Medical Quack

McKesson To Buy PSS World Medical, Inc. Valued at Over 2 Billion In Outstanding Debt to Be Assumed

When I grew up debt was something you wanted to pay off and get rid of but it doesn’t function that way today:)  For the physicians they are going to fix and help you (so where have we heard this before, they all say that:) and the video below gives you an overview.  I am talking a little in jest here but there’s a number of around 20% quoted in the video and with all the talk about upcoding and so forth it’s important to remember that when using consultants that’s what they look for, ways to save money and be efficient and ways to gain  money and be efficient on steroids.  On the distribution side not a lot different there than with most other than the brands they represent and they deliver to the homes of patients and doctors offices.  Less than a month ago McKesson bought MED3000 which is a Health IT technology company and McKesson has been in the Health IT business for many years.  BD  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/10/mckesson-buys-med3000-hosted.html">McKesson Buys MED3000 Hosted Applications and Cloud Technology Company</a></h4> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:4dad7f9f-31c3-4047-bd85-4cc261490929" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="b949d95a-f7ab-48ef-8897-abc03c03462b" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81OSI92D2Ng&feature=share&list=PL84C3AF07664DD8E3" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('b949d95a-f7ab-48ef-8897-abc03c03462b'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"423\" height=\"237\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/81OSI92D2Ng?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/81OSI92D2Ng?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"423\" height=\"237\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-d0QWzSkuO_s/UInUGU7L5dI/AAAAAAAA_QU/zINOnyGbo1k/videoeb0785f9feb2%25255B20%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div><div style="width:423px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">PSS</div></div> <hr /> Press Release: SAN FRANCISCO & JACKSONVILLE, Fla.--(<a href="http://www.businesswire.com/" itemprop="url">BUSINESS WIRE</a>)--McKesson Corporation (NYSE: MCK), a leading healthcare services and information technology company, and PSS World Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ: PSSI), announced today that the two companies have signed a definitive agreement under which McKesson <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="44" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-AkVLF2r_VT8/UInUGqCahzI/AAAAAAAA_Qc/y77PK54R248/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="158" />will acquire all outstanding shares of PSS World Medical for $29.00 per share in cash. PSS World Medical and McKesson’s Medical Surgical business will combine to form a leading provider of medical supplies, services and technology to physician and extended care customers. <blockquote style="border-bottom-style: none; text-align: left; padding-bottom: 0px; line-height: normal; background-color: transparent; border-left-style: none; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; border-top-style: none; margin-left: 30pt; border-right-style: none; margin-right: 30pt; padding-top: 0px"> </blockquote> The total transaction, including the assumption of PSS World Medical’s outstanding debt, is valued at approximately $2.1 billion. <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="97" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lOolXXhpJgE/UInUG33orHI/AAAAAAAA_Qk/W5iprDx7X6Y/image%25255B8%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="115" />The transaction, which has been approved by the boards of directors of both companies, is subject to customary closing conditions, including all necessary regulatory clearances and the approval of PSS World Medical’s shareholders. By the fourth year following the close of the transaction, McKesson expects to realize annual pre-tax synergies in excess of $100 million. “The combination of McKesson’s Medical Surgical business and PSS World Medical is an exciting next step in McKesson’s commitment to improve business health and clinical performance across healthcare,” said John H. Hammergren, chairman and chief executive officer, McKesson Corporation. “The unified organization will bring extensive distribution capabilities, deep product and technology expertise and a broad portfolio of business services to an expanding industry, helping our customers improve efficiency and productivity, and deliver better care.” McKesson plans to utilize each organization’s robust distribution infrastructure, private label offerings, and sales and customer service teams to provide the best of both companies to customers. With the combined entity, customers will have access to a broader array of medical products and services coupled with the additional convenience and efficiency of working with a single delivery organization. “PSS World Medical and McKesson are both highly customer-focused companies with a shared commitment to strengthening the clinical success and financial health of caregivers by solving their most important problems,” said Gary A. Corless, president and chief executive officer, PSS World Medical. “This transaction positions the combined business to advance this shared mission and enhance the value we deliver to physicians and extended care customers. This combination creates opportunities for our team members and greater value for the shareholders of both organizations.” Following the close of the transaction, the combined business will be reported as part of McKesson’s Distribution Solutions segment, reporting to Paul Julian, executive vice president and group president, McKesson Corporation. “We are extremely excited to bring these two great organizations together under two very talented leaders”, said John H. Hammergren, chairman and chief executive officer. “Stanton McComb, who will become president of the combined business, is a 10 year veteran of McKesson and has held various senior leadership roles in the company, including serving as the president of McKesson’s Medical Surgical business since March 2011. Upon the close of the transaction, Gary Corless, president and chief executive officer of PSS World Medical, will become chief operating officer of the combined organization. These two executives have outstanding track records of delivering results and building highly motivated teams, and we are excited about the opportunity to bring together the very best of these two organizations.” As a result of this transaction announcement, PSS World Medical has cancelled its fiscal year 2013 second quarter conference call scheduled for today. PSS World Medical’s second quarter results will be announced with the filing of its quarterly report on Form 10-Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission. About McKesson McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 14th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and information technology company dedicated to making the business of healthcare run better. We partner with payers, hospitals, physician offices, pharmacies, pharmaceutical companies and others across the spectrum of care to build healthier organizations that deliver better care to patients in every setting. McKesson helps its customers improve their financial, operational, and clinical performance with solutions that include pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management, healthcare information technology, and business and clinical services. For more information, visit <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mckesson.com%2F&esheet=50454054&lan=en-US&anchor=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mckesson.com&index=1&md5=715fa29f8582cc253270d763c4f12603" target="_blank">http://www.mckesson.com</a>. About PSS World Medical, Inc. PSS World Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq:PSSI) markets and distributes medical products and services to front-line caregivers throughout the United States. With 4,000 team members, PSS is a leader in the markets it serves with innovative approaches to customer service and operational excellence. Its stated purpose is to strengthen the clinical success and financial health of caregivers by solving their biggest problems. The Company is focused to accelerate growth in four markets - Physician, Laboratory, Dispensing, and Home Care & Hospice — with products and solutions that deliver high quality, cost effective, and convenient patient care. For more information on PSS, visit <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pssworldmedical.com&esheet=50454054&lan=en-US&anchor=www.pssworldmedical.com&index=2&md5=bb502c664071827f071dcecffaab5675" target="_blank">www.pssworldmedical.com</a>. Risk Factors This press release includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are subject to risks and uncertainties and other factors. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including statements regarding the ability to complete the transaction considering the various closing conditions; the expected benefits and costs of the transaction; any projections of earnings, revenues or other financial items; any statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of management for future operations; any statements regarding product or service development, extensions or integration; any statements of expectation or belief; any statements regarding general industry conditions and competition; any statements regarding economic conditions; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include risks related to the timing or ultimate completion of the transaction, as the transaction is subject to certain closing conditions, including receipt of all necessary regulatory clearances and approval of PSS World Medical’s shareholders; the possibility that expected benefits may not materialize as expected; McKesson’s ability to successfully implement integration strategies; as well as the ability to ensure continued performance or market growth of PSS World Medical’s products and services. These risks, uncertainties and other factors, and the general risks associated with the respective businesses of McKesson and PSS World Medical described in the reports and other documents filed by each of them with the Securities and Exchange Commission, could cause actual results to differ materially from those referred to in the forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to McKesson and PSS World Medical and are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Except as required by law, neither McKesson nor PSS World Medical assumes any obligation to update any such forward-looking statements or other statements included in this press release. Additional Information and Where to Find It In connection with the proposed acquisition, PSS World Medical plans to file a proxy statement with the SEC. INVESTORS AND SECURITY HOLDERS OF PSS WORLD MEDICAL ARE ADVISED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT AND ANY OTHER RELEVANT DOCUMENTS FILED WITH THE SEC WHEN THEY BECOME AVAILABLE BECAUSE THOSE DOCUMENTS WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSED ACQUISITION. The final proxy statement will be mailed to shareholders of PSS World Medical. Investors and security holders may obtain a free copy of the proxy statement when it becomes available, and other documents filed by PSS World Medical with the SEC, at the SEC’s web site at <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sec.gov&esheet=50454054&lan=en-US&anchor=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sec.gov&index=3&md5=c0bb5e4f85b3376364d488a7c6a6657f" target="_blank">http://www.sec.gov</a>. In addition, you may also obtain McKesson’s filings with the SEC, free of charge, from McKesson’s website (<a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mckesson.com&esheet=50454054&lan=en-US&anchor=www.mckesson.com&index=4&md5=716b656f4be29178d0f0dc5c4f0f72be" target="_blank">www.mckesson.com</a>) under the tab “Investors” through the “SEC Filings” link and you may obtain PSS World Medical’s filings with the SEC, free of charge, from PSS World Medical’s website (<a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.pssworldmedical.com&esheet=50454054&lan=en-US&anchor=www.pssworldmedical.com&index=5&md5=001e8a9416ba53a619395580d2649630" target="_blank">www.pssworldmedical.com</a>) under the tab “Investor Relations” through the “SEC Filings” link. Participants in the Solicitation McKesson, PSS World Medical and their respective directors, executive officers and other members of their management and employees may be deemed to be participants in the solicitation of proxies from PSS World Medical’s shareholders in connection with the proposed transaction. Information regarding McKesson’s directors and executive officers is available in McKesson’s proxy statement for its 2012 annual meeting of stockholders, which was filed with the SEC on June 15, 2012. Information regarding PSS World Medical’s directors and executive officers is available in PSS World Medical’s proxy statement for its 2012 annual meeting of shareholders, which was filed with the SEC on July 6, 2012. Additional information regarding participants in the proxy solicitations and a description of their direct and indirect interests will be included in the proxy statement and the other relevant documents filed with the SEC when they become available <a href="http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20121025005750/en/McKesson-Purchase-PSS-World-Medical-Transaction-Valued">http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20121025005750/en/McKesson-Purchase-PSS-World-Medical-Transaction-Valued</a>

McKesson To Buy PSS World Medical, Inc. Valued at Over 2 Billion In Outstanding Debt to Be Assumed

When I grew up debt was something you wanted to pay off and get rid of but it doesn’t function that way today:) For the physicians they are...

