Kaiser Permanente Sells Archimedes Quantitative Math Modeling Subsidiary To Evidera And Symphony Technology Private Equity Firm-Merging of Healthcare Quant (Data Scientist) Technologies With “For Profit” Focused Ownership

<p>Archimedes is a healthcare modeling company, just like the financial industries model for their financial solutions.  Modeling when enough accurate information is used can be helpful for sure.  One thing we are looking at today though is the accuracy and you have probably read several articles out there of late about folks being disappointed in their “big data” not giving the results they had hoped for.   We are back to the use of algorithms creating models before solutions are turned loose in the real world.  Again if the model works and accuracy is there, sure you get some good indications of what’s in store for the future.  </p> <p>Archimedes models clinical trials as an example to get some <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="138" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pyXUCRL-57o/Us7KFlNqHgI/AAAAAAABJC8/Y7PE2VQ4t5w/image%25255B11%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="image" width="287" />valuable information ahead of time to project on how some of the results will formulate.  Again keep in mind this is a “model” and there are error factors as models tell us a lot but they do in fact have to unite with the “real world” at some point in time.  No matter how great the efforts are with models when projects are applied in the “real” world there’s always surprises and item that come up that were not projected in the model and there’s where the two worlds come together.  </p> <p><strong>Modeling in healthcare is a little different than financial modeling, but it does include financial projections and costs of projects, etc.</strong> and there’s where the meeting of real and models get tested.  In the banking world we are seeing where folks used model just flat out to make money and nobody is asking to see the models and codes and that’s why banks and financial firms ended with so much of the money, “they modeled it that way and worked it”…it’s computer code.<strong>  If you want to see how modeling works and sometimes gets skewed in the banking and stock world, scroll on down to the footer and watch video #2, the Quants of Wall Street</strong>, and overall it will help you understand overall what a “model” is.  It’s touchy subject as folks can solve great issues with models but we also have to be aware of how they can be tweaked at the same time for financial gain.  </p> <p><iframe style="height: 274px; width: 496px" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/1jmj6zLtZEs" frameborder="0" width="560" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p> <p>Also of interest is video #1 in the footer where Professor Siefe talks about the dark side of modeling and how quantitated justification is used for gain and we end up sometimes with nonsense numbers so important to look at both sides and know they exist as this is impacted as to what you read in the media today.  As he states, “Context is Everything” and I might add to that context is sometimes hard to define as well and if we don’t ask and go there, then we can get duped.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/12/quantitated-justification-for-believing.html">Quantitated Justification For Believing Things That Are Not True And Using Mathematical Processes To Fool Ourselves-The Journalistic Bot Functionality Debuts As Media Can’t Resist the Formulas…</a></h5> <p>The fact that Kaiser is selling this subsidiary is interesting in itself as the company is being placed with other “like” entities with the pursuit of money, so keep that in mind as that’s a lot what models do today.  In the Archimedes model “virtual people” are created to pursue predictive outcomes as well as predictive type solutions.  Evidera is one of the portfolio companies of the <a href="http://www.symphonytg.com/">Symphony Technology group.</a>  One company<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="63" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-EaIBRimYwQs/Us7KGUL5BeI/AAAAAAABJDE/GahP_7WdmBQ/image%25255B15%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="image" width="174" /> in the portfolio is Symphony Health Solutions which basically didn’t lead me to a lot of information other than it’s consulting.  Going back over to Evidera, <a href="http://www.evidera.com/products-services/evidence-planning-strategic-consulting">we have this statement</a>….big focus on data needed by payers…as if you pay attention you will notice a large jump in the number of Quants (aka data scientists) insurers themselves are hiring.  </p> <p><em>“Our experts are able to identify data needed by payers, HTA agencies and regulators; develop plans to generate the required body of evidence; and synthesize the data and evidence into streamlined, impactful communications for each decision maker. VDP may be applied to biopharmaceutical, medical device, or diagnostic products at any point in the product development life cycle.”</em></p> <p>A model, is a model is a model you could say and of course breakthroughs in medical research are attained by working models too.  Sometimes if the model is not working then adjustments and changes have to be made as well, again the real world has big impact here as well so again interesting that Kaiser is selling the subsidiary for what ever reason they have, but this is a consolidation of Quants creating math formulas for sure.  We do have to keep an open eye with the models insurers use as well as common sense tells you that with being public companies traded on stock exchanges and that their number one priority is share holders and we have seen this abused in the financial world so accountability with models is important so we don’t even up with fantasy models that don’t work in the real world.  </p> <p>Mike Osinksi, who wrote the software that banks and financial firms used for the sub prime financial fantasy world that lost billions for us sums it up pretty well with one statement <strong><em>“with software, you can’t do something about everything”..and that is true…</em></strong>and then he states “it’s the real world out there<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="129" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-4heYJ66rCp8/Us7KG-bS_oI/AAAAAAABJDI/85_MgUo9cgA/image%25255B23%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="image" width="225" /> and some models end being pure fantasy for profit too”.  News agencies have a hard time with some of this too with discussing models and what they mean and where they have impact and they get spoofed too on some of news that floats out there with statistics.  </p> <p>Again when models work and have a good design without the “fantasy factor added in for financial gain” we get a lot of insight and information we can use.  <a href="http://www.symphonytg.com/">Symphony Technologies</a> is all about about software and you hear that on their home page.  Their video states they promote outsourcing and helping the companies get to the next levels among other areas, so keep one thing in mind, code rules and runs on servers 24/7 and make life impacting decisions about all of us and folks with the code and models as they design, use it to move money in their direction.    </p> <p><em>“Symphony Technology Group invests in and partners with enterprise software and services companies with the potential to become world class global businesses. STG's operational expertise, track-record of technology innovation and proven approach to increasing customer value help Group companies transform domain expertise into global growth and market dominance.”</em></p> <p>So again it is interesting that Kaiser is selling a subsidiary of quants basically and now the technologies and models are moving over to where they can make money I assume versus being owned by a non profit.  One more essay on this topic worth reading written by Quant Cathy O’Neil is about being a skeptic, she has a great blog with a lot of insight and is a mathematician that has been modeling for years to even include Hedge Funds, and she shares both the up and downsides of models and suggests to “sniff the data” so we don’t get duped.   She’s right, modelers have a bigger responsibility than ever before or we end up over the <a href="http://www.ducknet.net/attack-of-the-killer-algorithms/">Algo Duping page</a> with believing information that is not true.  </p> <p><strong>These are the “black boxes” of math and code of  Healthcare just as the financial world uses for money and trading calculations.  </strong></p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/10/on-being-data-skeptic-modelers-have.html">“On Being a Data skeptic- Modelers Have A Bigger Responsibility Now Than Ever Before”–A Must Read Essay, Start “Sniffing the Data”…</a></h5> <p>Actually if you want to hear about how Archimedes does some of their<img align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LQPKyFnlsio/ULQzOqE3hwI/AAAAAAABAYg/QF7IenJM9AE/image%25255B5%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" /> big data, this video below is about a year old and the chief software engineer is on this panel discussing big data…so you get an idea of how Quants in healthcare think in design and also relate to other industries with their thoughts…<strong>Quants are visibly discussed here and not hidden as most news stories do as they don’t  understand them…a good thing as you hear some modeling talk along with big data and there’s some pretty heavy hitters in this video to include NASA and Ford.  </strong></p> <p>I originally used this video in a post about big data analytics being a threat to consumers if true values were not communicated and the potential of greed and making money distorting some of this.  BD  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/11/big-dataanalytics-if-used-out-of.html">Big Data/Analytics If Used Out of Context and Without True Values Stand To Be A Huge Discriminatory Practice Against Consumers–More Honest Data Scientists Needed to Formulate Accuracy/Value To Keep Algo Duping For Profit Out of the Game</a></h5> <p><iframe height="237" src="http://www.zdnet.com/video/embed/10106832/" frameborder="0" width="420"></iframe></p> <hr />Kaiser Permanente is selling its Archimedes subsidiary, a healthcare modeling firm, to Evidera and its parent private equity backer, Symphony Technology Group. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. <br />"We are committed to continuing the mission of the original intent <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="66" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-lv-BT_6Pvdg/Us7KHTfmBSI/AAAAAAABJDU/nl5SzTkGjkM/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="image" width="245" />of Archimedes and its model of quantitative healthcare," Dr. Jed Weissberg, senior vice president, hospitals, quality and care delivery excellence at Kaiser Permanente, said in a news release announcing the deal. "The buyer, Symphony/Evidera, is a great home to enable the scientists to further their pursuits to enable personalized care for the future of medicine." <p>Evidera is headquartered in Bethesda, Md., but also has an office in Seattle, so Archimedes will be its second West Coast outpost. </p> <p><a href="http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20140108/NEWS/301089956?AllowView=VDl3UXk1TzRDdnlCbkJiYkY0M3hlMEtwaDBVZEQrQT0=&utm_source=link-20140108-NEWS-301089956&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=hits&utm_name=top" title="http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20140108/NEWS/301089956?AllowView=VDl3UXk1TzRDdnlCbkJiYkY0M3hlMEtwaDBVZEQrQT0=&utm_source=link-20140108-NEWS-301089956&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=hits&utm_name=top">http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20140108/NEWS/301089956?AllowView=VDl3UXk1TzRDdnlCbkJiYkY0M3hlMEtwaDBVZEQrQT0=&utm_source=link-20140108-NEWS-301089956&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=hits&utm_name=top</a></p>

Kaiser Permanente Sells Archimedes Quantitative Math Modeling Subsidiary To Evidera And Symphony Technology Private Equity Firm-Merging of Healthcare Quant (Data Scientist) Technologies With “For Profit” Focused Ownership

Archimedes is a healthcare modeling company, just like the financial industries model for their financial solutions.  Modeling when enough a...

