Hospital Administrator and Primary Care Doctor Negotiating an ACO (Humor-Video)

<p>You have to love this one…Dr. Smith wants to get set up and doesn’t understand..like most of the rest of us.  My hospital and I try to save money for the insurance companies, if any is left I will give you some…</p> <p>The lawyers are in charge…<strong>the doctor wants to make sure he can address the risks of those associated with “elevated utilization”…<</strong>grin>.  BD</p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 367px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:39e8a1aa-b96c-42a3-a1a5-67a002a253bc" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="7404b472-6b7c-45c0-b6e3-decfd2cddc9f" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ULy5vjcGuDc&feature=related" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('7404b472-6b7c-45c0-b6e3-decfd2cddc9f'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"367\" height=\"206\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/ULy5vjcGuDc?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/ULy5vjcGuDc?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"367\" height=\"206\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TUJYfB5HN5I/AAAAAAAApsw/pMQ2EEkFHwI/video4ee811c0b5f1%5B13%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div><div style="width:367px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">ACO Negotiations</div></div> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:75df5b07-ca26-4705-bb38-8406cff683f7" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/ACO" rel="tag">ACO</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/accountable+care+organization" rel="tag">accountable care organization</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare+reform" rel="tag">healthcare reform</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medicare" rel="tag">Medicare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/patients" rel="tag">patients</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/doctors" rel="tag">doctors</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/budgets" rel="tag">budgets</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospital" rel="tag">hospital</a></div>

Hospital Administrator and Primary Care Doctor Negotiating an ACO (Humor-Video)

You have to love this one…Dr. Smith wants to get set up and doesn’t understand..like most of the rest of us.  My hospital and I try to save ...

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AHRQ Needs Ideas Asking for Input from Experts As to How to Improve and Increase PHR Use by Consumers - Duh! Start By Becoming Role Models No Experts Required

<p>This is hilarious as I have said for the past 2 years we need role models and today I <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TI_7P4iFcoI/AAAAAAAAhWM/OXP5HGkiBY8/image_thumb.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" />had some fun on twitter asking which PHR members of the ONC use?  Anybody up for discussion there?  If they are so good, then why doesn't anybody in positions of government in authority talk about theirs and the benefits they get?   </p> <p><strong>This is sales and marketing 101 here.  We have a very large society of what I call the “non participants” that sit around and try to figure out why everyone else won’t participate <u>so if this is not an oxymoron, I don’t what is <grin>.  </u></strong></p> <p>I do an occasional post from time to time and readers just eat up when I talk about rules and regulations as well as software "for those guys over there" which I have coined.  Ms. Sebelius does no PR in this area as well as our Surgeon General who has PHR for individuals, so go figure:)  We come back to <strong><u>"its for those guys over there" again.<img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKYXI9HNaQI/AAAAAAAAh1M/7da7_nnWx-c/image_thumb%5B7%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" /></u></strong></p> <p>I wrote this after the election and there's links in there to my past articles about role models and either how they suck or mostly don't exist, so stop and think how does everything else get marketed, people talk about their good experiences and what they like...PHRs...not a word...not rocket science to figure this out.  The link below was from November of 2010 but there were plenty more before this one.  </p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/06/hhs-national-plan-to-improve-health.html"><font size="2">HHS National Plan to Improve Health Literacy – Not Going To Happen Until We Focus on Using Technology (The Tool for Literacy) Which Includes Role Models at HHS And Other Places in Government</font></a></h6> <p>I did a blogger panel today and this came up in a round about way and again what I said made send to all, no role models.  I think everyone still has some kind of health last time I looked and this is not a choice situation like buying a car.  It helps to roll up those sleeves and get out and talk sometimes too. </p> <p><strong>JUST PARTICIPATE AND BECOME ROLE MODELS AND WE CAN ALL SAVE SOME TIME AND MONEY HERE WITH A FEW LESS REPORTS, HOW DO YOU THINK THE REST OF THE WORLD FUNCTIONS, LOOK AT IPADSF FOR A SIMPLE EXAMPLE.<img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TFXLki2Pb1I/AAAAAAAAgJk/YL3lcuUGGTg/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" /></strong></p> <p>I know we have the peer pressure too of doing this may not be “cool” and I know what that’s all about as I have used Tablet PCs ever since they came out and sure I was a “goober” for a while but now look where we are since the IPAD came out, it’s tablet fever,<strong> so again, our folks in lawmaking and administrative capacities will have to settle down for the PHR goober routine for a while until it catches on and be the PHR examples and cheerleaders</strong>.  </p> <p>Once these folks figure out what they need as consumers by becoming participants, the rest will follow pretty easily.  Oh and by the way I have the largest PHR section on the web with all kinds of information here at the Medical Quack, just go to the <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/search/label/Personal%20Health%20Records"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="45" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TUI6pINU4II/AAAAAAAApsE/wDIwch-Pckg/image%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="186" /></a>Personal Health Records at the top of the blog and I think I’m up over 360 post now, all on PHRS and I have a few links here to some free PHRs, so it doesn’t get any better than that!  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p>The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has published a notice in the <i>Federal Register</i> asking for ideas from experts outside the healthcare industry to help improve and increase consumer use of personal health-record systems. </p> <p>The notice asks the White House Office of Management and Budget to approve an <a href="http://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2011/01/27/2011-1544/agency-information-collection-activities-proposed-collection-comment-request#p-9"><b><u>information-collection project</u></b></a> called "Understanding development methods from other industries to improve the design of consumer health IT." The comment period on AHRQ's request closes March 28. <br />"New practices for the development of consumer-facing digital tools are emerging in a variety of industries," according to the notice. "The success of information management tools in other industries offers much to be learned and applied to the healthcare field."</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20110127/NEWS/301279952?AllowView=VW8xUmo5Q21TcWJOb1gzb0tNN3RLZ0h0MWg5SVgra3NZRzROR3l0WWRMZmJWZjhHRWxiNUtpQzMyWmVxNVhzWUpibWo=">AHRQ wants other industries' ideas for health IT - Healthcare business news from Modern Healthcare</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:76cb1781-37d4-4f4d-a030-b8053d5b6082" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/role+models" rel="tag">role models</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/tech+denial" rel="tag">tech denial</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HHS" rel="tag">HHS</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Obama" rel="tag">Obama</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/computer" rel="tag">computer</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/cell+phone" rel="tag">cell phone</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/technology" rel="tag">technology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/education" rel="tag">education</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/information" rel="tag">information</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+literacy" rel="tag">health literacy</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Congress" rel="tag">Congress</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/personal+health+records" rel="tag">personal health records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Agency+for+Healthcare+Research+and+Quality" rel="tag">Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/goober" rel="tag">goober</a></div>

AHRQ Needs Ideas Asking for Input from Experts As to How to Improve and Increase PHR Use by Consumers - Duh! Start By Becoming Role Models No Experts Required

This is hilarious as I have said for the past 2 years we need role models and today I had some fun on twitter asking which PHR members of th...

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The UCLA Gonda Vascular Center Treats PAD (Peripheral Arterial Disease)-Interview with Dr. Peter Lawrence Chief of Vascular Surgery