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Health IT REC Centers Association ARCH-IT Working to Convince Congress to Provide Additional Money to the REC Centers After Initial Funding Ends in 2013

So far quite a few of the <a href="http://www.healthit.gov/providers-professionals/regional-extension-centers-recs">REC centers</a> have signed up and become members.  The Association has an executive director as well.  <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="61" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-wrv9u2sIl-Q/UInNi3Vg8FI/AAAAAAAA_PE/M1tBakxmSrI/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="165" />After 2013 the witching hour sets in with the requirement that they end up being self sustaining, but there’s one problem, they can’t find a business model that works well, <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.hk/2012/09/quants-alchemists-of-wall-street-video.html">same problems the banks have but banks use a different methodology</a> as you can see here which is not really the right way to go.   The problem is up front money and with attesting, it takes a lot longer for hospitals to have their systems in place to attest for Meaningful Use.  The enrollees in the REC centers are doing remarkably well with a majority attesting.  The new ARCH-IT association also plans to work on the hardware end of things for providers but some of that today is kind of taking care of itself as products are getting cheaper.  Right  now it’s a mixed bag with some offering hardware discounts where other RECs do not and the<img align="right" alt="colbertrape" border="0" height="116" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-FwZP_sWLffM/UInNjWeWvAI/AAAAAAAA_PM/HPB9dFmj_p8/colbertrape%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="colbertrape" width="149" /> same applies to the software as well depending on the size of the REC and their ability to negotiate volume pricing.  Hopefully Congress will get their digital literacy together at some point in time and see the value in all of the incentives and sources here and not cut any funds as the GOP had some what suggested, but that’s what you get from folks stuck in the 70s that can’t stop talking about abortions, rape and women’s health.  BD <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/10/senate-gop-members-call-for-meeting.html">Senate GOP Members Call for a Meeting with HHS To Explain Meaningful Use and Incentives Given to Doctors and Hospitals for Electronic Medical Records–Due Time for Congressional Digital Literacy to Expand</a></h5> <hr /> The newly formed Association of Regional Centers of Health Information Technology (ARCH-IT) plans to represent and provide technical assistance to the 62 federally funded regional extension centers (RECs). ARCH-IT also intends to encourage Congress to provide additional money to the RECs after their funding runs out in 2013, ARCH-IT president Jonathan Fuchs said in an interview with InformationWeek Healthcare. In ARCH-IT's first month of existence, he said, the association has signed up about a fifth of the RECs, including centers in Arkansas, California, Florida, Nebraska, and Texas. ARCH-IT has also hired an executive director, David M. Bergman. <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/healthcare/interoperability/health-it-support-centers-get-their-own/240003217">http://www.informationweek.com/healthcare/interoperability/health-it-support-centers-get-their-own/240003217</a>

Health IT REC Centers Association ARCH-IT Working to Convince Congress to Provide Additional Money to the REC Centers After Initial Funding Ends in 2013

So far quite a few of the REC centers have signed up and become members. The Association has an executive director as well. After 2013 th...

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Verizon Makes Equity Investment in NantHealth, a Subsidiary of NantWorks Owned by Los Angeles Billionaire Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong

The undisclosed dollar amount investment from Verizon is to help develop a secure fiber-optic cloud based infrastructure for multi-media <img align="right" height="99" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ZkizptmZzsk/UG0ZnViDYGI/AAAAAAAA-cY/t5FhRz5hWWc/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="158" />healthcare information, in other words secure information to and from mobile devices.  The hope here is to stream x-rays and cat scan results to mobile devices.  Just a couple weeks ago Dr. Soon-Shiong who made his $7 billion in wealth from the pharmaceutical companies he sold it was announced that his companies were also working with Blue Shield with using technology for genomic research where patients at risk will be monitored where ever they are…jury still out on that one as a model to where it works with the patient to not be intrusive or over done will certainly be needed as we can’t overwhelm consumers/patients with too much as otherwise nothing gets used.  BD <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/10/los-angeles-wealthiest-man-dr-patrick.html"> Los Angeles's Wealthiest Man. Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, Announced ACO to Partner With Blue Shield and St. Johns Health Center Using Technology and Genomic Research - Gene Screens</a> <hr /> NantHealth, a subsidiary of <a href="http://mobihealthnews.com/13083/soon-shiongs-big-rollup-gets-a-name-nantworks/">Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong’s NantWorks</a>, <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="61" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-t3c1Z2etgCA/UIm8On3_SdI/AAAAAAAA_N8/n47FzacQsuI/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="75" />has received an unspecified equity investment from Verizon Communications, through the telecom’s Verizon Investment arm. Verizon will help NantHealth develop a secure fiber-optic, cloud-based data infrastructure to deliver multimedia healthcare information to mobile devices, according to the companies. Verizon and NantWorks already <a href="http://mobihealthnews.com/17058/nantworks-verizon-to-mobile-enable-cancer-treatment-protocols/">collaborate on the Cancer Knowledge Action Network</a>, which provides clinicians with mobile access to cancer treatment protocols, and a supercomputing platform that reportedly can <a href="http://www.eweek.com/networking/nanthealth-introduces-supercomputer-for-cancer-genome-analysis/">analyze a cancer patient’s genomic data</a> in less than a minute. <a href="http://mobihealthnews.com/18811/verizon-invests-in-nanthealth-to-deliver-mobile-clinical-data/">http://mobihealthnews.com/18811/verizon-invests-in-nanthealth-to-deliver-mobile-clinical-data/</a>

Verizon Makes Equity Investment in NantHealth, a Subsidiary of NantWorks Owned by Los Angeles Billionaire Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong

The undisclosed dollar amount investment from Verizon is to help develop a secure fiber-optic cloud based infrastructure for multi-media hea...

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Charles Barkley Advertising for Weight Watchers–Do It Like Man–16 Dicks Named During Roll Call- Humor

Charles Barkley Advertising for Weight Watchers–Do It Like Man–16 Dicks Named During Roll Call- Humor

This is hilarious! Who else could pull this off but Sir Charles. This goes back to what Dr. Oz said about losing weight that you can g...

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Nurse Makes Error and Injects Elderly Patient With Lethal Dose of Coffee and Milk And Says Anyone Could Get Confused

This did not happen in the US but we have our share but the story <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="86" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-8uJZqS0gI_k/UIjqDsUB5QI/AAAAAAAA_M0/gaFTFmqmEmI/image%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="91" />is strange and sad.  It was her third day on the job and she said the feed and blood drips were next to each other, so anyone could get confused she said?  She injected the coffee and the patient drowned and died.  The nurse has been indicted for manslaughter.  This story is even stranger in the fact that the patient’s daughter watched it all, so this says a lot for being involved in your own healthcare and that of your family and loved ones.  The nurse said she was not trained to do this procedure and there are a couple other nurses who are also up for involuntary manslaughter, but may not be the same case at the hospital.  BD <hr /> Rejane Moreira Telles said that she had just three days of work experience in a Rio de Janeiro clinic when she botched up administering a drip to Palmerina Pires Ribeiro, who died hours after she had coffee mixed with milk injected straight into her body. The 23-year-old appeared on Brazilian TV Globo's Fantastico where she told reporters that she was aware of the risk of administering an intravenous feed. However, the novice nurse added that "anyone can get confused." "As they [the feed and blood drips] were next to each other, anyone can get confused. I injected the coffee and I put it in the wrong place," Telles told the TV station. <a href="http://www.medicaldaily.com/articles/12844/20121023/nurse-who-injected-elderly-patient-lethal-dose.htm" title="http://www.medicaldaily.com/articles/12844/20121023/nurse-who-injected-elderly-patient-lethal-dose.htm">http://www.medicaldaily.com/articles/12844/20121023/nurse-who-injected-elderly-patient-lethal-dose.htm</a>

Nurse Makes Error and Injects Elderly Patient With Lethal Dose of Coffee and Milk And Says Anyone Could Get Confused

This did not happen in the US but we have our share but the story is strange and sad. It was her third day on the job and she said the feed...