Read more »

FDA Approves New Drug For Diabetes 2 - Farxiga

<p>This is a diabetes 2 drug only and was turned down back in 2012 for lack of substantiating information.  It has a side effect though of urinary track infections to watch for as well<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="66" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-u7a1plG2m4M/Us5IFHbovLI/AAAAAAABJCs/7invtoAnbM4/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="163" /> as increasing the potential of coming down with bladder cancer as indicated in clinical trials.  </p> <p>It’s one that also has to be watched for cardiovascular risks and a study of patients will be required as part of the approval from the FDA and it was no favored as one for use with seniors.  BD  </p> <p> <hr />The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Farxiga (dapaglifozin) tablets to improve glycemic control, along with diet and exercise, in adults with type 2 diabetes.</p> <p>Farxiga is a sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor that blocks the reabsorption of glucose by the kidney, increases glucose excretion, and lowers blood glucose levels. The drug’s safety and effectiveness were evaluated in 16 clinical trials involving more than 9,400 patients with type 2 diabetes. The trials showed improvement in HbA1c (hemoglogin A1c or glycosylated hemoglobin, a measure of blood sugar control). </p> <p>Farxiga has been studied as a stand-alone therapy and in combination with other type 2 diabetes therapies including metformin, pioglitazone, glimepiride, sitagliptin, and insulin. Farxiga should not be used to treat people with type 1 diabetes; those who have increased ketones in their blood or urine (diabetic ketoacidosis); or those with moderate or severe renal impairment, end stage renal disease, or patients on dialysis.</p> <p>In clinical trials the most common side effects observed in patients treated with Farxiga were genital mycotic (fungal) infections and urinary tract infections. <br />Farxiga is marketed by Bristol-Meyers Squibb Company, Princeton, N.J. and AstraZeneca Pharmaceuticals L.P., Wilmington, Del.</p> <p><a href="http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm380829.htm" title="http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm380829.htm">http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm380829.htm</a></p>

FDA Approves New Drug For Diabetes 2 - Farxiga

This is a diabetes 2 drug only and was turned down back in 2012 for lack of substantiating information.  It has a side effect though of urin...

Read more »

Data Mining And Selling With Micro Loan Companies In The News Again With Regulators Questioning Using Social Network Data As Qualifier Information

<p><strong>Here we go again more data selling and buying.  You know there’s nothing wrong with looking on the web to general idea about a person,</strong> as almost everyone does that today to get an idea but you commoditize it into categories on certain items to look at as qualifiers, that where the rub comes in. <strong> How much of the information is true and what parameters for the queries?</strong>  Of course from reading this article it sounds like more than just a casual cruise on the social networks and there’s the issues.</p> <p><strong>I had to laugh when I read this as there are businesses where<img align="right" height="170" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-wOXxMLSsw8g/TrtQmdA2xWI/AAAAAAAA4P8/FU3qnBNcXLo/image_thumb%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" width="281" /> people make money and do it for big Fortune 500 companies sitting around and putting Facebook “likes” and other social comments on their websites so when you go to a survey or study, gosh the companies that pay for this always come out on top with skewed data, since folks do this.</strong>  I looked at one out of curiosity to learn more and the folks that do the work feel very branded and close to the big corporations they are paid to comment and “like”.  It’s down to a science and routine to where the folks are assigned certain big accounts to carry out there wishes on social networks.  </p> <p>So you as an individual want to get a loan, get a bunch of people to “like” you…anyone can do that if they know enough people or heck they even can ask strangers and they’ll do it for you.  LinkedIn though is out there as business network to look at and again a casual review is what most do but what parameters for qualifying is again the question.<strong>  It was funny today where I read LinkedIn is suing Amazon as their bots came over and scraped a lot of profile data from LinkedIn so the wars on making money with data continue.</strong>  </p> <p>Now you have FICO in on it wanting to do the same and again the same applies, do a casual look but you can’t start putting parameters on qualifying and scoring on data that may not be accurate.  In addition you have the e-scoring folks who send all kinds of information out about you and you can never see it either as they have a fine line type of business listing to where they are not classified as a credit bureau.  They make a lot of money selling all kinds of data about you.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/08/e-scoring-credit-algorithms-invisible.html">e-scoring Credit Algorithms Invisible To Consumers Used to Market and Evaluate, Does Not Fall Under Federal Law And Such Are Used by Insurance Companies - How Will This Work With Exchanges –Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 42</a></h5> <p>What’s also kind of interesting here is that the number of loans that are made compared to the number that apply are small by percentage comparison and then they have more data to sell about you as well, can send it off to E-scoring or companies such if they want, so there’s that side of it too, as when they check you out and build a file, that gives them data to sell, and with that, here’s comes the need to license these folks as well as all data sellers, banks, insurers, device companies, states, you name it.   BD  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/02/time-has-come-to-license-and-tax-data.html">Time Has Come to License and Tax the Data Sellers of the Web, Companies, Banks, Social Networks..Any One Making a Profit-Latest Microsoft/Google Privacy War Helping the Cause –Consumers Deserve to Know What Is Being Sold and To Who in a Searchable Format</a></h5> <p> <hr />WASHINGTON—More lending companies are mining <a href="http://quotes.wsj.com/FB">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://quotes.wsj.com/FB">FB +0.54%</a> <a href="http://quotes.wsj.com/TWTR">Twitter</a> <a href="http://quotes.wsj.com/TWTR">TWTR -3.53%</a> and other social-media data to help determine a borrower's creditworthiness or identity, a trend that is raising concerns among consumer groups and regulators.</p> <p>Lending companies—some of which are backed with venture funding from <a href="http://quotes.wsj.com/GOOG">Google Ventures</a>, <a href="http://quotes.wsj.com/GOOG">GOOG +0.21%</a> the venture-capital arm of Google Inc., and Accel Partners, an early Facebook Inc. investor—are looking at potential problems such as whether applicants put the same job information on their loan application as they posted on LinkedIn, or if they shared on Facebook that they had been let go by an employer. A small business that draws negative reviews on <a href="http://quotes.wsj.com/EBAY">eBay</a> <a href="http://quotes.wsj.com/EBAY">EBAY -0.95%</a> also could undermine its chances of getting more credit, lending companies say. </p> <p>"There could come a time where certain social media could be predictive and we're looking at that, but it isn't yet," said Anthony Sprauve, senior consumer-credit specialist at FICO.</p> <p>Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, consumer-reporting companies such as Experian and Equifax must verify that a borrower's credit history is accurate if a consumer disputes the information. However, companies that use social media in their lending decisions don't have to verify that information since they don't provide it to third parties like a reporting agency does, said Maneesha Mithal, the associate director of the FTC's division of privacy and identity protection. </p> <p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304773104579266423512930050" title="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304773104579266423512930050">http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304773104579266423512930050</a></p>

Data Mining And Selling With Micro Loan Companies In The News Again With Regulators Questioning Using Social Network Data As Qualifier Information

Here we go again more data selling and buying.  You know there’s nothing wrong with looking on the web to general idea about a person, as a...

Read more »

WellPoint Sells 1-800 Contacts And Glasses Subsidiary To Private Equity Firm–Subsidiary Watch

<p>WellPoint didn’t quite own the subsidiary for a couple years and now here goes off to private <img align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VkQMwERY3BQ/T8xeHt1fe0I/AAAAAAAA7Q0/V47SAsViScE/image%25255B9%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" />equity and I said at the time this was around when United started distributing  their cheap hearing aids and were used somewhat as an incentive to get more seniors to enroll in their Part D plans at the time so I saw this one possibly like keeping up with the Jones. </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/06/wellpoint-to-purchase-1-800-contacts.html">WellPoint to Purchase 1-800 Contacts Eyewear and Contact Lens Retailer For Around $900 Million–Subsidiary Watch</a></h5> <p>The website is going to be sold to an Italian eyewear company, so the two businesses look to be separate, at least in ownership.  BD  </p> <p><a href="http://quotes.wsj.com/WLP"> <hr />WellPoint Inc.</a> <a href="http://quotes.wsj.com/WLP">WLP +1.25%</a> will sell contact-lens and eyewear retailer 1-800 Contacts Inc. to private-equity firm Thomas H. Lee Partners, unloading a company it bought for around $900 million less than two years ago.</p> <p>The Indianapolis, Ind., insurer also agreed to sell the glasses.com website and its technology for helping people try on glasses virtually, which were part of the 1-800 Contacts purchase, to Italian eyewear company <a href="http://quotes.wsj.com/IT/LUX">Luxottica</a> <a href="http://quotes.wsj.com/IT/LUX">LUX.MI -2.38%</a> Group SpA.</p> <p>Financial terms of the transactions weren't disclosed, but WellPoint said it would record an impairment charge of between 52 cents and 57 cents a share in the fourth quarter of 2013. The deals are set to close in the first quarter of 2014.</p> <p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304617404579306973592294480" title="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304617404579306973592294480">http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304617404579306973592294480</a></p>

WellPoint Sells 1-800 Contacts And Glasses Subsidiary To Private Equity Firm–Subsidiary Watch

WellPoint didn’t quite own the subsidiary for a couple years and now here goes off to private equity and I said at the time this was around ...

Read more »

Are the World’s IT Infrastructures Today Even Too Complex for IBMWatson? It’s All About Generating The “Right” Context, Only Your Query Master Knows For Sure…

