Congress Plans Incentives for Healthy Habits ,Wellness Programs, and Devices? How Potentially Intrusive and Disruptive Will It Get to Save Money?

<p><font size="2"><strong>This is what I call a very “loaded” commentary and transparent view of what we are dealing with today.</strong>  With Congress looking at incentives with insurance companies and employers, <strong>could they live within these realms themselves?</strong>  This is the danger zone where<strong> those, who are not full acquainted with technology methodologies miss the boat and are perhaps unaware of what is happening in the “real world”.  </strong></font></p> <p><font size="2">Before passing laws it is only my<strong> small suggestion that perhaps members of Congress perhaps think about trying to live their lives under these constraints and still function as a human with some quality of life, could it be done?</strong>  This is what’s happening on the back side and the entire make up of employer health insurance plans today, not just the fine print, reality of what is being practiced and <strong>there are no laws or constraints here, so it’s open game.  We have the privacy advocates, thank goodness who do their best, but again does anyone listen?</strong></font></p> <p><font size="2">Without technology knowledge and a full comprehensive understanding of risk management, nobody is at the controls.  <strong>I like and use technology as</strong> much as the next person if not more so, but in doing so, this also<strong> gives me the opportunity to see how it is and will be mismanaged, and all that is out there.</strong>  It is better to educate and have voluntary participation rather than the big brother approaches we are seeing today as everyone is fighting for the dollar. <strong>Healthcare suffers and levels of anxiety and anger rise.  We see it every day, but will be educate ourselves and acknowledge that it exists?  That is the million dollar question.</strong>  </font></p> <p><font size="2"><strong>The devices will come, like it or not as long as risk management controls.</strong>  Read about Red Brick Insurance who plans to<strong> offer employers a health insurance plan with the option to “electronically connect” the employees.</strong>  You could almost bet that their option of not including this service would represent a higher contract, since they will be intervening in the monitoring process.  A couple months ago they landed some additional funding from a VC who must think this will fly. (from a prior post below)</font></p> <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/health-coachinsurance-company-employer.html"><font size="2">The Health Coach/Insurance Company – Employer plan to uses devices and phones for employees to prove their physical activity</font></a></p> <p><em><font size="2">Redbrick’s methods for tracking employees’ commitment to these health plans are surprisingly detailed (though they may smack a bit of </font></em><a href="https://www.redbrickhealth.com/"><em><font size="2"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="41" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sdb-4hcqQjI/AAAAAAAAO-A/eoaf7Uokz24/image%5B5%5D.png?imgmax=800" title="image" width="137" /></font></em></a><em><font size="2">Big Brother). For example, it offers an iPhone application that records progress on a person’s walking exercises and beams the data back to Redbrick’s system. Pedometers and watches that do the same are also in the works, VentureWire reports. This might sound a tad invasive, but the company says that employers have the choice whether or not to make employees prove that they are following their custom health maps. </font></em></p> <p><em><font size="2">Redbrick’s methods for tracking employees’ commitment to these health plans are surprisingly detailed (though they may smack a bit of Big Brother). For example,<strong> it offers an iPhone application that records progress on a person’s walking exercises and beams the data back to Redbrick’s system.</strong> Pedometers and watches that do the same are also in the works, VentureWire reports. This might sound a tad invasive, but the company says that employers have the choice whether or not to make employees prove that they are following their custom health maps.</font></em></p> <p><font size="2"><strong><u>Perhaps could members of Congress test pilot Red Brick for us?</u></strong>  These are the areas they don’t think or know about, but are out there behind the scenes and growing as there is no regulation over this type of activity and unfortunately instead of being pro-active, our Representatives are always re-active and try to fix things after the fact.  Would members of Congress like to have an iPhone electronically attached to read and submit all their daily activities?  </font></p> <p><u><font size="2"><strong>Here are a few other examples from the blog that have been posted:</strong></font></u></p> <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/02/50000-marriott-employees-get-online.html"><font size="2">50,000 Marriott Employees Get Online Health Alert System</font></a></p> <p><font size="2">The system sends alerts to an employee's doctor if there's a potential problem such as a dangerous drug interaction or a key test that's been missed. </font><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgchOCenPGI/AAAAAAAAPlA/I-3wBNPmq28/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><font size="2"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="197" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgchPCJU6HI/AAAAAAAAPlE/_5nw2b-bgIQ/image_thumb%5B1%5D.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" /></font></a><font size="2"> The hotel chain is using a Web-based personal health record system from ActiveHealth Management, which is owned by insurance company Aetna.  Marriot gets access to the aggregated data, I which I believe does not identify each individual.  At any rate, more wellness and potentially additional alerts for the patient’s doctor to sift through, but an EHR could do the same.  </font></p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/employers-in-search-of-ways-to-help.html"><font size="2">Employers in search of ways to help keep health insurance costs low – How far will it go?</font></a><font size="2"> </font></h6> <p><font size="2">With technology on a very fast pace today in healthcare and new devices and means for collecting data, this is an area whereby we need to be aware of what methodologies will be embraced next, in other words, where will technology lead us and what is useful technology and what is considered <u>“intrusive” technology.</u> Nobody is holding back when opportunities are presented and sometimes technology and opportunities for additional income get confused.  When it comes to saving a dollar today and efficiency, the <u>electronic umbilical cord</u> could extend farther than anyone of us could imagine if the check and balance system is not kept in place.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgchQaeLuoI/AAAAAAAAPlI/cSOLBiWIoHg/s1600-h/image%5B7%5D.png"><font size="2"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="113" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgchR4MxxOI/AAAAAAAAPlM/bJzHiCebMko/image_thumb%5B3%5D.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="214" /></font></a><font size="2"> </font></p> <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/01/motorcycle-riding-sky-diving-and.html"><font size="2">Motorcycle-riding, sky-diving, and cigarettes. Should your employer be minding his own business, or yours?</font></a></p> <p><font size="2">I met someone last week who was quitting his job after 15 years. The company he worked for was  acquired by another firm that had very different rules of conduct for its employees. The new company instituted very detailed guidelines about attire (all shoes must have laces), workspace (no food or drink at the desk), and behavior (no leaning on the side of desks—yes, an actual rule). <strong>Further, their health insurance policy had exclusions for items that the executives considered unwise: no coverage for treatments resulting from motorcycle accidents, sky-diving, or sexually-transmitted diseases.</strong></font></p> <p><font size="2">Can companies do that? Certainly, when they’re paying. Whoever pays for insurance can decide what type of treatments will and won’t be covered by their insurance policy. Whenever we allow a <u>third party to pay for our health insurance, we transfer a part of our decision-making power to them.</u> </font></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/customer-service-with-twitter-blue.html"><font size="2">Customer Service with Twitter – Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Insurance Will find You</font></a></h4> <p><font size="2"><strong>Blue Cross will find you on Twitter too.</strong>  </font></p> <p><font size="2">On the other side of the coin also remember, everything you put on Twitter is open territory for all to read unless you protect your updates and allow only selected individuals.   Other companies such as Dell are also using Twitter, although I could not see doing a customer support call with PC problems on Twitter, but it might do the trick and put you in contact instead of being transferred around a busy pbx system.  You will be marketed if the hash mark is found by their scanners so if you don’t want to be contacted, don’t talk about them.  </font></p> <h6> <p><font size="2"></font></p> <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/04/anthem-blue-cross-going-after-some.html"><font size="2">Anthem Blue Cross going after some outsourced HR business?</font></a></h6> <p><font size="2"><strong>The insurers will offer you counseling to keep cost down on some of the very services that are denied or cherry picked.</strong></font></p> <p><font size="2">Californians have access to face-to-face counseling with network providers with Anthem Blue Cross.  In addition to competitive Health and EAP benefits, Anthem also offers access to Dental, Vision, Life and Disability. For more information on Anthem's EAP, visit </font><a href="http://www.anthemEAP.com"><font size="2">www.anthemEAP.com</font></a><font size="2">.  Anthem's EAP provides confidential, professional assistance when an employee's life and work are affected by personal problems such as relationship, stress, legal or financial issues, career concerns, and anxiety or depression.  </font></p> <p><font size="2"><strong>Would a member of Congress try this out for us?</strong></font></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/08/aetna-your-pill-lottery.html"><font size="2">Aetna "Take your Pill" Lottery...</font></a></h4> <p><font size="2"><strong>Could your employer through contract negotiations require that you participate in program like this</strong> to tie you to a device to make sure you take your medications? </font></p> <p><font size="2">Aetna, through its nonprofit foundation, is funding research to find out whether a daily lottery with cash prizes will help improve patients' </font><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgchTUyOusI/AAAAAAAAPlQ/GtVqJGuLBV0/s1600-h/image%5B16%5D.png"><font size="2"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="179" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgchU-WBX2I/AAAAAAAAPlY/8ZKw7lspcoA/image_thumb%5B7%5D.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="182" /></font></a><font size="2">medication adherence. The Aetna Foundation last fall gave researchers a $400,000 grant to fund a study at the University of Pennsylvania that will use prizes of $10 and $100 as rewards for taking medication as prescribed.</font></p> <p><font size="2">1-in-10 chance of winning $10 every day they take their medication and a 1-in-100 chance of winning $100. Each day a text message will tell a subject whether he or she has won the lottery, or, if the dose wasn't taken, whether he or she would have won.</font></p> <p><font size="2"><strong>Could Congress give this a try and report back to us and see if they think it is worthwhile?</strong></font></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/muve-gruve-device-measures-your.html"><font size="2">The Muve Gruve Device Measures your Inactivity – Intrusive Technology with a Human Audit Trail?</font></a></h4> <p><font size="2"><strong>The makers if this device specifically state on the website they are targeting insurance companies to keep the cost down</strong>, so will your carrier/employer be requesting you wear one of these to prove what level of exercise and sleep you may be getting?   How long would members of Congress tolerate wearing one of these themselves I might ask?  Who really needs to know exactly how much exercise you really get other than yourself.  It could be a great tool without the big brother attachments.  </font></p> <p><font size="2">The clip on the Gruve was designed to integrate into the shape of the device and function on virtually any type of clothing or belt to be unobtrusive to the user. The Gruve uses vibration to notify the user it is time to get moving. </font></p> <p><font size="2"><strong>A targeted customer base is corporations looking to explore the possibility of reducing the cost of insurance premiums by improving peoples health through prevention rather that treatment and those who need that extra reminder to get up and at it to stay fit.</strong></font></p> <p><strong><font size="2">Would members of Congress try this out for us and see exactly what is reported and it if helps?  Do we have members of Congress who might benefit that could tell us whether or not they like it?</font></strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/intrusive-technology.html"><font size="2">Intrusive Technology for dependents too?</font></a></h4> <p><font size="2">I write quite a bit about new healthcare technology and this article somewhat relates to some of the monitoring devices we are now seeing in </font><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SRHLUyCxC1I/AAAAAAAAJzc/Mqtgp6XFkh8/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><font color="#000000" size="2"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="134" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SRHLVuxxN4I/AAAAAAAAJzg/z2uiVfXZqzM/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" title="image" width="128" /></font></a><font size="2">healthcare.  Schools in London are now testing the device that is strapped on to a child who is determined to be unruly.  <strong>The devices are slated to also help the children recognize their own trigger points and better deal with their anger,</strong> something we as humans have done as parents and teachers, so now instead of perhaps a little human intervention, the child is now being left with a device to educate oneself instead of some nice warm direction from a human? </font></p> <h4><font size="2">Will children covered by health insurance companies be required to learn at an early age to monitor their heart rate if they are determined to being unruly or have any pre-existing health conditions?  </font></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/09/more-employers-turn-to-disease.html"><font size="2">More Employers Turn to Disease Management</font></a></h4> <p><font size="2">Is this another bad experiment...to contain costs...with off the shelf disease management programs...large companies can mold such a project, but small employers get the "boxed" deal from their carriers and the recommended outsource companies who provide this, many either owned or funded by the insurance companies...bottom line is that your employer is going to want to know how "diseased' you are...</font></p> <p><font size="2">  Small companies, meanwhile, purchase </font><a href="http://search.crownpeak.com/cpt_search/result_1?account=1005&psel=all&match=best&sort_by=publish_date&q=%22disease+management%22&Go.x=4&Go.y=2"><font size="2">disease management</font></a><font size="2"> as part of their health insurance. With a less focused approach, participation rates are lower.We are not falling off a cliff,” he says, “but we are facing a slow and long-term erosion of our employer-based system.”</font></p> <p><font size="2"><strong>Would Congress subscribe to a “Boxed Deal” and let us know how it works for them and their staff?</strong></font></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/06/medical-insurance-costs-could-use.html"><font size="2">Medical insurance costs could use a healthy dose of reality – It’s all in the crackers?</font></a></h4> <p><font size="2">Holy crap, is this what could be discussed in the next job interview?  This is just a short excerpt, so read the entire opinion piece at the link below.  