New Pure Hydrocodone Pain Killer Drug Being Developed Talking to the FDA About Application-Targeting 2013 For US Market

<p>This is kind of scary as to where we are going with pain killers.  One good thing though is that there are many new devices on the market coming out that distribute pain killer right to the affected area for recovery from surgery, wounds and so on and I would take that in a heartbeat versus taking pain killers.  I have had surgeries <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-XZphMzDTNB0/TvkWNb6qaMI/AAAAAAAA4vk/4HTQleyUNiI/s1600-h/image%25255B11%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="165" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-EUuw2vdimT8/TvkWNgENWJI/AAAAAAAA4vs/drgbVW1GhLQ/image_thumb%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="170" /></a>to where for a few days where I took Vicodin and I know what it does after a couple of days and that’s about all I am good for as I prefer being alert.  </p> <p>The case being made here is less liver damage from the acetaminophen found in combination drugs, like Vicodin, but it also puts the drug in a stronger controlled group with regards to refills, etc.  Again myself I couldn’t imagine anything stronger as the combination drug was enough for me for a couple or three days.  This is of course abused drug in the US.  In 2007 the Purdue drug company pleaded guilty to their claims that the drug was not addictive.  The company also makes patches that release opioid controlled substances as well and was approved by the FDA in 2010.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/07/purdue-pharma-receives-fda-approval-for.html"><font size="2">Purdue Pharma Receives FDA Approval for Butrans™ Transdermal System For Severe Pain Management</font></a><font size="2">.</font></h4> <p>Some of the drugs get recalled too, like this example below.  </p> <p><font size="1"></font></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/02/fda-recall-vicodin-hydrocodone.html"><font size="2">FDA Recall: Vicodin (Hydrocodone Bitartrate) in Phenobarbital Bottles Qualitest Pharma-Incorrect Package Labeling</font></a></h4> <p>Earlier this year the FDA approved cough and cold medicine to contain hydrocodone so it looks like it’s going to be around for a while and I guess we shall wait and see fi the pure stuff makes it to the market.  BD  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/06/fda-approves-nda-for-two-hydrocodone.html"><font size="2">FDA Approves NDA for Two Hydrocodone Cough and Cold Medications From Cypress Pharmaceuticals</font></a></h4> <blockquote> <p>NEW YORK -- Drug companies are working to develop a pure, more powerful version of the nation's second most-abused medicine, which has addiction experts worried that it could spur a new wave of abuse.</p> <p>The new pills contain the highly addictive painkiller hydrocodone, packing up to 10 times the amount of the drug as existing medications such as Vicodin. Four companies have begun patient testing, and one of them – Zogenix of San Diego – plans to apply early next year to begin marketing its product, Zohydro.</p> <p>If approved, it would mark the first time patients could legally buy pure hydrocodone. Existing products combine the drug with nonaddictive painkillers such as acetaminophen.</p> <p>Oxycodone is now the most-abused medicine in the United States, with hydrocodone second, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration's annual count of drug seizures sent to police drug labs for analysis.</p> <p>The latest drug tests come as more pharmaceutical companies are getting into the $10 billion-a-year legal market for powerful – and addictive – opiate narcotics.</p> <p>Zogenix has completed three rounds of patient testing, and last week it announced it had held a final meeting with Food and Drug Administration officials to talk about its upcoming drug application. It plans to file the application in early 2012 and have Zohydro on the market by early 2013.</p> <p>Opiates block pain but also unleash intense feelings of well-being and can create physical dependence. The withdrawal symptoms are also intense, with users complaining of cramps, diarrhea, muddled thinking, nausea and vomiting.</p> <p>Purdue Pharma and Cephalon, a Frazer, Pa.-based unit of Israel-based Teva Pharmaceuticals, are conducting late-stage trials of their own hydrocodone drugs, according to documents filed with federal regulators. In May, Purdue Pharma received a patent applying extended-release technology to hydrocodone. Neither company would comment on its plans.</p> <p>After a while, opiates stop working, forcing users to take stronger doses or to try slightly different chemicals.</p> <p>Pure hydrocodone falls into the stricter drug-control category than hydrocodone-acetaminophen medications, meaning patients would have to go to their doctors for a new prescription each time they needed more pills. But Jackson said that's no guarantee against abuse, noting that dozens of unscrupulous doctors have been caught churning out prescriptions in so-called "pill mills."</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/26/hydrocodone-painkiller-drug-abuse-experts_n_1170143.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003">http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/26/hydrocodone-painkiller-drug-abuse-experts_n_1170143.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000003</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:6bac47dc-ffd2-4438-ab63-4e24b1aa6325" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Zohydro" rel="tag">Zohydro</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/DEA" rel="tag">DEA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/drugs" rel="tag">drugs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pain+releivers" rel="tag">pain releivers</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pills" rel="tag">pills</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hydrocodone" rel="tag">hydrocodone</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Vicodin" rel="tag">Vicodin</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/acetaminophen" rel="tag">acetaminophen</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/doctors" rel="tag">doctors</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/opiates" rel="tag">opiates</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Purdue" rel="tag">Purdue</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Teva" rel="tag">Teva</a></div>

New Pure Hydrocodone Pain Killer Drug Being Developed Talking to the FDA About Application-Targeting 2013 For US Market

This is kind of scary as to where we are going with pain killers.  One good thing though is that there are many new devices on the market co...

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Merry Christmas from the Medical Quack(s)

<p>You didn’t expect to see anything else here did you?  Have a great holiday and posts will be a little fewer and less frequent in the next week before the new year.  Thanks again to all my readers for another wonderful year!  BD  <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-IEoYAD3YnSg/TvbgMDbAFNI/AAAAAAAA4vU/ciWn7UIMBY4/s1600-h/image%25255B9%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="293" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-5DeN4VLD3CU/TvbgMmXk-rI/AAAAAAAA4vc/zibjxMItHuw/image_thumb%25255B5%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="396" /></a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:ed288dc9-26f2-431a-a41f-0af3d8fe40a8" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Ducks" rel="tag">Ducks</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Christmas" rel="tag">Christmas</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/holidays" rel="tag">holidays</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Santa" rel="tag">Santa</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/New+Years" rel="tag">New Years</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hats" rel="tag">hats</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Merry+Christmas" rel="tag">Merry Christmas</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medical+Quack" rel="tag">Medical Quack</a></div>

Merry Christmas from the Medical Quack(s)

You didn’t expect to see anything else here did you?  Have a great holiday and posts will be a little fewer and less frequent in the next we...

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CEO and founder of the French Poly Beast Implant Prothese Wanted by Interpol

<p>The implants are filled with an unapproved non-medical grade material said to be made for mattresses?  The article goes on to say around 40,000 women in the UK <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pP04FHZcuNg/TvbUsmU235I/AAAAAAAA4vE/HHUq4knhoTw/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="197" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-bXpP7bogYRY/TvbUs6oQeiI/AAAAAAAA4vM/1Hf3vIBe2Fs/image_thumb%25255B1%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="240" /></a>have the implants.  You wonder how does this go without notice for so long.  France stated that all women should have them removed and the UK was not as aggressive; however plastic surgeons in the UK felt a little different and said the suggestion from France was not at all out of line.  </p> <p>The company has been liquidated and the use of the PIP implants has been banned but when women have them removed I would definitely have the silicon tested to see exactly what is in there for sure.  In the meantime the former CEO appears to be in hiding.  We didn’t have the implants in the US but South America was also affected with having used the product.  BD   </p> <blockquote> <p>Interpol is seeking the arrest of Jean-Claude Mas, the founder of a French company whose breast implants are at the centre of a global health scare.</p> <p>The international police agency has issued a red notice for Mas. His firm Poly Implant Protheses (PIP), which went into administration last year, supplied implants to tens of thousands of women in <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/europe-news">Europe</a> and South America.</p> <p>Interpol's website says the 72-year-old is wanted by Costa Rican authorities for crimes involving "life and health" but gives no further details. France has offered to pay for an estimated 30,000 women in the country to have their PIP implants removed because of risks the products could rupture and leak industrial-grade silicone.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/24/french-breast-implant-chief-interpol">http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/dec/24/french-breast-implant-chief-interpol</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:0509661c-cb23-442d-8cdc-57e97db406aa" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Interpol" rel="tag">Interpol</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/breast+implants" rel="tag">breast implants</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/France" rel="tag">France</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Britian" rel="tag">Britian</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Prostheses+PIP" rel="tag">Prostheses PIP</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Europe" rel="tag">Europe</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/women" rel="tag">women</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/silicone" rel="tag">silicone</a></div>

CEO and founder of the French Poly Beast Implant Prothese Wanted by Interpol

The implants are filled with an unapproved non-medical grade material said to be made for mattresses?  The article goes on to say around 40,...

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FDA Recalls St. Jude’s Riata Defibrillator Leads–Estimated 79,000 Patients in the US Implanted with the Device/Leads

<p>Apparently they found the silicon covering on the leads is the issue and it could shock patients when they don’t need it or not work at all and have a higher failure rate than first anticipated.  St. Jude last year stopped selling the leads.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p>St. Jude Medical Inc.’s Riata defibrillator leads, which the company stopped selling last year, were recalled by the U.S. Food and Drug <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hubfyPon5VY/TvbQ1PdcOXI/AAAAAAAA4u0/YoxIYxXApfM/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="137" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-2Sm697B1ppA/TvbQ1fEitRI/AAAAAAAA4u8/a57-6M1EnGo/image_thumb%25255B1%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="131" /></a>Administration because of their potential to injure or kill patients</p> <p>The devices remain implanted in an estimated 79,000 U.S. patients. The company voluntarily sent a letter to doctors on November 28 informing them that the wires used to connect the devices to the heart have a higher failure rate than was previously known.</p> <p>Leads with externalized conductors may develop electrical dysfunction and not work as intended. In the event the device does not work as intended, should a life-threatening heart rhythm occur, pacing or defibrillation therapy may not be delivered as intended. This may result in serious adverse events, including death. <br />The recall includes the following model numbers: <br />Riata (8F) Silicone Endocardial Defibrillation Leads <br />Models: 1560, 1561, 1562, 1570, 1571, 1572, 1580, 1581, 1582, 1590, 1591, 1592 <br />Riata ST (7Fr) Silicone Endocardial Defibrillation Leads <br />Models: 7000, 7001, 7002, 7010, 7011, 7040, 7041, 7042</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://fortworth.injuryboard.com/medical-devices-and-implants/fda-recalls-st-judes-riata-lead-based-on-risk-of-death.aspx?googleid=296998">http://fortworth.injuryboard.com/medical-devices-and-implants/fda-recalls-st-judes-riata-lead-based-on-risk-of-death.aspx?googleid=296998</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:b44445ea-e539-4e20-93a3-27c751fd22bb" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/St.+Jude+Defibrillator+Lawsuits" rel="tag">St. Jude Defibrillator Lawsuits</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Cardiac+Tamponade+Perforates+Heart+Tissue" rel="tag">Cardiac Tamponade Perforates Heart Tissue</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Heart+Damage" rel="tag">Heart Damage</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Irregular+Beating" rel="tag">Irregular Beating</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/St+Jude+Defective+Lead+Wires" rel="tag">St Jude Defective Lead Wires</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Riata+Perforation+Problems" rel="tag">Riata Perforation Problems</a></div>

FDA Recalls St. Jude’s Riata Defibrillator Leads–Estimated 79,000 Patients in the US Implanted with the Device/Leads

Apparently they found the silicon covering on the leads is the issue and it could shock patients when they don’t need it or not work at all ...

