Canada exporting nearly 10% of its MDs to U.S.

<p> </p> <blockquote> <p>TORONTO -- One in nine trained-in-Canada doctors is practising medicine in the United States, says a study published in today's issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal. <p>If Canadian-educated doctors who were born in the United States are excluded, the number is one in 12 -- and the study suggests that luring back some of these Canadian physicians would go a long way toward solving the country's doctor shortage. <p>While they acknowledge the exodus has abated a bit in the past couple of years, the authors say the impact is as if two averaged sized medical schools in Canada were doing nothing but training doctors for the United States.</p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070410.DOCTORS10/TPStory/?query=%22University+of+Toronto%22">globeandmail.com: Canada exporting nearly 10% of its MDs to U.S.</a></p>

Canada exporting nearly 10% of its MDs to U.S.

  TORONTO -- One in nine trained-in-Canada doctors is practising medicine in the United States, says a study published in today's issu...

Read more »

F.D.A. Rejects Merck’s New Pain Medication

<p> </p> <blockquote> <h3> A panel of federal drug advisers voted 20 to 1 Thursday to reject an application by Merck to sell its pain pill Arcoxia because of concerns that the drug could cause as many as 30,000 heart attacks annually if widely used.</h3> <p><a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/organizations/f/food_and_drug_administration/index.html?inline=nyt-org">Food and Drug Administration</a> officials were unusually harsh in their criticism of the medicine. <p>“What you’re talking about is a potential public health disaster” if Arcoxia is approved for sale, Dr. David Graham, an F.D.A. safety officer, told the panel. <p></a></p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/13/us/13vioxx.html?ex=1334116800&en=bf5238fae83a4b48&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss">F.D.A. Rejects Merck’s New Pain Medication - New York Times</a></p>

F.D.A. Rejects Merck’s New Pain Medication

   A panel of federal drug advisers voted 20 to 1 Thursday to reject an application by Merck to sell its pain pill Arcoxia because of conc...

Read more »

DOQ - IT UNIVERSITY FROM CMS GOES PUBLIC

<p> CMS is ready to help physicians with learning about electronic medical records..there is a ton of information out there...not sure how effective this will be if the element of time is not there to participate...BD</p> <blockquote> <p>DOQ-IT University goes public The CMS has made public an online guide to help physicians in solo and small office practices adopt electronic health-record systems. The CMS calls the Web-based guide " DOQ-IT University," a name derived from the Doctor's Office Quality-Information Technology, or DOQ-IT program, which is itself part of a larger effort by CMS to improve the quality of care at the outpatient level through a pay-for-performance reporting program facilitated by EHR system adoption. The DOQ-IT U program is being managed by the Medicare quality improvement organization program. QIOs in every state are obliged as part of their contracts with the CMS to provide IT extension services to office-based physicians. </p> <p>The training sessions help physicians with "office workflow redesign, culture change, and communication necessary for successful ... EHR adoption, implementation of care management, and the incorporation of a strong patient self-management component to clinical care," according to a CMS statement. The program also will include disease specific modules and patient self-management components, the CMS said.  </p> <p><a href="http://www.doqit-tx.org/" target="_blank" title="http://www.doqit-tx.org/">http://www.doqit-tx.org/</a></p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="">HITS - Modern Healthcare's daily IT enewsletter</a></p>

DOQ - IT UNIVERSITY FROM CMS GOES PUBLIC

 CMS is ready to help physicians with learning about electronic medical records..there is a ton of information out there...not sure how effe...

Read more »

UnitedHealth offering real-time claims submission

<p> </p> <blockquote> <p>Physicians filing claims for patients with UnitedHealthcare insurance now can do so in real-time, thanks to a new claims submission Web site. <p>UnitedHealthcare, a company of Minnetonka-based <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/gen/UnitedHealth_Group_Inc_32DA0959DE2E4AC9890B87AD91D1F0E2.html"><strong>UnitedHealth Group Inc.</strong></a> (NYSE: UNH), launched the service in January. Doctors enter the patient's eligibility information and codes for care received during the visit, and UnitedHealthcare will confirm costs in less than 10 seconds. <p>The cost information includes the total allowed price of the procedure based on the contract between the insurer and provider, the reimbursement amount and any fees the patient might owe. <p>Patients can have their claim information ready before leaving the doctor's office, and there is less paperwork and a shorter processing time. Processing usually takes days or weeks using older methods.</p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/twincities/stories/2007/04/09/daily28.html?b=1176091200%5e1445587">UnitedHealth offering real-time claims submission - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:</a></p>

UnitedHealth offering real-time claims submission

  Physicians filing claims for patients with UnitedHealthcare insurance now can do so in real-time, thanks to a new claims submission Web ...