<p>This week I had the opportunity to talk with Dr. <strong>Peter F. Lawrence, Director of <a href="http://venouscenter.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=13&oTopID=13"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="163" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TUHZnY2YOPI/AAAAAAAAppw/jE7jQxgznb0/image%5B9%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="132" /></a>the UCLA Gonda Vascular Center</strong>, and get an idea of what’s happening and what new technologies they are using for PAD (peripheral arterial disease). I have had a few posts on the blog in the past relative to how PAD therapy is evolving rapidly and some of the new treatments that are becoming available.</p> <p>First of all here’s a little bit of information about the center and Dr. Lawrence from the website:</p> <p><i>“The mission of the <strong>Gonda (Goldschmied) Vascular Center at UCLA</strong> is to provide comprehensive, state-of-the-art diagnosis and treatment of vascular disorders, ranging from serious disorders such as critical limb ischemia which can lead to gangrene, aneurysms all over the body, and carotid disease (which can lead to a stroke), as well as deep-vein thrombosis and common venous conditions such as varicose veins, venous ulcers, and spider veins. The staff is deeply committed to providing these services in an environment that not only offers the latest technology but also adheres to the highest standards of professionalism in a patient-friendly setting.</i></p> <p><i>Our board-certified vascular specialists apply medical-and-surgical breakthrough technologies to develop innovative minimally invasive techniques to treat a full range of vascular disease. <a href="http://venouscenter.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=6&oTopID=6"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="54" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TUHZn723DNI/AAAAAAAApp4/4mVswtA3fPY/image%5B15%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="288" /></a>Consistently named to "Best Doctors in America," <a href="http://venouscenter.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=13&oTopID=13">Dr. Peter F. Lawrence</a> has pioneered the light-assisted stab-phlebectomy procedure, which provides a clearer picture of varicose veins and thus facilitates a more-effective treatment with little discomfort to the patient.”</i></p> <p>I would also like to say thanks to Dr. Lawrence for taking time from a very busy schedule to chat with me and explain a bit on the latest technologies they are using at UCLA. Let’s make one statement here known about legs, they are connected to the heart and have an effect on the blood flow throughout your body and this is one big reason that the <a href="http://venouscenter.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=6&oTopID=6">Gonda Vascular Center</a> exists--when specialty treatment is needed, <u>cardiologists and internists are the first on the list to send referrals.</u> Dr. Lawrence also told me that through patient awareness, via internet research and other resources, patients are also finding their way to the clinic on their own.</p> <p><strong><u>Over 30 million people worldwide have some form of PAD</u></strong>, yet there are many out there who are not aware they have the condition and are not receiving treatment<b>. Diabetics are also far more likely to develop PAD as this all goes back to circulation and blood flow</b>. One of the first indications of PAD can be the feeling of “heavy legs” and fatigue when walking. With diabetes, there are also patients who have foot wounds that do not heal properly due to PAD and this eventually results in tissue loss (gangrene) due to an inadequate flow of blood.</p> <p>For those patients who are suffering with diabetes, Dr. Lawrence told me they are doing their best at the UCLA center to provide a one stop solution with <b>their Gonda diabetes center right next door.</b> The patient wins here with not having to run all over town to keep several appointments for treatment and consultations.</p> <p>The facility, he stated, takes advantage of the latest technologies with imaging equipment and software. One example that I thought was really neat was the ability to have a totally <b>“non-invasive” test at their lab instead of the standard “more invasive” angiogram to look for clots</b>. Anyone as a patient I think would much rather have a non-invasive diagnostic procedure over an “invasive” alternative any day -- and it certainly would work in my book. It is amazing, via the modern day technologies we have available, what <strong>a big difference can be made in patient experience.</strong></p> <p>In some instances, the facility is using a duplex ultrasound procedure for an example to find inclusions. Other diagnostics that may be used could be an MRI angiogram or a CT angiogram for a slightly more invasive diagnostic procedure, and again, Dr. Lawrence stated it all depends on the patient and individual level of care needed<b>. In addition, he stated that risk factors with each patient are evaluated, such as if the person smokes, has diabetes, has high cholesterol, what their current lifestyle is and what medications are currently prescribed and taken by the patient</b>. Dr. Lawrence stated there are many treatment options out there today and at the center they do their best to customize and treat the patient for not only today’s issues, but create a long-term education and lifestyle plan to go along with any treatments that may be performed.</p> <p><b>Not everyone who arrives at the facility is going to need a procedure, he said</b>. With the new technology in the center, such items as ankle pressure can be evaluated and this is a big time saver for the patient in not having to visit many different facilities. <b>As a matter of fact, Dr. Lawrence stated that only about one out of every 10 patients they see actually do have a procedure, although most do get some treatment, such as medication, treatment with leg compression devices, exercise training, etc</b>. In addition, the center has a staff of nurses, wound care specialists, and nurse practitioners who work closely with the doctors and patients. <strong>The facility has its own AAAHC accredited procedure room too,</strong> and this of course can save time and lots of money, since many patients have insurance that only pays for part of a procedure—they don’t have to utilize the facilities in the main hospital and scheduling can be much more flexible.</p> <p>To circle back to when a patient has PAD and does need a procedure, I asked Dr. Lawrence what happens next. He stated that when a procedure requiring the <img align="right" border="0" height="236" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SjnO_sOTR1I/AAAAAAAAQSQ/HYVEMaV9YEk/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" width="204" />placement of a stent or balloon is done<b>, the patient pretty much makes the commitment that they are married for life to the doctors, nurses and the facility for follow up</b>. Once a device is put in place, we all know that our legs (versus our heart) move around a lot, and thus there’s a chance of one of them kinking with lots of motion, although they rarely move. <strong>Dr. Lawrence told me about new closure devices for sealing the site where the artery is punctured</strong>, making it easier for the patient, and the closure device allows for many procedures to be done as an outpatient.</p> <p><strong>He stated that interventional procedures can be anywhere from 45 minutes up to three to four hours,</strong> again depending on the patient and the procedure. The morning we spoke, he had already completed a couple procedures by 10 am. Patients with non-healing wounds and even gangrene are going to be a longer and more complicated procedure versus a patient with relatively minor issues, by comparison. With an interventional procedure, the mission is to get the blood flow and circulation so patients can avoid amputations and see their former non-healing wounds either heal up or improve dramatically. There’s also the possibility of stem cell treatment with wound care, which is still considered investigational and not yet FDA approved yet, and the link below explains how it works.</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/08/stem-cells-used-to-treat-peripheral.html"><font size="2">Stem Cells Used to Treat Peripheral Arterial Disease–Clogged Arteries in the Legs </font></a></h4> <p><strong>Wound care is also located in the same UCLA facility</strong>. When describing all the potentials here with treating PAD I mentioned to Dr. Lawrence that it sounds like there are a lot of options, and he agreed with me on that account. So how does the center determine which is going to be the best plan and treatment for the patient I inquired? Just by writing this blog I have enough knowledge to know that digging through and finding the right decision-making data can take some time, as that is done with software today in every business and thus the choice of many medical devices that are available today is somewhat plentiful, too. All of this information certainly can’t be floating around in a complete version inside one’s brain. One <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SjnPLC4PwnI/AAAAAAAAQSw/P4KBUebrCrY/clip_image002%5B4%5D.gif?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" /><strong>example of an investigational product that is in clinical trials</strong>, as an example, is a new type of stent that expands and is drug eluting. I posted about the clinical trial recently here at the Medical Quack, covering the randomized 24-month patency data.</p> <p><b><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/01/cook-medical-zilver-ptx-drug-eluding.html"><font size="2">Cook Medical Zilver PTX Drug Eluding Stent Clinical Trial Shows Consistent Outcomes Over 24 Months in Treating PAD</font></a><font size="2"> </font></b></p> <p>That question lead to the next part of our talk, discussing <b>medical registries,</b> and Dr. Lawrence is right in the circle of using research to find out which devices have the best outcomes, what’s working today and how to include clinical trial information, too. <b>One registry in particular he mentioned was an endovascular site that was started back in 1993</b>, when surgeons at UCLA put in the first FDA approved endograft, and they are still following those patients and recording their progress. In having such early roots in this area, there’s a multitude of valuable information here to help in the decision-making processes. <strong>This is not the only registry used, as there are several additional references.</strong> I asked the doctor how he uses all registries that are available to drill down and find the information he needs and how long does it take, being I have a curious mind in this area.</p> <p><strong>He stated the VA (Veterans Administration) has a wealth of information</strong> to offer on expected outcomes, too. He stated that the time to research can vary, but can be as short as a few minutes up to perhaps an hour to locate the desired information. I asked if there was a simple format to find all the information contained in all various registries out there, and is there an ability to nail down and find the information quickly. He said they have a dashboard that helps and he had just attended a meeting to refine this even further and make the process easier and more accessible for the physicians and those working in the center.<strong> In addition, Dr. Lawrence also made reference to the new electronic medical record system that will be coming on board soon at UCLA, and that will be costing several hundred million dollars</strong>. When completed, however, they will have everything under one roof. </p> <p><strong>At present, they have access to shared records all throughout the facility</strong> but have individual logins for each area, such as the PACS server for X-rays, one for patient records and perhaps another for wound information. In other words, each area of technology has its own security logins and he’s looking forward to the day that “single sign on” for all is a reality. From a patient’s stand point, it is good to know that information is shared and available throughout the facility as this helps avoid duplicate tests, visits.  As in many facilities, technologies have been added and the days of making it simple are in the works with aggregating patient data at all levels. <strong>UCLA will be converting to Epic Medical records, which is the same software used by Kaiser Permanente and many other large medical centers.</strong> A couple years ago I did an interview with Long Beach Memorial Hospital and their transition and how it all comes together with some pretty massive training and leadership events.</p> <p>With having information up front, as well as skilled doctors at the facility<b>, only about five to maybe 10% of all patients ever need to return for a second procedure, </b>and as patients, we like that! The center is seeing approximately 125 patients a day for all types of vascular consults, treatments and procedures. To me that sounds like a very busy facility and thus I inquired as to how long would a patient need to wait to be seen? He stated two to three weeks is the standard for non-emergency type consultations, but if it were a more urgent situation, patients can also come directly to the center on the day of the problem, so they rarely need to get admitted through the emergency room. </p> <p>I also asked about insurance coverage for these procedures and he said that <a href="http://venouscenter.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=13&oTopID=13"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="53" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TUHZoWpL8XI/AAAAAAAApqA/ii2YMvTvRnE/image%5B14%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="169" /></a>virtually all are covered in the outpatient setting, even if they are interventional procedures. He said that complex by-pass or open vascular surgeries are also covered, but they often have high deductibles or co-pays so it makes sense to practice preventive care and to catch PAD and other issues such as aneurysms early to avoid the big ticket surgery which is both harder on the pocketbook and the patient.</p> <p><strong>In addition to seeing patients with PAD, the center can also handle aneurysms, carotid artery problems, access for dialysis problems, thoracic outlet syndrome, venous ulcers and other ambulatory procedures</strong>. The <a href="http://venouscenter.ucla.edu/default.cfm">website</a> has additional information available. </p> <p>In summary, Dr. Lawrence again reiterated on education and care and the fact that the <strong>Gonda Vascular Center</strong> puts a lot of effort toward working with patients to help them understand how to take care of their health with the potential of removing some risk elements in their lives, if possible.</p> <p>The <a href="http://venouscenter.ucla.edu/body.cfm?id=6&oTopID=6">Gonda Vascular Center</a> is certainly setting the pace with using the latest state of the art technology to bring about procedures and cures that were not available only a few years ago with the advent of interventional medicine. Again I appreciate the doctor’s time and hopefully the information he provided today will give everyone an update on some of what is happening in the world of today’s world of medicine, many possibilities for certain.</p> <hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" /> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:05bc27b8-66ed-4e59-bdea-94db8dbd0496" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/UCLA" rel="tag">UCLA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/PAD" rel="tag">PAD</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Gonda+Vascular+Center" rel="tag">Gonda Vascular Center</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/interventional+medicine" rel="tag">interventional medicine</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/stents" rel="tag">stents</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/circulation" rel="tag">circulation</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/diabetes" rel="tag">diabetes</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/chronic+disease+care" rel="tag">chronic disease care</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/wound+care" rel="tag">wound care</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+insurance" rel="tag">health insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Dr.+Peter+Lawrence" rel="tag">Dr. Peter Lawrence</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Epic" rel="tag">Epic</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Zillver" rel="tag">Zillver</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/clinical+trials" rel="tag">clinical trials</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Cook+Medical" rel="tag">Cook Medical</a></div>

The UCLA Gonda Vascular Center Treats PAD (Peripheral Arterial Disease)-Interview with Dr. Peter Lawrence Chief of Vascular Surgery

This week I had the opportunity to talk with Dr. Peter F. Lawrence, Director of the UCLA Gonda Vascular Center , and get an idea of what’s h...

