Medical Quack

FDA Approves “NoTouch” BreastScan Device Using Infrared Imaging And Required No Manual Interpretation of Thermal Data

<p>New York and New Jersey are the first 2 target clinic areas for distribution by LifeSciences for the NoTouch BreastScan device. and the company is also working on a hand held sensor to detect early breast cancer.  This looks to be very well designed and no woman going in for a mammogram is going to miss the smashed pancake routine that we all go through now.  One other real benefit is not having to worry about radiation exposure as the site says it can be done as many times as needed.  </p>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:96f85209-d0a3-4eda-875b-dc51ba9e5dda" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="9c1d8dde-e115-410c-9178-aa48de93a388" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irkd2gU7p8w" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('9c1d8dde-e115-410c-9178-aa48de93a388'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"393\" height=\"221\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/irkd2gU7p8w?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/irkd2gU7p8w?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"393\" height=\"221\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-RLcXq_MBmTQ/T1cLUP_9dkI/AAAAAAAA5l8/x5E112iVtZU/video020d93c81a94%25255B10%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div><div style="width:393px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">NoTouch Breast Exam</div></div>  <p>Now the site also says that the exam is complimentary to mammograms and ultrasounds, so being new we don’t know what the comparison rate is for accuracy and they are not pushing as a replacement, at least not yet which is probably ok as there’s more information needed which takes time to compile of course.  BD  </p>  <p><strong><u>From the website:</u></strong></p>  <p><em>“NoTouch BreastScan™ is an FDA cleared, adjunctive screening exam for the detection of breast cancer. As the name suggests, it does not require physical contact and does not make use of radiation. This quick, 10 minute exam, without pain or discomfort, creates a thermographic map of the breasts and looks for signs of developing breast cancer.<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-E7-eqKwgy4E/T1cLUVUxHGI/AAAAAAAA5mE/kZycVp1HEVI/s1600-h/image%25255B7%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="119" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-r7AC0-6_U4Q/T1cLUh76mgI/AAAAAAAA5mM/rqaf5BShyBI/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="203" /></a></em></p>  <p><em>It can be offered to all women (starting at age 18) to manage their breast health on a regular basis without any pain/discomfort or concern of radiation exposure.</em></p>  <p><em>NoTouch BreastScan™ is the most advanced breast thermography solution. It incorporates computer software that is able to analyze very small changes (at pixel level) in heat patterns of the breasts and report these findings on a software generated report. In other words, no manual interpretation of data is necessary by a thermographer/thermologist.”</em></p>  <blockquote>   <p>PHILADELPHIA--(<a href="http://eon.businesswire.com/">EON: Enhanced Online News</a>)--UE LifeSciences Inc. (UELS), a medical device manufacturer focused on providing novel breast cancer screening solutions, announced today that it has received market clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its NoTouch BreastScan™ device. NoTouch BreastScan™ is a contactless breast-imaging tool cleared by the FDA specifically for adjunctive diagnostic screening for the detection of breast cancer. <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-r0pKvIv1zPw/T1cLU_35rDI/AAAAAAAA5mU/aX2w1pZEONE/s1600-h/image%25255B2%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="109" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Qx3uDZA5aoo/T1cLVOvzuZI/AAAAAAAA5mc/OjaLCtKNASY/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="240" /></a></p>    <p>“NoTouch BreastScan™ does not discriminate dense breast tissue, which is good news for tens of millions of women in America”</p>    <p>NoTouch BreastScan™ is the first fully computerized functional infrared imaging system that incorporates patent pending dual-infrared detector design. Unlike most breast thermography solutions, NoTouch BreastScan™ does not require manual interpretation of thermal data; instead, it dynamically analyzes temperature pixels from various infrared frames to create a real-time objective report for the doctor. </p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://eon.businesswire.com/news/eon/20120305005253/en/Breast-Cancer/early-detection/screening">http://eon.businesswire.com/news/eon/20120305005253/en/Breast-Cancer/early-detection/screening</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:952f6ab0-310a-4e32-b05b-403ec7ef53dd" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/breast+examination" rel="tag">breast examination</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/screening" rel="tag">screening</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/doctor" rel="tag">doctor</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/thermal+data" rel="tag">thermal data</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/imaging" rel="tag">imaging</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/breast+cancer" rel="tag">breast cancer</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+devices" rel="tag">medical devices</a></div>

FDA Approves “NoTouch” BreastScan Device Using Infrared Imaging And Required No Manual Interpretation of Thermal Data

New York and New Jersey are the first 2 target clinic areas for distribution by LifeSciences for the NoTouch BreastScan device. and the comp...

Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Israel Judge Issues Court Order For Doctors To Punch A Time Clock

<p>It was just a few months ago that officials from Israel blamed themselves for allowing private care in to mess up their system and well from the looks of what is happening in the last few months here in the US, we may be headed down some of the same paths here.  With the new contract after the series of doctor strikes that took place, new rules require punching a time clock and many were not following the rules.  I’m sure MDs reading this post here in the US sure hope it doesn’t come to this as the reimbursement wagon right now is bad enough.  </p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/09/officials-in-israel-blame-themselves.html"><font size="2">Officials In Israel Blame Themselves for Allowing Private Care and the Selling Supplementary Insurance For Degrading Their Public Healthcare System</font></a></h4>  <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-uRVknqXdWig/T1cEhmK19YI/AAAAAAAA5ls/Dj0hl4vax6I/s1600-h/image%25255B2%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="100" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-W-WHL-RbVLQ/T1cEh6mI6-I/AAAAAAAA5l0/lbZ-ODhudsc/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="240" /></a></p>  <p>The country has 4 HMOs and all are required to join one of the four and there’s always the option to pay for private care.  Some of the same doctors working in the government facilities have referred patients to their private practice or those of other doctors.  The government pays $59% of the cost for the citizens, the lowest compensation percentage for a country with socialized medicine.  If you read further, the doctors are threatened with losing 20% of their pay checks.  </p>  <blockquote>   <p>On Monday, the Tel Aviv Labor Court ordered all doctors working in Clalit-owned hospitals to punch a time clock, as required by the collective agreement signed last summer. </p>    <p>The order was issued at the request of the Clalit health maintenance organization, because hundreds of doctors employed at the hospitals it owns have refused to punch a time clock since the beginning of February, when the new rule took effect. </p>    <p>A new medical union called Arbel, which seeks to supplant the IMA, on Monday urged its members to hold protest meetings at all Clalit hospitals in response to the HMO's decision to deduct 20 percent from the February paychecks of doctors who refused to punch a clock. </p>    <p>The decision means hundreds of doctors would get a reduced paycheck, including 80 percent of those at Schneider, 70 percent of those at Beilinson and 60 percent of those at Meir and Hasharon. </p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/israel-labor-court-orders-doctors-to-punch-time-clocks-1.416726">http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/israel-labor-court-orders-doctors-to-punch-time-clocks-1.416726</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:1b33eb57-022d-4924-8229-f6fe3a74efe9" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Israel" rel="tag">Israel</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/doctors" rel="tag">doctors</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/heatlhcare" rel="tag">heatlhcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/labor" rel="tag">labor</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospitals" rel="tag">hospitals</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/contract" rel="tag">contract</a></div>

Israel Judge Issues Court Order For Doctors To Punch A Time Clock

It was just a few months ago that officials from Israel blamed themselves for allowing private care in to mess up their system and well from...

Tuesday, March 06, 2012

IBM Watson Going to Work At Citigroup on Wall Street–Congress Didn’t See Big Data As A Tool (Hadoop Framework) When They Had Their Chance…For Consumers The Attack of the Killer Algorithms–Chapter 22