<p>I have written several posts about the IBMWatson technology and sure when can crunch huge data bases of information and zero in on what you are pursuing as far as information that will help you make a better decision, what’s not to like and find value.  Machine learning technologies have some limitations too according to this article.  This is not IBM, but <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/01/im-sorry-your-google-plus-name-does-not.html">here’s what Google did to me, as it had not “learned enough” yet</a> <img align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Pu029L6xrow/Tm2nUNbsj4I/AAAAAAAA3xE/w-Rf2i-gu40/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" />and their algorithms decided my name was not “machine compliant” and basically when reading all of the definitions of the word “duck” it has not run across it as a surname.  This is why the process of “learning enough” is important.</p> <p>Sure we have all read the news about Watson diagnosing and finding buried information relating to cancer but we come back around to the word “context” and I think that plays a role here too as we try and get the machines to think like a human as best we can and there still some short comings there obviously, work in progress, so too soon in some areas for high levels of confidence.  The data may all be accurate in what it delivers, but is it in context of what you want for results?  </p> <h5><strong><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/02/ibmwatson-and-sloan-kettering-produce.html">IBMwatson and Sloan Kettering Produce Simulated Oncology Case Showing Value With Locating Related Clinical Data While Charting With an EHR (Update) WellPoint To Become a Watson Reseller Soon</a></strong></h5> <p>Sure I wrote about Citibank going to use the Watson resources and saw it as a bit of a competitive threat for competitors and it still could be but after reading this article again we seem to come back to “context”.  Scroll on down to the footer of this blog and watch the first video named “Context is Everything” and see what you think.  Siefe does a good job in explaining how we get duped today with quantitated justifications…and it’s alive and well out there as we do put too much stock in numbers at times and they need to be accurate<img align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-K1o4j65QeXM/USKdyCUkMnI/AAAAAAABFRI/_fd174NJuUY/image9.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" /> and work with the real world.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/03/ibm-watson-going-to-work-at-citigroup.html">IBM Watson Going to Work At Citigroup on Wall Street–Congress Didn’t See Big Data As A Tool (Hadoop Framework) When They Had Their Chance…For Consumers The Attack of the Killer Algorithms–Chapter 22</a></h5> <p>WellPoint health insurance is also out there as an IBM reseller and from reading what it stated here, it’s going to be a while before we can really tackle the “context” issue, and I write about that almost every day myself.  I used to write software and thus know the data mechanics as I had to work and rework tons of queries myself to make sure on a simple SQL basis that they were delivering the right information and that it filtered though the software in screens to give the appropriate context to users.  That really is a very big deal and takes time so you can read here how the doctors are working to get the same type of results here as well, except they have a lot more data and query functionalities to worry about for sure.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/09/wellpoint-hiring-ibm-watson.html">WellPoint Hiring IBM Watson Technologies–Congress Needs to Wrap Their Heads Around Using Technology That Processes 200 Million Pages of Info in 3 Seconds to Make Laws</a></h5> <p>When IBMWatson first came out, I thought it would be great for Congress to use it to query and get information they need to create laws and I still think so rather than seeing a bunch of “carpetbagged” analytics and everyone fighting over who’s numbers are correct as they could all start with the same numbers this way.  Had a conversation on the web with a banker last year and we both agreed that half of the analytics folks invest in will be a waste of money as the value won’t be there, yeah, rare me agreeing with a banker.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/02/half-of-analytics-investments-by.html">Half of Analytics Investments By Companies and Banks Will Be a Waste–What Do We Analyze with Big Data and Does It Have Value–Some Algo Fairies Would Do Better at Disneyland…</a></h5> <p>Here’s a couple posts where I talked about potential use in Congress with<img align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fpaB8yOE0io/USv18tNlXUI/AAAAAAABFxM/25MkrAmeTq8/AlgoFairy1%25255B11%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" /> using speech recognition as even the lowest common denominator in who we elect with technology skills could participate and not get left out.  If we had smarter folks in Congress we probably wouldn’t see the huge number of filibusters as that’s what happens when folks kind of run scared and don’t understand current day methodologies and technology I feel.<strong>  The process still represents a good tool and 100% improvement over what we see today in DC.</strong>  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/05/use-of-ibmwatson-technology-in-congress.html">Use of IBMwatson Technology in Congress Would Allow For Smarter Laws and Decision Processes With Bonus Points For Lowering Over All Impact of Lobbyists</a></h5> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/04/quiet-rise-of-machine-learning-like-ibm.html">The Quiet Rise of Machine Learning-Like IBM Watson Offers With Speed and Learned Analytics-Congress Needs Technology This To Make Better Laws & Collaborate</a></h5> <p><strong>You see there are no “algorithms fairies” out there</strong> and data has to work with the real world so in reading this article Watson stated the confidence level at less than 32%, which doesn’t mean it didn’t get the data, but what it brought out were treatments that probably didn’t have enough information and data to really make a confident recommendation, and stuff like that will happen, there’s no magic.  I think <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/02/speed-up-rate-of-change-in-health.html">HHS has found out the hard way</a> this year when it comes to the reality of the complexities we have and you can’t just have any old figurehead at the top anymore and the same thing goes for the SEC and a few other agencies as they get stuck behind the 8 ball and then all the drama queen news begins.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/10/us-consumers-and-government-are.html">US Consumers and Government Are Learning a Cold Hard Reality Lesson About IT Infrastructure Complexities With Models and Algorithms Thanks to Health Insurance Exchanges</a></h5> <p>We have a big awakening here and the process of trying to “dummy down” consumers as we have seen with some marketing will end up crashing as we are bit a smarter today and we need some common sense and some lines drawn here with when the virtual worlds and real worlds need to come together in a better fashion.  <a href="http://www.ducknet.net/attack-of-the-killer-algorithms/">My Algo Duping page has some great videos that explain a lot of this</a>, so sit back for a few hours and take in what folks smarter than me have taken time to create.  BD  </p> <p><em><font color="#c0504d">“The short order computer code kitchen burned down several years ago and there was no fire sale”…Medical Quack…</font></em></p> <p> <hr />IBM Chief Executive Virginia "Ginni" Rometty has told executives she hopes Watson will generate $10 billion in annual revenue within 10 years, according to an October 2013 conference-call transcript reviewed by The Wall Street Journal. She set that target after the executive in charge of Watson said its business plan would bring in $1 billion of revenue a year by 2018. That would make Watson the fastest IBM business unit to reach the $1 billion milestone.</p> <p>But Watson had total revenue of less than $100 million as of late October, according to the transcript. One of its first big projects, with the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, was "in a ditch" in early 2013, said Manoj Saxena, the executive overseeing Watson.</p> <p>IBM executives still believe Watson could become one of the biggest innovations in the company's 103-year history, alongside the mainframe and personal computer. In a sign of Watson's potential, IBM plans a major announcement about the business Thursday, said a person familiar with the matter.<img align="right" src="https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRp9TBlvWqtr16ku9oa-uGY_yLITLV9hYmtozmPi5XdbJ5RW7Sm" style="float: right; display: inline" /></p> <p>Watson's key distinction from other analytical software is its ability to "learn." Feed it medical cases, and Watson will rank possible treatments by "confidence score." During training, doctors tell Watson when it makes a bad recommendation, and the supercomputer learns from its mistakes.</p> <p>IBM is developing versions of Watson that can match cancer patients to clinical drug trials or recommend an investment strategy after reviewing a customer's portfolio. </p> <p>Watson is having more trouble solving real-life problems than "Jeopardy" questions, according to a review of internal IBM documents and interviews with Watson's first customers.</p> <p>At his office, he pulled out an iPad and showed a screen from Watson that listed three potential treatments. Watson was less than 32% confident that any of them were correct. "Just like cancer, it is much more complex than we thought," Dr. Kris said.</p> <p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304887104579306881917668654" title="http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304887104579306881917668654">http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304887104579306881917668654</a></p>

Are the World’s IT Infrastructures Today Even Too Complex for IBMWatson? It’s All About Generating The “Right” Context, Only Your Query Master Knows For Sure…

I have written several posts about the IBMWatson technology and sure when can crunch huge data bases of information and zero in on what you ...

Read more »

Obamacare Re-Insurance: 3 Year Protection Plan Covering Insurers Participating in Health Insurance Exchanges Relative to Catastrophic Claims

<p>This doesn’t get mentioned too often but ran across this article that does a pretty good job explaining how insurers are basically protected from any catastrophic losses for 3 years by the Feds.  It’s a $25 Billion dollar risk fund that goes for 3 years which offers a cap for big individual claims.  <img align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-iAYIxCUQzBg/UV2UCP7NHQI/AAAAAAABGWM/TQKKLzd0GCk/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" /></p> <p>You can be assured with this relative to claims there’s a 3 year pad for those insurers participating.  You can read below and see how this shuffles out to protect the carriers.  The funding comes in from the fee of $63 for each insurance policy issued.  When this all began there was quite a bit of press about this cost being passed back to the consumer and more than likely in some complex accounting formula it’s probably in there.  At any rate in the case of care, the insurers are only on the hook for 2% over projected costs and then the the government re-insurance kicks in.  As you can see the formula is not real simple but not overly complex and certainly there would be a lot of accounting to provide the numbers to receive reimbursements. </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/12/getting-health-insurance-in-us-has.html">Getting Health Insurance In the US Has Become Way Too Complex And Difficult For Many In One Form Or Another With Spastic Algorithms and Math Models That Too Often Fail-Attack of the “Health Insurance” Killer Algorithms With Flawed Models</a></h5> <p>There might be a “small hope in hell” that your formula is right…and that’s the crux of the issues today as the models are not playing out as designed, as Emanuel Derman states “you are dealing with people” and they don’t work that way so again this is interesting and not to cast doubt all over the place, but like so many of the formulas out there today, will it work?  What’s going to happen in 3 years?  BD  </p> <p><object height="244" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://swf.tubechop.com/tubechop.swf?vurl=ed2FWNWwE3I&start=1700&end=1782&cid=1746220"></param><embed src="http://swf.tubechop.com/tubechop.swf?vurl=ed2FWNWwE3I&start=1700&end=1782&cid=1746220" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="244"></embed></object></p> <p> <hr />Obamacare contains a $25 billion federal risk fund set up to benefit health insurance companies selling coverage on the state and federal health insurance exchanges as well as in the small group (less than 50 workers) market. The fund lasts only three years: 2014, 2015, and 2016. <br />The government's risk management program for the insurers has three parts:</p> <ul> <li>A revenue neutral Risk Adjustment System designed to level adverse claim costs between health plans.  </li> <li>A Reinsurance Program that caps big claim costs for insurers (individual plans only). </li> <li>A Risk Corridor Program that limits overall losses for insurers. </li> </ul> <p>Of the $25 billion, $20 billion is earmarked for the Reinsurance Program and $5 billion goes to the U.S. treasury.  <br />First, the Reinsurance Program caps big individual claim costs for insurers––in 2014, 80% of individual costs between $45,000 and $250,000 are paid by the government, for example.</p> <p>Then comes the Risk Corridor program. Participating health plans will receive payments from the federal government in any of the following circumstances:</p> <ul> <li>The plan's costs for any benefit year are more than 103% but not more than 108% of the health plan's targeted amount. The feds will reimburse 50% of all costs in excess of 103% of the medical cost target.  </li> <li>If the plan's costs are more than 108% of the annual target, the feds will first pay the health plan a flat 2.5% of the target and then reimburse the plan for 80% of their claim costs above the targeted amount––with no upside limit. </li> </ul> <p>Target cost is simply defined in the new law as a health plan's "total premiums (including any subsidies) reduced by the administrative costs of the plan." It is whatever the health plan projected its premium needed to be to pay medical costs. <br />So, a plan is on the hook for all claim costs up to 102% (2% more) than the target cost.The statute very specifically limits funds collected to $25 billion over the three years––$12 billion in 2014. The source of these funds is the Obamacare $63 annual "Belly Button Tax" assessed on almost all people covered under a health insurance plan.</p> <p><a href="http://healthpolicyandmarket.blogspot.com/2014/01/will-there-be-obamacare-death-spiral-in.html" title="http://healthpolicyandmarket.blogspot.com/2014/01/will-there-be-obamacare-death-spiral-in.html">http://healthpolicyandmarket.blogspot.com/2014/01/will-there-be-obamacare-death-spiral-in.html</a></p>

Obamacare Re-Insurance: 3 Year Protection Plan Covering Insurers Participating in Health Insurance Exchanges Relative to Catastrophic Claims

This doesn’t get mentioned too often but ran across this article that does a pretty good job explaining how insurers are basically protected...