Read more »

High Tech Rendered Low Tech while Passing the Baton of Communication

<p>From the EMR Update page from my friend Dr. Wilkerson...good EMR at one end and perhaps not as organized at the other end...BD</p> <blockquote> <p>My son lacerated his spleen last week while in San Francisco at a Skateboard Tournament. He was at Seaton Hospital for 2.5 days to make sure he was stable and not hemorrhaging. <p>He is home now and saw his internist who uses Misys EMR. The internist rightly needs the medical records. So he gave me son paper medical release forms to fill out and fax to Seaton in Frisco. <p>No doubt this will take days if not weeks to get his medical records. This is the kind of communication bottleneck/roadblock that could and should be solved in minutes not days and weeks. <hr align="left" width="25%" size="1"> C.M.Wilkerson, D.C.<br>Carson Doctors Group<br>TabletPCs in Medicine<br>Editor-in-Chief<br><a href="http://www.medicaltabletpc.com">www.MedicalTabletPC.com</a><br>Home: <a href="http://www.digital-doc.com">www.Digital-Doc.com</a></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.elmr-electronic-medical-records-emr.com/forums/post/64942.aspx">emrupdate.com - High Tech Rendered Low Tech while Passing the Baton of Communication</a></p>

High Tech Rendered Low Tech while Passing the Baton of Communication

From the EMR Update page from my friend Dr. Wilkerson...good EMR at one end and perhaps not as organized at the other end...BD My son lace...

Read more »

Cigna expands e-visit options

Cigna HealthCare for Seniors announced Tuesday it will offer free electronic visits and other online health services through McKesson Corp.'s connectivity link RelayHealth. Cigna says it is the first Medicare Advantage Prescription Drug plan in Arizona to provide coverage for e-visits. <p>Cigna's physician network, called Cigna Medical Group currently offers online health care services, including e-visits at a nominal charge, to its non-Medicare patients. The online services were launched at its 17 health care centers in Arizona in mid-2006. Now all CMG patients can use RelayHealth to schedule or cancel appointments, refill prescriptions, request lab results, send a note to their doctor's office, request a referral, and manage their personal health records online.<p>Source: <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2007/04/09/daily14.html?from_rss=1">Cigna expands e-visit options - The Business Journal of Phoenix:</a></p>

Cigna expands e-visit options

Cigna HealthCare for Seniors announced Tuesday it will offer free electronic visits and other online health services through McKesson Corp....

Read more »

Windows XP to be phased out by year's end despite customer demand

<p> </p> <blockquote> <p>Computer makers have been told they'll no longer be able to get Windows XP OEM by the end of this year, despite consumer resistance to Vista and its compatibility problems. <p>By early 2008, Microsoft's contracts with computer makers will require companies to only sell Vista-loaded machines. "The OEM version of XP Professional goes next January," said Frank Luburic, senior ThinkPad product manager for Lenovo. "At that point, they'll have no choice." <p>Despite Microsoft's relentless promotion of Vista, manufacturers are still seeing plenty of demand from customers for systems preloaded with XP, especially in the finicky SOHO market.</p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://apcmag.com/5835/vendors_in_no_rush_to_ditch_xp_for_vista">Windows XP to be phased out by year's end despite customer demand | APC Magazine</a></p>

Windows XP to be phased out by year's end despite customer demand

  Computer makers have been told they'll no longer be able to get Windows XP OEM by the end of this year, despite consumer resistance ...

Read more »

What to do with a Bi-Polar surgeon...

<p>This article is actually pretty scary in the fact that a bi-polar surgeon can continue to operate with supervision, especially given the facts that he was known to not always take his medication..and the irony is the fact that he could sue for compensation for the hospital not having supervision available for him to do his job???  As a patient would this ever be disclosed to us to make a decision to allow or not allow the procedure from the surgeon??  This situation literally makes no sense in the fact that the surgeon could sue...BD</p> <blockquote> <p>Hospital X was grossly -- if not criminally -- negligent, and you ought to award zillions of dollars in punitive damages for their misconduct! Consider this list of sins: this hospital knew that its surgeon was mentally ill. He had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and they knew it. He had been locked up in mental institutions at least twice before. The danger here was very real. Don't let them try to claim they didn't foresee danger. Why, once when that surgeon was operating on a patient, multiple witnesses will tell you that he "became disoriented during the surgery, forgot the names of certain instruments and at one point appeared to be talking to the wall!" Even after he was treated, two different psychiatrists who evaluated him refused to unequivocally state that he was competent. And they let him continue to operate on vulnerable patients. Without any supervision. Even though they knew he had a history of failing to take his medication.</p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.overlawyered.com/2007/04/sued_if_you_do_sued_if_you_don.html">Overlawyered: Sued if you do, sued if you don't.</a></p>

What to do with a Bi-Polar surgeon...