<p>I have written about this many times to have a smarter Congress to use speech recognition and to have all sit down together and query so at least they all have the same starting place, but the folks on the hill must be really more digitally illiterate than I thought initially. In April of 2011 I said they should look into this.  <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TWIVynbAGVI/AAAAAAAAr9E/zewiugyQmSI/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" /></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/04/quiet-rise-of-machine-learning-like-ibm.html"><font size="2">The Quiet Rise of Machine Learning-Like IBM Watson Offers With Speed and Learned Analytics-Congress Needs Technology This To Make Better Laws & Collaborate</font></a></h4>  <p>After having made their initial investment with IBM, Wellpoint is looking for areas to use the new “big data” capabilities for processing information.<strong>  I should clarify that I do like technology and used to write code but I also know how queries and reports get spun and how data is flawed and that is my purpose here to wake up the gullible and naïve folks as it happens all around us every day</strong>.  The folks in Congress seem to think “everything is for those guys over there”.  </p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/12/wellpoint-to-bankroll-use-of-ibm-watson.html"><font size="2">Wellpoint to Bankroll Use <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-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" />of IBM Watson at Cedar Sinai Medical Center to Research Cancer Data/Information To Provide Guidance for Physicians</font></a></h4>  <p>Also, in April of 2011 IBM Watson was pitched to Wall Street and someone has now bought…</p>  <h4><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>    <hr /></h4>  <p>Now all formulas and algorithms are not bad but there are those that create “accurate” results and those that have a crafty design to create “desired” results and sadly the two are not the same, although they should be but again we have nobody in Congress is appears to recognize this.  Would you not love to see a joint session of intelligent lawmakers querying with big data?  Well with the group we have that lives in denial it may never happen.  </p>  <p>The Apache Hadoop data processing framework is used for preprocessing the vast amounts of unstructured data collected.  So when it comes to flawed data though, we need to be careful as it is the same old garbage in and garbage out if the wrong information is fed in.  <img align="right" border="0" height="68" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TJcGp1oHKzI/AAAAAAAAhfM/jyY8xKNrAKY/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-right-width: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px" width="175" /></p>  <p><strong>How about some quote stuffing use…hmmmm….</strong>again we get left out and thanks again to the digital illiteracy of our Congress the <u>consumers are at the mercy of the the Attack of the Algorithms as they will be for desired results</u>…and you might translate this loosely into another word…money.  Guess where the first said applications will be…risk management.  Have you not heard enough on that topic of late…everyone does it and over does it too with marketing spun to justify one report after another.  <img align="right" border="0" height="88" 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="182" /></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/attack-of-killer-algorithmsdigest-links.html"><font size="2">Attack of the Killer Algorithms–Digest & Links for All Chapters–See How the Math and Crafty Formulas Today Running on Servers 24/7 Make Life Impacting Decisions About You</font></a></h4>  <p><strong>We want to create jobs but let’s take a look at the technology used by companies, banks and traders today.  Why would a company go out and set up a factory, hire employees and so forth when they can grab a few geeks who program, get a cloud service or two and start mining data for sale?  Obviously we need balance but have too many companies doing this, so where’s the incentives to create jobs when they can just mine and sell data?</strong> <u> Look at Walgreens who in 2010 made just under $800 million in selling data? </u> Now give that some thought and put a finger on the billions that are made mining free taxpayer data, as the geeks will write the algos to mine and format for sale.</p>  <p><strong><u>Now you wonder why the US has a problem getting more companies to manufacture tangibles?</u></strong>  This looks like a pretty simple explanation to me here with running some algorithms and mining data for sale, as there’s little overhead and millions and billions of dollars worth of data at their fingertips to sell.  This an attack on consumers as we can’t get ahead this way and everything we either do or do not put out on the web is for sale just about.  </p>  <h2 align="center">Answer…license, tax and disclosure…</h2>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/start-licensing-and-taxing-data-sellers.html"><font size="2">Start Licensing and Taxing the Data Sellers of the Internet Making Billions of Profit Dollars Mining “Free Taxpayer Data”–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 17 - “Occupy Algorithms”– Help Stop Inequality in the US</font></a></h4>  <p><strong>With IBMWatson at work at Citibank consumers will get further behind the 8 ball here as nobody’s checking the math!</strong>  </p>  <p><em>“The amount of market data high frequency traders are using as trading <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; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" />indicators continues to grow more rapidly than Facebook can add users or change its privacy policies, and vendors are scrambling to offer new technology that can help firms - and algos - find the data, sort it and leverage it.</em> “</p>  <p><strong><em>Those Algorithms have big teeth when used for financial gain and nobody knows where the money is…think about it and hopefully IBMWatson will put some audit trails in place too at Citibank.  So before you get to excited about “big data” at Citibank…watch this video about context and content and we want to make sure we are not in the world of the “unreadable” to where the banks even gain further advantages over consumers with<u> Killer Algorithms…</u></em></strong></p>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 381px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:aaf7cdba-1c73-4ed3-99fc-eb9cc6648b3b" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="d922535e-c821-463e-8ed4-58daa70c63f6" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiQwZ6inbOM" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('d922535e-c821-463e-8ed4-58daa70c63f6'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"381\" height=\"214\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/qiQwZ6inbOM?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/qiQwZ6inbOM?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"381\" height=\"214\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-w--NoDwPSM0/T1bG0YgdRhI/AAAAAAAA5lc/j7sPUrFwW-I/video4da4185deb5d%25255B15%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div><div style="width:381px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Context is everything…</div></div>  <p><strong></strong></p>  <p><strong>Come to think of it, the SEC and FINRA would be a very good place for IBM Watson on the government side,</strong> that is if our folks in Congress could ever pulls their heads out of the mud to see that is is real tool that government needs to keep up, as <strong>consumers get buried alive with Killer Algos from banks and corporations.  We have to fix and fetch all the “flawed data” they dump out there and on our time too.  Here’s another good video I have used several times before but it fits here for sure on on the money power and teeth of the algorithms used in financial and other markets and how they go rogue.</strong>  BD</p>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 384px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:1b61764f-6ce4-4c04-8b90-5b57048c41c7" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="3082636c-5220-413c-9aff-4ea4a728cff7" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDaFwnOiKVE" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('3082636c-5220-413c-9aff-4ea4a728cff7'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"384\" height=\"216\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/TDaFwnOiKVE?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/TDaFwnOiKVE?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"384\" height=\"216\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-m0Qa2IbxrMo/T1bG0tjfQUI/AAAAAAAA5lk/A_ClDMybN1E/video11c084be5212%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div><div style="width:384px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Algorithms Shaping our World….</div></div>  <blockquote>   <p>I<a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/quote/IBM:US">nternational Business Machines Corp. (IBM)</a>’s Watson computer, which beat champions of the quiz show “Jeopardy!” a year ago, will soon be advising Wall Street on risks, portfolios and clients. </p>    <p><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/quote/C:US">Citigroup Inc. (C)</a>, the third-largest U.S. lender, is Watson’s first financial services client, IBM said yesterday. It will help analyze customer needs and process financial, economic and client data to advance and personalize digital banking. </p>    <p>IBM expects to generate billions in new revenue by 2015 by putting Watson to work. The technology giant has already sold Watson to health-care clients, helping <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/quote/WLP:US">WellPoint Inc. (WLP)</a> and Seton Health Family analyze data to improve care. IBM executives say Watson’s <a href="http://www-03.ibm.com/innovation/us/watson/index.html">skills</a> -- understanding and processing natural language, consulting vast volumes of unstructured information, and accurately answering questions with humanlike cognition -- are also well suited for the finance industry. </p>    <p>Watson “can give an edge” in finance, said <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/stephen-baker/">Stephen Baker</a>, <a href="http://thenumerati.net/?catID=8">author</a> of books The Numerati and Final Jeopardy, a Watson biography. “It can go through newspaper articles, documents, SEC filings, and try to make some sense out of them, put them into a context banks are interested in, like risk.” </p>    <p>In addition to Citigroup, Armonk, New York-based IBM has been working with financial institutions teaching Watson the language of <a href="http://topics.bloomberg.com/wall-street/">Wall Street</a>, and adding content including regulatory announcements, news and social media feeds. IBM won’t say which other institutions Watson is already working with. </p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-05/ibm-s-watson-computer-gets-wall-street-job-one-year-after-jeopardy-win.html">http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-03-05/ibm-s-watson-computer-gets-wall-street-job-one-year-after-jeopardy-win.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:be8eea0a-0768-4412-8921-0a98ffec3c51" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Watson" rel="tag">Watson</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/IBM" rel="tag">IBM</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/computers" rel="tag">computers</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Congress" rel="tag">Congress</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/politics" rel="tag">politics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/business+intelligence" rel="tag">business intelligence</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/radiology" rel="tag">radiology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/knowledge" rel="tag">knowledge</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/SEC" rel="tag">SEC</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Hadoop" rel="tag">Hadoop</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/algorithms" rel="tag">algorithms</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Citbank" rel="tag">Citbank</a></div>

IBM Watson Going to Work At Citigroup on Wall Street–Congress Didn’t See Big Data As A Tool (Hadoop Framework) When They Had Their Chance…For Consumers The Attack of the Killer Algorithms–Chapter 22

I have written about this many times to have a smarter Congress to use speech recognition and to have all sit down together and query so at ...

Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Blue Cross Protesting Award of Texas Employee Retirement Health Plan to United Healthcare–Price Cut by $25 Million With Little or No Out of Network Coverage for Members