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Private Hospitals in India Bill for Fake Surgeries to Claim Insurance Coverage–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Hits Outside the US Chapter 47 of the Series

So what is the role played by third parties in India?  Is is like what <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="114" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WaUd506sJ5Q/UIg047J7TCI/AAAAAAAA_Ls/r4KkNm9uy7Q/image%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="126" />occurs in the US?  Again as I mentioned part of the “sell” of the consultants is that they will save money and increase revenues…Killer Algorithms in the software perhaps once again.  If you read earlier today we have the US government doing a survey on this topic but if they had a querying solution such as IBM Watson on the job, it could be done easier and much faster.  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/10/office-of-inspector-general-publishes.html">Office of Inspector General Publishes Survey To Help Study Fraud With EHR Technologies, Namely Medical Records/Billing Software Used by Hospitals– HHS And SEC Continue Getting Their Non-Algorithmic Fannies Kicked–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 46</a> </h4> If you have not seen the series here’s a compilation of links that show how the attacks occur in every day life with automation processes and how the use of flawed data is on the rise as predictive analytics have their limits and it’s the integrity of the data queried…sometimes this occurs just for the sake of making money, i.e. “hey dude lets write some queries and algorithms, spin it with marketing and get rich”…BD <h4> </h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/attack-of-killer-algorithmsdigest-links.html">Attack of the Killer Algorithms–Digest & Links for All Chapters–on How Math and Crafty Formulas Today Running on Servers 24/7 Make Life Impacting Decisions About You</a> <hr /></h4> NEW DELHI: Nazia is 10 years old. But, according to a claim filed by Chhattisgarh-based Shaheed Hospital with the <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/Rashtriya-Swasthya-Bima-Yojna">Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna</a> (RSBY), she has delivered a baby after a caesarean operation. Mukul (name changed) is only 7. But Agarwal Hospital, Raipur, has made a claim for removing cataract from his eyes. A large number of similar implausible claims, being made by <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/private-hospitals">private hospitals</a> enrolled to treat poor patients under the <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/RSBY">RSBY</a> scheme, have prompted the finance ministry to advise public sector insurers to exercise greater vigilance. The hugely popular RSBY is the country's largest health <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/topic/insurance">insurance</a> scheme covering 32.4 million poor families. About 7,000 private hospitals like Shaheed Hospital are enlisted to help treat poor patients and are reimbursed by the scheme. Several private hospitals and nursing homes in Bihar and Chhattisgarh, among other states, have been reportedly performing unnecessary or fictitious surgeries to claim up to 30,000 in insurance cover available to each RSBY cardholding family. The government has de-empanelled 260 hospitals found to be indulging in similar malpractices, according to the labour ministry. <a href="http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/private-hospitals-perform-fake-surgeries-to-claim-thousands-in-insurance-cover/articleshow/16934229.cms">http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/private-hospitals-perform-fake-surgeries-to-claim-thousands-in-insurance-cover/articleshow/16934229.cms</a>

Private Hospitals in India Bill for Fake Surgeries to Claim Insurance Coverage–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Hits Outside the US Chapter 47 of the Series

So what is the role played by third parties in India? Is is like what occurs in the US? Again as I mentioned part of the “sell” of the con...

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Office of Inspector General Publishes Survey To Help Study Fraud With EHR Technologies, Namely Medical Records/Billing Software Used by Hospitals– HHS And SEC Continue Getting Their Non-Algorithmic Fannies Kicked–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 46

This was provided by another web site, <a href="http://histalk2.com/">Histalk,</a> which specifically focuses on healthcare technologies and nice they posted a copy so we can all see what’s being asked.  If you read here often enough then you know I have groves of posts about the government getting t<img align="right" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTmQCQK-KLTS53DO5NRDgnVJnvbZij8gQTou-YVM2Dy6Lg6HSWrtQ" style="display: inline; float: right" />heir fannies kicked with technologies, be it healthcare or the financial markets as they all intertwine anyway when it comes to shareholders and stock.  They all play in the same arena and thus I match the two when they relate. My series of posts called “The Attack of the Killer Algorithms” does just that and the purpose is to educate an “Algo Duped” society on how this really works, there’s no magic, just code and programmers with technologies that run on servers 24/7 making life impacting decisions about all of us.  It’s been going on for years with code outsmarting the average consumer and it’s time to talk about it. <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/attack-of-killer-algorithmsdigest-links.html">Attack of the Killer Algorithms–Digest & Links for All Chapters–on How Math and Crafty Formulas Today Running on Servers 24/7 Make Life Impacting Decisions About You</a> </h4> <a href="http://www.scribd.com/doc/110984819/OIG-Survey" style="margin: 12px auto 6px; display: block; font: 14px helvetica,arial,sans-serif; text-decoration: underline; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; -x-system-font: none" title="View OIG Survey on Scribd">OIG Survey</a> <iframe id="doc_36721" class="scribd_iframe_embed" height="600" src="http://www.scribd.com/embeds/110984819/content?start_page=1&view_mode=scroll&access_key=key-2emwgcjwq3fzeo7l101v" frameborder="0" width="100%" scrolling="no" data-auto-height="true" data-aspect-ratio="data-aspect-ratio"></iframe> This is good to read through here an see what questions are being asked and you would maybe think that some of it has been pretty well covered in the news but then again who knows what the algorithms show:)  We have those in Congress that can’t seem to keep their head out of the old default topic of abortions which does nothing more than to distract from the “real' items at hand and makes for great media coverage.  I call it the “default” topic of the digitally illiterate as it always gets attention and stirs up emotions right and left but this year when it comes to voting, leave those emotions outside the door and make some intelligent decisions based on knowledge, not nonsense of emotional skirmishes that haunt us right and left in the news. This letter without substantiation that was sent to Hospital Trade Associations in September was very political and<img align="right" height="137" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-RWnVRRxyy-k/UGN1LxrKj2I/AAAAAAAA-IE/v6-pkvUYR9k/image%25255B5%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="159" /> even the DOJ got sucked in here without having some facts and examples and there were several others on the web that felt the same way.  Again it’s a case of digital illiteracy and Algo Duping setting in.  You can’t hardly have executives in key positions today without some IT in their background as otherwise you see stuff like this and all the technologists in the world read and shake their heads in disbelief.  This is not like the old days of the old proverbial “witch hunts” and it’s much more technical but folks still go looking for those old witches, whether they are real or fiction.  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/09/hhs-and-doj-send-letters-to-hospital.html">HHS and DOJ Send Letters to Hospital Trade Associations Warning of Gaming Billing System Via Use of Electronic Medical Records–Hospitals Just Learned How to Bill Better & Hired Consultants–Case of Being Algo Duped With Numbers?</a></h4> Again I am not being disrespectful here at all, just logical and we could use some folks in key positions in government that use logic instead of emotional entanglement and sucking up to the Algo Duping of the lobbyists for the most part.  I said this a while back about the software being sold and you do have to acknowledge that part of the sales pitch here is that the software “will save you money” so what hospital is not going to take a look when that statement is made. <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/10/bad-algorithms-in-healthcare-payment.html">Bad Algorithms in Healthcare Payment Systems and Risk Assessments–Did the Hospital Bill Fraudulently or Were They Sold Formulas That Did Not Conform</a> </h4> Further evidence of Algo Duping exists with this <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/02/heritage-providers-continues-to-promote.html">$3 million dollar challenge</a> to find an “algorithm” to predict what patients will be re-admitted.  Our former HHS director was sucked right in here with supporting this one.  Granted there may be some additional information that may come from some of the queries being run but the magical algorithm to have an absolute answer is just not there…algo duping once more.<img align="right" height="108" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-etqalgC9qeA/UE2LMCXAoRI/AAAAAAAA9mw/14rZ4SnSXqY/image%25255B16%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="191" />  I do put positive efforts out there as well like this one, learning to use the queries and software to detect obvious patterns will help but again realize that private industry has had it all over HHS and the SEC for years and years, the reality.  How do you think United short paid doctors and hospitals for 15 years on out of network patient care…algorithms of course and they have quants that create their business models too as do all insurers.  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/07/hhs-office-of-inspector-general.html">HHS Office of Inspector General Learning Their Way Around Business Intelligence Algorithms to Detect and Find Fraud With An Analytics Approach</a> </h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/04/healthcare-billing-fraudoffice-of.html">Healthcare Billing Fraud–Office of the Inspector General HHS-OIG Is Finding “Organized Crime” With Some Criminals Armed With Guns and More….</a></h4> <h4> <img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MdcQ51oZRKs/UDz9pcW4fBI/AAAAAAAA9PM/5H-RdgxYtf8/image%25255B11%25255D.png?imgmax=800" /> </h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-rise-and-need-for-human-computer.html">The Rise (And Need) for Human – Computer Cooperation- A Good Thing and a Challenge for a Society, Governments and Companies That Have Been “Algo Duped” for Way Too Long (Video)</a></h4> You kind of wonder when you look at the survey that if a query process on steroids such as IBM Watson was used if they would have a lot of this information upfront and save a lot of survey time?  <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/03/ibm-watson-going-to-work-at-citigroup.html">I think lawmakers should use such a system to create laws…</a>would beat the heck out of what we see out there today and politicians might even learn to collaborate and get along better if they all have the same starting place with the same numbers.  Sometimes we are doing nothing but shifting money around and for what?  I’m not talking about the obvious fraud cases but rather these audits that recoup less than a million and cost 2 or 3 million to do.  Is this wise?  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/08/medicare-re-admissions.html">Medicare Re-Admissions Penalties–Algorithms Keep Money Shifting and Make It Difficult for Realistic Budgets to be Met Along With Good Patient Care–Algos Keep the Money Moving In One Direction or Another</a> </h4> If you have not watched this video yet, do it.  I have been plastering it all over the place so you can see how some of the fiction is created with algorithms for profit that produce “desired” results that <img align="right" height="155" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TJO7IY8lGrI/AAAAAAAAhcM/b43YZFUHoS4/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="122" />do not always have any audits for checks for “accuracy”.  The algorithms are what has and continues to move the money with the middle class becoming nothing but data chasers and judged with “flawed data” which occurs when you combine credible with non credible data.  There’s a lot to be said for “predictive analytics” but if you are not matching and querying relative information that is in fact not flawed, then you end up with junk and a lot of that gets out there and society is further “Algo Duped” with a little “spun” marketing. <iframe style="width: 442px; height: 247px" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ed2FWNWwE3I" frameborder="0" width="560" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> Remember the day that Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert hosted the event about bringing sanity back in 2010?  Well this is big part of what that was all about.  When the Madoff case broke 3 years ago I made a post about the US needing a Department of Algorithms, or something along that line so again there are people besides myself who see the Algo Duping rage. <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/jon-stewart-and-robert-colbert-to.html">Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert: 'Rally To Restore Sanity'–(And Maybe Help Stamp Out Some Magpie Healthcare too) On Their October 30th March on Washington</a></h4> So let’s see what this survey may offer, that with mining some public information that has been discussed in great length might offer some insight and wake some folks up I hope.  Recently this too was in the news about lawmakers wanting to put a halt and redesign the incentives for medical records…duh?  To this I say “the short order code kitchen burned down a few years ago”…in other words to unwrap and change this successful effort would take a ton of development time to revise and why…it’s working!  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/10/digital-illiterate-algo-duped-gop.html">Digital Illiterate “Algo Duped” GOP Lawmakers Call for Suspending of Incentive Payments to Providers–Also Sent Letter to HHS Telling Them To Expect More From Meaningful Users–Walk A Mile in a Healthcare CIO’s Shoes Please…</a> <img src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kBA-dLfLLGU/UIepz3XA3GI/AAAAAAAA_Kk/8WllR3a7ChM/image%25255B7%25255D.png?imgmax=800" /> </h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/08/complexities-in-data-systems-growing.html">Complexities in Data Systems Growing Beyond Control –“Algo Duping” Society Combined With A World of Rogue Algorithms & Flawed Data Continues In Markets As Seen With Knight Capital This Week-Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 36</a></h4> <h4> </h4> So enough of this rant about information and getting <img align="right" height="146" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TJcGnalIlcI/AAAAAAAAhe8/0Paat1zfY1E/image%5B7%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="122" />educated on algorithms and will leave all with a book to read and I have mentioned it time and time again here at the Medical Quack, but it hits the absolute roots of what we are dealing with…written by a mathematician and journalist.  This DOES exist “The Dark Arts of Mathematical Deception” and if you watch the video above you hear all about it from the Quants that create it, a rare time when they speak out about the reality of what they do, more often than what you realize today.  We sure do have a ton of duplicated efforts today and better information technologies to gather information are available to all but why are they not used outside of the financial markets that have it dialed in to the tee as they make money doing it?  Who’s assessing “risk” of the government agencies making life and money impacting decisions?  BD <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/proofinessthe-dark-side-of-mathematical.html">“Proofiness–The Dark Side of Mathematical Deception”–Created by Those Algorithms</a></h4>

