Massachusetts Medicaid System Designed by HP Earns Federal Certification

<p><strong>This is a breath of fresh air to see a technology company and not an <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Ylh7f_VctWo/Tjm_Ur3hfcI/AAAAAAAA2vA/5cKUtrJhX6A/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="113" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-XqltZdKFveo/Tjm_VGOsyoI/AAAAAAAA2vE/zf6ekEShSrE/image_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="117" /></a>insurer build a </strong><strong>claims processing IT infrastructure</strong>.  I make the comment as in the past that’s about all who has been processing claims and insurers are even buying up the 3rd parties that interact with auditing and checking for accuracy etc. as well.  Last year HP was also awarded a contract for Quality Control for the EHR stimulus program.  Actually with HP gaining government contracts with some of the posts made here has made a good impression with MDs as they have briefly commented.  BD  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/10/hp-wins-26-million-medicare-contract.html"><font size="2">HP Wins $26 Million Medicare Contract For Quality Control Contractor for EHR Stimulus</font></a></h4> <blockquote> <p><strong><u>Press Release:</u></strong></p> <p>PALO ALTO, Calif., Aug. 3, 2011 – HP Enterprise Services today announced that Massachusetts’ Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS), designed and built by HP for the Executive Office of Health and Human Services, has received full federal certification.</p> <p>The accreditation by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services ensures that Massachusetts will receive maximum federal funding for the system’s implementation and ongoing operation. Funding is retroactive to the system’s first day of operation. </p> <p>The Massachusetts certification marks the 10th HP interChange MMIS to earn federal accreditation. </p> <p><u>The new system processes approximately 75 million eligibility verifications</u> and 80 million claims from healthcare providers worth $6.5 billion per year. It is used by the state’s 24,000 Medicaid providers and delivers: </p> <p>— An enhanced provider web portal (Provider Online Service Center) featuring online enrollment, real-time claims processing and status updates, member eligibility inquiries, prior authorization approvals, and enhanced security. </p> <p>— A service-oriented architecture that integrates and secures information exchange, including member updates from the agency’s multiple determination systems as well as interactive services for providers and other systems improving efficiency.</p> <p>— Online self-service features that have increased enrollments and significantly reduced paper transactions, improving client experience as well as lowering waste consumption. </p> <p>— Features that consolidate health data and operational processes such as member enrollment and card issuance, eliminating the need to access multiple systems.</p> <p>“The federal certification of Massachusetts’ MMIS is the result of hard work and collaboration by the Office of Health and Human Services and HP,” said Dr. Julian Harris, director, Massachusetts Medicaid. “The system we implemented is user friendly and efficient, benefiting Medicaid providers and citizens across Massachusetts.” </p> <p>“The new Massachusetts Medicaid claims system is a valuable resource for Medicaid providers like us,” said Sara Hartman, vice president, Association of Behavioral Healthcare. “It brings the claim system into the 21st century, supporting the business practices of the behavioral health providers, the efficient and timely payment of claims, as well as the increased compliance with state and federal regulations.” </p> <p>HP is the nation’s largest provider of Medicaid and Medicare process management services, administering $95 billion in benefits a year. It serves as the fiscal agent or principal IT provider for Medicaid in 21 states. HP’s global health care experience spans payer, provider, government and life science communities.</p> <p>“As states prepare for the entry of millions of new Medicaid patients into the system over the next few years, they are looking for flexible, yet powerful information systems to ease administrative and provider workloads,” said Susan Arthur, vice president, U.S. Healthcare, HP Enterprise Services. <strong>“Using our industry-leading certification experience while collaborating closely with the state of Massachusetts and a provider advisory group, we were able to successfully deliver a user-friendly, federally certified MMIS.”</strong></p> <p>HP is helping the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services in the pursuit of Instant-On Government. In a world of continuous connectivity, the Instant-On Government embeds technology in everything it does to serve employees, partners and citizens with whatever they need instantly.</p> <p>About HP</p> <p>HP creates new possibilities for technology to have a meaningful impact on people, businesses, governments and society. The world’s largest technology company, HP brings together a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure at the convergence of the cloud and connectivity, creating seamless, secure, context-aware experiences for a connected world. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at <a href="http://www.hp.com">http://www.hp.com</a>. </p> </blockquote> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:4dc8dcbe-8400-44dc-ac57-5fa05fc70b9d" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HP+HHS" rel="tag">HP HHS</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medicaid" rel="tag">Medicaid</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Heatlh+IT" rel="tag">Heatlh IT</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/claims" rel="tag">claims</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/certifications" rel="tag">certifications</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Massachusetts" rel="tag">Massachusetts</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a></div>

Massachusetts Medicaid System Designed by HP Earns Federal Certification

This is a breath of fresh air to see a technology company and not an insurer build a claims processing IT infrastructure .  I make the comme...

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Momentum Builds Toward $25 Million Prize to Curb Pet Overpopulation–Dr. Gary Michelson

<p><b></b></p> <p>We like Dr. Michelson at the Medical Quack as I wrote back a few months ago with an update and background information that was featured in the LA Times.  I think <a href="http://michelson.foundanimals.org/about-michelson"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="155" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-r0oNdhy01YQ/TjmtwRShDUI/AAAAAAAA2uc/Dh3f_uQuu1k/image%25255B7%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="151" /></a>everyone else who reads here too that is an animal lover and any doctor who works in healthcare can agree, it’s nice to see someone’s work rewarded and not ripped off by companies like Medtronic which was what happened to him and he fought and was well compensated in court and he’s now retired after years of practicing as a surgeon and inventor at the same time.  Many of the devices he created are still used today in surgical procedures.  </p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/75-million-prize-for-way-to-sterilize.html"><font size="2">$75 Million Prize for a way to sterilize pets – a one-time non-surgical means to sterilize male and female cats and dogs</font></a></h6> <p>He announced this program a few years ago, the day after the Blue Cross X-Prize publicity stent of a $10 million dollar prize to solve healthcare and you by today's world of care that’s exactly what it was.  Dr. Michelson though has his prize of $25 million for the sterilization of cats and dogs without a surgical procedure hanging out there and it’s moving along according to the press release below.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/06/dr-gary-k-michelson-with-philanthropy.html"><font size="2">Dr. Gary K. Michelson With Philanthropy, Pets and One Who Won over Big Business</font></a></h4> <p>You can read below for the details on the grants given so far and a little bit about the investigators working on the project.  Nice.  BD  </p> <p><strong><u>Press Release:</u></strong></p> <p><b>Los Angeles, CA</b> – (August 3, 2011) – Across the world, research is under way at more than a dozen institutions to use cutting-edge science in the development of a non-surgical sterilant for dogs and cats – an innovative experiment in solving the problem of pet overpopulation and chance for scientists to cash in on a $25 million prize. <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-bGC7GlmAXYI/TjmtwyiEm7I/AAAAAAAA2ug/zsGRZ9zLbD0/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="208" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4TmknRP4YCw/TjmtxqOnV3I/AAAAAAAA2uk/4tfoeRb_Qr8/image_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="158" /></a></p> <p>In 2008, <a href="http://www.foundanimals.org/">Found Animals Foundation</a>, a privately funded Los Angeles-based non-profit group, announced the launch of this unique program, the <a href="http://michelson.foundanimals.org/">Michelson Prize & Grants</a>, named after Found Animals’ creator Dr. Gary Michelson, a billionaire orthopedic spinal surgeon who wants to see a decrease in the 3-4 million animals euthanized each year in U.S. shelters. In addition to the $25 million incentive to the first person to successfully develop a nonsurgical method for sterilizing cats and dogs, the Michelson Grants in Reproductive Biology offers up to a total of $50 million in funding for promising research in pursuit of <a href="http://michelson.foundanimals.org/">non-surgical sterilization</a> technology.</p> <p>Since the announcement, Found Animals has received more than 150 letters of intent for the <a href="http://michelson.foundanimals.org/michelson-grants">Michelson Grants</a>, and has invited over 50 investigators to submit full grant proposals. To date, 15 of those grants have been approved totaling more than $6 million in research funding. Currently, research is under way everywhere from Australia and Argentina to California and Virginia, among several other states in the U.S. </p> <p>“We are thrilled with the high level of interest we’ve seen from qualified applicants to date and we are confident that we’ll see many more proposals of equal excellence in the future,” said Aimee Gilbreath, Executive Director of Found Animals. “What’s even more exciting is that we’re seeing proposals based on new technologies such as  nanocontainers and gene silencing, meaning that researchers are applying cutting edge science to this problem – which was our hope when launching the program.” </p> <p><strong>Surgical spay/neuter procedures are the current standard for sterilizing animals. While this approach is relatively safe and effective, it is not an ideal. Spay and neuter procedures require general anesthesia and an adequately equipped surgical facility, both of which create obstacles for pet owners such as high costs, transportation of animals and inherent risks of surgery</strong>. A single dose, non-surgical sterilant would be a more effective solution to defer cost and inconvenience for many pet owners, according to experts. </p> <p>To review proposals for funding, regular meetings are scheduled with the Found Animals’ <a href="http://michelson.foundanimals.org/about-michelson/scientific-board">Scientific Advisory Board</a>, made up of top scientists from a wide variety of relevant fields including reproductive biology, immunology, biotechnology, drug development, and animal welfare. Many of the board members have recently completed their first two-year term and are currently being renewed for a second term.</p> <p>“Through the interest we’ve seen so far, we’re confident this innovative program is moving in the right direction and we’re excited about what’s in store with this group of elite researchers,” said Shirley Johnston, D.V.M., Ph.D., a leading expert on animal reproduction and a respected veterinarian, who serves as Director of Scientific Research for Found Animals and oversees the prize and grants program. </p> <p>The official application process for the $25 million <a href="http://michelson.foundanimals.org/michelson-prize">Michelson Prize</a> is now available on the Found Animals website, in addition to valuable resources for scientists interested in applying for the prize and grant program, including presentations from the symposium on non-surgical sterilization, a canine and feline reproduction guide and a toolkit of quality assurance best practices including downloadable forms. </p> <p>For more information, visit <a href="http://michelson.foundanimals.org/">http://michelson.foundanimals.org/</a>. </p> <p><b><u>ABOUT FOUND ANIMALS</u></b></p> <p><a href="http://www.foundanimals.org/">Found Animals Foundation</a> is a privately funded Los Angeles based non-profit organization dedicated to animal welfare issues and led by business and medical professionals. The Found Animals team works directly within the animal welfare community to improve animal shelter processes, fund pet sterilization research, promote effective animal welfare policy, and provide funding to area shelters and spay/neutering clinics. The organization also sponsors and promotes pet adoption, pet spay and neutering, microchipping programs, and various animal and pet-related events.</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:404ba546-c100-42ad-8c87-6ea233a212b2" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Science" rel="tag">Science</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/grants" rel="tag">grants</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/dogs" rel="tag">dogs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/cats" rel="tag">cats</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/sterilization" rel="tag">sterilization</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/biology" rel="tag">biology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/technology" rel="tag">technology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pharmacology" rel="tag">pharmacology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/surgeon" rel="tag">surgeon</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medtronics" rel="tag">Medtronics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/lawsuit" rel="tag">lawsuit</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/patents" rel="tag">patents</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Gary+Michelson" rel="tag">Gary Michelson</a></div>