This article is actually pretty scary in the fact that a bi-polar surgeon can continue to operate with supervision, especially given the fac...

Read more »

Co-Payments Cut Statin Use - Heart Disease and other cardiovascular conditions

<p> </p> <blockquote> <p>TUESDAY, April 10 (HealthDay News) -- Many patients taking <a href="http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=18510">statins</a> to lower their <a href="http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=320">cholesterol</a> stop taking the drugs because of co-payments and shared drug costs, a new study found. <p>These drugs, which have been shown to prevent heart attacks, should be fully covered by insurance, said study lead researcher Dr. Sebastian Schneeweiss, an associate professor of medicine and epidemiology at Harvard Medical School.</p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=80395">Co-Payments Cut Statin Use - Heart Disease and other cardiovascular conditions on MedicineNet.com</a></p>

Co-Payments Cut Statin Use - Heart Disease and other cardiovascular conditions

  TUESDAY, April 10 (HealthDay News) -- Many patients taking statins to lower their cholesterol stop taking the drugs because of co-paym...

Read more »

Web Based Care Plan

<p> </p> <blockquote> <p>The Customer Solution: The Med-eXpert web-based system is utilized by the care manager to tell the Med-eMonitor what to do for each patient and to report the data.  The Med-eXpert site provides a simple, yet flexible, interface for automating a patient’s care plan, including their medication regimen. Reusable care plan templates are stored in the system to improve the efficiency of enrolling a new patient. The secure interface protects both patient and care manager information and is compliant with current HIPPA regulations. The reporting interface offers easy to use, meaningful reports, which assist in the collection and management of medication adherence and care plan information. The data export features provide the ability to export the results to external applications. <p>Organizing Patient Regimens (Click To Enlarge)<br><a href="http://www.informedix.com/regimen.png"><img border="0" height="290" src="http://www.informedix.com/regimen.jpg" width="539"></a></p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.informedix.com/plan.php">InforMedix.com</a></p>

Web Based Care Plan

  The Customer Solution: The Med-eXpert web-based system is utilized by the care manager to tell the Med-eMonitor what to do for each pati...

Read more »

Military Plans to Surf in Space

<p> </p> <blockquote> <h3> <p><em></em></p>The U.S. military plan to test an Internet router in space, in a project that could also benefit civilian broadband satellite communications.</h3> <p>Cisco Systems Inc. and Intelsat General Corp., a subsidiary of Intelsat Ltd., are among the companies selected by the U.S. <a href="http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news/?p=Department+of+Defense">Department of Defense</a> for its Internet Routing In Space (IRIS) project, which aims to deliver military communications through a satellite-based router. <p>Potential nonmilitary benefits of the IRIS program include the ability to route IP (Internet Protocol) traffic between satellites in space in much the same way packets are moved on the ground, reducing delays, saving on capacity and offering greater networking flexibility, Lloyd Wood, space initiatives manager in the Global Defense, Space & Security division of Cisco, said Thursday.</p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/pcworld/20070412/tc_pcworld/130659">Military Plans to Surf in Space - Yahoo! News</a></p>

Military Plans to Surf in Space

  The U.S. military plan to test an Internet router in space, in a project that could also benefit civilian broadband satellite communica...

Read more »

Hospital CEOs' Pay Soars

<p>Pay for performance for hospital CEOs?  BD</p> <p>At most hospitals, a compensation committee decides how much to give the CEO after evaluating job performance and the going rate at comparable institutions. The board of directors holds the final say.</p> <blockquote> <p>The head of Middlesex Hospital earned $1.9 million last year, making him the highest-paid hospital administrator in the state. In just three years, CEO Robert Kiely's compensation nearly tripled, part of a trend in soaring compensation packages for hospital leaders.<br>Last year, Kiely and seven other Connecticut hospital administrators - three of them top managers in the Yale-New Haven Hospital Health System - made more than $1 million. <p>Compensation at nonprofits is exploding because board members often come from the corporate world, where lavish CEO salaries are accepted, said Pablo Eisenberg, a senior fellow at Georgetown University's Public Policy Institute. Compensation consultants are also driving up pay by referencing corporate salaries in their surveys. As the salary gap widens between top managers and their staff, teamwork and collegiality suffers, he argues.<br>"Boards are not exercising their fiduciary duty," he said. "No one is questioning these excessive compensations."</p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.courant.com/news/health/hc-hospitalceo0407.artapr08,0,3641542.story">courant.com | Hospital CEOs' Pay Soars</a></p>

Hospital CEOs' Pay Soars

Pay for performance for hospital CEOs?  BD At most hospitals, a compensation committee decides how much to give the CEO after evaluating jo...