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Aetna Chairman Ron Williams Speaks out at Davos With Insurance and Other Perceptions

<p>This is the second US health insurance company to speak out and is noticed <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TUHiNnLz6bI/AAAAAAAApqU/f8bMuBHF01U/s1600-h/image%5B6%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="202" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TUHiOeh3SDI/AAAAAAAApqc/XEI9fsFgYzE/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="172" /></a>attending the World Economic Forum, as you can see Humana was a guest post addition on their blog and added his input a couple days ago.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/01/davos-ally-to-improve-workplace.html"><font size="2">Davos-The Ally to Improve Workplace Wellness - Michael B. McCallister CEO of Humana-Chairman of Wellness Alliance Forum</font></a></h4> <p>He stated that Aetna is committed to complying with the law with health insurance.  He’s asked about his standing on the new laws that will “require” people to buy insurance and kind of dodged the question to a degree.  He talks about a subsidized pool to potentially cover all.  When asked about creating jobs, he said they are reducing head count at Aetna.  </p> <p><object height="363" id="wsj_fp" width="412"><param name="movie" value="http://online.wsj.com/media/swf/VideoPlayerMain.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><param name="flashvars" value="videoGUID={7129D4AB-5D54-4CD4-ABA5-F72560AC1395}&playerid=1000&plyMediaEnabled=1&configURL=http://wsj.vo.llnwd.net/o28/players/&autoStart=false" base="http://online.wsj.com/media/swf/" name="flashPlayer"></param><embed src="http://online.wsj.com/media/swf/VideoPlayerMain.swf" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoGUID={7129D4AB-5D54-4CD4-ABA5-F72560AC1395}&playerid=1000&plyMediaEnabled=1&configURL=http://wsj.vo.llnwd.net/o28/players/&autoStart=false" base="http://online.wsj.com/media/swf/" name="flashPlayer" width="412" height="363" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" swLiveConnect="true" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object></p> <p>Mr. Williams back in October of 2010 has announced his retirement from Aetna as the CEO effective in April of 2011.  BD</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/10/aetna-ceo-ron-williams-to-retire.html"><font size="2">Aetna CEO Ron Williams To Retire Effective November 29, 2010</font></a></h4> <blockquote>In an interview at Davos with WSJ's Alan Murray, Aetna chairman Ron Williams discusses head-count reductions in his company, given the pressures of U.S. health-care reform, and possible alternatives to mandatory coverage.</blockquote> <p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/video/aetna-chairman-on-us-health-care-reform/7129D4AB-5D54-4CD4-ABA5-F72560AC1395.html">Video - Davos Report: Aetna Chairman on U.S. Healthcare - WSJ.com</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:3a7780c2-6627-4ea0-8e1e-d0e6ea51cc75" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Aetna" rel="tag">Aetna</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+insurance" rel="tag">health insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Davos" rel="tag">Davos</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/World+Economic+Forum" rel="tag">World Economic Forum</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/reform" rel="tag">reform</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/coverage" rel="tag">coverage</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/profits" rel="tag">profits</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/premiums" rel="tag">premiums</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Wall+Street" rel="tag">Wall Street</a></div>

Aetna Chairman Ron Williams Speaks out at Davos With Insurance and Other Perceptions

This is the second US health insurance company to speak out and is noticed attending the World Economic Forum, as you can see Humana was a g...

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Wall Street Asks J and J CEO About Recalls and As A Bonus Question, When He Plans to Step Down on Conference Call

<p>It doesn’t get much more upfront than this with one mentioning their feelings on how the company is being run does it.  The one quote below is interesting too in the fact that “everything is under control”?  How come we have more recalls coming up all the time?  As soon as one fire is put out, it seems like one more ignites. <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TImu-meH3-I/AAAAAAAAhOY/VkNPhbc78II/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" /></p> <p><em><strong>“Weldon:</strong> I don’t think if we always talk about lots of different issues out there, and we can’t go into a lot of them. But no, I think we’ve identified and understand what the issues are. We’re addressing the issues, and we’re going to put them behind us. I think we’ve got them a, under control; b, understand them; and c, we’re addressing them.”</em></p> <p>In the knee and hip business, is the answer to just buy another company?</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/01/johnson-and-johnson-set-to-make-another.html"><font size="2">Johnson and Johnson Set to Make Another Offer To Smith & Nephew-Going After One More Orthopedic Acquisition in the UK Meanwhile Consumer Confidence Is Limited</font></a></h4> <p>If you are a frequent reader then you will have seen several articles about being able to scan for recalls with a cell phone, aka the “Bar Code Campaign” so at least when errors are made, consumers, doctors and others all have the ability to quickly identify what products not to use.  This is a BP Oil tactic and we have seen what happens when a plan is not in place and this looks to be a big bunch of oil bubbling out with no plan for action when disaster hits.  People are very forgiving in nature, <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/02/tags-for-use-in-healthcare-medical.html"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="55" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/S472muHCYGI/AAAAAAAAcyA/cHpEn8IDB50/image%5B9%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="193" /></a>but gee if you do not show a level of confidence that when all hell breaks loose that you have a plan, that feeling of forgiving will leave you cold.  </p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/04/counterfeit-johnson-johnson-onetouch.html"><font size="2">Counterfeit Johnson & Johnson OneTouch Products Investigation – One More Good Reason to Start “Tagging” Products for Consumers So We Can Scan for Authenticity</font></a></h6> <p>Here we go again, a missed opportunity for consumer and patient safety.  I wrote to the FDA one more time so maybe I may have an open ear?  Johnson and Johnson certainly is the poster child with the 3 elements that need to be covered from over the counter products, to pharmaceuticals to medical devices with using bar codes to allow anyone to use their smartphone as a scanner to find instant recall and <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TTPgiyMiywI/AAAAAAAAons/JaGtZpH0rUA/s1600-h/image%5B2%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="240" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TTPgjXJHNpI/AAAAAAAAon0/-v3pHDNIKXI/image_thumb.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="193" /></a>safety information and the FDA would benefit with a simple format of compliance with running a report to check on a synchronized data base of bar codes so in addition to information on the web site, the FDA would instant information on safety and recall compliance.  Other companies should certainly take notice too and someone start a pilot program to do something for the consumer this time.  </p> <p><strong>Not necessarily with knee and hip implants, but there have been cases to where recalled devices have missed being pulled from inventory and people have died as they were used in mostly heart and interventional heart surgeries, so again before surgery we could “scan that stent”.   The It folks at hospitals like the idea and here’s a couple sample tweets from not too long ago.</strong></p> <p><img alt="image" border="0" height="84" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/S_cYwHe9YVI/AAAAAAAAeOg/qA2j7MAdVtA/image_thumb%5B28%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="398" /></p> <p>Again, Johnson and Johnson with all their products in so many different areas of healthcare could sure stand to build consumer, doctor and business confidence about now and it sure beats being the BP of the pharmaceutical and medical devices industry.  </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/S_cYwjxjvRI/AAAAAAAAeOk/6RJ-9X0yLyI/s1600-h/image%5B43%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="80" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/S_cYxSEQW_I/AAAAAAAAeOo/fH0qZVPlKqM/image_thumb%5B29%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="404" /></a></p> <p>This suggestion has been out there for over a year and not only for J and J the big poster child but for the FDA and other drug and device companies as well, but nobody wants to <strong>invest and the second thought I have along these lines is that there are still a lot of luddites out there still looking for some great white hope?  Duh?  </strong>I don’t think that will happen anytime soon and the public as well as Wall Street can see right through it with CEOs out of touch and usually lacking any level of participation themselves with much technology.  </p> <p>You have to be a participant today and the old times of “staff” doing everything for you have clearly vanished as it seems everyone is brought to task today in about 30 seconds.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p><strong>Johnson & Johnson</strong>’s Q4 2010 earnings gave a sobering picture of how much money the company has lost in sales from the ongoing <a href="http://www.bnet.com/blog/drug-business/confidential-witness-j-j-knew-tylenol-factory-was-failing-in-2007/6897"><strong>Tylenol </strong>recalls</a>, which have fallen almost exactly inside J&J’s fiscal year: $1.3 billion. Sales of J&J’s U.S. consumer products division were down 19.3 percent for the entire year, to $5.5 billion.<img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SsrjIC4BO7I/AAAAAAAAaR8/0BwJVnvzoas/image%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" /></p> <p>More wounding for CEO <a href="http://seekingalpha.com/article/248580-johnson-johnson-ceo-discusses-q4-2010-earnings-call-transcript?part=qanda"><strong>Bill Weldon</strong>, on his conference call with Wall Street analysts</a> yesterday he was asked by <strong>Leerink Swann</strong>’s <strong>Frederick Wise </strong>when the recalls would finally be over. After Weldon answered, Wise immediately asked when he was stepping down as CEO.</p> <p>Ouch! Some kind of coded message perhaps? Or just confusion over the fact that Weldon canned his planned successor — <a href="http://www.bnet.com/blog/drug-business/stabbed-in-the-back-j-j-ceo-blames-retiring-chairman-for-tylenol-crisis/5782">worldwide chairman <strong>Colleen Goggins</strong></a> — when he blamed her for the Tylenol crisis at J&J’s <strong>McNeil Consumer Healthcare </strong>unit?</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.bnet.com/blog/drug-business/wall-street-now-openly-asking-j-j-ceo-weldon-when-he-will-leave/7205?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter">Wall Street Now Openly Asking J&J CEO Weldon When He Will Leave | BNET</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:73e53a9b-7f11-4c4b-aeaf-8e612fd1d935" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Bill+Weldeon" rel="tag">Bill Weldeon</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Johnson+and+Johnson" rel="tag">Johnson and Johnson</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Investors" rel="tag">Investors</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Wall+Street" rel="tag">Wall Street</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Pharma" rel="tag">Pharma</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/recalls" rel="tag">recalls</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/McNeil+Consumer+Healthcare" rel="tag">McNeil Consumer Healthcare</a></div>