Momentum Builds Toward $25 Million Prize to Curb Pet Overpopulation–Dr. Gary Michelson

We like Dr. Michelson at the Medical Quack as I wrote back a few months ago with an update and background information that was featured in...

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Zoll and Vicor Want to Predict Heart Attacks with a Device–One More Effort With Predictive Analytic Algorithms Using Medical Devices

<p>I’ll be a little bit of a devil’s advocate here and discussed the stress of having a device that is going to sound off at any time and wonder if we are ready for this?  Again the technology is good to be aware but has anybody thought about the <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="161" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-j5OZdoDtTWQ/TjmncncSNbI/AAAAAAAA2uM/v47jtDqMn24/image%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="204" />psychological effects of such devices?  Will we want to walk around with either an implanted or external device that can send off a “red” alert at any time?  A couple days ago I posted about an implanted device that will basically do the same thing.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/08/angelmed-guardian-system-implanted.html"><font size="2">AngelMed Guardian System-Implanted Device to Alert Patients They Are Either Having or Are Close to a Heart Attack-Clinical Trials</font></a></h4> <p>Perhaps after using such a device over time some of the anxiety might lessen but initially I think anxiety is a concern with potential stress of a device going off and the response one may get.  What if you have a false positive and it’s not a real heart attack, would that give you a heart attack?  Nobody wants a heart attack, self included here and we of course want the best care but in the pursuit of early warnings is this something that we should also consider?  Sometimes when the phone rings and I see it’s from someone I don’t want to talk to sets off some stress and that’s a minor issue compared to a heart attack by all means.  </p> <p>I think this sounds like it could be a good project for the folks who work with participatory sensing with devices to take a look at to make sure it’s done correctly and so we don’t have the stress of a device causing the opposite effect as you have to remember we have a lot of other mobile device action taking place today too.  BD  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/06/participatory-sensing-medical-devices.html"><font size="2">Participatory Sensing – Medical Device Study at UCLA With Reporting Data</font></a></h4> <blockquote> <p>ZOLL Medical Corp. (NSDQ:<a href="http://www.google.com/finance?q=ZOLL">ZOLL</a>) and Vicor Corp. (NSDQ:<a href="http://www.google.com/finance?q=NASDAQ%3AVICR">VICR</a>) have teamed up to provide patient monitoring systems that can predict imminent heart attacks and warn patients and caregivers in real time. </p> <p>Vicor's PD2i analyzer uses a nonlinear algorithm to examine a heartbeat for patterns that reveal risky brain-heart interaction that could put a patient at risk of death. </p> <p>"Given the PD2i(R)'s ability to detect a patient's risk of tachyarrhythmia in time for a warning to be issued to the patient and/or caregiver, we are pleased to be able to utilize this technology in our resuscitation devices, many of which are not only therapeutic but also used to monitor patients prior to an acute event," Zoll president Jonathan Rennert said in <a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/vicor-technologies-announces-agreement-with-zoll-medical-corporation-2011-08-03?reflink=MW_news_stmp">prepared remarks</a>. </p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.massdevice.com/news/heart-health-zoll-and-vicor-team-heart-attack-predicting-devices">Heart health: Zoll and Vicor team up on heart-attack predicting devices | MassDevice - Medical Device Industry News</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:8cc1f2ae-21e2-48f6-a59c-8985ad99cbc9" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Zoll" rel="tag">Zoll</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Vicor" rel="tag">Vicor</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+devices" rel="tag">medical devices</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/ethics" rel="tag">ethics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/brain+damage" rel="tag">brain damage</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/analytics" rel="tag">analytics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/heart+attack.+participatory+sensing" rel="tag">heart attack. participatory sensing</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/algorithm" rel="tag">algorithm</a></div>

Zoll and Vicor Want to Predict Heart Attacks with a Device–One More Effort With Predictive Analytic Algorithms Using Medical Devices

I’ll be a little bit of a devil’s advocate here and discussed the stress of having a device that is going to sound off at any time and wonde...

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McAfee Makes the News Today With A Huge Hacking Trail Uncovered–Social Algorithm Valuations Overrated & Need Security Too

<p>No wonder Intel bought them, saw some value here for sure.  It just seems like the hacking never ends but what was found here has more vital interest to national <img align="right" border="0" height="66" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TJcGp1oHKzI/AAAAAAAAhfM/jyY8xKNrAKY/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" width="169" />security issues and company secrets exposed and it appears to have all been from one source which the McAfee can’t reveal for obvious reasons.  Anyway, with all the security breaches we have in healthcare, good video to watch and perhaps now security in Health IT will perhaps gain a bigger focus as well as those expensive and over valued social network algorithms too.  </p> <p><object data="http://www.reuters.com/resources_v2/flash/video_embed.swf?videoId=217838818" height="259" id="rcomVideo_217838818" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420"> <param name="movie" value="http://www.reuters.com/resources_v2/flash/video_embed.swf?videoId=217838818"></param> <param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param> <param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param> <param name="wmode" value="transparent"> <embed src="http://www.reuters.com/resources_v2/flash/video_embed.swf?videoId=217838818" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="420" height="259" wmode="transparent"></embed> </object></p> <blockquote></blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/small-business/disruptive-startups-that-dont-get-funded-07282011.html"><u>In another article in Bloomberg this morning,</u></a> feast your eyes on this little artifact and see that just in the first quarter of this year how was spent on social media start up companies and ask yourself about the lack of balance in the US and where we place values today. Sure I like social networks and use them but they too have had tons of security issues as well and seem to be lacking in their security efforts and research before putting some of what we see out there on the web today.  </p> <p><em>“<u>Private equity and venture capital funds poured a combined $2.52 billion into social media startups</u> during the first quarter of 2011, according to the SMI Social Media Funding Guide. has a $100 million fund for iPhone software startups. Yet not a single major venture capital fund has been launched to invest primarily in companies serving the poor.”</em></p> <p><strong><u>How do they hack so efficiently?  Its all in those algorithms.</u></strong>  This is an excellent post I made below that takes time out to explain the role of algorithms today and worth the read and I’ll add the video included here below as well, <strong><u>it’s important as when hackers start writing the unreadable we are up a creek.</u></strong>  This is also why we see the huge failure of lawmakers today too as they don’t carry enough digital literacy today to be informed enough on how to use such technologies to make laws for the positive side and regulation…it’s all over the news and I hope they wake up soon.  You can’t make laws on issues you have no real knowledge of.  BD</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/07/how-algorithms-shape-our-worldted-talks.html"><font size="2">How Algorithms Shape Our World–TED Talks Kevin Slavin–Writing the Unreadable And A Good Reason to Get Into the Math</font></a></h4> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 396px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:fb22b96d-e24b-4aeb-8263-5d21f8f114b5" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="8b2385ab-41f1-41fa-b1e1-8eff327181b1" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDaFwnOiKVE" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('8b2385ab-41f1-41fa-b1e1-8eff327181b1'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"396\" height=\"241\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/TDaFwnOiKVE?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/TDaFwnOiKVE?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"396\" height=\"241\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-x5jdfMjJUuU/TjmOoNBSbFI/AAAAAAAA2to/Lk1AHLFHcp4/videoa411e322a38d%25255B10%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div><div style="width:396px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Life with the Algos</div></div> <p><a href="http://in.reuters.com/video/2011/08/04/massive-hacking-trail-uncovered-mcafee?videoId=217838818&feedType=VideoRSS&feedName=Technology&videoChannel=105&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FINVideoTechnology+%28Video+%2F+IN+%2F+Technology%29">Massive hacking trail uncovered: McAfee | Video | Reuters.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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:0971c084-b737-496a-9de5-ef11ea28a799" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/TED" rel="tag">TED</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/algorithms" rel="tag">algorithms</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/index" rel="tag">index</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/topography" rel="tag">topography</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/art" rel="tag">art</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/trading" rel="tag">trading</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/teeth" rel="tag">teeth</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/rethink" rel="tag">rethink</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/math" rel="tag">math</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/computers" rel="tag">computers</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/shares" rel="tag">shares</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/poker" rel="tag">poker</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/transactions" rel="tag">transactions</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hacking" rel="tag">hacking</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/laws" rel="tag">laws</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/digital+literacy" rel="tag">digital literacy</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/McAfee" rel="tag">McAfee</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Intel" rel="tag">Intel</a></div>

McAfee Makes the News Today With A Huge Hacking Trail Uncovered–Social Algorithm Valuations Overrated & Need Security Too

No wonder Intel bought them, saw some value here for sure.  It just seems like the hacking never ends but what was found here has more vital...