Office of Inspector General Publishes Survey To Help Study Fraud With EHR Technologies, Namely Medical Records/Billing Software Used by Hospitals– HHS And SEC Continue Getting Their Non-Algorithmic Fannies Kicked–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 46

This was provided by another web site, Histalk, which specifically focuses on healthcare technologies and nice they posted a copy so we can...

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Are You a Physician Looking for a Medical Records System? Try EHRScope/Consultant, A Free Resource For Physicians To Get Started And Dragon Naturally Speaking for Your EHR

EHRScope/Consultant is a sponsor at the Medical Quack and has some valuable <a href="http://www.emrconsultant.com/"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="58" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-NgfzeQE5w1M/UIecBzgNKZI/AAAAAAAA_IM/f2o2Ui0vYdU/image%25255B22%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="129" /></a>resources to get you started with looking for an EHR/EMR.  The service is free so what do you have to lose.  You can always find the links to the websites on the left hand side of this page. EHRScope/Consultant has a short questionnaire with a few questions<img align="right" border="0" height="48" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Sn1xbA4KIog/UIcjJUIR8SI/AAAAAAAA_Gc/jJB329zP06k/LookingEMR_Annimated%25255B4%25255D.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" width="131" /> so the panel of experts can go through what seems like droves of vendors to identify suitable matches for you to consider based on the information you provide.  This certainly beats having to do all the research work yourself from scratch as the choices today are many. Are you in the market for <a href="http://www.emrconsultant.com/medical-billing/">billing and revenue cycle management?</a>  EHRScope/Consultant can help you out there as well.    <a href="http://www.ehrscope.com/"><img height="127" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-qetDP_m11q8/UIcjLptbGTI/AAAAAAAA_G0/5Bi4bfEsJ64/EHRScope%25255B17%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="153" /></a>  <a href="http://www.emrconsultant.com/medical-billing/"><img height="128" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-MLnpRbvhFjI/UIcjKa1rwoI/AAAAAAAA_Gs/5QpDvTQQLwA/Revenuecyle%25255B5%25255D.png?imgmax=800" width="137" /></a>     Be sure to also check out <a href="http://www.ehrtv.com/">EHRTv</a> where you can see interviews with CEOs and other executives with many of the medical record and HIE vendors.  Based on conventions and conferences attended, videos are updated as they are created.  <img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-KAVGbnZLimc/UIcjHoSe8WI/AAAAAAAA_GE/gwMKn_PEMfA/EHRVideoAnalytics%25255B7%25255D.png?imgmax=800" /> Last but not least be sure to check out Dragon Naturally Speaking.  At <a href="http://www.speechrecognition.com/">SpeechRecognition.com</a> you can easily locate a distributor in your area where you can purchase Dragon Medical, Dragon Legal and of course the standard Dragon Speech Recognition software.  You can always find the links to Dragon Naturally Speaking here at the Medical Quack.  From the website ”Let us assist you in finding a Speech Recognition Expert to help you become more productive, while saving time in your professional life. As physicians, attorneys, and business professionals, you will benefit greatly from the knowledge and experience of our Value Added Resellers, as you implement this mission critical technology.”   <a href="http://www.speechrecognition.com/"><img align="left" alt="image" border="0" height="188" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-V7oOzLf8CsY/UIecCRbxuAI/AAAAAAAA_IU/4OWqH2UfpWU/image%25255B24%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="461" /></a> Sponsors are what helps keep blogs in existence so when in the market for an EHR/EMR be sure to check out their resources and any time the resources are available to help you find a Dragon Naturally Speaking VAR who can help you out with speech recognition software.  Again, you can always find the links on the left hand side of the Medical Quack to get you there!

Are You a Physician Looking for a Medical Records System? Try EHRScope/Consultant, A Free Resource For Physicians To Get Started And Dragon Naturally Speaking for Your EHR

EHRScope/Consultant is a sponsor at the Medical Quack and h...

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Digital Illiteracy and Algo Duping Alive and Well in Italy With Scientists Convicted of Manslaughter for Failure to Predict and Warn of An Earthquake…

And you thought it was all here in the United States Congress…well if you read here often enough then you know I harp on that one for sure as it’s true but in this case, Italy takes the cake. I talk about people being “Algo Duped” and obviously the folks who levied the verdict here <img align="right" height="147" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Tb3In3KU2vI/AAAAAAAAwPQ/k4-f5id3unk/image_thumb%5B6%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="171" />are right in there, as we seem to have this big fantasy that algorithms and computers can do it all.  The one that comes to mind here in the US is the Heritage $3 million dollar carrot for an algorithm that will be the cure for hospital re-admissions.  Former HHS Director Leavitt supports that one and again you have to scratch your head and realize where the limitations are.  If you have ever written code then you understand this and you scratch your head watching the Algo Duped society sucking everything in.  There no magic but rather it’s intelligence.  If you look at the Heritage site, it’s look like nothing but gamers hang out there, even with score cards.  No wonder everyone is so “duped” today, and this from Italy is the grand daddy of them all.  I guess Zeus still lives other there in Greece too? <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/02/heritage-providers-continues-to-promote.html">Heritage Providers Continues to Promote $3 Million Dollar Prize to Create An Algorithm To Predict and Prevent Hospitalizations</a> </h4> Remember the Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert show in DC about restoring sanity…well they were ahead of their time…maybe…<grin>.  <img align="right" height="63" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TJcGp1oHKzI/AAAAAAAAhfM/jyY8xKNrAKY/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="159" />I do walk around southern California myself and scratch my head at what people believe in some of this and what gets in the media as gosh knows this blog is where I dispute the silliness and talk about the digital illiterates, no matter who you are and Aesop's Fables won’t be found here.  I live in Southern California and it is home to a ton of earthquakes among other things and even we couldn’t pull of something like this if we wanted to! <embed src="http://cnettv.cnet.com/av/video/cbsnews/atlantis2/cbsnews_player_embed.swf" scale="noscale" salign="lt" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" background="#333333" width="425" height="279" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" FlashVars="si=254&&contentValue=50133654&shareUrl=http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50133654n" /></embed> <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="132" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kBA-dLfLLGU/UIepz3XA3GI/AAAAAAAA_Kk/8WllR3a7ChM/image%25255B7%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="435" />The scientists will be appealing, as they should.  The damage was horrible of course and I’m not discounting that at all, been there and seen that in California.  I have said we have no clue on how to assign risk and this just flat out proves it.  As close as I have seen here for a comparison is the nonsense that FCIO sells with their data to combine a credit report with what ever they pull of the web…non credible data.  When credible gets combined with non credible you get incredibly flawed data, data duped societies and more.  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/06/fico-analytics-press-release-marketing.html">FICO Analytics Press Release Marketing Credit Scoring Algorithms to Predict Medication Adherence–Update (Opinion)</a></h4> If the FICO fictitious behavioral analytics are not enough for you, then check out the Attack of the Killer Algorithm series for more and <img align="right" height="141" src="https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTP-zUA4tZVO54TPmW9q6Ly32-6MtB-XVQUAl8yp13L8PFP8e_I" style="display: inline; float: right" width="180" />watch the video included that shows how Wall Street and the banks use physicists to create partly fictitious business models, and you wonder what’s wrong with the economy…well when based on fiction and the array of dollars can’t be systematically queried against the arrays of data…Houston we have a problem.  Just scroll down to the left hand side of this blog and there’s a couple videos and other information on the Attack of the Killer Algorithms and Algo Duping as it lives today.  BD <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/attack-of-killer-algorithmsdigest-links.html">Attack of the Killer Algorithms–Digest & Links for All Chapters–on How Math and Crafty Formulas Today Running on Servers 24/7 Make Life Impacting Decisions About You</a> <hr /></h4> <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50133654n">http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=50133654n</a>

Digital Illiteracy and Algo Duping Alive and Well in Italy With Scientists Convicted of Manslaughter for Failure to Predict and Warn of An Earthquake…

And you thought it was all here in the United States Congress…well if you read here often enough then you know I harp on that one for sure a...

