Private Equity Firm Golder Rauner LLC (Devicor Unit) Makes Offer for J and J Ethicon Breast Care Business

Below is a statement from the Devicor website, so it appears their business acquiring and growing healthcare companies.  The article also mentions below that J and J had been somewhat shopping for a buyer.  We have more private equity firms growing into healthcare. 

“Devicor™ Medical Products, Inc., is a fast-growing global company dedicated to acquiring and growing healthcare companies that provide important medical technologies used by clinicians worldwide to improve patient experiences and outcomes.”

In January the Johnson and Johnson had also halted their clinical trials for their molecular lab test that was to help determine and predict whether or not patient lymph nodes should be removed during the first surgery and not having a second.

Johnson and Johnson Pulls GeneSearch Breast Cancer Diagnosis Test – Trials Ended

I guess when time allows away from “stent battling” in court, the company is exploring other areas for their overall business models.  BD

Where’s Some of the Focus for Johnson and Johnson Revenue Cycles – “Legally Patented Stent Wars”?

The offer stands until June and is expected to be complete by the 3rd quarter.  BD 

A Johnson & Johnson unit received an offer from private-equity firm GTCR Golder Rauner LLC for its breast-care business.

The unit has been exploring a possible sale of the division to focus on areas with higher growth potential.

J&J is among those in the drug industry that have been streamlining amid increasing regulatory hurdles for drug approvals and rising development costs. The giant health-care products maker has also been hurt by generic competition for some of its big-selling prescription drugs.

The "irrevocable, unconditional" offer, by GTCR's Devicor unit for an undisclosed amount, is for the Ethicon Endo-Surgery Inc. division, which sells products designed to help diagnose breast cancer in its early states. The division's products include breast-biopsy and tissue markers as well as marketing and distribution rights for the division's Neoprobe gamma detection systems.

J&J Unit Gets Bid for Breast-Care Business - WSJ.com

Technorati Tags: J and J, Devicor, Private Equity, healthcare, acquisition and buyouts, investors, breast cancer, breast surgery, Ethicon Endo Surgery, drugs, pharma

Capital BlueCross Eliminates 182 Jobs – Automated Algorithmic Processes and Technology Advances Now Doing the Job

This is one more sign of technology taking over work where humans used to the jobs and it is moving today at rocket speeds everywhere.  In this press release the company clearly states this, again as I say we have swords to do battle with and they have machine guns in the infrastructure and technology areas.  From last week I posted about expecting more scoring to occur with the changes in healthcare reform and this is all carriers, not just Blue Cross.  “Fraud” is the catch all reason for investigating claims and some are fraud and some merely get false positives.  When you are a false positive at times, it’s almost like you have been convicted of fraud already and need to prove innocence.  No doubt we need this capability to audit claims, but we also need the ability to have audit trails on the parameters used so they don’t cross the line, as in the Ingenix inquisition where lawsuits are still ongoing and perhaps more coming where the lines were crossed and it was not the patients and doctors with a case of fraud as it was the opposite. 

Healthcare Reform Bill – Expect “Fraud Algorithm” Use to Increase With “Scoring” the Insured With Our Leadership Trapped Embellishing Old Paradigms

Good question with all of this, who do you trust?  We get to see Medicare’s formulas and algorithms and have somewhat of a say there, but the ones run by insurers are anyone’s guess.  Back on track, we saw what record profits were made by insurers, but when algorithms can do faster what humans have done, well we know the story there.  Be aware.  BD 

HARRISBURG, Pa., March 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Capital BlueCross today announced that it has eliminated 182 positions as part of its ongoing effort to increase efficiency and lower its operating costs.

Capital BlueCross' ongoing cost-control efforts have included evaluation of how new technologies have improved its efficiencies in various operations, such as claims processing.  This technology has resulted in increased productivity, while gradually decreasing the needed manpower.  Technological advances accounted for many of the job reductions announced today at Capital BlueCross and its subsidiary companies.

"At Capital BlueCross, we have been doing what all businesses are doing during this uncertain economic time -- we're looking at every way possible to be more efficient, to keep our costs down, and to be even more competitive and strong," said William Lehr, Jr., Capital BlueCross President & CEO. "Advances in technology, particularly, enable us to reduce our costs at Capital BlueCross and its subsidiary companies, while still providing award-winning service.

Capital BlueCross Eliminates Jobs -- HARRISBURG, Pa., March 31 /PRNewswire/ --

Technorati Tags: health insurance, healthcare reform, Blue Cross, Capital Blue Cross, algorithims, technology, healthcare, formulas, claim processing

Microsoft Tags on CBS Early Show – Wake Up FDA, Pharma and Medical Device Companies –Scan Those Drugs, Medical Devices and Synchronize with an FDA Tag Data Base – Recalls, Theft Tracking and More….

Everybody that reads here, knows I am a fan of Tags and I have an entire series of how they can be used in healthcare, they work with RFIDs too.  Watch the video and see how they are used for entertainment.  I guess that must come first, you think?   This is all free too.  The link below explains all.  We have a huge case here of tech denial or the inability to admit that Tags can save lives.

Tags for Use in Healthcare – Medical Stents, Medications - One Scan Away From Safety Information in Real Time

I know some of this is difficult as Congress is just now addressing not allowing government employees to use peer to peer music and video sharing networks, which companies and other institutions have dealt with years ago, tech denial and lack of participation at it’s best at the top levels.  Use that phone and put your insurance EOB information into your PPR, not typing…

Scan that knee, hip, defibrillator before you use it, takes a few seconds and will help hospital registries function and less mistakes. 