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Life Settlement Provider Coventry First Drops Twitter Trademark Infringement Suit–Appears Tweets Are Fine Under the First Amendment

<p>This is kind of a strange story and the Life Settlement business is not always written about in a favorable fashion just because of what it is and this law suit was even stranger.  I think the internet is full of people expressing their opinions and we <a href="http://www.coventry.com/coventry-first/index.asp"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="86" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-mY8xp3FvUBQ/TjmDJZYk7rI/AAAAAAAA2tU/D8UjXajL5oc/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="169" /></a>see it every day and so again the grounds of this suit are just strange unless there was some kind of loop hole being explored?  Basically it sounds like they didn’t like the way the industry as a whole was being discussed and again when has the first amendment not been allowed?  Another life settlement company earlier this year admitted to an SEC investigation on their practices.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/01/life-partners-confirms-investigation-by.html"><font size="2">Life Partners Confirms Investigation by SEC-Life Settlements Where Insured Are Living Longer Than the Risk Projections-Investors Paying Long Than They Want</font></a></h4> <p>When investors take over an insurance policy that was originally sold to an individual and looks for a return, what can you say?  It kind of is what it is and there’s been plenty on the web over the years from major papers and so forth on this topic.  <strong>Enter analytics and projections with behavioral analytics being used everywhere today and the algorithms and the decisions made from their use certainly opens up the doors for a lot of questions and not just for this industry as it’s everywhere</strong>.  There are <u>companies doing risk assessments all over the place to guestimate how long someone will live</u> and it’s in the healthcare side too.  We have a country stuck on analytics which is not a bad thing, but how <u>they are interpreted and used when financial gain enters the picture is the issue</u>.  We have Dead Peasant life insurance policies that are all over the news from time to time as well and let’s face it the ethics here allow questions and opinions for anyone to pose.  </p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/10/peasant-life-insurance-policies-human.html"><font size="2">'Dead Peasant' Life Insurance Policies - Human Hedge Funds The Next Bond Issues</font></a></h6> <p>This is just bizarre in nature with the filed lawsuit and again the first amendment prevails with all being able to express their opinions.  BD   </p> <blockquote> <p>Life insurance settlement provider <a href="http://www.coventry.com/coventry-first/index.asp">Coventry First</a> has dropped a trademark infringement lawsuit it filed in federal court alleging anonymous defendants were posting false Twitter messages saying that it wants people to die quickly.</p> <p>Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the suit listed "Does 1-10, inclusive," as defendants. After many anonymous attacks, including postings on Twitter, the company sued "to obtain the records from Twitter to ascertain who is behind these anonymous attacks," Alan Buerger, chief executive officer of Coventry First, told BestWire in June (BestWire, June 14, 2011).</p> <p>Paul Levy, the attorney who represented the anonymous Twitter user, said Coventry First dropped the suit "when it learned what argument we were going to make in seeking sanctions against its lawyer and getting the case dismissed." The company "ignored the proper way to get into court," said Levy, an attorney with Public Citizen.</p> <p>One Tweet read: "sure, maybe health ins. companies want u to die fast once you get sick but they want u healthy for a long time first. Coventry wants u dead NOW!" and "the faster people die the more coventry first profits! Not even cig companies want their customers to die as fast" (BestWire, June 14, 2011).</p> <p>Coventry First, one of the largest life settlement providers in the United States, buys life insurance policies from policyowners who no longer need their insurance and aggregates these policies for institutional investors around the world.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://insurancenewsnet.com/article.aspx?id=271471&type=lifehealth">Insurance News - Life Settlement Provider Coventry First Drops Twitter Trademark Infringement Suit</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:2cd18f60-0c2e-432f-a99f-3acb851a4263" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Coventry" rel="tag">Coventry</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/life+settlement" rel="tag">life settlement</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/insurance" rel="tag">insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/risk+assessment" rel="tag">risk assessment</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/life+insurance" rel="tag">life insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/financial+returns" rel="tag">financial returns</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/SEC" rel="tag">SEC</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Twitter" rel="tag">Twitter</a></div>

Life Settlement Provider Coventry First Drops Twitter Trademark Infringement Suit–Appears Tweets Are Fine Under the First Amendment

This is kind of a strange story and the Life Settlement business is not always written about in a favorable fashion just because of what it ...

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Aetna Moves Into Health IT Management With Acquisition of PayFlex Health Plan IT Platform - Subsidiary Watch

<p>Aetna I’m sure wants to keep up with the competition in this area when you compare to the efforts of United Healthcare who owns it’s own bank with over a billion on deposit with HAS (health savings accounts) and they have options to use the money to make loans to healthcare concerns with the funds.  Maybe Aetna could be on their way to some day having a bank too?  <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-lHI0Blo-LA0/Tjl7SmnYa4I/AAAAAAAA2s0/uUX2-3fvf-o/s1600-h/image%25255B14%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="82" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gHbbXYMP-bs/Tjl7S8AOAaI/AAAAAAAA2s4/uY-tF-stfQo/image_thumb%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="142" /></a></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/07/unitedhealth-group-owns-bank-with.html"><font size="2">UnitedHealth Group Owns a Bank With Deposits Surpassing a Billion – OptumHealth Bank FDIC Insured</font></a></h4> <p>HSAs are always up for discussion as they benefit employers with the offerings and the consumer side is not always the best as far as high deductibles to be met with most plans.   As always with mergers and acquisitions today in healthcare, especially the insurer end it’s kind a good idea to pay attention here as data and money are analyzed and combined beyond what has been past practice and sometimes some business models that appear might surprise you.  United has long been buying up subsidiaries and you can see the daisy chain of subsidiary companies and<strong> Aetna appears to be moving in the same direction and it’s all about analytics and algorithms.</strong>  Below is a statement from their privacy disclosure…interesting…business requirements is a pretty open area when you think about it as your information is subject to something along this line here I am guessing.  <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/07/unitedhealth-group-owns-bank-with.html"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="85" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-eBPDmrrihSo/Tjl7TElceRI/AAAAAAAA2s8/MwpSKllW7os/image%25255B15%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="140" /></a></p> <p><em>“Information will not be distributed or shared for marketing purposes or for any other purpose outside the scope of our business requirements.”</em></p> <p>In the last year I can’t ever recall so many purchases by insurers with financial/health management analytics companies as what we have seen.  It’s no longer separate entities with their algorithms for analytics as 3rd parties in many areas and seems to all be running together with data galore.  BD </p> <blockquote> <p>Aetna continued its spending spree with an announcement in July that it will buy the country's largest health savings account administrator, <a href="http://www.payflex.com/index.php?option=com_products-services-page&Itemid=16">PayFlex,</a> for $202 million.</p> <p>PayFlex, based in Omaha, Neb., manages accounts for about 1 million enrollees. It also runs wellness programs and a range of account-based employee benefits, including transit reimbursement accounts, dependent care accounts, COBRA benefits and leave of absence benefits for employers.</p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-HLfYleFyDjM/Tjl7TbHFjFI/AAAAAAAA2tA/gl-XyKY8Rvo/s1600-h/image%25255B8%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="284" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Wnx0U2hcAFA/Tjl7T_bblHI/AAAAAAAA2tE/RE3cRvny7hQ/image_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="343" /></a></p> <p>The purchase will give Aetna a firm foothold in the HSA business. According to a survey released in June by insurer trade group America's Health Insurance Plans, 11.4 million Americans are enrolled in high-deductible health plans paired with an HSA that helps cover out-of-pocket health care costs. The plans are a popular way for employers to control costs and drive workers to pay attention to the cost of care because they must pay out of pocket for at least the first $1,000 of medical expenses.</p> <p>By combining its own consumer account business with PayFlex, Aetna will hold about 2 million consumer-funded spending accounts, according to the company.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2011/08/01/bisd0802.htm">amednews: Aetna snaps up HSA management giant :: Aug. 2, 2011 ... American Medical News</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:3c106fe1-8ac8-4c25-a276-c21fd18290a6" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+insurance" rel="tag">health insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/banks" rel="tag">banks</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/money" rel="tag">money</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HSA" rel="tag">HSA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Exante" rel="tag">Exante</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/premiums" rel="tag">premiums</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/PayFlex" rel="tag">PayFlex</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Health+IT" rel="tag">Health IT</a></div>

Aetna Moves Into Health IT Management With Acquisition of PayFlex Health Plan IT Platform - Subsidiary Watch

Aetna I’m sure wants to keep up with the competition in this area when you compare to the efforts of United Healthcare who owns it’s own ban...