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

The Simulated Patient at the Cleveland Clinic Comes Alive, Well Sort Of…

We have read about these before but now we have a video <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="107" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/--efaIo9qXHE/UIef45YmUZI/AAAAAAAA_Jc/UlPAHqGTIwA/image%25255B5%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="119" />that shows how the simulated patient works.  There are some strange sounds made by this patient:)  It moans and groans and makes some other interesting noises.  No real mess to clean up as it uses food colored water for blood and pees out Mountain Dew.  The patient is all controlled by a computer and the teacher who makes the patient jump and jive.  I guess the computer could kill the patient too..oh that’s too morbid.  It has a pulse and you can watch this group working on the patient as if it was an emergency room situation.  This patient gets a real good dose of CPR.  The patient even has a real “Mom” that comes in for a progress report so everything seems to be covered.  BD  <object align="middle" data="http://www.newsnet5.com/video_player/swf/EndPlayVideoPlayer_v1_3_FP10_2.swf?v=073012_0" height="272" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.newsnet5.com/video_player/swf/EndPlayVideoPlayer_v1_3_FP10_2.swf?v=073012_0"><param name="quality" value="high"><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true"><param name="allownetworking" value="all"><param name="wmode" value="opaque"><param name="flashvars" value="src=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia2.newsnet5.com%2Fvideo%2Fcriticalmedia%2F2012%2F05%2F10%2FChild_medical_robotf88d3de8-0103-4f3a-9023-d6450cb3a6d6.mp4&plugin_vast=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newsnet5.com%2Fvideo_player%2Fswf%2Fplugins%2FPluginEPAdIMA_v1_3_FP10_2.swf&vast_ads=true&vast_preRoll=http%3A%2F%2Fad.doubleclick.net%2Fpfadx%2Fssp.wews%2Fnews%2Fhealth%2Fdetail%3Bdcmt%3Dtext%2Fxml%3Bsz%3D1x1000%3Bpos%3Dnative%3Bloc%3D%25loc%25%3Btile%3D3%3Bfname%3Ddoctors-at-cleveland-clinic-are-practicing-up-to-date-high-tech-training-with-simulated-patients%3Bord%3D270020111716049900%3Frand%3D%25rand%25&vast_postRoll=http%3A%2F%2Fad.doubleclick.net%2Fpfadx%2Fssp.wews%2Fnews%2Fhealth%2Fdetail%3Bdcmt%3Dtext%2Fxml%3Bsz%3D3x1000%3Bpos%3Dnative%3Bloc%3D%25loc%25%3Btile%3D3%3Bfname%3Ddoctors-at-cleveland-clinic-are-practicing-up-to-date-high-tech-training-with-simulated-patients%3Bord%3D270020111716049900%3Frand%3D%25rand%25&vast_overlay=http%3A%2F%2Fad.doubleclick.net%2Fpfadx%2Fssp.wews%2Fnews%2Fhealth%2Fdetail%3Bdcmt%3Dtext%2Fxml%3Bsz%3D320x40%3Bpos%3Dnative%3Bloc%3D%25loc%25%3Btile%3D3%3Bfname%3Ddoctors-at-cleveland-clinic-are-practicing-up-to-date-high-tech-training-with-simulated-patients%3Bord%3D270020111716049900%3Frand%3D%25rand%25&plugin_omniture=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newsnet5.com%2Fvideo_player%2Fswf%2Fplugins%2FPluginEndPlayOmniture_v1_3_FP10_2.swf&omniture_vidSegment=M&omniture_vidContent=video&omniture_debugTracking=false&omniture_account=ewstvnewsnet5&omniture_visitorNamespace=ewstv&omniture_trackingServer=ewstv.112.2o7.net&omniture_trackingServerSecure=ewstv.102.122.2o7.net&omniture_vidID=0&omniture_id=video_player1&epD=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia.wcpo.com%2F&showMenu=true&shareUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newsnet5.com%2Fdpp%2Fnews%2Fhealth%2Fdoctors-at-cleveland-clinic-are-practicing-up-to-date-high-tech-training-with-simulated-patients&shareTitle=Doctors%20at%20Cleveland%20Clinic%20are%20practicing%20up-to-date%2C%20high-tech%20training%20with%20simulated%20patients&poster=http%3A%2F%2Fmedia2.newsnet5.com%2F%2Fphoto%2F2012%2F05%2F10%2FChild_medical_robotf88d3de8-0103-4f3a-9023-d6450cb3a6d60001_20120510195016_640_480.JPG&embed=true&toggleVideoCode=3&emailAction=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.newsnet5.com%2Femailaction&vW=320&vH=240&cntrlH=32"></object> <hr />CLEVELAND - Everyone expects the best of care when they are in the hospital. One way local doctors are perfecting patient care is through fake or simulated patients. These simulated patients are controlled by a computer. The goal is to teach doctors, nurses and residents everything they need to know to help anyone in a serious medical situation. They use this program to train the staff whether they are in the hospital or in the operating room. For example, " SimMan" or " SimBaby" can talk, wheeze, cry and even “bleed.” A computer controlled by a nurse makes "Sim-patient’s" condition, speech and vital signs go into action. This particular scenario with the young boy also included some surprises to catch the nurses and doctors off guard. But that's the whole idea. Even a surprise or two to make his condition a little harder to deal with didn't stop them from working fast. The action was still moving to the "SimBoy" alive. The software that's included for practicing techniques is inserting IVs, giving a shot, and all it takes is students clicking and dragging a mouse to select the equipment (tourniquet, gloves, dressing) and procedures (washing hands, turning the arm this way or that). Then, they get a grade on how well they did from the computer. They also get feedback on if they made the right choices in the right order with the "Sim-patient." <a href="http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/health/doctors-at-cleveland-clinic-are-practicing-up-to-date-high-tech-training-with-simulated-patients">http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/health/doctors-at-cleveland-clinic-are-practicing-up-to-date-high-tech-training-with-simulated-patients</a>

The Simulated Patient at the Cleveland Clinic Comes Alive, Well Sort Of…

We have read about these before but now we have a video that shows how the simulated patient works. There are some strange sounds made by t...

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

11 Year Old California Student Ordered to Transfer From His Current School Because of His Genetic Makeup–Carries Mutation for Cystic Fibrosis–Where’s GINA?

This is somewhat shocking at GINA is supposed to protect <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="147" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-mT0RhbzuEfM/UITPEESN3QI/AAAAAAAA_E0/tIe7xM_vd_k/image%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="159" />people based on their genetic background and this is the result of the parents disclosing that he has the mutation.  They have all his medical records and doctors have confirmed he does not have the disease.  The kicker here too is that there are children in the school who do have it.  It is not contagious and the ruling here has to do with limiting the number of people who do have it as there’s a risk if two or more people who have the disease creates a risk.  The child has had the sweat test and the school did not look at one medical record. <h4></h4> Now what exactly is the “zero risk” and what is the risk if he were to stay?  Do we start pulling seniority on who was there first?  The parents didn’t even have to disclose this at all but they did, doing the right thing to keep everyone informed and they are now filing a lawsuit.  The big question, what is the risk and is it really a risk I think that needs to be answered.  Here we worried about employers and this seems to be an issue in the schools, an unintended consequence and this certainly sets a stage for parent maybe not wanting to disclose such information in the future?  BD <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/11/gina-law-prohibits-employers-from-using.html"> GINA Law Prohibits Employers from Using Genetic Information But Wellness Programs With Financial Incentives Are OK For Access?</a> <hr /> Colman Chadam, an 11-year-old California boy, has been ordered to transfer from his current school to another one miles away because of his genetic makeup. Now, his parents are taking the issue to court. Colman carries the genetic mutations for cystic fibrosis, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/ref/health/healthguide/esn-cystic-fibrosis-know.html">a noncontagious but incurable and life-threatening disease</a>. Despite the gene's presence, the Jordan Middle School student in Palo Alto doesn't actually have the disease and doesn't exhibit the typical symptoms of thick mucus that can clog and infect the lungs. <a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001167/">Cystic fibrosis</a> is inherited from both parents and while not contagious, can pose a threat if two people with the disease are in close contact. In an effort to protect other students at the school who do have the disease, officials declared that Colman would have to transfer out to prevent cross contamination. Colman's parents argue that their son's doctor has confirmed that the boy doesn't have the disease, and therefore isn't a risk to other students. They disclosed his condition on a medical form for the school at the beginning of the year as a precautionary measure, but never expected their son to be barred from the school, as his genetic makeup had not been an issue in the past at other schools with students who have cystic fibrosis. <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/18/colman-chadam-california-_n_1981741.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/18/colman-chadam-california-_n_1981741.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003</a>

11 Year Old California Student Ordered to Transfer From His Current School Because of His Genetic Makeup–Carries Mutation for Cystic Fibrosis–Where’s GINA?

This is somewhat shocking at GINA is supposed to protect people based on their genetic background and this is the result of the parents disc...