People die as they get implanted with a device that has been recalled and accidentally got left on the shelf, is this not reason enough to get on with this as it is a preventable death!!  Watch the video and pretend there’s a box with a stent in it that has been recalled, would it not be nice to see that appear on the screen instantly???

Watch CBS News Videos Online

If it has been recalled, one scan would let you know.  Medical device companies can use this to ensure recalls are not missed.  I wrote a post about one man who died because the doctors and hospitals missed the implant recall and it malfunctioned.   Here’s my tags and you can find them on the blog all the time, ones goes to a text file and the other takes you to my blog on your cell phone browser.  Try them out.  BD

The clip above was shown today on the CBS Early Show. CNET's Natali Del Conte discussed how QR codes may change the future of advertising and how consumers can scan the codes with their cell phones to receive information on their mobile phone.  Although the segment focused mostly on the QR code, Natali did show off several Microsoft Tag examples in magazines such as Self, Details and Golf Digest, video games like Halo Wars and even a We The Kings promotional music poster. Having the Tag reader on your phone allows you to read any Microsoft Tag that you may come across.  It's easy to distinguish a Tag from a QR code:

  QR Code               Microsoft Tag

http://blogs.msdn.com/tag/archive/2010/03/31/tag-showcased-on-cbs-early-show.aspx

Technorati Tags: recalls, FDA, Windows Tags, safely, medica devices. heatlhcare, stupid, technology, tech denial, scanning, drugs, cell phones, Tags, information, RazCode

HealthVault PHR Can Help Save You Find and Track Savings on Prescriptions – Integration with OptimizerX

Optimizer also offers a prescription card you can print out to receive discounts.  As a member you can upload your prescription records into HealthVault and this can help you keep track of possibly where you get them filled and what you paid for them.  There has been quite a bit in the news lately about HealthVault, couple links below, connect a scale and import the data automatically.

Withings WiFi Connected Body Scale Integrates with Microsoft HealthVault To Use WiFi to Record Your Weight

You can also get an encrypted Tag to be ready for EOBs from insurance companies to use you cell phone to import your insurance data too.  This is neat and I like tags and it is very simple to use for anyone, and it’s free.  OptimizerX can help those without insurance to find saving on drugs when the search for a generic doesn’t turn up the desired results too.  BD  

Connecting HealthVault/Google Health and More to RazCode Encrypted Microsoft Tags – Automate Data Input

OPTIMIZERx (OTCBB: OPRX) today announced that its Web-based consumer information site, which provides information about prescription medicine savings, is now integrated with Microsoft HealthVault, a personal health application platform. 

For HealthVault users that store their medication inventory within their personal HealthVault account, this connection enables access to prescription coupons, cost-saving notifications, co-pay savings, and trials, which can help them better adhere to treatment regimens in a more affordable way, and OPTIMIZERx users can upload their medication records into their HealthVault account, enabling them to create a more comprehensive health profile.

 

"We are excited to be working with Microsoft HealthVault to further expand our reach and ability to help more consumers better afford their rising prescription costs through available prescription savings and other support programs," stated David Lester, Chief Executive Officer of OPTIMIZERx.

OPTIMIZERx Connects With Microsoft(R) HealthVault (TM) to Reduce Medication Costs

Technorati Tags: OptimizerX, HealthVault, PHR, personal health records, Microsoft, healthcare, Health IT, drugs discounts, drugs

FDA Requiring Informatics on Pediatric Devices – Expect More Devices that Report Data

That’s the answer here as to manually collect and analyze with today’s standards and availability of information is almost not possible.  This also goes to show that Health IT and the FDA are in fact emerging areas to where one is going to need to work closely with the other.  The link below will give you an idea as to some of the devices that are emerging to collect data.  Check it out if you want to see what’s out there today, no longer Star Wars. 

Wireless Monitoring With Medical Devices – There are Many Posts About These at the Medical Quack

You could in fact in the future be wearing a shirt like this one below to participate in a trial for medical devices that collects all kinds of data as trials are one of their market areas. 

As a matter of fact, to participate in a trial for one device, you may be outfitted with one or two other devices that report the data needed by the FDA for safety and accountability as well as the success rate of the medical device.  More information and the need for data drives more audit trails and software development for both medical devices and drugs.  BD

SILVER SPRING, Md., March 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced today that it will begin implementing a requirement that device manufacturers provide readily available information in certain premarket applications on pediatric patients who suffer from the disease or condition that the device is intended to treat, diagnose, or cure, even if the device is intended for adult use. 

Very few devices are developed or assessed specifically for use in pediatric patients, those 21 or younger at the time of treatment or diagnosis. This effort will provide a better understanding of which devices developed for use in adults should be assessed or modified for use in pediatric populations. The requirements, contained in the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007, will also improve the agency's ability to track the number of approved devices for which there is a pediatric subpopulation who could benefit and the number of approved devices labeled for use in pediatric patients.

FDA Requires Device Manufacturers to Include Information on Pediatric Populations -- SILVER SPRING, Md., March 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

Technorati Tags: FDA, pediatrics, medical devices, devices that report data, wireless, healthcare, technology, Health IT

DOT Plants to Ban Text Messaging For Commercial Drivers – But What About the Drivers Taking Their Blood Pressure and Glucose Readings on the Road Using Cell Phones And Other Devices that Report Data?

This makes a very good point about “tech denial” and lack of participation and understanding of some governmental leaders.  We have wellness programs and analytics that are put there to help consumers, but what about the balance here?  A truck driver could have an accident being distracted doing something “good” for their healthcare.  When the analytics area sets in, they may not look at some of these facts.  This is called disruptive technology in some areas. So if texting is not going to be allowed, how about the rest of the story to help protect the consumer when analytics are run and they are told they have been “non compliant” or not fully compliant, and in time this can affect the payment of healthcare claims.  