Wall Street Asks J and J CEO About Recalls and As A Bonus Question, When He Plans to Step Down on Conference Call

It doesn’t get much more upfront than this with one mentioning their feelings on how the company is being run does it.  The one quote below ...

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Three For Profit Hospitals in Nashville Area Investing in Venture Fund Heritage Healthcare Innovations

<p>Included in this group is Community Health, who is on their own trying to slate a hostile take over of Tenet.  You can view the portfolio companies of the Heritage <a href="http://www.heritagegroupusa.com/news-012511.php"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="66" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TUE3yaF1ooI/AAAAAAAApns/Uv27LkOQd2U/image%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="240" /></a>Group here.  Most ore technology or Health IT related and there are some included that represent emerging technologies in the medical device area.  The commitment on the investment is a minimum of $10 million and a couple other non profits are looking to potentially join in.  BD</p> <p><strong><u>From the Press Release:</u></strong></p> <p><em>The Heritage Healthcare Innovation Fund, L.P. will:</em></p> <ul> <li><em>Seek, fund and mentor innovative businesses that deliver improved quality, service and efficiency for health care delivery systems; </em></li> <li><em>Develop “purpose-built” companies specifically focused on solving problems that are identified by hospitals and which are broadly applicable to health care delivery systems, particularly issues borne of health care reform; </em></li> <li><em>Allow health care delivery systems the opportunity to benefit from the commercialization of innovative solutions they have developed internally through the development and launch of new companies; and </em></li> <li><em>Make individual investments of up to $10 million in early- and growth-stage health care businesses. </em></li> </ul> <p><em>The fund will be managed by Heritage Group LLC. Founded in 1986, the Heritage Group is a privately-held investment and advisory firm led by Rock Morphis and David McClellan that has formed and led multiple health care companies. </em></p> <p><a href="http://www.heritagegroupusa.com/portfolio-companies.php"><img alt="image" border="0" height="88" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TUE3yum1aEI/AAAAAAAApn0/J0ir2nUqvN0/image%5B8%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="366" /></a></p> <blockquote> <p>Three Nashville area hospital operators are among investors in a new strategic venture fund targeting investments in businesses that improve the delivery of health care services.</p> <p>Community Health Systems Inc., LifePoint Hospitals and Vanguard Health Systems and two other nonprofit hospital systems each have committed to invest at least $10 million in Heritage Healthcare Innovation Fund LP.</p> <p>Their investments in the fund created by the Nashville-based investment and advisory firm Heritage Group LLC comes as health care reform and other regulatory changes have created a need for more innovations in health care. Hospital systems, meanwhile, face more pressures to find newer ways to reduce costs.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.tennessean.com/article/20110125/BUSINESS05/110125060/2047/Local-hospital-chains-invest-health-care-venture-fund-?odyssey=nav%7Chead">Local hospital chains invest in health care venture fund | The Tennessean | tennessean.com</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:80666223-eed9-47f2-9912-fd9945db5adc" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Heritage+Healthcare+Innovations+Fund" rel="tag">Heritage Healthcare Innovations Fund</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Venture+capital" rel="tag">Venture capital</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/investments" rel="tag">investments</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/for+profit+hospitals" rel="tag">for profit hospitals</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Community+Health+Systems" rel="tag">Community Health Systems</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Vanguard+Healthcare" rel="tag">Vanguard Healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Life+Point+Hospitals" rel="tag">Life Point Hospitals</a></div>

Three For Profit Hospitals in Nashville Area Investing in Venture Fund Heritage Healthcare Innovations

Included in this group is Community Health, who is on their own trying to slate a hostile take over of Tenet.  You can view the portfolio co...

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Life Partners Confirms Investigation by SEC-Life Settlements Where Insured Are Living Longer Than the Risk Projections-Investors Paying Long Than They Want

<p>This company is out of Texas and they use a physician from Reno to look over the patient’s records that are available and he makes the predictions on how long the person will live.  These are investor groups that are buying up life insurance policies that no longer are available for the individual but the policy keep going and pays off <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TUFERbcpcOI/AAAAAAAApoM/gbZK4sf8xjo/s1600-h/image%5B10%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="109" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TUFER_zF1nI/AAAAAAAApoU/u2Hfp4tyQTM/image_thumb%5B5%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="182" /></a>the investors when the individual passes on, a <strong>sick way of making money</strong> if you ask me.  As one other article written by the Wall Street Journal was titled<strong> <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704694004576019344291967866-search.html">“Investors Bets on Stranger’s Lives”.</a> </strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/10/peasant-life-insurance-policies-human.html"><font size="2">'Dead Peasant' Life Insurance Policies - Human Hedge Funds The Next Bond Issues</font></a></h4> <p>The doctor they use in Reno to project the life spans said he doesn’t review his predictions and sometimes does dozens of them in a day’s time.  Life Partners stands by the doctor’s decisions and methods.  <strong>The more I read about this the less I like it and aside from betting on when individuals are going to die, which is sucks ethically in my book, the methodologies here sound weird too.</strong>  When you read about one investor being nervous  as he needed to pay extra on a couple policies as their physician supposedly gave him some conservative numbers, say what!</p> <p>So investors are having to pay longer than what they thought they would as the former policy holders are living out longer so in this case I don’t have any pity on the investors and they can keep paying those premiums.<strong> <u> One thing I hope is that privacy is guaranteed here or this could be a real mess if identities were to be made known via any type of a breach.</u>  </strong>You could have Sam showing up to shoot Sue if he wanted his money sooner and got tired of paying the premiums.  If I am reading this correctly the investors are getting some health indicators here?  </p> <p><strong><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704694004576019344291967866-search.html"><u>Here’s a few more clips from the article on the former policy holders:</u></a></strong></p> <p><em>“In late 2005, a policy on the life of an 80-year-old California woman was available for purchase. Life Partners acquired the $1 million policy on behalf of its clients, paying $300,000, according to company filings in Texas.</em></p> <p><em>It brokered the policy to the clients the same day for more than $492,000 plus five years of future premiums, an additional $58,000.” </em></p> <p><em>In 2002, Life Partners put a life expectancy of two years or less on the insured person in a third of the 297 policies it sold, and four years or less on all but a handful. Most were listed as HIV-positive.</em></p> <p><em>If the projections were accurate, almost all of those policies should have "matured," with the insured dead, by the end of 2009, but instead the insured had outlived the estimate in 283 of the 297 policies.”</em></p> <p>So when you read the information above, risk is assessed by the “disease” or chronic condition of the former policy holder.  The web site activity solicits individuals to cash out on their policies.  It will be interesting to see how the SEC gets involved with investigating this one.  BD  </p> <p><a href="http://www.lifepartnersinc.com/default.html"><img alt="image" border="0" height="282" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TUFESeeRz9I/AAAAAAAApoc/bgpQ6r-JKfg/image%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="364" /></a></p> <blockquote> <p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=LPHI">Life Partners Holdings</a> Inc. of Waco, Texas, arranges for investors to pay premiums, then collect when the insured person dies. It says it has sold about $2.8 billion worth of policies to 27,000 clients. </p> <p>In an announcement emailed to its outside sales agents that was reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, Life Partners said the new approach would target annual returns for its clients of 7% over seven years, instead of the targeted 12% to 14% annual returns over shorter periods, typically four to six years, it had promoted as recently as last year. </p> <p>The article reported that many of the insured people are living well beyond the estimates provided by Life Partners, requiring the investors to pony up more money for annual premiums and cutting their eventual returns.</p> <p>Life Partners said in the email to agents it would alter the way in which premiums are paid to insurance companies. It will begin to pay insurers the least possible amount each year to keep policies in force, rather than the annual amount recommended by insurers. The switch means that the upfront payments that investors make to purchase policies and cover premiums would be stretched further than under current practice, to seven years, the company said. In general, life insurers don't like being paid the minimum in premiums because it makes it tougher for them to turn a profit. </p> <p>Since its founding 19 years ago, Life Partners has sold its clients rights to the proceeds of 6,400 life-insurance policies with a total face value of $2.8 billion.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704062604576106531380521132.html">Life Partners Will Change Sales Pitch - WSJ.com</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:f39a11f7-f34d-4be7-a197-eec155d9b65b" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+insurance" rel="tag">health insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/life+insurance" rel="tag">life insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Wall+Street" rel="tag">Wall Street</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare+reform" rel="tag">healthcare reform</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/investors" rel="tag">investors</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/business+intelligence" rel="tag">business intelligence</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/fraud" rel="tag">fraud</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/dead+peasant" rel="tag">dead peasant</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/human+hedge+Funds" rel="tag">human hedge Funds</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Life+Partners" rel="tag">Life Partners</a></div>