This is an interviewer and </font><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SGKvHWHc57I/AAAAAAAAH18/FlLboU78Ndw/s1600-h/image%5B4%5D.png"><font size="2"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="119" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SGKvH4Ke8OI/AAAAAAAAH2A/EoEQNH3ZGek/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" title="image" width="151" /></font></a><font size="2">interview candidate in discussion…the <strong>Dorito or the unsalted cracker</strong> may make the difference on whether or not the candidate gets the job and the employer is more  engrossed with the potential insurance coverage than the overall skills of the candidate in this mock interview, in other words <strong>what is the financial exposure to the employee seems to raise to the top of the concerns,</strong> scary, yes, but even if they don’t say it, is it kicking around in the back of their heads? <strong>Is is skills or exposure today that counts?</strong> </font></p> <p><strong><font size="2">“But as an employer who buys private health insurance for my employees, I can’t control much of that. But I can reduce my premiums by controlling what my employees eat, drink and do.”</font></strong></p> <p><font size="2">“You can do that?”</font></p> <p><font size="2">“According to the San Francisco Chronicle, one employer not only required his employees to stop smoking, he demanded it of their spouses, too.<strong> He enforced his ban through random testing. Employees caught smoking get canned.”</strong></font></p> <p><strong><font size="2">“But what does all of this have to do with me?”</font></strong></p> <p><strong><em><font size="2">“As your employer, I have every legal right to ask you to authorize access to your medical records. You will eat a healthful diet and forsake bad habits that will add to our premiums.”</font></em></strong></p> <p><font size="2">Weyco Inc. of suburban Lansing, Mich., performs random testing every three months, usually of about 30 employees. Workers are summoned to blow into a Breathalyzer-like device that measures carbon monoxide levels. If the reading is high, employees take a urine test. If they fail the urinalysis twice they will be dismissed. One person was fired in 2006, a company official said, and none this year.</font></p> <p><strong><u><font size="2" face="Arial">Would members of Congress work well with being tested randomly with urine tests?</font></u></strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/09/some-companies-penalize-for-health.html"><font size="2">Some Companies Penalize for Health Risks</font></a></h4> <p><font size="2">If you work for a company, be prepared...there are all types of incentives/penalties being implemented by companies relative to health care...an effort to change employee behavior..there are lots of potential legal and privacy issues yet to arise as this becomes more main stream...and some health issues can't be controlled, so as this moves on I'm sure there will be much more on this subject.  As the article states, companies are using both negative and positive incentives and come in many variations.  BD  </font></p> <p><strong><font size="2">In 2009 the company will start reducing pay for employees in its health plan by $10 per paycheck if their BMI — a measurement of body fat through a height and weight ratio — is in the obese range of more than 29.9. The deduction will be $5 per check if they don't meet required cholesterol, blood pressure or blood glucose measurements. Workers will be required to complete an annual health risk assessment and can appeal to have their fees dropped if they show improvement.</font></strong></p> <p><font size="2">"It's a backdoor approach to weeding out expensive employees," legal director Jeremy Gruber said.</font></p> <p><font size="2"><strong>Could we have members of Congress and their staff adhere to such a policy?  Would they all meet the BMI range and if not, have deductions made from their paychecks?</strong></font></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/healthcare-is-number-one-enemy-of-small.html"><font size="2">Healthcare Is the Number-One Enemy of Small Business – US Small Business Administration</font></a></h4> <p><font size="2">Even the government’s own Small business Administration says Healthcare is the number one enemy, so why do we continue to tie insurance and healthcare to employers?  Is this not an important consideration?</font></p> <p> <embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/271521204" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=9348772001&playerId=271521204&viewerSecureGatewayURL=https://console.brightcove.com/services/amfgateway&servicesURL=http://services.brightcove.com/services&cdnURL=http://admin.brightcove.com&domain=embed&autoStart=false&" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="386" height="312" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/excessive-incentives-and-rules-where.html"><font size="2">Excessive Incentives and Rules – Where Did the Wisdom Go in HealthCare?</font></a></h6> <p><font size="2">Barry Schwartz makes an excellent exhibit of the “hospital janitor” and how <strong>the “human” side of his job description is completely not existent.</strong> It’s the human side of the job that is left out in the job description.   There’s one real good message for all of us here. </font><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/excessive-incentives-and-rules-where.html"><font size="2"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="139" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgchWRHzjWI/AAAAAAAAPlc/2A3TmgmG-fQ/image%5B12%5D.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" /></font></a><font size="2"> </font></p> <p><font size="2">We have too many rules and it is creating a downward spiral of sorts and<strong> we also have excessive incentives, especially in medicine.</strong>  It makes you stop and think, is this profitable or is it right?  As an example, risk management is only interested in profitability, thus we end up working with payers that are only perhaps looking at one side of the coin, is is profitable, and the part about whether or not it is right is buried. Doctors fight this all the time, just ask one.  </font></p> <p><font size="2">We use the rules, or other wise called “ALGORITHMS” created in computer code to determine our decision making processes, and the process of whether or not it is right or wrong can get lost in the translation.  SO WHAT CAN WE DO TO BRING BACK THE WISDOM?   <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/excessive-incentives-and-rules-where.html">Listen to the video</a> and I think there are some real good points made here and ideas to ponder and think about. </font></p> <p><font size="2"><strong>All the above examples are what is wrong with employer based healthcare and how technology, if not implemented properly affects the every day quality of life with an individual.  We have a lot of creative individuals in this country with a lot of ideas, but implementation and education is what makes these items succeed, and not greed or saving money as the only focus.</strong></font></p> <p><font size="2"><strong>In pushing for employer initiatives, perhaps Congress might investigate and see the real side of how this works and not just the fine print.</strong>  It would be nice to see some pro-active action instead of re-active, <strong>but that takes a lot of effort and education from all sides, from Congress all the way down the ladder.</strong>  This could be an real exercise for Congress with Healthcare to understand the full circuit and not just one side of the issue.  This is one of the reasons I always advocate to have the “Smart People” at the top of the helm, as they are educated and aware up front and we have less catching up from behind. <strong>Let’s see some of those Congressional BMIs to start the ball rolling.</strong>  BD  </font></p> <blockquote> <p></p> <p><em></em></p> WASHINGTON — In its effort to overhaul health care, Congress is planning to give employers sweeping new authority to reward employees for healthy behavior, including better <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/specialtopic/food-guide-pyramid/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier">diet</a>, more exercise, weight loss and <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/specialtopic/smoking-tips-on-how-to-quit/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier">smoking cessation</a>. <p></p> </blockquote> <blockquote> <p>Congress is seriously considering proposals to provide tax credits or other subsidies to employers who offer wellness programs that meet federal criteria. In addition, lawmakers said they would make it easier for employers to use financial rewards or penalties to promote healthy behavior among employees.</p> <p>Congress is seriously considering proposals to provide tax credits or other subsidies to employers who offer wellness programs that meet federal criteria. In addition, lawmakers said they would make it easier for employers to use financial rewards or penalties to promote healthy behavior among employees.</p> <p>Frank B. McArdle, a health policy expert at Hewitt Associates, a benefits consulting firm, said, “Wellness and prevention programs have become a mainstream part of the benefits offered by large employers, and it’s virtually certain that Congress will include incentives for such programs” in its bill. The goals of such programs are to help people control <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/test/blood-pressure/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier">blood pressure</a>, fight <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/symptoms/obesity/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier">obesity</a> and manage <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/diabetes/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier">diabetes</a> and other chronic conditions.</p> <p>Growing numbers of employers have adopted wellness programs after finding that they can lower health costs and increase the productivity of workers. Financial incentives include gift certificates and premium discounts or surcharges.</p> <p><strong>Critics say that holding people financially responsible for their health behavior is potentially unfair and that employers have no business prying into their employees’ private lives.</strong> “You are supposed to be paid on the basis of how you do your job, not how often you go to the gym or how many cheeseburgers you eat,” Mr. Maltby said.</p> <p>If an employer offers financial incentives to employees for lowering <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/nutrition/cholesterol/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier">cholesterol</a>, losing weight or stopping <a href="http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/specialtopic/smoking-and-smokeless-tobacco/overview.html?inline=nyt-classifier">smoking</a>, the amount of such rewards generally may not exceed 20 percent of the cost of coverage.</p> <p><strong>Many employers would like to offer larger incentives, and many in Congress want to let them do so.</strong></p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/10/health/policy/10health.html?_r=1&src=twt&twt=nytimes">Congress Plans Incentives for Healthy Habits - NYTimes.com</a></p> <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/simple-finger-device-may-help-predict.html">Simple Finger Device May Help Predict Future Heart Events – Endo-PAT2000 System</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/08/aetna-your-pill-lottery.html">Aetna "Take your Pill" Lottery...</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/human-audit-trail-to-automatically.html">The Human Audit Trail to automatically track your fitness and sleep and a few other things…</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/wellness-programs-payouts-to-those-who.html">The Wellness Programs: Payouts to Those Who Work Out - Insurers give discounts on premiums</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/high-tech-gadgets-hit-doctor-patient.html">High-tech gadgets hit doctor-patient relationships and more..</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/allstate-testing-brain-fitness-software.html">Allstate testing “brain fitness” software on older drivers</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/02/doctor-outrage-asked-to-rat-on-patients.html">Doctor's Outrage: Asked to Rat on Patients?</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/muve-gruve-device-measures-your.html">The Muve Gruve Device Measures your Inactivity – Intrusive Technology with a Human Audit Trail?</a></h6> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/02/discrimination-and-health-insurance-big.html"><font size="1">Discrimination and Health Insurance: Big Brother in the Workplace and Beyond</font></a></h4> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/01/health-insurance-reserves-how-much-is.html">Health Insurance Reserves – How much is in the till, could it be 1 or 2 trillion nationwide?</a></h6> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/express-scripts-has-new-employer-plan.html"><font size="1">Express Scripts has a new Employer Plan – Home Delivery by Default</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/12/cisco-medical-clinic-company-medical.html"><font size="1">The Cisco Medical Clinic – Company Medical Assistance and Consults On Site</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/intrusive-technology.html"><font size="1">Intrusive Technology?</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/healthcare-is-number-one-enemy-of-small.html"><font size="1">Healthcare Is the Number-One Enemy of Small Business – US Small Business Administration</font></a></h4> <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/2008/11/algorithms-formulas-and-investigations.html">Algorithms, Formulas and Investigations leads to AARP suspending sales of some health plans</a></h6> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/09/john-deer-machinery-failure-of-employer.html"><font size="1">John Deer Machinery -failure of employer-based health insurance</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/09/medical-tourism-starts-at-home.html"><font size="1">Medical Tourism Starts at Home - Contracts and Brokering</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/07/rising-health-care-costs-hurt-small-biz.html"><font size="1">Rising Health-Care Costs Hurt Small Biz</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/06/medical-insurance-costs-could-use.html"><font size="1">Medical insurance costs could use a healthy dose of reality – It’s all in the crackers?</font></a></h4> <p><a name="2775618724153329149"><font color="#669966" size="1"></font></a></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/04/whirlpool-suspends-39-workers-says-they.html"><font size="1">Whirlpool suspends 39 workers, says they lied about smoking</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/01/motorcycle-riding-sky-diving-and.html"><font size="1">Motorcycle-riding, sky-diving, and cigarettes. Should your employer be minding his own business, or yours?</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/11/clarian-won-dock-workers-who-fail-to.html"><font size="1">Clarian won't dock workers who fail to meet health marks</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/10/ending-employer-based-health-insurance.html"><font size="1">Ending Employer-Based Health Insurance Is a Good Idea</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/09/more-employers-turn-to-disease.html"><font size="1">More Employers Turn to Disease Management</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/09/employers-health-insurers-increasingly.html"><font size="1">Employers, Health Insurers Increasingly Use Care Managers To Review Physicians' Treatment Plans, Ensure They Conform To Evidence-Based Practices</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/09/employers-get-tough-on-health.html"><font size="1">Employers get tough on health**</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/09/some-companies-penalize-for-health.html"><font size="1">Some Companies Penalize for Health Risks</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:eaf5cfc0-8068-4a4d-9b09-2feb1ea729c2" class="wlWriterSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Healthcare" rel="tag">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>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+insurance" rel="tag">health insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Fitness" rel="tag">Fitness</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Software" rel="tag">Software</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/fitness+monitoring" rel="tag">fitness monitoring</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Big+Brother" rel="tag">Big Brother</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Home+Monitoring" rel="tag">Home Monitoring</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Wellness+programs" rel="tag">Wellness programs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Employers" rel="tag">Employers</a></div>