Read more »

FDA Approves 1st Ever Mobile Phone Connected Thermometer

<p>Today I read about the toothbrush that connects and tallies up all your brushing habits into a data base at CES so now have a thermometer and the price is cheap at $14.99 and looks like there’s other<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="107" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-hItJcFkG4AA/UsuhG-HybgI/AAAAAAABJCY/KSSjBDu4GBo/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="194" /> somewhat standard features here to do alerts, etc.  This one is not for the mouth and goes into the back side or under your arm.  The focus is to make it easier to work with children in getting their temperature readings.</p> <p>You do get a little punchy with all the devices coming out that will record data so maybe next up and perhaps I’ve missed it is where’s the tool that measures how much wax is in your ears maybe <grin>.  </p> <p>It’s a data seller/sharing device with de-identified information that it appears they maybe querying with other data they buy and sell.  I’ll stick with my old normal thermometer for now.  BD  </p> <p> <hr />The announcement from <strong><a href="http://www.kinsahealth.com">Kinsa </a></strong>officials marks the first-ever approval by the FDA for a mobile-connected version of the world's most common medical device. </p> <p>Like traditional thermometers, the Kinsa Smart Thermometer can be used orally, under-the-arm or rectally. It's been designed with parents and children in mind and leverages the smartphone to make taking a temperature a more engaging and informative process. The thermometer connects to a smartphone or other mobile device via the headphone jack and uses the display, power and processing of the smartphone to determine a precise temperature reading – with fewer components in the thermometer, it is compact, thin, and highly flexible, making it more comfortable to use. Kinsa uses the smartphone's display screen to provide fun, animated visuals throughout a temperature reading – calming, distracting, and engaging children throughout the process. The display also shows reading progress and alerts parents if the thermometer slips out of place. Users can create individual profiles for the whole family and, with a few taps, track their fever, symptom and illness history. </p> <p><a href="http://www.onlinetmd.com/kinsa-health-fda-approved-smartphone-thermometer-1614.aspx" title="http://www.onlinetmd.com/kinsa-health-fda-approved-smartphone-thermometer-1614.aspx">http://www.onlinetmd.com/kinsa-health-fda-approved-smartphone-thermometer-1614.aspx</a></p>

FDA Approves 1st Ever Mobile Phone Connected Thermometer

Today I read about the toothbrush that connects and tallies up all your brushing habits into a data base at CES so now have a thermometer an...

Read more »

Medicare Looks To Use Analytics to Identify Abusive Prescribers And Require Doctors To Be Registered With Medicare To Write a Prescription-Sounds Like The CMS Cray Computer YarcData Appliance Might Be Getting A Little Busier

<p>Just a few months ago I wrote about the Cray YarcData that CMS is using to search for and detect fraud that is running a MarkLogic data base and search agent.  MarkLogic began as a search engine app and grew into a data base program.  You may have heard the company name with the news that went around about the Healthcare.Gov website.  In this capacity with the utility the mission here is to detect patterns and look for fraud.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/11/cray-computers-making-big-comeback.html">Cray Computers Making a Big Comeback Thanks to Big Data–CMS Using Cray YarcData Unit To Detect Fraud Patterns With Payments</a></h5> <p>Below is an image that shoes the CMS data relationships, so again with having this capability writing new search parameters would yield a lot of information if this the course they choose.  This is still pretty new and where they go searching looking for fraud patterns.  </p> <p><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-3UlaJUeepYU/UnSd5jOKwQI/AAAAAAABIaQ/83NB1GCsZuc/image%25255B17%25255D.png?imgmax=800" /></p> <p>Again the review here with data parameters would require a human effort as well as false positives will be in there as well with results when you query large data resources like Medicare.  The claim information queries can tell a lot with checking an MD’s NPI number against being registered, etc.  I’m not sure how they would really enforce that as some doctors who are not registered with Medicare might occasionally write a prescription when filling in for another doctor who is in Medicare and is the primary physician.  </p> <p>Right now the article says the Medicare Fraud investigators can’t access data, well they can buy prescription data  like everything else from Milliman or <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/02/connecticut-state-medical-society.html">Optum/Ingenix</a>  if they wanted to as those two have been selling prescription data for years to everyone else out there, or they can buy it from the AMA who buys from both of these companies.  Prescription data does not fall under HIPAA.   Access remotely to the Cray appliance would give some searching capabilities to the fraud investigators as well.  If the data mining is done correctly at CMS and not taken out of context to identify the real abusers, which of course is a small group of the entire medical community then they should be able to find those few doctors that lead to the abuse of prescription drugs.  </p> <p>They are taking comments and the entire pdf can be <a href="http://www.ofr.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2013-31497_PI.pdf">read here.</a>  BD</p> <hr />Medicare plans to arm itself with broad new powers to better control — and potentially bar — doctors engaged in fraudulent or harmful prescribing, following a series of articles detailing lax oversight in its drug program. <p>The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services described the effort Monday in what's known as a , the standard process by which federal agencies make significant changes.</p> <p>Two of the changes mark a dramatic departure for the agency, which historically has given much higher priority to making medications easily accessible to seniors and the disabled than to weeding out dangerous providers of health care.</p> <p>For the first time, the agency would have the authority to kick out physicians and other providers who engage in abusive prescribing. It could also take such action if providers' licenses have been suspended or revoked by state regulators or if they were restricted from prescribing painkillers and other controlled substances</p> <p>Under the rule change, the contractor would be given the power to access the records directly. The inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services has repeatedly pressed Medicare to make this change.</p> <p>And the agency will tighten a loophole that has allowed doctors to prescribe to patients in the drug program, known as , even when they were not officially enrolled with Medicare. Under the new rules, doctors and other providers must formally enroll if they want to write prescriptions to the 36 million people with Part D coverage. This would require them to verify their credentials and disclose professional discipline and criminal history.</p> <p><a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/01/06/260277530/medicare-officials-seek-authority-to-ban-harmful-prescribers" title="http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/01/06/260277530/medicare-officials-seek-authority-to-ban-harmful-prescribers">http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2014/01/06/260277530/medicare-officials-seek-authority-to-ban-harmful-prescribers</a></p>

Medicare Looks To Use Analytics to Identify Abusive Prescribers And Require Doctors To Be Registered With Medicare To Write a Prescription-Sounds Like The CMS Cray Computer YarcData Appliance Might Be Getting A Little Busier

Just a few months ago I wrote about the Cray YarcData that CMS is using to search for and detect fraud that is running a MarkLogic data base...

Read more »

Minnesota Health Insurance Exchange The Latest Troubled Website With The State Hammering On IBM To Get Things Fixed..All The Algorithm Fairies Have Flown the Coup A Long Time Ago…

<p>We have not heard a lot in the news about MNsure as we have from some of the other states and IBM is not the head contractor here but the Minnesota is holding them responsible for the <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="110" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-k9B5sWDkx7k/UstQjHfn9aI/AAAAAAABJCI/U8qZllX7Eaw/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="173" />problems since it appears that they lie within the areas of responsibility that IBM was covering.  We have heard a lot about Oregon and now the executive is resigning due to health issues permanently soon, although in most of those reportings it seems to be left out that all other contractors who bid withdrew except for Oracle when they saw how complex the project was with the state at the same time wanting to upgrade most of their social services too instead of just a project of building an insurance exchange, more details at the link below.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2014/01/rocky-king-of-cover-oregon-resigns-from.html">Rocky King of Cover Oregon Resigns From Position Citing Medical Problems–The Exchange That Only Oracle Wanted As All Other Contractors Withdrew Their Bids Due to Extreme Complexities And Short Time To Do It</a></h5> <p>I’ll say it again “the short order computer code kitchen burned down years ago and there was no fire sale” which means in essence we have complexities today with integrated software that have never existed before and data no longer sits in silos.   So we can’t say that Oracle, IBM, and many other big names are not doing their job, it’s just a very difficult job and both governments and consumers are learning a real cold hard reality lesson about that fact today.  At HHS, we had the <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/12/michelle-snyder-chief-operating-officer.html">“Sebelius Syndrome”</a> and there are most than just her that suffer from strange and non relative perceptions that allow them to get duped and duped again, that’s for sure.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/10/us-consumers-and-government-are.html"><strong>US Consumers and Government Are Learning a Cold Hard Reality Lesson About IT Infrastructure Complexities With Models and Algorithms Thanks to Health Insurance Exchanges</strong></a></h5> <p>Funny this is where United Healthcare is located and they ran out to get to buy the company QSSI who did part of the Federal exchange project but we don’t see any action in their own home state do we.  I think it was worth a short mention as 1/3 of the corporate revenue comes from subsidiary companies, 15 pages listed at the SEC with software and coding, along with math models.  </p> <p><strong>Curam software which is an IBM subsidiary seems to be at the root of the issues from what I am reading here which they bought in 2011 and is also a big government contractor.</strong>  Again we come back to the short time frame and the fact that many thought there were some algorithms fairies out there drifting around but they all found out they don’t really exist and with complexities today, it’s not like the old days of just a few years ago.  BD  </p> <p> <hr />Add Minnesota's state-run MNsure website to the list of troubled health insurance exchanges. The site launched October 1, but it's plagued by problems that Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton is pinning largely on software from IBM.</p> <p>In a five-page letter sent to IBM CEO Virginia Rometty on December 13 and made public by the governor's office on Friday, Dayton detailed 21 specific problems tied to IBM's Curam software. "Your product has not delivered promised functionality and has seriously hindered Minnesotans' abilities to purchase health insurance or apply for public health care programs through MNsure," Dayton wrote. "I request that you immediately deploy whatever people or resources are needed to correct the defects in your product that are preventing Minnesotans from obtaining health insurance through MNsure."</p> <p>Maximus, of Reston, Va., is the lead contractor on the $46 million project, while IBM’s Curam software determines each applicant's eligibility for Medicaid and state and federal subsidies and tax credits. Acquired by IBM in 2011, Curam software is designed specifically for health and social program management, and IBM says it's used in more than 80 government projects around the world.</p> <p>"For weeks now, Minnesotans have received conflicting information from MNsure about whether they have coverage, what coverage they have and how many more hoops they have to jump through to obtain coverage," Davids told the <a href="http://www.twincities.com/localnews/ci_24840853/mnsure-sees-last-minute-enrollment-spike?IADID=Search-www.twincities.com-www.twincities.com">St. Paul Pioneer Press</a>. "Enough is enough -- what happened to 'the buck stops here'?"</p> <p><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/software/enterprise-applications/minnesota-slams-ibm-on-health-insurance-exchange-woes/d/d-id/1113321" title="http://www.informationweek.com/software/enterprise-applications/minnesota-slams-ibm-on-health-insurance-exchange-woes/d/d-id/1113321">http://www.informationweek.com/software/enterprise-applications/minnesota-slams-ibm-on-health-insurance-exchange-woes/d/d-id/1113321</a></p>

Minnesota Health Insurance Exchange The Latest Troubled Website With The State Hammering On IBM To Get Things Fixed..All The Algorithm Fairies Have Flown the Coup A Long Time Ago…

We have not heard a lot in the news about MNsure as we have from some of the other states and IBM is not the head contractor here but the Mi...