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FDA Clears Telcare's mHealth Cellular Connected Glucose Meter–Information Collected Via Web Site

<p>This is an interesting product and it connects to PHRs like HealthVault and there are <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Mq_I9Jr8e24/Tjl1Hk5gijI/AAAAAAAA2sU/QMRtATDPImo/s1600-h/image%25255B2%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="193" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-mVYGYYFRW00/Tjl1H5ziovI/AAAAAAAA2sY/e0llStLX070/image_thumb.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="240" /></a>all types of analytics included for both patient and doctor use.  I read through the website and the results go directly to a website and so my questions here are privacy with selling data.  According to what I read the meter is free and uses normal and customary glucose strips, etc. that are normally covered but the device is free, <strong>so how do they make money?  The first thought that comes to mind is either by selling data or insurer reimbursement and I didn’t see any statements to reflect</strong> either other than the fact that with someone under 13 years old would be somewhat exempt?  </p> <p>You can have results sent to family members, etc. and reminder and other types of notices are provided, i.e. a high reading etc.  In addition to the mobile app it appears that glucose is getting social with who one decides to share their information with.  If a provider were to use I would certainly hope that it would go directly to a medical record as this is the issue today with so many apps out there that doctors are pressed for time as it is much less had a full battery of apps to monitor.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.telcare.com/">Telcare, Inc.,</a> an exhibitor at this year's annual meeting of the American Association of Diabetes Educators, has just received clearance from the <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-vwrgRe2VbpQ/Tjl1IVT9PeI/AAAAAAAA2sc/18vwoaBtl2Y/s1600-h/image%25255B6%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="163" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QYUgGQse--E/Tjl1It-lsCI/AAAAAAAA2sg/JUmwRrLxHiU/image_thumb%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="199" /></a>US Food and Drug Administration to market the Telcare BGM, the first cellular-enabled glucose meter, combined with an FDA-cleared database (Telserve) to aid in the management of diabetes. The device allows patients to transmit their blood glucose readings to caregivers and family members, and receive immediate coaching and clinical feedback relayed to the screen of the glucose meter. The patient does not have to take any additional steps to transmit the data and the cost of the wireless connectivity is included in the price of the device and its accompanying test strips. Thus, users will have a much richer clinical experience at no additional cost when compared to standard glucose meters.<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Sw-p_IjS0rM/Tjl1IwM9bmI/AAAAAAAA2sk/LRo7PFPZIWk/s1600-h/image%25255B10%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="182" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pzvkplkFw6g/Tjl1JNQ8IKI/AAAAAAAA2so/Wu0l6hYbW4A/image_thumb%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="128" /></a></p> <p>The Telcare glucose meter aims to bridge the last mile between patient and caregiver. Real time information is transmitted to the electronic medical record, personal health records, such as Microsoft Health Vault, and a variety of smartphone apps designed to connect patients to family members and to each other. While other marketplace solutions have relied on Bluetooth transmission to cellphones, connections of glucose meters to personal computers and cradles, or requiring the patient to manually enter results into a phone app, Telcare's solution requires no additional steps on the part of the patient.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.benzinga.com/pressreleases/11/08/p1828611/telcares-first-in-class-mhealth-connected-glucose-meter-cleared-by-fda">Telcare's First-in-class mHealth Connected Glucose Meter Cleared by FDA | Benzinga.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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:1d93688a-52ca-41ab-aef6-301b65cec6b5" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Telcare" rel="tag">Telcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/diabetes" rel="tag">diabetes</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/glucose+meters" rel="tag">glucose meters</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/mHealth" rel="tag">mHealth</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/apps" rel="tag">apps</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/patient" rel="tag">patient</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/doctor" rel="tag">doctor</a></div>

FDA Clears Telcare's mHealth Cellular Connected Glucose Meter–Information Collected Via Web Site

This is an interesting product and it connects to PHRs like HealthVault and there are all types of analytics included for both patient and d...

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Nuance PaperPort Goes to the Cloud

<p>PaperPort has been around a long time and if you don’t find a full medical records system in place in practice today, there’s a good chance that PaperPort is at least around for document management.  There’s even a small “free” account that allows for document storage in the cloud.  The web service is similar to other services such as Drop Box and Sky Drive and you can synch with the desktop.  They also have software that works with smartphones and Ipads.  </p> <p><a href="http://www.paperport.com/anywhere/"><img alt="image" border="0" height="240" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-S6DDp5EQCH0/Tjj4KdARPeI/AAAAAAAA2rc/i4KNHBeXn1Y/image%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="341" /></a></p> <p>You can also still purchase the desktop version of PaperPort as well.   In addition Nuance also has a cloud connector service to where you can have a PaperPort folder so you can scan right to the cloud as well.  BD   </p> <blockquote> <p>If you own a scanner, chances are you are using Nuance's Windows-based PaperPort software, the tool that has been bundled with scanners for more than 20 years. Today the company introduced version 14 of the venerable utility, a new iOS app and a cloud-based scanning solution called <a href="http://paperport.com">PaperPort Anywhere</a>. </p> <p>What is interesting is how Nuance has taken a piece of desktop PC software that has been around so long and incorporated these more modern innovations, to make a powerful way to leverage how we work between cloud and desktop programs and enable users to more closely tie in cloud storage with their desktop files. </p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.readwriteweb.com/cloud/2011/08/nuance-introduces-paperport-an.php">Nuance Introduces PaperPort Anywhere - ReadWriteCloud</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:8510096c-f6ed-48d5-92a2-7bed1219f47c" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Nuance" rel="tag">Nuance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Paperport" rel="tag">Paperport</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/cloud" rel="tag">cloud</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/documents" rel="tag">documents</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/storage" rel="tag">storage</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/desktop" rel="tag">desktop</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/document+management" rel="tag">document management</a></div>

Nuance PaperPort Goes to the Cloud

PaperPort has been around a long time and if you don’t find a full medical records system in place in practice today, there’s a good chance ...

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German Firm Fresenius Medical To Buy Liberty Dialysis for $1.7 Billion And American Access Care

<p>This is a big purchase and both acquisitions are in the same or similar core business <a href="http://www.fmcna.com/fmcna/index.htm"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="88" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-kfBK-2Z2ECU/TjjzJ5_AW-I/AAAAAAAA2rU/aRK_CfxyAUM/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="216" /></a>as Fresenius in Germany.  The Medicare law provides for bundled rates and larger chains run an advantage there.  </p> <blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.fmcna.com/fmcna/index.htm">Fresenius Medical Care AG</a> agreed to buy Liberty Dialysis Holdings Inc. for $1.7 billion, one of two acquisitions announced today to expand its U.S. clinic network. </p> <p>Liberty Dialysis, a closely held company based in Mercer Island, <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/washington/">Washington</a>, has 260 clinics with annual revenue of about $1 billion, <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/bad-homburg/">Bad Homburg</a>, Germany-based Fresenius Medical said in a statement today. The deal is expected to close early next year, the German company said. Fresenius Medical also will buy U.S.-based <a href="http://www.americanaccesscare.com/ourcompany.html">American Access Care Holdings LLC</a> for $385 million.</p> <p>American Access runs outpatient clinics for procedures such as fistulas and grafts that give permanent surgical access to veins, reducing the need to use temporary catheters for dialysis blood-cleaning treatment. Using such procedures may help Fresenius reduce the number of expensive-to-treat infections, Clive said. Catheters also tend to make patients require higher doses of some drugs, she said. </p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-08-02/germany-s-fresenius-medical-care-to-buy-liberty-dialysis-for-1-7-billion.html">Fresenius Medical Agrees to Buy Liberty Dialysis of U.S. for $1.7 Billion - Bloomberg</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:dd505112-af3d-4a7a-b3d3-d530f534e715" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Fresenius+Medical" rel="tag">Fresenius Medical</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/dialysis" rel="tag">dialysis</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/mergers+and+acquisitions" rel="tag">mergers and acquisitions</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Germany" rel="tag">Germany</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Liberty+Dialysis" rel="tag">Liberty Dialysis</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/American+Access+Care" rel="tag">American Access Care</a></div>

German Firm Fresenius Medical To Buy Liberty Dialysis for $1.7 Billion And American Access Care

This is a big purchase and both acquisitions are in the same or similar core business as Fresenius in Germany.  The Medicare law provides fo...

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Duck Gets Fitted For Surf Booties To Protect Feet From the Hot Sand of the Beach

<p>Yup, this is in California, you guessed right and it’s been a while since I had “duck” post and this one fits the bill.  Cute and even walks on a leash.  BD </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-xWr5I-V8RtE/Tjj59FLWweI/AAAAAAAA2rk/SJpSfgn2DlA/s1600-h/image%25255B4%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="256" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-6Mf9LKXn8l4/Tjj59p796iI/AAAAAAAA2ro/qludSUc-rJ4/image_thumb%25255B2%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="366" /></a></p> <blockquote> <p>When it comes to walking around on their own webbed feet, ducks are just ducky. But one quacker in San Diego, Calif., was recently fitted for his own pair of purple neoprene surf booties.</p> <p>The fashion-conscious fowl came about his new foot attire by happenstance, according to Yvonne Cruz, the co-owner of <a href="http://surfnseacustomwetsuits.com/">Surf 'N' Sea Custom Wetsuits</a>, which is located near the shore in San Diego's Ocean Beach neighborhood.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/18/duck-gets-fitted-for-surf-booties_n_897647.html?ir=Los+Angeles#s308507&title=Animals_In_The">Duck Gets Fitted For Surf Booties</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:b55915de-3aa2-46c2-80f6-bb92399ce702" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Ducks" rel="tag">Ducks</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/surf" rel="tag">surf</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/boots" rel="tag">boots</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/sand" rel="tag">sand</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/beach" rel="tag">beach</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/San+Diego" rel="tag">San Diego</a></div>

Duck Gets Fitted For Surf Booties To Protect Feet From the Hot Sand of the Beach

Yup, this is in California, you guessed right and it’s been a while since I had “duck” post and this one fits the bill.  Cute and even walks...

