Hospitals Work To Reduce Readmissions - Payers are the Ones Benefiting and some Hospitals Actually Lose Money Providing Better Care…

<p> Sounds similar to the investment in technology for doctors, hospitals having the same issue with the insurance companies reaping the rewards.  One comment below leaves a question in my mind though, how does one “guarantee” that a patient will not need to be re-admitted?  I would think each <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgpRYKKbHmI/AAAAAAAAPpQ/SWLUp25Ruic/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="130" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgpRYzselJI/AAAAAAAAPpU/yTq9bskMdIA/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="95" /></a>individual patient case would have to be examined to determine when a “guarantee” can be given?   Stated below the <strong>payments are made based on treatments provided and not the health of the patient, so again the “guarantee” question.</strong>  </p> <p>Software and business intelligence systems help hospitals analyze how they are doing business and it is an investment that can be costly and with today’s economy with admissions being down percentage wise, where is the incentive?  One hospital in Texas asked that the ER Department work on admissions since they were down and brought the levels up a notch, and then were fired for admitting patients who they felt due to business intelligence analysis reports that should not have been admitted. </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> This is a very confusing scenario, to admit or not to admit appears to be the question, and with little or no compensation for the efforts.  BD   </p> <blockquote> <p>Hospitals' efforts to reduce the portion of patients who are readmitted for follow-up care are proving successful in many cases, but even though the moves often result in savings for insurers, the hospitals do not necessarily benefit financially, the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/09/business/09relapse.html?ref=business"><cite>New York Times</cite></a> reports. <strong>Because insurer payments are based on treatments provided rather than the health of patients</strong>, hospitals can "actually lose money by providing better care," the <cite>Times</cite> reports. <br />Robert Berenson, a policy specialist for the <a href="http://www.urban.org/">Urban Institute</a>, said, "<strong>The hospitals who say they are penalized for doing the right thing are absolutely right."</strong> He added, "<strong>If we can't do this, we can't do much of anything in health reform."</strong> Harold Miller, executive director for the <a href="http://www.chqpr.org/">Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform</a>, said, "<strong>The payer reaps the entire benefit" of more effective care</strong>. </p> <p>According to Miller, there are payment models that allow hospitals to benefit from these savings or even receive extra payments for <strong>guaranteeing</strong> that patients will not need to be readmitted.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/149687.php">Hospitals' Efforts To Reduce Readmissions Not Recognized Under Current Payment Model</a></p> <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></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> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/ex-hospital-ceo-speaks-of-reform-effort.html"><font size="1">Ex-hospital CEO Speaks of reform effort – It Is Happening Fast!</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/conversations-from-er-where-patients.html"><font size="1">Conversations from the ER Where Patients are Refusing Recommended Treatment…</font></a></h4> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/hospital-re-admissions-this-should.html">Hospital Re-Admissions – This should never be on a pay incentive basis to reduce the numbers</a></h6> <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> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:6e2aef81-c151-457a-adf3-4fff5584ea72" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Hospitals" rel="tag">Hospitals</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/admissions" rel="tag">admissions</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/re-admissions" rel="tag">re-admissions</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/ROI" rel="tag">ROI</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Insurance+companies" rel="tag">Insurance companies</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Payers" rel="tag">Payers</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare+reform" rel="tag">healthcare reform</a></div>

Hospitals Work To Reduce Readmissions - Payers are the Ones Benefiting and some Hospitals Actually Lose Money Providing Better Care…

Sounds similar to the investment in technology for doctors, hospitals having the same issue with the insurance companies reaping the reward...

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What is A BioHacker – Today’s DNA Hobbyists in their Garages

<p> These are the folks who work on projects that are not being researched in labs, and by today’s standards too, there’s a lot more to gain if you know what you are doing.  In the 70’s we didn’t have the extensive knowledge that exists today on the internet.  </p> <p>There is absolutely almost no way of the government even thinking about being able to keep any kind of tabs on this type of activity, although I’m sure someone may have expressed that interest.  Most hobbyists, as the article states are working on projects that labs either have no interest in pursuing or perhaps it is not lucrative enough money wise to fund.  This sounds just like how software developers came in to being too when you think about it with items that were not developed by the the bug guys, but items that ended up in demand.  BD</p> <blockquote> <p>"Biology is becoming less of a science and more of a technology," he told the <em>New Scientist</em>. He compares the<strong> biohackers</strong> of today with some of the early computer tinkerers in the 1970s. Perhaps this new breed of enthusiasts will create new interest and ideas for a field that has traditionally been the province of folks working in large, well-funded labs, he noted.</p> <p>The hobbyists’ aims are as diverse as their day jobs: from a software engineer building a cheap test for toxic ingredients to a college student hoping to kill off harmful bacteria in the body, the story says.</p> <p>Patterson works out of her kitchen, and dozens of others are cooking up new critters in rented warehouses, basements and closets. <br />Who is making sure that the <a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=dna-computer-works-in-human-cells">DNA</a> jockeys are behaving themselves? Mostly, no one. But someone supposedly poking around on behalf of an unnamed U.S. government agency called a <strong>biohacker </strong>featured in the WSJ story with questions about her work.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/60-second-science/post.cfm?id=biohackers-brewing-new-life-forms-i-2009-05-12">Biohackers: Brewing new life-forms in a basement near you: Scientific American Blog</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:7b82aeb7-0c37-42c8-8543-954d8fae396c" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Bio+hobbiests" rel="tag">Bio hobbiests</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/biohacking" rel="tag">biohacking</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/DNA" rel="tag">DNA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/labs" rel="tag">labs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/biotech" rel="tag">biotech</a></div>

What is A BioHacker – Today’s DNA Hobbyists in their Garages

These are the folks who work on projects that are not being researched in labs, and by today’s standards too, there’s a lot more to gain if...

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Cheerios Classified as a “Drug” by the FDA

<p> Did you get a buzz last time you had any Cheerios?  Actually the classification is due to the labeling which the FDA holds in question.  A clinical study showed the cholesterol-lowering benefit is good, but the labeling does tend to lead folks on to the fact that eating the cereal is actually some sort of treatment plan.  Last time I looked there was no prescription necessary to buy a box (grin).  <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgpBlWwZKNI/AAAAAAAAPpI/tfypGO4u008/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="119" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgpBmXejK1I/AAAAAAAAPpM/ASTL_pSOPHY/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="96" /></a> </p> <blockquote> <p>Hey, General Mills: If you want to say Cheerios is “clinically proven to lower cholesterol,” you better get your whole-grain Os approved as a new drug by the FDA.</p> <p>That’s what the FDA told the company in <a href="http://www.fda.gov/foi/warning_letters/s7188c.htm">this letter</a>, which says the labeling on Cheerios boxes is in “serious violation” of federal rules. The letter continues:</p> <blockquote> <p>Based on claims made on your product’s label, we have determined that your <strong>Cheerios® Toasted Whole Grain Oat Cereal is promoted for conditions that cause it to be a drug</strong> because the product is intended for use in the prevention, mitigation, and treatment of disease.</p> <p>Food makers can point out that soluble fiber from whole grain oats has been associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease. But the wording on the Cheerios labeling doesn’t follow the rules for making that sort of health claim, the letter says.</p> </blockquote> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2009/05/12/fda-warns-general-mills-cheerios-is-a-drug/">FDA Warns General Mills: Cheerios Is a Drug - Health Blog – WSJ</a></p> <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p> <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> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:98ac8354-5782-487b-8942-a849ebb6f985" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Cheerios" rel="tag">Cheerios</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/labeling" rel="tag">labeling</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/food+products" rel="tag">food products</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/General+Mills" rel="tag">General Mills</a></div>

Cheerios Classified as a “Drug” by the FDA

Did you get a buzz last time you had any Cheerios?  Actually the classification is due to the labeling which the FDA holds in question.  A ...