Read more »

Covered California Announces Extension to Pay For First Premiums Until January 15th

<p>The article states that Kaiser Permanente had already given their extension<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="177" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-HLgvf-sZTE0/UspQtbRwSgI/AAAAAAABJBo/rZnvo5DmTkY/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="173" /> and what this means is that you can go get care if you need it and the coverage will be retro-active to the first.  Kaiser with their business model and integrated medical records makes it a bit easier for them to monitor I would think versus standard health insurance policies as again the data is all under one roof. </p> <p>In addition Covered California also launched a new web page Thursday for small business owners to help them make their first premium payments as well.  BD </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/12/getting-health-insurance-in-us-has.html">Getting Health Insurance In the US Has Become Way Too Complex And Difficult For Many In One Form Or Another With Spastic Algorithms and Math Models That Too Often Fail-Attack of the “Health Insurance” Killer Algorithms With Flawed Models</a></h5> <p> <hr />SACRAMENTO, California — The agency running California's health insurance exchange extended the deadline for payments until Jan. 15 following a surge in the number of consumers signing up for coverage.</p> <p>Covered California said on its website that health coverage still took effect Jan. 1 but the payment deadline was pushed back to prevent consumers from feeling rushed to pay recently received invoices.</p> <p>It will also give health care companies more time to process paperwork, the agency said.</p> <p>The agency says payments must be received by Jan. 15, not just postmarked before that date.</p> <p><a href="http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/21d5c709416244588bd52831f4c907c9/CA--Health-Overhaul-California" title="http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/21d5c709416244588bd52831f4c907c9/CA--Health-Overhaul-California">http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/21d5c709416244588bd52831f4c907c9/CA--Health-Overhaul-California</a></p>

Covered California Announces Extension to Pay For First Premiums Until January 15th

The article states that Kaiser Permanente had already given their extension and what this means is that you can go get care if you need it ...

Read more »

Bitcoin Is Going To Be One Of the Big Determining Factors On How Far Banks and Businesses Venture Into the Virtual World And Further Lose Focus With Functioning In the Real World Until They Lose Enough Money..Probably Our Dollars Come To Think Of It..

<p>This is the way I see it anyway and will there come a day when I see some insane marketing that tells me I can get up the morning and eat a “virtual egg” for breakfast?  Sure that’s out there but so is a l<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="175" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-pFsxk5GK1VE/UspEc1QO7FI/AAAAAAABJBI/ZSx-v951xr8/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="image" width="212" />ot of what we are reading about Bitcoin.  I can see it as form of transaction but to think it could be a virtual currency is a little too far.  If you think things are complex out there, add in a virtual currency as such and nobody would ever know that their portfolios are worth until someone comes along and with a virtual answer.  </p> <p>We are out of balance today with tangibles versus intangibles and I still need a “real egg” to eat for breakfast in the morning and that’s where the two worlds collide.  When you look at the stock prices on social networks for example, its data but the value is all virtual.  Sure you can mine it and have the Query Masters try and find some value in the data, but again it’s not that egg I need to survive.  Of course the banks want to own it and create their own models to sell it as they are not much more than big powerful software companies anyway with math models and algorithms to allow and/or deny access to money.  That’s almost a given today.  How in the world could the average consumer ever keep up, they can’t and for that matter once you through a bunch of virtual math models on top of what we already have, everyone will be lost.  Half of what is being created with analytics today will be a waste of investment as some of what is being created out there has virtual values that don’t work in the real world. </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/02/half-of-analytics-investments-by.html">Half of Analytics Investments By Companies and Banks Will Be a Waste–What Do We Analyze with Big Data and Does It Have Value–Some Algo Fairies Would Do Better at Disneyland…</a></h5> <p>The marketing out there today is way out of site with trying to create real or virtual values.  With social networks, what you do have, a bunch of data and algorithms sitting on servers with over priced stock values.  I see more value right now in the chickens that lay those eggs so I’m assured of having one available for breakfast.<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="142" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-kIV3eUVPfsc/UspEdgkRyxI/AAAAAAABJBQ/lp0CW1zXTyk/image%25255B12%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="image" width="223" />  I can’t eat an algorithm and survive.  I wrote this a short while back about the “virtual personas” that MasterCard is working on to market you, who care what category of the  5 levels of personas you fit into that they created?  I don’t, just keep the fees down and affordable and stop with the math formulas that tweak text and make me think it has value.  What I can afford has value and I’m not really that hot on how many more billions they make scraping data at this point as I live in the real world.</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/12/mastercard-as-well-as-other-financial.html">MasterCard As Well As Other Financial Institutions Using Big Data To Get Into Your “Online Pants” As Many Consumers Seem To Be Accidentally And Inadvertently Leaving Their “Internet Fly” Open</a></h5> <p>Sure I like data, queries and algorithms that create efficiencies, have written enough of them and thus so I look at what’s nonsense and the ways that banks and companies exploit their “virtuals” to get more of my “real’ money.  Right now most banks and companies are just sitting on their money and they keep getting richer all the time, again with using virtual values and worlds to create an illusion of value.  I think Mike Osinski says it the best and he’s the guy that wrote the software that banks used, abused and remodeled for the sub prime crash, it was all a bunch of virtual values…you can do something about anything with software..he says and that’s true but it may not work in harmony with the real world as he continues to say and you end up with a bunch of folks living in a software created fantasy world.  Doesn't work that way with real people.  You can read the post below and see where are fooling ourselves.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/12/getting-health-insurance-in-us-has.html">Quantitated Justification For Believing Things That Are Not True And Using Mathematical Processes To Fool Ourselves-The Journalistic Bot Functionality Debuts As Media Can’t Resist the Formulas…</a></h5> <p><object height="244" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://swf.tubechop.com/tubechop.swf?vurl=ed2FWNWwE3I&start=2810&end=2845&cid=1746075"></param><embed src="http://swf.tubechop.com/tubechop.swf?vurl=ed2FWNWwE3I&start=2810&end=2845&cid=1746075" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="244"></embed></object></p> <p>So really one has to wonder, how far will folks go into the virtual world before they lose track of the “real world” and I think we are seeing a lot of that out there today.  With all the hacking that has taken place with folks losing their bitcoins…worth it?  Not in my estimation…this where the real world needs to kick in.  </p> <p>Again we already have these over valued stocks on social networks whereby nothing but chatter and queries send their value sky high.  I like some social networks and use them but what you see as far as value is again colliding with the real world of value and sure folks will believe in virtual realities if someone can make <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="150" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-oleB10KFJZ0/UspEeG3x3ZI/AAAAAAABJBU/R_BrFN49Qmw/image%25255B7%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="image" width="185" />a buck at it. </p> <p>So again most of the wealthy today have benefitted to big degree on some of the “virtual” worlds beliefs and sometime just spoofing but again it’s how far do we let it go and when do we touch base with the real world of people again I think is a good question.  It will happen either by choice or when the virtuals crash, and they will at some point.  Bitcoin as a currency is just a little over the edge as you can’t ask a country or world for that matter to put all their values in to what is virtual…when we live in the real world.  Maybe there has to be more folks that lose virtual wealth before this really kicks in?  Again if you think we have complexities now, add in a bit more of the virtual values and nobody will know which end is up, and of course the 99% will be the losers as we live in the real world.  </p> <p><object height="244" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://swf.tubechop.com/tubechop.swf?vurl=ed2FWNWwE3I&start=1700&end=1782&cid=1746220"></param><embed src="http://swf.tubechop.com/tubechop.swf?vurl=ed2FWNWwE3I&start=1700&end=1782&cid=1746220" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="244"></embed></object></p> <p>Does anybody even know who really created the virtual bitcoins?  Other than a form of transaction are we really very smart to think a somewhat solid form of encryption will replace currency?  Again with software and code and a bit of marketing folks can dupe, dupe and dupe us again.  BD </p>

Bitcoin Is Going To Be One Of the Big Determining Factors On How Far Banks and Businesses Venture Into the Virtual World And Further Lose Focus With Functioning In the Real World Until They Lose Enough Money..Probably Our Dollars Come To Think Of It..

This is the way I see it anyway and will there come a day when I see some insane marketing that tells me I can get up the morning and eat a ...