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Nurses Hold One Day Strike at Long Beach Memorial and Miller’s Children’s Hospital

<p>The nurses have been without a contract for a few months now and are also talking about working conditions and other items needing attention.  One thing I know about the hospital is that “its is busy” like all the time.  They did remodeling and shifting things around in the last couple of years to ease people waiting in the hallways that existed a couple years ago in the ER area.  </p> <p>What is odd here is that over 75% of the nurses showed for work though.  The Children’s Hospital is new and state of the art and I did a walk through interview with the CFO just before it opened a while back.  BD  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/12/miller-childrens-hospital-long-beach.html"><font size="2">Miller Children’s Hospital Long Beach – Brand New Pavilion Carries Focus on Patients and “Green”</font></a></h4> <p><object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,47,0" height="312" id="flashObj" width="386"><param name="movie" value="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="flashVars" value="videoId=1342857192001&playerID=14868474001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAAGApB6s~,yrcO1jAnZOLw6BFSBNAoRuJE9cvFThtw&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" /><param name="base" value="http://admin.brightcove.com" /><param name="seamlesstabbing" value="false" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="swLiveConnect" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><embed src="http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f9?isVid=1" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" flashVars="videoId=1342857192001&playerID=14868474001&playerKey=AQ~~,AAAAAGApB6s~,yrcO1jAnZOLw6BFSBNAoRuJE9cvFThtw&domain=embed&dynamicStreaming=true" base="http://admin.brightcove.com" name="flashObj" width="386" height="312" seamlesstabbing="false" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowFullScreen="true" swLiveConnect="true" allowScriptAccess="always" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/index.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash"></embed></object></p> <blockquote> <p>Hundreds of <a href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/medical-specialization/nursing-HEMSP000015.topic">nurses</a> from Long Beach Memorial Medical Center and Miller Children's Hospital staged a one-day strike Thursday over failed contract negotiations and staffing issues. <br />Equipped with bullhorns and whistles, the nurses stood by the main entrance of the hospitals on Patterson Street and Atlantic Avenue. Many waved picket signs that read: "If nurses are outside, something's wrong inside" and "Safe staffing at all times." <br />Amid the yelling and cheering for every car horn honk they got, the nurses sang out chants. <br />The California Nurses Assn. has been working without a contract since Sept. 30 and has been at odds with hospital management over staffing conditions and rising costs of healthcare premiums.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-nurses-20111223,0,6707464.story">http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-nurses-20111223,0,6707464.story</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:7617be93-f608-4396-be23-6dc9d1f870c1" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/nurses" rel="tag">nurses</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/strike" rel="tag">strike</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Long+Beach+Memorial+Hospital" rel="tag">Long Beach Memorial Hospital</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Miller's+Childrens+Hospital" rel="tag">Miller's Childrens Hospital</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/California+Nurses+Association" rel="tag">California Nurses Association</a></div>

Nurses Hold One Day Strike at Long Beach Memorial and Miller’s Children’s Hospital

The nurses have been without a contract for a few months now and are also talking about working conditions and other items needing attention...

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US Senator Doesn’t Want Us Ingesting Caffeine With Aeroshot Breathable Caffeine

<p>The product says you get the same amount of caffeine as you would in a Starbucks <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-q2xd-mOgvfo/TvPagzyhpLI/AAAAAAAA4uU/FFyV-DPbE-U/s1600-h/image%25255B4%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="154" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-zHYA1fgX6mE/TvPahPxX_MI/AAAAAAAA4uc/nKEa1sd4P0M/image_thumb%25255B2%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="240" /></a>cup of coffee which seems harmless enough.  Ok so you take 3 or 4 snorts, some like me drink that many cups daily anyway.  If you really like caffeine, you can bathe in it, suck it down in lollypops and more.  There are geek sites all over the web that sell caffeine in different types of products.   The product doesn’t need FDA approval the article indicates as it has some vitamin supplements included as well.</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/06/caffeine-shower-shock-caffeinated-body.html">Caffeine: Shower Shock Caffeinated Body Wash, Javapops</a></h4> <p>Who can figure out what gets priorities today in Congress?  From reading the web page it sounds like it goes to your stomach actually.  This was invented by a professor at Harvard.  The website also says no caffeine goes to your lungs.  This will be interesting when it comes out in January in Boston and New York and the Senator can certainly find more important issues to address by all means.  BD  </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-IdP-ZWWdia0/TvPahf4K8xI/AAAAAAAA4uk/b2EI7G-ey7k/s1600-h/image%25255B10%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="77" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-2swfDgPVXas/TvPah7z_EMI/AAAAAAAA4us/XKyceYa1KwI/image_thumb%25255B6%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="418" /></a></p> <blockquote> <p>According to the senator’s office, the product is not reviewed by the FDA — it apparently skirts regulation by claiming it contains a vitamin supplement.</p> <p>According to its website, Aeroshot lets the user inhale caffeine in powdered form. It dispenses 100 milligrams of caffeine in a just few puffs. The jolt is equivalent to a large cup of <a href="http://cbsnewyork.wordpress.com/2011/10/04/starbucks-to-donate-profits-from-harlem-coffee-shop/">Starbucks coffee</a>.</p> <p>The product is apparently being marketed to consumers ages 12 and up with the emphasis on helping students stay awake and study.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/12/22/schumer-fights-sale-of-inhalable-caffeine-product/">http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/12/22/schumer-fights-sale-of-inhalable-caffeine-product/</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:5466f6a1-939a-4acf-a878-cac41d970642" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Aeroshot" rel="tag">Aeroshot</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/caffeine" rel="tag">caffeine</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Congress" rel="tag">Congress</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/energy" rel="tag">energy</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/drugs" rel="tag">drugs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/coffee" rel="tag">coffee</a></div>

US Senator Doesn’t Want Us Ingesting Caffeine With Aeroshot Breathable Caffeine

The product says you get the same amount of caffeine as you would in a Starbucks cup of coffee which seems harmless enough.  Ok so you take ...

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Feed The Wards Video From ZDoggMD–His Christmas Wish Granted-Not On Call This Year!

<p>The doctor no problem here with working on a second career!  This so funny and I think one of his best as he an entire collection.  Use the link at the bottom to go his site and see more of the rapping hospitalist.  Pumpkin colored ensure…Santa pulled his central line…<grin>.  BD </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 390px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:4d4edc1a-64c8-4c42-a565-d5a4dbbf2a7e" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="d13e461b-069f-4580-99ba-8d8395e79891" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIxhXHds20I" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('d13e461b-069f-4580-99ba-8d8395e79891'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"390\" height=\"219\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/iIxhXHds20I?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/iIxhXHds20I?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"390\" height=\"219\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-apOYVWzPDpU/TvPTbK7zCII/AAAAAAAA4uM/iouEVw_m5wE/video9b7d84d58ce0%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div><div style="width:390px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Feed the Wards!</div></div> <blockquote> <p>But it is the Holidays, so we should probably take a moment to think of those less fortunate than ourselves. People who go hungry while others feast. People without a single shred of hope remaining. I’m talking about healthcare workers <a href="http://zdoggmd.com/2011/05/call-day/">taking call</a> during the Holidays.</p> </blockquote> <p><a title="http://zdoggmd.com/2011/12/feed-the-wards/" href="http://zdoggmd.com/2011/12/feed-the-wards/">http://zdoggmd.com/2011/12/feed-the-wards/</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:ca347a89-1994-48fd-ab84-8f062cd09239" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Need+a+laugh" rel="tag">Need a laugh</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/holidays" rel="tag">holidays</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Christmas" rel="tag">Christmas</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/humor" rel="tag">humor</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/wards" rel="tag">wards</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/feed" rel="tag">feed</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospital" rel="tag">hospital</a></div>

Feed The Wards Video From ZDoggMD–His Christmas Wish Granted-Not On Call This Year!

The doctor no problem here with working on a second career!  This so funny and I think one of his best as he an entire collection.  Use the ...

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Shell Practices that Defraud Medicare–One Good Reason to Clean Up The Flawed Data on the Internet-Hunting Ground for Thieves

