong>written policies that specify possible indicators of identity theft in their operations and procedures to monitor and respond to them.</strong> The Federal Trade Commission interprets the rule to reach to healthcare providers because they allow deferred payment for services, which came as a surprise to many as the original enforcement deadline, Nov. 1, 2008, loomed last fall.</p>    <p>“I think for the most part healthcare providers would have a lot of this already in place with medical records in complying with HIPAA and state law,” said Jud DeLoss, a principal at the law firm Gray Plant Mooty in Minneapolis<strong>. “Medical records aren’t the target here, it’s the billing,” DeLoss added. “That’s not entirely new for more sophisticated systems</strong>, but it’s certainly a new area, for a concentrated area, to prevent the loss or misuse of patient information.”</p>    <p><strong>The American Medical Association intends keep trying to persuade the FTC to reopen the rule for comments to allow them to formally argue that physicians aren’t among the targets Congress intended.</strong> This extension is a direct result of AMA advocacy to spare physicians from having to comply with this onerous rule aimed at creditors,” AMA board member Ardis Hoven said in a written statement. </p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.modernhealthcare.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090507/REG/305079994/1029&nocache=1">‘Red flags’ delay gives docs time to test applicability - Modern Healthcare</a></p>  <p></p>  <p></p>  <p></p>  <p></p>  <p></p>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:6ce3a564-92a1-4b81-be2e-711d6cad18bb" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/AMA" rel="tag">AMA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+billing+software" rel="tag">medical billing software</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/security+breaches" rel="tag">security breaches</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FTC" rel="tag">FTC</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/EHR" rel="tag">EHR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/EMR" rel="tag">EMR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/creditors" rel="tag">creditors</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/identity+theft" rel="tag">identity theft</a></div>

How Secure is your Medical Billing Information – 90 Day Extension for Policies until August 1st

When it comes to security for medical record information, everyone thinks of electronic medical records, but billing information is being a...

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Wal-Mart Expands Drug Program – Will Mail your prescription to you – Pilot Program in Michigan

<p> The pilot program begins in Michigan with Wal Mart and Sams Club Stores offering a 90 day supply of 300 generic drugs and they will mail them to you <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgKW2SuEhdI/AAAAAAAAPd0/qjx6fY4p8EQ/s1600-h/image%5B4%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="131" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgKW3BMpWZI/AAAAAAAAPd4/7i3W0GVGct0/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="126" /></a>for free as well.  So now you can go online get your refill and not have to leave the house.  Wal Mart already offers many generics for $4.00 for a 30 day supply so over 3 months you save a couple bucks with the new $10.00 price.  BD   </p>  <blockquote>   <p>Wal-Mart Stores Inc. is expanding a pilot prescription-drug program for companies, heating up the race among pharmacy retailers to transform the way drugs are priced and sold.</p>    <p>The discount retailer is offering businesses low-priced drugs if they sign up to buy <strong>directly from Wal-Mart's network of in-store pharmacies,</strong> rather than contracting to buy drugs through third parties known as pharmacy-benefit managers.</p>    <p>Wal-Mart's program follows other recent initiatives by big pharmacy retailers to grab market share by offering companies a less-expensive and simpler way to manage their drug plans.</p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124138786561981235.html?mg=com-wsj">Wal-Mart Expands Drug Program - WSJ.com</a></p>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:3a0c0640-fa83-47bb-94ff-0228b222729a" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Walmart" rel="tag">Walmart</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/prescriptions" rel="tag">prescriptions</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/drugs" rel="tag">drugs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/heatlhcare" rel="tag">heatlhcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Sam's+Club" rel="tag">Sam's Club</a></div>

Wal-Mart Expands Drug Program – Will Mail your prescription to you – Pilot Program in Michigan

The pilot program begins in Michigan with Wal Mart and Sams Club Stores offering a 90 day supply of 300 generic drugs and they will mail th...

Thursday, May 07, 2009

FDA approves Medtronic heart wire – Created with NASA developed material

<p> Cardio surgery and the devices used are becoming more sophisticated all the time.  Perhaps this might be a valid answer to replace some of the wires that will be needing replacement.  Hopefully this will prove to be a longer life wire which would be great news to all those implanted with devices.  BD  <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/related_content.html?topic=Medtronic%20Inc">Medtronic Inc.</a> said Wednesday it received federal approval for a heart wire that’s out of this world.<a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgKSzulG8GI/AAAAAAAAPds/KFjFIoPsf84/s1600-h/image%5B4%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="166" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgKS3sUsXaI/AAAAAAAAPdw/TwCKEZxDoTk/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="140" /></a></p>  <blockquote>   <p><strong>The Attain Ability wire uses insulation material developed by NASA Langley Research Center</strong> that was previously evaluated for space applications, high-performance engines and harsh environments. Medtronic said this is the first time a <strong>NASA-developed material</strong> has been used in this kind of implantable medical device. Langley Research Center is located in Hampton, Va. </p>    <p>The wire, called a lead, delivers electrical impulses directly to the heart from a pacing device implanted in a patient’s chest. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has cleared Attain Ability wire for treatment of heart failure.</p>    <p>Fridley-based Medtronic (NYSE: MDT) said Attain Ability is especially thin, making it easier for surgeons to navigate the lead through the intricate curves of the heart’s anatomy to place the lead in the ideal location on the left ventricle.</p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2009/05/04/daily27.html">FDA approves Medtronic heart wire - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:</a></p>  <p></p>  <p></p>  <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/medtronic-1000s-of-sprint-fidelis.html">Medtronic – 1000s of the Sprint Fidelis Defibrillator Cables May Stop working in the next few years</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/implanted-heart-monitor-inserted-with.html">Implanted Heart Monitor Inserted with Minor Outpatient procedure – Medtronic Reveal DX</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/medtronic-announces-launch-of-x-stop.html">Medtronic Announces Launch Of X-Stop® Peek IPD® System For U.S. Patients Suffering From Symptoms Of Lumbar Spinal Stenosis</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/01/brain-implants-for-parkinson-show.html">Brain Implants For Parkinson's Show Benefits as well as risks</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/09/medtronic-acquires-medical-device.html">Medtronic acquires medical device company for $387 million</a></h6>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:9c3482d1-2401-4269-8e54-a2f7739ab94f" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medtronics" rel="tag">Medtronics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/heart+valves" rel="tag">heart valves</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Core+Technologies" rel="tag">Core Technologies</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/cardiology" rel="tag">cardiology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/minimally+invasive+procedures" rel="tag">minimally invasive procedures</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Attain+Ability" rel="tag">Attain Ability</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Defibrillator" rel="tag">Defibrillator</a></div>