Cleveland Clinic/Microsoft Study Case Study Released – Disease Management with Patient/Physician Connectivity Through PHR and Wireless Devices Reporting Data

If you have noticed in the last month or so, there’s a huge influx of insurance companies buying wellness companies and in my opinion when it goes outside the contracting area this could in fact when combined with algorithmic analysis projects come under some conflicts of interest.  I think they know very well what direction they are going with all of this to “get the data”.  We are leaving some issues here not covered and again it somewhat goes back once more to non participation and “tech denial” in not being aware of how technology is impacting our lives today.  The video at the link below does a real good job in connecting how we need to enhance how we combine science (technology) with the morality of being human.  On Wall Street, this makes little difference as devices and other conditions to meet with be tossed with no restraints at consumers in order to make profit dollars.  The same holds true with device companies who have VC funds and a short pocket book, get some sales on the books no matter what you need to do, our company needs to survive. 

ONC Names Beacon Grant Program Managers – To Be Handed Out When Meaningful Use Is Defined And We Find The Magic Solution of Combining Science and Morality – An Urgent Situation At Hand

A driver could be distracted and have an accident by being involved in collecting and submitting their data for healthcare reasons just as easy as sending a text message, so let’s not leave the laws here half covered and be sure to protect the consumer as wellness programs and their use of biometric and wireless technologies continue to grow. 

Meaningful Use We Have the Name But Now for Some Standards? Let’s try Meaningful Algorithms Instead

Here’s a video that talks about a successful program with a truck driver doing just that, while on the road he is connecting, cell phone and computer.  Wireless and medical devices that report data are the most overlooked potential area for healthcare technology growth and there is very little attention being given here as we need to come to the realization that both privacy and data entry methodologies are changing in many areas, it’s not all humans doing the input anymore.  This is life as it is evolving in the “real world”.  BD  

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Transportation Department proposed Wednesday to make permanent a ban on text messaging while driving interstate commercial trucks and buses.

The plan, which was announced on an interim basis in January by the Transportation secretary Ray LaHood, would apply to drivers of interstate buses and trucks over 10,000 pounds.

Truck and bus drivers who text while driving could face civil or criminal penalties.

U.S. Plans to Ban Text Messaging by Truck and Bus Drivers - NYTimes.com

Technorati Tags: HealthVault, PHR, medical records, personal health records, E-faxing, medical devices, healthcare, Microsoft, EHR, Cleveland Clinic, truck driver, Medical Records, DOT, texting, wellness, laws

Consumer Watchdog Wants A Probe on WellPoint – Told Investors It Will Game Reform (Adjust Algorithms) for Profit

It’s that same old word I mention over and over, it’s the formulas used via software to make the analytical decisions.  The article here says game, but ask any broker on Wall Street, “it’s all about those algos”, that is what drives profit.  They live and die by the numbers as that’s what lines the pockets.

When the public yells loud enough as well as the government, the algorithms get adjusted to allow some additional claims to go through based on changing the parameters that need to be met with electronic processing.  They all adjust and analyze with algorithmic formulas.  You can read more about the process and how the word “fraud” is the catch all for the analysis process at the link below.   This has been going on for years and when we come to life and realize and accept the impact of technology today we can perhaps work on an intelligent level to help combat this.  This is where the money comes and goes.  As I keep saying, they have technology machine guns and we have technology swords and daggers to battle with, not very well balanced at all.  BD 

Healthcare Reform Bill – Expect “Fraud Algorithm” Use to Increase With “Scoring” the Insured With Our Leadership Trapped Embellishing Old Paradigms

WASHINGTON, March 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Consumer Watchdog called on the Obama Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services today to probe insurance giant WellPoint Inc. in light of an electronic message to investors describing how it would simply re-label administrative costs as "medical care" in response to the new health reform law. The message follows revelations that WellPoint, parent company of Anthem Blue Cross, also intentionally padded already huge premium increases in California, just in case regulators demanded reductions.

"WellPoint keeps proving that it will sniff for every loophole and play every game to keep profits high without becoming more efficient or helping control overall medical costs," said Jerry Flanagan, medical policy director of Consumer Watchdog. "This manipulation of how the insurer defines medical costs is what we predicted would happen, but it's surprising that WellPoint acted so swiftly. The Department of Health and Human Services hasn't even issued its definitions of what constitutes a medical expenditure."

"WellPoint's (WLP) medical cost ratio should rise and its overhead-expense ratio decline this year as the insurer reclassifies various types of costs. Disease management, medical management and a nurse hotline, for example, 'are being reclassified because they represent additional benefits provided to our members,' a representative says. They'll now be part of the medical cost ratio, the percentage of premium revenue used to pay members' health-care costs. These are claims-related costs incurred to improve member health and medical outcomes, WLP says. Accounting rules allow the changes, which better align MCR with anticipated health reform guidelines, Stifel Nicolaus says."

Consumer Watchdog Calls for Probe After WellPoint Tells Investors It Will Game Health Reform Law to... -- WASHINGTON, March 31 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --

Technorati Tags: Wellpoint, consumer watch Dog, heatlhcare reform, algorithms, investigations, claims, guidelines

Myriad's BRCA (DNA Breast Cancer) Patent Ruled Invalid Today – US Patent and Trademark Office Also Off the Hook

This could open the door for other companies to enter the market.  Up until this decision, Myriad was the only company worldwide that could perform the DNA genetic analysis test and the cost was around $3000.00.  Additional pressure was given by the insurance industry for patients to have the test as well.  By one company not having a monopoly, this can open the door for additional break throughs and further the treatment of both breast and ovarian cancer by having the information to build upon. 