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Health Insurance Exchange Chief at HHS Announces He Will Be Leaving–Who Wants That Job, Really…

<p>I’m not talking about the person holding the job right now at all but rather the responsibly the position has, you can never win here with dealing with all the insurers and their algorithms.  Just as soon as you have one hole plugged, 10 more erupt. <strong> It’s the algorithm business today and the way the business world functions and having people in high places today without some on hands Health IT background is tough and they have to rely totally on what they are told from those who do.  <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TdYNiZF0RQI/AAAAAAAAxks/UEJVJ2qMb7Y/image%5B8%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" />Think about that for a moment, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs are coders…look where they are at in the business world and</strong> where does our President look for guidance…remember not too long ago his trip to California that was highly publicized?  </p> <p>I truly hope it’s a smooth transition like the article states, but darn I know better and prefer to be realist when it comes down to mathematics today, as that is what rearranged all the money in this country and the world for that matter.  Now if we entertained certifying some of their algorithms like we do for medical record software then that might plug up a few holes right away as everyone knows what the starting point is.  Again too you have to allow for technology breakthroughs and other software updates to come into play here too so forecasting is difficult and challenging.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/05/hhs-issues-final-rule-for-health.html"><font size="2">HHS Issues Final Rule for Health Insurers To Justify Increases–Need to Certify Insurance Algorithms For Calculation Just Like We Certify Electronic Record Algorithms</font></a></h4> <p>I’m not out of my mind, or at least I hope not but when you see news items such as the 3rd parties getting caught with their algorithms working in strange ways, it’s all there right in front of you.  This is just one example and there are more that come up all the time.  </p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/04/med-solutions-and-blue-cross-caught-on.html"><font size="2">Med Solutions and Blue Cross Caught On the Stress Test Denial Algorithm (video)</font></a></h6> <p>With the medical loss ratios to be met, you know the business world works the algos to find where money and savings can be realized throughout and that’s the way business operates today but sadly it hits many in the pocket book with reduced payment for brokers for one example below and I’m not even <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TdYNiO2NHwI/AAAAAAAAxko/n3hlhI_0Z9M/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" />touching claims here.  </p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/05/medical-loss-ratios-showing-devastating.html"><font size="2">Medical Loss Ratios Showing Devastating Effects With Health Insurance Agents and Consumers</font></a></h6> <p>So what does a person in this position have to look forward to?  Again I feel for this person to make the algorithm madness work.  Government and regulatory agencies have not caught up to where the insurer business is today and it’s game of cat and mouse for profits and algorithms.  <u>I guess to relieve the stress while we wait around for the exchanges, you could go off and play this data collecting game that Aetna devised and gosh knows what that cost and I hope that is not a cost under the medical loss ratios:)</u></p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/05/aetna-to-offer-online-game-social-game.html"><font size="2">Aetna To Offer Online Game Social Game For Personal Wellness- Joins Humana As They Have An Online Game Called FamScape</font></a></h6> <p>So much of what we have today as well is the steroid like marketing that is taking place and where the product, drugs, care or whatever you want to throw in there is somewhat secondary to the money made selling our profiles and data information.<strong>  It was nice to see someone on ZD net recently agree with me there.  Walgreens said their data intangible business is worth $800 million, a big chunk of money there.</strong> <u> We need some more tangibles made in the US and reduce our dependency on algorithms a bit for our economics</u>, in other words balance.  I like technology and and what it does too so don’t mistake me for not being a fan because I am, but we are out of balance and the <strong>technologists can basically pretty much write and implement any code they want and gets millions funded for doing do.</strong>   Algorithms that help produce tangibles are great.  <img align="right" border="0" height="151" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Tb9U_-K6ZwI/AAAAAAAAwV8/-Fd9jPmeaac/image_thumb%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" width="161" /></p> <p>You have states that are going along and some that don’t want to participate with exchanges so where’s the unison?  They don’t know the algorithms either and where they will play out for profit and fully work to support consumers.   I’ll close this rant with a post that I made back in 2009 and maybe it was a head of it’s time but is it finally time for a Department of Algorithms with some digital eccentric laws with some efforts along that line?  We’re going to choke if we don’t do it soon.  </p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/08/department-of-algorithms-do-we-need-one.html"><font size="2">“Department of Algorithms – Do We Need One of These to Regulate Upcoming Laws?</font></a></h6> <p><strong><em>You can’t win for losing in that job unless you have a deep education on algorithms today as putting the exchanges together will require a ton of algos to make it work</em></strong> and requires more than just decisions but rather a lot of patience, hair pulling <grin> and what ever else you want to toss in there as the insurers will alter and adjust theirs which in turn will affect the entire structure of the program so there’s a ton of back and forth effort here with the algorithms.  I hope we are lucky enough to get someone with “nerves of steel” and at least a partial background as an “Algo Man” to fill these shoes.  BD   </p> <blockquote> <p>WASHINGTON, Aug 2 (Reuters) - The official charged with overseeing the creation of U.S. state-based health insurance exchanges is stepping down at a critical juncture for the Obama administration's healthcare overhaul.</p> <p>Joel Ario, director of health insurance exchanges at the Department of Health and Human Services, is leaving his job just as states begin to get guidelines for setting up the exchanges, HHS officials confirmed on Tuesday.</p> <p>"It would certainly shake things up for the states who have had a very good working relationship with Joel, especially when we are all feeling the pressure to move forward ... so we can have our state-based exchanges up and running in 2014," Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger said in a statement.</p> <p>"We're going to have a smooth transition. He's not leaving tomorrow," Larsen told reporters after a hearing on Capitol Hill when asked about Ario's departure.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/08/02/health-exchanges-idUSN1E77110J20110802">UPDATE 2-US health insurance exchanges chief to step down | Reuters</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:aaece5b7-95d6-4766-975a-48d33eb521ba" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Software" rel="tag">Software</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/business+intelligence" rel="tag">business intelligence</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/analytics" rel="tag">analytics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+insurance" rel="tag">health insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HHS" rel="tag">HHS</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/government" rel="tag">government</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/policies" rel="tag">policies</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Rules" rel="tag">Rules</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/MLR" rel="tag">MLR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/insurance+exchanges" rel="tag">insurance exchanges</a></div>

Health Insurance Exchange Chief at HHS Announces He Will Be Leaving–Who Wants That Job, Really…

I’m not talking about the person holding the job right now at all but rather the responsibly the position has, you can never win here with d...

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HealthFirst TPA Signs Up With Satori To Bring Medical Tourism Benefits For Their Client Employers in Texas

