health insurancey

GE, Mayo Clinic, others to develop health record technology

<p> This will be interesting to see which direction this may go, as today, we certainly have so many modules of code that have already been written and portions of one module could be combined with others.  Just earlier this year <strong>Mayo announced working with Microsoft Health Vault for Personal Health Records</strong> so you can almost guess which ever direction the project may lead, PHRs will be in the picture somewhere.</p>  <p>Just earlier this week GE had announced a web based version of their Centricity EHR/EMR will be released soon as well as their new endeavor with University of Pittsburgh Medical Center with a global focus, so it has been a busy week for GE.  <img align="right" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSNi49_Lm6I/AAAAAAAAJ7c/c5EmraA7xqE/image[5].png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px" /> Johns Hopkins has signed up with <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/amalga/ourclients/default.mspx">Microsoft Amalga</a> for their hospital system, which of course will integrate with the <strong>HealthVault.</strong>  </p>  <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/common-user-interface-update-and-walk.html"><img align="left" alt="image" border="0" height="188" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSTw3gwpdSI/AAAAAAAAJ8o/6DcNY2be0sw/image%5B6%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; margin-left: 0px; border-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="230" /></a> </p>  <blockquote>   <p>One other item that struck my curiosity was if any of the new development areas might just happen to include the <strong><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/common-user-interface-update-and-walk.html">Common User Interface?</a></strong>  Just one thought in that area since the code is already there for screens and it would sure beat starting from scratch to create something as dynamic.  </p>    <p>As mentioned in prior posts, <strong>hospital branding is a hot ticket</strong> today as other facilities will want to usually follow and pay for the same technologies and sciences that were developed at the main facility, thus branded facilities open up bearing the health institute name globally and add to the bottom line of income in many instances, so working with a major branded health care facility usually can’t do any harm by any means.  BD  </p>    <p>NEW YORK -- Industrial powerhouse General Electric Co. hopes a push into medical electronic records and information with some of the top health care institutions in the nation will put it at the front of what is expected to be a rapidly growing market. The Fairfield, Conn.-based company's health care unit plans to spend $200 million over the next five years to develop electronic systems for medical information and patient records. Its partners are among top medical institutions, including the Mayo Clinic and Montefiore Medical Center.</p>    <p>GE's partners on the initiative include the Mayo Clinic, Intermountain Healthcare, Montefiore, and the University of California at San Francisco Medical Center.</p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/1310ap_general_electric_health_records.html">GE, Mayo Clinic, others develop health record tech</a></p>  <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/ge-collaborates-and-will-offer-new-web.html"><font size="1">GE Collaborates and will offer new web based version of Centricity EHR</font></a></h4>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/umpc-university-of-pittsburgh-medical.html"><font size="1">UMPC (University of Pittsburgh Medical Center) and GE going global</font></a></h4>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/09/ge-to-market-home-monitoring-appliance.html">GE to Market Home Monitoring Appliance</a></h6>  <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:b42fa003-2e88-4631-a31e-a25ebeb775a3" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/GE" rel="tag">GE</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Healthcare" rel="tag">Healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HealthVault" rel="tag">HealthVault</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Mayo+Clinic" rel="tag">Mayo Clinic</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+records" rel="tag">medical records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/PHR" rel="tag">PHR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/integration" rel="tag">integration</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/UPMC" rel="tag">UPMC</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Pittsburgh" rel="tag">Pittsburgh</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Montefiore" rel="tag">Montefiore</a></div>

GE, Mayo Clinic, others to develop health record technology

This will be interesting to see which direction this may go, as today, we certainly have so many modules of code that have already been wri...

9:08 PM

Is there a CPT Code for Maggots Yet?