<p>Well right off the bat the article states they will lose any out of network protection that Blue Cross had given so I would imagine that could be part of the cost savings in the final decision here.  This has been going on in other states too with United coming in less expensive, as they have all the algorithms and subsidiaries to project costs.  In addition there was speculation that a Governor Rick Perry aide had his hand in the hat here as he is a lobbyist for United Healthcare.  Here’s what’s going on in Nebraska with the two insurers.  <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-f5X1IsRRk9A/T1XI_s3fvBI/AAAAAAAA5lM/XjGJGwTrIVQ/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="137" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-IywFVQwkrE4/T1XI_26apYI/AAAAAAAA5lU/idIAZqcVV70/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="169" /></a></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/blue-cross-and-united-healthcare-duking.html"><font size="2">Blue Cross and United Healthcare Duking It Out In Nebraska Over State Health Insurance Contract–We Have More Subsidiaries My Cost Algorithms Are Better Than Yours?</font></a></h4>  <p><u>In Kansas, Blue Cross who is the largest in that state decided not to even bid,</u> and again <strong>when up against the mighty subsidiary powers Untied has been able to bring in profit dollars from so many different areas from introducing a drug to the FDA all the way down to physician reimbursement.  If they don’t get the contract then lawsuits appear to be a route that United takes.</strong></p>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/06/update-unitedhealthcare-sues-department.html"><font size="2">Update: UnitedHealthcare Sues Department of Defense Over Tri-Care Contracts–They Said They Would Do This – Is This A Case Of My Algorithms Are Better Than Yours?</font></a></h6>  <p>Doctors and hospitals also have the new contracts to work with and with the way some of these are written today, complex and varied, it’s not unusual to see some area of reimbursement being less than what is billed for Medicare, worries many MDs.  </p>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/united-healthcare-preparing-to-roll-out.html"><font size="2">United Healthcare Preparing to Roll Out New Contracts To Pay <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TXCfvYCDCBI/AAAAAAAAsv0/8biVjC7dBI0/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" />Doctors& Hospitals For Meeting Goals and Keeping Costs Down– Plenty of Subsidiaries to Provide Some of the Technology And/Or Products & Generate Income–Subsidiary Watch</font></a></h6>  <p>You do sometimes wonder how subsidiaries benefit with big corporate conglomerates too as with selling 3 different medical records systems, all types of other analytics, does this end up being yet one more opportunity to gain more market share in the IT end of the business too.  </p>  <p>Recently with buying IPAs and HMOs as well one does wonder about the strategies and of United makes a ton of money selling all kinds of data too and this is one area to where they kind of walk on the others as they were licensing and selling their software way back that lead to the AMA lawsuit for short paying out of network charges and most all the other insurers used United’s numbers.  <strong>The low balled numbers for out of network charges ended up with the class action lawsuit settlement and there are still quite a few unsettled lawsuits out there against Untied and other carriers who used the low balled rates as proven by Governor Cuomo of New York.  </strong></p>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/08/subsidiary-watch-corporate-conglomerate.html"><font size="2">Subsidiary Watch-Corporate Conglomerate Insurers Reduce Compensation Contracts Using One Subsidiary Then Market Same MDs With Another Subsidiary in Health IT</font></a></h6>  <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/01/ingenix-subsidiary-of-united-health.html"><strong>United sold the clinical trials company i3 last year</strong></a> and reorganized some of their other business units to include <strong>Innovus, Quality Metric, Pharma Informatics, Drug Safety/Epidemiology</strong>, along with the canReg and <strong>ChinaGate Regulatory Consulting businesses into a network of global consulting services.  <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-HnTn619yPL4/ToABdn-QntI/AAAAAAAA32I/cclGtJCjevk/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" /></strong></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/09/united-healthcare-optum-owns-consulting.html"><font size="2">United Healthcare (Optum) Owns A Consulting Firm for FDA Drug and Device Approvals, Clinical Trials–CanReg - Subsidiary Watch</font></a></h4>  <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/09/united-healthcare-optum-owns-consulting.html"><strong>canReg is another United subsidiary</strong></a> that consults to introduce a drug or device <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/S_Tii4WcdQI/AAAAAAAAeJ4/bTymG0SSet4/image%5B5%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" />to the FDA and assist with regulatory processes in that area and has around 100 employees in the US, Canada Europe and Asia.  </p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/05/unitedhealth-subsidiary-ingenix.html"><font size="2">UnitedHealth subsidiary (Ingenix Subsidiary I3) Acquires ChinaGate – Working to Sell Chinese Products Globally</font></a></h4>  <p>This will be interesting to watch to see what Blue Cross does here as Untied is rapidly becoming one big health insurance behemoth with the truckloads of subsidiaries and the bank they own and one starts to wonder when there just might be some conflicts of interest that could arise with as varied as the portfolio has become with being able to control so many big chunks of the US healthcare system in several areas.  BD</p>  <p><strong></strong></p>  <blockquote>   <p>A three-decade streak for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas came to an unexpected end two weeks ago when the board that oversees the state's employee health plan awarded a key contract to a different company.</p>    <p>But Blue Cross made clear Monday that it would not go away without a fight.</p>    <p>The company filed a formal protest with the Employees Retirement System of Texas and wants a review of the competitive process used to award the contract. ERS executives will examine the protest and decide on its merits.</p>    <p>Late last month, the six-member ERS board voted unanimously to give United HealthCare Services Inc. a four-year, $204.8 million contract to run the administrative side of the health plan, such as processing claims.</p>    <p>The United proposal came in $25 million less than Blue Cross' and, the company also estimated it could save the state an additional $14 million on health care.</p>    <p><strong>Under the new contract, which is scheduled to begin Sept. 1, about 10,000, or 2.7 percent of the state plan's participants, would need to find a new primary care physician within the United network or pay the higher out-of-network costs, according to ERS</strong>.</p>    <p><u>Members who use out-of-network providers would also lose a cost protection they had under the Blue Cross contract. ERS estimates that 16,000 participants would bear an additional $10 million in costs by using those outside providers.</u></p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.statesman.com/news/texas-politics/blue-cross-protests-contract-decision-on-state-health-2218993.html">http://www.statesman.com/news/texas-politics/blue-cross-protests-contract-decision-on-state-health-2218993.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:c40b17c4-321e-46f4-a286-5650c67b429d" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Blue+Cross" rel="tag">Blue Cross</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/United+Healthcare" rel="tag">United Healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+insurance" rel="tag">health insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/algorithms" rel="tag">algorithms</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/cost" rel="tag">cost</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/contracts" rel="tag">contracts</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/savings" rel="tag">savings</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/employees" rel="tag">employees</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Texas" rel="tag">Texas</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/benefits" rel="tag">benefits</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/out+of+network" rel="tag">out of network</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/ERS" rel="tag">ERS</a></div>

Blue Cross Protesting Award of Texas Employee Retirement Health Plan to United Healthcare–Price Cut by $25 Million With Little or No Out of Network Coverage for Members

Well right off the bat the article states they will lose any out of network protection that Blue Cross had given so I would imagine that cou...

Tuesday, March 06, 2012

Cleveland Clinic Adds Medical Images to Their Electronic Medical Records System

<p>You might say Cleveland Clinic has some in house expertise when it comes to big data as they have also developed their version of the Apache Hadoop data base.  You can read more about it at the link below.  Epic is the medical records system <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-myYrtmwDTHI/T1W2-kfXJMI/AAAAAAAA5ks/di91z3Z5rIU/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="77" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-QzvC-glaYZk/T1W2_A3ocJI/AAAAAAAA5k0/kBDC4_CAVnw/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="155" /></a>used by Cleveland Clinic.  the types of images available include visual results of endoscopic procedures, ultrasound procedures and even photographs of patients taken in the emergency room to document a trauma.</p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/11/hadoop-in-healthcare-moving-in-soon-its.html"><font size="2">Hadoop In Healthcare Moving In Soon? It’s the Next Big Data Base Tool Since SQL Was Introduced-Cleveland Clinic Founded a Company Using the Platform</font></a></h4>  <p>The next move is into a cloud atmosphere the article states and they are not alone in this effort at Johns Hopkins is already making big strides in this area as well with imaging in the cloud.</p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/johns-hopkins-medical-and-it.html"><font size="2">Johns Hopkins Medical and IT Researchers Teaming With Harris Corporation to Create Mega Medical Imaging Cloud System</font></a></h4>  <p>To make this work they used the Agfa HealthCare's XERO technology viewer, allowing imaging information to be viewed directly from the Clinic's Epic electronic health record (EHR) solution.  BD  </p>  <blockquote>   <p>CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Imagine your doctor ordering an ultrasound and then being able to view a written analysis of the results in your <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Nbx0vgQGRPE/T1W2_uL4oXI/AAAAAAAA5k8/CAR00Kxmxn0/s1600-h/image%25255B9%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="134" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-yTfqVX74Smk/T1W2_zxMy8I/AAAAAAAA5lE/ran5Jdn3cew/image_thumb%25255B5%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="144" /></a>electronic medical record and the images as well. That's starting to happen at <a href="http://topics.cleveland.com/tag/cleveland%20clinic/index.html">the Cleveland Clinic</a>.</p>    <p>The Clinic is taking the next step in developing its electronic medical records system by allowing its doctors to see X-rays, laboratory tissue samples, photographs and any other image related to a patient's care. </p>    <p>"We're building a visual layer that combines patients' medical records with diagnostic images," said Louis M. Lannum, director of enterprise imaging at the Clinic. </p>    <p>The ongoing project at the Clinic started about six years ago with radiology, said Lannum, and it has grown to include 20 departments and a 650-terabyte disk data center. "That's a huge amount of data to be stored," he said. </p>    <p>To put that amount of storage space in perspective, consider that one terabyte could hold 300 hours of good quality video or the equivalent of 1,000 copies of the complete Encyclopedia Britannica (volumes A-Z). Ten terabytes could hold the entire printed collection of the Library of Congress. </p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2012/03/cleveland_clinic_expanding_pat.html" title="http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2012/03/cleveland_clinic_expanding_pat.html">http://www.cleveland.com/healthfit/index.ssf/2012/03/cleveland_clinic_expanding_pat.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:b2dec59b-5c9f-48b5-9967-becfc784980a" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Data" rel="tag">Data</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Pig" rel="tag">Pig</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HBase" rel="tag">HBase</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/java" rel="tag">java</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/platform" rel="tag">platform</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/redundancy" rel="tag">redundancy</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/queries" rel="tag">queries</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HealthIT" rel="tag">HealthIT</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/technology" rel="tag">technology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/SQL" rel="tag">SQL</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/data+bases" rel="tag">data bases</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Cleveland+Clinic" rel="tag">Cleveland Clinic</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/images" rel="tag">images</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/PACS" rel="tag">PACS</a></div>

Cleveland Clinic Adds Medical Images to Their Electronic Medical Records System

You might say Cleveland Clinic has some in house expertise when it comes to big data as they have also developed their version of the Apache...