Read more »

Intel Motorcycle Has No Mirrors, No Dashboard but has a removeable UMPC tablet - doubles as a virtual dashboard

<p> </p> <blockquote> <p><b><em>Intel Motorcycle Has No Mirrors, No Dashboard</em></b> <p><b>Thursday April 5, 2007 11:38 AM PDT</b> - By: <a href="http://www.mobilemag.com/feedback.php?content=12283&who=9721830432">Michael Kwan</a> <p><img align="right" alt="" border="0" height="195" src="http://www.mobilemag.com/content/images/12283_large.jpg" width="390">They haven't told us whether it'll be running on Windows Vista, but here is an Intel-designed motorcycle that boasts all sorts of technological goodies. It may not be as fast as the <a href="http://www.mobilemag.com/content/100/354/C12280/">KillaCycle</a> or even have as sexy a name, but what the Intel bike does have is a removable UMPC "that doubles as a virtual dashboard", granting you access to all your computer applications as you tear it up down the highway.<br>You'll also notice that this motorcycle does not have conventional mirrors. When you're going as fast as you are, I guess you have no time to look at what's behind you, but when the need arises, you can switch on over to the rear-facing cameras mounted behind you, presumably sending their feed to the UMPC between the handlebars. <em><strong>On this same UMPC, you can enjoy full audio and video capabilities, GPS, and a 3G data connection. Top this all off with a quad- or octo-core chipset, and you've got yourself a pretty advanced bike. Too bad it's not commercially available, to my knowledge.</strong></em></p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.mobilemag.com/content/100/354/C12283/">Intel Motorcycle Has No Mirrors, No Dashboard</a></p>

Intel Motorcycle Has No Mirrors, No Dashboard but has a removeable UMPC tablet - doubles as a virtual dashboard

  Intel Motorcycle Has No Mirrors, No Dashboard Thursday April 5, 2007 11:38 AM PDT - By: Michael Kwan They haven't told us whether...

Read more »

HIPAA Update - police can access crime records from hospitals

<p> </p> <blockquote> <h5>HIPAA Allows Police Access To Alleged Crime Victims In Hospitals</h5> <p><img align="right" alt="" height="20" src="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/images/transpixel.gif" width="1"><br>The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act allows hospitals to provide police with access to patients who are victims of alleged crimes, U.S. District Judge Tucker Melancon ruled on Friday, the <a href="http://www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/shared-gen/ap/Health_Medical/Hospital_Privacy.html"><cite>AP/Dayton Daily News</cite></a> reports (<cite>AP/Dayton Daily News</cite>, 4/3). The HIPAA Federal Privacy Rule, implemented in 2003, allows health care providers to share patient medical records for the purposes of treatment and other "health care operations." Providers do not have to obtain written consent before they disclose medical records but are required to inform patients of their rights and make a "good-faith effort" to obtain written acknowledgment from patients that they have received the information.</p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=67164&nfid=rssfeeds">HIPAA Allows Police Access To Alleged Crime Victims In Hospitals</a></p>

HIPAA Update - police can access crime records from hospitals

  HIPAA Allows Police Access To Alleged Crime Victims In Hospitals The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act allows hospita...

Read more »

FDA Provides Web Access to Information on Post-Approval Device Studies

<p> (but no subscriptions or RSS feeds to show updates...hmmmm) BD</p> <blockquote> <p>The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today unveiled a new Web page that will keep the public informed about the status of post-approval patient studies for certain recently approved medical devices. <p>"FDA is committed to improving its medical device safety program and ensuring that medical devices remain safe and effective once they are in the hands of health professionals and the public," said Daniel Schultz, M.D., director of FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health. "Electronic access will give the public an opportunity to see progress being made on a company's post-market commitments." <p>Modern devices provide significant health benefits, but experience has shown that the full magnitude of some potential risks doesn't always emerge during the mandatory clinical trials that are required for approval. FDA sometimes orders post-approval studies to address remaining issues such as the product's performance once it becomes more widely available or is used over a longer period of time.</p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01603.html">FDA Provides Web Access to Information on Post-Approval Device Studies</a></p>

FDA Provides Web Access to Information on Post-Approval Device Studies

 (but no subscriptions or RSS feeds to show updates...hmmmm) BD The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) today unveiled a new Web page ...

Read more »

Is Pay for Performance spreading to WellPoint?

<p>This sure sounds like another round of P4P...as patients it sure appears that we might have prevention running out our ears...but I sure hope this doesn't detract from medical care when it is needed, regardless of whether any prevention methodologies were or were not implemented...BD</p> <p><br><a href="http://www.wellpoint.com/">WellPoint</a> officials on Tuesday said the company will link 5% of its employees' overall annual bonuses to measures of care that health plan members receive, the <a href="http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070404/BUSINESS/704040441"><cite>Indianapolis Star</cite></a> reports (Rudavsky, <cite>Indianapolis Star</cite>, 4/4). Under the program, employees will receive larger bonuses if plan members increased their use of preventive health care, such as immunizations, cancer screenings and diabetes-management tools. The bonus calculations will be based on a "member health index," a formula that measures patients' overall health levels, including how often they visited the emergency department, how often they received preventive care and whether they were taking prescribed medications.</p> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=67165&nfid=rssfeeds">WellPoint To Link 5% Of Employees' Annual Bonuses To Measures Of Care Plan Members Receive</a></p>

Is Pay for Performance spreading to WellPoint?