Congress Plans Incentives for Healthy Habits ,Wellness Programs, and Devices? How Potentially Intrusive and Disruptive Will It Get to Save Money?

This is what I call a very “loaded” commentary and transparent view of what we are dealing with today.   With Congress looking at incentives...

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EHRtv.com – Video Interviews with the Experts and Software Companies – e-MDs

<p> If you have not found <strong><a href="http://www.ehrtv.com/">EHR Television,</a></strong> (EHRtv.com) take a moment and check it out.  I met Dr. Fishman last year at HIMMS, as well as Dr. Winn from <strong><a href="http://www.e-mds.com/">e-<a href="http://www.ehrtv.com/"><strong><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="47" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgaKLfQrJHI/AAAAAAAAPkk/PBLH02s5iGo/image%5B14%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="158" /></strong></a>MDs.</a></strong><strong></strong>  The video is one example of many done by Dr. Fishman, who has had a website for a number of years called <strong><a href="http://emrconsultant.com/">EMR Consultant</a></strong> to offer free help and assistance for physicians looking to purchase software for medical records.  The related reading below has a couple older posts.   </p> <p>In addition, you can also purchase <a href="http://speechrecognition.com/">Dragon Medical</a> through a link on the site and there’s a separate area whereby you can purchase and download <a href="http://www.1450.com/mcm/"><font size="2"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="36" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgaKL1tlYBI/AAAAAAAAPko/xtLKRpT7ObE/image%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="147" /></font></a>medical macros for Dragon Medical. </p> <p><u><font size="2">From the website:</font></u></p> <p><em><font size="1">In order to improve the quality and lower the cost of healthcare, physicians must become educated in healthcare information technology.  Unfortunately, HIT  is extremely complex and until now there was no single location that provided a comprehensive set of information for practicing physicians, office administrators and CIOs. </font></em></p> <p><strong><font size="1">EHRtv.com</font></strong><font size="1"> <em>was established to inform the medical community about the EHR and PHR Industries, as well as to inform the general public about Personal Health Records.</em></font></p> <p><strong>Interview with Dr. Winn…click on any image to connect and view the video.</strong></p> <p>Dr. Winn is actually gracious enough to say his code was ugly when he wrote his initial program many years ago, and being I used to write code, I had plenty of ugly stuff too, but it’s another thing to admit it (grin).  Dr. Winn is a physician and the company is pretty much works from the influence <a href="http://www.e-mds.com/"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="43" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgaKMc7_zvI/AAAAAAAAPks/dYpfR__vUbM/image%5B25%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="109" /></a>from a physicians 'point of view.   The influence enables a medical records program that is accepted and the type of program physicians prefer and like to use.  In the interview the new web based product, Razor is discussed to be released later this year.   </p> <p>At HIMSS09  <strong><a href="http://www.e-mds.com/">E-MDs</a></strong> founder, <strong>Dr. David Winn speaks with Eric S. Fishman, MD</strong> of <strong><a href="http://www.ehrtv.com/">EHRtv.com</a></strong> about the origination of <strong><a href="http://www.e-mds.com/">e-MDs.</a></strong> Dr. Winn also discusses the strengths of the e-MDs solution.</p> <p><a href="http://www.ehrtv.com/david-winn-md-faafp-founder-chairman-of-the-board-of-e-mds/"><img alt="image" border="0" height="200" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgaKPQrO9_I/AAAAAAAAPkw/YDcjIxxE3hw/image%5B15%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="335" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://www.ehrtv.com/david-winn-md-faafp-founder-chairman-of-the-board-of-e-mds/"><img alt="image" border="0" height="123" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgaKQ0XLYgI/AAAAAAAAPk0/zJkrpuDQtOQ/image3%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="169" /></a> <a href="http://www.ehrtv.com/david-winn-md-faafp-founder-chairman-of-the-board-of-e-mds/"><img alt="image" border="0" height="125" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgaKSEisyqI/AAAAAAAAPk4/9H4tY_09wUY/image6%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="166" /></a> </p> <p>As mentioned in the video, Dr. Winn has turned over the reigns to Dr. Michael Stearns as President and CEO, and perhaps now has a little more time for <a href="http://www.electronichouse.com/article/aliens_monsters_rule_this_home_theater/">the theater project</a>, a master piece entertainment room, but as you see he is still very active with the company as Chairman of the Board.  This is not part of Dr. Fishman’s site, but rather an additional video for this post and worth the tour!  BD  </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:bd667fe7-e1ff-4fa2-88ed-5ef4b1b5a8a2" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="8cd9b016-0091-4527-9d24-5b15cae8a413" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCW8tKwcLCg&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('8cd9b016-0091-4527-9d24-5b15cae8a413'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"338\" height=\"253\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/hCW8tKwcLCg&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/hCW8tKwcLCg&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"338\" height=\"253\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgaKS0r3KpI/AAAAAAAAPk8/w3Mk4sPLdWw/video8966b9637c82%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div></div> <p></p> <p><a href="http://www.ehrtv.com/david-winn-md-faafp-founder-chairman-of-the-board-of-e-mds/">http://www.ehrtv.com/david-winn-md-faafp-founder-chairman-of-the-board-of-e-mds/</a></p> <p><strong><u>Related Reading from past posts - EMRConsultant</u></strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/09/review-ehr-vendors-evaluated-by-it.html"><font size="1">Review EHR vendors evaluated by IT research firm – or try a free consultant</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/08/emrconsultantcom-provides-electronic.html"><font size="1">EMRConsultant.com Provides Electronic Medical Records Recommendations to Over 7,500 Medical Practices</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:b01c6ebc-4ca2-4ccf-8a4b-42b8adda5efc" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/EHRtv" rel="tag">EHRtv</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Health+IT" rel="tag">Health IT</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Eric+Fishman" rel="tag">Eric Fishman</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/e-Mds" rel="tag">e-Mds</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/EHR" rel="tag">EHR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/electronic+medical+records" rel="tag">electronic medical records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Dragon+Naturally+Speaking" rel="tag">Dragon Naturally Speaking</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medical+Content+Macros" rel="tag">Medical Content Macros</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/EMR" rel="tag">EMR</a></div>

EHRtv.com – Video Interviews with the Experts and Software Companies – e-MDs

If you have not found EHR Television, (EHRtv.com) take a moment and check it out.  I met Dr. Fishman last year at HIMMS, as well as Dr. Wi...