Monday, March 05, 2012

Brooklyn Woman Who’s Hands and Feet Were Amputated Wins $17.9 Million Dollar Lawsuit After Doctors/Paramedics Refused to Take Her Back–Missed Sepsis Diagnosis

<p>Who can forget this story, I can’t and then shortly there after we had the story <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-XZJyLZb08_U/T1Wc6KywkBI/AAAAAAAA5kM/Q7w6QIsdCkU/s1600-h/image%25255B10%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="241" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ea-Zu2srXrA/T1Wc6vbqDCI/AAAAAAAA5kU/wZQ0fGKq2QM/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" title="image" width="175" /></a>about the model in Brazil who lost limbs as well.  The woman is also partially blinded from the massive infection.  This was terrible as doctors sent her home and missed the diagnosis.  She is only 35 and granted the money is nice and will help with the kids for sure but she says it is a bit of a nightmare getting up every day and I could agree with her sentiments there.  </p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/nyc-mom-sues-hospital-after-losing-both.html">NYC Mom Sues Hospital After Losing Both Hands and Feet – Infection lead to Sepsis</a></h4>  <p>It took her 5 months to learn how to walk again with the prosthetics and she has 4 of the, both hand and legs.  BD  </p>  <blockquote>   <p>A brave Brooklyn mom whose hands and feet were amputated in a shocking medical nightmare has won a $17.9 million settlement from the city and a hospital.</p>    <p>The payout means the end of a three-year legal battle for <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/topics/Tabitha+Mullings">Tabitha <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_C5BcT-_vOI/T1Wc7OwjsNI/AAAAAAAA5kc/nfUh1F8pA9I/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="183" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-onRWnADf6Ac/T1Wc8KkfqsI/AAAAAAAA5kk/kQ7NRvwu6gc/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="158" /></a>Mullings</a> — though her fight to live a normal life may never be over.</p>    <p>“The reality is, I'm going to be like this the rest of my life,” said Mullings, 35, who was also partially blinded by a massive infection after doctors sent her home from the hospital and paramedics refused to take her back.</p>    <p>“I'm always going to have to have help to do everything, using the bathroom, using a toothbrush. I can’t do anything on my own,” said Mullings, who has three sons.</p>    <p>Money, she said, will not erase the grim reality she faces when she opens her eyes each morning.</p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/multiple-amputee-tabitha-mullings-wins-17-9m-settlement-article-1.1033059">http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/multiple-amputee-tabitha-mullings-wins-17-9m-settlement-article-1.1033059</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:ede5277b-4dad-4f93-9ec0-1d90f6c0c70c" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Sepsis" rel="tag">Sepsis</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Law+suit" rel="tag">Law suit</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/kidney+infection" rel="tag">kidney infection</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/amputation" rel="tag">amputation</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/New+York+hospital" rel="tag">New York hospital</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospital" rel="tag">hospital</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/acquired+diseases" rel="tag">acquired diseases</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Vanderbilt+University" rel="tag">Vanderbilt University</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Microsoft" rel="tag">Microsoft</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Server+2008" rel="tag">Server 2008</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/technology" rel="tag">technology</a></div>

Brooklyn Woman Who’s Hands and Feet Were Amputated Wins $17.9 Million Dollar Lawsuit After Doctors/Paramedics Refused to Take Her Back–Missed Sepsis Diagnosis

Who can forget this story, I can’t and then shortly there after we had the story about the model in Brazil who lost limbs as well. The woma...

Monday, March 05, 2012

FDA Reviewing Side Effects of Propecia As Male Sexual Dysfunction Takes Place After the Drug is Discontinued

<p>Well I guess the question here is do you want hair or the other fun side of life?  <a href="http://www.merck.com/">Merck</a> has also <a href="http://www.propecia.com/sitedown.html">taken down the website</a> available to the public for now to be revised.  </p>  <p>The study said that 94% of a group of 71 developed problems due to the side effects from the drug.  The side effect of the drug are: erectile dysfunction, impotence, greatly reduced libido,<b> </b>testicular pain, problems with orgasms and gynecomastia – an over-development of the male breast.</p>  <p><a href="http://www.propecia.com/sitedown.html"><img alt="image" border="0" height="173" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-dFvTa-9heWE/T1WRps37vZI/AAAAAAAA5kE/e-8RBW9M6xI/image%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" title="image" width="377" /></a></p>  <blockquote>   <p>The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has confirmed it is conducting a new safety review of the hair growth drug Propecia. In response to written questions submitted by the <i>Examiner</i>, FDA spokesperson Sandy Walsh wrote in an email that, “The focus of the current review is the persistence of severe male sexual dysfunction after discontinuation of Propecia’s use. This review was prompted by routine drug safety surveillance.”</p>    <p>FDA’s safety investigation comes as a growing number of men say Propecia’s severe side effects have caused them to suffer persistent and permanent sexual dysfunction. While several European countries have required Propecia’s maker, drug-giant Merck & Co., to issue warnings regarding the drug’s irreversible side effects, this marks the first time the FDA has acknowledged it is reviewing the drug’s safety here.</p>    <p>Last year, the FDA issued a new warning regarding Propecia’s link to high-grade prostate cancer -- the most aggressive and deadly form of the disease -- but the agency has remained silent on the permanence of the drug’s severe side effects until now. </p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.examiner.com/courts-in-baltimore/safety-of-hair-growth-drug-propecia-under-fda-review#ixzz1oDnajNxt">FDA reviewing safety of Propecia - Baltimore Courts | Examiner.com</a> <a href="http://www.examiner.com/courts-in-baltimore/safety-of-hair-growth-drug-propecia-under-fda-review#ixzz1oDnajNxt">http://www.examiner.com/courts-in-baltimore/safety-of-hair-growth-drug-propecia-under-fda-review#ixzz1oDnajNxt</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:1d3933ed-a4b0-4593-aa7e-0dea57ed3cf0" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/propecia" rel="tag">propecia</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/drugs" rel="tag">drugs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/ed" rel="tag">ed</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/sexual+disfunction" rel="tag">sexual disfunction</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hair" rel="tag">hair</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/study" rel="tag">study</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/side+effects" rel="tag">side effects</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Merck" rel="tag">Merck</a></div>

FDA Reviewing Side Effects of Propecia As Male Sexual Dysfunction Takes Place After the Drug is Discontinued

Well I guess the question here is do you want hair or the other fun side of life? Merck has also taken down the website available to the ...

Monday, March 05, 2012

California Physician Assistant Awarded $168M - Sexual Harassment Suit In Sacramento Against Dignity Healthcare–Formerly Catholic Healthcare West

<p>This is one huge award which the hospital says they are going to appeal and as the LA Times stated it could be the largest harassment award on record.  When you look at the allegations, the one that stands out that is actually a bit scary is the accusation against a surgeon who broke the ribs of a patient during during a surgical procedure in a fit of rage.  <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-SuFLZEnbId4/T1LuYVkbygI/AAAAAAAA5jk/oS0akSOCZrE/s1600-h/image%25255B8%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="178" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9ide9sJGpkE/T1LuYugqgSI/AAAAAAAA5js/jbL5toX-gp0/image_thumb%25255B4%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="240" /></a></p>  <p>In addition the case said 4 others came forward to testify as well.  The PA was fired from Mercy Hospital after 2 years and stated and I assume had on record numerous complaints that were never dealt with.  The settlement may be reduced but still this is a very large case held against what was called “hostilities” at Mercy Hospital.  She stated that cardiology brings in the most money too for the hospital as it does pretty much everywhere so a lot was over looked she said as not to disturb the cash cow.  Commenters stated that even with an appeal the juries findings would probably not be changed, but only the award amount.  right now with the focus on re-admissions, hospitals are in fact looking for ways to market and bring in “new” admissions although it may not be cardiology in essence but rather more testing that could lead to new admissions if problems are found.</p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/at-time-when-medicare-is-looking-to-cut.html"><font size="2">At A Time When Medicare is Looking to Cut Down on Re-Admissions Hospitals are Marketing to Find New Admissions As A Source of Revenue</font></a></h4>  <p>Not too long ago a hospital group used a 3rd party to help them improve their financial position and through a notebook being stolen, it was uncovered that actual patient records were viewed by Wall Street investors with how the company planned to reduce costs at the hospitals.  They are now being sued by the state of Minnesota.<img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-I--shHMnnPE/Ty9iaqID3pI/AAAAAAAA5KY/PHwD0BJI1Wc/image_thumb%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" /></p>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/01/accretive-health-debt-collector.html"><font size="2">Accretive Health Debt Collector Employee Has Laptop Stolen With Non Encrypted Patient Data from 2 Hospitals And Had Access to All the Data Via Revenue Cycling - Patient Information Was Shared With Wall Street Investors – Algorithms For Profit Again?</font></a></h6>  <p>So back on track we have bad behavior coupled with a hospital system trying to keep money coming in the door and the balance was lost along the way with patient care that seemed to take the back seat along with having a good working environment.  It was just in January of this year that Catholic Healthcare West announced their name change and their affiliation with the Catholic Church of which Mercy Hospital was part of .  Well I guess there was no “dignity” at Mercy Hospital  with this case ruling.  BD    <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-d9v4G3zedqo/T1LuY738D2I/AAAAAAAA5j0/BhhEhUOcABc/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="51" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-X1LtzQ4YZK8/T1LuZN2kWuI/AAAAAAAA5j8/sP-assBjzc4/image_thumb%25255B1%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="168" /></a></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/01/catholic-healthcare-west-ending-its.html"><font size="2">Catholic Healthcare West Ending It’s Affiliation With the Catholic Church–Changing It’s Name</font></a></h4>  <blockquote>   <p>Ani Chopourian told of sexually inappropriate conduct, bullying and retaliation at a Sacramento hospital. The award is believed to be the largest for a single victim of workplace harassment in U.S. history.</p>    <p>Ani Chopourian lost track of how many complaints she filed during the two years she worked as a physician assistant at Sacramento's Mercy General Hospital.      <br />There were at least 18, she recalled, many having to do with the bullying surgeon who once stabbed her with a needle and broke the ribs of an anesthetized heart patient in a fit of rage. Another surgeon, she said, would greet her each morning with "I'm horny" and slap her bottom. Yet another called her "stupid chick" in the operating room and made disparaging remarks about her Armenian heritage, asking if she had joined Al Qaeda.</p>    <p>"Cardiac surgery brings in the most money for any hospital facility, which is why they are willing to turn a blind eye to illegal and inappropriate behavior," Chopourian said. "We had four very strong witnesses who were frightened to speak out but did so because they felt it was important that someone put a stop to this."</p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-harassment-award-20120302,0,1798285.story">http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-harassment-award-20120302,0,1798285.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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:3a6bed2c-9489-4768-876c-79bb7af7a55b" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Dignity+healthcare" rel="tag">Dignity healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Catholic+healthcare+west" rel="tag">Catholic healthcare west</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospital" rel="tag">hospital</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/lawsuit" rel="tag">lawsuit</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/physicain's+assistant" rel="tag">physicain's assistant</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/sexual+harrassment" rel="tag">sexual harrassment</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/surgery" rel="tag">surgery</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/cardology" rel="tag">cardology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/human+resources" rel="tag">human resources</a></div>

California Physician Assistant Awarded $168M - Sexual Harassment Suit In Sacramento Against Dignity Healthcare–Formerly Catholic Healthcare West

This is one huge award which the hospital says they are going to appeal and as the LA Times stated it could be the largest harassment award ...

