Johnson and Johnson’s Next Nightmare With the FDA–Listerine Mouthwash But In Good Company with Walgreens and CVS This Time–Advertising Issues with Plaque Removal Not Founded

<p>The active ingredient,sodium fluoride helps prevent cavities but does is not found <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKKX178WVeI/AAAAAAAAhwQ/THD-5ZdVP9Y/s1600-h/image%5B4%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="186" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKKX2uCrmbI/AAAAAAAAhwU/_9VNJBpj8iM/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="130" /></a>effective with removing plaque or preventing gum disease.  It will give you fresh breath though as that’s why I buy it!</p> <p>This is supposed to be the easy part of business for J and J since they bought all of this over the counter business from Pfizer a few years ago, who bought up Warner Lambert.  When I was in the logistics business we like it a lot as nobody bothered it as far as theft, etc.  </p> <p>All companies said they would reply to the FDA and it appears the agency is really taking a look at what is being promoted out there and if those claims are true, then the agency classifies the product as a drug as asks for the normal paperwork to get approval, so you better sure it can pass the test at the FDA if you hold on to your advertising these days.  BD</p> <blockquote> <p>The Food and Drug Administration has warned three companies that market <a href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/human-body/mouth-HHA000038.topic">mouth</a>-rinse products to stop making unsupported claims that they remove plaque and promote healthy gums.</p> <p>The claims suggest the products, which are used by millions of Americans every day, are effective in preventing <a href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/health/diseases-illnesses/gum-disease-HEDAI000005279.topic">gum disease</a> when no such benefit has been proven, the FDA said Tuesday.</p> <p>The agency said warning letters were sent to Johnson & Johnson, maker of Listerine Total Care Anticavity Mouthwash; and to two drugstore giants — <a href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/economy-business-finance/cvs-corp.-ORCRP004225.topic">CVS Corp.</a>, which sells CVS Complete Care Anticavity Mouthwash; and <a href="http://www.latimes.com/topic/economy-business-finance/consumer-goods-industries/walgreen-co.-ORCRP017359.topic">Walgreen Co.</a>, which sells Walgreen Mouth Rinse Full Action.</p> <p>Regarding the mouthwash complaint, Johnson & Johnson said in a statement that the company "will respond to the agency in an appropriate and timely manner."</p> <p>A spokesman for Woonsocket, R.I.-based CVS said the company was reviewing the FDA's letter, but "our policy is to fully comply with all FDA labeling requirements."</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.latimes.com/health/la-na-fda-mouthwash-warning-20100929,0,7142388.story">FDA warns companies to stop mouthwash claims - latimes.com</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:d10dee9c-e984-484a-b39f-20fe1082de3f" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Johnson+and+Johson" rel="tag">Johnson and Johson</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Listerine" rel="tag">Listerine</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/mouthwash" rel="tag">mouthwash</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/CVS" rel="tag">CVS</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Walgreens" rel="tag">Walgreens</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/heatlhcare" rel="tag">heatlhcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/advertising" rel="tag">advertising</a></div>

Johnson and Johnson’s Next Nightmare With the FDA–Listerine Mouthwash But In Good Company with Walgreens and CVS This Time–Advertising Issues with Plaque Removal Not Founded

The active ingredient,sodium fluoride helps prevent cavities but does is not found effective with removing plaque or preventing gum disease....

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Microsoft Joins Continua Wireless Alliance and Issues New Guidelines for Certification For Interoperability

<p>Continua is mentioned here as this is the alliance that works together to make sure all the wireless healthcare devices work the way they are supposed to and have <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKKUPGHCAzI/AAAAAAAAhvU/fdYJCbwp3XQ/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="66" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKKUP516qNI/AAAAAAAAhvY/ZUDvGKSPVQs/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; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="163" /></a>standards so we don’t end up with all different types of connectivity whether it be hardware or software.  If you venture down the the link below you can read up on what I call a pretty exotic device that works with blue tooth and creates a data report.  Here lately in the news we had the GPS inhaler so these two I think would do well to work with each other and get all the fancy stuff in one device.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/06/qualcomm-and-cambridge-consultants.html"><font size="2">Qualcomm and Cambridge Consultants Collaborate on Vena Platform – The Blue Tooth Inhaler Gets Closer with Continua Health Alliance With Launch At The Center for Connected Care A Division of Partners HealthCare<img align="right" border="0" height="128" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TBr_WyB5P2I/AAAAAAAAe-c/PGYBRxJvQN8/image_thumb%5B18%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" width="135" /></font></a></h4> <p>In addition, the Continua Health Alliance was well represented this year at CES with some of the blue tooth devices that use the standards to connect.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/01/blue-tooth-healthcare-device-being.html"><font size="2">Blue Tooth Healthcare Device Being Shown at CES in Las Vegas – Oximeter for Pulse And Blood Oxygen Information</font></a></h4> <p>This is big having Microsoft in the loop here too now with HealthVault as both sides can certainly benefit with sharing technologies and creating more new items, and <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKKUQ8nN0zI/AAAAAAAAhvc/wFe44CSBEmQ/s1600-h/image%5B8%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="195" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKKURyM26BI/AAAAAAAAhvg/S5_Q616Ux8c/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="246" /></a>we know it will all work and not be competing for proprietary connectivity.  Those days are pretty much gone with today’s mobile technology, we just want it work.  I use a few tools and this is what my account shows and there’s quite a few choices and one is not going to sign up for all, but choose what works for you.  For my own use, I’m not in here every day updating by all means, but it’s there when I have information to add.  </p> <p>I might also mention the site as a new look and was just updated recently.  The nice new dashboard make it easy to get around.  </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKKUSy3O8II/AAAAAAAAhvk/-tRxor2orkk/s1600-h/image%5B12%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="311" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKKUTljkSWI/AAAAAAAAhvo/25bATxjj7QQ/image_thumb%5B6%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="397" /></a></p> <p>If you have Aetna health insurance, take the claim information they have on file and run <grin> and dump it in to HealthVault so you have what they have.  </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKKUUrKiDyI/AAAAAAAAhvs/7mYtVHXZl7E/s1600-h/image%5B16%5D%5B5%5D.png"><img alt="image[16]" border="0" height="118" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKKUVgF5ypI/AAAAAAAAhvw/J4MbcobLi1k/image%5B16%5D_thumb%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image[16]" width="400" /></a></p> <p>What’s a day without mentioning bar codes on the Medical Quack, get set up with RazCodes and <strong><a href="http://www.healthvault.com/details.aspx?PartnerID=razoron+health+innovations&EntryID=healthjibe%E2%84%A2&type=application">Health Jibes</a></strong> to set up an encrypted gateway to enter information with your phone.</p> <p><a href="http://healthjibe.com/how-it-works"><img alt="image" border="0" height="143" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKKUWluy4FI/AAAAAAAAhv0/c1XPRtIkNyU/image%5B51%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="406" /></a></p> <p>Here’s a couple more of interest….</p> <p><a href="http://www.healthvault.com/details.aspx?PartnerID=quest+diagnostics&EntryID=import+your+lab+test+results&type=application"><img alt="image" border="0" height="137" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKKUXot7gFI/AAAAAAAAhv4/x4VBk_l8Fg8/image%5B28%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="412" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.healthvault.com/details.aspx?PartnerID=medicalert+foundation+international&EntryID=medicalert%C2%AE+emir&type=application"><img alt="image" border="0" height="118" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKKUYS-xNII/AAAAAAAAhv8/8l-hn4mgPbM/image%5B33%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="417" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.healthvault.com/details.aspx?PartnerID=lifescan%2c+inc.%2c+a+johnson+%26+johnson+company&EntryID=onetouch%C2%AE+zoom%E2%84%A2&type=application"><img alt="image" border="0" height="123" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKKUZooNLJI/AAAAAAAAhwA/XMDCvfxrf1U/image%5B38%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="416" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.healthvault.com/details.aspx?PartnerID=walgreens.com&EntryID=your+walgreens+pharmacy+records&type=application"><img alt="image" border="0" height="130" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKKUauj7bVI/AAAAAAAAhwE/NMPoIVlLo-M/image%5B43%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="422" /></a></p> <p>And your dog can be connected and his/her records can be stored too…</p> <p><a href="http://www.healthvault.com/details.aspx?PartnerID=webvet&EntryID=webvet+phr&type=application"><img alt="image" border="0" height="135" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKKUbrdNGcI/AAAAAAAAhwI/pIN00nFSGls/image%5B49%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="425" /></a></p> <p><strong><a href="http://www.healthvault.com/personal/app-device.aspx?rmproc=true">At the website,</a></strong> you can see all who can connect and the list seems to be growing.  BD</p> <blockquote> <p>BEAVERTON, Ore.--(<a href="http://www.businesswire.com/">BUSINESS WIRE</a>)--<a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.continuaalliance.org%2Findex.html&esheet=6444934&lan=en-US&anchor=Continua+Health+Alliance&index=1&md5=b0e84b89e99ca5e92c4f8f04619ae046">Continua Health Alliance</a>, the non-profit, open industry coalition of leading healthcare and technology companies, today announced the release of its 2010 Design Guidelines. The new Guidelines now complete the pathway for full end-to-end solutions based on Continua-certified products and services. The recently updated certification program ensures products are interoperable and communicate effectively to provide the best user experience possible.</p> <p>In addition to the currently released Guidelines, the Continua 2010 Guidelines incorporate the following: </p> <ul> <li>Addition of the Wide Area Network (WAN) interface, which takes data from an aggregation or hub device, such as a PC, mobile phone or health appliance, and sends it on through a standardized model for remote monitoring servers or electronic health records. This service was developed in collaboration with the Integrating for Healthcare Enterprise (IHE). </li> <li>Support for two new Personal Area Network (PAN) and Sensor-LAN device types: Peak Flow Meters and Adherence Monitors for use in medication monitoring. </li> <li>Updates and enhancements to the ISO/IEEE Base Framework Specification which defines a common transmission protocol of Continua device data regardless of the device or application. </li> <li>Addition of ZigBee® support into the Sensor-Local Area Network (Sensor-LAN) interface, which was selected for its efficiency in working with multiple sensors in the home. </li> <li>Addition of email support to the Health Record Network (HRN) interface, which is the interface between a remote monitoring server and an electronic health record. </li> </ul> <p>Continua Health Alliance continues to add industry‐leading technology companies to its member roster. New member Microsoft Corp. has developed HealthVault, a Web-based platform designed to allow individuals to manage their own health data. HealthVault helps users collect, store and share health information with family members and participating health and wellness services. It also offers a choice between third-party applications and devices to assist users in managing their fitness, diet and overall health. </p> <p>“We are very pleased that Microsoft has joined Continua to assist us in further increasing an ecosystem of user-friendly interoperable personal connected healthcare products that will ultimately empower consumers and improve health outcomes,” said Chuck Parker, executive director, Continua Health Alliance. “We look forward to having Microsoft participate in the Alliance to help foster the Continua vision of personal connected health.” </p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100928005446/en/Continua-Health-Alliance-Releases-2010-Design-Guidelines">Continua Health Alliance Releases 2010 Design Guidelines, Adds New Member Microsoft | Business Wire</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:b4529e95-ca3c-4282-878f-dd65437f029d" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Microsoft" rel="tag">Microsoft</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/portals" rel="tag">portals</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/venture+capital" rel="tag">venture capital</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare+management+Systems" rel="tag">healthcare management Systems</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/wellness" rel="tag">wellness</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/diabetes" rel="tag">diabetes</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/drugs" rel="tag">drugs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/compliance" rel="tag">compliance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Cener+for+Connected+Health" rel="tag">Cener for Connected Health</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Continua+Health+Alliance" rel="tag">Continua Health Alliance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/algorithms" rel="tag">algorithms</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/PHR" rel="tag">PHR</a></div>