<p> Specially prepared maggots have been approved by the FDA since 2004 for neuropathic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers,venous stasis ulcers, and traumatic and post-surgical wounds.  Insurance companies spend thousands of dollars for an amputation but back off at a $100.00 maggot treatment.  </p>  <p>The American Medical Association and the CMS clarified its reimbursement guidelines to the wound care community for medicinal maggots <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSTkpYFfX3I/AAAAAAAAJ8g/FO9HuY4mOMI/s1600-h/image%5B3%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="132" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSTkqjsKG4I/AAAAAAAAJ8k/v--j7AbYFj4/image_thumb%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; margin-left: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; margin-right: 0px" title="image" width="107" /></a>and maggot therapy last week, <strong>so perhaps a code and overall approval will follow</strong>.  It is a very low cost item and seems worthwhile to try if it has the potential of saving a limb or other body part from amputation.  For now we can <strong>stand by and wait for the CPT code to arrive</strong> as it appears there finally might be some movement in this area and the treatment is FDA approved.  BD   </p>  <blockquote>   <p>Maggots, the larval stage of certain flies, are already a federally approved treatment for people with nasty bed sores, chronic post-surgical wounds and diabetic foot ulcers. Now, maggot therapy has received a boost from the medical establishment that could make it easier for patients and doctors to get insurance reimbursement for this treatment, which was noticed as effective against war wounds by Napoleon's surgeon general as well as by orthopedic surgeon Dr. William S. Baer during WWI, among others. </p>    <p>"They liquefy or dissolve the dead tissue (by secreting their digestive enzymes into the wound), so the wound is debrided [cleaned] whether the liquefied tissue and debris is eaten or simply drains out of the wound," he said. Larvae, being immature, are unable to reproduce in the wound, he added.</p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27808424/">Insurance may soon cover maggot therapy - Health care- msnbc.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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:840a5fc3-20a5-4225-82de-45fe6f5dd889" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/AMA" rel="tag">AMA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/CMS" rel="tag">CMS</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Wound+Care" rel="tag">Wound Care</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Maggots" rel="tag">Maggots</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/CPT+Codes" rel="tag">CPT Codes</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a></div>

Is there a CPT Code for Maggots Yet?

Specially prepared maggots have been approved by the FDA since 2004 for neuropathic foot ulcers, pressure ulcers,venous stasis ulcers, and ...

8:16 PM

Common User Interface – Update and walk through video

<p> Another updated video on the interface, again it would be nice to have the same visuals at every hospital and perhaps doctor’s offices with the existing programs still running in the background, only the user interface would need to change.  This video takes a little extra time to walk through the various screens, well done.  BD  </p>  <blockquote>   <p><iframe height="325" src="http://on10.net/blogs/tina/23388/player/" frameborder="0" width="320" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>    <p><img src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SCmrYmUInpI/AAAAAAAAGqA/e2Zfau-nbuk/image_thumb7.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px" />      <br /><a href="http://on10.net/blogs/tina/Silverlight-Medical/">Silverlight Application tackles the Medical Field </a></p>    <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p>    <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/ehrs-need-standard-templates-so-lets.html"><font size="1">EHRs need Standard Templates – So Let’s Look at the Common User Interface Project, a lot of the work is already in progress and partially completed</font></a></h4>    <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/health-care-has-managed-to-avoid.html">Health care has managed to avoid the information-technology revolution, but it won't for much longer</a></h6>    <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/how-electronic-records-reach-your.html">How electronic records reach your doctor – Integrated through the Hospitals</a></h6>    <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/ehr-adoption-remains-off-in-distance.html">EHR Adoption Remains Off in the Distance – Getting way to complicated</a></h6>    <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/09/microsoft-technology-centers-software.html">Microsoft Technology Centers – Software Solutions with Assistance and Guidance</a></h6>    <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/common-user-interface-update-10-2008.html">Common User Interface Update 10-2008</a></h6>    <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/common-user-interface-ehr-development.html">Common User Interface – EHR Development Work in Progress</a></h6>    <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/06/possibility-of-national-electronic.html">Possibility of National Electronic Medical Records System Growing</a></h6>    <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/05/microsoft-common-user-interface-for.html">Microsoft Common User Interface for Health Applications- Silverlight...and Windows Presentation Foundation</a></h6>    <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2007/09/microsoft-health-common-user-interface.html">Microsoft Health - Common User Interface for the UK</a></h6> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://on10.net/blogs/tina/Silverlight-Medical/">Channel 10 - common user interface</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:d8de1c09-6da8-4bae-94a0-ef49ce38d8c1" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medical+Records" rel="tag">Medical Records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Microsoft" rel="tag">Microsoft</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Common+User+Interface" rel="tag">Common User Interface</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/EHR" rel="tag">EHR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/EMR" rel="tag">EMR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/User+Interface" rel="tag">User Interface</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medical+Software" rel="tag">Medical Software</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Templates" rel="tag">Templates</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HHS" rel="tag">HHS</a></div>