This sure sounds like another round of P4P...as patients it sure appears that we might have prevention running out our ears...but I sure hop...

Read more »

FDA Approves C-QURLite Mesh for Hernia Repair

<p> </p> <blockquote> <p><img alt="" height="276" src="http://www.medgadget.com/archives/img/cqur-bg.jpg" width="290">Having a hernia is never fun, but fixing it sure is! Hernias are repaired more than 700,000 times a year. The procedure usually involves the suturing of a mesh, which prevents the loops of the small bowel escaping out of the abdomen. <p>The FDA gave 510(K) approval for a new mesh product from <strong>Atrium Medical</strong>. The device's claim to fame is its unique non-polymeric Omega 3 fatty acid bioabsorbable gel coating. The coating supposedly heals more "gently" than the more commonly used polymeric coating, and leaves behind a more natural collagenous matrix with a lower risk of adhesions. The device is also coated in a bioabsorbable oil that lubes it up and eases placement inside the body. <p>Atria's claims are from "pre-clinical" studies, so it could be too soon to judge the device's effectiveness. In addition, "Light" meshes have been shown to have a higher rate of hernia recurrence, although they demonstrated lower rates of foreign body responses. <p>Read the press release <a href="http://www.atriummed.com/News/atriumnews.asp?articleid=20&zoneid=1">here</a>... <p><a href="http://www.atriummed.com/Products/General_Surgery/cqur.asp">Product page</a>... </p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.medgadget.com/archives/2007/04/fda_approves_cqurlite_mesh_for_hernia_repair_1.html">FDA Approves C-QURLite Mesh for Hernia Repair</a> <br>by <a href="mailto:jhbarad@gmail.com">jhbarad </a></p>

FDA Approves C-QURLite Mesh for Hernia Repair

  Having a hernia is never fun, but fixing it sure is! Hernias are repaired more than 700,000 times a year. The procedure usually involves...

Read more »

Free 411 from Google - a new way to find a physician or hospital

<p><strong></strong> </p> <p align="center"><strong>1-800-GOOG-411 </strong>(1-800-466-4411)</p> <blockquote> <p>Google has just released a very nice service which is in the experimental stage called Google Voice Local Search. The nice thing about this service is that it has voice recognition and it's pretty good.  I tried this this evening and was surprised at the results.  You can say a category, after selecting a city and state as you normally would with any 411 service.  I chose "doctors" as a category.  I then had the option to give a cross street reference or a zip code.  I tried both and it works remarkably well and will connect you to the office when you select.  I tried getting pretty complicated with my requests as well and it still produced reliable results....</p> <p>The prompt voice will ask you for your city and state and then you can say the name of a local business. Currently, the service is only for local businesses (your Yellow Pages basically), but may be expanded to include people lookups also....BD</p> <p><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/ComputerTipsFromAComputerGuy?a=ywRmXAMD"><img border="0" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/ComputerTipsFromAComputerGuy?i=ywRmXAMD"></a><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/ComputerTipsFromAComputerGuy?a=Vxa1Y9Sg"><img border="0" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/ComputerTipsFromAComputerGuy?i=Vxa1Y9Sg"></a><a href="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/ComputerTipsFromAComputerGuy?a=9XiC9uKR"><img border="0" src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~f/ComputerTipsFromAComputerGuy?i=9XiC9uKR"></a> </p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://aseemkishore.blogspot.com/2007/04/google-voice-local-search-free-411-from.html">Google Voice Local Search - Free 411 from Google!</a> <br>by <a href="mailto:-237237">AK </a></p>

Free 411 from Google - a new way to find a physician or hospital

  1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-466-4411) Google has just released a very nice service which is in the experimental stage called Google Voice Loc...