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SMS Link for Outlook 2007 – A Free Service to get Text Messages Sent to your Cell Phone from Outlook

<p> This is a free service from Microsoft that requires Office 2007, but gosh is it handy.  Now you will need to have a text messaging plan with your wireless carrier.  I use Verizon and have unlimited texting, so this comes in very handy by all means.<strong>  When I receive an email, a text message is sent to my phone.  </strong>I can see who the message is from and it I determine I need to read it immediately, I synch with Windows Live and read my mail. </p> <p>You could also use this with other email accounts too, so<strong> if you are a physician on the move and need to be aware of emails sent, this is the place to go.  </strong>You can also set up SMS forwarding to send your daily calendar to you in a text message too.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p>SMS Link for Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 is a service that enables you to send and receive text messages from Office Outlook 2007 as well as receive SMS text message notifications of appointments, contacts and tasks on any SMS text messaging capable mobile phone. Using this new technology, you have the ability to get the time-critical information you require when you need it, using software you know and the phone you already own. </p> <p><a href="http://messaging.office.microsoft.com/Overview.aspx"><img alt="image" border="0" height="177" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgnJAiVI9nI/AAAAAAAAPo0/CYVoqk2_XcQ/image%5B6%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><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgnJCxOW08I/AAAAAAAAPo4/dzcNEtpPQLk/s1600-h/image%5B9%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="87" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgnJDi8ocHI/AAAAAAAAPo8/k8tNjSFOgl8/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="244" /></a> </p> <p>You set it up as an additional email account in Outlook.  I live in Outlook so this is extremely helpful for me when I am on the go.  BD</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgnJG3aTOwI/AAAAAAAAPpA/jE_1u4114uw/s1600-h/image%5B2%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="240" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgnJIUwZSsI/AAAAAAAAPpE/0CjdTUqvFgI/image_thumb.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="244" /></a> </p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://messaging.office.microsoft.com/Main.aspx">SMS Link: Home</a></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:d2044956-b44a-40d8-ab60-0f88fa33caf1" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Outlook" rel="tag">Outlook</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Text+messaging" rel="tag">Text messaging</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/cell+phones" rel="tag">cell phones</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Windows+Mobile" rel="tag">Windows Mobile</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Microsoft" rel="tag">Microsoft</a></div>

SMS Link for Outlook 2007 – A Free Service to get Text Messages Sent to your Cell Phone from Outlook

This is a free service from Microsoft that requires Office 2007, but gosh is it handy.  Now you will need to have a text messaging plan wit...

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HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius Discusses Health Care Reform on You Tube

<h4><font size="2">After viewing the video, take a look at the post below.  Are we leaving anything out with <strong>“meaningful use”</strong> and hopefully keeping the patient/doctor in control of health issues and not overlooking the developments and potential use from the “other side” which constitutes saving money only?  As I have mentioned before the <strong>HHS job is around 70% HIT focused</strong> so I hope this issues are also considered when it comes to privacy and pursuing life as a human so we are not function like drones to electronic devices in the pursuit of saving money.  </font></h4> <h4><font size="2">Patients and Doctors need to be in control and educated on how to improve their own healthcare without an iron hand process of risk management doing the dictating, but rather working as a partner.  When considering giving additional incentives to employers, items of such must be considered before they grow in the background without being noticed.  </font></h4> <p><strong>The use of devices through PHRs (personal health records) will help us attain these goals.</strong>  BD  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/congress-plans-incentives-for-healthy.html"><font size="2">Congress Plans Incentives for Healthy Habits ,Wellness Programs, and Devices? How Potentially Intrusive and Disruptive Will It Get to Save Money?</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:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:e88206e1-08f4-4a23-ade7-ef3fabe2e391" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="908b4927-e324-4fc0-ba89-aa3e72dd9195" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcChU9c4OF8" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('908b4927-e324-4fc0-ba89-aa3e72dd9195'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"295\" height=\"221\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/IcChU9c4OF8&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/IcChU9c4OF8&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"295\" height=\"221\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sgm1ohGXGfI/AAAAAAAAPow/0nXLZ1htlMs/video65093699c455%5B3%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div></div> <p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcChU9c4OF8">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcChU9c4OF8</a></p> <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p> <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> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/02/discrimination-and-health-insurance-big.html">Discrimination and Health Insurance: Big Brother in the Workplace and Beyond</a></h6> <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> <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:cb661ef5-13b2-491b-9dbc-e5accfb5f1b8" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">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>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Healthcare+Reform" rel="tag">Healthcare Reform</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/PHR" rel="tag">PHR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/personal+health+records" rel="tag">personal health records</a></div>

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius Discusses Health Care Reform on You Tube

After viewing the video, take a look at the post below.  Are we leaving anything out with “meaningful use” and hopefully keeping the patien...

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Virtual PC display Golden i Bluetooth Headset – A New Way to View and Input Electronic Medical Records on the Horizon Perhaps…

<h4><font size="2">So maybe now we might have an up and coming solution for data entry and viewing electronic medical records, as it is not here yet, but working on a release for next year.  It uses embedded Windows CE, much like Windows Mobile on your phone.  This is a totally hands free operation with the software from Nuance, the same technology that is included with new cars, so you can start practicing now in your car on how to work with the technology from a voice standpoint. </font></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/new-study-shows-nuances-dragon-medical.html"><font size="2">New Study Shows Nuance’s Dragon Medical Accelerates Transition to Electronic Medical Records</font></a></h4> <p><font size="2">So in the future could your records and images just be right in the doctor’s eye?  This sure takes care of any privacy issues with others not being able to see, and again stepping outside an area to use voice commands could handle that portion.  It could be a really fast way to access images in a PACS system too and is slated to have 8 hours of battery use.  I use software to project my desktop image now with my Windows Mobile Cell phone, but this goes way beyond that capability!  It even has a micro SD slot to store more information, but with medical records you may want to be very careful on what goes on the card.  Theoretically, the doctor could put on the headset and start with the order of seeing patients from one exam room to the next.  The noise cancelling microphone makes this perfect for speech recognition and the ability to control up to 7 devices is phenomenal.  BD</font></p> <blockquote> <p>May 12, 2009 Mobile phones and laptop computers have made traditional 9-to-5 workdays a thing of the past for many workers. That ability to work from any location, however, can be a double-edged sword. The flexibility to be freed from the office also means that work is increasingly encroaching on people’s recreation time, as they find they are never really off the clock. That situation looks set to worsen, or improve, depending on your perspective, with the introduction of the Golden-i from Kopin Corporation. The Golden-i is a Bluetooth headset that provides a 15-inch virtual display with a hands-free, <strong>natural-speech-recognition interface for wireless remote</strong> control over a range of devices including mobile phones, PCs, company networks and wireless systems.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgmwflgR86I/AAAAAAAAPoY/_C1PI_dF7C8/s1600-h/image%5B14%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="118" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sgmwg5Od8_I/AAAAAAAAPoc/QU3Dc-DcQpM/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="116" /></a> <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgmwlvBcWNI/AAAAAAAAPog/rA9uvX1_YPw/s1600-h/image%5B13%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="128" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgmwmwR88BI/AAAAAAAAPoo/rteA23IHJww/image_thumb%5B6%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="180" /></a> </p> <p>The Golden-i connects to a host device through a Bluetooth, WiFi or cellular link, providing hands-free access to digital information, broadcast programming and internet services, including real-time, full-color high-resolution D-1 (720 x 480p x 30 frames per second) streaming video over Bluetooth 2.0.</p> <p><a href="http://www.nuance.com/vocon/3200/"><img alt="image" border="0" height="93" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgmwoXk9BhI/AAAAAAAAPos/wWflkjULNlM/image%5B5%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> <p>Once connected to a host device, such as a PC, users see their PC desktop screen on the 15-inch virtual display and with <strong><a href="http://www.nuance.com/vocon/3200/">Nuance’s VoCon3200 software</a></strong> they can control it using voice commands in a number of languages. Kopin claims this software provides more than 90 percent proficiency straight out of the box, and the more it is used, the better it works.</p> <p><strong>The headset can also remotely control up to seven other devices or networks at one time, similar to the way users control software applications on a PC desktop.</strong></p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.gizmag.com/golden-i-headset/11666/">Golden-i Bluetooth headset with virtual PC display</a></p> <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/nuance-previews-enterprise-workstation.html">Nuance Previews Enterprise Workstation Version 8 at HIMSS</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/medical-transcription-jobs-not.html">Medical Transcription Jobs Not Recession Proof – Speech Recognition and Some Outsourcing Moving In</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/05/nuance-radcube-new-business.html">Nuance RadCube - New Business Intelligence for Radiology Announced..</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/nuance-paying-35-million-for.html">Nuance Paying 35 Million for the Acquisition of Zi – Canada</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/05/us-military-embraces-nuance-dragon.html">U.S. Military Embraces Nuance's Dragon NaturallySpeaking Medical to Drive Clinical Documentation with AHLTA</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/01/nuance-and-ibm-to-license-and-integrate.html">Nuance and IBM to license and integrate speech technologies</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/04/nuance-to-acquire-escriptionsoftware-as.html">Nuance to Acquire eScription...software as a service...</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/nuance-takes-over-philips-speech.html">Nuance takes over Philips Speech Recognition Systems</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/08/more-than-70000-healthcare-providers.html">More Than 70,000 Healthcare Providers Use Dragon Medical for Voice-Driven Clinical Documentation</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:abfbd11a-5321-4852-b5c1-c2bc41710853" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+transcription" rel="tag">medical transcription</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/speech+recognition" rel="tag">speech recognition</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/technology" rel="tag">technology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospitals" rel="tag">hospitals</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Nuance" rel="tag">Nuance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/dictation" rel="tag">dictation</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/EHR" rel="tag">EHR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/EMR" rel="tag">EMR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/study" rel="tag">study</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Health+IT" rel="tag">Health IT</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/certification" rel="tag">certification</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Dragon+Naturally+Speaking" rel="tag">Dragon Naturally Speaking</a></div>

Virtual PC display Golden i Bluetooth Headset – A New Way to View and Input Electronic Medical Records on the Horizon Perhaps…

So maybe now we might have an up and coming solution for data entry and viewing electronic medical records, as it is not here yet, but worki...