Read more »

eRX CMS Penalty Reimbursement On Medicare Part B Grows to 2% This Year For Those Who Have Not e-Prescribed Yet- Mostly Applies to Doctors Who Are Not Using An Integrated Electronic Medical Records System Yet

<p>For those who have attested and are participating in the stimulus incentives, this is included with an integrated electronic medical record system and thus so the penalty of 2% less really stands to impact <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="181" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-cHwg1mBrY-Q/Usoe_Rwe-sI/AAAAAAABJA4/2Sn5JUxSOJU/image%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="208" />those doctors who are still using paper records, unless they did participate in the CMS program and submitted the number of claims needed(25 to avoid 2015 penalty and 10 for 2014 penalty) showing that CPT code that an e-prescription was generated. </p> <p>G8553 is the CPT code that is required on a claim to show that a qualified e-prescribing system was used.  Incentives started a few years ago for being an early user and some made some additional incentive money there but now we are at the other end to where penalties kick in.  Last year the penalty for non e-prescribers was 1.5% penalty adjustment on Medicare Part B and this year it’s growing to 2% and from what CMS has published unless that changes, which it could down the road with new rules, it appears 2% penalty is the number to live with.  </p> <p>A full description and pdf fact sheet from CMS <a href="https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/ERxIncentive/Downloads/2014_eRxPaymentAdjustment_FeedbackReport_UserGuide_030413.pdf">can be found here.</a>  BD </p> <p> <hr />Individual eligible professionals and group practices participating in the eRx Group Practice Reporting Option (GPRO) who are not successful electronic prescribers will be subject to a 2.0% payment adjustment on their Medicare Part B services provided January 1, 2014 through December 31, 2014. <br />To avoid the 2014 eRx payment adjustment, individual eligible professionals would have had to have been a successful electronic prescriber in 2012 or will need to report the G8553 code via claims for at least 10 billable Medicare Part B PFS services provided January 1, 2013 through June 30, 2013. Please review the factsheet titled "2013 eRx Incentive Program: 2014 Payment Adjustments" on the "Payment Adjustment Information" section page to the left for more detailed information, including how an eligible professional or group practice can quality and request a hardship exemption to the 2014 eRx payment adjustment.</p> <p>Individual eligible professionals and group practices participating in the eRx Group Practice Reporting Option (GPRO) who are not successful electronic prescribers will be subject to a 1.5% payment adjustment on their Medicare Part B services provided January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2013.</p> <p>To avoid the 2013 eRx payment adjustment, individual eligible professionals would have had to have been a successful electronic prescriber in 2011, reported the G8553 code via claims for at least 10 billable Medicare Part B PFS services provided January 1, 2012 through June 30, 2012 or approved for a significant hardship exemption.</p> <p><a href="https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/ERxIncentive/index.html?redirect=/ERXIncentive/" title="https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/ERxIncentive/index.html?redirect=/ERXIncentive/">https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/ERxIncentive/index.html?redirect=/ERXIncentive/</a></p>

eRX CMS Penalty Reimbursement On Medicare Part B Grows to 2% This Year For Those Who Have Not e-Prescribed Yet- Mostly Applies to Doctors Who Are Not Using An Integrated Electronic Medical Records System Yet

For those who have attested and are participating in the stimulus incentives, this is included with an integrated electronic medical record ...

Read more »

Rocky King of Cover Oregon Resigns From Position Citing Medical Problems–The Exchange That Only Oracle Wanted As All Other Contractors Withdrew Their Bids Due to Extreme Complexities And Short Time To Do It

<p>Nobody seems to remember to put the entire story in here and we still have a<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="135" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vuXJUsI0hKk/UsdTZ6_kDzI/AAAAAAABJAo/g-XHkA9bMBg/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="235" /> lot of old “witch hunt” type reporting going on.  Sure there’s plenty to report with failures and all of that deserves attention, but again the legislature had not clue on what they created with wanting to re-do most of the state’s social services IT infrastructures at the same time and integrate it with an insurance exchange, not to mention the 9 additional months of customized code required for the 1700 verification points the legislature called for when most had 240 to 400.  </p> <p>There was even an entity of IBM that withdrew their proposal so these were big folks that took one look and saw the time frame and the complexities, and said ummmm “we don’t think we want to go there”…and gosh knows the Feds could have used some of that thinking and a bit more honesty with their chosen contractors as their contractors too told them all “yes we can do it”:)  At any rate I hope Rocky gets the medical care he needs.  </p> <p>Nobody realized the stress and time it takes with huge complex IT projects like this and <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/12/michelle-snyder-chief-operating-officer.html">we have a lot of the “Sebelius Syndrome” circulating around</a> where she has no data mechanics logic and I don’t remember her ever saying one word of thanks for the tech folks and<strong> in public she comes off more like being frustrated or mad because the IT end of things makes her look bad,</strong> but what more can you expect from a digital nonparticipant for the most part that wants to <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/02/speed-up-rate-of-change-in-health.html">“hurry up Health IT”…</a><strong><em>that’s a true uneducated novice’s perception</em></strong> saying that and all tech folks know it and chuckle with the lack of logic at the top.  Furthermore <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/12/sebelius-asks-inspector-general-to.html">asking the OIG to investigate project</a>, well how many java, Red Hat, Oracle, MarkLogic experts do they have, like about none as last I remember the White House had to bring some in <grin>.  </p> <p>Anyway I wrote a short while back about feeling sorry for Rocky and the folks at the Oregon exchange too as again most of what you saw was old fashioned “witch hunt” news reporting without the whole story and not very often does anyone say enough kind words about the folks in IT that works their fannies off and the amount of stress their jobs entail, part of the reason I don’t want to write code anymore in that environment for sure, almost totally thankless and no matter what you do and can’t humanly control, you end being the dirty dog all the time as folks don’t understand all of it and how it does or does not work.  BD</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/12/head-of-cover-oregon-insurance-exchange.html">Head of Cover Oregon Insurance Exchange Taking Medical Leave of Absence While Work on The Site Continues with a December Target Date To Be Online…</a></h5> <p> <hr />Rocky King, Cover Oregon's executive director, gave notice of his resignation on Jan. 1, clearing the way for a permanent replacement.</p> <p>King announced his medical leave <a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2013/12/cover_oregon_director_rocky_ki.html">on Dec. 2</a>, after which Oregon Health Authority Director Bruce Goldberg took over the post on an interim basis. King at the time cited an undisclosed medical condition that had already cost him significant time off work in the previous two years.</p> <p>King, who earned $181,000 a year, announced his medical leave shortly before the board was set to discuss his job performance in executive session. King, however, said the timing was dictated solely by his health.</p> <p><a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2014/01/cover_oregon_director_rocky_ki_1.html" title="http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2014/01/cover_oregon_director_rocky_ki_1.html">http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2014/01/cover_oregon_director_rocky_ki_1.html</a></p>

Rocky King of Cover Oregon Resigns From Position Citing Medical Problems–The Exchange That Only Oracle Wanted As All Other Contractors Withdrew Their Bids Due to Extreme Complexities And Short Time To Do It

Nobody seems to remember to put the entire story in here and we still have a lot of old “witch hunt” type reporting going on.  Sure there’s...

Read more »

NextGen Medical Records System Getting Sued By Hospital in Montana For Not Delivering System and Hardware, No Meaningful Use Here For Now

<p>We don’t have a lot of details on this one as the hospital states they can’t comment on pending legal actions here but we do know that NextGen was given an extension of 3 additional months from the <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="109" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FGNWlRB_538/UsdIA1nnJtI/AAAAAAABJAY/SeSEdh9ATEI/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="123" />agreed due data and that was not met.  This mean, “no meaningful use” attestation for now and no incentive, that much we do know.</p> <p>The hospital did spend over $400,000 with NextGen for the system and it will cost the hospital money with less reimbursements with Medicare.  NextGen has been around for a long time and one of the long established companies in the business.  They were around years ago when I was developing my short lives EMR.  Quality Systems in Irvine, California owns NextGen.  In May of 2013 the company reported a loss.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/05/quality-systems-nextgen-ehr-parent.html">Quality Systems (NextGen EHR Parent Company) Reports 4th Quarter Loss–Goodwill Impairment Charge</a></h5> <p>In addition here’s a couple of acquisitions made by the company in the last couple of years.</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/08/quality-systems-nextgen-systems-to-buy.html">Quality Systems (NextGen Systems) to Buy CQI Solutions Hospital Software Company</a></h5> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/02/nextgen-systems-quality-systems-inc.html">NextGen Systems (Quality Systems, Inc.) Acquires Opus Healthcare Solutions – Inpatient and Ambulatory Services</a></h5> <p> <hr />White Sulphur Springs’ hospital, the Mountainview Medical Center, is suing a health record system company, saying it didn’t install $441,000 in electronic equipment as promised.</p> <p>In documents filed in U.S. District Court last week, attorneys for the hospital say that on Sept. 28, 2012, the hospital contracted with NextGen Healthcare Information Systems <img align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/S3Qp2_tMRlI/AAAAAAAAcdA/qEA_LcPXMXU/image%5B14%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" />of Texas to install a certified health record system by June 1, 2013. These types of systems are mandated by the Affordable Care Act.</p> <p>“The system to be installed was to be one which would permit MVMC to demonstrate ‘meaningful use’ of such electronic health records through all stages of applicable federal regulations,” according to the lawsuit.</p> <p><a href="http://helenair.com/news/local/white-sulphur-springs-hospital-says-company-never-installed-health-records/article_cce3a646-71e3-11e3-aa07-001a4bcf887a.html" title="http://helenair.com/news/local/white-sulphur-springs-hospital-says-company-never-installed-health-records/article_cce3a646-71e3-11e3-aa07-001a4bcf887a.html">http://helenair.com/news/local/white-sulphur-springs-hospital-says-company-never-installed-health-records/article_cce3a646-71e3-11e3-aa07-001a4bcf887a.html</a></p>

NextGen Medical Records System Getting Sued By Hospital in Montana For Not Delivering System and Hardware, No Meaningful Use Here For Now

We don’t have a lot of details on this one as the hospital states they can’t comment on pending legal actions here but we do know that NextG...