Read more »

Drobo, the "world's first storage robot"

<p>This little unit could store a whole bunch of medical records....BD </p> <blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.drobo.com/products.aspx"><img alt="" border="1" hspace="4" src="http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/2007/04/drobo_in_action.jpg" vspace="4"></a> <p>Managing all of your data can be a little intimidating, especially if you need to keep adding more and more storage capacity without breaking the bank or running into technical snags. Well the engineers over at Data Robotics figure the solution to all of your storage needs is, of course, a storage robot. Affectionately named Drobo, the four drive array connects via USB and employs "intelligent" software to handle all of the data management and disk swapping: one drive goes down? No problem, Drobo's already on it. Wanna swap out drives while you listen to music? Drobo keeps the tunes going even when you're down to one disk. At $700 it <em>is </em>a little steep -- especially considering the lack of any "starter" drives bundled in -- but we suppose that in the long run, that's a small price to pay if it truly does deliver the data management nirvana we've been seeking<br>[Via <a href="http://www.ehomeupgrade.com/entry/3756/drobo_the_smart">eHomeUpgrade</a>] </p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/107862442/">Drobo, the "world's first storage robot"</a> <br>by Evan Blass </p>

Drobo, the "world's first storage robot"

This little unit could store a whole bunch of medical records....BD  Managing all of your data can be a little intimidating, especially i...

Read more »

Rock-Star Surgeons Tone Deaf on Communication

<p> </p> <blockquote> <p>Posted by Laura Landro <p><img align="left" alt="null" src="http://online.wsj.com/media/it_surgeon.gif">In health-care circles surgeons have long been regarded as rock stars. They’re viewed with awe by patients and treated with deference by hospital staff. But surgeons, like some temperamental guitarists, might do well to improve their interpersonal skills. <p>Evidence is mounting that surgeons’ failure to communicate with patients and co-workers is a leading cause of avoidable surgical errors. A recent analysis of 460 malpractice claims that had been resolved found that nearly 20% of them were filed largely, if not entirely, because of communication breakdowns. The sobering <a href="http://www.journalacs.org/article/PIIS1072751507000646/abstract">results appear</a> in the current issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.</p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2007/04/09/rock-star-surgeons-tone-deaf-on-communication/">Health Blog : Rock-Star Surgeons Tone Deaf on Communication</a></p>

Rock-Star Surgeons Tone Deaf on Communication

  Posted by Laura Landro In health-care circles surgeons have long been regarded as rock stars. They’re viewed with awe by patients and t...

Read more »

National provider-identifier deadline pushed back

<p> </p> <blockquote> <p>By: <a href="mailto:jconn@crain.com"><u><i>Joseph Conn / HITS staff writer</i></u></a> <p>When your mom let you out of cleaning your room, your professor postponed that big exam, the office called to reschedule your colonoscopy and the CMS relaxed your looming compliance deadline, the feeling is the same. <br>Relief, followed by anxiety for what still must be done.<br>Healthcare leaders of various stripes have welcomed the <a href="http://www.cms.hhs.gov/NationalProvIdentStand/Downloads/NPI_Contingency.pdf"><u>news</u></a> that the CMS, in effect, pushed back by up to one year the May 23 deadline to comply with the national provider identifier requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. <br>The reprieve, despite affected parties already having had nearly two years to get ready, came late in the afternoon Monday.</p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.modernhealthcare.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070404/FREE/70404004/1029/FREE">Modern Healthcare Online</a></p>

National provider-identifier deadline pushed back

  By: Joseph Conn / HITS staff writer When your mom let you out of cleaning your room, your professor postponed that big exam, the office...

Read more »

Most People Who Have Used Retail Clinics Are Satisfied With Care, Poll Finds

<p> </p> <blockquote> <ul> <li>42% said their health insurer covered all or a portion of the costs; <li>22% were uninsured at the time of the visit; <li>83% were satisfied with the convenience of the clinics; <li>90% were satisfied with the quality of care; <li>80% were satisfied with the cost, which typically ranges from $25 to $60 for a visit; <li>44% visited the clinic for a vaccination; <li>33% wanted treatment for a common medical condition, such as an ear infection, cold, strep throat, skin rash or sinus infection; and <li>19% went for a preventive screening test for chronic conditions, such as hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes or allergies.</li></ul>Sixty-four percent of those polled said they would be concerned about the qualifications of staff at a retail clinic not run by physicians.</blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=66800&nfid=rssfeeds">Most People Who Have Used Retail Clinics Are Satisfied With Care, Poll Finds</a></p>

Most People Who Have Used Retail Clinics Are Satisfied With Care, Poll Finds

  42% said their health insurer covered all or a portion of the costs; 22% were uninsured at the time of the visit; 83% were satisfied wi...

Read more »

Drug makers set lobbying record

<p> </p> <blockquote> <p>WASHINGTON — Drug makers spent $155 million lobbying the federal government from 2005 to mid-2006, setting a record that they could top this year as Congress considers high stakes legislation for the industry and consumers, a public interest group said in a report Monday.<br>Researchers at the nonpartisan Center for Public Integrity said that the drug industry spent nearly $111 million on lobbying in 2005, a record for the sector in any one year. The record pace appeared to be sustained in the first half of 2006, the report said.<br>Pharmaceutical industry officials said the report distorted the industry's role in Washington, which they say is primarily educational and scientific. They said industry spending was designed to ensure that new drugs for intractable illnesses get government approval to be marketed.</p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/politics/la-na-lobby3apr03,1,268236.story">Drug makers set lobbying record - Los Angeles Times</a></p>

Drug makers set lobbying record

  WASHINGTON — Drug makers spent $155 million lobbying the federal government from 2005 to mid-2006, setting a record that they could top ...