<p>If you read the Medical Quack often enough this is fairly common topic that comes up for me to write about as it is such a big problem.  The “shell” practices as they are called can sometimes find provider IDs online, for “dead” doctors and then they go to work billing.  It really makes for a huge problem all the way around without <img align="right" border="0" height="162" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sx2zH6FRX5I/AAAAAAAAbVA/d_wGQhLl5ec/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" width="141" />some decent audit trails and checking.  It’s funny we have all the data being sold out there and they grab stuff for free and use it for all kinds of intelligence, but when it comes to simple verification we have little.  Chapter 7 of the Attack of the Killer Algorithms shows how flawed data hurts us from the consumer side.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/12/flawed-datamined-by-corporations-online.html"><font size="2">Flawed Data–Mined by Corporations Online Provides Background Checks Riddled With Errors–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Part 7</font></a></h4> <p>The thieves know how to mine data too unfortunately and run the gambit as I wrote about over a year ago.  As a consumer you may be using the doctor sites to find a doctor, but the other side is looking for flawed data, dead, retired doctors, what ever they can get with folks not updating records.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/10/dead-doctors-and-inaccurate-md-listings.html"><font size="2">Dead Doctors and Inaccurate MD Listings On the Web Can Be a Real Hunting Ground of Information to Mine For Crooks Relative to Fraudulent Medical Billing</font></a></h4> <p>Here’s an interesting article from 2010, obviously one of the so called shell companies.</p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/biggest-prescriber-of-medicaid-drugs-in.html"><font size="2">Biggest Prescriber of Medicaid Drugs In New Jersey Charged with Fraud–Only Had 3 Employees</font></a><img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TIcFX2VeO7I/AAAAAAAAhM0/XEBdNBADlow/image_thumb.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" /></h6> <p><strong>How many women received penis pumps?</strong>  Again it’s an auditing algorithm that can be used to catch some of this and HHS is moving in this direction with new auditing software and I would be surprise if one woman received one <grin>.  </p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/two-florida-business-menmedicare-fraud.html"><font size="2">Two Florida Business Men–Medicare Fraud For Billing for Penis Pumps for Female and Male Patients–Lot of Transaction Money Made And Who’s Running the Algorithms for Profit?</font></a></h6> <p>The key here is though to use the math and queries wisely so legitimate practices don’t get caught in “false positives” as that happens too.  Most of the time though as this investigative article indicated it’s a matter of a few queries, like business licenses and names that can be researched but if nobody looks at the obvious the claims fly.  <strong><em>One of the biggest fraud stories with this well known oncologist in the OC and he got caught twice and in court his attorney said he had a compulsive disorder where he couldn’t help himself as it was so easy, go figure that one out.</em></strong></p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/04/prominent-orange-county-oncologist.html"><font size="2">Prominent Orange County Oncologist Pleads Guilty to Medicare/Insurance Fraud – Over $1 Million</font></a></h6> <p>A few queries and auditing algorithms can help out a lot.  The new algorithms used by CMS should help identify a lot of the obvious before anyone has to step a foot outside a door to investigate. </p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/12/medicare-federal-investigators-getting.html"><font size="2">Medicare Federal Investigators Getting Algorithms to Analyze And Find Fraud-Good Move as Contractors Efforts Are Weak With Risking Loss Of Transaction Revenue</font></a></h6> <p>Again as mentioned,<strong> there is a downside with the formulas wrenched down too tight for false positives</strong>.  Here’s a <u>story from 2010 from San Diego to where the Ingenix algorithms said the dermatologists practices were billing fraudulently</u> and this was ugly and I don’t know the outcome but it was bad the way it was handled and some doctors had to close as there was no money in the way that it was handled and law <u>suits are on going with this one so we went from “shells to skins” in this case.  BD</u></p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/09/skins-game-with-dermatology-offices-in.html"><font size="2">Skins game With Dermatology Offices in California – All Insurance Carriers Quit Paying For Treatment Within a 5 Day Period</font></a></h6> <p><strong></strong></p> <p><strong><u></u></strong></p> <blockquote> <p>MIAMI/ATLANTA (Reuters) - By the time authorities busted a fake AIDS clinic in Miami, it had bilked Medicare of more than $4.5 million. Still, the man behind the scheme remained far ahead of the agents pursuing him.</p> <p>Michel De Jesus Huarte, a 40-year-old Cuban-American, hadn't simply avoided arrest. He had hatched a plan to steal millions more from Medicare by forming at least 29 other shell companies - paper-only firms with no real operations. Each time, he would keep his name out of any corporate records. Other people - some paid by Huarte, some whose identities had been stolen - would be listed in incorporation papers.</p> <p>The shells functioned as a vital tool to hide the Medicare deceit - and not only for Huarte. Hundreds of others have used the veil of corporate secrecy to help steal hundreds of millions of dollars from one of the nation's largest social service programs, a Reuters investigation has found.</p> <p>Huarte is now behind bars and did not respond to requests for comment. But basic checks by Reuters of Medicare providers in one city - Miami - suggest shell companies remain prime tools in perpetrating fraud. Simply by reviewing the incorporation records of Medicare providers in two buildings there, reporters uncovered information that one government official said could prompt "a serious criminal investigation" of some of the companies.</p> <p>The fraud rings merge stolen doctor and patient data under the auspices of a shell company and then bill Medicare as rapidly as possible. Other shell companies are often layered on top to camouflage the fraud, law enforcement officials say.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/21/us-shellcompanies-medicare-idUSTRE7BK0PY20111221">http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/12/21/us-shellcompanies-medicare-idUSTRE7BK0PY20111221</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:8c33545d-b6cb-413d-ad82-dd7c03b5b7bf" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HealthGrades" rel="tag">HealthGrades</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/data+bases" rel="tag">data bases</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+insurance" rel="tag">health insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/human+resources" rel="tag">human resources</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/tech+denial" rel="tag">tech denial</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/infrastrucure" rel="tag">infrastrucure</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/lazy" rel="tag">lazy</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/employer+insurance+HealthGrades" rel="tag">employer insurance HealthGrades</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/employer+insurance" rel="tag">employer insurance</a></div>

Shell Practices that Defraud Medicare–One Good Reason to Clean Up The Flawed Data on the Internet-Hunting Ground for Thieves

If you read the Medical Quack often enough this is fairly common topic that comes up for me to write about as it is such a big problem.  The...

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One more Johnson and Johnson Recall-Motrin That May Not Work-Where’s the BarCodes to Help Consumers, Drug Chains, Pharmacists, the FDA and So On…

<p>Well they did do a trial on bar codes for baby wipes which give product information <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Sv_lNjrThVA/TvN3iivkBCI/AAAAAAAA4t8/HBzwosuHX_w/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="105" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Q1RBmybdLZg/TvN3iwojHSI/AAAAAAAA4uA/0xxdJmBmIbA/image_thumb%25255B1%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="140" /></a>but in case of a recall, they information could be updated quickly.  I realize the company is delving deep into quality control but gee look at the other side with consumers and everyone else involved.  A collaborated effort with the FDA could work very well and make it easier for compliance too with a synchronized data base, but we just don’t seem to want to go there. </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/06/johnson-and-johnson-puts-microsoft-tag.html"><font size="2">Johnson and Johnson Puts Microsoft Tag Bar Codes on Baby <img align="right" border="0" height="76" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-02bivLwnbT8/TgD_-aqO65I/AAAAAAAAzqE/ISvWZkwVrKQ/image_thumb%25255B6%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" width="152" />Wipes But Can’t Do the Same to Give Consumers the Chance to Find Their FDA Recalls - BarCode Baby Steps?</font></a></h4> <p>Here’s an image of what the barcodes on the baby wipes look like below:</p> <p><img border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-888ft_ZSx7M/TgD__H1Su2I/AAAAAAAAzqM/BzKvjFKF34g/image_thumb%25255B4%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" /></p> <p>Furthermore I have seen millions spent on trying to engage consumers with mHealth and they just don’t get as far as needing a vehicle and creating value for the consumer, this is the vehicle to drive it as this is VALUE shown immediately.  People would much rather have this than see that Facebook HHS contest for an emergency app and all the geeks on the web kind of laughed at it with all the privacy issues on the forefront.  So let’s use this tweet below…<strong>J and J are you listening…I’ll just keep posting this tweet from a Mom that wanted to be able to scan bottles…I have a few more of them too on the Quack.  </strong></p> <p><img border="0" height="85" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/S_cYrKEcX-I/AAAAAAAAeOA/_Zre_9Hzr2w/image_thumb%5B22%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" width="388" /></p> <p><u>The Milwaukee Journal interviewed me on my thoughts on the barcodes earlier this year</u> as another company with wipes had a huge recall too.  You can read that at the link below…technology is here but we are not using it.</p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/04/triad-group-taints-smith-and-nephew.html"><font size="2">Triad Group Taints Smith and Nephew Device Company With Recalled Wipes How Many More Are Out There Under Private Labels?</font></a></h6> <p><u>Of all the recalls and situations that could be fixed, the stinking drugs was one that could easily be fixed with coatings the pallets outdoors!</u><strong>  I was in logistics for many years and watched that routine occur all over the place with treated pallets indoors.  I used to do business with a J and J distribution center many years ago</strong>, was happening then and sure it’s what the stink is all about.  Other companies did it too as I also called on Pfizer distribution centers and few others as well.  </p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/04/johnson-and-johnson-recalls-stinky.html"><font size="2">Johnson and Johnson Recalls Stinky Topamax Drug Used for Epilepsy-The Cold Weather Stench That Stole Topamax</font></a></h6> <p><strong>How the CEO Bill Weldon goes unscathed over all of this is beyond me as yesterday it was in the news that the former head of the consumer division was set to face charges on all of this</strong>.  BD</p> <p><strong><u></u></strong></p> <blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=JNJ:US">Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)</a>, the health-care company beset by product recalls the last two years, said it was asking retailers to return about 12 million bottles of Motrin over concerns the painkiller may dissolve too slowly. <img align="right" border="0" height="113" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SY-8XQ1taUI/AAAAAAAAORY/eD4JrizRCvg/MedicalQuackTag_thumb1.jpg?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="153" /></p> <p>Tests of product samples showed some caplets may not dissolve as quickly as intended when near their expiration date, J&J’s McNeil Consumer Healthcare unit said in a <a href="http://www.motrin.com/news/7">statement</a> on its website today. While consumers don’t have to return any bottles, it’s possible there may be “a delay in relief” after taking the drug, Bonnie Jacobs, a spokeswoman, said in a telephone interview. J&J is based in <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/new-brunswick/">New Brunswick</a>, <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/new-jersey/">New Jersey</a>. </p> <p>McNeil agreed in March to give U.S. regulators stepped-up oversight at three manufacturing plants, after the division had to pull tens of millions of packages of over-the-counter drugs for quality concerns. Today’s recall covers Motrin distributed in the U.S., <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/puerto-rico/">Puerto Rico</a>, Fiji, Belize, the Bahamas, St. Lucia and <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/jamaica/">Jamaica</a>, according to the statement. </p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-21/j-j-recalls-12-million-bottles-of-motrin-that-may-not-dissolve.html?cmpid=yhoo">http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-12-21/j-j-recalls-12-million-bottles-of-motrin-that-may-not-dissolve.html?cmpid=yhoo</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:8609b1d2-3f4b-49ee-9065-9258597c2043" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Recall" rel="tag">Recall</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Johnson+and+Johnson" rel="tag">Johnson and Johnson</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/drugs" rel="tag">drugs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/chemical" rel="tag">chemical</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/odor" rel="tag">odor</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Topamax" rel="tag">Topamax</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Bill+Weldon" rel="tag">Bill Weldon</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/epilepsy" rel="tag">epilepsy</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pallets" rel="tag">pallets</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/shipments" rel="tag">shipments</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/recalls" rel="tag">recalls</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/bar+codes" rel="tag">bar codes</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Baby+Wipes" rel="tag">Baby Wipes</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/charity" rel="tag">charity</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Motrin" rel="tag">Motrin</a></div>

One more Johnson and Johnson Recall-Motrin That May Not Work-Where’s the BarCodes to Help Consumers, Drug Chains, Pharmacists, the FDA and So On…

Well they did do a trial on bar codes for baby wipes which give product information but in case of a recall, they information could be updat...