Common User Interface – Update and walk through video

Another updated video on the interface, again it would be nice to have the same visuals at every hospital and perhaps doctor’s offices with...

3:07 PM

American Well – Video Consults for Physicians

<p>If you are a participating physician, you just log on and wait for the patients to connect, pretty simple on that end.  Health plans pay <strong><a href="http://www.americanwell.com/index.html">American Well</a></strong> a license fee per member to use the software, as well as a transaction fee of about $2 a patient each time a patient sees a doctor.  This system also files the claim for the physician and compensation is somewhere between an office visit and a phone consult, so somewhere in the middle of the 2.  </p>  <p>Malpractice insurance is from our old friend from Wall Street, AIG for the site and for the most part the insurers are covering it as the charge is pretty small, or at least it is for the time being. </p>  <p>A webcam diagnosis is not for everyone, but I have posted along with many other bloggers about Jay Parkinson and the early success he had with consults via web cams and patients were happy!  Uninsured patients will be able to use the service as well and you get 10 minutes of webcam time with the doctor.  </p>  <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSSWOejG60I/AAAAAAAAJ8I/bdXo_CYvEtk/s1600-h/image%5B8%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="242" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSSWSCa_ULI/AAAAAAAAJ8M/e3bWsdyMreM/image_thumb%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="395" /></a></p>  <p>One added benefit here too is the agreement with <strong>Microsoft HealthVault</strong> –<a href="http://www.healthvault.com/"><img align="left" height="40" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SM3q6TdZm-I/AAAAAAAAI90/u04OgRqDvPI/image%5B14%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px" width="96" /></a> share any records with the physician while connected with a webcam consult, so if you needed to reference a lab stored in the Vault, you can by sharing, and you can also share any documents you choose as well even when offline, but doing it while connected when there is a need sure will make in convenient.  Shoot, for that matter if you have a device that does glucose or blood pressure readings you could connect the units via USB to your computer and share those as well through the Health Vault.  </p>  <p>It appears there will be more forthcoming soon with feedback from Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Hawaii, since they have been the first to sign on for the service.  Not having to do your own billing is one big plus and the screens appear very user friendly, so we all need to get out web cams going, physicians and patients!  BD  </p>  <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSSWXT8tmXI/AAAAAAAAJ8Q/bN_15DyV51M/s1600-h/image%5B12%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="243" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSSWZwhOqQI/AAAAAAAAJ8U/8fWZNqxE8Wc/image_thumb%5B6%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="363" /></a></p>  <p><em><font size="1">Hospitals and delivery networks partner with American Well™ to extend their services into patients' homes and the community at large. Typically, hospitals and delivery networks grow by building new care and treatment facilities. With American Well, hospitals and delivery networks can engage patients in a broader geographic area, and allow their patients access to more physicians.</font></em></p>  <p><em><font size="1">In the new healthcare marketplace, hospitals and delivery networks can:</font></em></p>  <ul>   <li><em><font size="1">Expand their services and create a direct "retail" relationship with consumers </font></em></li>    <li><em><font size="1">Build a widely recognized brand </font></em></li>    <li><em><font size="1">Provide patients with convenient, high-quality care </font></em></li>    <li><em><font size="1">Strengthen recruiting message to physicians and build a broader physician network </font></em></li>    <li><em><font size="1">Offer delivery network physicians a flexible way to generate revenue </font></em></li>    <li><em><font size="1">Optimize physician schedules with an innovative mix of online and office visits</font></em> </li> </ul>  <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSSWeRxLqgI/AAAAAAAAJ8Y/6WztJQfOixM/s1600-h/image%5B13%5D.png"><img alt="image" border="0" height="233" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSSWgfcJntI/AAAAAAAAJ8c/MXFT3ZIXYxI/image_thumb%5B7%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="356" /></a></p>  <p>Consumers whose health plans use American Well will log on to their health plans’ Web sites to access the service. <strong>The first plan to sign on is Blue Cross Blue Shield of Hawaii, which starting in January will offer patients virtual visits with its doctors.</strong> Other states and health plans, yet to be announced, will also activate it in 2009. </p>  <p>American Well has formed a partnership with <a href="http://www.healthvault.com/Personal/index.html">HealthVault</a>, Microsoft’s electronic medical records service, so patients can get access to and <a href="http://www.healthvault.com/"><img align="right" height="40" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SM3q6TdZm-I/AAAAAAAAI90/u04OgRqDvPI/image%5B14%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px" width="96" /></a>share their medical information with doctors while using American Well.</p>  <p>Patients who are members of the health plan pay a co-pay, just like at the doctor’s office. Doctors hold 10-minute appointments, which can be extended for an optional fee, and can file prescriptions through the system. Uninsured patients can also use it, for a fee that the health plans choose but which will be less than $50, much less than a visit to the emergency room, which is where the uninsured often end up. Health plans pay American Well a license fee per member to use the software, as well as a transaction fee of about $2 a patient each time a patient sees a doctor. </p>  <p><a href="http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/the-doctor-will-see-you-now-online/?partner=rss&emc=rss">http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/19/the-doctor-will-see-you-now-online/?partner=rss&emc=rss</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:ed242ad7-acb0-44e3-a612-1fc2252fd280" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Webcam" rel="tag">Webcam</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Physician" rel="tag">Physician</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/webcam+consultations" rel="tag">webcam consultations</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/doctor" rel="tag">doctor</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/physician" rel="tag">physician</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/remote+consults" rel="tag">remote consults</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/heatlh+insurance" rel="tag">heatlh insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/PHR" rel="tag">PHR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/personal+heatlh+records" rel="tag">personal heatlh records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/HealthVault" rel="tag">HealthVault</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/American+Well" rel="tag">American Well</a></div>