Life Partners Confirms Investigation by SEC-Life Settlements Where Insured Are Living Longer Than the Risk Projections-Investors Paying Long Than They Want

This company is out of Texas and they use a physician from Reno to look over the patient’s records that are available and he makes the predi...

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Scribe Fever is Moving to the Emergency Rooms Across the Nation To Help Doctors With Medical Record Input In Order To Meet Production Demands From the Hospitals

<p>By next month all the emergency room physicians will have a scribe at their service with entering information into a lap top or a tablet computer.  The article below states that across the country over 200 hospital emergency rooms are using <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKV7fU273tI/AAAAAAAAh0M/SED_nXc00q8/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" />scribes.  There are 3 big companies who provide them and they were the ones providing the numbers of hospitals using their services.  </p> <p>The reasons cited for using scribes was due to the lack of production after the hospitals had converted to electronic medical records.  A scribe spends about 100 hours in training under the supervision of a veteran scribe and their usual pay ranges from $8 to $10 an hour and the doctors review the information they input to check for accuracy.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/medical-scribes-still-continue-to-grow.html"><font size="2">Medical Scribes Still Continue to Grow Beyond Just Emergency Medicine…</font></a></h4> <p>A few months ago I had a post whereby I stated that this is proof that the use of electronic medical records when production time is being traced and modeled, it comes to a push-shove situation as to how it can all come together.  Sometimes folks forget that there is a learning curve and in the doctor’s mind, care is first and we as patients are glad for that factor, and they have a lot on their plates today with being pulled from a few other directions too, so the scribes can help with a portion of the entry issues if needed.  Some doctors really like having a scribe too if you were to take a poll. BD    </p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/scribes-in-healthcare-continue-to-grow.html"><font size="2">Scribes in Healthcare Continue to Grow At Major Hospitals–Proof that Medical Records Systems are Still Not User Friendly Enough And Can Disrupt Physician Time With the Patient</font></a></h6> <blockquote> <p>As hospitals switch to electronic medical records, doctors worry about spending more time in front of computers rather than patients. To solve the problem, physicians are turning to an age-old profession — scribes.</p> <p>As Dr. Brian Lebo examined a 71-year-old woman with chest pain and dizziness Monday in the emergency department at DePaul Health Center, scribe Robert Peters stood quietly in the corner typing the woman's answers as Lebo asked when her pain started, what medications she was taking and gathered her family history. The doctor told the woman what might be wrong and what tests he planned to order.</p> <p>And the scribe documented it all.</p> <p>The emergency department at DePaul Health Center in Bridgeton, which sees about 60,000 patients a year, is the first to use scribes in the St. Louis area. By February, all the hospital's emergency physicians will have a scribe tapping away at a laptop or tablet computer while they work. Across the nation, about 200 hospital emergency departments have started using scribes, most within the last two years, according to the three major companies providing scribes.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/article_e7d30068-fedd-5da5-bc12-1f570591ee0d.html">Scribes are finding their place in emergency rooms</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:9641ee9f-c9e7-425e-83a7-d40a0d3237b4" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Scribes" rel="tag">Scribes</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/EHRs" rel="tag">EHRs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/technology" rel="tag">technology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospitals" rel="tag">hospitals</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Health+IT" rel="tag">Health IT</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/nursingHR" rel="tag">nursingHR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/EMR" rel="tag">EMR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/User+Interface" rel="tag">User Interface</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medical+Software" rel="tag">Medical Software</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/St+Lous" rel="tag">St Lous</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Emergency+Room" rel="tag">Emergency Room</a></div>

Scribe Fever is Moving to the Emergency Rooms Across the Nation To Help Doctors With Medical Record Input In Order To Meet Production Demands From the Hospitals

By next month all the emergency room physicians will have a scribe at their service with entering information into a lap top or a tablet com...

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Abbott Labs Cutting 1900 Jobs As Restructuring the The Drug Division Takes Place

<p>The cuts amount to around 2% of the workforce.  The company has also had their share of recalls and the glucose strips were huge and again states the need for a way of consumers, doctors and pharmacists to identify them.  <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TUEm5jKc52I/AAAAAAAApnI/bzpR60t5nEM/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="73" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TUEm6JxHX0I/AAAAAAAApnQ/6WGMrcHqMmI/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="154" /></a></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/12/abbott-diabetes-care-recalls-tons-of.html"><font size="2">Abbott Diabetes Care Recalls Tons of Glucose Test Strips–The US Has the FDA Recall Blues-Solution Has Been Touted Here for a Year-It’s Time for a Fix–Readers Have Voted</font></a></h4> <p>In addition there were problems with Meridia which was also made by Abbott and they are feeling the pinch just as are many other pharma companies.  BD</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/10/diet-drug-meridia-from-abbott-labs.html"><font size="2">Diet Drug Meridia From Abbott Labs Pulled–Patients Advised by FDA to Stop Taking Product And Slimming Beauty Over The Counter Product Advisory–Cardiovascular Disease Risks</font></a></h4> <blockquote> <p>Jan. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Abbott Laboratories, maker of the rheumatoid arthritis drug Humira, said it will cut about 1,900 jobs as part of a restructuring of its pharmaceutical business.</p> <p>The cuts, amounting to 2 percent of the workforce, will help the Abbott Park, Illinois-based company cope with the U.S. health-care law passed last year, Abbott said in a statement today. The drugmaker said it would take charges of about $295 million in the coming years to transfer product manufacturing to new locations, including about $165 million this year.</p> <p>The job cuts come “in response to changes in the health- care industry, including U.S. health-care reform and the challenging regulatory environment,” Abbott said in the statement. The move will “streamline commercial and manufacturing operations, improve efficiencies and reduce costs.”</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-01-26/abbott-cuts-1-900-jobs-in-restructuring-of-drug-unit.html">Abbott Cuts 1,900 Jobs in Restructuring of Drug Unit - Businessweek</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:a7d49440-a6cb-4b83-a689-05f39ffd110f" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Food+Safety+and+Recalls" rel="tag">Food Safety and Recalls</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Obesity" rel="tag">Obesity</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Recalls" rel="tag">Recalls</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Women's+Health" rel="tag">Women's Health</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/drug+safety" rel="tag">drug safety</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Abbott" rel="tag">Abbott</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Beauty" rel="tag">Beauty</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/weight+loss" rel="tag">weight loss</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/jobs" rel="tag">jobs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pharma" rel="tag">pharma</a></div>

Abbott Labs Cutting 1900 Jobs As Restructuring the The Drug Division Takes Place

The cuts amount to around 2% of the workforce.  The company has also had their share of recalls and the glucose strips were huge and again s...

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Intel Commits $100 Million To University Research Between Stanford and & 7 Other Universities