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Massachusetts Nurses Association Protesting Private Equity Company Cerberus Who Operates Steward Healthcare With More Concern for Profits Than Care

<p>Many nurses made the trip to the Cerberus offices in New York to promote an “Occupy” type demonstration with discontent over many working and pension conditions since Steward, who is owned by Cerberus took over and purchased several hospitals in Massachusetts. One item in particular pointed out was the skimping on bread and juice used to stabilize patients at Norwood Hospital and Good Samaritan Hospital.  There have been a greater number of private investments in healthcare and apparently it has become so large in number they had to create a “non profit” group to talk about how to “profit”…kind of an oxymoron?  BD  </p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/05/how-big-are-private-equity-investments.html"><font size="2">How Big Are Private Equity Investments in Healthcare – Large Enough to Create a “Non-Profit” Trade Association To Talk About How to “Profit”</font></a></h6> <p><strong><u>From the Website:</u></strong></p> <p><em>“Cerberus Capital Management, L.P., along with its affiliates, is one of the world's leading private investment firms. Through its team of investment and operations professionals, Cerberus specializes in providing both financial resources and <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/S6t78S9myhI/AAAAAAAAdBk/QV7tVeNJF6s/image%5B5%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" />operational expertise to help transform undervalued companies into industry leaders for long-term success and value creation. Cerberus holds controlling or significant minority interests in companies around the world. <br />Cerberus is headquartered in New York City with affiliate and/or advisory offices in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia.”</em></p> <blockquote> <p>Janet DeMoranville is standing up against a private equity investment firm that now owns Morton Hospital, where she has worked for 13 years, saying the company is more concerned about profits than patients.</p> <p>“They are just out to make money,” said DeMoranville, describing the motives of Cerberus, which has bought 10 hospitals in Massachusetts, including Morton, as part of Steward Health Care.</p> <p>“They don’t care how they do it, or what cuts they have to make to get it. They have to realize that health care is not a money-making business. It’s a patient care industry. That’s what it needs to be about.”</p> <p>DeMoranville was one of five Morton nurses who joined more than 100 other nurses from the Massachusetts Nurses Association (MNA) and hundreds from other states to protest Cerberus at the firm’s corporate headquarters in New York on Tuesday afternoon.</p> <p>Representatives for the MNA singled out Steward and Cerberus for one issue, slamming them for skimping out on bread and juice used to stabilize patients at Norwood Hospital and Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton. MNA spokesperson David Schildmeier said that is unacceptable for Cerberus, which bought Chrysler in 2007 before another company bought it last year and has become involved in the arms industry, said that this was ridiculous.</p> <p>“When the owner of Chrysler can’t provide a loaf of bread to patients, that symbolizes something being very wrong,” Schildmeier said.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.tauntongazette.com/news/x1157704454/Morton-Hospital-nurses-Cerberus-more-concerned-with-profits-than-patients">http://www.tauntongazette.com/news/x1157704454/Morton-Hospital-nurses-Cerberus-more-concerned-with-profits-than-patients</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:c27772dd-7f93-4707-a98b-58ae9f21627d" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Caritas+Christi+Health" rel="tag">Caritas Christi Health</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/private+equity" rel="tag">private equity</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospitals" rel="tag">hospitals</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Cerberus" rel="tag">Cerberus</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/money" rel="tag">money</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/investments" rel="tag">investments</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Landmark+Medical" rel="tag">Landmark Medical</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/acquisitions+and+mergers" rel="tag">acquisitions and mergers</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/JPMorgan+Healthcare+Conference" rel="tag">JPMorgan Healthcare Conference</a></div>

Massachusetts Nurses Association Protesting Private Equity Company Cerberus Who Operates Steward Healthcare With More Concern for Profits Than Care

Many nurses made the trip to the Cerberus offices in New York to promote an “Occupy” type demonstration with discontent over many working an...

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Prestige Brands to Acquire 17 Consumer Over the Counter Brands From Glaxo

<p>This seems to make sense as Prestige already had a large number of consumer products already and that appears to be their primary business.  The over the counter products seem to a bit of a mixed bag with both drugs and other types of consumer products.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p>IRVINGTON, N.Y., Dec 20, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Prestige Brands Holdings, Inc. (NYSE-PBH) today announced the signing of a definitive agreements with GSK to acquire 17 over-the-counter (OTC) <a href="http://prestigebrands.com/"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="79" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-M-bQAkxwq_k/TvDdMne1I3I/AAAAAAAA4t0/D_NABQ_8GdY/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="203" /></a>pharmaceutical brands sold in North America for a total of $660 million in cash. The transactions are expected to be completed in the first half of calendar year 2012 subject to customary legal and regulatory closing conditions, including clearance under the Hart-Scott Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as applicable, and the Company closing on its committed financing for the acquisitions. </p> <p>Among the brands the Company agreed to acquire are the BC(R), Goody's(R), and Ecotrin(R) brands of pain relievers; Beano(R), Gaviscon(R), Phazyme(R), Tagamet(R) and Fiber Choice(R) GI brands; and the Sominex(R) sleep aid brand. </p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/story/prestige-brands-holdings-inc-signs-definitive-agreements-with-gsk-to-acquire-17-consumer-otc-healthcare-brands-in-north-america-2011-12-20">http://www.marketwatch.com/story/prestige-brands-holdings-inc-signs-definitive-agreements-with-gsk-to-acquire-17-consumer-otc-healthcare-brands-in-north-america-2011-12-20</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:a0a26359-3d96-4f28-b107-11d3d440b71b" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Prestige" rel="tag">Prestige</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/GlaxoSmithKline" rel="tag">GlaxoSmithKline</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/GSK" rel="tag">GSK</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/consumer+goods" rel="tag">consumer goods</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/OTC" rel="tag">OTC</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pain+releivers" rel="tag">pain releivers</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/drug+stores" rel="tag">drug stores</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a></div>

Prestige Brands to Acquire 17 Consumer Over the Counter Brands From Glaxo

This seems to make sense as Prestige already had a large number of consumer products already and that appears to be their primary business. ...

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Hawaii Medical Center Closes Emergency Rooms As New Buyer for the Facility Fell Through And Facilities Will Be Closed When All Patients Have Been Transferred

<p>Back in October the hospital stated they may have to close and the ER rooms are <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-sA3uN1yzR0g/TvARA-ekBAI/AAAAAAAA4tk/isCsXm1p2Eo/s1600-h/image%25255B5%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="165" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-BGvvgARskrE/TvARBOQhKvI/AAAAAAAA4ts/fLkOn6eVqOw/image_thumb%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="183" /></a>the first stage of this with paramedics stationed outside and there are no doctors on staff to see anyone.  About 1000 employees are affected and patients are being transferred to other hospitals.  As you can read below, no more transplant surgeries. </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/10/hawaii-medical-center-searching-for.html"><font size="2">Hawaii Medical Center Searching for Buyers–If Not Center Could Close As Early as November-Only Hospital in the State Capable of Performing Transplant Surgeries</font></a></h4> <p>We are just about bleeding the hospitals dry of money in many area and with the next year it’s almost sad to say we will see more stories like this as there are a couple in New York looking from the red side and getting very close.  This is not a very happy holiday for the employees or the patients by all means.  I don’t know what more we have to endure with cutting hospitals back on money but it’s just not working very well as even hospitals like Cedars Sinai have cut out their mental health services too here in Los Angeles.  BD  </p> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/global/video/videoplayer.js?rnd=100205;hostDomain=www.hawaiinewsnow.com;playerWidth=420;playerHeight=355;isShowIcon=true;clipId=6562081;flvUri=;partnerclipid=;adTag=News;advertisingZone=;enableAds=true;landingPage=;islandingPageoverride=false;playerType=STANDARD_EMBEDDEDscript;controlsType=overlay;galleryType=wnstory;galleryId=16354395"></script> <blockquote> <p>LILIHA and EWA (HawaiiNewsNow) - "We're just trying to be the safety net for the community to make sure that all their needs are being addressed as they roll up," said Kelly Yamamoto, a District Chief with the City & County of Honolulu's Emergency Medical Services.</p> <p>Posted signs warned the public, then at 7 o'clock Monday morning the doors to both Hawaii Medical Center's Ewa and Liliha emergency rooms were closed to the public. No doctors inside, but paramedics were outside. </p> <p>"It's a crisis for everyone and everybody is just kind of trying to do their part and make sure that our community is well cared for," said Yamamoto. </p> <p>Paramedics were there to provide triage or to call for an ambulance if needed. Emergency Medical Services (EMS) hasn't brought anyone to HMC ERs since Friday and it's beefed up its ambulance presence in the community to help.</p> <p>Hawaii Pacific Health officials say no official negotiations are underway to acquire the bankrupt HMC hospitals and their assets from its largest creditor, St. Francis Healthcare, but the company is monitoring the financial situation closely. HPH Chief Executive Officer, Chuck Sted said, "We continue to stay in touch with the debtor, secured creditors and unsecured creditors to determine if we are able to play a role in the future of these facilities." </p> </blockquote> <p> <a href="http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/16354395/hawaii-medical-center-emergency-room-closed-monday">http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/16354395/hawaii-medical-center-emergency-room-closed-monday</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:8cbc1342-f273-4dbc-922a-d6d18b5e7b07" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Hospital" rel="tag">Hospital</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/reorganization" rel="tag">reorganization</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+school" rel="tag">medical school</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/government" rel="tag">government</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospital" rel="tag">hospital</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/debt" rel="tag">debt</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/buyers" rel="tag">buyers</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical" rel="tag">medical</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/patients" rel="tag">patients</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/ER+Room" rel="tag">ER Room</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/doctors" rel="tag">doctors</a></div>

Hawaii Medical Center Closes Emergency Rooms As New Buyer for the Facility Fell Through And Facilities Will Be Closed When All Patients Have Been Transferred

Back in October the hospital stated they may have to close and the ER rooms are the first stage of this with paramedics stationed outside an...