Read more »

Wearable Glasses To Help Doctors and Nurses “Find the Veins” for Vascular Imaging And More Using Technologies Similar to Google Glass To Include Wireless and Telemedicine Capabilities

<p>The Evena glasses are not for use in the US, yet but this kind of reminds you a bit of Google Glass<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="215" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-H567H_F8_Vs/UsYB3IDzkQI/AAAAAAABI_4/QhBH9VpSgdM/image%25255B17%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="164" /> if you will but the technology is not theirs but one that is very similar( based on <i>Epson‘s Moverio technology).  </i>Back in 2008 the “VeinViewer” was big news and by all means who does not mind a few less sticks.  Times have progressed and now we have wearable glasses that will show the doctors and nurses where your veins are.</p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/luminetx-infrared-veinviewer-prevents.html">Luminetx Infrared VeinViewer prevents a few less “sticks”</a></h5> <p>Prior to the glasses the company, Evana in the Silicon Valley created another product, the <a href="http://evenamed.com/products/owl">Evena Owl</a>  that was bigger and bulkier and works with a table that does the same thing with being able to see veins, and it does a lot more than that and you can hang it around your neck.  I’m guessing we have a trip to the FDA on the calendar for the company.  </p> <p>Now if you want to look further, they have a product called the <a href="http://evenamed.com/products/eagle">Evena Eagle</a>..for the military.  Anway the Eyes On has internal storage capabilities and wireless capabilities to send and receive images, dual speakers for 2 way audio.  Two cameras can show above and beneath the skin.  At least when you are wearing these, people know you have them on unlike Google Glass.  </p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:2c09ea85-5cf9-40ec-aacb-5651e7e6f97b" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px"><div><object height="252" width="448"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/OkbobnEHy0s#t=101?hl=en&hd=1"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OkbobnEHy0s#t=101?hl=en&hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="448" height="252"></embed></object></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Avena Eyes On</div></div> <p> </p> <p> <hr />The newest addition to the Evena family of products is the one-of-a-kind point-of-care wearable Eyes<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="125" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-KezmdJ9zGN8/UsYB34ahEXI/AAAAAAABJAA/OSKpl4BB3x4/image%25255B12%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="191" />-On™ Glasses system. Evena Eyes-On Glasses provide all the same imaging technology advantages as other Evena products, but in a cost-effective, cart-free, wearable form. The Evena Glasses system is appropriate for pre-hospital, physician offices, clinics or hospitals. The Glasses unit is battery powered and offers the ultimate in portability and ease of use.</p> <p>Unique Eyes-on Glasses features include: </p> <ul> <li><strong>Multi-Spectral Imaging</strong> - a breakthrough patented technology developed by Evena for the deepest penetration with the most detailed and sharpest image is effective for almost all physiologies. </li> <li><strong>Real-time anatomically accurate images</strong> – no other system provides such exceptionally clear, accurate images. </li> <li><strong>EMR/PACS interface</strong> enables automated, improved and more precise documentation<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="130" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-yFBL33BHeBQ/UsYB4Q_VFQI/AAAAAAABJAE/ehpa6flDoGY/image%25255B16%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="243" /> of appropriate care, including verification of vein patency. </li> <li><strong>Hands-free, cart-free, wearable technology</strong> allows medical staff to maneuver anywhere anytime with the complete vasculature image right before their eyes. </li> <li><strong>See-through, Eyes-On technology</strong> allows the user to have full situational awareness, to keep eye contact with the patient plus a clear view of the patient’s area of interest, enabling quick and easy location and access to the best vein. </li> </ul> <p><strong>Evena Sparrow is not available in the U.S., EU and many other developed nations</strong></p> <p><a href="http://evenamed.com/products/glasses" title="http://evenamed.com/products/glasses">http://evenamed.com/products/glasses</a></p>

Wearable Glasses To Help Doctors and Nurses “Find the Veins” for Vascular Imaging And More Using Technologies Similar to Google Glass To Include Wireless and Telemedicine Capabilities

The Evena glasses are not for use in the US, yet but this kind of reminds you a bit of Google Glass if you will but the technology is not t...

Read more »

St. Anthony’s Hospital In Houston Not Getting Paid-150 Employees To Include Nurses And Doctors Have Not Been Paid in Weeks, As New CMS Contractor Novitas Solutions Can’t Get Payments Processed–Major Attack of the “Killer Algorithms”…

<p>So folks who work there, just continue to scramble, get beat up by creditors and get stepped <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="127" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ykDz2JtAwHo/UsXylai0MII/AAAAAAABI_g/UpGon8Pu3_A/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="image" width="205" />all over the this is a big case of the Killer Algorithms.  This is not going to stop either and as long the <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/12/michelle-snyder-chief-operating-officer.html">“Sebelius Syndrome”</a> stays in effect at HHS, she just shines it on and has bliss digital illiteracy as her excuse.  This has been a month so somebody should have stepped in here as we all realize <strong>glitches and bitches are here to stay sadly.</strong>  </p> <p>The hospital is not making money and cash flow is short.  Let’s look at another hospital in Wyoming that is worried about ICD10 transitions, they don’t have the cash flow they have predicted they will need and actually hats off to that hospital for doing their analytics ahead of time even thought they may not be able to get a loan.  <a href="http://www.novitas-solutions.com/webcenter/faces/oracle/webcenter/page/scopedMD/s9a267c31_ae8e_4d5b_bf06_eb686c1a19ca/PortalSiteHome.jspx?wc.contextURL=%2Fspaces%2FNovitasSolutions&wc.originURL=%2Fspaces%2FNovitasSolutions&_afrLoop=1743237349845000#%40%3F_afrLoop%3D1743237349845000%26wc.originURL%3D%252Fspaces%252FNovitasSolutions%26wc.contextURL%3D%252Fspaces%252FNovitasSolutions%26_adf.ctrl-state%3Dggws4uipq_4">Novitas</a> is the Medicare contractor responsible here.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/10/hospital-in-wyoming-says-they-are-too.html">Hospital In Wyoming Says They Are Too Poor To Handle ICD Coding Changes Next Year–Don’t Have A Big Enough Bankroll To Cover Transition Period With Reimbursements–Would Need To Get A Bigger Line of Credit If They Can</a></h5> <p>The CEO has not collected a paycheck in a year and the hospital is owed over $3 million from CMS and can’t make payroll.  He is giving employees money from his personal checking account to buy groceries.  The Texas Medical Association said there were other hospitals in similar situations.  BD</p> <object height="268" id="otvPlayer" width="400"><param name="movie" value="http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/static/flash/embeddedPlayer/swf/otvEmLoader.swf?version=fw1000&station=ktrk&section=&mediaId=9373025&cdnRoot=http://cdn.abclocal.go.com&webRoot=http://abclocal.go.com&configPath=/util/&site="></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><param name="allowNetworking" value="all"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param> <embed id="otvPlayer" width="400" height="268" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allownetworking="all" allowfullscreen="true" src="http://cdn.abclocal.go.com/static/flash/embeddedPlayer/swf/otvEmLoader.swf?version=fw1000&station=ktrk&section=&mediaId=9373025&cdnRoot=http://cdn.abclocal.go.com&webRoot=http://abclocal.go.com&configPath=/util/&site="></embed></object> <hr /> <p>HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Dozens of employees at a hospital in northeast Houston have had to make it through the holidays without getting paid for weeks. The CEO of Saint Anthony's Hospital on Little York is blaming a new Medicare payment contractor for his payroll problems. </p> <p>Nearly 150 employees, ranging from doctors to nurses and administrators<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="127" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-pzkw7dkkGUs/UsXyl3QISfI/AAAAAAABI_k/xZR8MxxtMs8/image%25255B7%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: right; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="image" width="151" />, haven't been paid in nearly a month, and the CEO says it's not his fault. </p> <p>For the neighbors around St. Anthony'S Hospital, the care has been convenient. </p> <p>"Since it was close and I was bleeding, I had to come over here," former patient Delores Cano said. </p> <p>The Texas Medical Association says they are familiar with complaints like this one regarding the medicare payment facilitator- and a representative told us smaller community hospitals like this one are in similar situations. </p> <p><a href="http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=9372756" title="http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=9372756">http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/local&id=9372756</a></p>

St. Anthony’s Hospital In Houston Not Getting Paid-150 Employees To Include Nurses And Doctors Have Not Been Paid in Weeks, As New CMS Contractor Novitas Solutions Can’t Get Payments Processed–Major Attack of the “Killer Algorithms”…

So folks who work there, just continue to scramble, get beat up by creditors and get stepped all over the this is a big case of the Killer A...

Read more »

ICD10 The Sleeping Monster In The US Health IT System, Other Countries Using New Codes For A Better Clinical Diagnosis While US Tends To Focus On Coding Better Payments