Read more »

Gap Exists between E-Prescribing Tools and Doc use.....

<p> </p> <blockquote> <p>That said, the study concluded that <em>most physicians who had switched to e-prescribing would not go back to paper. </em>The report, entitled <i>Physicians' Experiences Using Commercial E-Prescribing Systems</i>, is based on interviews with doctors at 21 different practices: four with between five and 10 physicians; five with between 11 and 20; six with between 51 and 100; and six with more than 100.<br>"We talked to very different folks, but we got very strikingly similar results," Grossman said. "There hasn’t been a lot of research on looking at IT use in physician practices—on the nitty-gritty of what it takes to get these systems up and running."<br>In exploring how physicians use e-prescribing and what created barriers and made the process easier, one constant that researchers found was that roll outs were difficult and required substantial human and financial resources. As a result, Grossman said they found no examples of "relatively simple 'plug-and-play' applications."</p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.modernhealthcare.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070403/FREE/70403006/1029/FREE">Modern Healthcare Online</a></p>

Gap Exists between E-Prescribing Tools and Doc use.....

  That said, the study concluded that most physicians who had switched to e-prescribing would not go back to paper. The report, entitled P...

Read more »

Drug Costs Pushing Companies to Abandon Promising Therapies

<p></p> <p>Physicians, she points out, find themselves in the undesirableposition of having to help patients make decisions about whetherthe potential clinical benefits warrant the financial strain that even the copayments for these medications may create. She asks, "How should we determine whether these interventions are worththeir immense cost?" <br>The primary responsibility of clinicians is to serve as advocates for patients, and most neither want nor are equipped to address difficult questions of social policy, Dr. Schrag suggests. "As physicians, we will find that discussions about financingcancer treatment will intrude on our examination rooms morefrequently." The high cost of new drugs means that non-Medicare health plans are likelyto deny coverage or, alternatively, to raise premiums. "For somepatients who lack or have been denied coverage," she explains, "drug costs willbe insurmountable; others will obtain loans and remortgage their homes to finance their treatment. Even for privileged, middle-class patients who have insurance coverage, copayments will causeeconomic hardship. Modest gains in survival will be offset by anxiety about financing treatment."</p> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/554048?src=mp">Drug Costs Pushing Companies to Abandon Promising Therapies</a> </p> <p>May require subscription </p>

Drug Costs Pushing Companies to Abandon Promising Therapies

Physicians, she points out, find themselves in the undesirable position of having to help patients make decisions about whether the poten...

Read more »

Pfizer's Dear Doctor Letter... About Lipitor

<p> </p> <blockquote> <h3><a href="http://pharmalot.com/2007/04/pfizers_dear_doctor_letter_abo.php">Pfizer's Dear Doctor Letter... About Lipitor</a></h3> <p><img alt="generic.jpg" height="99" src="http://pharmalot.com/2007/04/03/generic.jpg" width="115"> <p>No, this isn't one of those dreary missives about scary side effects. Instead, Pfizer is sending docs a CD containing two letters they can then send to insurers and pharmacists about the benefits of Lipitor and the disadvantages of switching to a generic statin. Switching patients "for cost reasons alone will undermine the clinical judgment that went into the decision to prescribe Lipitor for this patient," the letter states.</p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://pharmalot.com/2007/04/pfizers_dear_doctor_letter_abo.php">Pharmalot: Pfizer's Dear Doctor Letter... About Lipitor</a></p>

Pfizer's Dear Doctor Letter... About Lipitor

  Pfizer's Dear Doctor Letter... About Lipitor No, this isn't one of those dreary missives about scary side effects. Instead, Pf...

Read more »

Stryker Knee Replacement TV Ad: Imagine How Far It Will Go!