Read more »

HealthVault Free Mobile App For Windows Phone Is Out from the Zune Store To Download & Got My Ducks Updated

<p>This is pretty neat and loaded it up on my phone and off I go.  It’s pretty straight forward and works fine.  I didn’t have a lot of time to go through all of the screens yet but will do later one.  <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-pkXyDM70yp8/TvAIhDJfOYI/AAAAAAAA4sE/45SX_J7BJ9A/s1600-h/image%25255B34%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="121" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-JJJyJif-SQ0/TvAIhfol2wI/AAAAAAAA4sM/ExnwfXyNbXw/image_thumb%25255B16%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="113" /></a></p> <p>The screens are very similar to what you see on the computer just smaller and if you are used to mobile apps already, then you will get it.  It was very simple to sign in and so forth.  I have my mother on the account and all her information is available for me as well and actually she has more in there than I do.  Just yesterday I posted about a new MIT program that uses a $2.00 piece of hardware that uses the same bar code technology that phones use to scan too, so a lot going with smart phones today.  I might guess in time this might be something to incorporate into HealthVault too.</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/12/eyenetraeye-exams-in-palm-of-your-hand.html"><font size="2">EyeNetra–Eye Exams in the Palm of Your Hand With a Smart Phone Using Similar Optical Technology as With Bar Codes–Video</font></a></h4> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7axoUUDNP-4/TvAIhWvIGMI/AAAAAAAA4sU/Y97oDNHldF4/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="330" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-z5zNkvYyK0g/TvAIh0QRojI/AAAAAAAA4sc/Jnr5pGxFsHY/image_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="392" /></a></p> <p>I found this other little application while connected where I can watch moles and take pictures so I’m using version which allows only one individual and 3 pictures to see if I like it.  I don’t have ton of moles so will check this out.  I looked through the other apps and again there’s tons of them that do “one thing” and most I don’t feel are worth the time and effort.  HealthVault will have the information from connected devices available so again with doing more than one thing I see some value here.  So how many moles have you seen on a duck?  Maybe I need a feather chaser <grin>.  </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-2uOTsr52Ooc/TvAIhzhq5pI/AAAAAAAA4sk/srzHOGX3DB8/s1600-h/image%25255B7%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="334" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-gaNdJIja44w/TvAIiD0XbFI/AAAAAAAA4ss/VfcTC0THYvU/image_thumb%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="395" /></a></p> <p>And after the healthcare stuff, time for me to check out some ducks so one more duck hunter game, and yes my ring tone is a quack and I wanted to also see what “what’s up with the drunk ducks” too.  </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-UB-FHGb39ss/TvAIifUJnGI/AAAAAAAA4s0/_osk0KKxwxw/s1600-h/image%25255B30%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="192" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-NgA5TOOR4FU/TvAIiibO4MI/AAAAAAAA4s8/BjMY6hDBZjQ/image_thumb%25255B14%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="173" /></a>               <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-aHVjGIiUcA0/TvAIi-f8cSI/AAAAAAAA4tE/j7nAE_7Dm14/s1600-h/image%25255B29%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="195" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-tIvreLAScd4/TvAIjGGjWUI/AAAAAAAA4tM/ZTRm8LHl1ew/image_thumb%25255B13%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="177" /></a></p> <p>Last but not least, have to load up my favorite browser, “DUCKDUCKGO”.  You can figure out why I like this one.  Actually is is not bad and is private so right up my ally there with private browsing.  I use it on my main computers too and will be checking out the phone version.  What a Quack I can be at times and the having the current state of affairs on a duck’s health seems to be right up my alley.  BD  </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-80tNpRiALP0/TvAIjjuN4EI/AAAAAAAA4tU/LrDBAPwYEyg/s1600-h/image%25255B24%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="340" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-5oGjOrCRVcY/TvAIjxPr6EI/AAAAAAAA4tc/oZ-AdVpZh2g/image_thumb%25255B11%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="381" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://blogs.msdn.com/b/familyhealthguy/archive/2011/12/15/healthvault-now-fun-size.aspx">http://blogs.msdn.com/b/familyhealthguy/archive/2011/12/15/healthvault-now-fun-size.aspx</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:d069ec85-100c-4f56-8a7c-a12e77c89a01" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/mHealth" rel="tag">mHealth</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Microsoft" rel="tag">Microsoft</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HealthVault" rel="tag">HealthVault</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/mobile+apps" rel="tag">mobile apps</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Health+IT" rel="tag">Health IT</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/browser" rel="tag">browser</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/moles" rel="tag">moles</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/smartphones" rel="tag">smartphones</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Windows+Phone" rel="tag">Windows Phone</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/ducks" rel="tag">ducks</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/apps" rel="tag">apps</a></div>

HealthVault Free Mobile App For Windows Phone Is Out from the Zune Store To Download & Got My Ducks Updated

This is pretty neat and loaded it up on my phone and off I go.  It’s pretty straight forward and works fine.  I didn’t have a lot of time to...

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FDA Issues a Cease and Desist Sperm Order To A California Man Who Was Giving It Away on the Internet To Couples Who Could Not Afford to Pay But Wanted a Child

<p>That’s right you can’t give this away, you have to pay for it <grin>.  This is what the FDA says but their grounds for checking in was the fact that they were not sure whether or not the many was complying with regular tests for sexually transmitted diseases.  The man says he gets tested and I would almost imagine that any <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-y0BgpASWmdw/Tu_xXZqw9yI/AAAAAAAA4r0/H1IYtnVTQts/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="170" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_O5jGUA9ny8/Tu_xXrTfbbI/AAAAAAAA4r8/rvV3goydJ6M/image_thumb%25255B1%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" /></a>couples who were serious about the donation would ask that question, but you never know today.  The FDA says the test must be within 7 days of the “giving” day.  </p> <p>With the fact that he is giving it away does not make it a business and he relinquished all legal rights when the couples get their sperm.  This guy is no dummy either as he’s a computer security specialist so you know his site should be secure by all means as far as privacy one would think and he would have full audit trails too.  He’s also the son of a minister who is donating sperm for couples who cannot afford to pay.  The only thing I see a bit odd here though is to make sure that all the donations don’t run to one neighborhood or you could have issues down the road, so spread the wealth across the US I would say.  This will be interesting to see how this one comes out.  If nothing else maybe he can strike a deal with the FDA relative to server security I guess <grin>.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p>A man from the San Francisco Bay area has fathered 14 children in the last five years through free sperm donations to childless couples he meets on the Internet — and is now in trouble with the federal government.</p> <p>Trent Arsenault of Fremont says he donates sperm out of a sense of service to help people who want to have children but can’t afford conventional sperm banks. The 36-year-old minister’s son has four more children on the way.</p> <p>“I always had known through people praying at church that there’s fertility issues,” Arsenault told The Associated Press on Monday. “I thought it would just be a neat way of service to help the community.”</p> <p>The U.S. Food and Drug Administration sent Arsenault a cease-and-desist letter late last year telling him he must stop because he does not follow the agency’s requirements for getting tested for sexually transmitted diseases within seven days before giving sperm. The FDA did not immediately respond to questions about what kind of punishment he faces.</p> <p>The oldest child Arsenault has fathered is now 4. He and the recipients, whom he describes as “intimate partners,” sign a legal agreement ahead of time stripping him of any custody rights and absolving him of any financial responsibility for the children.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://healthland.time.com/2011/12/19/fda-tells-man-to-stop-donating-sperm-on-the-internet/">http://healthland.time.com/2011/12/19/fda-tells-man-to-stop-donating-sperm-on-the-internet/</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:74130aac-d44f-4bb9-8d37-dc4b29f46346" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/sperm" rel="tag">sperm</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/cease+and+desist" rel="tag">cease and desist</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/father" rel="tag">father</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/children" rel="tag">children</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/websites" rel="tag">websites</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/donations" rel="tag">donations</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/STD" rel="tag">STD</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/testing" rel="tag">testing</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/babies" rel="tag">babies</a></div>

FDA Issues a Cease and Desist Sperm Order To A California Man Who Was Giving It Away on the Internet To Couples Who Could Not Afford to Pay But Wanted a Child

That’s right you can’t give this away, you have to pay for it <grin>.  This is what the FDA says but their grounds for checking in was...

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“Generic Medical Devices” FDA Approved Doctor Preferred Orthopedic Implants Made in the USA Costing 50% Less

<p>This is kind of a “no brainer” as far as the cost side as we all know we pay less for generic drugs so the same applies here with a few other bonus points with the fact that doctors and surgeons are involved in the processes to create “what works”.  Currently the company focus is on orthopedic devices and items that are used every day in surgical procedures.  This is video is from <a href="http://stocknewsnow.com/">StockNewsNow</a> who sponsors the Medical Quack and I do their websites as well so felt it was fair to make that disclosure here.  <a href="http://www.ifsusa.net/"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="93" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-vKJtp0NLKJ8/Tu-N90KF9gI/AAAAAAAA4rk/7T2kq0zhISo/image%25255B5%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="141" /></a></p> <p>In addition there are <a href="http://stocknewsnow.com/?page_id=1339"><strong><u>some video collections</u></strong></a> at the site that show many of the new biotech developments and technologies that are at many of the various medical conferences where small companies look to talk with those who have money to finance and keep research and development alive in this area.  If you read the news regularly, then you know how difficult it has become for biotech/medical companies to get funding while everyone sinks dollars into social algorithms, which is part of the big problem today in the US as all seem to think we can base an economy on intangibles and it’s not so.  </p> <p><object allowfullscreen="true" allownetworking="all" allowscriptaccess="always" data="http://www.kaltura.com/index.php/kwidget/wid/0_ct54rykk/uiconf_id/6104402" height="330" id="kaltura_player_1324321456" name="kaltura_player_1324321456" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="420"><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="allowNetworking" value="all" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#000000" /><param name="movie" value="http://www.kaltura.com/index.php/kwidget/wid/0_ct54rykk/uiconf_id/6104402" /><param name="flashVars" value="" /><a href="http://corp.kaltura.com">video platform</a><a href="http://corp.kaltura.com/video_platform/video_management">video management</a><a href="http://corp.kaltura.com/solutions/video_solution">video solutions</a><a href="http://corp.kaltura.com/video_platform/video_publishing">video player</a></object></p> <p>You can find some interviews with hospitals such as <a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http://stocknewsnow.com/%3Fp%3D2210&sa=U&ei=t4zvTpa1NcesiQL8r_C3BA&ved=0CAQQFjAA&client=internal-uds-cse&usg=AFQjCNHkcvFeOtwIaSyiY_RguFeTfC-xvQ"><u><strong>Johns Hopkins</strong></u></a> and <a href="http://www.google.com/url?q=http://stocknewsnow.com/%3Fp%3D1733&sa=U&ei=3ozvTvzRBqqYiALl_cHLBA&ved=0CAUQFjAA&client=internal-uds-cse&usg=AFQjCNF3ToCB4foLKL-h-lYM_wA2BVQT_g"><strong><u>Boston Children’s Hospital</u></strong></a> and see <u>how small biotech and hospital research are coming together from interviews at various conferences held this year</u>.  </p> <p>I don’t know why but in looking at this video I just seem to think about Dr. Gary Michelson who won a landmark legal case years ago against Medtronic as he was a practicing surgeon who created and patented many surgical devices and it was found big corporate USA stole his idea, but in today’s world hopefully we won’t see this as these devices do not have IP protection and this is a collaborated effort where everyone stands to win.  Dr. Michelson today devotes his philanthropy efforts into research for animals and donates into the humans area as well.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/06/dr-gary-k-michelson-with-philanthropy.html"><font size="2">Dr. Gary K. Michelson With Philanthropy, Pets and One Who Won over Big Business</font></a></h4> <p><a href="http://www.ifsusa.net/Testimonials.aspx"><img alt="image" border="0" height="179" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-hFkKSJ3ygJU/Tu-N-PqImVI/AAAAAAAA4rs/5WORWAS5vmE/image%25255B11%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="397" /></a></p> <p><strong><em>From my point of view we have a device maker working with doctors that want to make some money today, but not over top</em></strong> like we see some devices priced today, so stay tuned for more information as it becomes available.  We certainly can’t object to lower costs as patients and the fact that they are made in the USA as well.  BD   </p> <blockquote> <p><strong><a href="http://www.ifsusa.net/">Internal Fixation Systems</a> (IFIX.OB)</strong> is a <strong>medical device</strong> company that specializes in products that orthopedic surgeons use every day. The company focuses on commonly used, <strong>market proven</strong> products that do not have IP protections that are designed by world-class surgeons.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://stocknewsnow.com/?p=2568">http://stocknewsnow.com/?p=2568</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:fd3723a6-43eb-461a-90cf-af6a7a271721" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Internal+Fixation" rel="tag">Internal Fixation</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+devices" rel="tag">medical devices</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/generic+medical+devices" rel="tag">generic medical devices</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/surgery" rel="tag">surgery</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/doctors" rel="tag">doctors</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/surgeons" rel="tag">surgeons</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/IP+protection" rel="tag">IP protection</a></div>

“Generic Medical Devices” FDA Approved Doctor Preferred Orthopedic Implants Made in the USA Costing 50% Less

This is kind of a “no brainer” as far as the cost side as we all know we pay less for generic drugs so the same applies here with a few othe...