<p>If you read further about what types of technologies are to be targeted here, you can see healthcare will be right in there as so much of research and development in <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TUDMAE2RwnI/AAAAAAAAplU/2xShmTDp2no/s1600-h/image%5B4%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="85" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TUDMAnpGuDI/AAAAAAAAplc/lRnxhjLY3RA/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="115" /></a>healthcare is software today.  3D modeling is mentioned and yes that’s right in there with imaging in healthcare.  Just yesterday, Stanford also was named the 3rd location for the Geron clinical trial program with stem cells for those with spinal cord injuries.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/01/stanford-join-geron-spinal-cord.html"><font size="2">Stanford Joins Geron Spinal Cord Clinical Trials Program as the 3rd Location in the US</font></a></h4> <p>30 faculty and 50 graduate students are to be committed to the center from Stanford.  We all know Intel has a spot for healthcare and Health IT as if you go back a few years, Mr.Gordon Moore’s (co-founder of Intel)  wife almost died in a hospital due to a medical error when receiving insulin injections when she was not a diabetic and that lead to their big contribution for the nursing school back in 2007.</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/08/intel-co-founder-donates-100m-for.html"><font size="2">Intel Co-Founder Donates $100M For Nursing School</font></a></h4> <blockquote> <p>Intel is planning to invest $100 million over five years to establish university research centers in the U.S. that will develop computing technology with clear commercial applications. </p> <p><strong>The chipmaker announced Wednesday that the first center would be led by Stanford University, which would act as the hub for coordinating research between Stanford and seven other participating universities: the Universities of California at Davis, Berkeley and Irvine; the University of Washington; Cornell; Princeton; and Harvard. </strong></p> <p>Four Intel researchers will be assigned to each center to push developed technology out of the universities and into the commercial computing market. The plan is to eventually have a total of six centers, each receiving $2.5 million in funding. Only U.S. universities will be involved. "This is a U.S.-only program, and for the foreseeable future, we expect this to be only a U.S. program," Justin Rattner, Intel CTO, said during a teleconference with reporters. </p> <p>Each center will be focused on a particular research area, which will be broad in scope in order to provide researchers with lots of flexibility in direction. "We want to encourage new thinking and out-of-the-box thinking," Rattner said. </p> <p>An advisory board comprised of university and Intel representatives will guide the research and the operations of a center. Other companies, including Intel competitors, could apply to participate in the research, but their acceptance would be up to the board. "It's not our goal to have as many possible companies or (government) agencies participating, but we certainly recognize that in the right situation, it's the best thing for the center," Rattner said. </p> <p><strong>The center led by Stanford University will focus on visual computing in personal computers, Internet-enabled televisions, and emerging mobile devices, such as tablets and smartphones</strong>. Researchers will focus on several technology areas, such as the development of consumer-oriented software for building 3D models of places and buildings, including interiors and exteriors. Other areas include real-world simulation, so a person, for example, could build a virtual 3D character with human behaviors and natural motion. Such a character could be used for trying on clothes at a retail site. </p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.informationweek.com/news/hardware/processors/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=229100305&pgno=1&queryText=&isPrev=">Intel Commits $100 Million To University Research -- Intel -- InformationWeek</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:9d5468d9-4908-4954-99e0-04ec5da6d6ad" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Intel" rel="tag">Intel</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Stanford+School+of+Medicine" rel="tag">Stanford School of Medicine</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Geron" rel="tag">Geron</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Clinical+trials" rel="tag">Clinical trials</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/stem+cells" rel="tag">stem cells</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/spinal+cord" rel="tag">spinal cord</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/paralysis" rel="tag">paralysis</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/technology" rel="tag">technology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/UCI+Irvine" rel="tag">UCI Irvine</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Regenerative+Medicine" rel="tag">Regenerative Medicine</a></div>

Intel Commits $100 Million To University Research Between Stanford and & 7 Other Universities

If you read further about what types of technologies are to be targeted here, you can see healthcare will be right in there as so much of re...

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State of the Union Message Was Clearly About Technology and Healthcare For Survival-Blackstone CEO Thoughts Are Positive from Davos (Video)

<p>This was probably the most unique State of the Union message that I have heard and nice to hear all of the technology mentioned including healthcare too.  As I <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TUDCylLZtyI/AAAAAAAApk4/Sg0Wqw8OZdM/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="152" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TUDCzRQvwXI/AAAAAAAAplA/LofhzxG9aQw/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="240" /></a>watch the camera span the members it was interesting to watch faces and reactions and one in particular I caught was Grassley with a confused look on his face as technology was being discussed.  The President with his new Chief of Staff will be able to get those “Algo Men” in there to help with the formulas and algorithms needed for the big and little decisions that come along.  Nobody operates successfully without them today.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/01/president-obama-names-new-hybrid-chief.html"><font size="2">President Obama Names a New “Hybrid” Chief of Staff That Can Bring Some “Algo Men” to the White House and Washington</font></a></h4> <p>If you read here often enough you know I have spoken on many occasions for all members of Congress to get some additional IT literacy and read up and become a participant and start using the stuff themselves.  <strong>I found this video below with the CEO of Blackstone who is at the Davos convention speaking about his feelings on the address, which were positive.  My personal opinion again comes back to Congress upgrading their own learning curve so they are not fleeced by those who do have the knowledge and background and know how those algorithms work today.  </strong></p> <p><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" height="380" id="cnbcplayer" width="400"><br /><param name="type" value="application/x-shockwave-flash" /><br /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><br /><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always" /><br /><param name="quality" value="best" /><br /><param name="scale" value="noscale" /><br /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><br /><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000" /><br /><param name="salign" value="lt" /><br /><param name="movie" value="http://plus.cnbc.com/rssvideosearch/action/player/id/1767077519/code/cnbcplayershare" /><br /><embed name="cnbcplayer" PLUGINSPAGE="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" bgcolor="#000000" height="380" width="400" quality="best" wmode="transparent" scale="noscale" salign="lt" src="http://plus.cnbc.com/rssvideosearch/action/player/id/1767077519/code/cnbcplayershare" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" /><br /></object></p> <p>One other item mentioned too in reference to healthcare was the ability of consumers to be able to download their personal health records, and yes that was <img align="right" border="0" height="72" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/THsxLR4O03I/AAAAAAAAg5o/dVUkOUzR5Ec/image%5B14%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" width="107" />in there but went by quickly, so I’ll reiterate here a bit with a prior post to again remind all that both Veterans and Medicare participants can download their medical records.  The 2 links below will tell you more about how to go about it, and it’s not that hard.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/12/va-blue-button-updateif-you-are-vet-or.html"><font size="2">VA Blue Button Update–If You are a Vet or an MD Seeing a Vet Get the Health Data Available With Patient Ability to Download (Video)</font></a></h4> <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/10/medicaregov-blue-button-download-for.html"><strong><font size="2">Medicare.Gov Blue Button Download For Personal Health Record Information for Those Covered by Medicare<img align="right" border="0" height="44" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKYXI9HNaQI/AAAAAAAAh1M/7da7_nnWx-c/image_thumb%5B7%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" width="207" /></font></strong></a></p> <p>You could bet any member of Congress on Medicare has not taken the time to do this and I would love to be wrong here as this is good for all, not just for “those guys over there”.   </p> <blockquote> <p>Reflecting on the President's "state of the union" address from Davos, with Steve Schwarzman, Blackstone Group chmn. & CEO, and CNBC's Maria Bartiromo.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?play=1&video=1767077519">http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?play=1&video=1767077519</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:eecbf099-3d4a-4c4b-be8e-fb82534db237" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/VA" rel="tag">VA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/CMS" rel="tag">CMS</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/personal+heatlh+records" rel="tag">personal heatlh records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Blue+Button" rel="tag">Blue Button</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medicare" rel="tag">Medicare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medicaid" rel="tag">Medicaid</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/White+House" rel="tag">White House</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/State+of+the+Nation" rel="tag">State of the Nation</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Blackstone" rel="tag">Blackstone</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Davos" rel="tag">Davos</a></div>

State of the Union Message Was Clearly About Technology and Healthcare For Survival-Blackstone CEO Thoughts Are Positive from Davos (Video)

This was probably the most unique State of the Union message that I have heard and nice to hear all of the technology mentioned including he...

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Pay For Performance Is Not All That It Has Cracked Up to Be-Time to Rethink As Money Is Not Creating Better Health Outcomes

<p>The study has shown that financial incentives did not improve the quality of care and clinical outcomes for patients with hypertension in primary care in the UK according to the study.  I always wondered about P4P in healthcare anyway as I <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TUCmHMn5MMI/AAAAAAAApkE/59JYO3xiIow/s1600-h/image%5B5%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="240" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TUCmIFjwNkI/AAAAAAAApkQ/4EAFS6o70KY/image_thumb%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="183" /></a>spent over 20 years in outside sales, now there’s the area where it does work and where it belongs.  Sales and money go together and the same philosophy doesn’t fit all areas of healthcare.  </p> <p>I think this goes back to show that the real key here is education with patients and MDs playing their role to add to what the patient finds through their own education efforts too.  <strong>Somebody better tell United Healthcare about this study as they want everybody on P4P, even oncologists and have a program for pharmacists at Walgreens to earn money, but perhaps with the pharmacists though this is entering more into the “sales” model instead of healthcare with this incentive?   </strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/04/unitedhealthcare-to-use-data-mining.html"><font size="2">UnitedHealthCare To Use Data Mining Algorithms On Claim Data To Look For Those At “Risk” of Developing Diabetes – Walgreens and the YMCA Benefit With Pay for Performance Dollars to Promote and Supply The Tools</font></a></h4> <p>Actually when it comes to pay for performance for Oncology, I think that’s a difficult program to create a model for, much less put in place as it has some real potential ethics conflicts and would create some not so nice unintended consequences.</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/10/health-insurers-focusing-on-cancer.html"><font size="2">Health Insurers Focusing on Cancer Treatments - Pilot Programs To Follow Standard Treatments & New Payment Structures</font></a></h4> <p><strong>The ultimate solution is to get the price of drugs and other services down to where the monkey can be taken off the doctor’s back,</strong> and of course this could not be done entirely, but there sure could be a lot more efforts in attacking the high costs via this methodology versus dumping more business intelligence software on their backs to fit into their already busy schedule of taking care of patients,<strong>  The doctors are there to take care of us so if they had drugs and tools that were priced better, their job would be easier and we could potentially see some better outcomes with this model</strong>.  </p> <p>Heart attacks, renal failure, heart failure or mortality in both patients who had started treatment before 2001 and patients whose treatment had started close to the implementation of P4P had about the same numbers so certainly P4P has a good motivation voice, but when you look at what is actually achieved and the additional stress it creates too, well back to better priced drugs and services along with education as being the solutions no matter how many algorithms you run.  BD</p> <blockquote> <p><strong><em>"Governments and private insurers throughout the world are likely wasting many billions on policies that assume that all you have to do is pay doctors to improve quality of medical care," says senior author Stephen Soumerai, professor in the Department of Population Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute.</em></strong> "Based on our study of almost 500,000 patients over seven years, that assumption is questionable at best."</p> <p>"Policymakers sometimes legislate large and expensive policies based on their beliefs without the requisite hard evidence," says Soumerai. "Policy makers in the U.S. and in Canada who are attempting to enact such programs need to think hard about other more effective approaches."</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/p4p-programs-ability-improve-care-questionable-best">P4P programs' ability to improve care 'questionable at best' | Healthcare IT News</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:a9cc73cb-f416-47bd-813c-05d3c829cb20" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/doctor" rel="tag">doctor</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/primary+care" rel="tag">primary care</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pay+for+performance" rel="tag">pay for performance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/YMCA" rel="tag">YMCA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Walgreens" rel="tag">Walgreens</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/transactions" rel="tag">transactions</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/analysis" rel="tag">analysis</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/wellness" rel="tag">wellness</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pharmacists" rel="tag">pharmacists</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/study" rel="tag">study</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/NHS" rel="tag">NHS</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Harvard" rel="tag">Harvard</a></div>