Myriad's BRACAnalysis Tests Scrutinized by Insurance Carriers – Many Do Not Qualify and Myriad Marketing Questioned

There are of course 2 issues at hand here, losing a big source of revenue for Myriad, and secondly determining what really is “intellectual property” when it comes to medicine and research.  Of all the genetic sequencing that takes place, the BRCA test is probably the oldest and best known test by all.  The company has also recently introduced another test for prostate cancer to predict recurrences. 

Myriad Unveils Prolaris Genetic Test To Predict Prostate Cancer Recurrence

This is not the only lawsuit of this type, we also have MIT taking Navigenics to court.  Navigenics also interprets sequencing and works with doctors to help encourage the education, research and development of personalized medicine based on sequencing our genes. 

MIT Takes Navigenics to Court on patents

What’s in a patent anymore is a real good question as there’s a lot of this going on with pharma as well with many court cases and individuals duking it out.  BD

NEW YORK (GenomeWeb News) — A US District Court today sided with the American Civil Liberties Union and other plaintiffs in an ongoing anti-gene-patenting lawsuit by declaring Myriad Genetics' BRCA gene patents invalid.

The suit, filed last May by the ACLU and the Public Patent Foundation on behalf of several scientific organizations and women's health groups, charged that the BRCA gene patents held by the University of Utah Research Foundation and exclusively licensed to Myriad "stifle research that could lead to cures and limit women's options regarding their medical care."

The suit, while focused on Myriad's patents, essentially challenged the constitutionality of patenting all genetic sequences on First Amendment grounds.

The ACLU said in a statement today that the ruling "marks the first time a court has found patents on genes unlawful and calls into question the validity of patents now held on approximately 2,000 human genes."

The court also granted a request by the US Patent and Trademark Office that it be released as a defendant in the lawsuit because it had already ruled in favor of the plaintiffs.

Federal Court Rules that Myriad's BRCA Patents are Invalid; Deems 'Isolated DNA' Unpatentable | GenomeWeb Daily News | DxPGx | GenomeWeb

Technorati Tags: Prostate Cancer, Genomics, DNA, test, genes, assay, personalized medicine, research and development, Myriad, Prolaris, patents, course case, BRCA, genomics, breast cancer

Tenet Healthcare Opens Medical Clinic in Florida – At A Bank

The clinic is to offer care to employees only.  We don’t want employees overworked and neglecting their healthcare.  Is this a sign of the times and perhaps something we can soon see on Wall Street?  We have all probably read by now how heart attacks are on the rise with some of their “stressful money making” positions to where they earn millions in bonuses. 

I guess the rest of us have Minute Clinics for our needs.  I don’t know much about BankAtlantic, but I do know that many employees who work for banks at the teller levels can’t afford the health insurance they offer, too expensive, so there are many “worker” level positions at many banks who also are part of the “uninsured” today.  BD  

CORAL SPRINGS, FL – Tenet South Florida, a region of the Tenet Healthcare Corporation, has opened an on-site medical clinic at the BankAtlantic headquarters in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

"The new clinic allows BankAtlantic to offer its employees a quality healthcare solution that is effective, efficient and is part of a growing trend that we believe many other corporations could benefit from as well," said Craig Bloom, regional director of strategic operations for Tenet Healthcare.

The Health & Wellness by Tenet clinic opened Feb. 25. Patients receive medical care from Anthony Maher, a board certified family physician with Tenet Florida Physician Services and a member of the medical staff at North Shore Medical Center-FMC Campus in Lauderdale Lakes. Services offered at the clinic include immunizations, physicals and consultations. Maher also works with patients who suffer from chronic health conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure and asthma.

"The health and wellness of our employees is very important to our company, and with Tenet's help we were able to open our on-site clinic. We are thrilled to continue our relationship with Tenet in the community and at our corporate office," said Jarett S. Levan, president and CEO of BankAtlantic.

Tenet Healthcare opens new medical clinic in Florida | Healthcare Finance News

Technorati Tags: Tenet, healthcare, BankAtlantic, clinic, chronic health conditions, doctors, wellness, immunizations, physicals, health insurance

Happy Doctor’s Day – March 30th

Thanks to all the doctors who stop by here and if you have anything to celebrate, this might be the day to do it, or to collect a bunch of red carnations!   Every year, March 30th is National Doctor's Day...yes they do have a day of their own!  Say thanks to your physician today for his continued care for your health...it is red carnation day! 

The American Medical Association (AMA) honors the more than 900,000 physicians in the U.S. on National Doctor's Day, March 30, for their commitment to the nation's  health. On this day of tribute, Americans can express appreciation for physicians' continued commitment to providing exceptional medical care.  The red carnation has become the symbol of Doctor's Day because it denotes the qualities of love, charity, sacrifice, bravery, and courage.

The Medical Quack: Celebrate National Doctors' Day

The Medical Quack: Happy Doctor’s Day!

Technorati Tags: doctor, doctor's day, national doctor's day, AMA, carnation

Cisco TelePresence Expanding Beyond Healthcare with Collaboration with Bank of America

If you read the Quack often enough there are several posts about Cisco’s investment in healthcare.  Below are a couple fairly recent posts.  The banks are also climbing aboard now to save travel time and create better collaboration methodologies.  I just read where Cisco is the number one  profitable technology company listed today.  In addition to this news, Tech Crunch reports today that Cisco has been approved by the Department of Justice to acquire Tandberg, another video conferencing technology.