<p>Yes the US is the “only” country that ties ICD10 with billing and revenue cycling.  The conversion touches every bit of the data calculations in healthcare, thus we can call it the sleeping giant.  If you have not had enough of this yet with seeing Healthcare.Gov with a premature roll out, wait until this hits.  We are dealing with huge complex data bases today and the larger the data, the larger the exposure for errors. <img align="right" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-k7eb5hCE0Cw/URmsuxqKL2I/AAAAAAABE10/O63bU7iMwDQ/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" /> Ask any Quant or data scientist, they will tell you that as that’s how it works.  So as the title indicates here that when you have to initiate new coding that will touch every other integrated process, well you get the idea as new screeching algorithms will arise and again the error factors will follow suit.</p> <p>Probably if the conversation had been done 5-6 years ago it would have not been as complex as much of the data was still living in silos and it is easier to transition when in a silo even though that’s not the ultimate goal here but it’s just flat out data mechanics.  It is what it is and this not new conversation as you can go back to Dr. Halamka at Harvard discussing this back in 2011.  People that work with data and have the “hands on” credibility are worth reading and staying in touch with for sure as you get the “real” story and not a “glossied” marketing news article. </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/08/dr-halamka-speaks-about-health-itcios.html">Dr. Halamka Speaks About Health IT–“CIOs are on Overload” and It Would be A Blessing to Stall Off ICD-10 to 2016 - The Straw Breaking the Camel’s Back</a></h5> <p>There’s a lot of money invested in creating ICD10 software too and those folks all have a big stake in the market and like anything else they want a return on their investment.  It’s the “bliss” marketing that you read in too many news articles that convince you that there’s “no problem” with so much of the complex IT infrastructures we live with out there today and with that I’ll go back to my coin here of “the short order computer code kitchen burned down a few years ago and there was no fire sale”…reflect on that comment as you read about how the roll out of Healthcare.Gov went.  There’s no two ways about it that the bliss and expectations you read in the news don’t match the reality of the work and time needed.  It does take it’s toll and when you see folks like Kundra leave and there’s many more like him that have done the same, there’s a point of no return here if the digital illiterate crowd that has been soaked and duped with marketing keeping pushing to meet deadlines that are not realistic.  Again look at Healthcare.Gov where they thought they had time to write code from the bottom up with integrating a lot of technologies that had not been put together in such a fashion before.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/06/vivek-kundra-us-cio-to-resign-and-take.html">Vivek Kundra-US CIO To Resign And Take Fellowship at Harvard-Was He OverTaxed And Burnt Out, If So That is Allowed Today As This A True Reality for CIOs All Over the US</a></h5> <p>Again you don’t have to just rely on what I say, <a href="http://geekdoctor.blogspot.com/2013/11/fine-tuning-national-healthcare-it.html">here’s a clip from Dr. Halamka’s blog</a> that addresses the “perceptions of the digital illiterates” out there…</p> <p><em>We learned from healthcare.gov that end to end testing with a full user load and complete data set is important to validate the robustness of an application.   ICD-10 go live for every provider and most payers (other than Workman's Comp) is 11 months away.    Does CMS have time for a full end to end test of all functionality with its trading partners?   I am concerned that not enough time is available.    <img align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TW_npIT2ERI/AAAAAAAAsrA/zcEQT5b0OaA/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" />Will most payers and providers be ready to process transactions on October 1, 2014?  Maybe.   Will new documentation systems, clinical documentation improvement applications, and computer assisted coding to ensure auditable linkage between the clinical record and the highly granular ICD-10 billing data be in place?  Doubtful.    Will RAC audits discover that not enough time was available for training, education, testing, innovation, and workflow redesign?  Certainly.    The risk of a premature ICD-10 go live will be the disruption of the entire healthcare revenue cycle in the US.   The consequences of a delay in enforcing ICD-10 use are minimal.</em></p> <p><em>ICD-10 enforcement deadlines should be extended by 6 months to enable additional testing and workflow redesign.  The October 1, 2014 deadline may work for some providers and payers. Transaction flow can begin if systems are functional.   However, a 6 month extension will enable providers and payers to revise and improve systems before a mandatory full cutover.   We need to do this to avoid another healthcare.gov situation.</em></p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/10/cios-have-everything-to-worry-about.html">CIOs Have Everything To Worry About Compared to CEOs Fiddling Around With Branding Perceptions Related to Profits, No Popularity Contests for the CIOs</a></h5> <p>Again the marketing and the perceptions created are those of a virtual world and we have to function in the “real world” and the models don’t always play out correctly in the real world.  One of the best quotes around is from the Quant video in the footer of my blog, “you can fix anything with software here, you have to live with the constrains of the real world’' and keep that in mind as you are seeing more virtual “fantasy” type creations growing out there in healthcare and beyond.  Let’s not forget we have to live and deal with the constraints of the real world, full video in in the footer if you wan to learn up about how some of this works and as patients, we are like the oysters in the video clip below.  </p> <p><object height="244" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://swf.tubechop.com/tubechop.swf?vurl=ed2FWNWwE3I&start=2810&end=2845&cid=1746075"></param><embed src="http://swf.tubechop.com/tubechop.swf?vurl=ed2FWNWwE3I&start=2810&end=2845&cid=1746075" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="244"></embed></object></p> <p>Again it’s worth a mention again on Healthcare.Gov about the “Algo Duping” and subsequent Attack of the Killer Algorithms that is taking place as CMS was duped all the way up the ladder by many and lacked the intelligence to see it sadly.   The news will be full of it as patients go to see their doctors in the next few days on how the data may not arriving on time to get care…so as I said in the title here the US has gone from putting impact on better care to better coding and a new ICD10 code is not going to directly impact the care you get as a patient as humans still do that, not a code.  </p> <p>So relative to the Healthcare.Gov project with the OIG (Office of Inspector General) now responsible for the investigation, how many technological experts do they have on staff?  Last I remember and read in the news with the initial failure HHS had to bring them in from Google, Oracle and so on…<img align="right" height="166" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-iAYIxCUQzBg/UV2UCP7NHQI/AAAAAAABGWM/TQKKLzd0GCk/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" width="201" /><strong>so this is a joke and not fair to the OIG at all as they don’t have the resources to do so and so is someone going to come along and give them the ICD10 project next as the OIG continues to make budget cuts and human resources shrink?</strong>  You have been <a href="http://www.ducknet.net/attack-of-the-killer-algorithms/">Algo Duped</a> and this has been a <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/10/office-of-inspector-general-publishes.html">long history with HHS for sure.</a>  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/12/sebelius-asks-inspector-general-to.html">Sebelius Asks Inspector General To Review Healthcare.Gov, How Many JBoss, Red Hat, Linux, Oracle, MarkLogic And Other Experts Does OIG Have? Time Elements of Baking A Cake From Scratch With Writing Custom Code Was Just Not There..</a></h5> <p>Shoot some of the software companies creating ICD10 algorithms are not done yet either…so how long before we decide to do something about this fantasy perception that it will be ready to rock and roll?  Time to be a data skeptic here and this is an <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/10/on-being-data-skeptic-modelers-have.html">excellent essay that talks about that topic</a>, not a cynic a skeptic.  You do have to kind of chuckle a bit at the blogs and articles that state your are just not making the grade if you or your organization is not ready for ICD10 as there are plenty of those articles out there, the marketing as those folks creating such software solutions want an ROI on their coding writing as soon as they can get it.  </p> <p><a href="http://www.ihealthbeat.org/articles/2013/12/10/mgma-urges-hhs-secretary-to-begin-endtoend-icd10-testing">The Medical Group Management Association (MGNA)</a> has sent a letter to HHS urging end to end testing to Secretary Sebelius and well we all kind of have a good idea on her perceptions of such, like again Healthcare.Gov, just roll it out there..duh…digital illiteracy and not listening…<a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/02/kathleen-sebelius-kansas-governor-for.html">a huge problem there at the top.</a>  She has not a clue on any of this and I have no idea where she gets her ill fated perceptions…wrong person in the wrong job.  Maybe it’s time for another <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/09/hhs-and-doj-send-letters-to-hospital.html">“Sebelius & Holder” letter</a> accusing all of  lying on their billing?  </p> <p>I have not been the first to say this as you read it all over the web as a transition has taken place with medical records system in the US going from having a doctor and clinical focus to a bigger one of revenue cycling and payment methodologies and this certainly with the ICD10 issue with marketing and being pushed before it’s time is yet one more example on how this works.  Again I don’t know what planet Secretary Sebelius lives on with what we read out there today but it’s what I call the <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TW_npIT2ERI/AAAAAAAAsrA/zcEQT5b0OaA/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800">“Sebelius Syndrome”</a> and it shuffles all the way down.  Here’s one hospital that has done their home work and said they can’t afford the<img align="right" height="205" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-254kwt3CdZo/UV-ZQGdjzUI/AAAAAAABGYE/1jRApVij9z8/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="float: right; display: inline" width="216" /> loss with ICD10 as they know claims will be held up and delayed and they need the cash flow.  Anyone listening to this?  You want business intelligence in healthcare, well here it is, reality…and patient care will suffer and possibly be delayed.  </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/10/hospital-in-wyoming-says-they-are-too.html">Hospital In Wyoming Says They Are Too Poor To Handle ICD Coding Changes Next Year–Don’t Have A Big Enough Bankroll To Cover Transition Period With Reimbursements–Would Need To Get A Bigger Line of Credit If They Can</a></h5> <p>Again you will continue to see those news article that will say “shame on the folks who are not ready for ICD10” they are plentiful on the web but I would urge you to look at the real picture on the complexities of IT Infrastructures and see what is “humanly” possible to accommodate.  It’s still humans writing code here and I should mention a lot of the ICD10 software is being sold with a “hold harmless agreement”…so when claims are delayed, you can’t go back and ask for any real accountability from the software either…. </p> <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2013/02/icd10-software-being-sold-with-hold.html">ICD10 Software Being Sold With “hold harmless” Clauses–Sign of the Software Development Times?</a></h5> <p>ICD10 Facts or fantasy…you decide….<a href="http://www.ducknet.net/attack-of-the-killer-algorithms/">videos at the Algo Duping page</a> can help you sort some of this out..BD  </p> <p> <hr /></p> <p><a href="http://geekdoctor.blogspot.com/2013/11/fine-tuning-national-healthcare-it.html" title="http://geekdoctor.blogspot.com/2013/11/fine-tuning-national-healthcare-it.html">http://geekdoctor.blogspot.com/2013/11/fine-tuning-national-healthcare-it.html</a></p>

ICD10 The Sleeping Monster In The US Health IT System, Other Countries Using New Codes For A Better Clinical Diagnosis While US Tends To Focus On Coding Better Payments

Yes the US is the “only” country that ties ICD10 with billing and revenue cycling.  The conversion touches every bit of the data calculation...

Read more »

Medasend

<strong><u>Medasend Biomedical Medical Waste Disposal Services </u></strong> <br /> <p> <table style="width: 422px" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" border="0"><tbody> <tr> <td valign="top" width="197"><a href="http://medasend.com/"><img align="left" alt="Medasend" border="0" height="62" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xj29EKvqeEw/U2WdCo2-PRI/AAAAAAABKKI/o3078Pq-HE4/Medasend%25255B10%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="Medasend" width="185" /></a></td> <td valign="top" width="223" align="right"> <p align="left"><font size="1">Mention Medical Quack For Special Pricing -MD Offices, Hospitals, Clinics</font></p> <p align="left"><font size="1">1-800-200-3581</font> </p> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <br /></p> <hr />

Medasend

Medasend Biomedical Medical Waste Disposal Services Mention Medical Quack For Special Pricing -M...

Read more »

Go Fund Life Lock Privacy

<p> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="https://secure.lifelock.com/enrollment/?promocode=QUACK"><img align="left" alt="image" border="0" height="321" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Sb9tXSPTkgo/VNUUscJmHaI/AAAAAAABL70/lDNKeYnQ-qU/image%25255B6%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" title="image" width="270" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.gofundme.com/auyxd0"><img align="left" alt="GoFundMe" border="0" height="135" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-WjSMddBKiho/VAJ2n8h7WcI/AAAAAAABLOU/rTfddMqQxlU/GoFundMe%25255B5%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="GoFundMe" width="187" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.gofundme.com/auyxd0"><img align="left" alt="Privacy_GoFundMe" border="0" height="145" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-pDkERQGCavs/U7CCFhJ-lRI/AAAAAAABKtI/kXyumQqvSoM/Privacy_GoFundMe%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="Privacy_GoFundMe" width="187" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://www.gofundme.com/2afys0"><img align="left" alt="GoFundMe copy" border="0" height="140" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ho0tyBNvvqI/U5iqkGWmJAI/AAAAAAABKkE/T0dwoce2MX8/GoFundMe%252520copy%25255B6%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="GoFundMe copy" width="187" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>One small one large..</p> <p><a href="http://www.gofundme.com/2afys0"><img align="left" alt="GoFundMe copy" border="0" height="140" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-OfDi0EsWdPM/U5iqk4W6qnI/AAAAAAABKkM/3BBv3yXl6u8/GoFundMe%252520copy%25255B7%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: left; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" title="GoFundMe copy" width="187" /></a></p>

Go Fund Life Lock Privacy

                                                                  ...

Read more »