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The Morning After Pill Commercial – Currently being Shown in the UK from Bayer

<p> This is an interesting commercial to promote the Use of Levonelle, the morning after pill.  As the article states, we may never see this one here in the US possibly.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p>Here’s something you won’t see for a while in the U.S., or perhaps ever. It’s <a href="http://www.pharmafocus.com/cda/focusH/1,2109,21-0-0-MAY_2009-focus_news_detail-0-492741,00.html">a commercial for the emergency contraceptive Plan-B</a>. </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:639701c4-4d8d-4934-bfc1-e3f61ffa1e59" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="9474e4d4-a870-42f4-9b16-83fb044ef076" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcmPVmIh5YI&hl=en&fs=1" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('9474e4d4-a870-42f4-9b16-83fb044ef076'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"270\" height=\"202\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/KcmPVmIh5YI&hl=en&fs=1&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/KcmPVmIh5YI&hl=en&fs=1&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"270\" height=\"202\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgmoXs7BIEI/AAAAAAAAPoU/m5ACzWLedPk/video4c58f7db73cd%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div></div> <p>Actually, the commercial is for Levonelle (Levonorgestrel), Bayer Schering’s EU version of Plan B. Bayer began showing the cartoon/animated commercial last week in the UK.</p> <p><a href="http://www.iguanabio.com/ready-for-the-plan-b-tv-commercial/">Ready for the Plan B TV Commercial? | IguanaBio - A Daily Biotech and Pharma Tabloid - Gossip, News, Research, Humor and Updates on the Latest Events in Biotech and Pharma - Unique, Insightful, Truthful, Sometimes Sneaky</a></p> </blockquote> <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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:9941f3a0-1ce2-408b-8d7b-3f598aa63a39" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Morning+After+Pill" rel="tag">Morning After Pill</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Levonelle" rel="tag">Levonelle</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pharma" rel="tag">pharma</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Bayer" rel="tag">Bayer</a></div>

The Morning After Pill Commercial – Currently being Shown in the UK from Bayer

This is an interesting commercial to promote the Use of Levonelle, the morning after pill.  As the article states, we may never see this on...

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George Church Says Microsoft and Google are Helping with the Growth of Personalized Medicine

<p> Xconomy had a chance to catch up with George Church with a few questions and commented favorably on the use and working towards helping patients with genomic data.  He stated it’s not so much about genomics as it is personally controlled health records and speaks of the ability to share genomic findings to further enhance our knowledge pool.  With combining genomic information with current health information it will allow for individuals to see the big picture.</p> <p><a href="https://www.google.com/accounts/ServiceLogin?service=health&nui=1&continue=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fhealth%2Fp%2F&followup=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fhealth%2Fp%2F&rm=hide"><img align="right" height="38" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SGRPjPR9NVI/AAAAAAAAH30/dA55nv_qrf4/googlehealth%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px" width="95" /></a> <a href="http://www.healthvault.com/"><img align="right" height="40" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SM3q6TdZm-I/AAAAAAAAI90/u04OgRqDvPI/image%5B14%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px" width="96" /></a></p> <p>So far for the second round of free sequencing, he stated they have over 11,000 individuals on file who are ready and waiting to have their sequencing done, of which there are 100 slots.  Below are a couple prior posts that give some additional information about how genomics and education stand to help and promote better health care, and what we can or will do with the information.  You can get started at any time with either software to begin building your own personal health record.  BD</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/01/introduction-to-genomics-humans-have.html"><font size="2">An Introduction to Genomics – Humans have Bugs just like Windows does and It’s all about the Code</font></a></h4> <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/precision-medication-lack-of-education.html"><font size="2">Precision Medication – Lack of Education Holding up Progress for Personalized Medicine</font></a></p> <blockquote> <p>The genomic era hasn’t yet produced a revolution in <a href="http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2009/05/11/personalized-medicine-a-tall-mountain/">personalized medicine</a>, but it’s coming, says Harvard University geneticist <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Church">George Church</a>. Major tech companies like <a href="http://www.xconomy.com/2008/05/20/beth-israel-deaconess-is-first-boston-hospital-to-integrate-with-google-health/">Google</a> and <a href="http://www.xconomy.com/seattle/2009/03/09/microsofts-vet-of-online-banking-travel-aims-to-make-you-switch-to-digital-health-records/">Microsoft</a> are making it their business to help people keep track of their health data—side-by-side with their genome sequence data (if they’ve got it). The adoption of these technologies has been slow to date, but combined with a new policy push for electronic medical records in Washington D.C., it just might move medicine away from one-size-fits-all approach that’s been the standard for so long, Church says.</p> <p>That was the most interesting idea I picked up from talking with <a href="http://arep.med.harvard.edu/gmc/pers.html">Church</a> after he spoke at the <a href="http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2009/05/01/how-to-raise-50m-in-a-recession-highlights-from-the-xconomy-life-sciences-forum/">Xconomy Forum on biotech innovation</a> that we held recently at Biogen Idec headquarters in Cambridge, MA. People perked up their ears when Church talked about genomics and personalized medicine, since he’s one of the world’s leading thinkers on those topics, and has also worked hard to apply his ideas at a number of emerging biotech companies. The list includes Cambridge, MA-based Knome, a provider of genomic interpretation services; South San Francisco-based LS9, a renewable fuel company; and Mountain View, CA-based <a href="http://www.xconomy.com/seattle/2008/10/07/ovp-enterprise-partners-see-big-opportunity-in-5000-human-genome-sequencing/">Complete Genomics</a>, a gene sequencing company that has brought down the price of a genome to $5,000.</p> <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/12/interpreting-genome-understanding-all.html"><img alt="image" border="0" height="266" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgmauC5S7iI/AAAAAAAAPoQ/_FLrayb0R1g/image%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="354" /></a></p> <p>I think there’s a movement that he could support for specifically targeting personalized medicine. It will happen anyway, but it would be nice if he got behind it. Basically, what we’re looking for now from an economic standpoint is something comparable to what happened in the Clinton Administration. They started out, the economy wasn’t so great. Because of the computing, and Internet revolution, things turned out great. There was a budget surplus. That could happen again this time around. It’s probably not going to be computers and the Internet again, this time it’s probably going to be biotech and medical genetics.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.xconomy.com/boston/2009/05/12/google-microsoft-may-help-usher-in-personalized-medicine-wave-says-george-church/">Google, Microsoft May Help Usher in Personalized Medicine Wave, Says George Church | Xconomy</a></p> <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/personal-genome-project-looking-for.html"><font size="1">Personal Genome Project looking for next wave of volunteers for an entire sequencing</font></a></h4> <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/12/interpreting-genome-understanding-all.html"><font size="1">Interpreting the Genome - understanding all the data</font></a></p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/and-now-word-from-ceo-of-complete.html">And now a word from the CEO of Complete Genomics</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/01/george-church-talks-about-dna-genomic.html">George Church Talks about DNA Genomic Mapping in Plain Terms</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/12/interpreting-genome-understanding-all.html">Interpreting the Genome - understanding all the data</a></h6> <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> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/01/george-church-talks-about-dna-genomic.html">George Church Talks about DNA Genomic Mapping in Plain Terms</a></h6> <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> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/01/burden-of-knowing-genetic-sequencing.html">The Burden of Knowing – Genetic Sequencing and what you might find out</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:2a208284-d029-4c75-a34d-8898b1a5b6bc" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Genomics" rel="tag">Genomics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/DNA" rel="tag">DNA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/personalized+medicine" rel="tag">personalized medicine</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pharmacogenomics" rel="tag">pharmacogenomics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/sequencing" rel="tag">sequencing</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/genes" rel="tag">genes</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Personal+Genomics+Project" rel="tag">Personal Genomics Project</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Microsoft" rel="tag">Microsoft</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Google" rel="tag">Google</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/George+Church" rel="tag">George Church</a></div>

George Church Says Microsoft and Google are Helping with the Growth of Personalized Medicine

Xconomy had a chance to catch up with George Church with a few questions and commented favorably on the use and working towards helping pat...