Cisco Systems and Molina Healthcare HMO Announce Telemedicine Pilot Program – Long Beach, California

UnitedHealth To Spend Tens of Million of Dollars with Cisco to Build Nationwide Telehealth Network 

Are You Insured by a Technology or Insurance Company – UnitedHealthCare

Cisco Buys Starent Wireless Technologies – Video and Mobility Including Healthcare

Here’s a recent video showing Cisco technologies combined with using Surface from Microsoft for healthcare applications.  There’s not much using in sitting in “tech denial” today as it is evolving in every which way around you.  This is part of what I talk about, you can’t go to battle with swords while the competition is investing in machine guns. 

Do we have banks and healthcare collaborating, I think so.  Here’s another video on where United Healthcare is going with telehealth and this puts more dollars in the dividend payouts, better healthcare?  The jury is still out here as it is hard to tell with the profits carrying the #1 focus.  BD

 

CHARLOTTE, N.C., and SAN JOSE, Calif., March 29, 2010 — Bank of America and Cisco today announced an agreement to deploy the largest network of Cisco TelePresence systems, with an initial 200 units being installed across the bank's global operations by year-end.

Cisco TelePresence uses high-definition video and audio to create the experience of face-to-face meetings. People appear life-size around a virtual conference table, creating a unique experience where meeting participants feel as though they're sitting in the same room.

The bank will use this innovative technology to enhance associate and team effectiveness by providing the bank's global workforce with a world-class virtual meeting capability.

Bank of America to Enhance Associate and Team Collaboration with Largest Global Deployment of Cisco TelePresence -> Cisco News

Technorati Tags: Cisco, Surface, Heatlh IT, heatlhcare, technology, Microsoft Surface, pharmacy, code, software, Star Wars, Bank of America, healthcare reform, Wall Street, Banks, profits, dividends, algorithms

Insurers Disputing Covering Pre-Existing Conditions for Children – Time for Algorithmically Centric Digital Laws

When you read stories like this, it’s again one more reason to keep the “private” or public option open.  Insurers have big budgets for legal costs and this seems to get added right to the cause. 

Public Option Possibility Is Not Completely Dead – It’s the Missing Piece of the Puzzle We Still Need

We do need digital laws that contain algorithms “spelled out explicitly” as to how things will function and how the laws are applied.  If we keep using this same old format of 3000 pages of text, it will continue with interpretation issues.  Healthcare cures and research all revolve around algorithmic formulas so why not the laws that govern as well.  All the new drug treatment plants revolve around the information that is created from software that interprets our DNA and the analysis of changing the way certain genes and proteins act and react in our bodies.  It’s all about the software and information given that helps us interpret which direction to go for the cure, same should be done with health insurance. 

Are We Ever Going to Get Some Algorithm Centric Laws Passed for Healthcare!

This TED video from this year spells out the problems pretty clearly.  I have been writing about creating digital laws now for healthcare for the last couple of years and perhaps we are getting closer to this reality.  Old methodologies die hard and remember we are fighting with swords and they have machine guns when it comes to the battle ground, in other words they have the accelerated business intelligence technology and infrastructure to challenge and potentially defeat those who are attempting to create worthwhile solutions that actually help the average citizen instead of lining the pockets of investors.  BD 

WASHINGTON — Just days after President Obama signed the new health care law, insurance companies are already arguing that, at least for now, they do not have to provide one of the benefits that the president calls a centerpiece of the law: coverage for certain children with pre-existing conditions.

Insurers agree that if they provide insurance for a child, they must cover pre-existing conditions. But, they say, the law does not require them to write insurance for the child and it does not guarantee the “availability of coverage” for all until 2014.

Congressional Democrats were furious when they learned that some insurers disagreed with their interpretation of the law.

“The concept that insurance companies would even seek to deny children coverage exemplifies why we fought for this reform,” said Representative Henry A. Waxman, Democrat of California and chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee.

Consumers will soon gain several other protections. By July 1, the health secretary must establish a Web site where people can identify “affordable health insurance coverage options.” The site is supposed to provide information about premiums, co-payments and the share of premium revenue that goes to administrative costs and profits, rather than medical care.

In addition, within six months, health plans must have “an effective appeals process,” so consumers can challenge decisions on coverage and claims.

Insurers Might Delay Covering Pre-Existing Conditions - NYTimes.com

Technorati Tags: health insurance, healthcare reform, laws, algorithims, digital laws, Congress, court, legal, lawyers, paper, technology, business intelligence

Eli Lilly Outsourcing Clinical Trial Support to Thermo Fisher in Massachusetts

Instead of being done in house, Thermo Fisher will be the outsourced agent here for materials, packaging and labeling products used in trials.  Lilly employees can apply for jobs at Thermo Fisher as they are released from the company.  Clinical trials are not getting any cheaper to put on and with outsourcing for a lesser expense, Lilly like many other pharma companies looks to cut costs. 

This is starting to sound like a pharmacy benefit manager type of operation, a clinical trial benefit group.  In addition the face of clinical trials is changing with technology as well with data being collected via devices that report data too.  You may be wearing a shirt like this one in the future if you participate in a trial so they can have all your vitals and information at all times too. 

To assist healthcare providers with using this data to proactively intervene in a patient’s care, VivoMetrics^® has partnered with another industry leader, OBS Medical, to incorporate their technology-award winning Visensia software as a predictive tool to improve patient care and safety and optimize clinical resources.