Microsoft Joins Continua Wireless Alliance and Issues New Guidelines for Certification For Interoperability

Continua is mentioned here as this is the alliance that works together to make sure all the wireless healthcare devices work the way they ar...

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Two Teleradiology Companies Become One as Virtual Radiologic Acquires to acquire NightHawk

<p>Just a few months ago Nighthawk went through some major upgrades at their headquarters.  If you are not familiar with teleradiology those are the folks that read <a href="http://www.virtualrad.com/aboutus/corporatehistory/index.html"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="55" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKKEztvTE2I/AAAAAAAAhu8/t5eMfBFXMWM/image%5B7%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="240" /></a>images 24/7 and this can happen when you are at a rural hospital or any location to where a radiologist interpretation is needed.  Many hospitals use both services both during and after normal working <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKKE0DxnrDI/AAAAAAAAhvA/uhwcTNxELPY/s1600-h/image%5B11%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="215" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKKE0bjo9qI/AAAAAAAAhvE/gisYEs8A4cc/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="172" /></a>hours to there’s always someone there to read the image.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/07/nighthawk-tele-radiology-services-gets.html"><font size="2">Nighthawk Tele-Radiology Services Gets a Major Upgrade with Cisco And Virtualization</font></a></h4> <p>The company also offers “cloud” PACS services so onsite servers are not required and they offer a back up service to store all PACS images in addition to the teleradiology services.  BD</p> <blockquote> <p>EDEN PRAIRIE, MN – Virtual Radiologic (vRad), a national radiology practice and developer of radiologist workflow technology, will acquire competitor NightHawk Radiology in a $170 million deal. <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKKE05ogTZI/AAAAAAAAhvI/9dVMiWEiD1o/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="75" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKKE1V9fQqI/AAAAAAAAhvM/J7KF8pDNFLw/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; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="134" /></a></p> <p>Scottsdale, Ariz.-based NightHawk Radiology (NASDAQ: NHWK), provides radiology solutions to radiology groups across the country. vRad will acquire all of the outstanding common stock of NightHawk Radiology Holdings, Inc. for $6.50 per share in cash, which is double NighHawk's closing stock price of $3.25 per share.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/vrad-acquire-nighthawk">vRad to acquire NightHawk | Healthcare IT News</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:bd223c4b-8be8-434f-a7bc-759acfa7c7c3" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Teleradiology" rel="tag">Teleradiology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/PACS" rel="tag">PACS</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+imaging" rel="tag">medical imaging</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Outsourcing" rel="tag">Outsourcing</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Healthcare" rel="tag">Healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/radiology" rel="tag">radiology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Nighthawk" rel="tag">Nighthawk</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Scans" rel="tag">Scans</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/X-Rays" rel="tag">X-Rays</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/emergency+care" rel="tag">emergency care</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Cisco" rel="tag">Cisco</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Virtual+Radiologic" rel="tag">Virtual Radiologic</a></div>

Two Teleradiology Companies Become One as Virtual Radiologic Acquires to acquire NightHawk

Just a few months ago Nighthawk went through some major upgrades at their headquarters.  If you are not familiar with teleradiology those ar...

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Health Information Technology Extension Program (REC) To Support and Help Providers Adapt and Understand Meaningful Use With EHRs

<p>A year ago I made this post and look where we are a year later and how much more complicated system have become, why, because we have more data and <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKJ3krnqV7I/AAAAAAAAhuc/DzDjE4BrgcU/s1600-h/image%5B2%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="68" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKJ3lMoxm5I/AAAAAAAAhug/jwkIs70EIE0/image_thumb.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="240" /></a>information out there. This is where the rubber’s going to meet the road in essence – real doctors and real practices and real learning experiences.</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/10/one-hell-of-training-program-needed.html"><font size="2">One Hell of a Training Program Needed – The Bottom Line to Success in Health IT<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="230" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKJ3lo93N9I/AAAAAAAAhuk/EXeIQFAsOfk/image%5B9%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="164" /></font></a></h4> <p><strong>Here’s what I said a year ago about Health 2.0 and being overwhelmed and still feel this way today and hey, I write code so imagine how others who are not geeks feeling today.</strong>  By the way this still applies today as there are may out there in this same boat.  </p> <p><em>“With </em><a href="http://www.health2con.com/"><em>Health 2.0</em></a><em> reading this week, I got a little overwhelmed. I guess all of the technology is great but when you sit down and try to explain it to a group of doctors that only have a fax and maybe a computer or 2 in their offices that are still paper guys, well it’s not a pretty picture and literally scares them.  I did a talk a couple weeks ago and covered a few different areas and it was the first time any of them had heard of or seen </em><a href="http://www.healthvault.com"><em>HealthVault</em></a><em>, so there’s a long ways to go.  Sometimes when you are communicating with all the brilliant minds on the web you somewhat may lose track or forget about the “real” world that is out there when it comes to technology…… One meeting with the real world cures that in a few minutes though.”</em></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKJ3mcmdBWI/AAAAAAAAhuo/sdAkUbw1Tv0/s1600-h/image%5B10%5D%5B2%5D.png"><img alt="image[10]" border="0" height="237" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKJ3nCoHQcI/AAAAAAAAhus/29MEuTJ6l94/image%5B10%5D_thumb.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[10]" width="358" /></a></p> <p>There is some open source software out there that vendors could have used to at least create a similar or same clinical interface, but competition and building the absolute best mouse trap, egos and dollars got in the way here. I had one MD tell me he had to learn 5 different systems to get through his internship so vendor are dollar focused here with getting the sale for sure.  Everyone could keep their back ends, etc, but gee some standards for the clinical screens would have been wonderful, thick heads and protecting algorithms took center stage even on the screens.  </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 378px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:0ada0f43-a7fc-45b3-886e-20fe1ba250aa" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="008088d3-eaf2-4019-af90-3eae589b4c40" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJALVQo-HyM&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('008088d3-eaf2-4019-af90-3eae589b4c40'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"378\" height=\"283\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/eJALVQo-HyM&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/eJALVQo-HyM&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&version=3&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"378\" height=\"283\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKJ3ncu0JEI/AAAAAAAAhuw/Ky3JIHpviaw/video488141e02a83%5B18%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div><div style="width:378px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Common User Interface</div></div> <p>In short, what did this all create, scribes and they are getting more popular too.  The first link below is a lengthy post but a lot of information there including one tiny screenshot of what I used write<img alt="Smile" class="wlEmoticon wlEmoticon-smile" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKJ3nyoVAKI/AAAAAAAAhu0/uqYpqYSJP0Q/wlEmoticon-smile%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom-style: none; border-right-style: none; border-top-style: none; border-left-style: none" /></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/scribes-in-healthcare-continue-to-grow.html"><font size="2">Scribes in Healthcare Continue to Grow At Major Hospitals–Proof that Medical Records Systems are Still Not User Friendly Enough And Can Disrupt Physician Time With the Patient</font></a></h4> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/02/using-scribes-at-hospital-some-doctors.html"><font size="2">Using Scribes at the Hospital – Some Doctors Really Like This Idea</font></a></h6> <p><u>Sure would be nice once in a while to see some of the leaders here using some of this technology</u> and even just pictures showing “they like it” would help <grin">.  Everyone else markets that way so <strong>maybe these folks rolling all of this help out don’t like it either?  I don’t know, you tell me.  There’s a lot of money spent on studies that if some were participants they would find a lot of common knowledge here and save the dollars of those studies by participating.  <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TESeW946dMI/AAAAAAAAfug/ZQLMNZPBgIg/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" />The providers are busy folks today as they have to worry about Pay for Performance too and the grading's of insurance companies and fighting all those algorithmic claim battles in their spare time.  </strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/05/hhs-to-conduct-study-on-patient.html"><font size="2">HHS To Conduct Study on Patient Perception on Health IT – Got A Better Idea Why Don’t They Become E-patients Role Models, and Participants – Make IT Personal and Believable</font></a></h4> <p><strong>Perhaps these REC centers will be some actual hands on folks without the paradigm of “its for those guys over there” present.  BD</strong></p> <blockquote> <p>The HITECH Act authorizes a Health Information Technology Extension Program. The extension program consists of Health Information Technology Regional Extension Centers (RECs) and a national Health Information Technology Research Center (HITRC).</p> <p><strong>What is the HITRC?</strong> <br />The HITRC will gather information on effective practices and help the RECs work with one another and with relevant stakeholders to identify and share best practices in EHR adoption, meaningful use, and provider support.</p> <p><strong>What are the Regional Extension Centers (RECs)?</strong> <br />The RECs will support and serve health care providers to help them quickly become adept and meaningful users of electronic health records (EHRs). RECs are designed to make sure that primary care clinicians get the help they need to use EHRs.   <br />RECs will:</p> <ul> <li>Provide training and support services to assist doctors and other providers in adopting EHRs </li> <li>Offer information and guidance to help with EHR implementation </li> <li>Give technical assistance as needed </li> </ul> <p>The goal of the program is to provide outreach and support services to at least 100,000 priority primary care providers within two years. <br />Under HITECH, $677 million is allocated to support a nationwide system of RECs that cover every geographic region of the United States to ensure plenty of support to health care providers in communities across the country</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://healthit.hhs.gov/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=1495&mode=2">http://healthit.hhs.gov/portal/server.pt?open=512&objID=1495&mode=2</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:e466a656-acef-4adf-a40d-aecba3ff975f" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/REC" rel="tag">REC</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HHS" rel="tag">HHS</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Regional+Extension+Centers" rel="tag">Regional Extension Centers</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/doctors" rel="tag">doctors</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Heatlh+IT" rel="tag">Heatlh IT</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/EHR" rel="tag">EHR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/ONC" rel="tag">ONC</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HITECH" rel="tag">HITECH</a></div>