Read more »

EyeNetra–Eye Exams in the Palm of Your Hand With a Smart Phone Using Similar Optical Technology as With Bar Codes–Video

<p>This company has evolved out of the MIT labs.  This is amazing that for as little as <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-nMVMyf6GJ94/Tu2HMHYBTOI/AAAAAAAA4qs/0IcRwUKl0NE/s1600-h/image%25255B9%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="157" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-c3t0Xm_2-dg/Tu2HMrwXicI/AAAAAAAA4q0/C2bu84LuXXk/image_thumb%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="240" /></a>$2.00  you can attach a piece of hardware to your smart phone for a quick eye exam.  This is not going to replace the optometrist any time soon but can be used anywhere to calculate your vision.  Not too long ago MIT came out with another inexpensive attachment for the iPhone to detect cataracts, read more at the link below on that one.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/07/iphone-with-cheap-plastic-lens-to.html"><font size="2">iPhone With Cheap Plastic Lens To Detect Cataract–MIT</font></a></h4> <p>This is a cloud based program and with someone who is trained to read the results eye tests can be done anywhere, especially in areas where optometry is not readily available.  Perhaps soon we might even see this at the local drug store to buy off the shelf.  The company has already partnered with Tufts Medical Center.  </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 386px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:5276337a-ebc3-4971-bd12-499dcc31bb31" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="9225389e-b4b2-46bb-a56d-5feb247738c0" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWV14xWaYNQ" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('9225389e-b4b2-46bb-a56d-5feb247738c0'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"386\" height=\"217\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/jWV14xWaYNQ?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/jWV14xWaYNQ?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"386\" height=\"217\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-sIMwizF3YlY/Tu2HMnG3PjI/AAAAAAAA4q8/YDWNyTM1IkI/videoe3487d114e60%25255B21%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div><div style="width:386px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">eyeNETRA</div></div> <p>One of my thoughts here too is the DMV eye tests, can you imagine how this would make changes there?  The entire process takes less than 2 minutes to calculate.  Believe it or not, this is related to the bar codes that we now use on our smart phones with the same type of technology so we are scanning our eyes in essence with a very similar optical reading system.  More on the actual development at the video below.</p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 399px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:ce404ab3-7632-4f97-8688-f9f62e42c49f" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="ee021150-1369-41b8-98be-3f3ecc534723" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gR6wMlnmc68" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('ee021150-1369-41b8-98be-3f3ecc534723'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"399\" height=\"224\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/gR6wMlnmc68?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/gR6wMlnmc68?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"399\" height=\"224\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-kpqw1hcMBvM/Tu2HM3NPU4I/AAAAAAAA4rE/jwapJWBEiHM/video83a43c4164c0%25255B11%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div><div style="width:399px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Cell Phone Optometry</div></div> <p>Add this on to the growing list of what your smart phone can do for you.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p>There are very few medical devices that cost two dollars, but the Boston based startup <a href="http://www.eyenetra.com">eyeNETRA</a> (<a href="http://twitter.com/eyenetra">@eyenetra</a>), has developed a truly jaw-dropping smartphone attachment that costs two dollars and could help billions of individuals around the world currently without access to eye-care.</p> <p>eyeNetra’s invention (from the MIT Media Lab – surprise surprise) is a way to measure near or far-sightedness by combining a simple optical attachment with software on a mobile phone.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-pZhhxw8P0w4/Tu2HNHJlzeI/AAAAAAAA4rM/DeW5d2XBjc4/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="236" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-m8JCSxd82JE/Tu2HNVVZqYI/AAAAAAAA4rU/jicylaEQE5o/image_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="350" /></a></p> <p>According to the eyeNETRA’s information document, the standard method for diagnosing refractive eye conditions is the Shack-Hartman device, which shines a laser into the patient’s eye and measures the refracted light with a wavefront sensor. The company’s Near Eye Tool for Refractive Assessment (NETRA) is the inverse of a Shack-Hartman device. A patient looks at a cell phone screen through a simple pinhole array at a very close range and aligns the displayed patterns.</p> <p>Since light from these patterns go through different regions of the visual system, the act of aligning them gives a measure of the optical distortions of those regions and the required refractive correction is computed.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.imedicalapps.com/2011/12/a-remarkable-two-dollar-smartphone-attachment-that-can-measure-eyesight-mhs11/">http://www.imedicalapps.com/2011/12/a-remarkable-two-dollar-smartphone-attachment-that-can-measure-eyesight-mhs11/</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:70d8d0a5-47c0-4010-ad0f-50f62bb7af55" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/opthomology" rel="tag">opthomology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/eye+sight" rel="tag">eye sight</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/smart+phone" rel="tag">smart phone</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/mHealth" rel="tag">mHealth</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/vision" rel="tag">vision</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/glasses" rel="tag">glasses</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/prescriptions" rel="tag">prescriptions</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/MIT" rel="tag">MIT</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hardware" rel="tag">hardware</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/software" rel="tag">software</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/cloud" rel="tag">cloud</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/clinical+trials" rel="tag">clinical trials</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/affordable" rel="tag">affordable</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/eyeNETRA" rel="tag">eyeNETRA</a></div>

EyeNetra–Eye Exams in the Palm of Your Hand With a Smart Phone Using Similar Optical Technology as With Bar Codes–Video

This company has evolved out of the MIT labs.  This is amazing that for as little as $2.00  you can attach a piece of hardware to your smart...

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An Unexpected Place for Healing for a Young Woman in a Senior Citizens Home-TED Video

<p>This is a great video that Ramona Pierson tells about her recovery at a Senior Citizens home.  She was a young woman who had been I an induced coma due to <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ysRgPd3c-_A/Tu1pMdx6oUI/AAAAAAAA4qc/MI1EfzcYhAw/s1600-h/image%25255B2%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="137" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-HTNeAiee0fA/Tu1pMZlpt2I/AAAAAAAA4qk/0wYKslY1a48/image_thumb.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="174" /></a>being hit by a car.  She even adds some humor here where she can and talks about the wisdom of the seniors.  </p> <p>One comment was really cute about a senior with Alzheimer's helping here, but with having to learn to talk all over she said the repetition was good.  She talks about the transition of being blind and how years later she was able to through experimental surgery years later get her eyesight back.  This is truly one inspirational story with generations coming together to help her and bring her back….cuss word scrabble…BD</p> <p><object height="374" width="426"><br /><param name="movie" value="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf"></param><br /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><br /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><br /><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><br /><param name="bgColor" value="#ffffff"></param><br /><param name="flashvars" value="vu=http://video.ted.com/talk/stream/2011X/Blank/RamonaPierson_2011X-320k.mp4&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/RamonaPierson_2011X-embed.jpg&vw=512&vh=288&ap=0&ti=1305⟨=&introDuration=15330&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=830&adKeys=talk=ramona_pierson_an_unexpected_place_of_healing;year=2011;theme=medicine_without_borders;theme=master_storytellers;event=TEDxDU+2011;tag=Culture;tag=aging;tag=education;tag=health+care;tag=medicine;tag=self;tag=storytelling;&preAdTag=tconf.ted/embed;tile=1;sz=512x288;" /><br /><embed src="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf" pluginspace="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" bgColor="#ffffff" width="426" height="374" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="vu=http://video.ted.com/talk/stream/2011X/Blank/RamonaPierson_2011X-320k.mp4&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/RamonaPierson_2011X-embed.jpg&vw=512&vh=288&ap=0&ti=1305&lang=&introDuration=15330&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=830&adKeys=talk=ramona_pierson_an_unexpected_place_of_healing;year=2011;theme=medicine_without_borders;theme=master_storytellers;event=TEDxDU+2011;tag=Culture;tag=aging;tag=education;tag=health+care;tag=medicine;tag=self;tag=storytelling;&preAdTag=tconf.ted/embed;tile=1;sz=512x288;"></embed><br /></object></p> <p><a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/ramona_pierson_an_unexpected_place_of_healing.html?awesm=on.ted.com_Pierson&utm_campaign=&utm_medium=on.ted.com-static&utm_source=t.co&utm_content=awesm-publisher">http://www.ted.com/talks/ramona_pierson_an_unexpected_place_of_healing.html?awesm=on.ted.com_Pierson&utm_campaign=&utm_medium=on.ted.com-static&utm_source=t.co&utm_content=awesm-publisher</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:fdb13bf7-5f2a-4a0c-9b78-423c62f426a5" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospital" rel="tag">hospital</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/accident" rel="tag">accident</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/recovery" rel="tag">recovery</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/surgery" rel="tag">surgery</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/blindness" rel="tag">blindness</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/body" rel="tag">body</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/determination" rel="tag">determination</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/coma" rel="tag">coma</a></div>

An Unexpected Place for Healing for a Young Woman in a Senior Citizens Home-TED Video

This is a great video that Ramona Pierson tells about her recovery at a Senior Citizens home.  She was a young woman who had been I an induc...