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Conversations from the ER Where Patients are Refusing Recommended Treatment…

<p> Might this have any cause on the reason admission are down?  People are walking out and refusing services as they are afraid they can’t or won’t be able to pay.  Overall it sounds like all the preventive care we have been trying to build is falling down the tubes in a hurry with the economy.  </p> <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> <p>When you see this type of activity, we need a government insurance plan, and I don’t really care what the insurers have to say about it as hospitals are going broke taking care of those who cannot afford healthcare or insurance, so we need something that fills the bill.  With all the new technology and tests we have today, it’s a shame that more can’t benefit from all the dollars spent on R and D and the brilliance of those who devoted their time to lifesaving ventures.  Risk management in it’s present form and business model is not what we need for healthcare reform.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p>Medical crews told him he needed a blood test, chest X-rays and probably a CT scan to check for head injuries. And he certainly should <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgjqYJ0ELAI/AAAAAAAAPoI/F5FjPEW12NE/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="192" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sgjqawgrf2I/AAAAAAAAPoM/axcEtfE2_08/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="244" /></a>have had treatment for major road rash, including raw scrapes on his face, neck and hands. </p> <p>But the 31-year-old editor for a design magazine was between jobs, briefly without health insurance and afraid of being stuck with a sky-high hospital bill. </p> <p><strong>The doctor on duty dismissed Ashlock’s questions about cost, telling him she was “a physician, not an accountant,” he said.</strong></p> <p>Even as rising unemployment strips people of health insurance, sending many to emergency departments for care, doctors on the front lines say the lingering recession is also prompting an unexpected outcome. </p> <p>More patients, they say, are refusing potentially costly procedures ranging from tests to confirm heart attacks to overnight stays to monitor dangerous infections. <strong>Just last month, Lackey saw a woman with bronchitis and pneumonia with life-threatening oxygen levels who refused hospital admission because she had no insurance</strong>. Even when Lackey arranged for her to have an oxygen kit to take home, the woman turned it down because of the cost.  <strong>“She refused, saying she would share her husband’s oxygen,” Laskey said. “Ultimately she left without the oxygen or an admission.”</strong></p> <p>Several emergency department doctors said they see many more reluctant patients than they ever sign out against medical advice. </p> <p>“If it’s a really dumb decision, I’ll sign them out AMA,” Chawla said. “Cardiac is one of the big ones. We’re very cautious about the heart.”</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30628634/">Too broke for the ER, patients flee - Health care- msnbc.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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:96a05689-1e08-40f8-a4ae-4b0fbe9ee4fb" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+insurance" rel="tag">health insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/economy" rel="tag">economy</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/ER+Room" rel="tag">ER Room</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospital+bills" rel="tag">hospital bills</a></div>

Conversations from the ER Where Patients are Refusing Recommended Treatment…

Might this have any cause on the reason admission are down?  People are walking out and refusing services as they are afraid they can’t or ...

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Computer Tan Free Online Tanning Session – Avoid Getting Skin Cancer

<p> This was a promotional site put up to <strong>educate people on skin cancer,</strong> but as the story states, many really bought in to this and were fooled.  Actually the site was established to create the <strong>first skin cancer charity in the UK,</strong> a good cause.  There’s no tan or Vitamin D coming from your screen.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p>Hundreds of thousands of Internet users <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=7475087&page=1">in search of the perfect tan</a> logged on to the Web site, <a href="http://www.computertan.com">http://www.computertan.com</a> after an advertising campaign promised them the chance to <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Health/SkinCare/story?id=4920031&page=1">get their tans topped up</a> while sitting at their desk, thanks to "revolutionary new technology."</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgjkD2hUmCI/AAAAAAAAPn0/dob_dTRYQ2E/s1600-h/image%5B2%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="131" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgjkEgbO1FI/AAAAAAAAPn4/Cs36PZsZ4Rw/image_thumb.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="244" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgjkG0s7Y-I/AAAAAAAAPn8/5MG0FM6sp_c/s1600-h/image%5B5%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="122" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgjkH5KcKsI/AAAAAAAAPoA/tm_q_deev2U/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="244" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://www.skcin.org/"><img alt="image" border="0" height="133" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgjkJOBEOMI/AAAAAAAAPoE/rk8M01L3kb4/image%5B9%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>McCann Erickson and U.K. skin cancer charity Skcin launched "a fake company called ComputerTan" and then designed an elaborate Web site to draw the attention of Internet users, McCann Erickson New Business Director Simon Hill told ABC News.</p> <p>When users click on the site, they are first directed to an infomercial fronted by a fictional spokesperson, "TV Presenter Hannah Yasmin," <strong>who offers them a free trial of the Tan-tastic service.</strong> All they need to do is cozy up to their screen, literally, as the site promises them a dose of ultraviolet light "encouraging the production of vitamin D and creating a deeper, longer-lasting natural tan" if they look closely at the screen.</p> <p>As the screen fills up with images of UV tanning tubes, users are suddenly confronted with graphic photographs of <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Diet/story?id=3500666&page=1">skin cancers</a>, a <a href="http://www.skcin.org">link to Skcin's Web site</a> and the message, "Don't be fooled, UV exposure can kill."</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=7556974&page=1">Zapped! Hoax Reveals Suntan Dangers - ABC News</a></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/physicians-and-education-are-key-to.html"><font size="1">Physicians and Education are the Key to early Melanoma Detection</font></a></h4> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/melanoma-drug-fails-small-biotech.html">Melanoma Drug Fails – Small Biotech Company Cancer Drug Research Halted</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/skin-cancer-and-sun-screens-dilemma.html">Skin Cancer and Sun Screens – The Dilemma</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/danny-fund-research-and-development-to.html">The Danny Fund – Research and Development To Find the cure for Melanoma</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/08/melanoma-bracelet-protects-you-from.html">Melanoma Bracelet protects you from harmful UV rays</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/06/melanoma-trial-canceled-not-effective.html">Melanoma Trial canceled – not effective</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/12/advanced-melanoma-new-treatment.html">Advanced melanoma - new treatment</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/01/tasmanian-devils-threatened-by.html">Tasmanian devils threatened by contagious skin cancer</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:f3ed8b4a-e911-4100-aae3-1187d588c7f2" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/melanoma" rel="tag">melanoma</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/skin+cancer" rel="tag">skin cancer</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/heatlhcare" rel="tag">heatlhcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/computer+tan" rel="tag">computer tan</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/skin+cancer+charity" rel="tag">skin cancer charity</a></div>

Computer Tan Free Online Tanning Session – Avoid Getting Skin Cancer

This was a promotional site put up to educate people on skin cancer, but as the story states, many really bought in to this and were foole...

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Edwards Lifesciences Receives FDA Approval For Magna Ease Aortic Valve