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Microsoft Seeking Database Customers to Test Synchronizing SQL Server with the Cloud

<p><strong><u>Hard Hat Area:</u></strong>  This is a free open source software development kit that gives agencies, or third parties with access to that data, the tools they need to host their data in <strong><a href="http://www.microsoft.com/azure/default.mspx">Azure</a> </strong>and provide programmatic interfaces to the data.  <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/azure/default.mspx"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="46" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgZ3XxL9V_I/AAAAAAAAPkA/kCz2OI0DMxA/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="244" /></a></p> <p>Another part of the program is called the <strong>Open Government Data Initiative</strong> which allows government agencies to host their data base material on the Azure cloud.  The tools for developers to work with this are pare of the <strong>Azure Cloud operating system,</strong> in other words applications developed for the cloud.  Government agencies that do not want to deal with the SDK can also send their data bases to be hosted.  A number of data sets have already been hosted such as building permits for a simple example.  </p> <p>Here’s a picture of a portable cloud, and yes it is not as pretty as the real thing.  The idea of the entire project is to have a SQL server data base hosted in the cloud and have it synchronize with the local copy.  </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgZ3aHa2chI/AAAAAAAAPkE/9UgxZePRR_g/s1600-h/image%5B11%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="211" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgZ3cFBB7jI/AAAAAAAAPkI/vGGjKBP4g9Q/image_thumb%5B4%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>Myself, I have been using a version of the cloud for a while called <strong>Microsoft Office Live – Small Business.</strong>  It works well and I have used it for over a year now and plan to move more of my small physician office clients over.  What I am using is the <strong>consumer end of the product</strong> as available, but MS Office is a platform and can be incorporated into an entire end solution too.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/12/microsoft-to-soon-sell-full-range-of.html"><font size="2">Microsoft to soon sell full range of Web software – I use and like Office Live for Small Business and Office Live Workspace</font></a></h4> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgZ3e1QQ1mI/AAAAAAAAPkM/9vNweTQPkIg/s1600-h/image%5B26%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="405" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgZ3g76q8TI/AAAAAAAAPkQ/7W8YvzkNRCc/image_thumb%5B11%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="235" /></a> </p> <p>I do like the Office Connector as it makes the process of uploading a document to the Share Point Server very simple.  By the way, all of this for me is free as I need the basics only, but for small monthly fees you can add services too.  It’s a good deal and Outlook synchronizes on all my PCs with my desktop software.  Good stuff and I have been very happy and host my simple website there as well.  I have not had the time yet to use my CRM Cloud services yet.  </p> <p>Back on the topic, here’s the additional information on hosting SQL Server.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p><strong>Microsoft is welcoming early adopters to Project Huron, part of its cloud-based push. The goal of Project Huron is to allow users to synchronize local copies of a database with a database in the cloud. </strong></p> <p>Microsoft is looking for customers interested in participating in an incubator project for online synchronization of databases.</p> <p>Microsoft has dubbed the effort ‘Project Huron.’ <a href="http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Database/Microsoft-to-Expand-Database-Capabilities-in-the-Cloud/">Part of Microsoft’s growing </a>focus on the cloud, Project Huron is aimed at making data synchronization easier within SQL Data Services. </p> <p><strong><a href="http://blogs.msdn.com/sync/archive/2009/04/29/project-huron-early-adopter-program.aspx">From the Website:</a></strong></p> <h4><font size="2"><u>Project "Huron" - Early Adopter Program</u></font></h4> <p><font size="2">I wanted to give an update on our </font><a href="http://www.microsoft.com/azure/huron.mspx"><font size="2">Project "Huron"</font></a><font size="2">.  For those new to it, this is an incubation project that we have been working on for some time to provide database "friction free" (this is a one fo those Microsoft terms that basically means simple to setup :-)) synchronization capabilities to the Cloud (SQL Data Service) via a hosted Sync Service sitting within the Azure data centers.  The goal is to remove the typical complexities (configuration, scalability, security, etc) involved with sharing database information between local databases such as SQL Server and SQL Compact and provide simple UI tools for configuration and sync components developers can embed in existing applications.</font></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgZ3inXZdRI/AAAAAAAAPkU/-f9MfiGA2fc/s1600-h/image%5B16%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="160" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgZ3jkgEncI/AAAAAAAAPkY/B7CXa8rM6BE/image_thumb%5B7%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="323" /></a> </p> <p><font size="2">One unfortunate scoping that we have decided to make is to temporarily hold off on direct support of Microsoft Access for v1.  Although we realize that there are a LOT of customers that are looking to support this, based on our current resourcing this has been an unfortunate scoping that we have decided to take.  The primarily justification was that we already had an existing SQL Server and SQL Compact provider from Sync Framework that we are able to easily re-use which greatly simplified our efforts.  It is our hope that some of these Access customers will consider initially linking their Access forms to a SQL Server database to then synchronize via the cloud in the short term until we can provide the full Access support.</font></p> <p><a href="http://www.microsoft.com/azure/services.mspx"><img alt="image" border="0" height="158" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgZ3k4QknVI/AAAAAAAAPkc/aiKWiruY6Ng/image%5B22%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="332" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://www.microsoft.com/azure/services.mspx"><img alt="image" border="0" height="322" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgZ3m13JZyI/AAAAAAAAPkg/GV8OYzh20VY/image%5B21%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="334" /></a> </p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Database/Microsoft-Seeking-Cloud-Database-Customers-to-Test-Project-Huron-583364/?kc=EWKNLDAT05072009STR1">Microsoft Seeking Cloud Database Customers to Test Project Huron</a></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/microsoft-bizspark-free-help-software.html"><font size="1">Microsoft BizSpark – Free help, Software, Venture Capitalists and Angel Connections</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/microsoft-introduces-major-incentive.html"><font size="1">Microsoft Introduces Major Incentive Offerings: Payment Options and Money Saving Pricing with CRM Dynamics</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/fda-testing-clouds-disaster-recovery.html"><font size="1">FDA Testing the Clouds – Disaster Recovery With a Private Cloud</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/this-is-cloud-what-portable-data-center.html"><font size="1">This is a Cloud? What a Portable Data Center Looks like…</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/grantsgov-website-is-getting-overloaded.html"><font size="1">Grants.Gov website is getting overloaded with traffic – Move to the “Cloud”?</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/microsoft-us-public-sector-cio-summit.html"><font size="1">Microsoft U.S. Public Sector CIO Summit – Opinion and Review</font></a></h4> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/03/microsoft-offers-free-web-based-office.html">Microsoft Offers Free Web-Based Office Extension - Software as a Service</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/12/microsoft-delivers-office-live.html">Microsoft Delivers Office Live Workspace Beta</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:680dbc1c-274d-4834-8059-3a6aa3536862" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Azure" rel="tag">Azure</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Microsoft" rel="tag">Microsoft</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Cloud+computing" rel="tag">Cloud computing</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Huron" rel="tag">Huron</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/SQL+Server" rel="tag">SQL Server</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Live+Services" rel="tag">Live Services</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Office+Live" rel="tag">Office Live</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Office+Connector" rel="tag">Office Connector</a></div>

Microsoft Seeking Database Customers to Test Synchronizing SQL Server with the Cloud

Hard Hat Area:   This is a free open source software development kit that gives agencies, or third parties with access to that data, the too...

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Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard Uses Helicos Sequencing Technology – Single molecule processing

<p> Helicos single-molecule sequencing technology generates large numbers of reads and does not require amplification of the DNA during the sample <a href="http://open.helicosbio.com/mwiki/index.php/Main_Page"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="52" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgZkqLi4ViI/AAAAAAAAPj4/jd4dZfOkh9Q/image%5B5%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="91" /></a>preparation.  Helicos uses single molecule sequencing, which a while back, I had the opportunity to learn more about sequencing from <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/08/helicos-biossciences-and-personalized.html">an interview</a> I did with Dr. Patrice Milos.  Stanford University also uses Helicos sequencing machines and products.   </p> <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/08/helicos-biossciences-and-personalized.html">Helicos BioSciences and Personalized Medicine - Featured Interview with Dr. Patrice Milos</a></p> <p>The <strong><a href="http://www.broad.mit.edu/">Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard</a> </strong>reports that the Helicos Technology is a good fit for their research and development.  </p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/single-cell-gene-sequencing-from.html">Single Cell Gene Sequencing from Helicos – How it works</a></h6> <p>The video below also shows how single cell sequencing has a time advantage and a bit about how it all works.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:5943809c-5c95-46ed-b9e5-498c91721f27" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="e57960c2-f3d3-48fe-aebf-0595d7efab93" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TboL7wODBj4&hl=en&fs=1" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('e57960c2-f3d3-48fe-aebf-0595d7efab93'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"247\" height=\"185\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/TboL7wODBj4&hl=en&fs=1&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/TboL7wODBj4&hl=en&fs=1&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"247\" height=\"185\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgZkquEoxUI/AAAAAAAAPj8/cOohciZZU3c/videob25f12a83c7f%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div></div> <p><u>The Helicos System Produces Better Scientific Results with Less Sequencing Required</u></p> <p>CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--(<a href="http://www.businesswire.com/">BUSINESS WIRE</a>)--Helicos BioSciences (Nasdaq:HLCS) was featured prominently at <i>The Biology of Genomes</i> meeting this week at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. At the meeting, Helicos scientists and their collaborators presented scientific results using the Helicos Genetic Analysis system describing novel views of genome structure and function, and the high productivity gains available from single molecule sequencing versus the competing next-gen platforms. </p> <p>Three sets of Helicos data were presented at the annual <i>Biology of Genomes</i> meeting, a cornerstone scientific conference for the genome community.</p> <p> Overall, he said the Helicos sequencer is currently well-suited for "counting applications" such as transcriptome analysis, copy number variation analysis, and ChIP-seq because it generates "cheap abundant reads," has a "very easy" sample prep that involves no amplification, and requires small amounts of starting material.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.genomeweb.com/sequencing/broad-institute-uses-helicos-sequencing-technology-analyze-replication-origins-y">http://www.genomeweb.com/sequencing/broad-institute-uses-helicos-sequencing-technology-analyze-replication-origins-y</a></p> <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/01/introduction-to-genomics-humans-have.html">An Introduction to Genomics – Humans have Bugs just like Windows does and It’s all about the Code</a></h6> <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/08/helicos-biossciences-and-personalized.html"><font size="1">Helicos BioSciences and Personalized Medicine - Featured Interview with Dr. Patrice Milos</font></a></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/2008/10/helicos-ships-sequencer-to-stanford.html">Helicos Ships Sequencer to Stanford University</a></h6> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/helicos-launches-open-access-web-site.html"><font size="1">Helicos Launches Open Access Web Site With Microbial Genome Data</font></a></h4> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/single-cell-gene-sequencing-from.html">Single Cell Gene Sequencing from Helicos – How it works</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:e70d245c-ab74-4f26-8c1c-6e5c0df4516c" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/sequencing+machines" rel="tag">sequencing machines</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Helicos" rel="tag">Helicos</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/single+molecule+sequencing" rel="tag">single molecule sequencing</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Stanford+Univeristy" rel="tag">Stanford Univeristy</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pharmacogenomics" rel="tag">pharmacogenomics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/MIT" rel="tag">MIT</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Broad+Institute" rel="tag">Broad Institute</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Harvard" rel="tag">Harvard</a></div>

Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard Uses Helicos Sequencing Technology – Single molecule processing

Helicos single-molecule sequencing technology generates large numbers of reads and does not require amplification of the DNA during the sam...