Read more »

Wellpoint to Bankroll Use of IBM Watson at Cedar Sinai Medical Center to Research Cancer Data/Information To Provide Guidance for Physicians

<p>After having made their initial investment with IBM, Wellpoint is looking for areas to use the new “big data” capabilities for processing information.  This could be a good thing here as long as you leave the billing side out of all of this as that’ a mess right <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Pu029L6xrow/Tm2nUNbsj4I/AAAAAAAA3xE/w-Rf2i-gu40/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" />now with ICD10 coding coming up.  For quick research and clinical information this could work ok but there is questionable information today too in some of the medical journals and the article states journals will be included here as well.  Hopefully I think we have more credible data in journals rather than the opposite.  More so than Cedars I still think our Congress needs this capability to gather and sort information to make laws.  The US is the only country that ties ICD codes to billing so our Health IT issues are much more complicated than other countries.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/09/wellpoint-hiring-ibm-watson.html"><font size="2">WellPoint Hiring IBM Watson Technologies–Congress Needs to Wrap Their Heads Around Using Technology That Processes 200 Million Pages of Info in 3 Seconds to Make Laws<img align="right" border="0" height="126" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TWIVynbAGVI/AAAAAAAAr9E/zewiugyQmSI/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" width="166" /></font></a></h4> <p>But as in our usual style on the Hill, it appears they did not recognize a tool when they saw one.  At least they should rent out some computing space from the DOE.</p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/04/ibm-watson-capabilities-being-pitched.html"><font size="2">IBM Watson Capabilities Being Pitched to Financial Industry-Congress Must Not Have Felt They Needed This So Further Behind We Fall With Effective Intelligent Lawmaking</font></a></h6> <p>Again I mention the revenue cycling part of this should be left out for down the road and when used for clinical research this could be a tool but the doctors seeing patients are the real judges here.  Machine learning is moving ahead and again even with this technology, it can still be garbage in and out.  I just wrote the next chapter in the Attack of the Killer Algorithms and the emphasis there was on “flawed data” and that is the only real danger here with using machine learning beyond clinical <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-QIBrPOGWYBs/TnEzPhKZBmI/AAAAAAAA3yM/uE7ySbSPSQo/image_thumb%25255B1%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" />research.  Some states have even put governors in their software to block the automated data mining services on the web.  With machine learning we always run some risk of “rogue algorithms” too, happens all the time on the stock market so again something to be aware of with writing the unreadable with data base upon data base now aggregated and joined at the hip to ensure “accurate” data is in fact contained.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/09/machine-learning-software-working.html"><font size="2">Machine Learning Software Working Behind the Scenes Should Move With Caution in Healthcare-Writing the Unreadable With Rogue Algorithms With No Human Intervention</font></a></h4> <p>We have some who believe that an algorithm can predict cardiac arrests and there might be some use here but when people begin to rely 100% on this predictive behavior analytics, we are in trouble as event he Netflix algo that determines what you will like is only 60% accurate.  </p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/06/algorithm-can-predict-cardiac-arrest-24.html"><font size="2">An Algorithm Can Predict Cardiac Arrest 24 Hours Before it Happens With “Machine Learning Technologies”</font></a></h6> <p>Again if used properly this could be a good tool for doctors to find treatments and therapies they might otherwise over look I am guessing, but when it goes beyond into the payables area, trouble will follow.  We can <u>start naming our own healthcare algorithms</u>, like the<strong><em> “ICD shuffler, the surgeon’s knife or maybe CPT Chaos”,</em></strong> and so on <grin>.  Who knows, will this expense get rolled into the Wellpoint medical loss ratio budget?  <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-zYyx4hZ0mto/TthJMlRy1UI/AAAAAAAA4i8/FbeiuO2XmJk/image_thumb%25255B6%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" /></p> <p>Again, this is a noble move as described here for research but out dead heads in Washington should wake up a see this as a tool to query when it hits them in the face.  Even at some of the big facilities like Cedars, clinical care is being cut in the mental health area due to budgets, etc. so I guess this is also good incentive to help keep insurers in the door as we are now starting to see more big companies negotiate direct contract with leading hospitals too for certain types of procedures as did Johns Hopkins and Pepsi this week.  BD  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/12/cedars-sinai-hospital-closing-in.html"><font size="2">Cedars-Sinai Hospital Closing In-Patient and Out-Patient Psychiatry Services–Will Give Grants To Nearby Clinics</font></a></h4> <p><strong><u></u></strong></p> <blockquote> <p>Doctors at the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute will be the first to use the technology, IBM said, and they will help the computer company make tweaks to the system — the first commercial application of the computer since its "Jeopardy!" debut early this year. <br />Watson, which can process information from 200 million pages of literature in three seconds, will provide doctors with guidance on diagnoses and treatments, IBM says. <br />The hope is that the technology will be able to comb through patient medical histories, medical journals and clinical trials to provide appropriate treatments, said Manoj Saxena, general manager of IBM's Watson Solutions unit. IBM is looking to expand the use of the supercomputer, roughly the size of a refrigerator, to other industries, including banking and telecommunications. <br />"I don't see Watson taking the place of a doctor," said Dr. William Audeh, head of the Oschin institute, "but I do see it acting as a super library for a doctor."</p> <p>The project with Cedars is bankrolled by Indianapolis-based insurance giant WellPoint, parent company of Anthem Blue Cross. Anthem is the state's largest for-profit health insurer.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-cancer-computer-20111217,0,1691323.story">http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-cancer-computer-20111217,0,1691323.story</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:36ce5d06-fa47-4061-b92c-815831a2d3bf" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/IBMWatson" rel="tag">IBMWatson</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/technology" rel="tag">technology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/machine+learning" rel="tag">machine learning</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/computers" rel="tag">computers</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/digital+illiteracy" rel="tag">digital illiteracy</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/queries" rel="tag">queries</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/intelligence" rel="tag">intelligence</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/algorithms" rel="tag">algorithms</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Wellpoint" rel="tag">Wellpoint</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Congress" rel="tag">Congress</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Cedar+Sinai" rel="tag">Cedar Sinai</a></div>

Wellpoint to Bankroll Use of IBM Watson at Cedar Sinai Medical Center to Research Cancer Data/Information To Provide Guidance for Physicians

After having made their initial investment with IBM, Wellpoint is looking for areas to use the new “big data” capabilities for processing in...

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Flawed Data–Mined by Corporations Online Provides Background Checks Riddled With Errors–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Part 7