<p> One more alternative for open heart surgery with a minimally invasive procedure, no big incision down the middle of the chest and a smaller amount of recovery time for patients.  Initially we saw blockages being treated in this fashion and now the valve can be replaced with almost the same type of procedure.  One thing for sure though, you certainly want your <strong>interventional radiologist</strong> present who does all the 3D and HD image targeting  to pinpoint the exact areas of the heart as well as the overall path of the catheter for entry.  </p> <p>To learn more about Interventional Radiology, this interview I conducted with another company, might offer some additional information.  BD</p> <h4><font size="2"><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/cook-medical-announced-new-strategic.html">Interventional Radiology</a></font></h4> <p><a href="http://www.sirweb.org/patients/"><font size="2">Interventional Radiologist</font></a> </p> <blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.edwards.com/products/heartvalves/magnaanimation.htm?Magna=1">Edwards Lifesciences Corporation</a> (NYSE: EW), the world leader in <strong>the science of heart valves, today announced that it has received </strong><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgjXO_j9heI/AAAAAAAAPnc/Pi2x_AdgzkA/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><strong><a href="http://www.edwards.com/products/heartvalves/Magna.htm"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="136" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgjXQILjYeI/AAAAAAAAPng/QGRfIz_1CD4/image%5B12%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="228" /></a></strong></a><strong>approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the Carpentier-Edwards PERIMOUNT Magna Ease aortic valve,</strong> designed for easier implantation in the heart. The company is introducing this valve, as well as the <strong>PORT ACCESS EndoDirect</strong> minimally invasive surgery system, at the American Association for Thoracic Surgery's (AATS) 89th Annual Meeting in Boston this week. <br />The new valve includes a low profile and smooth commissure posts to ease insertion through small incisions or small aortic roots.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgjXS227ZII/AAAAAAAAPnk/sIWzL5D626c/s1600-h/image%5B11%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="215" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgjXUcK1koI/AAAAAAAAPno/ZqGLYsn3g5k/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="353" /></a> </p> <p>Also at the AATS annual meeting, Edwards is introducing the <strong><a href="http://www.edwards.com/products/portaccess/portaccess.htm">PORT ACCESS EndoDirect System,</a></strong> which allows cardiac surgeons to stop a patient's heart and keep it at rest for the duration of the heart valve procedure without an incision down the middle of the chest. In procedures such as mitral valve repair and replacement, the EndoDirect System provides a minimally invasive alternative for direct aortic cannulation when femoral access (groin cannulation) is not an option.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgjXXeR5J5I/AAAAAAAAPns/ZuTX0QA-hQE/s1600-h/image%5B15%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="191" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgjXYltbdcI/AAAAAAAAPnw/ohSdUeO2qkE/image_thumb%5B6%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> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/149588.php">Edwards Lifesciences Receives FDA Approval For New Heart Valve</a></p> <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/01/heart-valves-implanted-without-having.html"><font size="1">Heart valves implanted without having open-heart surgery</font></a></h4> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/12/interview-with-bart-e-muhs-md-yale.html">Interview with Bart E. Muhs, M.D., Yale School of Medicine – Aneurysm Repair Surgery</a></h6> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/uc-irvine-medical-center-is-named.html"><font size="1">UC Irvine Medical Center is Named a Designated Stroke Receiving Center – Orange County</font></a></h4> <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:f4920934-8820-4e45-8160-58c768194ca7" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Edwards+Life+Sciences" rel="tag">Edwards Life Sciences</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/heart+valves" rel="tag">heart valves</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/minimally+invasive+surgery" rel="tag">minimally invasive surgery</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/heart+surgery" rel="tag">heart surgery</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+devices" rel="tag">medical devices</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/interventional+Radiology" rel="tag">interventional Radiology</a></div>

Edwards Lifesciences Receives FDA Approval For Magna Ease Aortic Valve

One more alternative for open heart surgery with a minimally invasive procedure, no big incision down the middle of the chest and a smaller...

Read more »

Hospitals ignoring whistle blowing staff afraid for patient safety in the UK

<p> It doesn't sound like the folks in the UK, have the ability to collect potential compensation that is offered here in the US along with other legal issues.  Not too long ago, doctors were also given the opportunity to become whistle blowers at hospitals too.  <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgiFPlq5qcI/AAAAAAAAPnU/kHBSEsh1cXQ/s1600-h/image%5B4%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="68" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgiFQfN9k5I/AAAAAAAAPnY/MpXh-MN6drw/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="177" /></a> There are laws in the UK, but one of the commenters in the article stated they are not worth the paper they are written on.  We need whistle blowers everywhere to keep folks honest and transparent.  BD</p> <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/2-new-hot-words-in-healthcare.html">The 2 New Hot Words in Healthcare: Algorithms and Whistleblowers</a></p> <blockquote> <p>Just weeks after a damning report condemned failures which led to the deaths of up to 1,2000 patients at Stafford Hospital, a survey for the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) suggests that other hospitals could be turning their backs on problems putting patients at risk. </p> <p>Nurses also fear that they will be victimized if they speak out about the problems, the poll reveals. The watchdog found that patients in casualty were being assessed by receptionists and poorly trained nurses who switched off equipment because they did not know how to use them.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/5303435/Hospitals-ignoring-whistleblowing-staff-afraid-for-patient-safety.html">Hospitals 'ignoring whistleblowing staff afraid for patient safety' – Telegraph</a></p> <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/healthways-offers-to-settle-subsidiary.html"><font size="1">Healthways offers to settle subsidiary kickback charges for $40 million</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/madoff-employee-breaks-silence-it-guy.html"><font size="1">Madoff Employee Breaks Silence – The IT Guy Talks about the “Root Kits” of Madoff’s Wall Street</font></a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/johnson-and-johnson-hit-with-off-label.html"><font size="1">Johnson and Johnson Hit with Off Label Allegations</font></a></h4> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/madoff-whistleblower-lack-of-motivation.html">The Madoff Whistleblower - Lack of motivation, interest, education and use of modern technology failed a whole bunch of people, including many in healthcare</a></h6> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/michael-moore-new-movie-and-looking-for.html"><font size="1">Michael Moore – New Movie and looking for Wall Street Informers and Whistleblowers</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:00aadf1a-08b9-426d-8df8-c1dbff58f427" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/whistleblowers" rel="tag">whistleblowers</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/NHS" rel="tag">NHS</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Nursing" rel="tag">Nursing</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Royal+College+of+Nursing" rel="tag">Royal College of Nursing</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/UK" rel="tag">UK</a></div>

Hospitals ignoring whistle blowing staff afraid for patient safety in the UK

It doesn't sound like the folks in the UK, have the ability to collect potential compensation that is offered here in the US along with...

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Farrah Fawcett Speaks Out About the Lack of Privacy at UCLA

<p> I talk a lot about privacy and this is a good case of how laws failed to work.  She had to set up her own surveillance to get to the bottom of it.  Yes she does carry celebrity status, but they need their private time too.  When your healthcare is suffering, and especially with the cancer and treatments she has gone through, you do not feel like having cameras flashing and every bit of your persona life exposed, those are supposed to be flashed during the good times.   </p> <p>What point the story does make is the fact that anyone for money can still be bought and the fact that UCLA for a long amount of time protected their employee when they had the audit trails pointing back to continued access is a mystery, as that is why we have them.  In the news of late we have read about several healthcare employees who have been dismissed due to snooping.  BD  </p> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://video.latimes.com/global/video/videoplayer.js?rnd=939552;hostDomain=video.latimes.com;playerWidth=400;playerHeight=321;isShowIcon=true;clipId=3741743;playerType=STANDARD_EMBEDDEDscript"></script> <blockquote> <p>For more than 2 1/2 years, Farrah Fawcett's battle with cancer has sparked a flurry of headlines for celebrity tabloids. But it has also stripped the actress of her ability to seek treatment while maintaining her privacy, she said in an interview. <br />In a three-hour conversation with The Times in August -- her only media interview after being diagnosed with anal cancer in September 2006 -- Fawcett denounced the National Enquirer for publishing leaked details about her illness, including some that she said were false. And she criticized UCLA Medical Center for failing to protect her medical records from snooping employees.</p> <p>Despite federal patient privacy laws, no details about a celebrity's medical condition appear to be off-limits. Celebrity websites draw millions of visitors each day, and the appetite for news about ailing stars is insatiable.</p> <p>Fawcett said she realized that she needed to prove her theory. So when she found out that her cancer had returned in May 2007, she deliberately withheld the news from nearly all of her relatives and friends.</p> <p>In part as a result of Fawcett's experience, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed into law tougher penalties for institutions and individuals that violate patients' privacy.</p> <p><strong>Fawcett's condition has deteriorated since the interview -- the cancer has spread to her liver -- and she is now bedridden and has lost her hair, her longtime companion Ryan O'Neal told People magazine on May 4. Her treatment has essentially stopped, he said.</strong></p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-fawcett-interview11-2009may11,0,7884043,full.story">Farrah Fawcett: 'Under a microscope' and holding onto hope - Los Angeles Times</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:ab0bc17d-2d1d-457e-897d-e04ae161b110" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Farrah+Fawcett" rel="tag">Farrah Fawcett</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/cancer" rel="tag">cancer</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/National+Enquirer" rel="tag">National Enquirer</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/UCLA" rel="tag">UCLA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/employees" rel="tag">employees</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospital" rel="tag">hospital</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+records" rel="tag">medical records</a></div>

Farrah Fawcett Speaks Out About the Lack of Privacy at UCLA

I talk a lot about privacy and this is a good case of how laws failed to work.  She had to set up her own surveillance to get to the bottom...

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Update: Hacker demands $10 million – Back Ups Missing too

<p> This story keeps changing all the time, but certainly speaks out for better security.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p>"Unfortunately for Virginia, their backups seem to have gone missing, too. Uhoh," the hacker is supposed to have said in his note, a copy of which was available on <a href="http://www.itbusiness.ca/it/client/en/Home/News.asp?id=47253&bSearch=True">Wikileaks</a>. "For $10 million, I will gladly send along the password," for decrypting the data, the supposed hacker wrote.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.itbusiness.ca/it/client/en/home/News.asp?id=53124">Hacker demands $10 million to "release" millions of stolen health records</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:afd8b004-ba8f-482a-bc00-20cfed8afe29" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Security+breach" rel="tag">Security breach</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Virgina" rel="tag">Virgina</a></div>

Update: Hacker demands $10 million – Back Ups Missing too

This story keeps changing all the time, but certainly speaks out for better security.  BD  "Unfortunately for Virginia, their bac...