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GE Healthcare to Commercialize Cytori Therapeutics Stem Cell Technology – Regenerative Medicine

<p>The adipose tissue is taken from the patient using a minor liposuction-like procedure, placed into the system and, with the touch of a button, the processing begins.  The administered cells are extracted and concentrated from the patients' own tissue using Cytori's Celution™ System. </p> <p>About an hour later, following a tissue wash, cell separation and concentration by the Celution™ System, a prescribed dose of regenerative cells are be delivered back to the patient.  This process is primary for patients with breast cancer to be used to restore tissue after surgery.  It is not FDA approved for use in the US yet and most of the procedures have been done in Japan to date.  It certainly looks promising.  BD</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/08/stem-cells-and-breast-surgery.html"><font size="2">Stem Cells and Breast Surgery</font></a></h4> <blockquote> <p>San Diego’s Cytori Therapeutics (NASDAQ: <a href="http://finance.yahoo.com/q?s=CYTX">CYTX</a>) <a href="http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090508005154&newsLang=en">said today </a>it has expanded its partnership agreement with GE Healthcare, a unit of General Electric, in which GE Healthcare will commercialize Cytori’s proprietary stem cell technology in North America. No financial terms were disclosed. Under a previous deal in January, GE agreed to commercialize Cytori’s products in ten European countries. In a separate <a href="http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20090507006368&newsLang=en">announcement yesterday</a>, Cytori said it reached an agreement to raise $4.2 million through a private investment in a public entity. The company, specializes in cosmetic stem cell technologies.</p> <p><strong><u>From the website:</u></strong></p> <p>Cytori Therapeutics is a global leader in regenerative medicine.</p> <p>In the US, Cytori has developed technology to assist the physician in reconstructive and aesthetic surgery procedures. Our key technology is the Celution® 700 system that prepares an autologous tissue graft for delivery back to the patient in the same surgical procedure. This innovative technology is under review by the US Food and Drug Administration but is not available today in the US.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgZZkVLkkfI/AAAAAAAAPjo/5sThcDU-AWQ/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="125" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgZZmbuxVMI/AAAAAAAAPjs/vwD127uFJt8/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="image" width="342" /></a> </p> <p>Internationally, Cytori’s technology is commercially available today in many countries in Europe and Asia through our offices in Japan, Italy or our global distribution partners. In addition, Cytori is currently investigating the use of our technology for many indications beyond reconstructive and aesthetic surgery.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgZZor0FqPI/AAAAAAAAPjw/SR4Z1pEPvaw/s1600-h/image%5B7%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="193" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgZZrf2NPkI/AAAAAAAAPj0/miUmw6X5dnI/image_thumb%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="image" width="351" /></a> </p> <p><strong>Cytori also has begun development of its U.S. Celution™ System, designed to process a patient's own blood cells. The company wants to begin investigating potential applications for these cells in the future to enhance its product pipeline.</strong></p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.xconomy.com/san-diego/2009/05/08/cytori-expands-ge-partnership-raises-more-cash/">Cytori Expands GE Partnership; Raises More Cash | Xconomy</a></p> <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/08/cytori-therapeutics-natural-alternative.html"><font size="1">Cytori Therapeutics -natural alternative to breast implant technology</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/08/stem-cells-and-breast-surgery.html"><font size="1">Stem Cells and Breast Surgery</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:0d8df1c9-68f2-4026-a0da-7ed5bc947512" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/GE+Healthcare" rel="tag">GE Healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Cytori" rel="tag">Cytori</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Stem+Cells" rel="tag">Stem Cells</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/regenerative+medicine" rel="tag">regenerative medicine</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/heatlhcare" rel="tag">heatlhcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/tissue" rel="tag">tissue</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/breast+surgery" rel="tag">breast surgery</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/reconstructive+surgery" rel="tag">reconstructive surgery</a></div>

GE Healthcare to Commercialize Cytori Therapeutics Stem Cell Technology – Regenerative Medicine

The adipose tissue is taken from the patient using a minor liposuction-like procedure, placed into the system and, with the touch of a butto...

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One More Reason to Wash your hands - Don’t Share the Wealth with Testosterone Gels

<p> The FDA is concerned that children, touched, after an adult has applied the gel could be exposed, so wash your hands and keep the testosterone to yourself:)  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p> <p><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Healthday/story?id=7533409&page=1#"></a></p> THURSDAY, May 7 (HealthDay News) -- Children can experience troubling health effects if they come into contact with topical testosterone gels used by some American men, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday announced that two of these preparations would now carry boxed warnings to highlight the risk.</p> <p>Accidental pediatric exposures to the gels can occur when the "consumer forgets to wash their hands or forgets to cover a treated area, and then has close contact with the child, or may have not waited for their skin to dry and then picks up a child," Dr. Dianne Murphy, the FDA's director of the Office of Pediatric Therapeutics within the Office of the Commissioner, said during a Thursday afternoon press conference.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Healthday/story?id=7533409&page=1">FDA Orders Label Warning for Testosterone Gels - ABC News</a></p> <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/01/acrux-roll-on-testosterone-lotion.html"><font size="1">Acrux – Roll on Testosterone Lotion</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:bc5a8d3e-bb3d-4e27-8450-afbc1966ee60" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/testosterone" rel="tag">testosterone</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/gel" rel="tag">gel</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/drugs" rel="tag">drugs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a></div>

One More Reason to Wash your hands - Don’t Share the Wealth with Testosterone Gels

The FDA is concerned that children, touched, after an adult has applied the gel could be exposed, so wash your hands and keep the testoster...

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Biotech Exec Sentenced to Probation in Washington – Submitted False Audits to the NIH

<p> Add on one more less than honest individual to the world of biotech and science.  The NIH was the end recipient here of the invalid information and has been a source of grants for the company.  Also note, the article states he was a “former” director, so I would anticipate that he has been replaced in this capacity.  BD  </p> <blockquote>Christopher Ma, a former director of business affairs with Auburn, WA-based <a href="http://www.syntrixbio.com/index.html">Syntrix Biochip,</a> was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to three years of supervised release, 240 hours of community service, and a<strong> $5,000 fine for making false statements. Ma, 35, was accused of submitting false audits to the National Institutes of Health,</strong> which provided $7.5 million in grants to the company over seven years for cancer research, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of Washington.</blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.xconomy.com/seattle/2009/05/08/biotech-exec-sentenced-to-probation/">Biotech Exec Sentenced to Probation | Xconomy</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:a925efa6-0bb4-494e-91dc-0097b388682e" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/NIH" rel="tag">NIH</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Biotech" rel="tag">Biotech</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Legal+case" rel="tag">Legal case</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Syntrix" rel="tag">Syntrix</a></div>

Biotech Exec Sentenced to Probation in Washington – Submitted False Audits to the NIH

Add on one more less than honest individual to the world of biotech and science.  The NIH was the end recipient here of the invalid informa...

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Senators Holding Closed Door Sessions Discussing 3 health-insurance plans – Why Are the Doors Closed?