<p>Slowly but surely this blog is becoming the “Quack Data” reference I feel.  Here’s another situation to where with current data sharing and aggregation to where we <img align="right" border="0" height="119" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6HDDm04lOwA/Ts0zq-EuFHI/AAAAAAAA4d8/nMT-KL0JEDY/image_thumb%25255B12%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" width="238" />have yet another case of “discrimination by the algorithms” for the 99% group and of course I’m right in there with everyone else.  When will people starting paying attention here as to what is going on with flawed data?</p> <p>We all want transparency but do we want “flawed” transparency?  The odds are pretty good today that with compiling profiles with “free taxpayer data” that is out there along with data silos of other information that you will find errors in your file, again it depends on the sources and what algorithms are being run.  </p> <p>This article goes on to say that criminal records to that are supposed to be purged are not and still all kinds of other information makes it on the web too with vital social security numbers, birth dates and so on. <strong> The problem:  Data is not being purged as needed and updates are not done.  </strong></p> <p>People are being denied jobs and places to live due to flawed data as it’s not accurate. <strong>  Like I said in another “Attack” chapter, part 6 the middle and lower class here are going to be nothing but “data chasers” pretty soon with correcting flawed data.</strong>   As a consumer you can’t touch, see or feel these algorithms running on servers 24/7 making life impacting decisions about you.  Sure the credit folks will let you see things after the fact and then comes the big chase for the consumer to fix everything on their reports that is wrong about it.  Hey last I looked we all have jobs to work too and then we have to find time to fit this in.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/12/attack-of-killer-algorithms-part.html"><font size="2">Attack of the Killer Algorithms Part 6–Discrimination With Consumer Credit-Same As Health Insurance Wanting Consumers to Reconstruct Records From Many Years Past As Middle Class Turns Into Data Chasers-Days of Taking Risks to Get Ahead Will Be Limited For Most…Occupy Algorithms</font></a></h4> <p>In healthcare this has already been going on to a degree with insurers and you can <img align="right" border="0" height="62" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TJcGp1oHKzI/AAAAAAAAhfM/jyY8xKNrAKY/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" width="159" />read more about part 4 and how that occurs here.  You have old agencies like the MIB that can’t get their records fixed to be accurate and some people are denied coverage because of that fact.</p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/11/attack-of-killer-algorithms-occupy-wall.html"><font size="2">Attack of the Killer Algorithms-Occupy Wall Street Part 4 Health Insurance Style - One More App For Folks Who Are Tired of Flawed Algorithms That Require A Ton of Work and Research Time To Create “Perfect” Data Files for Insurers And Others Analytics Processes</font></a></h6> <p><strong><em>Just wait until this kicks in, CoreLogic has formed a partnership with FICO who is already in the process of selling algorithms with mismatched data which connects public information about you and combines it with your credit score to tell if you as a medical patient will take your prescriptions.</em></strong>  Somebody needs to start calling some of these folks on “mis <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-GaUf6l74-4Y/TgOm2J2CFdI/AAAAAAAAz5o/oDUXhwazIC8/image%25255B13%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" />matched data” the discriminates as now we have<u> <strong><em>“Discrimination by the Algorithm”</em></strong></u> and it’s showing in more places all the time.  Last time I wrote about the FICO mismatched data it all ended up over at the Daily Kos via another publisher as an awareness.  As far as I am concerned the FIOC Medication Adherence Scoring is nothing but mismatched data analytics created to sell software and is the work of some “underground” think tanks on how to generate more money and profits.  <strong>You can find my comments too on the Daily Kos on this as another author included them in her column who was in total agreement.</strong>  Do you know how common flaws are?  Look at this link and see about the 31k that are “living” but Social Security says they are dead.</p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/10/social-security-master-death-index-data.html"><font size="2">Social Security Master Death Index Data Flawed–Over 31,000 Living Found in the Index</font></a></h6> <p>I got started on this topic a couple years ago when I found my former doctor, who had been dead for 8 years still listed as alive and well on Healthgrades and still taking new patients, so again “flawed data”.  </p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/healthgrades-and-other-md-rating-and.html"><font size="2">HealthGrades And Other MD Rating and Referral Sites List “Dead Doctors” on Their MD Information Pages And Even Include the Insurance Plans the “Dead Doctors” Honor</font></a></h6> <p>When I get time I have checked out a few of the other sites and find more dead <img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="51" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-18iBrcU0yPw/TuwfSIRKMjI/AAAAAAAA4qE/jFlDrjffvG8/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="171" />doctors, doctors on staff at hospitals where they have set foot, and retired doctors.  Actually this post got a visit from the AMA with a nice interview on the topic at the link below.  Now the AMA sells some data too along the line here relative to doctors and prescriptions.  </p> <h3><a href="http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2010/10/18/bica1018.htm"><font size="2">Dead doctors stubbornly alive on physician-finder sites</font></a></h3> <p><strong>The way office workers are trained today and part of this has just grown over the years when looking at computer screens is that when you see a blemish on a report, oh my gosh, whistles and bells go off, this person is not perfect!</strong>  I have news for all of you, there will no perfect people by the time data is sold by corporations who collect this from the web.  It’s a big business and pharmacies I swear today only fill prescriptions so they can collect and mine more data about us.  </p> <p>The more some of this data get aggregated and analyzed, bingo we have the basis to sell more analytics software.  Now there’s good software out there that does a good job and makes us smarter, but I’m not talking about the good stuff, I’m talking about the bad algos, and actually follow @badalgo on Twitter, he puts some good stuff out there with some images on the algos on the stock exchanges, good educational stuff.  </p> <p><strong><em>How do we as consumers fight back, start licensing and taxing these folks and have a federal government page of disclosure, what is sold, and to <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-csrZG-zWTnM/TuuikqdVRkI/AAAAAAAA4ps/xPgI8UY2tR4/image_thumb.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" />who, and how much are the profits on the sale of this data.</em></strong>  I’m smart enough to know that you can’t create laws to govern how to write algorithms and code but we can sure go for plan B.<u>  Someone needs to enlighten our digital illiterate Congress about this</u>.  Read the article at the red link below and <em><strong>think about that excise tax you pay to put a new tire on your car and this will make sense!</strong></em>  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/12/alternative-millionaires-taxlicense-and.html"><font color="#cb4f3d" size="2">The Alternative Millionaire’s Tax–License and Tax Big Corporations Who Mine and Sell Taxpayer Data They Get for Free From the Internet-Phase One to Restore Middle Class With Transparency, Disclosure and Money</font></a></h4> <p><strong><em>The mining of data is so bad that 3 states, according to this article had to fight back with more software that blocks automated data mining programs!!  They were not doing it to protect us, but their websites were inundated with mining software coming in for the “free taxpayer data”.</em></strong>   It gets worse too as some states were selling the data and then charged for updates to the data for new information that was added and the data miners wouldn’t pay a few hundred bucks to update and keep sending out even more “flawed data”.  </p> <p><em>Up above I wrote about CoreLogic and their new partnership with FICO and their data integrity and wouldn’t you know that North Carolina revoked their license to get information from the public records!  <u>That tells you what kind of crap is being aggregated and abused as the folks were not only making tons of money selling the data but they were too damn cheap to pay for an update, kudos to the state</u>.</em>  </p> <p><strong>Gee what kind of company is CoreLogic  that is too cheap to pay for an update and what are they going to do with FICO?  Inquiring minds want to <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-1F4WD-Cd5Kk/TrGQvURSFEI/AAAAAAAA4LI/mMjn8TPBjRM/image%25255B2%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" />know and want it disclosed publicly.</strong>  They always come back with “its’ not our fault but rather the data we pull from is not updated.  I heard that with HealthGrades and just recently in the news, guess what<u>, HealthGrades merged with a “marketing” company</u> so I think the data may not be doing so good selling itself with accuracy, so <u>let’s get marketing in here and see how we can whoop it up a bit and get consumers to still buy in,even though we know there are flaws, we just want money when we sell this data.  You can read in the AMA interview link above about the blame shifting for flawed data with Healthgrades, “it’s not our fault”…right!</u></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/11/healthgrades-to-merge-with-cpm.html"><font size="2">HealthGrades to Merge with CPM Marketing–Will Their Data and Questionable Algorithms Will Be Improved For Consumers?</font></a></h4> <p>I believe in good data, for finding cures for diseases and better treatments and so forth but not the BS environment that is evolving as people cannot live their lives with constantly having to correct information about themselves that is in error. <u> Data mining is making this so very complex and again, license and tax them and “read” that link above as it makes sense and will slow some of this “diseased data mining” down to a reasonable rate</u> and knock out the algorithms designed strictly for profit and desire.  <u>We want accuracy and not stupidity and insanity.</u>  </p> <p>About 2 years ago I did an interview with Proto with an outside journalist about algorithms in healthcare which did not make it to the press as she and both knew <img align="right" border="0" height="218" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TJcGnalIlcI/AAAAAAAAhe8/0Paat1zfY1E/image%5B7%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" width="145" />we were ahead of our time and the public was not ready for this, but we talked about algorithms created for “desired” results and those for “accuracy” and how they are not always the same.  I do a few others out there I communicate with that are far smarter than me that also make this case too.  Read this book and learn up.  We have a lot going on sadly with the “dark side”.  I have had people on Twitter tweet me and thank me for this reference too, it opened their eyes.  </p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/proofinessthe-dark-side-of-mathematical.html"><font size="2">“Proofiness–The Dark Side of Mathematical Deception”–Created by Those Algorithms–New Book Coming Out Soon</font></a></h6> <p>Or you can listen to a radio cast at this link below, goods stuff that talks about how naïve and gullible we are and how big corporation pull the wool over our eyes.  Math is no longer a 100% methodology to prove accuracy once some creative algorithms are spun.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/01/numbers-dont-lie-but-people-do.html"><font size="2">“Numbers Don’t Lie, But People Do”–Radio Interview from Charles Siefe–Journalists Take Note, He Addresses How Marketing And Bogus Statistics Are Sources of Problems That Mislead the Public & Government</font></a></h4> <p><strong>The big culprits of flawed data are the companies that compile this information so be wary of what you put out there as well as what can appear via public records and check for accuracy.  I guess breaches someday might come in handy to fix the data <grin>. </strong></p> <p>It’s the old blame game out there with flawed data and digital illiterates don’t know how to work with it and scarier yet employees are not trained on how to work with levels of inaccuracies either and made some bad decisions.  Look no further than the Hill for digital illiterates for that matter.  <strong>Read this one paragraph from the article, it spells it out, a faulty algorithm the state of Wisconsin uses kept this man from getting a job.</strong></p> <p><em>“Teague sued Wisconsin's Department of Justice, which furnished the data and <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4m32xx9XwWI/TthUcPCO3xI/AAAAAAAA4jc/2rPI5IXC4MI/image_thumb%25255B2%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" />prepared the report. He blamed a faulty algorithm that the state uses to match people to crimes in its electronic database of criminal records. The state says it was appropriate to include the cousin's record, because that kind of information is useful to employers the same way it is useful to law enforcement.”</em></p> <p>This mis use of data and selling it all over is starting to turn normally peaceful folks into those who are not so peaceful.  In healthcare they just put the doctors medical claim information out there for digital illiterates to work with and it is flawed to the hilt!  I guess HHS was worried about the Dow Jones lawsuit filed against them for not putting it out there.  Sometimes people get on a rant and want stuff just because it’s there and that may not always be the best rule of thumb as is with claim data.  Hey I have an idea, let’ aggregate this flawed claim data with some other data base and see what we get?  Do you get the picture and let’s add in some machine learning and we will be back to the case above in Wisconsin with faulty algorithms that humans don’t even control.   </p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/09/machine-learning-software-working.html"><font size="2">Machine Learning Software Working Behind the Scenes Should Move With Caution in Healthcare-Writing the Unreadable With Rogue Algorithms With No Human Intervention</font></a></h6> <p>Back on track here, one woman in this story had to get by on temporary jobs, all she could get due to the “flawed data” in her background check…is this fair!  No!!</p> <p><strong>THIS IS TRULY THE ATTACK OF THE KILLER ALGORITHMS ON THE MIDDLE CLASS IN THE US TODAY AND WHY THE OCCUPY MOVES EXIST.  IT’S A TOUGH BATTLE AS IT’S ALL SPUN MATH AND FLAWED DATA TO FIGHT AGAINST WHILE CORPORATE AMERICA REAMS IN BIGGER PROFITS THAN EVER.  THE MATH DOES IT FOR THEM.</strong>  <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-1izLYkzQjgI/TuwfSVE5MpI/AAAAAAAA4qM/rrQWA2Vc4uw/s1600-h/image%25255B9%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="147" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-BuuYbV4asnY/TuwfSmKZdCI/AAAAAAAA4qU/coeM87tQxPk/image_thumb%25255B2%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="170" /></a></p> <p>One more quote from the article…she said dinosaurs but we know it’s the algorithms behind the scenes and to quote Kevin Slavin, they have teeth”.  BD  </p> <p><em>"It's like Jurassic Park. They come at you from all angles, and God knows what's going to jump out of a tree at you or attack you from the front or from the side," she says. "This could rear its ugly head again — and what am I going to do then?"</em></p> <p><strong><em></em></strong></p> <blockquote> <p>Out of work two years, her unemployment benefits exhausted, in danger of losing her apartment, Casey applied for a job in the pharmacy of a Boston drugstore. She was offered $11 an hour. All she had to do was pass a background check.</p> <p><strong>It turned up a 14-count criminal indictment. Kathleen Casey had been charged with larceny in a scam against an elderly man and woman that involved forged checks and fake credit cards.</strong></p> <p>There was one technicality: The company that ran the background check, First Advantage, had the wrong woman. The rap sheet belonged to Kathleen A. Casey, who lived in another town nearby and was 18 years younger.</p> <p>Kathleen Ann Casey, would-be pharmacy technician, was clean.</p> <p>"It knocked my legs out from under me," she says.</p> <p><strong>The business of background checks is booming.</strong> Employers spend at least $2 billion a year to look into the pasts of their prospective employees. They want to make sure they're not hiring a thief, or worse.</p> <p>But it is a system weakened by the conversion to digital files and compromised by the welter of <u>private companies that profit by amassing public records and selling them to employers</u>. These flaws have devastating consequences.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://news.yahoo.com/ap-impact-criminal-past-isnt-yours-182335856.html">http://news.yahoo.com/ap-impact-criminal-past-isnt-yours-182335856.html</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:94e927f9-69e9-4e99-bc78-5f68f1d3de7b" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Proofiness" rel="tag">Proofiness</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/algoirthms" rel="tag">algoirthms</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/mathmatics" rel="tag">mathmatics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/desired+results" rel="tag">desired results</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/rogue+algorithm" rel="tag">rogue algorithm</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Occupy+New+York" rel="tag">Occupy New York</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/politics" rel="tag">politics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/math" rel="tag">math</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/ditigal+literacy" rel="tag">ditigal literacy</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Congress" rel="tag">Congress</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/credit" rel="tag">credit</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Michael+Moore" rel="tag">Michael Moore</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+insurance" rel="tag">health insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/jobs" rel="tag">jobs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/economy" rel="tag">economy</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/CoreLogic" rel="tag">CoreLogic</a></div>

Flawed Data–Mined by Corporations Online Provides Background Checks Riddled With Errors–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Part 7

Slowly but surely this blog is becoming the “Quack Data” reference I feel.  Here’s another situation to where with current data sharing and ...

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