Health Information Technology Extension Program (REC) To Support and Help Providers Adapt and Understand Meaningful Use With EHRs

A year ago I made this post and look where we are a year later and how much more complicated system have become, why, because we have more d...

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Harvard Pilgrim cancels Medicare Advantage Plan–New Supplement Plan To Take It’s Place Overseen by CMS

<p>With the new plan you get fitness benefits by not prescription drugs and to have that covered one would need to buy a separate supplemental drug coverage plan.  This affect around 22,000 seniors.  Another carrier, Coventry has a plan for the drugs.  Recently in the news, Pilgrim was also asking hospitals for a rollback from what they are paid too.<img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/S_qqOL_NW4I/AAAAAAAAePU/vHjEEISDOgc/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; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" /></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/05/insurers-looking-to-cut-compensation-to.html"><font size="2">Insurers Looking to Cut Compensation To Hospitals in Massachusetts As Contracts Come Up for Renewal</font></a></h4> <p>Pilgrim also participates with the FDA with a grant to help test and improve their Sentinel data system.  BD</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/sentinel-initiative-boosts-fda-safety.html"><font size="2">Sentinel Initiative Boosts FDA Safety Oversight</font></a></h4> <blockquote> <p>Harvard Pilgrim Health Care has notified customers that it will drop its Medicare Advantage health insurance program at the end of the year, forcing 22,000 senior citizens in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine to seek alternative supplemental coverage.</p> <p>The decision by Wellesley-based Harvard Pilgrim, the state’s second-largest health insurer, was prompted by a freeze in federal reimbursements and a new requirement that insurers offering the kind of product sold by Harvard Pilgrim — a Medicare Advantage private fee for service plan — form a contracted network of doctors who agree to participate for a negotiated amount of money. Under current rules, patients can seek care from any doctor.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.boston.com/business/healthcare/articles/2010/09/28/harvard_pilgrim_cancels_medicare_advantage_plan/">Harvard Pilgrim cancels Medicare Advantage plan - The Boston Globe</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:fc678193-3c84-4f48-b0f3-0bc76f698e83" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medicare" rel="tag">Medicare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/supplemental+insurance" rel="tag">supplemental insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+insurance" rel="tag">health insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/seniors" rel="tag">seniors</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Massachusetts" rel="tag">Massachusetts</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospitals" rel="tag">hospitals</a></div>

Harvard Pilgrim cancels Medicare Advantage Plan–New Supplement Plan To Take It’s Place Overseen by CMS

With the new plan you get fitness benefits by not prescription drugs and to have that covered one would need to buy a separate supplemental ...

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Tenet Subsidiary Conifer Health Solutions Buys MediHealth Outsourcing-Even Hospitals Are Becoming Software Factories Today Purchasing More Algorithmic Formulas–Subsidiary Watch

<p>Here we go once more, it’s all about those algorithms and if the payer side of this was not so profitable, hospitals wouldn’t be messing around here, it’s all in those transaction fees that go cha ching, cha ching.  </p> <p>MediHealth is not a large company and I read where they have 12 employees, but <strong>if <a href="http://www.mhv2.com/index.html"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="78" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKIwRAshSJI/AAAAAAAAhuU/Bf53TfarrQE/image%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="190" /></a>they write powerful algos this is the focus for the dollars.</strong>  Just yesterday is was in the news how Tenet uses software to algorithmically determine what potential employees would be best for hire with behavioral formulas.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/tenet-healthcare-uses-software-company.html"><font size="2">Tenet Healthcare Uses Software Company PeopleAnswers Algorithms to Profile Nurses with Using Predictive Behavior Modeling to Save Money and Reduce Turnover</font></a></h4> <p>Not too long ago, Tenet also announced the roll out of Cerner medical records at 47 of their facilities.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/01/tenet-healthcare-set-to-roll-out-cerner.html"><font size="2">Tenet Healthcare Set to Roll Out Cerner Millennium Solutions at 47 Hospitals Currently Using Paper Records</font></a></h4> <p>There’s also the joint venture with MED3000 where business intelligence algorithms hold center stage too.  As an employee, watch for all types of new stuff to coming rolling down as cost projection and efficient analysis patterns will have even a greater focus in the near future.  Everybody' wants to be a software shop today it seems in healthcare and with so many, choices and systems get very confusing at times.  BD   </p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/tenet-announces-joint-venture-with.html"><font size="2">Tenet Announces Joint Venture with MED3OOO – Focus on Electronic Medical Records and Business Intelligence</font></a></h6> <p><strong><u>Press Release:</u></strong></p> <blockquote> <p>FRISCO, Texas--(<a href="http://www.businesswire.com/">BUSINESS WIRE</a>)--Conifer Health Solutions, a leader in business process solutions for healthcare providers, today announced it has acquired MediHealth Outsourcing, LLC. MediHealth is a Health Information Management (HIM) Operations and Clinical Revenue Cycle (CRC) consulting and outsourcing company headquartered in Tampa, Fla. </p> <blockquote> <p>“With this acquisition, we have significantly strengthened Conifer’s ability to assist hospitals and healthcare providers with healthcare reform including the upcoming ICD-10 implementation and execution”</p> </blockquote> <p>MediHealth specializes in providing HIM business process and consulting solutions to hospitals and healthcare organizations. Its services range from outsourcing a hospital’s entire HIM department to interim/temporary staffing services for coding and all clinical revenue cycle staff. They also provide operational consulting services for Electronic Health Records (EHR) and Meaningful Use preparedness, as well as RAC audit defense. Conifer will now offer all of these <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhim.coniferhealth.com&esheet=6445347&lan=en-US&anchor=HIM+services&index=1&md5=d9d09149cfd21e0b387be79365880bf8">HIM services</a> as stand-alone solutions for hospitals and healthcare systems and as part of its comprehensive <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.coniferhealth.com%2Frevenue-cycle.html&esheet=6445347&lan=en-US&anchor=revenue+cycle+management+solution&index=2&md5=f07a3acfd1e9e7f752ead3472daa87d0">revenue cycle management solution</a>. </p> <p>“With this acquisition, we have significantly strengthened Conifer’s ability to assist hospitals and healthcare providers with healthcare reform including the upcoming ICD-10 implementation and execution,” said Stephen M. Mooney, president of Revenue Cycle Solutions at Conifer Health Solutions. “Conifer’s comprehensive revenue cycle management services will now include operational responsibility for all of the clinical and financial functions pertaining to the capture, management and collection of net patient revenue for hospitals and health systems. We also believe expanding our HIM and clinical revenue cycle offerings will make us more competitive in the marketplace and is an important part of our long-term growth strategy.” </p> <p>Conifer will retain MediHealth President Paula Lawlor, RHIA, a 30-year HIM industry veteran, to lead its consolidated HIM organization. It will also add MediHealth’s 12 employees to its existing staff to continue providing services to client hospitals and healthcare systems. For more information, please visit <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhim.coniferhealth.com%2F&esheet=6445347&lan=en-US&anchor=http%3A%2F%2Fhim.coniferhealth.com&index=3&md5=99cdf84533d3c532194906bf256c56ee">http://him.coniferhealth.com</a>. </p> <p><b>About Conifer</b></p> <p>Conifer Health Solutions provides Revenue Cycle and Patient Communications services to more than 125 hospitals and health systems nationwide. Conifer utilizes proprietary workflows and technology to offer comprehensive Revenue Cycle Solutions ranging from patient pre-registration through the processing of governmental, managed care and self-pay claims. The company also provides best-in-class Patient Communications services that include physician referrals, patient education, marketing services and pre-admission clinical appropriateness reviews. </p> <p>Born from healthcare, Conifer Health Solutions is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and employs more than 2,400 people. For more information, call 1-877-CONIFER or visit the company’s Web site at <a href="http://cts.businesswire.com/ct/CT?id=smartlink&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.coniferhealth.com&esheet=6445347&lan=en-US&anchor=www.coniferhealth.com&index=4&md5=8154764505849038903f54f5b1974019">www.coniferhealth.com</a>. </p> <p>Conifer Health Solutions, Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tenet <img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKDKFswAsyI/AAAAAAAAhqM/Tz2Z-wUyEfM/image%5B22%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" />Healthcare Corporation (NYSE:THC). Some of the statements in this release may constitute forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on our current expectations and could be affected by numerous factors and are subject to various risks and uncertainties, certain of which are discussed in Tenet’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended Dec. 31, 2009, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and periodic reports on Form 8-K. Do not rely on any forward-looking statement, as we cannot predict or control many of the factors that ultimately may affect our ability to achieve the results estimated. We make no promise to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of changes in underlying factors, new information, future events or otherwise. </p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100927006868/en/Conifer-Health-Solutions-Acquires-MediHealth-Outsourcing-LLC">Conifer Health Solutions Acquires MediHealth Outsourcing, LLC | Business Wire</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:70bf012b-a4e8-4b33-8b42-e0de364b743c" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Tenet" rel="tag">Tenet</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Conifer" rel="tag">Conifer</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/MediHealth+Outsourcing" rel="tag">MediHealth Outsourcing</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/technology" rel="tag">technology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/mergers+and+acquisitions" rel="tag">mergers and acquisitions</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/algorithms" rel="tag">algorithms</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/analysis" rel="tag">analysis</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/business+intelligence" rel="tag">business intelligence</a></div>