<p> Here we go once more, a Congress discussing health care for consumers that has not one clue and <strong>offers not one role model</strong> on how to take care of <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgZPeZlsBgI/AAAAAAAAPjc/GH3Q_-3ZusM/s1600-h/image4.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="107" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgZPgiUAUPI/AAAAAAAAPjg/QWS29dZ23YI/image_thumb2.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="112" /></a>your health and has no clue on Health IT, it’s value and how it should be used.  Now we are adding on risk management with health insurance and the mess gets bigger, as risk management is only interested in cost, not necessarily better health care.  </p> <p><strong>Why is this a “do as I say world and not a do as I do” world?  </strong></p> <p>Right out of <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/us-congress-has-inadequate.html">the halls of HIMMS this year,</a> several others made the same observations.  We have no role model and keep working with Magpie Healthcare.  </p> <p><u>From a previous post:</u>  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/01/investing-in-health-it-us-senate.html"><font size="2">Investing in Health IT: US Senate Testimonies</font></a></h4> <p><b></b></p> <p><em>If you haven’t seen the broadcast today from the Senate and are interested, as almost everyone is these days in electronic medical records and healthcare, take a look and listen to what some of the guests are saying to the committee.  It will give you an idea of where we are and some of the questions posed by members of the Senate.</em>  </p> <p><strong>It’s all right here with the </strong><a href="http://help.senate.gov/Hearings/2009_01_15/2009_01_15.html"><strong>Senate Committee from earlier this year,</strong></a> please watch and see the level of comprehension we have representing us with the Senate Committee.   This was from January, just before Obama took office.  Amazing nobody had seen an electronic medical record, much less a personal health record.  Education needs to start at the top so we can have role models as citizens.  Where are they?  </p> <p><strong>It scares me that some of the same individuals are discussing health insurance</strong> and what will occur as Healthcare, Health IT and Health Insurance all work together.  The best part is when Microsoft and Kaiser had to explain what a PHR was, which both handled very graciously.  “We don’t want techno-boon doggle”…. When Ms. Corrigan spoke the words EHR and PHR just appeared to fly right over everyone’s head.  <a href="http://help.senate.gov/Hearings/2009_01_15/2009_01_15.html"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="105" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgZPhv9MmSI/AAAAAAAAPjk/UnVNoShSm7k/image%5B8%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="148" /></a></p> <p><strong>Take time and watch this to fully understand and maybe by chance this could be part of the reason why the sessions will be behind closed doors.  One video is worth a 1000 words and it may shine some light on the direction the discussion may take when it comes for a health insurance plan for the country.  </strong></p> <p><strong>If they were this far behind on general consumer healthcare items that were included with the Health IT discussions, gosh where is that going to leave us with a health insurance plan??  BD  </strong></p> <blockquote> <p>WASHINGTON - Senators are considering three different designs for a new government health-insurance plan that middle-income Americans could buy into for the first time, congressional officials said Friday.  </p> <p>Officials familiar with the proposals said senators plan to debate them in a closed meeting next week. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because details of the controversial plans have not been released. </p> <ul> <li>Create a plan that resembles Medicare, administered by the Health and Human Services department. </li> <li>Adopt a Medicare-like plan, but pick an outside party to run it. That way government officials would not directly control the day-to-day operations. </li> <li>Leave it up to individual states to set up a public insurance plan for their residents. </li> </ul> </blockquote> <p>Senators on the Finance Committee will consider the proposals during a closed-door session scheduled for late next week. Committee leaders want to bring a bill to the Senate floor this summer. <strong>It's unclear whether a public plan in any form will emerge from Congress.</strong></p> <p><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30648497/">Report: Senators mull 3 health-insurance plans - Capitol Hill- msnbc.com</a></p> <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/hospital-re-admissions-this-should.html"><font size="1">Hospital Re-Admissions – This should never be on a pay incentive basis to reduce the numbers</font></a></h4> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/health-insurers-come-up-with-one-more.html">Health insurers Come Up with One More Offer – Single Payer Supporters Disrupt the Senate</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/us-congress-has-inadequate.html">U.S. Congress has an inadequate understanding Value of Health IT – HIMMS Opening Session</a></h6> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/01/think-tank-details-its-ideas-for-use-of.html"><font size="1">Think tank details its ideas for use of health IT records – Do they use a PHR?</font></a></h4> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/clinical-trials-in-us-begin-involving.html">Clinical Trials in the US – Begin involving the physicians and patients at the point of care to achieve greater success and participation with Personal Health Records</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:9e4ab2cd-b0a1-4951-bc30-b88f38262544" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+insurance" rel="tag">health insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Senate" rel="tag">Senate</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Congress" rel="tag">Congress</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medicare" rel="tag">Medicare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Single+payment+plan" rel="tag">Single payment plan</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Public+Insurance" rel="tag">Public Insurance</a></div>

Senators Holding Closed Door Sessions Discussing 3 health-insurance plans – Why Are the Doors Closed?

Here we go once more, a Congress discussing health care for consumers that has not one clue and offers not one role model on how to take c...

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Northfield Laboratories Biotech Closes after Thumbs down from the FDA for Blood Substitute

<p> 20 years of work on a blood substitute now gone.  The website stated it had potential battle field as well as emergency use.  The clinical trial section was a little unclear on how it worked.  It is not meant to be a permanent substitute, just three to save a life until regular blood can be found.  BD</p> <blockquote> <p>EVANSTON, Ill., May 9 (UPI) -- An Illinois experimental biotech company says it's closing its doors after failing to win U.S. government approval for its blood substitute.  <a href="http://www.northfieldlabs.com/polyheme.html"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="66" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgZFCQ0Z23I/AAAAAAAAPjQ/fz_y7oAPVfw/image%5B13%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="214" /></a> </p> <p>Northfield Laboratories Inc. (<a href="http://www.upi.com/finance/stock-quote/NFLD/">NASDAQ:NFLD</a>), of Evanston, Ill., said Friday it is virtually ending its operations, saying it had "terminated the employment of substantially all of its operational and staff employees," The Chicago Tribune reported.</p> <p>The newspaper said Northfield had been working for 20 years on a blood substitute designed for trauma patients. But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration declined to approve its product last week, dealing an apparently fatal blow to the biotech firm.</p> <p>Company officials indicated Northfield has burned through $220 million since its inception in 1985 trying to develop the blood substitute. </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgZFEemRU2I/AAAAAAAAPjU/5UQ1LA0_V5g/s1600-h/image%5B8%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="328" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgZFGhJZM7I/AAAAAAAAPjY/hbiKQcg8qQg/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="401" /></a> </p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.upi.com/Business_News/2009/05/09/Ill-biotech-closes-after-FDA-rejection/UPI-56991241871209/">Ill. biotech closes after FDA rejection - UPI.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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:7a4bf057-2ba8-4253-9171-b13eb0323e11" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/biotech" rel="tag">biotech</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/blood" rel="tag">blood</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/blood+substitute" rel="tag">blood substitute</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Northfield+labs" rel="tag">Northfield labs</a></div>

Northfield Laboratories Biotech Closes after Thumbs down from the FDA for Blood Substitute

20 years of work on a blood substitute now gone.  The website stated it had potential battle field as well as emergency use.  The clinical ...

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Hospital Re-Admissions – This should never be on a pay incentive basis to reduce the numbers

<h4><font size="2">What is the solution to the problem or is it a problem, or just part of life?  Certainly business intelligence software can be of help to work on the situation to reduce the number of patients re-admitted and hopefully this is addressed with <strong>education for both patients and clinicians,</strong> but where is the fine line to be <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgX67fe_UnI/AAAAAAAAPi4/PiAe2m9O4Cc/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="130" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgX68MUMguI/AAAAAAAAPi8/n8RhLg7I0iA/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="102" /></a>crossed?  The 2 are related, 2 doubt about it.  </font></h4> <p>In Texas, (see the link below) you can see how this all came to blows with the hospital firing the ER doctors, after asking them to find a way to increase admissions, so we have one big Catch 22 there.  There has to be balance, otherwise the battle will continue, just as balance billing continues to haunt everyone.  <strong>There’s a certain number of dollars needed for healthcare and when the line is crossed, healthcare suffers when the budget is not covering the bare bones.</strong>  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/hospital-admissions-are-down-er-doctors.html"><font size="2">Hospital Admissions are Down – ER Doctors are Fired – Texas Medical Association</font></a></h4> <p>If hospitals are rewarded on a re-admission program, how is this going to work, will patients be turned away once the projected monthly quota let’s say it met?  How does that work.  Guidelines are great and they should be just that, guidelines and not incentives for payment.  The hospitals also have to invest in software to have the algorithms to run as well and many are still on paper.  </p> <p>Recently at the Senate hearings, both patients and doctors were rejected from the hearings as voices of desperation were beginning to be heard.  Voices of anger and not being able to either provide or get adequate health care.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/health-insurers-come-up-with-one-more.html"><font size="2">Health insurers Come Up with One More Offer – Single Payer Supporters Disrupt the Senate</font></a></h4> <p><strong>Hospital admissions should never be put on a payment plan, as the ER Room too is like a box of chocolate too, you never know what you are going to get, in other words who with what condition is going to show up.</strong>  </p> <p><strong>If we had lawmakers that were perhaps maybe a little more involved in their own healthcare to understand some of this,</strong> we might be making a little more progress, and again I go back to the hearings in January involving the stimulus money and was shocked to see how little was known, captured right on video for the whole world to see.  Most had not seen an electronic medical records and none knew what a personal health record was, and PHRs are a consumer product that have been around for a couple years now, but nobody seemed to be able to find the time to spend 30-60 <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgX69A7yqGI/AAAAAAAAPjA/GwkpEa60dUQ/s1600-h/image%5B7%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="88" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgX694u-PCI/AAAAAAAAPjE/vjTRuY2L9Ew/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="168" /></a>minutes on Google to see a few search results and view a couple pages.</p> <p><strong>Until our law makers take the time to involve themselves in their own healthcare, as they are preaching to us, they won’t get it</strong> and all they can do is focus on dollars.  Education is still the big battle here from the top down. <strong> Do we see any law makers talk about their health records, no, as they don’t take the time to educate themselves on consumer products.</strong>  </p> <p><strong>All this creates is : </strong><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/desperate-hospitals-update-april-2009.html" title="Desperate Hospitals"><strong>Desperate Hospitals</strong></a></p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/diagnosis-admit-or-not-to-admit.html"><strong>The Diagnosis – Admit or not to Admit?</strong></a></h6> <p><strong>I could almost bet that most of those individuals who create the pilot programs who work at Medicare too are NOT personally involved in their own health care either,</strong> but just rather work on creating algorithms and formulas for the rest of us to live by.  If they had more of a personal involvement in their own healthcare, we might be seeing things from a different perspective I might guess, as once something becomes personal, the view of how issues are seen tends to change dramatically, so all we are getting now is more <strong>Magpie Healthcare.</strong>  </p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/do-you-know-what-your-doctor-is-talking.html"><font size="2">Do You Know What Your Doctor Is Talking About – Read up and help stamp out “Magpie Healthcare”</font></a></h6> <p>Again, Congress has an inadequate understanding of the value of Health IT as they are not actively involved in their own healthcare.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/us-congress-has-inadequate.html"><font size="2">U.S. Congress has an inadequate understanding Value of Health IT – HIMMS Opening Session</font></a> </h4> <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/gates-foundation-and-viacom-team-up-for.html">The Gates Foundation is doing their part to “pay” to have educational processes run on television and ads,</a> again most foundations normally wait until someone donates time, but they are paying for it.  </p> <p><strong> We just flat out have no role models with healthcare,</strong> so how can we expect anyone to create a solution <strong>who is not walking the walk and talking the talk, but that’s what we have in Congress,</strong> sadly to say for the most part.  BD  </p> <p>Millions of patients each year leave the hospital only to return within weeks or months for lack of proper follow-up care. One in five <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/medicare/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier">Medicare</a> patients, for example, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/02/health/02hospital.html">returns to the hospital within 30 days</a>. Over all, readmissions cost the federal government an estimated $17 billion a year.  </p> <blockquote> <p>But even when <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/diseasesconditionsandhealthtopics/hospitals/index.html?inline=nyt-classifier">hospitals</a> find ways to greatly reduce the return trips, saving money for Medicare and other insurers, their efforts go <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgX6_Nkgs5I/AAAAAAAAPjI/fLnBTqbIo8Y/s1600-h/image%5B11%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="120" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgX7AKAXjZI/AAAAAAAAPjM/QFZJv3jDMJo/image_thumb%5B5%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="122" /></a>unrewarded. In fact, because insurers typically pay hospitals to treat patients — not to keep them away by keeping them healthy — hospitals can actually lose money by providing better care. <strong>Empty beds mean lost revenue.</strong> </p> <p>Attuned to the issue, two Senate leaders of the effort to overhaul health care, <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/b/max_baucus/index.html?inline=nyt-per">Max Baucus</a>, Democrat of Montana, and the <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/g/charles_e_grassley/index.html?inline=nyt-per">Charles E. Grassley</a>, Republican of Iowa, recently announced their support for changing the way hospitals are paid, to reward them — instead of punishing them — for reducing the number of patients requiring readmission.</p> <p>But the reduction has been a losing proposition. Although the effort saved Medicare roughly $5 million a year, Park Nicollet is not paid to provide the follow-up care. <strong>Meanwhile, fewer returning hospital patients mean lower revenue for Park Nicollet.</strong></p> <p>The Obama administration has already discussed <strong>reducing Medicare payments to hospitals with the highest readmission rates,</strong> and the Senate is discussing bundling payments.</p> <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/pilot-program-to-reduce-hospital.html"><font size="1">Pilot Program to Reduce Hospital Readmission Rates from Medicare – 14 Communities</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/massachusetts-working-on-putting.html"><font size="1">Massachusetts Working on Putting Hospitals and Doctors on a Budget – The HMO Revisited?</font></a></h4> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/sutter-hospitals-and-ingenix-working.html">Sutter Hospitals and Ingenix working together on Business Intelligence Software</a></h6> <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> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/09/business/09relapse.html?pagewanted=1&ref=business">Hospitals Pay for Reducing Costly Readmissions - NYTimes.com</a></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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:71645319-7177-45b8-972f-89cccc112962" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospitals" rel="tag">hospitals</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Re-admission" rel="tag">Re-admission</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medicare" rel="tag">Medicare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medicaid" rel="tag">Medicaid</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+insurance+Reserves" rel="tag">health insurance Reserves</a></div>