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Intuit Forces Engineers Into A Room Until They “Get It Right”–“The Short Order Code Kitchen Burned Down a Few Years Ago” –Time To “Start Eating Some Of Your Own Dog Food” And Trash the “Expert” Paradigm

Well Intuit is trying to do something here and we shall see whether or not it works but the entire issue here today whether it is financial or healthcare or other software, it’s getting way too complex.  <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="78" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-JKBiDGUuFGM/UIRklW1fjoI/AAAAAAAA_Dw/Sy0qYYnlbGw/image%25255B3%25255D.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="124" />Eating your own dog food is something Microsoft has professed for years and it’s a very good thing.  You can’t just create software and parameters that “Are for those guys over there”.  A couple years ago I wrote about that too and it’s a big issue.  How many times did I see videos with Aneesh Chopra telling everyone to innovate and “get rich”.  Sure everyone wants to make money but create “useful” and consumer friendly software.  So many developers when it comes to consumer software don’t use their own stuff, they are motivated  to  follow the “get rich” side of the story.  Of course when it comes to business software consumers “can’t” use all the software meant for business but they can use some of it.  Back in 2009 big announcement about Quicken Health Bill Pay going to partner with Allscripts, now how many consumers got excited over that?  Sure we have the peanut gallery of the web, which I try not to be a part of that will tell you how great every new innovation is and that you should use it, but most of those folks have never touched the software.  These are pseudo experts that like to tell you how all the innovation will help you, but yet fail to partake themselves.    <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/10/allscripts-partnering-with-quicken.html">Allscripts Partnering With Quicken Health Bill Pay to Integrate for Timely Patient Payments</a></h4> I’m not picking on the two companies by any means but am more or less a realist here…as insurers such as Cigna and United made the same announcements and is anyone more excited over Quicken Bill Pay yet?  Maybe a few but not a lot.  Back in 2010 I had a discussion with one of the Quicken reps and told them the same thing from the start…they did their own study and came out with the same results I predicted.  Consumers are way overwhelmed with software offerings and again when to listen to the internet peanut gallery, they tell you that you should be using all of them as that’s what they do best, rave and talk about the latest software that is out there, and again most don’t use it themselves but they have given themselves this “expert” status.  If I have done any of that in writing this blog, my apologies as I try not to and do take take and test out some of what I feel might be good. <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/04/intuit-does-study-that-reveals-most.html">Intuit Does a Study That Reveals Most American Do Not Understand Medical Bills and and EOBs – Not Big News Here</a></h4> This goes back to having “hands on” experience and I’ll go back to when I wrote my EMR several years ago.  I learned as a developer that I made a new module and was so excited and couldn’t wait for the doctors to try it out, some worked and some didn’t.  What hands on brought about though is the fact that I learned a long time ago that we are all different and I may have seen the new features or modules as designed as being simple and easy to use but put it in the hands of the doctors who were using the software I wrote and practicing medicine at the same time…well a different story.  Just because the software did what I said it could do wasn’t the complete answer.  My interface could have been clunky or too many clicks so this is where collaboration is really important.  As a consumer you want your doctor to try a service or some software that you see valuable to you, but how much of the doctor’s time does it take and can he/she work it in?  Is it too focused in one area to apply for use in the masses?  I have seen a lot of that out there for sure and some is good, but do keep that in mind when you are the “magpie expert” here and have not used or tried the software portion from the consumer side.  So with this article Intuit is trying to find out what is and is not working here for them and yes every developer whether in a real life or simulation mode should use it so we can get away from “it’s for those guys over there”.  When I came out with my first post on Intuit Health I’m sure that guy hated me until they did their own study but again wisdom you have from writing software and having experienced some of these pitfalls myself.  Nobody’s<img align="right" height="144" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-L58nQYhdyO4/UIESCmpuAJI/AAAAAAAA_CQ/DGVdPGl1Z1Q/image%25255B20%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="187" /> perfect.  I do look at what is out there on a regular basis and at times my response is “oh brother” …and the momentum for the so called innovated product is more like “hey dude lets write some algorithms and make some money” rather than a purpose of creating something that is useful and simple enough to use.  What I do find interesting here is the fact that the one management person thought this could all be done in one day:)  Granted they are on the right track in getting everyone involved. but …. “The short order code kitchen burned down a few years ago” If you don’t take anything else away from this post, remember that.  Business management folks that have never written software as well as consumers don’t quite get this yet as in the early days we all could write pretty quickly but everything was not aggregated and shared like we have it today, so be aware that things take time today due to complexities.  Here’s a little blast from the past on a post I made way back in 2008…talking about CEOs not wanting to use tablets…hehe…look where we are today:) <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/12/technology-its-for-those-guys-over.html">Technology “It’s for Those Guys Over There” said the CEO – I Don’t Do Digital Notes</a></h4> I’m fair and take on everyone in the same fashion, logic and reality.  Here’s another one of my “its for those guys over there” posts from 2010.  HHs and their survey, and I have said this in a few other posts, “eat your own dog food” or somebody else’s in this case about PHRs…people seemed to like the “its for those guys over there posts and it’s basically the same as walking a mile in someone else's shoes.  How many surveys does the average consumer do to day and how many do they walk away from?  I occasionally will do one if I feel it is important but I bombarded and don’t have the frigging time to accommodate everyone…I’m busy chasing and fixing flawed data for one thing.  <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/10/insurance-company-data-mining-with.html">Read more on that topic here..Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 45,</a> it’s an eye opener on the money the data sellers are making not to mention the errors and the huge amount of “Data duping” going on today.  The reality here is that consumes are getting a lot busier chasing flawed data and that takes our time so that means we have “less time” for all the surveys thrown in our faces right and left:) <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/02/hhs-to-conduct-survey-with-medicare.html">HHS To Conduct Survey With Medicare Patients on PHR Use – Non Participants Who Probably Don’t Use a PHR Themselves Looking for Answers (It’s for Those Guys Over There)</a> </h4> So this is good that Intuit is making the internal employees<img align="right" height="118" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TWV_UiFyFYI/AAAAAAAAsJ0/MhOtnUR7XT0/image_thumb.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="147" /> eat some dog food here so they “get” the business model and it should help but again do keep in mind the complexities and competition out there so it may not be a cure all and fix the way the managers want (who have never written code) but it can’t hurt for an awareness on what the company is trying to do.  We have few experts out there today if any.  That does not mean at all that there’s not a lot of smart people out there though as there are more than ever, but time to “can” the expert paradigm and start with smart people and realize they are not experts but they can help you in many ways.  How many expert CEOs do you see sitting on Wall Street today?  There’s your answer on experts.  This video below does a good job taking on that topic too.  <iframe height="315" src="http://embed.ted.com/talks/noreena_hertz_how_to_use_experts_and_when_not_to.html" frameborder="0" width="420" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" webkitallowfullscreen="webkitallowfullscreen" mozallowfullscreen="mozallowfullscreen"></iframe> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/02/relying-on-experts-when-they-may-not.html">Relying on Experts When They May Not Exist–Many Intelligent and Smart People But Do We Have Misconceived Paradigms-TED</a> </h4> Even the big guys like Microsoft and Apple don’t get it right all the time and look at how many software applications they have trashed and discontinued, so again every application is not going to work for you or even the masses.  We also have applications that have been written for “desired” results versus the focus of “accurate” results…if you don’t believe that one see how it works in the financial markets and why CEOs have no clue on what their own business model is…of course Intuit should have that guy or gal in on this process too:)  Why not.  They may find that some<img align="right" height="141" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-etqalgC9qeA/UE2LMCXAoRI/AAAAAAAA9mw/14rZ4SnSXqY/image%25255B16%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="248" /> of their business models are too complex as well as if they not understood internally, how in the world is the consumer going to deal with it.  Sometimes there’s a bit of fiction out there that you can’t see as marketing has done such a great job to disguise and studies are created to substantiate fiction sometimes.  This is not always the case but in the financial areas of business, it’s all over the place as fiction can lead to profits and move the money from the middle class to rich, it’s all about those algorithms.  It’s still a people world out there.  This is chapter 44 of my series called “The Attack of the Killer Algorithms” and the spread and occurrences of such is on the rise.  The video at the link will make your hair stand on end as it’s the Quants themselves telling you how the develop their own fiction..we should listen in here if you want a full dose of reality.  <h5><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/09/quants-alchemists-of-wall-street-video.html">Quants: The Alchemists of Wall Street Video Documentary - Why It Needs to Matter What Companies Do and Not Focus Only On the Price of Stock With So Called Value - Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 44</a></h5> So when we talk risk these days, the real risk is the software or algorithms themselves…”is it real or is is Memorex”…to quote an old saying that is very appropriate today.  This tweet also made the same connection here in the fact that consumers and government has a long history of being Algo Duped and telling the difference is hard.  Why do you think Jon Stewart and Steven Colbert had their big event about bringing reality and sanity back?  If you get too far away from the “accurate” end and dwell in the “desired” end of the formulas…you get that…insanity.  <img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-MdcQ51oZRKs/UDz9pcW4fBI/AAAAAAAA9PM/5H-RdgxYtf8/image%25255B11%25255D.png?imgmax=800" /> So let’s hang around and see that this exercise does or doesn’t do it for Intuit and go from there.  Again we are way overwhelmed with too much software out there today and to that I say this as we have way too much software that “only does one thing”.  I like software and how it makes me smarter and use tons of it all the time, but even I burn out on what is released as something that is “breaking” to only find out that some if it goes back to the “hey dude, let’s write some algos and get rich” and from my viewpoint I look in shock at times what investors sink their money into as well.  They make a lot of good decisions but even VCs and Angels  get Algo Duped and the smart ones in this area have individuals on board making decisions that have either a past or present of “writing code”.  Software Innovation without collaboration is fouling up the entire healthcare system and I would imagine we can also begin to apply this to the financial world today as well.  BD <hr /> Computerworld - SANTA CLARA, CALIF. -- Prior to instituting a change management program, the IT group at financial and tax preparation software company Intuit took eight weeks to complete a business developer's service ticket.   As in many businesses, at Intuit IT and business rarely if ever mixed. IT did what it thought it needed to in order to fulfill requests and advance technology, and business users did what they could to avoid IT. But, after a radical change management program was instituted by Intuit's new CIO, the eight-week project fulfillments dropped to one day. Intuit has taken the all in one boat-theory to its external business and tax customers as well, opening up their platform for users to customize for their own purposes. For example, Intuit spent years developing 150 business reports, such as Intuit's QuickBooks accounting software, sales reports and profits and loss reports. Once business customers were allowed to customize their reports, Intuit quickly learned what had actually been needed. "What we found was that the top 25 reports used by our clients had actually been created by our customers," Goodarzi said. <a href="http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9232594/Intuit_forces_IT_engineers_into_room_until_they_get_it_right?taxonomyId=237&pageNumber=1">http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9232594/Intuit_forces_IT_engineers_into_room_until_they_get_it_right?taxonomyId=237&pageNumber=1</a>

Intuit Forces Engineers Into A Room Until They “Get It Right”–“The Short Order Code Kitchen Burned Down a Few Years Ago” –Time To “Start Eating Some Of Your Own Dog Food” And Trash the “Expert” Paradigm

Well Intuit is trying to do something here and we shall see whether or not it works but the entire issue here today whether it is financial ...