Tenet Subsidiary Conifer Health Solutions Buys MediHealth Outsourcing-Even Hospitals Are Becoming Software Factories Today Purchasing More Algorithmic Formulas–Subsidiary Watch

Here we go once more, it’s all about those algorithms and if the payer side of this was not so profitable, hospitals wouldn’t be messing aro...

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Axolotl (A Subsidiary of Ingenix) Creates Reporting and Analytics Solution for Health Information Exchanges–Algorithms for HIE–Business Intelligence -Subsidiary Watch

<p>Well it just keeps rolling in the analytics game, and Ingenix is a United Health Group subsidiary, so they are into everything just about where analytics are used.  <a href="http://www.axolotl.com/solutions/rhio-and-state-solutions.html"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="110" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKGKedAqGlI/AAAAAAAAhuI/bumKfZLtMII/image%5B13%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="144" /></a></p> <p>So when the HIE gets up and rolling with exchanging information, the software to tell you how to do it better is waiting for your purchase so you can be more efficient and save more money.  This acquisition was just completed by Ingenix in August so you can see they working on all their data and building some super high level business intelligence data pools out there, they have machine gun data and we have swords and daggers.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/08/ingenix-acquires-health-information.html"><font size="2">Ingenix Acquires Health Information Exchange Services/EHR Provider Axolotl-United Health Group Behemoth Continues to Grow–Subsidiary Watch<a href="http://www.axolotl.com/"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="169" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKGKepgghfI/AAAAAAAAhuM/gTvB9K9F46E/image%5B6%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="202" /></a></font></a></h4> <p>The subsidiary also has an EHR system too so if you don’t like Care tracker here’s one more all the in the Ingenix bowl of data.  Last week this company appeared with a press release, which looks like creative marketing to me to sell Care Tracker as a platform but you don’t know where your records go to be stored.   </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/clickfreemd-selling-software-ehr.html"><font size="2">ClickFreeMD Selling Software EHR, Practice Management Bundled Records Solution–Emphasis on AMA Endorsement And Software “Powered” by Ingenix–Tethered or Untethered</font></a></h4> <blockquote> <p>SAN JOSE, Calif.--(<a href="http://www.businesswire.com/">BUSINESS WIRE</a>)--Axolotl Corp., the nationwide leader in health information exchange (HIE) services and solutions, today introduced Elysium® Discover, the industry’s first comprehensive suite of reporting and analytic tools designed specifically for Health Information Exchanges.</p> <p>Elysium Discover provides a robust and versatile platform that is integrated with an HIE to deliver reporting, analytics and dashboard capabilities. With Elysium Discover an HIE can collect, analyze, and report HIE effectiveness such as system utilization and performance, generate patient registries, and perform clinical quality and public health reporting. Reports generated by Elysium Discover satisfy the auditing, clinical quality, and Meaningful Use requirements of ARRA and other government programs using the rich data flowing through the HIE.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20100927005642/en/Axolotl-Announces-Industry%E2%80%99s-Reporting-Analytics-Solution-Health">Axolotl Announces Industry’s First Reporting and Analytics Solution for Health Information Exchanges | Business Wire</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:a2501e98-4878-4e44-9938-1988ac9091f0" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Axolotl" rel="tag">Axolotl</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Ingenix" rel="tag">Ingenix</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/United+Health+Group" rel="tag">United Health Group</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/algoirthms" rel="tag">algoirthms</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HIE" rel="tag">HIE</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Health+IT" rel="tag">Health IT</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/ARRA" rel="tag">ARRA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+inforamtion+exchange" rel="tag">health inforamtion exchange</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/aggregation" rel="tag">aggregation</a></div>

Axolotl (A Subsidiary of Ingenix) Creates Reporting and Analytics Solution for Health Information Exchanges–Algorithms for HIE–Business Intelligence -Subsidiary Watch

Well it just keeps rolling in the analytics game, and Ingenix is a United Health Group subsidiary, so they are into everything just about wh...

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First Annual DEA Drug Take Back Day Yielded 700 Pounds of Unused and Expired Prescriptions in Long Beach, CA

<p>In case you missed it this was the first attempt to allow consumers to dump unused and expired drugs, no questions asked.  They were smart in Long Beach and set up a drive through operation-throw out the drugs.</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/08/dea-heads-up-first-ever-nationwide.html">DEA Heads Up First Ever Nationwide Prescription Drug Take Back Day–No Questions Asked On September 25, 2010</a></h4> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKFsjsQDkWI/AAAAAAAAht4/AO5RyzTftSs/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="289" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKFskPNsrfI/AAAAAAAAht8/Vl35KCGpHtA/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="352" /></a></p> <blockquote> <p>LONG BEACH - Police and Health Department officials scored more than 700 pounds of expired and unused prescription medication this weekend as part of the DEA's "National Pharmaceutical Take-Back Initiative." </p> <p>The pill drop off was held Saturday at the Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services. </p> <p>Long Beach Police Department officers and Health Department employees created a drive-through drop off from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. that drew a steady stream of motorists needing to dispose of potentially dangerous prescriptions, either unused or expired, said Sgt. Dina Zapalski, an LBPD spokeswoman. </p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.presstelegram.com/news/ci_16187432">Officials secure more than 700 pounds of expired, unused medication - Press-Telegram</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:d883b72f-f8a5-4fa7-9b06-b8df1bc123e8" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/drugs" rel="tag">drugs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/prescriptions" rel="tag">prescriptions</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medicaitons" rel="tag">medicaitons</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/disposal" rel="tag">disposal</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pharmacy" rel="tag">pharmacy</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/National+Comminity+Pharmacists+Association" rel="tag">National Comminity Pharmacists Association</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/disposemymeds" rel="tag">disposemymeds</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/websites" rel="tag">websites</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/patients" rel="tag">patients</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/DEA" rel="tag">DEA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Drug+Take+Back+Day" rel="tag">Drug Take Back Day</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Long+Beach" rel="tag">Long Beach</a></div>

First Annual DEA Drug Take Back Day Yielded 700 Pounds of Unused and Expired Prescriptions in Long Beach, CA

In case you missed it this was the first attempt to allow consumers to dump unused and expired drugs, no questions asked.  They were smart i...

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Trojan Condoms Working Hard to Target Markets and Get More Coverage For Their Latest Ads Touting Vibrating Tri-Phoria

<p>The commercial is funny and the company is working to try to get the ads run during <a href="http://www.trojanvibrations.com/sale/tri-phoria.aspx?utm_campaign=Side_Effects_Commercial_Youtube&utm_medium=SocialMedia&utm_source=YouTube"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="76" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKFoc7OhbTI/AAAAAAAAhts/e8lwkUL-lzE/image%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="131" /></a>additional hours on the the networks.  Times are certainly changing as years ago who would have thought stores for medical weed would exist too.  </p> <p>Right now you need to purchase from the website but the company expects to have them on the shelves of major drug stores after the first of the year.  I guess I can expect to see this commercial following the one that KY Jelly has on every night after 11:30 during Jimmy Kimmels’ show.  BD</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:b5a39f80-c766-4a22-8841-d7525dcff1a8" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="558bb49d-fd83-4d9d-9a0a-edb4c86448f6" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WF-YeFuu7c?version=3" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('558bb49d-fd83-4d9d-9a0a-edb4c86448f6'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"385\" height=\"234\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/-WF-YeFuu7c?version=3&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/-WF-YeFuu7c?version=3&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"385\" height=\"234\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKFodFOADrI/AAAAAAAAhtw/yzkZcrPwYl0/videof24e4c82b805%5B9%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div></div> <blockquote>TROJAN, the condom brand, has had its share of run-ins with censors, most notably in 2007, when both Fox and <a href="http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/business/companies/cbs_corporation/index.html?inline=nyt-org">CBS</a> <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/18/business/media/18adcol.html">rejected a commercial</a> with a safe-sex message that featured anthropomorphized pigs. Now Trojan is introducing a vibrator called Tri-Phoria, and it says a new commercial is actually drawing less resistance than it had expected.</blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/28/business/media/28adco.html?src=twt&twt=nytimesbusiness">Advertising - Trojan Makes Concessions to Place a Suggestive Ad - NYTimes.com</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:b75fcc27-9ebb-43a0-ab58-a78fce0fc5d3" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Trojan" rel="tag">Trojan</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/vibrator" rel="tag">vibrator</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/condoms" rel="tag">condoms</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/advertising" rel="tag">advertising</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/television" rel="tag">television</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Tri-Phoria" rel="tag">Tri-Phoria</a></div>

Trojan Condoms Working Hard to Target Markets and Get More Coverage For Their Latest Ads Touting Vibrating Tri-Phoria

The commercial is funny and the company is working to try to get the ads run during additional hours on the the networks.  Times are certain...