Saturday, March 03, 2012

United Healthcare Subsidiary MemorialCare Medical Foundation MD Group Acquires Nautilus Healthcare Management Who Manages Greater Newport Physicians-MDs Become Part of Foundation System–Subsidiary Watch

<p>You have to really read this press release very carefully as we all know that United Healthcare bought the Memorial Care IPA last year and now it appears Memorial Care Foundation IPA has purchased the management company that runs Greater Newport Physicians.  When it came out in the news, the subsidiary of United, Optum was the name of where it fit in the organization.  <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TXCfvYCDCBI/AAAAAAAAsv0/8biVjC7dBI0/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; float: right; display: inline; background-image: none;"></p>  <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/03/optumhealth-subsidiary-of-united.html"><font size="2"><strong>OptumHealth (Subsidiary of United Healthcare) Takes Over Memorial IPA in California-Subsidiary Watch</strong></font></a></p>  <p>So if you follow the trail of who owns who, well guess what we come right back to United Healthcare in control of yet another IPA physicians group.  If you read the story below about the ACO with Hoag Hospital and Blue Shield working together with the Greater Newport Physician’s group, we have United Healthcare thrown in here too as they, via MemorialCare IPA run this group of doctors with also having purchased the group Nautilus that manages Greater Newport Physicians.  What a mess.  </p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/03/health-insurance-contracts-at-oc.html"><font size="2">Health Insurance Contracts at the OC Corral–Lawsuits, an ACO and A Lot of Mixed Up and Confused Patients As Data Disruption and Patient Care Move Center Stage…</font></a></h4>  <p>Meanwhile over at the other Newport and Orange County HMO, Monarch, also owned by United Healthcare we have this and a lawsuit filed by Blue Shield.  The legal suit says patients were encouraged to change plans to keep their current doctors.</p>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/12/united-healthcare-acquisition-of.html"><font size="2">United Healthcare Acquisition of Monarch Healthcare HMO Already Causing Confusion and Access Problems for Blue Shield Patients in Orange County</font></a><img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-aHCEPyUKLMc/T0_f_W0rewI/AAAAAAAA5hM/NMvd4VdMFCQ/image_thumb%25255B5%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; float: right; display: inline; background-image: none;"></h6>  <p><strong>You can read below what the Nautilus service that Memorial purchased says and see who else is on the list for clients, Cedars-Sinai Health Group for one and this is right off their website.</strong> <u> Ok so via a subsidiary acquisition here, this puts United subsidiaries in several places to manage, contract and what ever else they come up with</u> for MD reimbursement, procedures, etc.  In addition the quote below also shows an EMR NextGen listed as their “preferred solution”.  <u>This is kind of interesting since Cedar Sinai is mentioned and they are an Epic EHR group and Untied is busy working with Epic to integrate their newly created clearinghouse subsidiary</u>. How close is this division of United getting or is going to move in the direction of more MDs let’s say at Cedars for an example.  </p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/11/so-what-part-of-health-it-has-united.html"><font size="2">OptumInsight (A Wholly Owned Subsidiary of United HealthCare Optum Division) Creates Medical Clearinghouse Integrated With Epic Practice Management Software-Subsidiary Watch</font></a></h4>  <p><strong><u>From the Nautilus website:<a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-r52EaVIKgoA/T1HkblBwjLI/AAAAAAAA5iU/K8OqhyieCwA/s1600-h/image%25255B7%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="73" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-GiARUNgmSvw/T1Hkb_T8C6I/AAAAAAAA5ic/Gm3tOA9wLCw/image_thumb%25255B3%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; float: right; display: inline; background-image: none;" title="image" width="179"></a></u></strong></p>  <p><em>“We employ approximately 350 people in areas including: administration, finance, information services, clinical, customer service, and operations.  Currently, we contract with over 500 physicians in Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley, Newport Beach, Irvine, Costa Mesa, and Aliso Viejo.  Our physician groups are top ranked in California on clinical measures and patient satisfaction.  Our groups are leaders in EMR adoption and our <strong>Physician Services Division</strong> has a growing client base for </em><a href="http://www.NautilusEMR.com"><em>the Nautilus/NextGen EMR solution</em></a><em>.”</em></p>  <p>My question is how is this ACO going to work with Hoag Hospital and Blue Shield and what will be the outcome of their lawsuit against Monarch and now that I have read this, again with subsidiary ownership by Untied, how complicated will this get and gee will the Greater Newport Physician’s Group be pulled into the lawsuit in time as well since they are now in the United Healthcare subsidiary daisy chain?</p>  <p>  Remember they bought the company that runs GNP under the Memorial umbrella Foundation IPA which is owned by Untied.  Will patients face the same frustration once this second IPA begins new potential business models?  <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hubO3OuL6E4/T1HkcE3JPkI/AAAAAAAA5ik/yPUMurLcbjo/s1600-h/image%25255B11%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="76" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ha_5jic1Jlo/T1HkcjBMzhI/AAAAAAAA5is/emELc-Dzq10/image_thumb%25255B5%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; float: right; display: inline; background-image: none;" title="image" width="215"></a></p>  <p><strong>Doctors of course I’m sure will want to know what’s in the next reimbursement talks and who’s standards for the ACO will be in place, Blue Shield or United or both?</strong>  Will we have yet even more issues with getting things set up with conflicting or different policies and goals for doctors to meet from each end?  This appears to be a big rats nest and brings about a good question at the link below…<strong>how many subsidiaries of one insurance conglomerate can solicit and gain contract without some conflict of interest when so many subsidiaries are involved</strong>.  One company is looking to have a bit too much power in my opinion.  BD  </p>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/08/subsidiary-watch-corporate-conglomerate.html"><font size="2">Subsidiary Watch-Corporate Conglomerate Insurers Reduce Compensation Contracts Using One Subsidiary Then Market Same MDs With Another Subsidiary in Health IT</font></a>     <hr></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/attack-of-killer-algorithmsdigest-links.html"><em>Attack of the Killer Algorithms–Digest & Links for All Chapters–See How the Math and Crafty Formulas Today Running on Servers 24/7 Make Life Impacting Decisions About You</em></a>     <hr></h6>  <p><strong></strong></p>  <p><strong><em></em></strong></p>  <blockquote>   <p><b>400 Primary & Specialty Physicians Serving 100,000 Re<a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-1BdBMvRnUKM/T1Hkc8E8B-I/AAAAAAAA5i0/0TLAWRLJqOE/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="162" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-j2Widn5AzyI/T1Hkdd0X6_I/AAAAAAAA5i8/F2SplMcYXkY/image_thumb%25255B1%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-left: 0px; float: right; display: inline; background-image: none;" title="image" width="186"></a>sidents Join MemorialCare Medical Foundation, Creating New Division Offering More Physician Alignment Options; Nautilus to Lead MemorialCare IPA, Practice Management Services</b></p>    <p>Orange County, CA—MemorialCare Health System announced today the affiliation of Greater Newport Physicians with its MemorialCare Medical Foundation and the acquisition of Nautilus Healthcare Management Group, Greater Newport’s affiliated management services organization. </p>    <p>Greater Newport Physicians, created by a group of physicians in 1985 to improve health care for the community, serves more than 100,000 Orange County residents through its 400 physicians, comprised of 140 in primary care and more than 250 representing over 50 specialties. With 400 plus employees, Nautilus Healthcare Management offers services to physician groups, Independent Practice Associations (IPAs) and physician offices. </p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.memorialcare.org/medical-group/news-press-release.cfm?id=133">http://www.memorialcare.org/medical-group/news-press-release.cfm?id=133</a></p>  <div class="wlWriterSmartContent" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:1649de9f-64e5-4e4a-8e78-c37241df7350" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; float: none; display: inline;">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/MemorialCare" rel="tag">MemorialCare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Long+Beach" rel="tag">Long Beach</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Newport+Beach" rel="tag">Newport Beach</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/United+Healthcare" rel="tag">United Healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/mergers+and+acquistions" rel="tag">mergers and acquistions</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/insurance" rel="tag">insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Nautilus+Healthcare" rel="tag">Nautilus Healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/patients" rel="tag">patients</a></div>

United Healthcare Subsidiary MemorialCare Medical Foundation MD Group Acquires Nautilus Healthcare Management Who Manages Greater Newport Physicians-MDs Become Part of Foundation System–Subsidiary Watch

You have to really read this press release very carefully as we all know that United Healthcare bought the Memorial Care IPA last year and n...