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Senate GOP Members Call for a Meeting with HHS To Explain Meaningful Use and Incentives Given to Doctors and Hospitals for Electronic Medical Records–Due Time for Congressional Digital Literacy to Expand

I hope this is a good educational meeting as they need it.  <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="159" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3XPX3CvwmPo/UIESBxtDIEI/AAAAAAAA_CI/X7TwW73PfoQ/image%25255B21%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="194" />When this letter went out it was all over the web and about the lack of knowledge here on how the incentives and educational process was working.  Electronic medical records no doubt are the way to go and I think that question was answered years ago as heck I was writing software for an EMR years ago myself.  This is really sad that they don’t understand the investment here and I will go a little further to say that as on the “consumer” end they may not be participating much in their own care or maybe even as simple as paying attention to their own visits to their doctors.  Otherwise I don’t we would have seen such a letter sent.  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/10/digital-illiterate-algo-duped-gop.html">Digital Illiterate “Algo Duped” GOP Lawmakers Call for Suspending of Incentive Payments to Providers–Also Sent Letter to HHS Telling Them To Expect More From Meaningful Users–Walk A Mile in a Healthcare CIO’s Shoes Please…</a> </h4> I guess they don’t read the news about hospitals walking a fine line today with trying to stay out of the red and stay in business as those hospitals, if if were not for the incentives couldn’t afford to transition to electronic records.  Again maybe newspapers and all the articles and opinions written about this topic may not circulate in DC?   How does one miss it?  <h4> </h4> If you happen to read <a href="http://geekdoctor.blogspot.com/2012/10/a-time-for-boundless-energy-and-optimism.html">Dr. Halamka’s blog from Harvard</a> he too said they were wrong in their assumptions and he was much nicer than me and said he would gladly spend some time and bring them up to date.  So bring the folks from the House who wrote the letter on over too:)  You don’t get much better input than his for sure and they would be wise to take him up on his offer…from his blog… “I'm happy to walk them through the Standards and Certification Regulations (MU stage 1 and stage 2) so they understand that the majority of their letter is simply not true  - it ignores the work of hundreds of people over thousands of hours to close the standards gaps via open, transparent, and bipartisan harmonization in both the Bush and Obama administrations.” They also said enough was not being done to make the transition faster.  Again, I guess they have not read up or asked any questions to this point.  One thing that Congressman and the general public needs to be aware of….            “The short order code kitchen burned down a few years ago” So what does that mean?  We have a very complex Health IT i<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="174" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-L58nQYhdyO4/UIESCmpuAJI/AAAAAAAA_CQ/DGVdPGl1Z1Q/image%25255B20%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="229" />infrastructure today and that has not sunk in yet.  Years ago someone could come to us technologists and describe what they wanted and we would build it, not that easy today since data systems talk to each other and integrate, not like the old client/server silos we used years ago.  This brings me to a political statement if I can here as in the debates we keep hearing about uprooting the Medicare system and changing it to a voucher system.  I just wish we would hear some real logic here and understand that a process of such would take 7 or 8 years and the US may not even have enough engineers to do this as Ryan keeps talking about, so repealing the healthcare law entirely and changing it is impossible.  They can use the transition to electronic medical records as an example since this is what they are questioning.  I keep hearing this in the debates and it’s farce and just generates useless chatter.  Now modifications of at smaller levels can be done but again, even that takes time…so one more time…           “The short order code kitchen burned down a few years ago” Perhaps this meeting will end up facilitating a level of communication between Congressmen and technologists?  Bill Gates tried for years to get through some thick heads maybe lost in the70s in DC with very little effect so his foundation is doing its own thing now and rather well I <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="152" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-uRDnTiR6GYI/UIESDhO97yI/AAAAAAAA_CY/Fc26-VO3QFs/image%25255B14%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="168" />might add.  The accusations on the billing too was an astounding accusation.  For years, and I’ll use one example of a standard office visit, doctors were afraid to bill more than the 99213 code for a standard office visit.  If they spend more time and have an extended visit and document properly to include required elements of the visit, they can get more money for a 99214 or a 99215, which is perfectly legal and money they earn if they have an extended visit as it was set up that way. Now with electronic medical records, it’s easier and more convenient not to mention more complete to make sure all those elements are there and that’s what most are doing, so add this up against all the MDs in the US using electronic records and of course there’s more codes that are tiered as such as well and that will probably account for a lot of the increased billing to Medicare.  This normal and of course does not include the out and out “fraud” folks out there that exist and they are criminals and and make it tough for all of us and should be prosecutes.  I can’t tell you how many times I heard doctors who were still using “paper” were afraid to use anything higher than the 99213 code even when they did the work as they were afraid of the “red” tape and slowing down the process of getting their claim paid, and that does happen when an extended visit is billed when Medicare looks for the substantiating documentation. Now when it comes to medical records and automated billing<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="137" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-2SPKP9zVTQI/UIESEI0ipdI/AAAAAAAA_Cg/nykv1mRMAyo/image%25255B19%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="152" />, sure that’s worth a look and we have seen some of that but HHS now has the technology to run queries and look for obvious abuse too, which they didn’t have before so they can audit big hospital system and find such items if they have developed a pattern and are being abused.  Maybe the senators forgot about that part of what’s happening at HHS too, and it’s still fairly new, but a semi automated audit is in the stars.  HCA was in the news about their potential coding situation and billing and who knows, maybe they just got better and more accurate with their billing but then again if they are more profitable than others, maybe take a look.  That new audit software HHS has should get a work out.     <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/08/how-is-hca-for-profit-hospital-chain.html">How is HCA a For Profit Hospital Chain, Making All That Money–Billing in the ER a Contributing Factor for Reimbursements–The Algorithms Move Money and Created Some Very Large Profits And Others Generated ER Care Parameters for the Facilities</a> </h4> Again I hope this ends up to be a productive meeting and perhaps they will learn more about the world of Health IT and perhaps the entire Government IT infrastructure while they are at it.  I should add one more item in here too and this has been a campaign of mine for a while on taxing the data sellers who get the data for nothing and profits for free. When you look at the NICC situation and the people that have<img align="right" height="149" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-nCxoxi9UwAE/UFySvTGCiBI/AAAAAAAA-AI/X2ETrbZLsNo/image%25255B9%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; float: right" width="189" /> died due to the FDA not having enough staff to do routine inspections on drug and compounding companies in the US, don’t you think that Walgreens as an example would be happy to pay an excise tax on that revenue so they can be assured the FDA is on the job inspecting and ensuring we have safe drugs?  Walgreen made short of $800 million on selling data in 2010, so see how big that pot can be when you include banks, high frequency trading companies, social network companies, etc. to license and have them pay a quarterly excise tax.  They need money to also hire more engineers for the device end of the business, but does anyone do anything about it to fund the FDA and the NIH?  Nope…it could be a very good idea to let HHS and the ONC keep working the program and move over and focus on this item, as people are dying…more a the link below on the FDA needing funds…. <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/10/meningitis-fungus-investigation-and.html">Meningitis Fungus Investigation and Research Continues With FDA Inspection While Massachusetts Hospitals Contact Cardiac Patients About a Heart Medication Also Created at NECC</a> </h4> One more time….         “The short order code kitchen burned down a few years ago” I could go on and I have but I would like to see Congress use better tools to make laws too like IBM Watson so all could use speech recognition and query from the same sources and that way both the House and Senate have the same information and then can go off to committees to continue their work and shoot the the GOP and Democrats just might even get along better if they worked collaboratively with everyone at least having the same starting place.  After this meeting is done, could someone look into revolutionizing the way we make laws?   If we could entertain a shift in focus over to the items at the link below we might all come out ahead and who knows, folks in Congress might become better participants in their own healthcare at the same time…it’s what they want us to do as consumers so what’s good for the goose is good for Congress:)  BD <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/07/congress-to-investigate-data-sellers.html">Congress To Investigate the Data Sellers - Need To Create a Law to Tax Them As The Algorithms Used For This Business Generate Billions of Dollars, Partly Why Corporate Profits Are So High - Remove the Medical Device Tax as They Produce Needed Jobs/Tangibles</a> <hr /></h4> Two weeks after top House Republicans called for HHS to <a href="http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20121004/NEWS/310049959/gop-lawmakers-urge-halt-on-meaningful-use-payments">halt meaningful-use incentive payments</a> to providers, four senators have requested a meeting with staff members from the CMS and HHS' Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology to discuss the program. Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) of the Senate Finance Committee and Sens. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Pat Roberts (R-Kansas) of the Senate Help, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, sent a <a href="http://www.modernhealthcare.com/Assets/pdf/CH834571018.PDF">letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius (PDF)</a> indicating that a recent briefing with the administration's staff was not long enough for lawmakers to get answers to all of their questions about the final rule for the second stage of the government's electronic health-record system incentive program. The program pays providers for adopting and meaningfully using EHR systems. The lawmakers posed several questions they want members of the CMS and the ONC to address, including whether the use of taxpayer-subsidized EHRs increases the use of diagnostic tests rather than reduces them. They also ask in the letter whether some healthcare providers received subsidies for EHR systems that were already established before the adoption of federal standards and mandates, and whether the digitalization of records and adoption of EHRs have raised providers' billing of Medicare and consequently increased the cost of the program for taxpayers. <a href="http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20121018/NEWS/310189948?AllowView=VW8xUmo5Q21TcWJOb1gzb0tNN3RLZ0h0MWg5SVgra3NZRzROR3l0WWRMVGFWUHdKRWxiNUtpQzMyWmFyNW5RWUpiaXA=&utm_source=link-20121018-NEWS-310189948&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=hits">http://www.modernhealthcare.com/article/20121018/NEWS/310189948?AllowView=VW8xUmo5Q21TcWJOb1gzb0tNN3RLZ0h0MWg5SVgra3NZRzROR3l0WWRMVGFWUHdKRWxiNUtpQzMyWmFyNW5RWUpiaXA=&utm_source=link-20121018-NEWS-310189948&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=hits</a>