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Hologic 3D Mammogram Reviewed by FDA and Determined 3D Mammograms Are Safe Even With Higher Levels of Radiation–If Approved by FDA - It’s a Software Upgrade from 2D to 3D

<p>At present Hologic has FDA approval for the 2D machine and with an FDA approval <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKFMKSnPIGI/AAAAAAAAhtQ/bpQPwbsRFyw/s1600-h/image%5B7%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="85" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKFMLH-M2mI/AAAAAAAAhtU/mmtwSiYfK9M/image_thumb%5B2%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="168" /></a>most devices could be upgraded to the 3D capability. It’s a matter of a software upgrade, so the expertise of the FDA with programming and the assurance that the bugs are out is essential.  Radiation safety is upmost at the top of the list for safety as we read all the horrible over exposure stories in the news that killed people, the big stuff at Cedar Sinai.  That was different machine and process but all devices that work with radiation need the same assurance.<a href="http://www.hologic.com/en/breast-imaging/2d-digital-mammography/"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="240" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKFMLeFTP4I/AAAAAAAAhtY/HQ6Qyiv7VNg/image%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="213" /></a></p> <p>A year ago the FDA gave clearance to one of their other products called a MammoSite device which treats specific targeted areas with balloon radiation therapy.  With this type of treatment a patient needs to be in good health and optimum results are for those that have not entered their senior years yet.</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/09/fda-clears-hologic-mammositer-multi.html"><font size="2">FDA Clears Hologic's MammoSite(R) Multi Lumen Radiation Therapy – Breast Cancer</font></a></h4> <p><img border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/Sp4H-HEyVxI/AAAAAAAAZso/LoqJ4bYdvdU/image_thumb%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" /></p> <p>If you look at the Hologic website there’s tons of imaging products to look at and one thing that concerns me as a patient, will adequate training and use be available for <a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKFMLq3sDLI/AAAAAAAAhtc/eJDgEdN9zo0/s1600-h/image%5B10%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="240" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKFML_RUf4I/AAAAAAAAhtg/XbjPrpk7Z6w/image_thumb%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="230" /></a>all?  I know exactly how this goes with software as I wrote enough of it and today we are seeing stories in healthcare and other areas where the software has issues.  Hologic is a public company and on their website is pretty proud of the Nasdaq recognition they have received and they have to sell a lot of machines to keep investors rolling in.  </p> <p>They have a lot money invested and within the last few days we are now starting <strong><a href="http://www.lanewsmonitor.com/news/Mammograms-Not-Effective-In-90-Breast-Cancer-Screening---Study-1285463467/">to see stories such as</a></strong> this one that are quoting studies that Mammograms are not effective in 90% of Breast Cancer screenings.  Of course the jury is still out there too with coming up with decent guidelines for screening.  It used to be 40 and now the guidelines are to begin screening at 50.  This to me has ringing's of the Women’s Health Initiative where age makes a difference and instead of an annual screen once a woman has reached 70-75, cut these screenings back to every other year.  </p> <p>Certainly there are cases where a screening is suggested and should be done outside these parameters, but we are getting the point to where we have more accurate scanning devices and the earlier caught the better, plus it gets more expensive too.  We do need some work on guidelines here I think.  Down the road I wonder how some of these companies will be able to stay around if the cost becomes to excessive.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/quote?ticker=HOLX:US">Hologic Inc.</a>’s three-dimensional mammogram device is safe and improves breast-cancer detection when used in combination with conventional mammography, a U.S. panel said. </p> <p>The machine is effective enough at finding tumors to justify the additional radiation exposure, outside advisers to the Food and Drug Administration said in a 12-0 vote today in Gaithersburg, Maryland. One panel member abstained from voting. While the FDA usually follows its panels’ recommendations, it isn’t required to do so. </p> <p>The device, Selenia Dimensions 3D, is designed to find soft-tissue tumors that overlapping tissue can mask in two- dimensional images, the Bedford, Massachusetts-based company told the FDA in <a href="http://www.fda.gov/downloads/AdvisoryCommittees/CommitteesMeetingMaterials/MedicalDevices/MedicalDevicesAdvisoryCommittee/RadiologicalDevicesPanel/UCM226662.pdf">documents</a> released Sept. 22. The product, already sold in Europe, Asia, South America and Australia, is intended for use with two-dimensional screening that detects calcium deposits, which can be malignant. Selenia was approved by the FDA in 2008 as a two-dimensional device and can be upgraded for both types of mammography if the agency clears the 3D technology.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-09-24/hologic-3d-mammogram-s-benefits-outweigh-risks-fda-advisory-panel-says.html">Hologic 3D Mammogram's Benefits Outweigh Risks, FDA Advisory Panel Says - Bloomberg</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:574094d4-202f-403c-9ff0-70e573a48c7d" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Hologic" rel="tag">Hologic</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/screenings" rel="tag">screenings</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/mammograms" rel="tag">mammograms</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/radiation" rel="tag">radiation</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/technology" rel="tag">technology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+devices" rel="tag">medical devices</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/breast+cancer" rel="tag">breast cancer</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/3D" rel="tag">3D</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/2D" rel="tag">2D</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/digital+screening" rel="tag">digital screening</a></div>

Hologic 3D Mammogram Reviewed by FDA and Determined 3D Mammograms Are Safe Even With Higher Levels of Radiation–If Approved by FDA - It’s a Software Upgrade from 2D to 3D

At present Hologic has FDA approval for the 2D machine and with an FDA approval most devices could be upgraded to the 3D capability. It’s a ...

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Defense Contractors Focusing on Software Assets with Cut Backs With Defense Spending–More Health IT Software Houses

<p>You can read through this article and there are several others in the news the last couple of days.  Northrup Grumman, a big contractor to HHS is bracing for layoffs in their other divisions here in California.<img align="right" border="0" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/THwRAKOEivI/AAAAAAAAg-M/lpZa5kAHFX0/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; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" />  The contract for meaningful use will keep the data section alive with Grumman.</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/05/cms-outsourcing-creation-of-meaningful.html"><font size="2">CMS Outsourcing Creation of “Meaningful Use” Database to Northrop Grumman in a $34 Million Contract</font></a></h4> <p>The <strong><a href="http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-northrop-layoffs-20100928,0,876206.story?track=rss">LA Times stated</a></strong> Northrop is in pretty good shape but the customer, the US Government is out of money.  The big area of focus for layoffs is aerospace.  Also in the news too Grumman had some pretty major technical problems in Virginia and that left a bit of a bad taste out there a couple weeks ago.</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/08/state-of-virginia-suffers-massive-it.html"><font size="2">State of Virginia Suffers Massive IT Outage–Managed by Northrop Grumman Affecting 26 Agencies Including DMV-Same Company To Prepare “Meaningful Use” Database</font></a></h4> <p>I think this is trending as we will see even more companies jump on the software bandwagon as everyone does recognize this area is moving, but how much can be spent is the other side of this coin.  I guess the good thing with competition is price but along with that we have the marketing and other stuff that goes along with it and decision making today has become increasingly difficult with all the data to be analyzed.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p>Washington area defense contractors are buying and selling companies at an increasingly high rate as they seek to position themselves for a realignment in Pentagon spending priorities.</p> <p>As an example, Boeing earlier this year bought both cybersecurity firm Narus of Sunnyvale, Calif. and Fairfax-based Argon ST, which had lingered on the market for about six months, while Northrop Grumman announced it may sell or spin off its entire naval business. </p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/26/AR2010092602695.html">Defense contractors on offensive</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:c8fd63e2-c519-4e8e-a0d4-9b31d3f61a7b" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/CMS" rel="tag">CMS</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Northrop+Grumman" rel="tag">Northrop Grumman</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+insurance" rel="tag">health insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/meaningful+use" rel="tag">meaningful use</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/outsourcing" rel="tag">outsourcing</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/infrastructure" rel="tag">infrastructure</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/data+bases" rel="tag">data bases</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/technology" rel="tag">technology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/data" rel="tag">data</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/contractors" rel="tag">contractors</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/doctors" rel="tag">doctors</a></div>

Defense Contractors Focusing on Software Assets with Cut Backs With Defense Spending–More Health IT Software Houses

You can read through this article and there are several others in the news the last couple of days.  Northrup Grumman, a big contractor to H...

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FDA's MDEpiNet - Improving Medical Device Safety and Effectiveness From FDA Director of Epidemiology (Video)

<p>This is a nice walk through that talks about what happens at the FDA and how they are looking into safety compliance when approving medical devices and some of the <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKE0Cr-6uuI/AAAAAAAAhtA/1MZ_lrxg-lI/s1600-h/image%5B13%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="85" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKE0C7pqo5I/AAAAAAAAhtE/s5CEPb7L1UQ/image_thumb%5B9%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="212" /></a>present day processes.  The FDA would do well to use Twitter and feature some of the information they put put too.  I noticed just a very small showing at their YouTube site.  We get over marketed today, but these folks are at the opposite end </p> <p>In this video they explain how they are not only working with other government agencies but also with outside networks which is called the MDEpiNet program.  With all the areas the FDA touches they do stand to be the most connected agency out there today with a lot of responsibility.  BD</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/07/fda-and-fcc-to-partner-on-telehealth.html"><font size="2">FDA and FCC To Partner on Telehealth Innovation and Implementation – FDA Stands to Become One of the “Most Connected” Federal Agencies</font></a></h4> <p>One of the examples used here is a hot topic, hip replacements and they will collect information from academic facilities to combine with the information on hand at the FDA for better decision making processes.  BD </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 367px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:e1006748-3870-4811-8f3d-95257253c323" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="cc9451c6-e43a-49c0-b74e-3942a23d610a" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqdgOQ8BzT0" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('cc9451c6-e43a-49c0-b74e-3942a23d610a'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"367\" height=\"305\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/uqdgOQ8BzT0&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/uqdgOQ8BzT0&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"367\" height=\"305\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKE0DSCeO0I/AAAAAAAAhtI/4S3761SQShI/videob67130baf1cc%5B28%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div><div style="width:367px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">FDA MDEpiNet</div></div> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:3df8a72f-2780-44a3-9582-a9c4b241d0e3" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+devices" rel="tag">medical devices</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/innovation" rel="tag">innovation</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/safety" rel="tag">safety</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/risks" rel="tag">risks</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/collaboration" rel="tag">collaboration</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/academic+centers" rel="tag">academic centers</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/data+collaboration" rel="tag">data collaboration</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/clinical+studies" rel="tag">clinical studies</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/MDEpiNet" rel="tag">MDEpiNet</a></div>

FDA's MDEpiNet - Improving Medical Device Safety and Effectiveness From FDA Director of Epidemiology (Video)

This is a nice walk through that talks about what happens at the FDA and how they are looking into safety compliance when approving medical ...