<p> One person's opinion....BD</p> <blockquote> <p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLz-R_RMNN40kELFt5oiImyOkEizzHouk4A6eEGIiKFO4RWWv09m4JEafBhF6jNpebzl46iTv3wix5X_IVPwOMUGwuuJ03WhQ-HXjyrKzyfME870oDkZP3UzW7k21wMgZlPrukjFcWHz5c/s1600-h/Barb_Stryker.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLz-R_RMNN40kELFt5oiImyOkEizzHouk4A6eEGIiKFO4RWWv09m4JEafBhF6jNpebzl46iTv3wix5X_IVPwOMUGwuuJ03WhQ-HXjyrKzyfME870oDkZP3UzW7k21wMgZlPrukjFcWHz5c/s400/Barb_Stryker.jpg"></a><br>Like me, you probably have been seeing more ads on TV for medical devices like pacemakers and knee replacements. One ad from Stryker for a knee replacement caught my attention Sunday.<br>In the ad, a 62 year-old woman with a Stryker knee replacement -- who I learn from the company's Internet site is a real person named Barbara Cotoia, "an active grandmother of six" -- starts walking from NYC, across Amish country, over hill and dale, prairie and Monument Park,up Aztec steps somewhere, and finally descends the mountains in California for a fantastic view of the Golden Gate bridge. Then, just like Forest Gump, she turns around and starts back!<br>At the beginning of this fantastic trek, the voice over suggests "You'll be surprised how far [Stryker knee replacement] can take you." Pretty damn far indeed!<br>Clearly, if this were a drug ad, the FDA would be over it like white on rice.<br>Remember the old Vioxx ads (or was it Celebrex) that showed someone with arthritis knee pain skateboarding after taking Vioxx? The FDA had a problem with that --- it just went to far on the benefit side and the ad was changed to show the guy hobbling along on one good knee, not two!<br>Imagine the new Celebrex ads showing someone walking across the US! That would surely warrant an FDA letter.<br>So, what's the FDA position of Medical Device ads? Will anyone there have something to say about this Stryker ad?<br>In light of FDA's being asleep at the wheel, you shouldn't be surprised how far these device DTC ads will go to push the envelope. </p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://pharmamkting.blogspot.com/2007/04/device-dtc-imagine-how-far-it-will-go.html">Device DTC: Imagine How Far It Will Go!</a> <br>by <a href="mailto:-237237">John Mack </a></p>

Stryker Knee Replacement TV Ad: Imagine How Far It Will Go!

 One person's opinion....BD Like me, you probably have been seeing more ads on TV for medical devices like pacemakers and knee replace...

Read more »

Ex-UIC Medical Center worker charged with identity theft

<p>Something for all health workers to be aware of..many of the sophisticated electronic records systems do in fact trace every transaction, so when there is no change of being anonymous with accessing medical records...BD</p> <blockquote> <p>A former University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago employee has been charged with identity theft following an investigation that officials say determined he misused personal information of at least eight patients.<br>Leslie Langford, 28, who worked as an emergency medical technician in the West Side hospital, was arrested on Feb. 23 after police discovered evidence he had illegally used patients' information he had accessed through using its electronic medical records system, authorities said. <p>Authorities determined Langford had improperly used the records of eight patients, Gonzalez said. She declined to provide specifics about how the man used the information, due to an ongoing investigation. The hospital sent out a letter on March 8 to the potentially affected patients telling them of the risk.</p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-070329uic,1,3234070.story?coll=chi-news-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true">Ex-UIC Medical Center worker charged with identity theft | Chicago Tribune</a></p>

Ex-UIC Medical Center worker charged with identity theft

Something for all health workers to be aware of..many of the sophisticated electronic records systems do in fact trace every transaction, so...

Read more »

County gets grant to aid the chronically ill

<p> </p> <blockquote> <p>Los Angeles County received a $162-million federal grant Thursday for a three-year program to help low-income adults with no medical insurance manage chronic illnesses.<br>The California Department of Health Services awarded grants to 10 counties for innovative approaches to improving the quality of care while reining in costs. The program focuses on adults because 90% to 95% of children in California are covered by private insurance or eligible for federal or state programs such as Medi-Cal or Healthy Families, said department Director Sandra Shewry.</p></blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-grant30mar30,1,6262675.story?ctrack=1&cset=true">County gets grant to aid the chronically ill - Los Angeles Times</a></p>

County gets grant to aid the chronically ill

  Los Angeles County received a $162-million federal grant Thursday for a three-year program to help low-income adults with no medical ins...

Read more »

FDA Approves JANUMET™ For Type 2 Diabetes, Offering Powerful Glucose Control Of A DPP-4 Inhibitor And Metformin In A Single Tablet

<p> </p> <blockquote>Merck & Co., Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved JANUMET™, the first and only tablet combining a dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor, sitagliptin (also known as JANUVIA™), and metformin for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. [click link for full article] </blockquote> <p>Source: <a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/medicalnews.php?newsid=66851&nfid=rssfeeds">FDA Approves JANUMET™ For Type 2 Diabetes, Offering Powerful Glucose Control Of A DPP-4 Inhibitor And Metformin In A Single Tablet</a></p>

FDA Approves JANUMET™ For Type 2 Diabetes, Offering Powerful Glucose Control Of A DPP-4 Inhibitor And Metformin In A Single Tablet

  Merck & Co., Inc. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved JANUMET™, the first and only tablet combi...

Read more »