Hospital Re-Admissions – This should never be on a pay incentive basis to reduce the numbers

What is the solution to the problem or is it a problem, or just part of life?  Certainly business intelligence software can be of help to wo...

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UC Irvine Medical Center is Named a Designated Stroke Receiving Center – Orange County

<p>The facility is set up to handle transient ischemic attacks, or mini-strokes.  To qualify as a center there needs to be a dedicated medical director and an emergency medicine physician on-site at all times, as well as a neurologist, neurosurgeon.</p> <p>In addition, UC Irvine also has an <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interventional_neuroradiology">interventional neuroradiologist</a>, who does all the planning and routing and has the software and technology to <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgXrwL-YxwI/AAAAAAAAPiw/W7Dx1Pn9eGU/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="119" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgXr03mstDI/AAAAAAAAPi0/HpRo_MgShtY/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="224" /></a>accomplish this.  By using 3D and HD technology, targeting can be pinpointed more exactly than the human eye can see.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p>ORANGE — UCI Medical Center, equipped to provide state-of-the-art stroke care, is the first hospital in Southern California to be recognized as a designated stroke receiving center, officials said Thursday. </p> <p>The hospital got high marks from The Joint Commission, formerly known as the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, for its stroke-care services.</p> <p><strong>UCI is also one of the first in the state to create a program for treating transient ischemic attacks, or mini-strokes,</strong> which may occur in advance of a major stroke, according to Dr. Steven C. Cramer, who spearheaded the program.</p> <p><strong>"This is an enormous step forward for the health of Orange County's residents," Cramer said.</strong></p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.ocregister.com/articles/stroke-center-uci-2398420-cramer-patients">UCI named key stroke-treatment center | stroke, center, uci, cramer, patients - Life - OCRegister.com</a></p> <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/uci-medical-center-opens-doors-this.html"><font size="1">UCI Medical Center Opens the Doors this Week – New State of the Art Facility</font></a></h4> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/07/uci-irvine-medical-center-makes-best.html">UCI Irvine Medical Center Makes “Best Hospitals List” – service workers striking the facility</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/01/new-uci-hospital-explanation-behind.html">New UCI hospital – the explanation behind the design to promote better healing and healthcare</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:939ef784-5a56-4cc1-8a7c-dca226087ac0" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/UCI+Irvine" rel="tag">UCI Irvine</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospital" rel="tag">hospital</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/county+hospital" rel="tag">county hospital</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospital+design" rel="tag">hospital design</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Orange+County" rel="tag">Orange County</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Stroke+center" rel="tag">Stroke center</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Mini+stroke" rel="tag">Mini stroke</a></div>

UC Irvine Medical Center is Named a Designated Stroke Receiving Center – Orange County

The facility is set up to handle transient ischemic attacks, or mini-strokes.  To qualify as a center there needs to be a dedicated medical ...

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Tenet Squeezes a Profit -Admissions Are Down

<p> Admissions of patients with insurance were down 2%, but a profit of around $178 million was seen, compared to a loss for the previous quarter. Bad <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgXnjzPiZWI/AAAAAAAAPio/jfHYd1CB2Hk/s1600-h/image%5B4%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="131" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgXnlZqWkWI/AAAAAAAAPis/1BqawWNS7fw/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="196" /></a>debt was up 4% and employee turnover was down.  Earlier this year shares had dropped below the $1.00 mark, but appear to be on their way back up.  </p> <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/robots-at-work-in-orange-county.html">At one facility in Fountain Valley, California,</a> the hospital is using robots to help provide care and keep costs down.  BD</p> <blockquote> <p>INDIANAPOLIS -- A debt swap and expense reductions helped push Tenet Healthcare Corp. to a first-quarter profit, but the hospital operator said Tuesday the slumping economy nibbled at patient admissions.</p> <p>Dallas-based Tenet lowered contract labor and malpractice costs, among other expenses, during the quarter. But total admissions and the number of patients covered by private insurance both fell slightly.</p> <p><strong>Private insurance is generally more lucrative than government forms of coverage like Medicaid or Medicare.</strong></p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.seattlepi.com/business/1310ap_us_earns_tenet.html">Tenet moves to profitability but admissions fall</a></p> <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/desperate-hospitals-update-april-2009.html"><font size="1">Desperate Hospitals Update – April 2009</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/robots-at-work-in-orange-county.html"><font size="1">Robots at Work in Orange County Hospitals - California</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/tenet-healthcare-posts-33-million-4th.html"><font size="1">Tenet Healthcare Posts 33 Million 4th Quarter Loss – Charge on Sale of USC Hospitals</font></a></h4> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/12/how-hospitals-go-to-war-tenet-and-hca.html">How Hospitals Go To War – Tenet and HCA – It’s a Hedge War with Insurers</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/tenet-subsidiary-announces-closing-of.html">Tenet subsidiary announces closing of Irvine Regional Hospital – Orange County, CA</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/07/tenet-not-renewing-lease-for-community.html">Tenet not renewing lease for Community Hospital – Los Gatos</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/07/providence-health-to-buy-tarzana.html">Providence Health to buy Tarzana Regional Medical Center from Tenet – Prime Healthcare buys the Encino branch</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/04/tenet-healthcare-to-sell-usc-university.html">Tenet Healthcare to sell USC University Hospital</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/tenet-takes-hit-even-after-selling.html">Tenet Takes A Hit – Even After selling several hospitals this year</a></h6> <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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:0a718e12-35a6-4691-8207-055737fab9f8" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Tenet" rel="tag">Tenet</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Hospitals" rel="tag">Hospitals</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Bad+debt" rel="tag">Bad debt</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/desperate+hospitals" rel="tag">desperate hospitals</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Charity" rel="tag">Charity</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/USC+University+Hospital" rel="tag">USC University Hospital</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/admissio" rel="tag">admissio</a></div>

Tenet Squeezes a Profit -Admissions Are Down

Admissions of patients with insurance were down 2%, but a profit of around $178 million was seen, compared to a loss for the previous quart...

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Pastry chef receives double hand transplant – Doing Well

<p>In the picture below you can see how he had to use his current artificial hands to sign the documents for the surgery and it doesn’t appear to be an easy task.  I hope this is a success for both hands.  It’s somewhat risky and recently <strong><a href="http://www.counton2.com/cbd/news/national/article/transplanted_hand_of_california_man_amputated_after_complications/23872/">one failure in California</a></strong> with a hand transplant had to be amputated due to lack of blood flow, but the good news is that he could still have another transplant and it had lasted for 8 months.  This is the only failure to date of a hand transplant.  </p> <p>He has been functioning for 10 years without hands.  The surgery took 9 hours and when you look at the pictures, it took 10 surgeons to make this a reality.  He will have a few months of rehabilitation.  He has plans to wanting to learn how to play the piano too.  BD  </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgXjBFFEDHI/AAAAAAAAPic/TF1l6pTOvnE/s1600-h/image%5B10%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="139" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgXjDtqWVSI/AAAAAAAAPig/cE-X_SRVZNU/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="184" /></a></p> <p>The 57-year-old Augusta, Georgia, resident underwent the first double hand transplant in the United States on Monday at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.</p> <p>On Friday he remained at the transplant intensive care unit.</p> <p><object height="264" width="320"><param name="movie" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" value="http://www.nbcaugusta.com/v/?i=44626212" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="AllowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.nbcaugusta.com/v/?i=44626212" AllowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" height="264" wmode="transparent" width="320"></embed></object></p> <p>He is "very stable, awake and alert, and he's talking with us," <a href="http://www.nbcaugusta.com/news/local/44626212.html">said Dr. W. P. Andrew Lee</a>, who led the nine-hour surgery. "He is having good circulation in the transplanted hands." Kepner shows no signs of transplant rejection, Lee said.</p> <p><a href="http://www.nbcaugusta.com/news/local/44626212.html"><img alt="image" border="0" height="142" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgXjGbL7YYI/AAAAAAAAPik/RyGm8eaIzPk/image%5B11%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="195" /></a></p> <p>On January 22, Kepner signed up to be a candidate for the medical center's clinical trial for hand transplants. He had to pass a screening process, which included a physical and a psychiatric evaluation of his coping skills, his expectations and his understanding of the transplant.</p> <p>Three months later, Kepner received the call. There was a donor whose hands matched Kepner's skin color, gender and size.</p> <p>After getting permission from the donor's family, the surgeons removed the donor's hands extending midway to the elbows. A team of surgeons attached arteries and veins, repaired tendons and nerves and set the bones for both hands. The surgery involved 27 bones, 28 muscles, three major nerves, two major arteries, multiple tendons, veins and soft tissue.</p> <p><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/05/07/double.hand.transplant/index.html?eref=rss_mostpopular">Pastry chef receives double hand transplant - CNN.com</a> </p> <p></p> <p></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:d60aca33-bb8f-48a5-9781-cfea180a40df" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/double+hand+transplant" rel="tag">double hand transplant</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hand+transplant" rel="tag">hand transplant</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/amputation" rel="tag">amputation</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/University+of+Pittsburgh" rel="tag">University of Pittsburgh</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+miracles" rel="tag">medical miracles</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/surgery" rel="tag">surgery</a></div>

Pastry chef receives double hand transplant – Doing Well

In the picture below you can see how he had to use his current artificial hands to sign the documents for the surgery and it doesn’t appear ...