Pay For Performance Is Not All That It Has Cracked Up to Be-Time to Rethink As Money Is Not Creating Better Health Outcomes

The study has shown that financial incentives did not improve the quality of care and clinical outcomes for patients with hypertension in pr...

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What’s Happening at ONC REC Centers and HIE Initiative Centers-Connecting, Licensing, Training and Getting A Little Cozy?

<p>It has taken a little while to get started and now we have some information making to the news today relative to the funding for the Regional Extension Centers from the <img align="right" border="0" height="80" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKJ3lMoxm5I/AAAAAAAAhug/jwkIs70EIE0/image_thumb.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" width="268" />National ONC group.  These are groups that are not part of the government but rather are independent and receive funs to help doctors and others in their pursuit of electronic medical records.  Last week I posted a video made by one center in Florida.  It’s a nice overview of how they are taking care of business at the facility.</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/01/regional-extension-center-rec-working.html"><font size="2">Regional Extension Center (REC) Working in Florida-What the Centers Are Doing to Help Physicians With Electronic Medical Records</font></a></h4> <p>They come in different shapes and sizes and some services are free and some are low cost.  At the link below is some additional background on the centers and how they got started.  </p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/health-information-technology-extension.html"><font size="2">Health Information Technology Extension Program (REC) To Support and Help Providers Adapt and Understand Meaningful Use With EHRs<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="126" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TUCbyLF45kI/AAAAAAAApjw/2WbawzeZ7dQ/image%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="117" /></font></a></h6> <p><strong>In the news today is a bit of information from one of the HIE centers in Oregon which operates in 7 states.</strong>  There are a couple of software systems mentioned here, Epic and <a href="http://www.allscripts.com/">Allscripts</a>.  It appears medical record vendors have found another marketing partner with the centers offering discounts for purchase with licensing. </p> <p><strong><u>From the website:</u></strong></p> <p><em>“OCHIN is one of the nation’s cutting edge health information technology (HIT) and service organizations for community based clinics. This has been accomplished thru the collaborative approach to building and sharing a practice management and electronic medical record (EMR) system.”</em></p> <p>The group also operates the O-HITEC, to assist providers across Oregon in the implementation and meaningful use of EHRs and other software applications and I believe comes under the category of being one of the REC centers, since they receive federal funds.  </p> <p>Is your HIE vendor/center collaborating or are they a branch of an REC assistance center too or all of the above?   It kind of looks like all are becoming a bit cozy today.  BD</p> <blockquote> <p>Portland-based OCHIN operates in parts of seven states and provides a range of information technology services for its member organizations. For instance, 44 clinic systems across its network currently use integrated practice management and EHR software from Epic Systems Corp</p> <p><strong>The clinics exchange data using the vendor's Care Everywhere connectivity software to simplify Epic-to-Epic communications</strong>. During 2011 ONCHIN will deploy Epic's Care Elsewhere module to enable the exchange of Continuity of Care Documents between Epic and disparate vendor systems.</p> <p>OCHIN is expanding its EHR and data exchange services to non-member providers. The Allscripts applications will be available at a discounted price and OCHIN is seeking similar agreements with other certified EHR vendors.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/oregon-hie-rec-ehr-physicians-41787-1.html?ET=healthdatamanagement:e1633:120588a:&st=email&utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=HDM_Daily_012611">Oregon Collaborative Partners with Allscripts, Expands Epic Connectivity</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:a04e23bc-cdfd-4dc5-950c-d0591bce01bc" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/REC" rel="tag">REC</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HHS" rel="tag">HHS</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Regional+Extension+Centers" rel="tag">Regional Extension Centers</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/doctors" rel="tag">doctors</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Heatlh+IT" rel="tag">Heatlh IT</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/EHR" rel="tag">EHR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/ONC" rel="tag">ONC</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HITECH" rel="tag">HITECH</a></div>

What’s Happening at ONC REC Centers and HIE Initiative Centers-Connecting, Licensing, Training and Getting A Little Cozy?

It has taken a little while to get started and now we have some information making to the news today relative to the funding for the Regiona...

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Software Audit System Shuts Down Swedish Medical Center Medical Records for 4 Hours

<p>This is a a good thing actually and good that this is in place.  Most data systems have features as such to keep data from corrupting.  When we are working at such fast paces today, stuff happens and sometimes even with the best of audit trails <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TUCJnU5qRgI/AAAAAAAApjU/hSlU-IW6cTY/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="181" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TUCJoXA3uTI/AAAAAAAApjc/nANO3G3KclU/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="206" /></a>we may never get to the exact root and I have seen power outages fry data if the surge protectors were either not working or were not in place.  Epic is used by many major hospital systems across the US.  </p> <p>This can happen to any system at any time as the system turns into a “read only” function with information still available to read but no editing until the problem is fixed.   Monitoring system were not affected, just the data portion and the hospital is looking for additional back up alternatives too such as other geographic areas and in time perhaps a cloud operation could serve as being functional as well.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p>A four-hour shutdown of Swedish Medical Center's centralized electronic medical-records system Monday morning was caused by a glitch in another company's software, said Swedish chief information officer Janice Newell.</p> <p><strong>The system, made by Epic Systems, a Wisconsin-based electronic medical-records vendor, turned itself off because it noticed an error in the add-on software, Newell said, and Swedish was forced to go to its highest level of backup operation.</strong> That allowed medical providers to see patient records but not to add or change information, such as medication orders.</p> <p>The outage affected all of Swedish's campuses, including First Hill, Cherry Hill, Ballard and its Issaquah emergency facility, as well as Swedish's clinics and affiliated groups such as the Polyclinic.</p> <p>During the outage, new information was put on paper records and transferred into patient records in the Epic system after the system went back up in the afternoon.</p> <p>Newell said the shutdown likely affected about 600 providers, 2,500 staffers and perhaps up to 2,000 patients, but no safety problems were reported. Staff members were notified of the shutdown via error messages, e-mails, intranet, a hospital overhead paging system and personal pagers.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2014036271_swedish26m.html">Local News | Software glitch shuts down Swedish medical-records system | Seattle Times Newspaper</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:4884ed85-7f9a-4499-8baa-35ea38c1d63b" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Swedish+Medical+Center" rel="tag">Swedish Medical Center</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+records" rel="tag">medical records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Epic" rel="tag">Epic</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/back+up" rel="tag">back up</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/cloud" rel="tag">cloud</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospital" rel="tag">hospital</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/data" rel="tag">data</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/corruption" rel="tag">corruption</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/data+base" rel="tag">data base</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Health+IT" rel="tag">Health IT</a></div>

Software Audit System Shuts Down Swedish Medical Center Medical Records for 4 Hours

This is a a good thing actually and good that this is in place.  Most data systems have features as such to keep data from corrupting.  When...

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FDA Gives Plavix a 6 Month Extension-Patent Now Expires on May 17 2012–In Europe Patent Expired in 2009

<p>Well the patients in the US have to wait a little longer and it is amazing that in Europe <img align="right" border="0" height="158" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/S5rWzyJWo8I/AAAAAAAAc6w/A7WGHr7aR9g/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" width="111" />as the title suggests has generics available.  In May of 2010 Plavix was given a ruling by the FDA to establish a black box warning too.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/03/fda-gives-plavix-new-box-warning.html"><font size="2">FDA Gives Plavix New Box Warning Relating to Metabolization in the Body – Step One Toward Personalized Medicine</font></a></h4> <p>In addition CVS announced 13 drug therapies that will be included in the initial offering of their <strong>integrated Genetic Benefit Management service and Plavix is one of them.</strong>  The firms said that they are offering the industry's first Best Test Genetics Network, which coordinates pharmacogenomic testing for members of CVS Caremark's network.  BD</p> <blockquote> <p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=SNY">Sanofi-Aventis</a> SA and <a href="http://online.wsj.com/public/quotes/main.html?type=djn&symbol=BMY">Bristol-Myers Squibb</a> Co. Tuesday said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted them an extra six months to exclusively market their top-selling blood-thinner Plavix in the U.S. </p> <p>In a joint statement, the two companies said the FDA gave them a pediatric exclusivity for Plavix, and that their exclusive right to jointly market the world's second-biggest selling drug in the U.S. is now scheduled to expire on May 17, 2012. </p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704698004576104241735368126.html?mod=googlenews_wsj">FDA Extends Exclusivity for Plavix - WSJ.com</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:601e1ca0-7c92-454e-b9f9-312571e4c911" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Plavix" rel="tag">Plavix</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/patents" rel="tag">patents</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/expire" rel="tag">expire</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/generic+drugs" rel="tag">generic drugs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Europe" rel="tag">Europe</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pills" rel="tag">pills</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pharma" rel="tag">pharma</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Sanofi-Aventis" rel="tag">Sanofi-Aventis</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Bristol-Myers+Squibb" rel="tag">Bristol-Myers Squibb</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/marketing" rel="tag">marketing</a></div>

FDA Gives Plavix a 6 Month Extension-Patent Now Expires on May 17 2012–In Europe Patent Expired in 2009

Well the patients in the US have to wait a little longer and it is amazing that in Europe as the title suggests has generics available.  In ...