VivoMetrics^® is a contributing member of the Continua Health Alliance, a coalition of telehealth providers committed to creating an interoperable system of personal telehealth solutions that aim to foster independence and empower people to better manage their health and wellness.

LifeShirt Has Upgrade Coming Out With Bluetooth and Zigbee Wireless – A Shirt that Transmits Health Data

In clinical trials you tend to have a pretty captive audience with many treatments looking to be cures or long time treatments so the expense of gathering and analyzing all the information is becoming a challenge as well.  Read below for a few other devices that are emerging into the market place and perhaps some you may see soon as part of a trial solution for data.  BD 

Wearable Sensors and Other Healthcare Innovations Set to Flourish

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (NYSE:TMO) inked a five-year supply deal with Eli Lilly & Co. (NYSE:LLY) that will see it take over some of the pharma giant's clinical trial operations in Indianapolis.

Waltham, Mass.-based Thermo Fisher said its Fisher Clinical Services subsidiary will take over Lilly's in-house clinical trial materials manufacturing, packaging and labeling operations in the Circle City. That transition should be done some time this summer, and by the end of the year TMO will have taken over the clinical trial materials distribution throughout North America.

Thermo Fisher inks supply pact with pharma giant Eli Lilly | MassDevice - Medical Device Industry News

Technorati Tags: El Lilly, Thermo Fisher, clinical trials, outsourcing, technology, devices that report data, healthcare, cost, pharma, drugs, research and development

Ingenix (Subsidiary of United Health Care) Buys QualityMetric – More Algorithmic Formulas To Choose From To Identify Future Risk and Cost

Are you a bit tired of hearing about risk management and what a “risk” we all are to society at times?  I guess after researching and posting information on this blog with the glut of software and business intelligence software out there, it seems that none of us do a lot of anything right and we will have bundles of algorithms to sort through to figure out which ones we can handle and implement into our lives.  These algorithms are being placed both in medical records and on devices that report data that go into a medical record, both EHRs and PHRs. 

I’m afraid the world of analytics is shortly going to throw way to much at us to handle, but more importantly the information will be utilized to give consumers a “score” on their risk.  Imagine, being held accountable for your health, whether you had any impact on the onset of your chronic condition or not.  You will be scored.  From what I have read here too, this company conducts surveys too.  My 85 year old mother just did on one the phone with her Medicare Part D carrier.  This survey was basically to see if she still had her wits about here to include spelling words, selecting multiple choice answers and knowing her address where she lives.  This all leads to the new and somewhat unknown world of “behavioral underwriting”.  In other words what do you do health and otherwise to cause risk.  Personally I think some of this is a bit overdone and we need a 12 step program started for the analytics addicts, as they are creating some very complicated formulas by which we are not able to live and breath as humans at times.

QualityMetrics also wants the patient to understand the economic benefit of your score too.  Did I say that correctly, is this about healthcare or the economics of your care?  Granted like every survey and information gathering system there’s good information attained, but how it is used and analyzed for profits is where the problem lies.  Along with all of this there’s a section whereby the algorithmic processes are used to “predict” medical expenses, we don’t want any more surprises here, right?   As the page suggests this does not include claim data as it takes too long to get, so they have other methods:

“Pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies use this information to link a treatment's benefits to a lower risk of healthcare expenses and to position products for inclusion in formularies.”

See the words connecting devices and pharmaceutical information above?  These are devices that collect and report data that I have been talking about for 2 years that nobody really wants to acknowledge they exist, and for development purposes, the more ignorant the public is, the easier it is to develop such devices.  Also mentioned is the pharmaceutical end of this, so as I have mentioned so many times before, all your medication prescription records are bought and sold, and Ingenix does a lot of this so perhaps they will be combining some of their big transaction money they receive from these transactions. 

Health Insurance Underwriting Practices With Prescription Data – How Does This Work

Ingenix already shows profits over a billion every year for it’s division of United Healthcare, so this looks to be more analytical data to increase those levels.  Again, we are over run with analytics to the point to where in short time there will be additional protests and potential riots. 

Science and Questions of Morality – Can and Do They Work Together (Video)

The link above is my idea of suggested reading that leaders of Wall Street and health insurers should look at to see what their analytics are going.   As mentioned, physicians can look forward to additional complicated formulas to reach that P4P carrot that illustriously hangs in the window.    Most MDs are too busy trying to take care and do the right thing for patient care and many of the algorithm parameters to meet just go way over their heads and they have so little time to even focus, so analytics overdone.  Most that I have spoken to have little time to devote and are hearing in meetings at their hospitals that the hospital is “not meeting their quotas”, so they are getting all sides of the puzzle.  The algorithms are carving profits from hospitals and doctor compensation and make for dividend payments for shareholders.  BD   

From the Website:

“QualityMetric scientists can help you translate patient-reported information into knowledge and results. Whether you are seeking a label claim or need assistance with an FDA dossier, QualityMetric will guide you every step of the way. Equipped with our proprietary databases, our scientists can also help you to identify future health risk, understand the distribution of disease burden in member populations, and assess treatment effectiveness.”

*Cost-utility and cost-benefit analyses are conducted in order to determine the relative benefits gained from a variety of medical procedures or intervention programs in terms of quality adjusted life years.

“QualityMetric's reliable and scientifically valid generic health surveys, including the SF-12v2^® and SF-8™, are perfect for measuring population health. They identify people at risk for a variety of chronic conditions, both at present and in the future. Additionally, these surveys can measure disease burden in select populations.