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Doctor pleads guilty with Sweaty-palm surgeries - Update

<p> Recently his license was revoked and now there’s about a 10 year sentence to be served by the doctor.  Patients were paid between $300.00 and $1000.00 to participate and have the “sweaty palm” and a few other procedures performed.  <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgXcr02GooI/AAAAAAAAPiU/j6SYxl4b65Q/s1600-h/image%5B4%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="150" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgXctd7FP9I/AAAAAAAAPiY/d99HcQULgcM/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="146" /></a></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/sweaty-palms-surgeon-loses-his-license.html"><font size="2">The “Sweaty Palms” Surgeon Loses His License – Serving 10 Years for Operating on a Healthy Patient</font></a></h4> <p>There are 2 other physicians that were involved in the scam.  It’s difficult enough at times to get needed procedures approved, so this cuts into what everyone has to to pay.  BD   </p> <blockquote> <p>SANTA ANA – A former Seal Beach doctor pleaded guilty to insurance fraud today and admitted that he performed hundreds of unnecessary surgeries on patients for the money.</p> <p>Dr. William Wilson Hampton Jr., 53, was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Frank F. Fasel to 16 years in prison. He also admitted to a sentencing enhancement that well in excess of $2.5 million was taken from the victims.</p> <p>Defense attorney Donald Etra said the plea was a practical and efficient end to the prosecution because Hampton, who practiced medicine out of the now closed Unity Outpatient Center in Buena Park, is currently serving a 10-year term in federal prison in a companion case.</p> <p>"What he did was outrageous," Welsh said. "Those surgeries were extremely invasive and dangerous."</p> <p>Hampton sat at a counsel table in a mustard-colored jail uniform tapping his left foot as he admitted complicity in what prosecutors called a $30 million swindle of more than a dozen insurance companies such as Aetna, Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Healthnet and Cigna.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.ocregister.com/articles/hampton-insurance-patients-2399563-surgeries-plea">Doctor pleads guilty to unneeded sweaty-palm surgeries | hampton, insurance, patients, surgeries, plea - News - OCRegister.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:d4699253-94ae-4e37-9584-fbc308a2e876" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Healthcare+fraud" rel="tag">Healthcare fraud</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Sweaty+Palms" rel="tag">Sweaty Palms</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Surgery" rel="tag">Surgery</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Secret+Heatlhcare+shoppers" rel="tag">Secret Heatlhcare shoppers</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Surgeon" rel="tag">Surgeon</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Orange+County" rel="tag">Orange County</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Aetna" rel="tag">Aetna</a></div>

Doctor pleads guilty with Sweaty-palm surgeries - Update

Recently his license was revoked and now there’s about a 10 year sentence to be served by the doctor.  Patients were paid between $300.00 a...

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Conductor in Boston trolley crash was texting his girlfriend – Similar to the an Incident in Los Angeles Not Too Long Ago

<p> Not too long ago, this happened in Los Angeles, and the crash was worse, so now we have the same scenario in Boston, a conductor distracted with text messaging.  I’m sure more laws will result, and one additional cure to help might be adding voice technology to texting too.  If you can’t stop the texting, use speech to avoid the distractions of looking at the screen.  We are getting close but someday when voice to text comes around in a format that can be used by all, it might help.  Some of this is available now to enterprise network users with Windows Mobile.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p>Saying he was having difficulty containing his outrage, the MBTA's chief said a <strong>trolley driver was text-messaging from his cellphone</strong> when he rear-ended another Green Line trolley on Friday night, sending scores of people to the hospital and forcing the closure of the Government Center station.</p> <p>The conductor, 24 years old and with 22 months on the job, was texting his girlfriend, said another MBTA official, speaking on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation. </p> <p>The driver's action caused a shutdown of a part of the Green Line and left a surreal scene as emergency workers set up a make-shift emergency area next to a circus tent before ushering the wounded to hospitals. It is difficult, MBTA General Manager Dan Grabauskas told reporters, "to contain my outrage'' at the driver's action.</p> <p><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0" height="316" id="flashObj" width="350"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9/16977198001?isVid=1&publisherID=245991542" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=22628123001&playerID=16977198001&domain=embed&" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9/16977198001?isVid=1&publisherID=245991542" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=22628123001&playerID=16977198001&domain=embed&" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="350" height="316" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" swLiveConnect="true" allowScriptAccess="always" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object></p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/05/ems_49_taken_to.html">MBTA: Conductor in Boston trolley crash was texting his girlfriend - Local News Updates - The Boston Globe</a></p> <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/04/texting-while-driving-time-to-unplug.html"><font size="1">Texting while driving? Time to unplug</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:1b7fd5a4-3a27-4ee9-94e6-a34a2624f15e" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Texting" rel="tag">Texting</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Boston" rel="tag">Boston</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/transportation" rel="tag">transportation</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/conductor" rel="tag">conductor</a></div>

Conductor in Boston trolley crash was texting his girlfriend – Similar to the an Incident in Los Angeles Not Too Long Ago

Not too long ago, this happened in Los Angeles, and the crash was worse, so now we have the same scenario in Boston, a conductor distracted...

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Facebook On Windows Mobile Devices – Are you Still Just Using your Cell Phone for Phone Calls?

<p> I have downloaded and installed the application and it works quite well.  There’s also the <strong><a href="http://www.facebook.com/windowsphone#/windowsphone?v=wall&viewas=701003023">“fan” page on Facebook</a></strong> for additional information and <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/windows-mobile-smart-phones-on-horizon.html"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="141" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgXK__-YPhI/AAAAAAAAPhw/Ro657jFSI-c/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="114" /></a>communication.  Last week I posted about the upcoming technology with Windows Mobile Devices soon being able to function and provide ultra sound images.  More can be read at the link below.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/windows-mobile-smart-phones-on-horizon.html"><font size="2">Windows Mobile Smart Phones on the Horizon for Imaging Kidneys, Liver, Bladder, Eyes, Prostate and Uterine Screenings</font></a></h4> <blockquote> <p><font size="1">New from Windows Mobile: a Facebook application for your phone! Download the new Facebook application for Windows Mobile and:</font></p> <ul> <li> <p><font size="1">Send messages to any of the people in your Friends list.</font></p> </li> <li> <p><font size="1">Take pictures and videos on your phone, then upload them right to Facebook.</font></p> </li> <li> <p><font size="1">Send messages or call people in your Friends list.</font></p> </li> <li> <p><font size="1">Manage your profile and post anytime, anywhere.</font></p> </li> </ul> <p>Here are a couple screenshots from my phone.  </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgXLA8LNZvI/AAAAAAAAPh0/5C_Z48D5fig/s1600-h/image%5B6%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="164" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgXLB88NcPI/AAAAAAAAPh4/bAJqattfnGY/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="111" /></a> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgXLC4f2C6I/AAAAAAAAPh8/sI9f-sebi4o/s1600-h/image%5B11%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="165" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgXLD-scSWI/AAAAAAAAPiA/FbYHL9tBv4Q/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="114" /></a> </p> <p>Also, something not to forget is using <a href="https://www.epocrates.com/sessionManager.do?type=rxweb&referurl=/online.do&refernext=https://online.epocrates.com" target="_blank">Epocrates</a> on your device too.  As well as having a link on the blog for drug look up, I also have the latest software on my phone and it includes the $4.00 prescriptions for Target, K-Mart and Wal-Mart, so I can easily look up and see what drugs are covered.  BD  </p> <p> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgXLE8ex_UI/AAAAAAAAPiE/tl950V2w1q8/s1600-h/image%5B15%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="184" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgXLFz5uHzI/AAAAAAAAPiI/LZSuMaukBXw/image_thumb%5B7%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="123" /></a><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgXLGnsnTxI/AAAAAAAAPiM/baNW0c0V1dY/s1600-h/image%5B16%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="185" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgXLHVqU-FI/AAAAAAAAPiQ/z1Dzuz9YQGY/image_thumb%5B8%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="124" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/en-us/downloads/facebook.mspx">http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/en-us/downloads/facebook.mspx</a></p> <p></p> </blockquote> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/windows-mobile-smart-phones-on-horizon.html">Windows Mobile Smart Phones on the Horizon for Imaging Kidneys, Liver, Bladder, Eyes, Prostate and Uterine Screenings</a></h6> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/microsoft-tellme-voice-service-for.html"><font size="1">Microsoft's Tellme Voice Service For Windows Mobile Cell Phones Coming Soon</font></a></h4> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/01/windows-tag.html">Windows Tags – Bar Coding Information Made Easy from your Cell Phone</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/xray-viewing-with-iphone-on-microsoft.html">XRay Viewing with an iPhone on Microsoft Surface</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/how-to-send-email-text-messages-to-any.html">How To Send Email Text Messages To Any Cell Phone (for Free) from your computer</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/kiosks-feature-ocr-card-readers-ocr-for.html">Kiosks Feature OCR Card Readers, OCR for Cell Phones and Biometrics to read your hand – Medical Records Input methodologies…</a></h6> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/general-mills-using-microsoft-tag-on.html"><font size="1">General Mills Using Microsoft Tag On Food Products</font></a></h4> <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:a914d8e3-13d5-4511-9b58-f7d0f25badff" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Windows+Mobile" rel="tag">Windows Mobile</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Facebook" rel="tag">Facebook</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/social+networks" rel="tag">social networks</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/telehealth" rel="tag">telehealth</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/drugs" rel="tag">drugs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/prescriptions" rel="tag">prescriptions</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Epocrates" rel="tag">Epocrates</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+imaging" rel="tag">medical imaging</a></div></p>

Facebook On Windows Mobile Devices – Are you Still Just Using your Cell Phone for Phone Calls?

I have downloaded and installed the application and it works quite well.  There’s also the “fan” page on Facebook for additional informati...

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