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New FAIR Data Base Slated to Be Available Later this Year To Replace the Corrupted Data Base Used by Ingenix to Calculate Out of Network Insurance Charges

<p>A while back, Andrew Cuomo investigated and found the data base to be low <a href="http://www.fairhealthus.org/"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="92" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TT_cHPUXqtI/AAAAAAAApiU/t9CuFikGxiw/image%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="194" /></a>balling the rates and thus many doctors and patients were under paid on claims, some for about 15 years.  One by one carriers agreed to stop using the data base,  In addition to the lawsuit from the AMA which United Healthcare is in the process of settling there were many more lawsuits filed on the same reasoning, short pays.</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/08/ingenix-data-base-has-some-long.html"><font size="2">Ingenix Data Base Has Some Long Reaching Legal Tentacles with Aetna, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Humana</font></a></h4> <p>Here’s some additional history from 2009.  The new <a href="http://www.fairhealthus.org/">FAIR Database</a> will be the replacement to use when ready.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/03/ama-and-california-medical-association.html"><font size="2">The AMA and the California Medical Association file legal suit – WellPoint and Ingenix</font></a></h4> <p>Its still not over with more lawsuits being filed in may of 2010.  Ingenix is the algorithm and formula division of Untied Healthcare for a number of years they had it going both ways it seems with licensing to other insurers and paying less on claims.</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/05/outpatient-surgery-centers-file-class.html">Outpatient Surgery Centers File Class Action Lawsuit Against UnitedHealth and Ingenix for Underpayments</a></h4> <p>The AMA continues on to say below that Blue Cross may use their own data base with Blue Health Intelligence.  </p> <p><strong><u>From the FAIR website:</u></strong></p> <p><em>“FAIR Health, Inc. was established in October 2009 with the mission to help ensure fairness and transparency in out-of-network reimbursement. We are an independent, not-for-profit organization.<a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/05/outpatient-surgery-centers-file-class.html"><img align="right" border="0" height="169" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/S3omBN9Ma1I/AAAAAAAAchQ/iX6ueOrdjF8/image_thumb%5B5%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" width="161" /></a></em></p> <p><em>The majority of Americans with private health insurance have plans that reimburse for out-of-network care. Under the terms of many of these plans, consumers are reimbursed based on insurer-determined “usual and customary” rates for medical services.  Unfortunately, consumers typically are unaware of what these rates mean or how they are used to help determine reimbursement.  They therefore often do not know how much they will be reimbursed by their insurer when they seek out-of-network care, even though they will be responsible for a portion of the bill they receive from their doctor since that provider has no contract with their insurer. This black box in out-of-network reimbursement information impedes the ability of consumers to make educated and informed health care choices and can be a source of considerable financial anxiety for patients, particularly those with serious illness.</em></p> <p><em>FAIR Health was established in response to New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's investigation into the insurance industry’s methods for determining reimbursement rates for patients who seek care from out-of-network providers. The investigation determined that such reimbursement policies were conflict-laden, potentially flawed, and opaque to patients seeking cost information.  FAIR Health was created to serve as an independent, objective, and transparent source of healthcare reimbursement data for consumers, insurers, healthcare providers, researchers, and policymakers.”</em></p> <p>I did a brief look at the website and it is presently still work in progress but there is some initial information available on what is to come.  BD</p> <blockquote> <p>Physicians are likely to know by this summer how their out-of-network pay will be affected by the organization that was designed to replace UnitedHealth Group-owned Ingenix as the arbiter of "usual, customary and reasonable" payment rates.</p> <p>The new FAIR Health database, created under agreements with the New York attorney general's office, is set to launch by late January. Payments based on the new figures could be sent to physicians by the summer. In late March, the office plans to unveil a consumer site that will publish typical charges for a given service.</p> <p>For years, big insurers used databases produced by Ingenix, a UnitedHealth Group subsidiary, to figure out what they would pay out-of-network doctors for care.</p> <p>In October 2009, the new entity, FAIR Health, was established, and staff started work on the new database within months.</p> <p>The FAIR Health is expected to first release dental and outpatient data. Other data will be released on a staggered schedule.</p> <p>Meanwhile, BlueCross BlueShield-affiliated plans filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in December 2010 to establish its claims database -- Blue Health Intelligence -- as a separate entity from the BlueCross BlueShield Assn. Since 2006, the database has been available only to Blues plans.</p> <p>FAIR Health will remove the screen previously used by Ingenix to eliminate the highest and lowest charges submitted by providers. In other words, no claim submitted will be excluded from the FAIR Health database solely because it contains charges within the highest or lowest ranges of fees in a geographic area.</p> <p>FAIR Health will use claims data from the previous five years on a graduated basis proceeding year to year as necessary to reach a 40-observation threshold, adjusting charges from prior years using the consumer price index. If that adjustment yields fewer than 40 observations, FAIR Health will look to a broader geographic area to reach 40 observations or use a regional or national average if that isn't possible.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2011/01/24/bisd0124.htm?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter">amednews: New database for out-of-network claims coming soon :: Jan. 24, 2011 ... American Medical News</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:de3650f2-320a-4462-8675-7ad61094a76e" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Fair+data+base" rel="tag">Fair data base</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Ingenix" rel="tag">Ingenix</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/out+of+network" rel="tag">out of network</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+insurance" rel="tag">health insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/consumers" rel="tag">consumers</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/claims" rel="tag">claims</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/normal+and+customary+charges" rel="tag">normal and customary charges</a></div>

New FAIR Data Base Slated to Be Available Later this Year To Replace the Corrupted Data Base Used by Ingenix to Calculate Out of Network Insurance Charges

A while back, Andrew Cuomo investigated and found the data base to be low balling the rates and thus many doctors and patients were under pa...

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Davos-The Ally to Improve Workplace Wellness - Michael B. McCallister CEO of Humana-Chairman of Wellness Alliance Forum

<p>Just an short note here relative to the Workplace Wellness Committee at Davis being chaired by Humana CEO.  According to the his guest post, this alliance is going into full swing this year for planning.  You can read below to where the focus of his <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TT_NJ05frmI/AAAAAAAAphw/7FGqgGN07BY/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="116" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TT_NKWXZAoI/AAAAAAAAph4/N9J6D2_dTgo/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="150" /></a>recommended group is to collaborate on chronic diseases and the UN this year will have the first ever summit on non-communicable disease. BD  </p> <blockquote> <p><em>Michael B. McCallister is guest blogging for the Forum. He is the Chairman and CEO of Humana and Chairman of the World Economic Forum’s Workplace Wellness Alliance. He will be attending the Annual Meeting in Davos.</em></p> <p>The World Economic Forum (Forum) meeting this week in Davos, Switzerland, will explore ways to improve our citizenry’s health.  As it has with health the Forum strives to enrich wellness through advocacy, dialogue and partnership. <br />Increasingly, Forum participants also are focusing on workplace wellbeing. Chief executives of several major corporations, including Humana, have organized the World Economic Forum’s Workplace Wellness Alliance to better understand the link between employee wellness, engagement and productivity. The Alliance goes into full swing this year.  </p> <p>Collaborative action among corporations can make inroads against chronic diseases – and that’s encouraging since half of those who die each year from chronic disease are in their productive years.   Such teamwork proves especially valuable when common targets and metrics are selected to combat chronic-disease risk factors. </p> </blockquote> <p> <br /><a href="http://www.forumblog.org/blog/2011/01/at-world-economic-forum-corporations-ally-to-improve-workplace-wellness-michael-b-mccallister.html">Forumblog.org - The World Economic Forum Blog: At World Economic Forum, Corporations Ally to Improve Workplace Wellness - Michael B. McCallister</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:81e9c165-aa54-40dc-ba69-a1cb25669df8" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/World+Economic+Forum" rel="tag">World Economic Forum</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Davos" rel="tag">Davos</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Wellness+Alliance" rel="tag">Wellness Alliance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/chronic+disease" rel="tag">chronic disease</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/corporations" rel="tag">corporations</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/risk" rel="tag">risk</a></div>

Davos-The Ally to Improve Workplace Wellness - Michael B. McCallister CEO of Humana-Chairman of Wellness Alliance Forum

Just an short note here relative to the Workplace Wellness Committee at Davis being chaired by Humana CEO.  According to the his guest post,...

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