The benefits of using our health surveys are far-reaching. When you make patients aware that they are at risk for a chronic condition, they can get the help, information, or treatment they need. That, in turn, can cut down on absenteeism in the work force. And the ability to monitor the ups and downs of a person's condition on a long-term basis with a survey that is easy to use and produces instant results, enables healthcare providers to assess treatment and make changes accordingly.”

UnitedHealth Group Inc. health  information and technology subsidiary Ingenix announced Wednesday that it has acquired QualityMetric Inc. for an undisclosed amount.

Lincoln, R.I.-based QualityMetric provides products and services that help health care companies assess patient-reported outcomes — a measurement of the ultimate effectiveness of health care as reported by the patients themselves.

Ingenix said QualityMetric’s offerings will augment the existing capabilities of its life sciences business, i3. “QualityMetric’s [patient-reported outcomes] capability complements our clinical outcomes and medical expenditures research by providing a critical new component — patients’ assessments of their own health status — to the insights that i3 can deliver for our clients,” i3 Group President Brian Kelly said in a statement.

QualityMetric’s capabilities also will complement Ingenix’s existing solutions for helping health care payers measure the quality and cost of care, which can be used to rewards health care providers for quality outcomes.

UnitedHealth subsidiary Ingenix buys QualityMetric - Minneapolis / St. Paul Business Journal:

Technorati Tags: Ingenix, QualityMetric, business intelligence, algorithms, healthcare, health insurance, mergers and acquisitions, biometrics, devices that report data, analytics, profits, shareholders, studies, United Healthcare

Update: Dr. Don Berwick Will Be Nominated as CMS Administrator – Featured Expert From “Money Driven Medicine” – The Book and Movie (Videos)

I was reading through my news and Maggie Mahar has updated her blog and states the rumor of the nomination is now true. 

Also in her update, here’s a clip from her notes:  why can’t the Kaiser Permanente model work everywhere?

“In part 2 of this profile, I’ll talk about what Berwick has to say about fragmentation–and variations in care in different parts of the country. Why can’t the Kaiser Permanente model work everywhere. What does he mean when he says that we haven’t even tried “transparency”? What will Medicare ask of U.S. hospitals? Just how much waste does the think there is in the system? How quickly can Medicare move to eliminate that waste?”

Kaiser Permanente is innovative alright and here’s a link to an interview I did with Chris McCarthy a few months ago that’s worth reading.  Kaiser has an innovation department and Chris also heads up the ICN group for healthcare as well.  I said he has a great job to be able to reach out and predict and project issues sometimes even before they arrive. 

Innovation and Learning at Kaiser Permanente – Interview With Chris McCarthy

At the link below you can also read up on the ILN, which was kind enough to feature my post above on their website as well. 

The Innovation Learning Network – Major Healthcare Organizations Working Together with “Design Thinking”

Dr. Berwick appears to be very high on the work flow put in place at Kaiser Permanente, thus the basis of his question.  Hopefully all will go well with confirmation of Dr. Berwick at the Senate as well.  Below is the original post from Saturday. 

Dr. Don Berwick Rumored to Become CMS Administrator – Featured Expert From “Money Driven Medicine” – The Book and Movie (Videos)

Patients make more frugal choices he states than the healthcare system when given the information, and they participate, satisfactions and outcomes improve.  He says what more could you want.   The patient are becoming victims of competition.  Most patients according to Dr. Berwick don’t realize how high some risks are with healthcare and it’s a trade off in some areas.

I watched the movie and Money Driven Medicine had quite a bit of press around this blog.   There were several opportunities to see the move in it’s entirety and you can also purchase the movie for educational use as well.

Money Driven Medicine The Documentary – Streaming During the Month of November So You Can Watch for Free

Money Driven Medicine – Taking Back Healthcare from the Bill Moyer Show

The movie also drove Dr. David Winn to comment and add some content to the blog here on his feelings, he’s the CEO and founder of E-MDs medical records and I posted his letter to President Obama which can be read at the link below.

Dr. David Winn Founder of e-MDs EHR Responds to “Money Driven Medicine” With Suggested Solutions for Healthcare Reform

I am including this information as the movie gave straight facts and has a huge impact on telling the story as to what is happening with healthcare in the US today and the information in the videos here give you some ideas of where Dr. Berwick is coming from.  His appointment would be someone in the “know” who has worked first hand in healthcare and has the wisdom to share with others, using fact and not politics.  If the rumors are true here, it looks like we could have someone who believes in change and straight issues in office and perhaps a few less politics.  Here is the first video as seen on Maggie Mahar’s site, www.healthbeatblog.org.  You can visit the website and hear and learn more about what Dr. Berwick is all about. 

Also at the end of the post is the trailer for Money Drive Medicine, if you have not seen what it is all about.

Again there are more videos at Maggie Mahar’s site so you can perhaps learn a bit more about Dr. Berwick.  From what I have read and seen, he seems to be a great choice to head up CMS – Center for Medicare. 

He’s right, it’s going to take a lot of courage and change and leadership that we have not had or seen yet, people needlessly afraid of change, which I talk about here all the time and call it “tech denial” for the most part here.  BD    

Thursday, Inside Health Policy’s Brett Coughlin and Amy Lotven were the first to report the rumor : “According to several Washington sources . . . the White House has picked Harvard professor and pediatrician Donald Berwick to serve as CMS Administrator. A K Street source said that Berwick agreed to take the job ‘some time ago’ but only on the condition that health reform pass first. Although administration officials did not confirm the chatter, sources said that the announcement could come as soon as next week.” (via Politico Pulse)

This makes sense. Not long ago, I wrote about the need for strong leadership at CMS: “For some time,  I have argued that I believe that White House health care policy-makers want to select someone strong enough to pursue a relatively radical agenda.  My guess is that the White House did not want to face a battle over Senate confirmation of such a candidate while fighting the larger war over healthcare reform.