<p>These folks seem to be on a roll with the press releases I am receiving with yet one more contract to provide employees of the managed benefit plans an option to travel <a href="http://www.hftpa.com/self-funded-insurance.php"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="85" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-t7I6d8GRYZg/TjeL5T3RQvI/AAAAAAAA2nU/ekERl3us_Jc/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="183" /></a>for selected surgical procedures.  Less than 2 weeks ago we had the PEBA contract announced and they also signed up the City of Hartford in Connecticut.  TPA is a third party administrator for benefits.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/07/public-employee-benefits-alliance-peba.html"><font size="2">Public Employee Benefits Alliance (PEBA) A Texas Purchasing Cooperative Signs Agreement With Satori Medical Tourism</font></a></h4> <p>Again having that former CEO of Cigna on hand might be opening some doors here for contract negotiations.  A clip from the HealthFirst site explains what they do.  </p> <p><em>“Self-funding is an alternative plan for companies who choose to take control of their own insurance plans. This means that instead of paying an insurance <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/THKc-amEkZI/AAAAAAAAgtg/f7daY85dzvs/image%5B7%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" />company money to pay the claims (and keep any profits) of your employee benefits plan, a self-funded employer puts the money into a trust fund that is overseen by strict Federal government regulation. That trust fund, in turn, pays the claims and keeps any profits on behalf of the benefit plan to offset future expenses.”</em></p> <p>The company has a full line up of analytics software and risk management software on the site and they explain how they mine data with business intelligence reporting.  Again I am guessing that Mexico is going to be a targeted country due to location and there may be other destinations covered but none are specifically mentioned in the press release.  A couple years ago I talked with quite a few hospitals in Mexico at the LA Medical Tourism conference they were building the big luxury hospitals to prepare for what they anticipated as a large customer base of patients from the US.  BD</p> <blockquote> <p><b><u>Press Release:</u></b></p> <p><b>SAN DIEGO – </b>August 1, 2011 – <a href="http://www.satoriworldmedical.com">Satori World Medical</a> has partnered with <a href="http://www.hftpa.com">HealthFirst TPA</a>, a leading third party administrator (TPA), to offer its global healthcare program to their clients.</p> <p>Through this partnership, Satori World Medical will provide HealthFirst TPA’s clients and thousands of their employees access to a full-service, high quality medical travel program, also known as medical tourism or global healthcare. Under the program, specialized surgical procedures, such as orthopedic, cardiac, bariatric, cosmetic and major dental work can be performed at <a href="http://www.satoriworldmedical.com/content.php?id=34">cost savings of between 40-80 percent</a> when compared to U.S. pricing at Satori’s International Centers of Excellence</p> <p>“HealthFirst TPA is excited to have Satori World Medical as our exclusive global healthcare partner. This will add tremendous value to our self-funded clients’ benefit structure, as we are committed to reducing  healthcare costs, while providing more quality healthcare options. These are the exact same values of Satori World Medical, which makes this such a unique and valuable partnership”, said Mark Hobgood, Chief Marketing Officer, <a href="http://www.hftpa.com">HealthFirst TPA</a>. </p> <p><strong>HealthFirst TPA, located in Tyler, Texas, has been operating in the third party administrator industry since 1983. HealthFirst TPA is considered one of the most innovative and technologically advanced TPAs in the nation.</strong> </p> <p>“We are pleased to be working with an industry-leading third party administrator, HealthFirst. Satori’s global network allows HealthFirst to expand their clients’ access to quality healthcare providers”, said <a href="http://www.stevenlash.com">Steven Lash</a>, President and CEO, <a href="http://www.satoriworldmedical.com">Satori World Medical</a>. “Our medical travel program creates a highly valued employee benefit, while at the same time it can reduce healthcare expense by 40-80 percent, provide more quality healthcare options, and increase employee satisfaction”. </p> <p>Satori World Medical has done extensive due diligence on hospitals and physicians to find the best the world has to offer. Its network features hospitals that meet or exceed U.S. standards of care, are accredited, and monitored regularly by Satori on the quality of care delivered.</p> <p>For more information on HealthFirst TPA, visit <a href="http://www.hftpa.com">http://www.hftpa.com</a>. </p> <p>Satori World Medical provides access to its global network of board-certified doctors and worldwide centers of excellence through a high-quality integrated program, which is easily added to any health plan, reducing the costs of surgical procedures by an average of 40-80 percent when compared to the same procedures performed in a U.S. hospital. Its business model is specifically designed to deliver high-quality health care services, <a href="http://www.satoriworldmedical.com/content.php?id=34">share the tremendous cost savings</a> with plan sponsors and their employees and to <a href="http://www.satoriworldmedical.com/content.php?id=10">coordinate all medical and travel services</a> for individuals who need care. For more information about Satori World Medical, call +1 (619) 704-2000 or visit at <a href="http://www.satoriworldmedical.com/">http://www.satoriworldmedical.com</a>.  </p> </blockquote> <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:daa37155-8ff3-4fdb-8d39-d5a35de841bf" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Cigna" rel="tag">Cigna</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medical+Tourism" rel="tag">Medical Tourism</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/heatlhcare" rel="tag">heatlhcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Satori" rel="tag">Satori</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Mexico" rel="tag">Mexico</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/CEO" rel="tag">CEO</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+insurance" rel="tag">health insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/algorithm" rel="tag">algorithm</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare+reform" rel="tag">healthcare reform</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HealthFirst+TPA" rel="tag">HealthFirst TPA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Texas" rel="tag">Texas</a></div>

HealthFirst TPA Signs Up With Satori To Bring Medical Tourism Benefits For Their Client Employers in Texas

These folks seem to be on a roll with the press releases I am receiving with yet one more contract to provide employees of the managed benef...

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Orange County California REC Center For Doctor Assistance with Medical Records Appears to be a Bust So Far…

<p>With the push to help doctors in getting set up with medical records it’s kind of amazing to me that this office is not further along.  The web page has not even changed in a couple of months. <u> This is the complete opposite of what’s happening in Los Angeles County </u>and they are going like gang busters and I have posted a couple of times on their efforts here at the Medical Quack.</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/02/los-angeles-rec-center-medical-records.html"><font size="2">Los Angeles REC Center (Medical Records Assistance) is Open for Business HITEC-LA</font></a></h4> <p>A couple of months ago I spoke with the office on the phone and gee I was <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-kMQ3LNXPBFA/TjdK5-ea0yI/AAAAAAAA2mA/Gf044zGH6qs/s1600-h/image%25255B7%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="138" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9vt2_xR--qw/TjdK7PWkGsI/AAAAAAAA2mE/F9MDqMT_h9w/image_thumb%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="240" /></a>transferred all over Cal Optima to finally get to one office person who knew anything about the REC center.  She was very nice and I had submitted my interest form for the center as I thought it was something I would like to do as a consultant and was told my interest form was 3 days after the cut off.  If I missed the cut off by 3 days, why is the form still up on the site?   Well when I looked at the site today same form, same everything <u>and it doesn’t even appear they have a webmaster inline to create a separate site aside from the CalOptima page with the announcement.</u>  I see they have funds according to the ONC site and just kind of wondered where these millions are going.  </p> <p>By contrast even in other states the centers are going like gangbusters too as I chat and communicate with folks all over the US and many doing a great job with even creating videos to show off their efforts and encourage doctors to participate, but here, looks like a big null.  <strong>Here’s one in Florida for a prime example.</strong>  </p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/01/regional-extension-center-rec-working.html"><font size="2">Regional Extension Center (REC) Working in Florida-What the Centers Are Doing to Help Physicians With Electronic Medical Records</font></a></h6> <p><strong><em>Orange County in California has a ton of doctors and potential and some I have written custom software for in the past as well so this seems very strange to have minimal activity in such a high technology area, you think?</em></strong>  Here’s the funding information listed on the ONC site for California and you can see the dollar amount of smaller as Orange County geographically is smaller but there’s ton of doctors here.  If I am reading this correctly there have been 2 rounds of grants for over $6 million?  All the doctors in Orange County are not rich and and assistance is needed.  </p> <p><a href="http://healthit.hhs.gov/portal/server.pt?open=512&mode=2&objID=3519"><img alt="image" border="0" height="114" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-gOZkeCv8LMw/TjdK7vo1anI/AAAAAAAA2mI/uGe_oI7jZpE/image%25255B8%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="411" /></a></p> <p>I don’t know exactly how the funding works and if the center has the millions allocated in house but it certainly appears that at minimum a website could be constructed outside of having to navigate the regular insurer page as it stands now.  Perhaps with this post and generating a little speculation perhaps the Orange County REC could move forward?  <strong>I certainly would be discouraged if I were a doctor and looking for a REC center for assistance as it has been so heavily advocated and a good thing to help doctors with medical records.</strong>  Again, at least do something about the web site page or create a site rather than have folks navigate through the insurer page.  There is a link for readers to download the Adobe reader and the same old information page that has been there for a few months now:)  BD</p> <p><em>“The CalOptima Regional Extension Center is a federally-designated Regional Extension Center funded by the Office of the National Coordinator, Department of Health and Human Services, Award Number: 90RC0066/01.”</em></p> <blockquote> <p>CalOptima is proud to be selected as the Regional Extension Center (REC) for Orange County, California. Through the CalOptima Foundation, a non-profit organization created by CalOptima, the CalOptima Regional Extension Center (COREC) will collaboratively work with physicians and other eligible providers to integrate Health Information Technology (HIT) into their offices and bring them to meaningful use.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://caloptima.org/en/Providers/RegionalExtensionCenter.aspx">CalOptima Regional Extension Center</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:4fc1c85b-25bc-4454-8d98-d601a95b8d05" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/ONC" rel="tag">ONC</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/CalOptima" rel="tag">CalOptima</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+records" rel="tag">medical records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/doctors" rel="tag">doctors</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/grants" rel="tag">grants</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/COREC" rel="tag">COREC</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Health+IT" rel="tag">Health IT</a></div>

Orange County California REC Center For Doctor Assistance with Medical Records Appears to be a Bust So Far…

With the push to help doctors in getting set up with medical records it’s kind of amazing to me that this office is not further along.  The ...