Senate GOP Members Call for a Meeting with HHS To Explain Meaningful Use and Incentives Given to Doctors and Hospitals for Electronic Medical Records–Due Time for Congressional Digital Literacy to Expand

I hope this is a good educational meeting as they need it. When this letter went out it was all over the web and about the lack of knowledg...

Friday, October 19, 2012

StartUp Health–New Network for Start Ups, Entrepreneurs, Venture Capitalists and Angels to Communicate, Deal and Watch The Action…

I am not sure I understand “all” of what the site intends to do but you can immediately see where the communication and research is there to look up and find sources.  If no more than that, it will serve a good purpose and you can<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="213" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-1JJiqCgxp_c/UIDowowVgXI/AAAAAAAA_A8/7sKODQR9En0/image%25255B9%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="300" /> look up and see how much funding start ups have gained, etc.  I did an interview with a similar network called e-Zassi back in 2009 to where their network allowed for medical device companies to search and find software complimentary to their devices,etc. but the funding was not there but exchanges in a secure area to even include communicating with IP information is there.  They have added resources and capabilities since that initial interview.  Here’s a couple back articles on what they do.  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/10/e-zassi-introduces-online-us-fda.html">E-Zassi Introduces Online US FDA Regulatory Calculator – Medical Device Assessment</a></h4> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/06/lifescience-alleyr-names-e-zassi.html">LifeScience Alley(R) Names e-Zassi Software As Preferred Provider for Networking and Decision Support for Medical Devices</a> </h4> Lately if you have seen some of my recent posts I have focused a bit on educating all that the “short order code kitchen burned down” a couple years ago which means the complexities we work with today with so much more code doesn’t allow for a quick code fix and integration like it used to, just not that way anymore.  Today in the news <a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2012/10/18/fully-funded-kickstarter-game-goes-belly-up-haunts-the-manse-macabre-is-out-of-money-as-programmers-call-it-quits/?utm_campaign=techtwittersf&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social">we had a Kickstarter project, a game that called it quits,</a> as all the programmers quit and it was fully funded too.  On the Kickstarter game project the announced the single player version was scrapped in September.  Sounds like the programmers got tired and needed to go where they could earn some income.  All will get their money back of course but salaries took up the major expense here so that didn’t leave much for anything else so they went looking for outside help.  This sounds a little bit like Allscripts going back to get help from Microsoft as it’s there technology that the Allscripts and Eclipsys programmers used:) Coming back around to the point here, there’s a lot of code and time involved today and maybe sometimes it’s not as easy as it looks.  Tech people though years ago are maybe at fault a bit as we designed it to look easy and back in the early days we could do that, but not any more, it’s complex as ever.  So perhaps this new network will give all ends the<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="153" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Kl9clWp5D9U/UIDoxJtdQeI/AAAAAAAA_BE/EkeM06p1PnM/image%25255B8%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="224" /> connections and exposure they need in one place.  At least this way funders can see where a company is in development and the investors are more visible to the start ups.  Anyway too as we all hear all the time, all start ups are not successful and a very small portion of them do really make it.  Also too with being in this network startups can look at each other and maybe there could be some combining of efforts there too as many projects do resemble others or may have the same goals.    Back on the Kickstarter issue, do we really need another game?  In healthcare let’s ask the same do we really need another BMI calculator?  In other words get things going that “do more than one thing” as I myself try to keep up and review what’s out there and it’s maize and frankly with all the fragmentation out there, it’s getting a bit old and cumbersome as unless it is something really earth shattering it’s just a new bunch of algorithms, so please combine efforts and collaborate, as that’s the big problem today, innovation without collaboration and that’s been said around this blog for a few years too:)  In the medical records side of the business I try to see both sides, doctor and patient and sometimes the consumer apps are just over whelming and there are just too many of them that people don’t use and on the other hand be patient with your doctor too as he/she fights through getting your insurance claims paid, working on the new pay for performance program they get automatically enrolled in, getting their paperwork and billing done right and at the same time learning a new system and taking care of you at the same time:) BD  <hr /> If you don’t know about <a href="http://www.startuphealth.com/">Startup Health</a> and you’re a healthtech investor or entrepreneur (or at all interested in the space,) you need to rectify that. After all, <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2012/10/15/new-accelerator-is-on-a-mission-to-turn-nyc-into-a-hub-for-healthtech-startups/">as evidenced by the launch of another</a> solid, differentiated health-focused startup accelerator last week, there is a lot of public, private and entrepreneurial attention shifting to the industry. Compared to the majority of business incubators, <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2012/03/21/startup-health-co-founders-want-to-transform-the-medical-industry/">Startup Health has an unusual model</a>, as it doesn’t offer seed investments and its startups stay enrolled in its program for three years. Rather focusing on demo days or seed rounds, Startup Health wants to help founders build a sustainable, growth business by providing a support structure, classes, courses (and a structured curriculum), a collaborative peer network and access to potential partners, customers and mentors. The accelerator also works with sponsors, like AT&T and the California Healthcare Foundation, to provide scholarships that help cover the costs of the program. These sponsors and partners also provide potential funding channels for startups, as many of them operate in the space and can help provide beta testers and capital that allow teams to test products and models Said in a sexier (and perhaps more telling way), the Startup Health Network is basically an AngelList for healthtech. With a splash of CrunchBase. At beta launch, the network features more than 1,200 healthtech startups, 700 entrepreneurs, 400 VC firms, 180 angel investors and a litany of customers, partner organizations, payers, providers, pharma companies, foundations, etc. <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2012/10/18/health-yes-startup-health-launches-an-angellist-for-healthtech/">http://techcrunch.com/2012/10/18/health-yes-startup-health-launches-an-angellist-for-healthtech/</a>

StartUp Health–New Network for Start Ups, Entrepreneurs, Venture Capitalists and Angels to Communicate, Deal and Watch The Action…

I am not sure I understand “all” of what the site intends to do but you can immediately see where the communication and research is there to...

Thursday, October 18, 2012

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McKesson To Buy PSS World Medical, Inc. Valued at Over 2 Billion In Outstanding Debt to Be Assumed

Health IT REC Centers Association ARCH-IT Working to Convince Congress to Provide Additional Money to the REC Centers After Initial Funding Ends in 2013

Verizon Makes Equity Investment in NantHealth, a Subsidiary of NantWorks Owned by Los Angeles Billionaire Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong

Charles Barkley Advertising for Weight Watchers–Do It Like Man–16 Dicks Named During Roll Call- Humor

Nurse Makes Error and Injects Elderly Patient With Lethal Dose of Coffee and Milk And Says Anyone Could Get Confused

Private Hospitals in India Bill for Fake Surgeries to Claim Insurance Coverage–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Hits Outside the US Chapter 47 of the Series

Office of Inspector General Publishes Survey To Help Study Fraud With EHR Technologies, Namely Medical Records/Billing Software Used by Hospitals– HHS And SEC Continue Getting Their Non-Algorithmic Fannies Kicked–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 46

Are You a Physician Looking for a Medical Records System? Try EHRScope/Consultant, A Free Resource For Physicians To Get Started And Dragon Naturally Speaking for Your EHR

Digital Illiteracy and Algo Duping Alive and Well in Italy With Scientists Convicted of Manslaughter for Failure to Predict and Warn of An Earthquake…

The Simulated Patient at the Cleveland Clinic Comes Alive, Well Sort Of…

11 Year Old California Student Ordered to Transfer From His Current School Because of His Genetic Makeup–Carries Mutation for Cystic Fibrosis–Where’s GINA?

Intuit Forces Engineers Into A Room Until They “Get It Right”–“The Short Order Code Kitchen Burned Down a Few Years Ago” –Time To “Start Eating Some Of Your Own Dog Food” And Trash the “Expert” Paradigm

Senate GOP Members Call for a Meeting with HHS To Explain Meaningful Use and Incentives Given to Doctors and Hospitals for Electronic Medical Records–Due Time for Congressional Digital Literacy to Expand

StartUp Health–New Network for Start Ups, Entrepreneurs, Venture Capitalists and Angels to Communicate, Deal and Watch The Action…

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