Health Beat: Dr. Don Berwick to Become Medicare Director? If It’s True, This Is Wonderful News

Technorati Tags: CMS, Money Driven Medicine, Medicare, Obama, Pediatrician, White House, healthcare, competition, cost, bugets, healthcarereform, healthcare reform, doctors, health insurance, Bill Moyer, Movie, journalism in healthcare, Maggie Mahar, E-MDs, ILN, Kaiser Permanente

PrivaMed, Inc. Granted US Patent for Security Platform and Cards for Medical Records

In reading the press release and web site the patent appears to include multi platforms for security for anything from biometrics, a card, a PDA cell phone and a few other software configurations.  With all the issues we read about currently with security breaches, the solution field is bound to become pretty crowded quickly I am guessing too and we could start seeing full on security partners with EHR systems above and beyond what is already built into the medical records system.  BD 

From the website:

“Our solutions provide a wide range of systems and services for the health care industry. They include systems and services for implementations and operations of PrivaMed™ cards. We also provide system solutions and services for the HIPAA privacy and security compliance.”

“PrivaMedTM™ Personal Manager allows review and entry to the PrivaMedTM™ card information on personal computers and on PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants). This system application software has been designed to integrate with other applications on Microsoft Windows based systems and has interfaces to various medical applications for transfer and conversion of any data.”

(NEW YORK — March 22, 2010)— PrivaMed Inc., a New York-based healthcare electronic records and data security company, announces that it has been granted a patent by the US Patent Office. The patent describes a secure, portable, electronic database, containing the patient’s full medical records. The method can be implemented on various portable devices that can be carried by patients, and presented to different providers.

This method can also be implemented through online host systems. 

Providers have different levels of access to the data on the database, depending on their credentials and the data added by each provider is digitally signed and is “trusted”.

With the successful granting of this patent, PrivaMed began working on different implementations of the method for smart cards, USB memory drives and mobile phones.

Because , the stored data is encrypted and can be accessed only by authorized parties, this method can be implemented for storage of patient data records online as well as on a variety of mobile devices. In all cases, the method meets all HIPPA security requirements.

“The approval of the patent validates our vision of how to securely store, access, and present health data records on a variety of different devices and host based systems.” said David Asay, CEO of PrivaMed Inc. “We believe that this patent will bring tremendous efficiencies to the patient information transaction processes and great savings to the entire healthcare system”.

M. Aaron Karimzadeh, PrivaMed’s President, said, “While the US health care system is going through major changes, our solutions utilizing this technology, will remain effective for a wide range of implementations.

The technology gives patients wider flexibility of choice to visit different Health care providers; and allows each provider to see the patient’s complete and up to date medical records, instantly. The information available to provider can include every large radiological images”.

Providers can securely upload patient data records to regional servers that will act, not only as a safe and secure backup for the patient’s ;data but also as a platform for remote accessing data records by provider personnel with the appropriate credentials. The system will also produce a remarkably suitable platform for managing, handling, and processing providers’ transactions, including patient/provider authentications and HIPAA transactions.

PrivaMed is a medical technologies development company, located in Carle Place, New York.

Its team members include technology specialists, medical scientists security experts, and business managers, while its Advisory Board is made up of high ranking subject matter experts, and Medical experts

For all investment and partnership opportunities please contact the company President, M. Aaron Karimzadeh: info@privamedinc.com or call 516-338-8880.

Patent granted for Portable Electronic Medical infromation

Technorati Tags: Patent, PrivaMed, medical records, healthcare, technology, HIPAA, biometrics, medical billing, security, smart cards, USB drive, Mobile phones

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid Calls Out “No” By Mistake on Healthcare Vote – Second Time He Did This

The senator supports reform and has worked hard to gain supporters.  I guess he may have been distracted and changed his vote, and this has been done twice now.  What’s his level of distraction?

Is Distraction Getting in the Way of HealthCare Reform?

I think I am right when I say we live in a world of constant disruption and this proves that point.  Can you imagine if our Senators and Representatives had to participate with a biometric monitoring too!  They all thought Twitter was a big evil, but what if the game was for real and all your statistics started being recorded like they think should be good for us?  Could they stand it?  Congress is in better position than us though as they have no restrictions and on how they are “scored” like we are for cost. 

Distraction and Disruption – A Way of Life Today with Technology - Do Our Leaders Understand What Is Happening?

“We make laws” and don’t have time to participate, we know what is best for the country?  Is this what we are hearing today?  I kind of seems that way.  I would love to see a session of Congress with members getting text messages to get up and move around, having to answer the messages and so on with wearing a device like a Fitbit or Muve Gruve.   Could they function this way and create laws at the same time?  Looks like they are easily confused without biometrics, but they know they are good for us, right????  The words of the non participants.  

They certainly think it is ok for us, but that’s the world of the non participants that subscribe to the philosophy of “its for those guys over there”.  BD 

 

Washington (CNN) -- Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid mistakenly called out "no" Thursday when asked for his vote on the health care reconciliation bill, setting the chamber howling with laughter.

Reid voted the wrong way when the clerk called for his vote, realized his error and quickly changed his vote to "yes."

"He did it again," someone said amid laughter.

Reid casts wrong vote on health care for second time - CNN.com

Technorati Tags: healthcare reform, biometric monitoring, health insurance, cell phones, Congress, wireless, laws, distraction, disruption, multi tasking, Senate, Harry Reid