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Insurance CEOs Get Rich While Denying Health Coverage to Children – As Noted in the Senate Hearings

<h6><font size="2">Senator Rockefeller asked a question a couple weeks ago, asked the CEO of UnitedHealthCare how he was able to sleep at night?  The family mentioned in this post can’t afford or get health insurance, so here’s the case for a government plan right here.  Risk management and greed has brought the issue right to their front door with their business models used over the last number of years, it is what it is.  They have not changed their business models to have any subsequent impact, thus here’s the toll, compete with a government plan and I guess work on the Venture Capital divisions to look for investment income.  There’s room for both to exist, but perhaps not at the huge profit levels they have enjoyed in the past.  </font></h6> <p>As we enter into more areas of transparency, there is less that can be hidden today.  </p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/is-this-case-for-new-law-illegal.html"><font size="2">Is This a Case for a New Law – Illegal Algorithms? How Do You Sleep at Night Rockefeller asked the CEO of United Health Care</font></a></h6> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sgh5cpa7JJI/AAAAAAAAPnM/0mlc9lrqnks/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="182" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sgh5fOXvfHI/AAAAAAAAPnQ/sB-8SMH7Iac/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="367" /></a> </p> <p>On a a humorous side, I have to agree with Bill Maher, why can’t healthcare function like the Post Office?  Your mail is there every day.  BD</p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/bill-maher-on-healthcare-needs-to-be-as.html"><font size="2">Bill Maher On Healthcare – Needs to be as Functional as the Post Office</font></a></h6> <blockquote> <p><font size="2">Katie Hebert, age 4, is a very sick little girl. She gets severe seizure-like attacks that can last 11 hours from an undiagnosed neuro-developmental disorder. She is deaf in one ear, has a feeding disorder and requires daily medication for asthma. In her short life, she has been rushed to the emergency room six times and hospitalized twice. Her health was put at even greater risk when she lost her health coverage--which meant no more regular doctor's visits, weekly therapy or attention from specialists.</font></p> <p>To deal with this crisis, Katie's father tried to buy private insurance, but he couldn't afford the roughly $1,000 a month, about 30 percent of his salary, to pay for the insurance plan offered by his employer. And even if he could have afforded the insurance, it would not have covered all of Katie's health needs. On top of that, other private insurers would not accept Katie in their programs because of her pre-existing conditions.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marian-wright-edelman/insurance-ceos-get-rich-w_b_201473.html">Marian Wright Edelman: Insurance CEOs Get Rich While Denying Health Coverage to Children</a></p> <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p> <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> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/sutter-hospitals-and-ingenix-working.html"><font color="#669966"></font></a></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> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/health-insurers-come-up-with-one-more.html"><font size="1">Health insurers Come Up with One More Offer – Single Payer Supporters Disrupt the Senate</font></a></h4> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/search-for-john-doe-whos-running.html">The search for John Doe – Who’s running the queries (Algorithms) and wants to know</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/ingenix-inquisition-hearing-requested.html">The Ingenix Inquisition – Hearing Requested by Senator Rockefeller</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/andrew-cuomo-you-have-to-like-this-guy.html">Andrew Cuomo – You Have to Like This Guy – Healthcare Reform</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/prescriptions-risk-score-used-to-deny.html">Prescriptions risk score used to deny health insurance</a></h6> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:62c01820-4eae-402d-94be-0e8c7d4a5e14" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+insurance" rel="tag">health insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/legislation" rel="tag">legislation</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Penal+Code" rel="tag">Penal Code</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Fraud+Against+Practitioners" rel="tag">Fraud Against Practitioners</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/database+mining" rel="tag">database mining</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/algorithms" rel="tag">algorithms</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/formulas" rel="tag">formulas</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/balance+billing" rel="tag">balance billing</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Texas" rel="tag">Texas</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Rockefeller" rel="tag">Rockefeller</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare+reform" rel="tag">healthcare reform</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Senate" rel="tag">Senate</a></div>

Insurance CEOs Get Rich While Denying Health Coverage to Children – As Noted in the Senate Hearings

Senator Rockefeller asked a question a couple weeks ago, asked the CEO of UnitedHealthCare how he was able to sleep at night?  The family me...

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Ex-hospital CEO Speaks of reform effort – It Is Happening Fast!

<p> This is a very heated topic to say the least.  We are the only country that does not have a fall back plan for those who cannot afford insurance, thus more than likely a “Default” plan run by the government is probably in the making, otherwise we continue along the same path, hospitals going <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SghzvVrZ6QI/AAAAAAAAPnE/mUi6ng-RLfY/s1600-h/image%5B4%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="139" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sghzwgv8x7I/AAAAAAAAPnI/es1z1uWBEds/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="108" /></a>bankrupt and doctors not getting paid.  </p> <p>When the economy was better, insurance companies brought in the big dollars, but is not that world today, and there has been no real plan offered other than the fact to make a few minor concessions.  They have huge amounts of money in reserves, even to the point where some states have questioned the “rainy day” funds.  We see more Venture Capital type of action with insurers investing in business intelligence software, some of which is needed I agree, but how far are the tools used before they cross the line and endanger patients by not providing the healthcare they need?</p> <p>Read the link below and see what is happening in the world of risk management and technology and you might find some real surprises here.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/congress-plans-incentives-for-healthy.html"><font size="2">Congress Plans Incentives for Healthy Habits ,Wellness Programs, and Devices? How Potentially Intrusive and Disruptive Will It Get to Save Money?</font></a></h4> <p><strong>Will these intelligence ventures tie everyone to an electronic device in real time with our healthcare information being evaluated outside the realms of our relationships with our doctors, sure looks like it is headed that way with the current plan of action.   </strong></p> <p>He is right in the fact that this is happening fast, however, the <u>methodologies of implementation are not being addressed.</u>  We seem to have forgotten the “education” portion of the process and in the meantime, greed for profits are disguised to represent better healthcare, when in fact the <strong>erosion of the patient/physician relationship continues to suffer.</strong>  </p> <p><strong>We hear everyone talk about education, but nobody’s doing anything or very little with healthcare</strong> and everything is revolving around cost and laws, which will be outdated as soon as the next round of technology hits the streets, so again, when creating a new healthcare plan, let’s not over look what is happening around us and focus on laws and money only, it’s an education process that needs to start at the top and flow all the way down. </p> <p><strong>It’s time to hopefully stamp out “Magpie Healthcare” and work on some real solutions that encompass the entire solution and not just cost.</strong>  </p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/do-you-know-what-your-doctor-is-talking.html">Do You Know What Your Doctor Is Talking About – Read up and help stamp out “Magpie Healthcare”</a></h6> <p>If you think technology is not a big portion of this, well think again and read up.  BD</p> <blockquote> <p>WASHINGTON - The television ads that began airing last week feature horror stories from Canada and the United Kingdom: Patients who allegedly suffered long waits for surgeries, couldn't get the drugs they needed, or had to come to the United States for treatment. </p> <p>"Before government rushes to overhaul health care, listen to those who already have government-run health care," intones Rick Scott, founder of a group called Conservatives for Patients' Rights. "Tell Congress to listen, too." </p> <p>"Everybody wants to say I'm against Obama's plan, but I'm not necessarily," Scott said in an interview last week. "The bottom line is that <strong>this is happening fast, and there is not much of a debate going on about what will happen if we go down this path."</strong> </p> <p>But in ads, media appearances and other venues, Scott argues that whatever effort Obama is likely to put forth, it will put the country on a slippery slope toward a bureaucratic, British-style national health service. </p> <p>For the moment, Scott's campaign is a relatively independent operation, in part because major insurers, hospitals and other health-care providers have muted their criticism in hopes of shaping the outcome of a final reform package. The situation is remarkably different from that in the early 1990s, when the insurance industry bankrolled the "Harry and Louise" ads, which featured a fictional couple worrying about a nationalized health-care system.</p> <p>"We are not Europe. We are not Canada," Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), who is leading the debate over a health-care plan as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said in a recent speech. "We need a uniquely American solution.<strong> It has to be a partnership of public and private players."</strong></p> <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/senators-holding-closed-door-sessions.html"><font size="1">Senators Holding Closed Door Sessions Discussing 3 health-insurance plans – Why Are the Doors Closed?</font></a></h4> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/hospital-admissions-are-down-er-doctors.html">Hospital Admissions are Down – ER Doctors are Fired – Texas Medical Association</a></h6> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/senators-begin-work-on-healthcare-again.html"><font size="1">Senators begin work On Healthcare again this week</font></a></h4> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/bluecross-blueshield-create-new-venture.html">BlueCross BlueShield Create New Venture Capital Organization</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/will-greed-lead-to-meltdown-of-health.html">Will Greed lead to Meltdown of the Health System?</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/health-care-overhaul-may-cost-15.html">Health-Care Overhaul May Cost $1.5 Trillion Dollars – Who’s Going to Pay?</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/bluecross-blueshield-venture-capital.html">BlueCross BlueShield Venture Capital Firm invests in Phreesia</a></h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/public-medical-plans-good-or-bad-there.html">Public Medical Plans – Good or Bad there will eventually be some form in place</a></h6> <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> <h6> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/wellness-programs-payouts-to-those-who.html"><font color="#669966"></font></a></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/2009/02/excessive-incentives-and-rules-where.html">Excessive Incentives and Rules – Where Did the Wisdom Go in HealthCare?</a></h6> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30676850/">Ex-hospital CEO battles reform effort - Washington Post- msnbc.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:b9e55687-718a-4f2f-aad0-da3043c72227" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">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/hosptials" rel="tag">hosptials</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Magpie+HealthcareWellness+programs" rel="tag">Magpie HealthcareWellness programs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Healthcare+Reform" rel="tag">Healthcare Reform</a></div>