Saturday, March 03, 2012

Senator Introduces Bill to Prohibit Companies From Using Medical Debt With Assessing Consumer Credit Scores–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 21 With Flawed Data

<p>This is yet one more band aid attempt here, and not a bad thing by any means but it is what it is as this only encompasses one arm of the entire problem.  Credit <img align="right" border="0" height="106" 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="220" />agencies that are licensed through states are mining data at a rate and with volume higher than we have ever seen.  In one state, North Carolina, one agency, CoreLogic had their license removed for their behavior in both not applying and paying for updates and other areas the state felt they were not in compliance.</p>  <p>This is a huge mess for the average consumer too as state servers are beginning to slow down to a crawl with all the data mining bots taking over, to the point to where you and I as citizens have a hard time getting in and we are the reasons this access was put in place.  That does not make sense does it?<strong>  In addition, some states have had to go so far as to buy and install software now to keep the data mining bots out!  So what are we doing here?  The money made licensing the data mining companies is a mere pittance to say the least for their efforts.  I have covered this before with questioning credit agencies and their areas of operation</strong>.</p>  <p><u>In many cases, such as with FICO and CoreLogic some new algorithms have been defined whereby now they have found an area to where they can sell more analytics called somewhat of a “super credit” report that goes above and beyond normal items included.</u>  It is sold as an opportunity for consumers to build a credit record but in essence all we have here is aggregation of your cell phone bill, utilities and more detailed information that really is none of anyone’s business when it comes down to it all and is just one more way for credit agencies to sell data and make millions.  Take Walgreens who on their 2010 SEC statement declared just under $800 million from selling data.  That statement alone should give you a very clear idea as to the billions that are being made by corporations selling data.  In Chapter 8 I go into some details on how this works.  <img align="right" border="0" height="158" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TdYNiZF0RQI/AAAAAAAAxks/UEJVJ2qMb7Y/image%5B8%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="126" /></p>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/01/consumers-lose-more-privacy-with-new.html"><font size="2">Consumers Lose More Privacy With New CoreLogic Credit Reporting–”Score” Marketed For Insurers and Employers To Gain Information-California Prohibits Potential Employers – From Using As Jan 1 - Killer Algorithms Part 8</font></a></h6>  <p>In Chapter 6 I explain how the middle class is becoming nothing but data chasers to fix what has been entered and there are tons of flaws, and again it’s corporate USA wanting to make a profit once again.  </p>  <h6><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></h6>  <p><strong>Why should a company set up a factory and make a product or a retail store in the same area of profits when they can buy up a few servers and start mining data with very little overhead and sell it to the public as a “huge” benefit for all the information you could ever want</strong>.  Granted there are real reasons for exchanging data and research is one of them but you don’t usually find big “profit” dollars hanging on the data either so there’s a difference between a healthy exchange to improve man kind and those that are just created <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-7BsHDlLhx90/T1J7drYm8WI/AAAAAAAA5jE/RYvRrAGpHrI/s1600-h/image%25255B6%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="149" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-cgCSHkL8dvc/T1J7eOQ_0iI/AAAAAAAA5jM/8tBslx5s-xw/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>for corporations to make billions of dollars using “free taxpayer data” they mine.  </p>  <p><u>This is exactly why corporations are getting richer and have embraced the data selling model as there’s almost no overhead and we are their product every which way you turn.</u>  I</p>  <p>f you take a minute to read the article at this next link I have my raw solution here on how to stop and slow this down as it should be disclosed on a federal level on who sells what to who as well as being licenses and taxed.  It’s a technological war out there with humans being stuffed into analytical equations every where we turn and the flawed data mounting and turning us into “bad guys” is growing.  Most employees at corporate USA companies are not trained on how to use data or to ask questions when it is “flawed” and thus so we remain under the attack of the Killer Algorithms when this occurs.  <strong>Corporate USA though knows one thing and that’s the fact that it allows them to make billions doing this though.  Banks, Hedge Funds, Facebook you name it, they are in there taking the cash.</strong>  </p>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/start-licensing-and-taxing-data-sellers.html"><font size="2">Start Licensing and Taxing the Data Sellers of the Internet Making Billions of Profit Dollars Mining “Free Taxpayer Data”–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 17 - “Occupy Algorithms”– Help Stop Inequality in the US</font></a></h6>  <p>So again, as this continues on no pity from big conglomerates that you or I were unexpectedly sick and were hit with phenomenal medical bills to pay….<strong><u>we are the bad guys because we got sick</u></strong>.  Pretty crappy world and bunch of analytics if you ask me with few and small areas of forgiveness here as it seems the profits and bottom lines come first with share holder liabilities.  <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5ySX3I3k5rE/T1J7eV8IuQI/AAAAAAAA5jU/TdubAU9uWxo/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="155" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VbT7czzMvHo/T1J7eg0ZnRI/AAAAAAAA5jc/DH8e7sC0sTU/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="160" /></a></p>  <p>Granted there are credit scoring issues all over the world and we know with banks but again the poor US consumers get hit and the big banks and other conglomerates just keep on moving with maybe a tiny slap on the wrist, and this keeps inequality moving and shaking sadly. <strong> We have the most digital illiterate bunch of law makers that think they are doing something to create solutions when instead all they seem to do is carry around a box of bandaids that don’t stick very well or stop any real bleeding</strong>. </p>  <p>This is just yet one more example of those who have the technology to use it to judge and make decisions are doing it and as consumers we continue to be attacked by the Killer Algorithms until someone finally comes to their senses and sees the reality of what is happening and how flawed the data has become that they rely on.  </p>  <p><strong><em>In the meantime, corporate USA, banks, and so on make billions off our backs right off the web and nobody has enough sense to see this or do anything about it.  The state of California passed another band aid law recently to where credit scores cannot be used as a decision making process when hiring someone for a job.  </em></strong></p>  <p><strong><em>All the OMG stories in the news today take precedence of the real mechanics that are shaping our entire economy here as many have long ago decided to take the data selling route rather than create factories with jobs as there’s no effort here and nobody is held accountable for flawed consumer data that attacks us daily.  BD</em></strong>  </p>  <p>   <hr /></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/attack-of-killer-algorithmsdigest-links.html"><font size="2">Attack of the Killer Algorithms–Digest & Links for All Chapters–See How the Math and Crafty Formulas Today Running on Servers 24/7 Make Life Impacting Decisions About You</font></a>    <hr /></h4>  <blockquote>   <p><strong>WASHINGTON -- </strong>Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., reintroduced legislation Thursday that would prohibit companies from using paid-off or settled medical debt in assessing consumer credit scores. </p>    <p>The Medical Debt Responsibility Act would assist about 72 million Americans affected by medical bill problems and medical debt. </p>    <p>“Medical debt is not a great predictor of a person’s credit-worthiness, and folks should not be shackled from getting loans to start businesses or buy their dream home because they got very sick,” Merkley said in a news release. “We can’t see the future to plan ahead for medical emergencies, but we can stop them from damaging our working families’ credit scores for years in the future.”</p>    <p>"After a sudden illness or medical emergency and the skyrocketing cost of critical treatment, the last thing families should have to deal with is a plummeting credit score. Our legislation will help put a stop to this unfair practice.” <img align="right" border="0" 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" /></p>    <p>Currently, even medical debt collections that have been completely paid off or settled can still significantly damage a consumer’s credit score for years. As a result, consumers can be denied credit or pay higher interest rates when buying a home or obtaining a credit card.</p>    <p>Merkley said the Medical Debt Responsibility Act would fix this inequity by prohibiting consumer credit agencies from using paid off or settled medical debt collections in assessing a consumer’s credit worthiness. In addition, the bill will require the creditor or credit rating agency to expunge the medical debt from the consumer’s record within 45 days from the day it is paid off or settled.</p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.ktvz.com/news/30599684/detail.html">http://www.ktvz.com/news/30599684/detail.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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:7c4a3c87-d119-4309-8c83-003b9b6caad9" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <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/12+step+addictions" rel="tag">12 step addictions</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/Charles+Seife" rel="tag">Charles Seife</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/books" rel="tag">books</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/numbers" rel="tag">numbers</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/analytics" rel="tag">analytics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/journalism" rel="tag">journalism</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Google" rel="tag">Google</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/drugs" rel="tag">drugs</a></div>

Senator Introduces Bill to Prohibit Companies From Using Medical Debt With Assessing Consumer Credit Scores–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 21 With Flawed Data

This is yet one more band aid attempt here, and not a bad thing by any means but it is what it is as this only encompasses one arm of the en...

Saturday, March 03, 2012

Disney Closes Fat Fighting Exhibit Sponsored by Blue Cross/Blue Shield As It Shamed and Bullied Over Weight Children - Surgeon Defined It as Horrifying on His Blog

<p>Well some of this is finally coming full circle with making villains out of over weight <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UbzZi20Xc8E/T1HUtN1jxiI/AAAAAAAA5iE/xdVeRPjMW-M/s1600-h/image%25255B6%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="109" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-MuuYv2VbRkk/T1HUtuNTfMI/AAAAAAAA5iM/LEHU0XNbSA0/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="226" /></a>children.  We have just about villainized just about every type of non perfect behavior we have out there today and when the exhibit and the “on line game” reached a peak on this subject.  </p>  <p>We can shock everyone into making changes as the article describes how this can also hurt self esteem and I think in our society today with some of the anger and mean comments we see, something to think about.  Sometimes today there’s just a little too much of some of this in our face, depending on where you travel and what you do.  Sometimes a little too much negative with sending messages can back fire and that is apparently what happened here.  BD  </p>  <blockquote>   <p>"I think they (Disney) likely subscribed to that common misconception that this is something we should just be able to push away from the table and cure," said Ottawa bariatric surgeon Yoni Freedhoff, whose blog post sparked a public outcry over the attraction at Walt Disney Co's world-famous Florida theme park.</p>    <p>"The truth is, if it was that simple to manage weight, I'm pretty confident we wouldn't have a problem," said Freedhoff.</p>    <p>Disney last month unofficially opened the interactive exhibit called "Habit Heroes" at Epcot, one of the sites at the park, and introduced a companion online game.  </p>    <p>Freedhoff blogged on February 23 about what he called the "horrifying" exhibit.</p>    <p>Disney closed the exhibit two days later following complaints and petition drives by other advocates for the overweight and people with eating disorders.</p>    <p>"The attraction and game feature negative stereotypical characters, traditionally used to torment overweight kids, will potentially reinforce and strengthen a cycle of bullying, depression, disease, eating disorders and even suicidal thoughts," the petition stated.</p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/03/us-usa-disney-obesity-idUSTRE82201Q20120303?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&dlvrit=309303">http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/03/us-usa-disney-obesity-idUSTRE82201Q20120303?feedType=RSS&feedName=healthNews&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter&dlvrit=309303</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:7138a9c6-28c4-4ad1-a2f6-df067ed3805f" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Disney" rel="tag">Disney</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/weight+loss" rel="tag">weight loss</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/exhibit" rel="tag">exhibit</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/children" rel="tag">children</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/obesity" rel="tag">obesity</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/villians" rel="tag">villians</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/depression" rel="tag">depression</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/suicide" rel="tag">suicide</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Blue+Cross+Blue+Shield" rel="tag">Blue Cross Blue Shield</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/entertainment" rel="tag">entertainment</a></div>