Read more »

FTC and FDA Tell Pom Wonderful To Change Their Advertising Claims or Submit for FDA Approval–Another Study Unrelated Claims Peaches and Plums Kill Breast Cancer Cells Too

<p>As a blogger I have been on their list and back in April of 2009 was sent a small case of 6 bottles for me to try.  This is not enough for someone like me to go out on a limb and either promote or pass on their advertising claims, stuff tastes good <a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKEsGGKkU9I/AAAAAAAAhss/EqHMGnYxv_4/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="121" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKEsGklhkgI/AAAAAAAAhsw/-dTf-AnwS3E/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; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="173" /></a>though.  Back at this time the FDA was not too concerned over their study as they thought it was too small, but advertising is another issue.  They are not the first an probably won’t be the last to be called on the carpet.  The <strong><a href="http://www.wonderfulpomegranateresearch.com/studies/">list has since grown</a></strong> and is what is used to substantiate their claims, which they said in a statement today they are standing by them.  Here’s my short write up from 2009 and even then I did a somewhat informal question too about the claims of what their product could do.<a href="http://www.pomwonderful.com/products/"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="147" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKEsGztrhxI/AAAAAAAAhs0/r2xfbSiABYY/image%5B9%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="261" /></a></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/04/pomegranate-juice-pom-wonderful.html"><font size="2">Pomegranate Juice – Pom Wonderful Promotes better health</font></a></h4> <p>I get all kinds of emails here and spare everyone the ones that I don’t think are good material, but a couple weeks ago, did you know that it was “national chocolate shake” day?  These folks seem to think peaches and plums kill breast cancer cells too.  Are we eating food are these delicious things we put in our mouths really drugs <grin>.  <strong>The <a href="http://myfruitmybody.com/restaurantmonth.html">peaches and plums quote a study done</a> at Texas A and M.  In the video the gal says the fruits kills breast cancer cells.</strong>  There’s no products to buy here other than to just eat fruit and donate at certain restaurants. </p> <p>In so many foods there are values and they differ of course, but where does marketing and real drugs leave off?  </p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; width: 337px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:4a287439-fd80-424f-811f-5b5cff469d51" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="1d6d047a-6ab6-4aad-8b4f-1a628e7616a4" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpJ_KZye2yE?version=3" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('1d6d047a-6ab6-4aad-8b4f-1a628e7616a4'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"337\" height=\"205\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/DpJ_KZye2yE?version=3&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/DpJ_KZye2yE?version=3&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"337\" height=\"205\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKEsHH4Io1I/AAAAAAAAhs4/6GiSRGZg-cU/video9f2ac158f552%5B26%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div></div> <p>Cheerios got into hot water too over their advertising as well as Bayer men’s vitamins and they got sued.  The juice makes a good martini so I guess if you want to be really healthy while drinking add some <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/02/healthy-vodka-enhanced-with-vitamin-b.html">vitamin B enriched vodka and</a> all the guilt of having a drink goes away <grin>. </p> <p>This will be playing out for a while I’ll bet as there’s some very rich folks involved here and a lot at stake.  What is also interesting too is that along with so many other products out there the focus is either on breast cancer or prostate cancer.   BD</p> <p>In February, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent POM Wonderful a <a href="http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/ucm202785.htm">warning letter</a> about the health claims the company makes online about its products, which include pomegranate juice and supplements. The<strong> FDA found that POM Wonderful — which claimed, for instance, that its 100% pomegranate juice was shown to reduce blood pressure and reduce the risk prostate cancer in scientific studies — used marketing language that is permissible only for FDA-approved drugs and therefore violates the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act.</strong></p> <blockquote> <p>The FDA asked the company to bring its marketing and labeling materials in line with government laws and regulations, but POM Wonderful continues to overstate the health properties of its products and mislead the public, the government says.</p> <p>Today the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) got in on the action and filed a complaint against the company for its printed health claims about its products: "30% Decrease in Arterial Plaque" and "Promotes Healthy Blood Vessels"? "False and unsubstantiated," says the FTC.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://healthland.time.com/2010/09/27/ftc-and-fda-to-pom-youre-not-quite-so-wonderful/">FTC and FDA to POM: You’re Not Quite So Wonderful – TIME Healthland</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:4999858f-892c-40bb-b3cf-7e1d3e3fef27" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Pom+Wonderful" rel="tag">Pom Wonderful</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Pomegranate+juice" rel="tag">Pomegranate juice</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/diet" rel="tag">diet</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/antioxidants" rel="tag">antioxidants</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/heart" rel="tag">heart</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/prostate+cancer" rel="tag">prostate cancer</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/breast+cancer" rel="tag">breast cancer</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/plums" rel="tag">plums</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/peaches" rel="tag">peaches</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/dietary+supplements" rel="tag">dietary supplements</a></div>

FTC and FDA Tell Pom Wonderful To Change Their Advertising Claims or Submit for FDA Approval–Another Study Unrelated Claims Peaches and Plums Kill Breast Cancer Cells Too

As a blogger I have been on their list and back in April of 2009 was sent a small case of 6 bottles for me to try.  This is not enough for s...

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The Brits Get Viagra At Tesco With No Prescription But Screening for High Blood Pressure, Diabetes and Cholesterol Will be Required by the Pharmacist

<p>This is no a cheap drug by any means and a while back I did a post to show what it costs here in the US.<img align="right" border="0" height="66" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SDIL5WUIpaI/AAAAAAAAG4M/8injj_ch6zA/image_thumb%5B6%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" width="157" /></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/09/what-does-viagra-cost.html">What Does Viagra Cost?</a></h4> <p>Here in the US Pfizer could not get the trademark on the name Viagra as it the active ingredient was said to be too close in resembling Horny Goat Weed, the “natural” alternative for ED to include growing some in the dish for animals that have worked and produced offspring.    The link below also has some other interesting alternatives going on and Horny Goat Weed has some clinical trials going on too, surprise!</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/02/viagra-patent-rejected-by-us-trademark.html"><font size="2">Viagra Patent Rejected By US Trademark Office – Not Much Different Than Horny Goat Weed<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="154" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKEd-QdjCbI/AAAAAAAAhsk/KlpMJCxF-8k/image%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="196" /></font></a></h4> <p> There’s no details as to how extensive the exam is from the pharmacist and one would guess minimally that a simple blood pressure check would be one item on the list.  What BNET made note of in this article too was the fact that the grocery store TESCO would seem to need  a doctor to sign off as even in the UK it is supposed to have a prescription, so how this will play out over time will be worth the watch.  </p> <p>If you have lost your job though and have your pink slip, Pfizer still has the program where it will supply your drugs free for a year, and Viagra is included.  BD</p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/pfizer-to-offer-free-drugs-for-up-to.html"><font size="2">Pfizer to Offer Free Drugs for Up to a Year for those who have lost Jobs and Insurance – Save that Pink Slip</font></a></h4> <blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.bnet.com/blog/drug-business/betting-on-the-male-libido-viagra-price-hikes-no-bar-to-sales/5399">Pfizer’s previous strategy is to only raise, not lower, the price of the drug</a>, which loses its patent rights — and therefore market exclusivity — in 2012. The continual hikes have turned Viagra into a $500 million-per-quarter franchise.</p> <p>At Tesco, however, men without a prescription will fill out a screening form for high blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol, which will be checked by a pharmacist. Men will then be offered a pack of eight pills for £52. The supermarket’s spokesman <a href="http://news.sky.com/skynews/Home/Business/Viagra-Tesco-Offers-Drug-Over-The-Counter-For-Half-The-Price-Of-Boots/Article/201009315736004?f=rss">Shona Scott said</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p>Tesco will be the cheapest service in the country for those who don’t have a private prescription from their GP [general practitioner].</p> </blockquote> <blockquote> <p>At the moment only Boots offer a similar service - for which they charge £55 for just four tablets.</p> </blockquote> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.bnet.com/blog/drug-business/blue-light-special-viagra-8212-and-its-risks-8212-now-available-without-rx-in-uk-supermarkets/5875?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter">Blue Light Special: Viagra — and Its Risks — Now Available Without Rx in U.K. Supermarkets | BNET</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:3c4fe5d4-1092-4984-addd-33f5f2126542" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Pharma" rel="tag">Pharma</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/drugs" rel="tag">drugs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Pfizer" rel="tag">Pfizer</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/economy" rel="tag">economy</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/layoffs" rel="tag">layoffs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/TESCO" rel="tag">TESCO</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/prescription" rel="tag">prescription</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Viagra" rel="tag">Viagra</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Horny+Goat+Weed" rel="tag">Horny Goat Weed</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/ED" rel="tag">ED</a></div>

The Brits Get Viagra At Tesco With No Prescription But Screening for High Blood Pressure, Diabetes and Cholesterol Will be Required by the Pharmacist

This is no a cheap drug by any means and a while back I did a post to show what it costs here in the US. What Does Viagra Cost? Here in ...