Ex-hospital CEO Speaks of reform effort – It Is Happening Fast!

This is a very heated topic to say the least.  We are the only country that does not have a fall back plan for those who cannot afford insu...

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USB Flash Drive for Healthcare – The Syringe Drive

<p>For those who want style with their USB Drive in Healthcare….it will set you back about $29.00.  Just make sure the content is encrypted by all means and keep it clean.  BD  </p> <p> <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SghdxT9EmAI/AAAAAAAAPms/jdsnjqTR2XE/s1600-h/image%5B2%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="168" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SghdzP6ZqZI/AAAAAAAAPmw/ORmTix-_ReM/image_thumb.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="244" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sghd3ReizEI/AAAAAAAAPm0/luzeLRY2Ma4/s1600-h/image%5B5%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="174" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sghd488zTtI/AAAAAAAAPm4/R0rqeovJ2Co/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="244" /></a> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sghd9mB1LfI/AAAAAAAAPm8/SnPWMebMqXg/s1600-h/image%5B8%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="168" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sghd_g6UpbI/AAAAAAAAPnA/fil1cn6cUSo/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="244" /></a> </p> <blockquote> <li>USB 2.0 </li> <li>Portable and easy operation </li> <li>Plug and play </li> <li>Support Windows XP/Vista, MAC OS and Linux </li> <li>Dimension: 95 x 25 x 18mm (approx.) </li> <li>Weight: 11g</li> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://usb.brando.com.hk/usb-syringe-flash-drive_p00872c041d015.html">Welcome to Usb.brando.com.hk</a></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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:53b13498-92fa-4400-907e-81b57488bee6" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/flash+drives" rel="tag">flash drives</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/syringe" rel="tag">syringe</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/technology" rel="tag">technology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/data" rel="tag">data</a></div>

USB Flash Drive for Healthcare – The Syringe Drive

For those who want style with their USB Drive in Healthcare….it will set you back about $29.00.  Just make sure the content is encrypted by ...

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The Smart Inhaler with Blue Tooth and Wireless Capabilities

<p><strong> This looks like a new device in the making for the <a href="http://www.healthvault.com/">HealthVault.</a></strong>  The product is not available yet as Cambridge works with medical device companies to help patent and bring the medical device concepts to market, so what company will produce the inhaler is not yet known, and it could possibly be more than one.  </p> <p>Just as other devices work, it will connect to a PC or Cell Phone.  The phone would make it convenient with Blue Tooth.  The device will send the information back to a web portal or provider along with reminders for using the inhaler.  One item that I thought was interesting too was the potential use in clinical trials as reminders and easy communication processes could help.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p><strong><a href="http://www.cambridgeconsultants.com/news_pr241.html">Cambridge Consultants</a></strong> has today unveiled technology to connect patients and their treatment devices, such as inhalers, with healthcare <a href="http://www.cambridgeconsultants.com/news_pr241.html"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="208" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgewPBeJo2I/AAAAAAAAPmo/xK4dXSrmM88/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>support professionals and a range of online applications.  This <strong>‘connected patient’</strong> technology can allow healthcare specialists to monitor medication adherence, reduce long-term treatment costs, and improve patient access to, and interaction with, healthcare providers</p> <p><strong>We develop breakthrough products, create and license intellectual property, and provide business consulting in technology critical issues, for clients world-wide.</strong></p> <p>“The idea behind the ‘connected patient’ is to enable seamless data transfer using wireless technologies, <strong>from patient monitoring or treatment devices to a patient’s healthcare network</strong> - a physician’s office or online medical support applications, for example - to encourage patients to follow their planned treatment regime,” said David Blakey, Head of Drug Delivery at Cambridge Consultants.  “Using connected medical devices to close the loop between a patient and their healthcare provider can facilitate increased compliance, enable better therapy results, and may ultimately reduce long-term treatment costs.” </p> <p>Enabled by the company’s Vena wireless healthcare device platform, the system connects through a <strong>personal computer or smart phone to an online personal healthcare application, and can remind the patient to take their treatment and send compliance information to the relevant personal healthcare portal. </strong> Both patient and healthcare specialist can access the secure information to monitor progress and connect with one another.</p> <p>Pharmaceutical companies with new therapies in Phase IV trials can directly access usage data to demonstrate and document compliance, correlating ongoing use with improved outcomes.</p> <p>  It embeds the Bluetooth™ Health Device Profile (HDP) optimized for the secure transport of medical data, onto a single chip at an affordable price.  Vena also offers the IEEE11073 standards for compatible exchange of information between health devices, and for this demonstration uses the medication monitor device specialization. <strong> Cambridge Consultants is making Vena available as a reference design at a fixed price for clients to use as the basis for their own wireless healthcare device development, supported by design and development services as required.</strong></p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.cambridgeconsultants.com/news_pr241.html">Cambridge Consultants - Cambridge Consultants brings the 'connected patient' concept to life</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:55c656b5-008c-4b0a-932b-5bac6d60c8ef" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Cambridge+Consultants" rel="tag">Cambridge Consultants</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/heatlhcare" rel="tag">heatlhcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/technology" rel="tag">technology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Blue+Tooth" rel="tag">Blue Tooth</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Inhalers" rel="tag">Inhalers</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Intellectual+property" rel="tag">Intellectual property</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+devices" rel="tag">medical devices</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/PHR" rel="tag">PHR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HealthVault" rel="tag">HealthVault</a></div>

The Smart Inhaler with Blue Tooth and Wireless Capabilities

This looks like a new device in the making for the HealthVault.   The product is not available yet as Cambridge works with medical device c...

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Heroes & Survivors Website – Beating Cancer Every Step of the Way

<p>This is a new non profit foundation based in Pittsburg and by visiting the website, you can also donate.  I just happened to come across the page from the referring list from my blog and wanted to make mention of the site for any readers who might want to pay a visit.</p> <p> <a href="http://www.heroesandsurvivors.com/"><img alt="image" border="0" height="210" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgecNPQZKtI/AAAAAAAAPmU/UewjVfTUhBQ/image%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="384" /></a> </p> <p>Also, I wanted at the same time to say thank you for the featured post from my blog about <strong><a href="https://trialx.org/">TrialX.org</a>.  </strong></p> <p>I have several posts about the service and it really makes it simple to find and locate a trial and connect with an investigator.  Ultimately, you will want to use your personal health records to drill down and get the exact matches you are looking for.  </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgecP8sEpWI/AAAAAAAAPmY/8nlvMhy_hgI/s1600-h/image%5B8%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="295" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgecRdhJxFI/AAAAAAAAPmc/zmEdGx19urk/image_thumb%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="330" /></a> </p> <p>The site is also featuring the same widget that I have on my blog to make it simple to find trials too!</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgecTS9h24I/AAAAAAAAPmg/wv4qTsrgxJM/s1600-h/image%5B12%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="171" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SgecUZG3rmI/AAAAAAAAPmk/iykPxzYc4sM/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="335" /></a> </p> <blockquote> <p>The Heroes and Survivors foundation is an non-profit foundation established in Pittsburgh, PA in 2009.</p> <p>Heroes and Survivors Foundation aim is to connect cancer patients worldwide using a unique linking process, whereby cancer patients team together in sharing their journey experience. The foundation is supervised by cancer specialist who constantly monitor and update the web contents, and bring patients with similar diagnoses and stages together.</p> <p>Heroes and Survivors raises funds to support cancer patients and their families using sport events that are participated in by patients themselves, or their friends and families.</p> <p>All donation made directly to the Heroes and Survivors Foundation are directed to serve uninsured patients. Patients, family members, care givers, may apply for assistance from the foundation by writing to: Assistance@heroesandsurvivors.org.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.heroesandsurvivors.com/the-foundation/">Heroes and Survivors - The Foundation</a></p> <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/use-twitter-to-find-clinical-trials.html"><font size="1">Use Twitter to Find Clinical Trials – TrialX.Org</font></a></h4> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/01/trialxorg-clinical-investigator-sign-up.html">TrialX.org – Clinical Investigator Sign up Now Available – Integrates with HealthVault and Google Health PHRs to locate available clinical trials based on health records</a></h6> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/survey-says-patients-want-more-online.html"><font size="1">Survey Says Patients want more Online Healthcare Records and Communication</font></a></h4> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/12/clinical-trials-and-personal-health.html">Clinical Trials and Personal Health Records – New Resources on the Medical Quack</a></h6> <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> <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:cf8224df-0b43-4dde-b538-b8933589d460" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Non+Profit" rel="tag">Non Profit</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Heroes+and+Survivors" rel="tag">Heroes and Survivors</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Cancer" rel="tag">Cancer</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/foundation" rel="tag">foundation</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/blog" rel="tag">blog</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/TrialX.org" rel="tag">TrialX.org</a></div>