Disney Closes Fat Fighting Exhibit Sponsored by Blue Cross/Blue Shield As It Shamed and Bullied Over Weight Children - Surgeon Defined It as Horrifying on His Blog

Well some of this is finally coming full circle with making villains out of over weight children. We have just about villainized just about...

Saturday, March 03, 2012

Prime Healthcare Buys Roxborough Acute Care Hospital in Philadelphia

<p>Prime Healthcare is moving beyond the California borders for their expansion with buying hospitals who are in financial straights or in the line to be there of.  It’s easier to buy a hospital while it is still operating rather than to close everything and then look for a buyer.  <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-WLsRQcu7pG8/Tq9N0AHqc2I/AAAAAAAA4HE/Bd8aZ4Zt7F4/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" /></p>  <p>Prime had also tried to buy the 2 financially strapped hospitals in Hawaii that closed at Christmas time in 2011 where all employees received a lay off slip instead of gifts.  In addition there has been the “billing” questions with Prime and I posed the question too of whether it was humans upcoding in this instance or was it the automated input from the software.  One has to start wondering when you keep hearing the same story over and over for years with fines for billing errors. </p>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/10/prime-healthcare-responds-to-billing.html"><font size="2">Prime Healthcare Responds to Billing Practices–Flawed Data and Algorithms Once Again-Who Got Sold a Bill of Goods as Kaiser, Stanford & Other Hospitals Had a Ton of Kwashiorkor Malnutrition Billings</font></a></h6>  <p>Most of the facilities when purchased by Prime undergo some major changes and many services currently provided end up being dropped.  BD  </p>  <blockquote>   <p>ONTARIO, Calif., Feb. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Prime Healthcare Services announced today that it has acquired <a href="http://www.roxboroughmemorial.com/">Roxborough Memorial Hospital, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania</a>, from Solis Healthcare. Roxborough Memorial is an award-winning 140-bed acute care hospital<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-kF1Xl-Ep3O8/T1HPdtJS8LI/AAAAAAAA5h0/zRtRlxfsRJ0/s1600-h/image%25255B3%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="76" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-X4GtrcmQDU0/T1HPdxErhBI/AAAAAAAA5h8/VXJXedPf_y8/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="182" /></a> that serves the healthcare needs of residents in Roxborough, Manayunk, East Falls and the surrounding areas of Northwest Philadelphia and Montgomery County.</p>    <p>"We look forward to improving the already excellent care provided at Roxborough Memorial Hospital and continuing the strong relationships with the local physicians and community," said Prem Reddy, M.D., FACC, FCCP, Chairman of Prime Healthcare Services. "I'm especially pleased to be associated with the residency programs and school of nursing and plan to continue their admirable and important work." </p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/prime-healthcare-services-acquires-roxborough-memorial-hospital-from-solis-healthcare-139995163.html">http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/prime-healthcare-services-acquires-roxborough-memorial-hospital-from-solis-healthcare-139995163.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:f763398b-768c-4d2e-a414-63e9195204d5" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Prime+Healthcare" rel="tag">Prime Healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospitals" rel="tag">hospitals</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/merger+and+acquisitions" rel="tag">merger and acquisitions</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Philadelphia" rel="tag">Philadelphia</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Prem+Reddy" rel="tag">Prem Reddy</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/acute+care" rel="tag">acute care</a></div>

Prime Healthcare Buys Roxborough Acute Care Hospital in Philadelphia

Prime Healthcare is moving beyond the California borders for their expansion with buying hospitals who are in financial straights or in the ...

Friday, March 02, 2012

Internal Fixations Systems–Generic Orthopedic FDA Approved Implants at 40% to 60% Less Cost –Designed And Created by World Class Surgeons in the United States

<p>As you may or may not know I am also a webmaster who does some websites and <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-pF635UX7WUU/T1EpxRGmHrI/AAAAAAAA5hU/bvr-r6UqoKw/s1600-h/image%25255B2%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="102" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-bCt4HugM9ak/T1Epx-2N0uI/AAAAAAAA5hc/nhsvlLE1EqU/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="152" /></a>work with my sponsors and this one is again worth looking at as the company creates commonly used devices, in other words the nuts and bolts products used in many orthopedic procedures and with having the FDA approved products designed and made here in the US, that is a plus.  In addition there’s no intellectual property rights to pay for, there’s the price difference as we as patients get a break in not having to pay for big patent expenses.  </p>  <p>Disclaimer here is that I do the website and IT work here for SNNWire and this product fits right in with anything else I would blog about for savings and new developments in healthcare.  </p>  <p>You can see the latest magazine under my sponsor section for Micro-Cap Review under my sponsor and advertising section at any time which is updated quarterly.  Below is the article from the magazine which you can expand and read.  Click on the “expand” button to read the entire article.  </p>  <p><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" height="240" id="8fb793cf-26d8-195e-bce5-b24df4577ba6" style="width: 420px; height: 194px;" width="320"><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /><param name="menu" value="false" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent" /><param name="src" value="http://static.issuu.com/webembed/viewers/style1/v2/IssuuReader.swf" /><param name="flashvars" value="mode=mini&embedBackground=%23ffffff&pageNumber=17&backgroundColor=%23ffffff&documentId=120229211935-b59c00f0fb3b4269a0ae34ec8b717333" /><embed id="8fb793cf-26d8-195e-bce5-b24df4577ba6" style="width: 420px; height: 194px;" width="320" height="240" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://static.issuu.com/webembed/viewers/style1/v2/IssuuReader.swf" allowfullscreen="true" menu="false" wmode="transparent" flashvars="mode=mini&embedBackground=%23ffffff&pageNumber=17&backgroundColor=%23ffffff&documentId=120229211935-b59c00f0fb3b4269a0ae34ec8b717333" /></object></p>  <p>If you want more information and to <strong>watch a video interview with the CEO<u> </u></strong><a href="http://stocknewsnow.com/?p=3025"><u><strong>use this link for more information.</strong></u></a>  Also there’s a back link on the Medical Quack from last year below that has additional information and a video update.<strong>  Made in the USA doesn’t bad either to my ears.</strong>  BD   </p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/12/generic-medical-devices-fda-approved.html"><font size="2">“Generic Medical Devices” FDA Approved Doctor Preferred Orthopedic Implants Made in the USA Costing 50% Less</font></a></h4>  <p><strong><u>From the website:</u></strong></p>  <p><em><strong>“IFS Is committed to driving down the cost of healthcare by offering a comprehensive line of "Best in Class" implants at generic prices. IFS seeks to <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-kL7GI8YSqhE/T1EpyMW9rII/AAAAAAAA5hk/wH8u5PuffP0/s1600-h/image%25255B8%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="178" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-14WAIJZoXWg/T1EpymEVSXI/AAAAAAAA5hs/2N9YkgMKdwM/image_thumb%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="240" /></a>disrupt the orthopedic implant market and redefine how implants are purchased.</strong>      <br />We focus on commonly used, market proven products that do not have IP protection -- 80% of what orthopedic surgeons, hospitals and surgery centers use every day.</em> </p>  <p><em>IFS implants are designed by world-class surgeons and priced to address the declining reimbursement for surgical procedures.      <br />Our prices are 40-60% less than our competitors.”</em></p>  <blockquote>   <p><strong><a href="http://www.ifsusa.net/"><u>Internal Fixation Systems,</u></a> Inc. (IFIX.OB: OTCBB)</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. <strong>SNNLive</strong> met with Dr. Stephen Dresnick, CEO of Internal Fixation Systems at the <strong>OTC Markets Center in New York City.</strong></p> </blockquote>  <p><strong><a href="http://stocknewsnow.com/?p=3025">http://stocknewsnow.com/?p=3025</a></strong></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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:8c5b5bfb-c37a-4cef-8bfc-731da2e5b27f" 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>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/implants" rel="tag">implants</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/patients" rel="tag">patients</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/screws" rel="tag">screws</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/bolts" rel="tag">bolts</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospitals" rel="tag">hospitals</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/insurance" rel="tag">insurance</a></div>

Internal Fixations Systems–Generic Orthopedic FDA Approved Implants at 40% to 60% Less Cost –Designed And Created by World Class Surgeons in the United States

As you may or may not know I am also a webmaster who does some websites and work with my sponsors and this one is again worth looking at as ...