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HHS awards $68M Million in Grants to State Communities to Help Seniors, Disabled and Others

<p>A while back I participated as a consultant in one of these types of grants and it was as a non profit community hospital and they work well and actually that is a really good place for these types of programs with community outreach.  </p> <p><strong>I found and helped with the software and in this case instructing the IS department on how to install a SQL server at the hospital,</strong> but the over all effects with the program were nice <strong>with seniors interacting with students from Cal State helping with nutrition and eating habits</strong>.  <strong><a href="http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/hhs-awards-68m-help-seniors-disabled-navigate-healthcare-options">When you see the list,</a></strong> these are not IT related at all, but as I mentioned above with my participation, you have software that has to work with the program so in essence, there is some tech and Health IT funding in here.  Below is a screenshot that shows a small sample.  BD  </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKEZSx79dgI/AAAAAAAAhsY/NRcsAJDoBAA/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="255" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKEZTNNKdGI/AAAAAAAAhsc/AYa3mUEmCuM/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="390" /></a></p> <blockquote> <p>WASHINGTON – Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has announced $68 million in grants to help seniors, the disabled and caregivers better understand and navigate their health and long-term care options.</p> <p>“We know how difficult it can be for individuals and caregivers to deal with a sudden illness or chronic disease while at the same time trying to navigate through a complex healthcare system to figure out where to go to get appropriate help," said Sebelius. "The Affordable Care Act seeks to give people more control over their own care, while lowering healthcare costs and improving quality.”</p> <p>Funds were available for states, area agencies on aging (aaa’s), State Health Insurance Assistance Programs (SHIPs); Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) and tribal organizations through a competitive and formula process</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.healthcarefinancenews.com/news/hhs-awards-68m-help-seniors-disabled-navigate-healthcare-options">HHS awards $68M to help seniors, disabled navigate healthcare options | Healthcare Finance News</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:c6894bc2-eaef-4d27-9457-3e8cef418556" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HHS" rel="tag">HHS</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/grants" rel="tag">grants</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/education" rel="tag">education</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/outreach" rel="tag">outreach</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/chronic+care" rel="tag">chronic care</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/diabled" rel="tag">diabled</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/seniors" rel="tag">seniors</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/heatlhcare" rel="tag">heatlhcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+IT" rel="tag">health IT</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Affordable+Care+Act" rel="tag">Affordable Care Act</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospital" rel="tag">hospital</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/non+profit" rel="tag">non profit</a></div>

HHS awards $68M Million in Grants to State Communities to Help Seniors, Disabled and Others

A while back I participated as a consultant in one of these types of grants and it was as a non profit community hospital and they work well...

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Senate calls for details on DOD-VA Health Records–I Hope They Understand IT as Some Are Not Doing Too Well With PDFs These Days

<p>These folks just worry me to death when it comes to Health IT knowledge and trying to appropriate money and pass laws where there’s either a very low level participation factor with general consumer health IT literacy or none?  I watched the whole 2 hours back in January of 2009 and hopefully we have moved forward since and saw some BMIs in there too that need work like the rest of us.  Nobody had one clue about a PHR and little knowledge of electronic medical records that the doctors use.  <strong>By the way I have a <a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/search/label/Personal%20Health%20Records">section of over 300 posts all about PHRS</a> and links under the resource section to help folks get started.<u>  </u></strong><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKETklvTqEI/AAAAAAAAhsM/Y5BixFOfEow/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><strong><u><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="172" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKETk9yU47I/AAAAAAAAhsQ/NO7FsKsknso/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; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="161" /></u></strong></a><u><strong>I keep the links right under the HealthCare.Gov widget on the right.</strong> </u></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/01/investing-in-health-it-us-senate.html"><font size="2">Investing in Health IT: US Senate Testimonies</font></a></h4> <p>I think everyone should have consumer health IT literacy and at least be familiar but I don’t feel that it works that way with lawmakers as I think there would be less requests for many reports if so.  When I see news reporters like Rachel Maddow report on the ignorance of PDF documents, I really get scared and it sends my confidence right down the river.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/properties-of-adobe-pdf-document-rachel.html"><font size="2">The Properties of an Adobe pdf Document -Rachel Maddow Rips the GOP on Lack of General Consumer IT Knowledge And Exposes the Input and Authors of the Content–Lobbyists</font></a></h4> <p>Again, I just hope for more participation and hope these folks understand where healthcare is today and how mobility is there too.  I get so tired of the crap in the news that talks about how illiterate consumes are when our leaders are right in there too.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p>WASHINGTON – The Senate Appropriations Committee wants more details about how the Defense Department plans to modernize its electronic health record system, which DOD is upgrading in coordination with the Veterans Affairs Department.</p> <p>The committee is monitoring progress the two departments are making improving their electronic health record systems, but lacks details on how that will be accomplished, according to a report accompanying the 2011 Defense appropriations bill. The committee approved the spending bill last week.</p> <p>The DOD and the VA share many of the same requirements for their respective electronic record systems, which they have now begun to interconnect as part of the Obama administration's virtual lifetime electronic record or VLER project.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/senate-calls-details-dod-va-health-record-work">Senate calls for details on DOD-VA health record work | Healthcare IT News</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:ecd44b22-724c-4d0e-bd50-327c1effb27b" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/DOD" rel="tag">DOD</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/VA" rel="tag">VA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+records" rel="tag">medical records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Senate" rel="tag">Senate</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Heatlh+IT" rel="tag">Heatlh IT</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/technology" rel="tag">technology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/PDF" rel="tag">PDF</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Rachel+Maddow" rel="tag">Rachel Maddow</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/participation" rel="tag">participation</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/non+particiaption" rel="tag">non particiaption</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/consumers" rel="tag">consumers</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/EHR" rel="tag">EHR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/PHR" rel="tag">PHR</a></div>

Senate calls for details on DOD-VA Health Records–I Hope They Understand IT as Some Are Not Doing Too Well With PDFs These Days

These folks just worry me to death when it comes to Health IT knowledge and trying to appropriate money and pass laws where there’s either a...

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Sanofi-Aventis Has a Glucose Reader and Software That Will Attach to an iPhone–Still Needs FDA Approval

<p>The device is said to cost around $80.00 when available.  The iBGStar attaches to <a href="http://ibgstar.com/web/ibgstar/app/app"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="104" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKEK6jx9mSI/AAAAAAAAhrk/0V2HMM1HsrM/image%5B26%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="125" /></a>the phone and does the data work. It has an option to be used while plugged into the phone too.  As usual, there’s new technology and the hot stuff here according to the site is “Dynamic Electrochemistry” and you can read more below.  You’re still going to know where your glucose readings lie though so that part has not changed, you just get more information.  </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKEK7Ojvd9I/AAAAAAAAhro/CmXgb_aeX7U/s1600-h/image%5B14%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="183" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKEK7RzQP4I/AAAAAAAAhrs/DIzDSrvub00/image_thumb%5B8%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="328" /></a></p> <p><strong><u>From the website:</u></strong></p> <ul> <li>Samples are analyzed using <a href="http://ibgstar.com:80/web/ibgstar/technology/technology">Dynamic Electrochemistry®</a> – an intelligent technology for results you can trust. </li> <li>The iBGStar™ meets today’s stringent industry standards for accuracy and features plasma equivalent calibration for assurance with each and every reading. <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKEK77Sa5fI/AAAAAAAAhrw/BOtMkAYj7HY/s1600-h/image%5B20%5D%5B2%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image[20]" border="0" height="96" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKEK8DhuTnI/AAAAAAAAhr0/_nYKGU5cas8/image%5B20%5D_thumb.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image[20]" width="105" /></a></li> <li>The iBGStar™ is an innovative blood glucose meter with a compact, stylish body that can be used on its own or connected to an Apple iPhone® or iPod® touch to easily display, manage and communicate your diabetes information. </li> <li>No coding required - Simply insert the test strip to begin.</li> </ul> <p>You know seeing all of this might explain what my 87 year old Mom has been getting in the way of phone calls.  She was bombarded by some diabetes organization telling her to call Medicare and that current models are not as effective as the new <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKEK8cgWH1I/AAAAAAAAhr4/4KFflRybTec/s1600-h/image%5B9%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="240" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKEK8hgqRBI/AAAAAAAAhr8/mW0eYyJ0xx8/image_thumb%5B5%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="147" /></a>ones coming and she should look into updating.  This was a call center asking “is there a diabetic in the house”. The callers were not recommending any particular device.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/diabetes-police-telephone-solicitation.html"><font size="2">Diabetes Police Telephone Solicitation Patrol–4 Calls Today In 2 Hours Mom Asking If There Was A Diabetic in the House</font></a></h4> <p><strong>She also had conflicting information from both her health plan and her drug store competing for who’s the expert on giving advice on when to check your glucose levels too.  No doubt all of this I believe relates back to pay for performance structuring and achieving goals as her pharmacy is Walgreens and the pharmacist there are on pay for performance from United Health Care for selected item where they can enroll patients</strong>.  </p> <p>The old call center bonuses are pretty simple with a buck or so for every enrollment they get and that’s been going on for years but just more accelerated with today’s marketing.  Everybody is the expert today that does not know the specifics of your health, I think marketing is choking itself here.  </p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/compliance-police-out-in-force-for.html"><font size="2">Compliance Police Out In Force for Seniors–Health Plans and Drug Stores Making Phone Calls-Business Models & Caller Behavior Sucks -A Result of Pay for Performance Efforts?</font></a></h4> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKEK9CmB7ZI/AAAAAAAAhsA/LXd4EjTjiIM/s1600-h/image%5B19%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="396" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKEK9eCZCeI/AAAAAAAAhsE/290n-MzHDK0/image_thumb%5B11%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; border-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="281" /></a></p> <p><strong>At least in this case we have some hardware/software integration going on here and as usual the over whelming full  precise data and explanations of each item that takes time and nobody has time for,</strong> but for getting your glucose, could be a good device.  Sanofi being a pharmaceutical company knows the routine for FDA approval.  Information can be sent back to a physician but without a medical records interface, forget it as the doctor won't have time to get to it and I’m almost sure a PHR and EHR interface is either there or in the works.  BD  </p> <blockquote> <p>Pharmaceutical company <a href="http://macnn.com/rd/175017==http://ibgstar.com:80/web/ibgstar">Sanofi-Aventis</a> today launched its iBGStar hybrid medical device to monitor blood glucose levels that can also be plugged into an iPhone or an iPod touch. The iBGStar is USB-sized blood glucose monitor that works as a standalone monitor, or it can be used with the new iBGStar <a href="http://macnn.com/rd/175018==http://ibgstar.com/web/ibgstar/app/app">Diabetes Manager app</a>. Users can download the app for free from the iTunes store early 2011, although the device itself still requires FDA 510(k) clearance.</p> <p>The iBGStar standalone device has a screen, its own battery, and a 300-test memory like many other glucose meters on the market. However, where it differs is in its iPhone connectivity. When connected to an iPhone running the Diabetes Manager app, it automatically uploads the data stored on the iBGStar and tracks personal diabetes information. This allows users and their healthcare professional to analyze trends and variations helping diabetes suffers better control their illness. Sharing results is also easy, and users can quickly send their data electronically to their healthcare professional for review.</p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.electronista.com/articles/10/09/22/standalone.or.with.iphone.to.track.blood.glucose/">Sanofi-Aventis launches iBGStar iPhone diabetes device | Electronista</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:76fcab19-1d88-49ea-92b1-53035522bc46" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Diabetes" rel="tag">Diabetes</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/glucose" rel="tag">glucose</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/iBGStar" rel="tag">iBGStar</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/devices+that+report+data" rel="tag">devices that report data</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/mobility" rel="tag">mobility</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Mhealth" rel="tag">Mhealth</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/patient" rel="tag">patient</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/iPHone" rel="tag">iPHone</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/app" rel="tag">app</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/software" rel="tag">software</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/consumer" rel="tag">consumer</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/physicain" rel="tag">physicain</a></div>