Heroes & Survivors Website – Beating Cancer Every Step of the Way

This is a new non profit foundation based in Pittsburg and by visiting the website, you can also donate.  I just happened to come across the...

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Windows Steady State – Parental Controls for the Office Networked PCs without a Server

<p> If you have not found this <strong>FREE utility</strong> yet, check it out.  It is called <strong><a href="http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/sharedaccess/support/default.mspx">Windows SteadyState</a></strong>.  I use it in offices whereby I need to lock out USB drives, CD drives and overall protect the user from themselves.  There are many options here and it is well worth the look.  You can also lock the user entirely so that everything is a read only, like for going to the web and just referencing material and nothing can be saved on the drive.  <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/sharedaccess/support/default.mspx"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="133" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sgc4m3l1C4I/AAAAAAAAPlo/Hf97mrvGo9E/image%5B34%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="240" /></a></p> <blockquote> <p>If you have to monitor peer to peer networks and need controls beyond what the router can do, this is the program.  If you are a tech geek, sure you could go under the Windows Management Console and do most of the same, but having the program do it is a lot faster.  It is a free download.  BD</p> <p>What state is your shared computer in at the end of the day? </p> <ul> <li>Hard disk filled with downloaded files? </li> <li>Strange options configured? </li> <li>Programs installed that you don't want? </li> <li>System infected with viruses and spyware? </li> <li>Computer bogged down for unknown reasons? </li> </ul> <p><strong><a href="http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/sharedaccess/support/default.mspx">Windows SteadyState,</a></strong> successor to the Shared Computer Toolkit, is designed to make life easier for people who set up and maintain shared computers.</p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sgc4pUIZIqI/AAAAAAAAPls/XjHcjTLWzRA/s1600-h/image%5B18%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="252" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sgc4r2PGwHI/AAAAAAAAPlw/fS_KMwWL7Wg/image_thumb%5B10%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="350" /></a> </p> <p>You can have multiple accounts to monitor as well with different set ups.  User accounts can be created here.  I also managed to control another admin on an xp machine.  That comes in handy with some programs needing admin authority to run, but again it is still locked down.  </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sgc4uLDnlOI/AAAAAAAAPl0/qmn9EZrur30/s1600-h/image%5B19%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="264" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sgc4wEWVHQI/AAAAAAAAPl4/qCwpsXmoD6Y/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="357" /></a> </p> <p>You can use it to automatically do Windows Updates too, so you are not dependent on the user allowing and remembering to update.  </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sgc4xxoF4tI/AAAAAAAAPl8/4SHsikkqF_0/s1600-h/image%5B26%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="259" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sgc4zfNS8UI/AAAAAAAAPmA/kXPqF8q_Nts/image_thumb%5B14%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="354" /></a> </p> <p>Choose a time daily to log off the user if needed.  </p> <p> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sgc41IjbkDI/AAAAAAAAPmE/tmnMdz58agk/s1600-h/image%5B29%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="129" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sgc42TrBVdI/AAAAAAAAPmI/eOQpgVx8y9U/image_thumb%5B15%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><strong>Internet Explorer Restrictions</strong> <br />With Internet Explorer Restrictions you can set restrictions in Internet <br />Explorer to remove attributes and menu options you may not want users to <br />access. For example, you can restrict shared users from the Favorites menu in <br />Internet Explorer by selecting the Remove Favorites menu option.</p> <p> <br /><strong>Microsoft Office Restrictions</strong> <br />With Microsoft Office Restrictions you can restrict features in Microsoft <br />Office. For example, one of the ways that you can restrict shared users from <br />using macros is to select both Disable macro shortcut keys and Disable Macro <br />menu items in the Tools menus. Both of these restrictions are available under <br />Microsoft Office Restrictions on the Feature Restrictions tab.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sgc44IcLN_I/AAAAAAAAPmM/5ag_iRn07yM/s1600-h/image%5B33%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="267" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sgc45kTH3SI/AAAAAAAAPmQ/r1aumerqvdw/image_thumb%5B17%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="362" /></a> </p> <p><strong>Exporting User Profiles</strong> <br />You can use the Export feature to export fully configured profile.</p> <p>You can set up a profile and export and use on several computers, so you only have to do this once.  </p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.microsoft.com/windows/products/winfamily/sharedaccess/whatis/default.mspx">What is Windows SteadyState?</a></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:a7908f6a-bb09-45ca-9ff7-329ee0d5be32" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Microsoft" rel="tag">Microsoft</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/SteadyState" rel="tag">SteadyState</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Shared+Computers" rel="tag">Shared Computers</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Parental+Controls" rel="tag">Parental Controls</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Windows" rel="tag">Windows</a></div>

Windows Steady State – Parental Controls for the Office Networked PCs without a Server

If you have not found this FREE utility yet, check it out.  It is called Windows SteadyState .  I use it in offices whereby I need to lock...

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Family doctors and experts - Not enough primary-care doctors for two reasons - Time and Money

<p>This is not a big secret and unfortunately there’s no amount of computer algorithms that can figure out how to create more ways for these folks to get around and take care of everyone.  <strong>I think we have milked that cow to the end with business intelligence.</strong>  Automation and technology as it is implemented will improve and help with time management, but there’s still a number of “able bodies” needed to see patients, in other words, Family Practice Physicians.</p> <p>The map below shows access around the country and obviously in less populated areas, there is less access.  The time portion could be greatly helped without all the administrative work with a practice required for billing, procedure approvals, etc.  As statistics show, <strong>only 16% of a doctor’s time is actually devoted to healthcare,</strong> so there’s a lot of room for improvement for this, <strong>beyond where the doctor’s have control, they are just living in the system and not the creators.  BD  </strong></p> <blockquote> <p>A Scripps Howard News Service review found that access to primary care is deteriorating, driving millions of people outside traditional family practices or leaving them without care. Even millions of the insured often find it impossible to see a doctor except in an emergency room or walk-in clinic.</p> <p>The Scripps Howard analysis compared the number of primary care doctors in each U.S. county with the number of deaths and found a clear, consistent pattern:</p> <p>Counties with more primary care physicians had lower death rates than those with fewer family doctors. They also had a lower rate of death from preventable diseases like hypertension, heart disease and colon cancer.</p> <p>The death rate from hypertension - elevated blood pressure that usually can be controlled through diet, exercise and medicine - is 32 percent greater in the counties with the fewest doctors when compared to the counties with the highest number of doctors.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sgcv6C47D0I/AAAAAAAAPlg/i2N15MvMkL0/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="377" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sgcv-EXJM4I/AAAAAAAAPlk/crMjIF9heqI/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="349" /></a> </p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2009/may/10/access-medical-care-deteriorating/">Access to medical care deteriorating : Health and Fitness : Knoxville News Sentinel</a></p> <p></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:d287ef1f-93fe-436b-8edc-ceb2a037eb5b" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Primary+Care" rel="tag">Primary Care</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/doctors" rel="tag">doctors</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/chronic+health+conditions" rel="tag">chronic health conditions</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/physicians" rel="tag">physicians</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/US+healthcare" rel="tag">US healthcare</a></div>

Family doctors and experts - Not enough primary-care doctors for two reasons - Time and Money

This is not a big secret and unfortunately there’s no amount of computer algorithms that can figure out how to create more ways for these fo...

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