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e-MDs Annual Meeting - Social Networking In Healthcare Presented By the Medical Quack

<p>This year I was asked to speak at the<u> </u><a href="http://www.e-mds.com/"><u>e-MDs annual meeting</u></a> and discuss the ever so popular topic of social networking.  It was a great experience and hopefully I <a href="http://www.e-mds.com/"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="81" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-peSnt65kWCY/TjbcYsYnDtI/AAAAAAAA2is/F-ozysGr4VA/image%25255B22%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="162" /></a>added a little valuable information on the topic.  It is a challenge as the technology keeps changing and privacy of course is a bit concern in this area as well.  Disclosure: e-MDs advertises at the Medical Quack website which you can see in the resources column on the right.  Back in April of this year e-MDs was selected as the EHR vendor by the Medical Society in New York.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/04/e-mds-selected-as-ehr-vendor-by-medical.html"><font size="2">e-MDs Selected as EHR Vendor by Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY)</font></a></h4> <p>If you are not familiar with e-MDs they are a long standing medical records company that was built by doctors and is still run by doctors, who better to create a system that is user friendly for the end users.  e-MDs has always had a big focus on the <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-PiJqZOpVk0U/TjbcZJ-QpEI/AAAAAAAA2iw/VdqcUA1-0i0/s1600-h/image%25255B12%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="176" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7bG28I0j7_g/TjbcZjJnk5I/AAAAAAAA2i0/H52nthcerKw/image_thumb%25255B6%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="240" /></a>independent practice and that was very well observed by me at the meeting, not to say that other larger firms were not there as they were, but the number of doctors and their staff from smaller firms present to learn and update at the annual meeting was well represented by all means.  <strong><em>The big focus was on Meaningful Use</em></strong>, which is close to heart to all in health IT as this is where the government incentives come in play with qualifying and attesting.  Going back in history a short while you may remember that an e-MDs client received the first US stimulus check for medical records not too long ago.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/01/nation-first-physician-recipient-of.html"><font size="2">Nation's First Physician Recipient of Health Records Incentive Payment Using e-MDs Medical Records in Oklahoma</font></a></h4> <p><strong>I had a bit of time in between sessions and just took a lot of time to talk with e-MD employees and attendees throughout the couple days I was there and had some really great conversations</strong>.  One item in particular I inquired about was about the software development and how many employees the company has dedicated to the ongoing processes and one employee said I think half of our employees are developers which may or may not be correct but the statement alone indicates to me that there’s a lot as I would think is indicative of any medical record company today.  </p> <p>During the break out times or any time when <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hCPbe2xCe6U/TjbcaEVRzMI/AAAAAAAA2i4/8Blt89F-Srg/s1600-h/image%25255B26%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="244" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-3d98fo__Qm8/Tjbca0Kh4eI/AAAAAAAA2i8/DgONmm72qOw/image_thumb%25255B14%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="191" /></a>ongoing sessions were not scheduled attendees could visit the live lab and there were always employees right on the spot to sit down with anyone who came in and help with questions, etc. right at a live computer,<strong><u> so there was a lot of learning going on with a very busy lab.</u></strong>  One other item that I found very impressive too was to see employees and other family members working at the company as you don’t see much of this today and many stated they were so happy to be able to have their son or daughter be able to come to work at e-MDs when finishing college, and believe me everyone was truly motivated and “liked” their jobs.  <strong>In addition I found they have an intern program that also helps others with placement in the health IT business.</strong>  </p> <p>Some of the most interesting conversations too were just talking to clinics on how they do business and function and being from California I was very interested just to listen and learn more about how healthcare clinics and doctors function in other states and I heard quite a bit.  Some of what I heard was a bit concerning when listening to how some clinics had doctors who saw 100 patients a day and worked 8 am to 8 pm shifts but it was what they needed to do to serve the community and of course keep the business rolling.  That one conversation was one that I won’t forget for a while, <strong>and the fact that they were not complaining but rather were there to learn and take in everything they could to improve how they function was amazing</strong>.  If that were me I would be probably complain but I mention this as an example of<u> the hard working resilience of clinical workers today</u> and you may not always see the time consuming administrative work that goes on outside of the waiting and exam rooms, but it is there.  </p> <p>The IT folks at e-MDs had everything for me to speak and I have to say it was a very enjoyable experience and<u> the talk I gave related to “real life use” of social networks as I feel you can find a social network cheerleader anywhere but they group wanted some guidelines on how to increase their number of patients and how to reach out to other healthcare entities</u> and I hope I was able to come across in that direction as we had a lot of <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-R6yQ2FarDKs/TjbcbTG2WQI/AAAAAAAA2jA/NAFkgQ43c2c/s1600-h/image%25255B25%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="267" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-qv-8kw3tK1Y/Tjbcb_Ywe1I/AAAAAAAA2jE/DXO6S0IZM-A/image_thumb%25255B13%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="229" /></a>interaction and there was no shortage of questions by any means.  On purpose though I took a couple days away from the social networks as we all need a break here and there but found several tweets referencing the discussion on Twitter from others.  <u>There was a live Twitter board showing all the updates occurring during the convention which was nice.</u>  </p> <p>I think during the discussion on Social Networking we came out with some pretty good guidelines as to how and which social networks were of value and when to use them to either grow the practice (Facebook) and better communicate with patients and when to use LinkedIn as an example to grow relationships with hospitals and other clinics from the business side.  I also briefly touched on a few other networks that are out there such as Quora and the new Google Plus offerings.  My same old words of wisdom were quoted as well<strong>, <u>“what goes on the internet, stays on the internet”</u></strong> so think of everything you contribute as being public information for anyone to grab and use it wisely and remember HIPAA.  </p> <p>In addition privacy was always in the spotlight with many of the conversations I had and if you this blog often enough then you know I’m all over that topic myself as well. <strong> During my presentation, I had Dr. Deborah Peel in the audience from</strong> the Patient Privacy Rights Org and afterwards she and I had some great lengthy conversations and compared notes from each of our perspectives too.  We talked quite a bit and I think we both benefited greatly from the exchange and I learned a lot about the <strong><a href="https://www.privacyrights.org/">Patient Privacy Rights Organization</a></strong> and their efforts.  I have much of my focus here at the Quack with how technology affects and changes the privacy factors we deal with and<strong> Dr. Peel also had an extensive background in this area too growing up with a father who was a computer science professor so she also was very well versed in that area with growing up with real in house expertise at home growing up,  and again we had some great conversations and exchanges going on.</strong>  You can see Dr. Peel quite often in the news today with patient privacy concerns in the New York Times and other major papers quite frequently.  </p> <p><strong>Many of the e-MD clients make it a point every year to attend and again it is not just the doctors attending, key staff members were also there with large presence and I really enjoyed the conversations I had with all.</strong>  One topic that came up quite a bit though in so many conversations though was MD compensation with insurers and I don’t I found anyone who was content on that issue and I might add for good reason and I think you would find that conversation prevalent at any healthcare meeting in the US.  </p> <p>Overall I was really pleased to be included to be given the opportunity to speak and I have to say this was one of the absolute best meetings I have attended and the e-MD employees at all levels were great and just really went out of their way all the <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-igGS-tAKd6Y/TjbccdE4AQI/AAAAAAAA2jI/Zcwf31CTrKE/s1600-h/image%25255B20%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="230" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Bx34ie8fkUE/TjbccmOL6_I/AAAAAAAA2jM/iuB_ejieXKg/image_thumb%25255B10%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="240" /></a>way around and were there to help and assist where ever they could.  <strong>The old stymie of the old stuffy “corporate” atmosphere was not here but rather the focus was on people helping people,</strong> which is what it should be and again I found this so refreshing.  I have attended tons of meetings and so forth over the last few years and this was great to see a<strong> company that focused on “people” and how to work with systems rather than systems running the people</strong>, which I see so much of today in other meetings.  </p> <p>e-MDs was founded by Dr. David Winn, a doctor who wrote some code years ago and started the company as one of the first medical record vendors in the business.  The CEO is Dr. Michael Stearns we had a great exchange as well on many topics to include privacy as well.  Everyone was so accessible for communicating and one thought I walked away with is that e-MDs works hard to create software with the doctor’s focus in mind, in other words their product is created to be what the doctor has ordered and not developer and payer oriented  only.  I see of that today and in just doing this blog with many doctors addressing the concern with complicated systems that may not focus on the ease of use and make sense with how a doctor does their job.  </p> <p>A couple years ago I chatted with <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/deep-dive-into-microsoft-life-sciences.html"><u>Mike Naimoli from Microsoft Life Sciences</u></a> and put out a post about how doctors have become the biggest “named” group of software beta testers and he agreed with me whole heartedly on that comment, so again this goes to show that design and ease of use has to be a big part of the medical record program.     In summary it was great to participate and be able to share a little bit of knowledge and furthermore take in a lot of knowledge on my part as well.  There’s not a day that goes by with the medical records business that I don’t learn something new.  If you are an e-MDs medical record user, I think this is an event to mark down on your calendar for next year as you won’t be disappointed and again thanks to e-MDs for the chance to participate and attend!  BD  </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:e6680ad7-775c-41d7-8bac-c773f7a095fe" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/e-MDs" rel="tag">e-MDs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+reocrds" rel="tag">medical reocrds</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/ONC" rel="tag">ONC</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HIT" rel="tag">HIT</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/vendors" rel="tag">vendors</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/physicians" rel="tag">physicians</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/patients" rel="tag">patients</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/Health+IT" rel="tag">Health IT</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/social+networking" rel="tag">social networking</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/doctors" rel="tag">doctors</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/meaningful+use" rel="tag">meaningful use</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/clinics" rel="tag">clinics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/software" rel="tag">software</a></div>

e-MDs Annual Meeting - Social Networking In Healthcare Presented By the Medical Quack

This year I was asked to speak at the e-MDs annual meeting and discuss the ever so popular topic of social networking.  It was a great exp...