FDA approves Medtronic heart wire – Created with NASA developed material

Cardio surgery and the devices used are becoming more sophisticated all the time. Perhaps this might be a valid answer to replace some of ...

Thursday, May 07, 2009

Medicare has Decided Against paying for the Genetic Warfarin Test For Now

<p> This is a set back; however they did say they would pay for the tests as related to clinical trials.  The tests run from $50.00 to $500.00, so this is not huge by any means.  Warfarin is used to prevent blood clots and is one of the more difficult medications to monitor and has some side effects that <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgKOUav4oxI/AAAAAAAAPdk/gHkb3SZVRBA/s1600-h/image%5B4%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="125" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgKOVa7vxwI/AAAAAAAAPdo/LFyGIs3lNrA/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="142" /></a>can be threatening to some, so again somewhat of a sad day to not allow the test and some patients will more than likely be prescribed a drug that may not be of help to them, or cause some health affecting side effects.  </p>  <p>Some stated they were in agreement with Medicare as said it would not make a big enough difference with dosing levels.  It appears it is back to cost and not wanting the additional information available, and there will be more forth coming from other areas.  Until then, at least we have the clinical trials to work with.  BD  </p>  <blockquote>   <p>In a setback for the fledgling field of personalized medicine, <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/medicare/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier">Medicare</a> has decided not to pay for genetic tests intended to help doctors determine the best dose of the blood thinner warfarin for a particular patient. </p>    <p>In a <a href="http://www.cms.hhs.gov/mcd/viewdraftdecisionmemo.asp?id=224">proposed decision</a> posted on its Web site Monday, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said that there was not enough evidence that use of the tests improved patients’ health.  </p>    <p>But the agency said it would pay for the tests as part of clinical trials to gather such evidence. </p>    <p>The warfarin response tests, which cost $50 to $500, look at variations in two specific genes in a patient. They are among a group of new tests that seek to tailor medical treatments based on a patient’s genetic makeup. Such tests might help tell which drug would be best for a particular person, or whether a patient might be susceptible to dangerous side effects.</p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/05/health/05thinner.html?_r=1">Gene Test for Dosage of Blood Thinner Is Rebuffed - NYTimes.com</a></p>  <p><strong><u>Genomics Related Reading:</u></strong></p>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/personalized-medicine-will-rely-on-it.html">Personalized medicine will rely on IT – It’s all about Software</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/01/plavix-whats-next-step-for-doctors-and.html">Plavix – What’s the next step for doctors and patients – possible genetic testing in the near future?</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/01/genetic-warfarin-test-not-cost.html">Genetic warfarin test not cost-effective in guiding initial dosing of common blood thinner</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/01/plavix-whats-next-step-for-doctors-and.html">Plavix – What’s the next step for doctors and patients – possible genetic testing in the near future?</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/09/who-going-to-pay-for-warfarin-test.html">Who's going to pay for the Warfarin Test - Personalized Medicine</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/genetic-testing-improves-some-warfarin.html">Genetic Testing Improves Some Warfarin Dosing</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/09/fda-approves-new-300mg-loading-dose.html">FDA Approves New 300mg Loading Dose Tablet For PLAVIX(R) (clopidogrel Bisulfate)</a></h6>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/arterial-fibrillation-what-will-be.html"><font size="1">Atrial Fibrillation – What will be the future standard of care, Warfarin or the Watchman Device?</font></a></h4>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/01/genetic-warfarin-test-not-cost.html">Genetic warfarin test not cost-effective in guiding initial dosing of common blood thinner</a></h6>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:eabf3f9c-3865-4b23-a651-f869666f3bde" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Genomics" rel="tag">Genomics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Personalized+Medicine" rel="tag">Personalized Medicine</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/lab+tests" rel="tag">lab tests</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/cancer+tests" rel="tag">cancer tests</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pharmacogenomics" rel="tag">pharmacogenomics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pharmacogenetics" rel="tag">pharmacogenetics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/DNA+Tests" rel="tag">DNA Tests</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Warfarin" rel="tag">Warfarin</a></div>

Medicare has Decided Against paying for the Genetic Warfarin Test For Now

This is a set back; however they did say they would pay for the tests as related to clinical trials. The tests run from $50.00 to $500.00,...

Thursday, May 07, 2009

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How Secure is your Medical Billing Information – 90 Day Extension for Policies until August 1st

Wal-Mart Expands Drug Program – Will Mail your prescription to you – Pilot Program in Michigan

FDA approves Medtronic heart wire – Created with NASA developed material

Medicare has Decided Against paying for the Genetic Warfarin Test For Now

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