Friday, March 02, 2012

Health Insurance Contracts at the OC Corral–Lawsuits, an ACO and A Lot of Mixed Up and Confused Patients As Data Disruption and Patient Care Move Center Stage…

<p>Well let’s start off with the positive side of this with Hoag Hospital and Blue Shield working together with the IPA, Greater Newport Physicians (the one not owned by <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-O-4sLG5XZng/T0_f-M_-fJI/AAAAAAAA5gk/tk7NvW9RBQQ/s1600-h/image%25255B6%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="145" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/--EHnj69g7vE/T0_f-ZNaJeI/AAAAAAAA5gs/EZ4kGmiX25Q/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="177" /></a>United Healthcare) creating an ACO to better serve patients and save money.  The IPA has a long affiliation with Hoag Hospital in Orange County, CA.</p>  <p>To elaborate a little further here Blue Shield has already over the last couple of years worked with their technologies to benefit doctors and patients.  One contract which was awarded to a company, Office Ally is a step in that direction.  I know the company being here in southern California where they have been located for years and their primary business has been to offer “free clearinghouse services” to doctors to where the insurance companies pay.  That makes sense as the insurers are the ones who benefit with scrubbed claims.  You might remember the contract that was announced back in 2009 and as I understand this relationship has grown.  Office Ally has to create more value in addition to clearinghouse services and thus expanded to offer software as a service for billing, medical records and a PHR, which you can always find a link to here at this site.  A real life situation for e-visits was created to where doctors can get reimbursed.  <img align="right" border="0" height="82" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TIgUUiWnJeI/AAAAAAAAhNs/2T-vFyP8UFU/image%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" width="133" /></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/12/office-ally-and-blue-shield-of_12.html"><font size="2">Office Ally and Blue Shield of California Collaborate to Provide Online Secure Communications Between Patients and Physicians</font></a></h4>  <p>So when it comes to keeping something of value and not moving and changing data and patients, Blue Shield already had a working program in place and all patients who were covered under Relay Health from McKesson were transferred.  So now after this amount of time, move files again and disrupt what has been working?  The reason I say this is due to the law suit Blue Shield has filed against Monarch Healthcare IPA (the one that is owned by United Healthcare).  As you can see there are remote monitoring partnerships set up here too.  <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-4CJvRqlJbfc/T0_f-tIXJ_I/AAAAAAAA5g0/nv9qyp03xbM/s1600-h/image%25255B7%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="85" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Kw0DvTI9VCg/T0_f-4hTRDI/AAAAAAAA5g8/fGpYX4A4KCg/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="156" /></a></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/08/office-ally-partners-with-ideal-life.html"><font size="2">Office Ally Partners With Ideal Life for Remote Patient Monitoring</font></a></h4>  <p>The AMA a while back wrote about the ability for physicians to get paid for online consults with Office Ally as well, so again with working with various areas of technology the GPS IPA sounds like they can use the technologies to work on the ACO as much is already there.  </p>  <h6><a href="http://officeally.wordpress.com/2010/03/23/american-medical-association-talks-about-getting-paid-for-online-consults-patient-ally-a-featured-solution/"><font size="2">American Medical Association Talks About Getting Paid for Online Consults – Patient Ally A Featured Solution</font></a></h6>  <p><strong><u>From the website:</u></strong></p>  <p><em>“Today, Patient Ally was discussed by the American Medical Association as a physician’s solution </em><a href="http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2010/03/22/bica0322.htm"><em><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="54" src="http://officeally.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/image10.png?w=175&h=46" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="190" /></em></a><em>for getting paid for e-visits or online consults.   In addition to working with Blue Shield, the service is free for physicians to sign up and become part of the network.  When a doctor becomes part of the network, they are also searchable by patients and other doctors within the network.</em> “ </p>  <p>Patient Ally is working with Blue Shield in California to supply this service for those patients insured under the program.  If you have seen or worked with Relay Health, this is very similar and the same concept.  </p>  <h6><a href="http://officeally.wordpress.com/2009/12/21/practice-mate-expanding-services-to-blue-shield-customers-in-california/"><font size="2">Patient Ally Expanding Services to Blue Shield Customers in California</font></a></h6>  <p><img border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/S9DdqRYM3UI/AAAAAAAAdhs/ypvMgmi_Rbg/image_thumb%5B1%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" /></p>  <p><strong>Now for what is happening at the other end of the stick, the lawsuit from Blue Shield and after reading this you might say hmmmm….as if this is in fact true to where patients are being coerced to change doctors, well we have a lot more going on here than just a visit, it’s called data and moving and shifting all of that around, not as easy as it sounds.</strong>  If the MDs are already getting paid for online consults with Blue Shield, then a change will not affect both payments and the doctor patient relationship.  </p>  <p>The legal suit says patients were encouraged to change plans to keep their current doctors.  United also bought another big IPA, Memorial Services up in Long Beach and from folks I speak with I heard some similar mutterings and concerns.  United does have hearings aids for seniors they make available too for almost little or no cost.  <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6E9FxQK5spQ/T0_f_DhulPI/AAAAAAAA5hE/C-lxs2yu2w0/s1600-h/image%25255B11%25255D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="94" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-aHCEPyUKLMc/T0_f_W0rewI/AAAAAAAA5hM/NMvd4VdMFCQ/image_thumb%25255B5%25255D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: right; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="160" /></a></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/12/united-healthcare-acquisition-of.html"><font size="2">United Healthcare Acquisition of Monarch Healthcare HMO Already Causing Confusion and Access Problems for Blue Shield Patients in Orange County</font></a></h4>  <p>This brings me around to Chapter 6 of my “Attack of the Killer Algorithms” series as when people and records are constantly shuffled around and data errors occur, is there anyone to fix it for you?  No you have to do it yourself and chase data so big corporations can profit huge by selling data.</p>  <h6><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></h6>  <p align="center"><strong><em><u>Welcome to the world of discrimination by the algorithm….</u></em></strong></p>  <p align="left">The United conglomerate is getting so big and diversified that they have an entity or subsidiary to serve almost anyone’s needs in healthcare and it all goes to their one big profit center for shareholders.  If sales leads are interchanged, which I don’t’ know if they are not not, but it could one heck of a system for each entity to share information with the others and send in what ever subsidiary was needed for a sale? </p>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2011/08/subsidiary-watch-corporate-conglomerate.html"><font size="2">Subsidiary Watch-Corporate Conglomerate Insurers Reduce Compensation Contracts Using One Subsidiary Then Market Same MDs With Another Subsidiary in Health IT</font></a></h6>  <p><strong></strong></p>  <p><strong><em>Again it’s all the call of the contract it seems today and nobody is giving a lot of thought to how the patients need time to review and consider all their moves</em></strong> but rather in some areas <u>it’s a push and shove routine</u> as you can see here we have systems in place and you just can’t keep uprooting people by the minute.   Contracts require more algorithms to run then so we truly are under the “Attack of the Killer Algorithms” today as patients and consumers.  I have about 20 chapters on this with links below.  The video at the link below is well worth watching as it will help educate you on how some of the “for profit” algorithms are created more for desired than accurate results and sadly the 2 are not always the same, as they should be, great presentation done at Google’s New York office by NYU professor Siefe, one of my favorite mathematicians.  BD    </p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2012/02/attack-of-killer-algorithmsdigest-links.html"><font size="2">Attack of the Killer Algorithms–Digest & Links for All Chapters–See How the Math and Crafty Formulas Today Running on Servers 24/7 Make Life Impacting Decisions About You</font></a></h4>  <blockquote>   <p><a href="http://www.hoag.org/">Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian</a> in Newport Beach has undertaken a new coordinated care model in partnership with <a href="http://www.blueshieldca.com/consumer/home/home.sp">Blue Shield of <img align="right" border="0" height="190" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SyPSnFV0NuI/AAAAAAAAbZM/UI-tuO7GHHg/image%5B8%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="177" />California</a> and <a href="http://www.accessgnp.com/gnpweb/">Greater Newport Physicians</a>. The three-year accountable care initiative aims to provide approximately 11,000 Blue Shield HMO policy members in Orange County with integrated, cost-efficient healthcare. </p>    <p>The program will launch on July 1 and lasts for an initial 36 months, with the partnership agencies intending to extend the duration in order to provide a more tangible and beneficial impact on employers’ and members’ healthcare costs and expenses</p> </blockquote>  <p>.<a href="http://www.ocmetro.com/t-Hoag-joint-initiative-affordable-care-02-27-2012.aspx">http://www.ocmetro.com/t-Hoag-joint-initiative-affordable-care-02-27-2012.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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:7c81f3e0-6dd0-4707-8423-295622c2ddc7" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Orange+county" rel="tag">Orange county</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+insurance" rel="tag">health insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Hoag" rel="tag">Hoag</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/IPA" rel="tag">IPA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Blue+Shield" rel="tag">Blue Shield</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/United+Healthcare" rel="tag">United Healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/mergers+and+acquistions" rel="tag">mergers and acquistions</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospitals" rel="tag">hospitals</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Patients" rel="tag">Patients</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/PHR" rel="tag">PHR</a></div>

Health Insurance Contracts at the OC Corral–Lawsuits, an ACO and A Lot of Mixed Up and Confused Patients As Data Disruption and Patient Care Move Center Stage…

Well let’s start off with the positive side of this with Hoag Hospital and Blue Shield working together with the IPA, Greater Newport Physic...

Thursday, March 01, 2012

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Senator Introduces Bill to Prohibit Companies From Using Medical Debt With Assessing Consumer Credit Scores–Attack of the Killer Algorithms Chapter 21 With Flawed Data

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Health Insurance Contracts at the OC Corral–Lawsuits, an ACO and A Lot of Mixed Up and Confused Patients As Data Disruption and Patient Care Move Center Stage…

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