Sanofi-Aventis Has a Glucose Reader and Software That Will Attach to an iPhone–Still Needs FDA Approval

The device is said to cost around $80.00 when available.  The iBGStar attaches to the phone and does the data work. It has an option to be u...

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Mobile Medical Device Software and Sensors–Who’s Going to End Up With the Value and Staying Power Once the Novelty Wears Off-Anybody Feeling the Love Today From the Devices?

<p>There’s almost not a day that goes by where there’s not some new mobile application in the news. <strong> My question is, what is going to end up being a standard and in fact useful without more glut.</strong>  I said a while back that mobile meaningful use was overlooked and here we are.  I look at some of this as a consumer would and for example the application that was touted to help pregnant women with reminders <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKEA0tRjezI/AAAAAAAAhrM/EtxNlkpBE5M/s1600-h/image%5B11%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="112" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKEA1EYl-HI/AAAAAAAAhrQ/32Fi5nvlJm8/image_thumb%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="170" /></a>is one I will give my opinion on here.<strong>  If I were a pregnant woman, and being the tech person I am, I would maybe try it out for a day or two and then delete it as I have so much other stuff going on and at that point it is another item that takes my valuable time during the day when I need to focus on my work and other things. </strong></p> <p>To be fair someone who is a novice and does little else with their cell phone might see some value but then again when the novelty wears off and this is just something else to deal with, they may grow tired of it too, so value is in the eye of the beholder.  This is what all the developers are trying to figure out too as well as the companies who make them.</p> <p>We have so many healthcare apps out there now – <strong><u>WHEN ARE APPS AGGREGATORS GOING TO GET INTO MOTION?</u>   This TED video below makes this point very well. about the glut of monitoring devices out there today.  </strong></p> <p><object height="326" width="446"><param name="movie" value="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="bgColor" value="#ffffff"></param> <param name="flashvars" value="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/dynamic/GaryWolf_2010S-medium.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/GaryWolf-2010S.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=966&introDuration=15330&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=830&adKeys=talk=gary_wolf_the_quantified_self;year=2010;theme=medicine_without_borders;theme=numbers_at_play;theme=might_you_live_a_great_deal_longer;theme=what_s_next_in_tech;event=TED%40Cannes;&preAdTag=tconf.ted/embed;tile=1;sz=512x288;" /><embed src="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf" pluginspace="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" bgColor="#ffffff" width="446" height="326" allowFullScreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" flashvars="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/dynamic/GaryWolf_2010S-medium.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/GaryWolf-2010S.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=966&introDuration=15330&adDuration=4000&postAdDuration=830&adKeys=talk=gary_wolf_the_quantified_self;year=2010;theme=medicine_without_borders;theme=numbers_at_play;theme=might_you_live_a_great_deal_longer;theme=what_s_next_in_tech;event=TED%40Cannes;"></embed></object></p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/target-corporation-partners-with-red.html"><font size="2">Target Corporation Partners with Red Brick Wellness Program</font></a></h6> <p><strong>Now insurance carriers are different, they want data for their risk management evaluations and will connive, market, create little tiny studies and put out press releases to get consumers on board,</strong> and granted devices are not all that bad but each one has their own focus so when <strong>you get to the consumer level with several companies pulling and tugging, along with trying to offer discounts like companies as Target does with <img align="right" border="0" height="83" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TI_7OOB1zrI/AAAAAAAAhV8/AI93zFqzOXE/image_thumb%5B6%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" width="153" />cheaper premiums, you have a mess and the consumer says “I’m out of here” and goes home to play World of Warcraft.  </strong></p> <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/09/whats-on-agenda-tonightworld-of.html"><font size="2">What’s On the Agenda Tonight–World of Warcraft or Work on My Personal Health Record</font></a></h4> <p>These folks over at HHS I don’t are getting this disruption and we stuff like this in the news, so why don’t all of them and Congress tie themselves up with some devices and experience the joy here.</p> <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2010/05/hhs-to-conduct-study-on-patient.html"><font size="2">HHS To Conduct Study on Patient Perception on Health IT – Got A Better Idea Why Don’t They Become E-patients Role Models, and Participants – Make IT Personal and Believable<img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="158" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKEBbffwZuI/AAAAAAAAhrU/Eb9mJ-aS948/image%5B3%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="142" /></font></a></h6> <p>Don’t misunderstand, I like technology and what it does and in this blog I suggest potential solutions but I’m also smart enough to see this marketing craze and what it does to the average consumer.  HHS needs some first hand experience at this and they might see what is being pushed, marketed and shoved down consumer’s throats at times as everyone is competing so ferociously.  This picture to the right is an accelerometer that is in all these devices, pretty small so it goes everywhere at less than a buck for each unit sensor.</p> <p>If the nonparticipants are bliss and don’t give some of this a try first hand, they don’t get it and we have more “Magpie Healthcare” on the rise.  </p> <p><strong>Stick a Fitbit on these folks and see how long it is before it either disrupts or how soon the novelty wears off, and even more interesting to know is how many members of Congress and HHS would choose to sleep with one, as the product says you can do this and get a full report.  <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKEBcC1XxXI/AAAAAAAAhrY/2xDddjIhMx0/s1600-h/image%5B7%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="119" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/TKEBc8Rfk1I/AAAAAAAAhrc/n-9laHVelv8/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; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px" title="image" width="188" /></a></strong></p> <p><strong><u>Would our President sleep with a Fitbit on?</u>  I ask that in pursing the big question once more is this something for everybody or is it that old paradigm of “its for those guys over there”.  BD</strong></p> <p><strong><u>What is useful and what is useless is in the eye of the beholder</u></strong> and and devices that are made to help us will go down the toilet soon with current marketing trends and no first hand participating of our leaders to get a clue.  We tired of these things and it’s work to look at data.  The average consumer doesn’t want all the detailed data, or after a week of it, is bored and tired of it.  </p> <p>You have to live life too. <strong> In case you haven’t figured this out, <u>the beholder is the patient, the one folks always seem to leave out</u> of their marketing equations in the hot pursuit of the all the data with the latest and greatest algorithm to hit the scene.  </strong></p> <blockquote>At TED@Cannes, Gary Wolf gives a 5-min intro to an intriguing new pastime: using mobile apps and always-on gadgets to track and analyze your body, mood, diet, spending -- just about everything in daily life you can measure -- in gloriously geeky detail.</blockquote> <p><a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/gary_wolf_the_quantified_self.html">Gary Wolf: The quantified self | Video on TED.com</a></p> <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:0e0ff944-98c7-44d0-9a88-d7a0cf7a6492" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/mobility" rel="tag">mobility</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/devices" rel="tag">devices</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/mHealth" rel="tag">mHealth</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Gary+Wolf" rel="tag">Gary Wolf</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/TED" rel="tag">TED</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Health+IT" rel="tag">Health IT</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/health+IT+literacy" rel="tag">health IT literacy</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/non+participants" rel="tag">non participants</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Fitbit" rel="tag">Fitbit</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/patient" rel="tag">patient</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/devices+that+report+data" rel="tag">devices that report data</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/insurance+companies" rel="tag">insurance companies</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/algorithms" rel="tag">algorithms</a></div>

Mobile Medical Device Software and Sensors–Who’s Going to End Up With the Value and Staying Power Once the Novelty Wears Off-Anybody Feeling the Love Today From the Devices?

There’s almost not a day that goes by where there’s not some new mobile application in the news. My question is, what is going to end up be...

Read more »