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Microsoft Data Center Video Tour–Where HealthVault and Other Cloud Services Are Stored And Deployed

<p>If you are using HealthVault as your PHR, you might want to take a look and see where your data is stored and available for access.  Not too long ago HealthVault <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TaatQADhs5I/AAAAAAAAvOY/aloJwAg3uoc/image%5B42%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" />announced the use of their Azure cloud services for storing medical images with full encryption.  Encryption we want today with our medical images and records when stored in cloud services or any area for that matter.  Actually I have tried the image interface it’s not bad at all and has a nice viewer as well, so if the ER room does not have a DICOM viewer on their PCs, problem solved with storing in HealthVault.  <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-50TAkISyXK0/TjbCqO05d3I/AAAAAAAA2hw/rDjt_SnByzM/s1600-h/image%25255B5%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="167" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-gWhwZhyA2sE/TjbCrdW4gcI/AAAAAAAA2h0/Xv0OrVJaljs/image_thumb%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="240" /></a></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/04/healthvault-begins-storing-medical.html"><font size="2">HealthVault Begins Storing Medical Images (Dicom) Using Windows Azure Cloud Services With Full Encryption</font></a></h4> <p>The video is worth a watch to get an idea of the size and complexity of the centers.  Some of the centers are powered by water.  Everything now is modular and the first center with this model was built in Chicago, using shipping containers.  Little did I think years ago, as I spent many years in logistics that servers would be stored in the ocean containers.  Plug and play has arrived at the data centers.  The size of the facilities ranges from 7 to 10 footballs fields so we have some big “clouds”.  I found this interesting to learn and see how the facilities are built and how they operating and see where my tiny little HealthVault account is stored.  BD</p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 363px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:81bc168e-33ed-4044-9bf4-5aa35971946d" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="799e2996-fbdc-4117-938f-ecfe99f97bd3" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hOxA1l1pQIw" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('799e2996-fbdc-4117-938f-ecfe99f97bd3'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"363\" height=\"221\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/hOxA1l1pQIw?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/hOxA1l1pQIw?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"363\" height=\"221\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-mxqWMwzem20/TjbCrw4ZOCI/AAAAAAAA2h4/sUhFBQgOTrQ/videodcbb497111ca%25255B26%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div><div style="width:363px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Microsoft Data Center</div></div> <blockquote><strong>Microsoft</strong> has released a video providing an overview of its global cloud computing platform and the data centers that power it. The video begins with a big-picture overview of Microsoft’s cloud operations, and how the company’s 200 cloud services reach more than a billion customers and 20 million businesses in over 70 countries. The video then provides a closer look at how the company’s data center design has evolved from its first “Generation 2″ data center in Quincy, Washington and the “Generation 3″ container-driven facilities in Chicago and Dublin Ireland. The video closes with the most detailed video yet of the new “Generation 4″ site at Quincy, which uses a lightweight structure and next-generation IT-PACs (pre-assembled components).</blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.datacenterknowledge.com/archives/2011/07/26/video-microsofts-data-center-evolution/">Video: Microsoft’s Data Center Evolution « Data Center Knowledge</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:8375f53b-78fe-4338-a631-bf314f29ceb6" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Microsoft" rel="tag">Microsoft</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Data+Center" rel="tag">Data Center</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/queries" rel="tag">queries</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/cloud+services" rel="tag">cloud services</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/cloud" rel="tag">cloud</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/technologies" rel="tag">technologies</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Azure" rel="tag">Azure</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HealthVault" rel="tag">HealthVault</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/design" rel="tag">design</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/infrastructure" rel="tag">infrastructure</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/scale" rel="tag">scale</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/privacy" rel="tag">privacy</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/operations" rel="tag">operations</a></div>

Microsoft Data Center Video Tour–Where HealthVault and Other Cloud Services Are Stored And Deployed

If you are using HealthVault as your PHR, you might want to take a look and see where your data is stored and available for access.  Not too...

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AngelMed Guardian System-Implanted Device to Alert Patients They Are Either Having or Are Close to a Heart Attack-Clinical Trials

<p>The device is already in use in Europe and in Brazil.  It looks like a pace maker <a href="http://www.angel-med.com/index.php/patients-families/is-it-right-for-me.html"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="155" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VEWEQZBgA-g/Tja9FZsiTDI/AAAAAAAA2hU/UnyylvrTdyg/image%25255B8%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="163" /></a>implant and monitors your system.  The design is to obviously warn of attacks that would otherwise have no symptoms that would be immediately recognized.  When an attack is recognized the device  vibrates and communicates to an external device that looks like a pager that beeps and flashes.  </p> <p>When you arrive at the hospital the doctor can retrieve the information via a computer to get the specifics on the attack and the idea here is also provide the best treatment with the use of the information provided.   The AngelMed device is currently in clinical trials and available for those who have had a heart attack in the last 6 months and you can <a href="http://www.angel-med.com/index.php/patients-families/is-it-right-for-me.html">find out more at the website.</a>  California looks to have the largest number of locations thus far.  It makes one wonder if not too far down the road if we will all have one of these?  It does appear to require a specific computer work station PC to retrieve the information.  </p> <blockquote> <p>NEW State of the Art Medical Technology First of its kind heart monitor warns patients of impending Heart Attack/One That Is In Process-- Inventor Dr. Fischell Available</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-qI86pDWC0-A/Tja9FmIs78I/AAAAAAAA2hY/VlA-Bm0MF7U/s1600-h/image%25255B7%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="198" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-nXrZPDjtXOs/Tja9F9HVPSI/AAAAAAAA2hc/RXwwfJKrDks/image_thumb%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="340" /></a></p> <p>A first-of-its-kind investigational medical device designed to alert a patient that they are having a heart attack or are very close to having one is now in a Pivotal Study.  The <a href="http://www.angel-med.com/index.php/patients-families/is-it-right-for-me.html">AngelMed Guardian System,</a> an implantable cardiac monitor and alerting system, is designed to reduce the time it takes patients to get to the emergency room during an impending heart attack.  The device is designed to continuously monitor the heart’s electrical system and provide a warning to go to the ER when critical ST segment changes occur…potentially even before they have heart attack symptoms.</p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-hXdJl7X04S0/Tja9GXpF84I/AAAAAAAA2hg/iCM-uMytuqk/s1600-h/image%25255B12%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="236" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-26WJTjgKllc/Tja9HBo40uI/AAAAAAAA2hk/ilnEAG5V_vA/image_thumb%25255B5%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="356" /></a></p> <p>More than a million heart attacks occur every year, and unfortunately, almost 1/3 of those are fatal.  Many patients ignore or don’t recognize heart attack symptoms and don’t get to the hospital until three hours or more after symptoms occur. The medical community knows that “time is muscle.”  And, there has been much effort made to decrease door to balloon time (the amount of time it takes a patient to get from the emergency room to having angioplasty or other treatment for an occluded artery). Unfortunately, there has been little decrease in mortality because patients continue to delay in seeking help or calling 911.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.foodconsumer.org/newsite/Non-food/Drug/state_of_the_art_medical_technology_0731110321.html">foodconsumer.org - NEW State of the Art Medical Technology First of its kind heart monitor warns patients of impending Heart Attack (pr)</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:5ca8e766-4681-42e6-926e-137f267b2ee6" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/AngelMed+Guardian" rel="tag">AngelMed Guardian</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+devices" rel="tag">medical devices</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/implant" rel="tag">implant</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/cardiology" rel="tag">cardiology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/wireless" rel="tag">wireless</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/angioplasty" rel="tag">angioplasty</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/patients" rel="tag">patients</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/heart+attack" rel="tag">heart attack</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/emergency" rel="tag">emergency</a></div>

AngelMed Guardian System-Implanted Device to Alert Patients They Are Either Having or Are Close to a Heart Attack-Clinical Trials

The device is already in use in Europe and in Brazil.  It looks like a pace maker implant and monitors your system.  The design is to obviou...

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Merck To Cut 13,000 More Jobs in The Next 4 Years

<p>Some of this is the results of the Schering-Plough merger and the rest is a result of <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-J6QY1M7OUe4/TjZguuvXtMI/AAAAAAAA2go/EI-Qd5waHcE/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="135" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ghc174EYUOs/TjZgvOeyFrI/AAAAAAAA2gs/aJy3A_Li-64/image_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="194" /></a>competition from generic drug competition.  As we all know the days of the block buster drugs are almost a thing of the past.  In 2010 Singulair comes off patent and and has sales of $5 billion.  <a href="http://www.tevapharm.com/">Teva</a> has been biting at the bit to produce their generic version of the drug and this has been in court since 2009.  BD</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/merck-and-teva-go-to-court-over.html"><font size="2">Merck and Teva Go to Court over Singulair Going Generic</font></a></h4> <blockquote> <p>The drug maker Merck, which is still trimming a workforce that ballooned after its merger with Schering-Plough in 2009, said Friday the job-cutting will go even deeper as the company eliminates as many as 13,000 more positions around the world to reduce costs during the next four years.</p> <p>The U.S., where the company employs 35,000 people, will take a hard blow, absorbing as much as 40 percent of the cuts, according to Merck.</p> <p>For Merck, the world’s second largest drug maker, it is at least the third restructuring since 2005 when it set out to cut $5 billion in costs by eliminating 10.400 jobs. In addition to those cuts, the company has reduced its workforce by an estimated 30,000 since it announced its merger with Schering-Plough in 2009.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2011/07/drug_company_merck_which_emplo.html">Drug company Merck, which employs 12,000 in N.J., to eliminate 13,000 positions worldwide | NJ.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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:805bc11b-bfc0-4402-9997-22bc9927df01" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Merck" rel="tag">Merck</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/drugs" rel="tag">drugs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pharma" rel="tag">pharma</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/lay+offs" rel="tag">lay offs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/generics" rel="tag">generics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/restructuring" rel="tag">restructuring</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/New+Jersey" rel="tag">New Jersey</a></div>

Merck To Cut 13,000 More Jobs in The Next 4 Years

Some of this is the results of the Schering-Plough merger and the rest is a result of competition from generic drug competition.  As we all ...

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