American Well – Video Consults for Physicians

If you are a participating physician, you just log on and wait for the patients to connect, pretty simple on that end. Health plans pay Ame...

2:43 PM

Tom Daschle To Head Health and Human Services Secretary

Tom Daschle To Head Health and Human Services Secretary

He will be busy no doubt looking for directors and managers for the FDA, the CDC, Medicare and Medicaid soon and probably the biggest loomi...

1:57 PM

Wound V.A.C Medical Device Helps Wounds Heal After Cancer Surgery

<p>This technology is amazing.  I have included a video from YouTube that is home made and not related this this patient or case,  but shows the procedures used with the machine and how the unit and dressing is changed.  The cancer was so rare that it has only been seen twice at the M.D. Anderson Center where he spent 6 weeks.  </p>  <p>The funny part about the story is the fact that the patient had purchased some stock in the company a while back for actually needing the device to help with the surgical recovery from his operation. BD  </p>  <p>A few years ago, Steve Bayless bought some stock in an upstart biotechnology firm that brought him a handy profit when he sold it a few <img align="right" alt="Steve Bayless and his cello" border="0" height="159" hspace="0" src="http://www.mdanderson.org/images/cw_stevebayless.jpg" width="123" />months later. Little did he know the company one day would play a major part in his recovery from a rare type of cancer.</p>  <p>After complex surgery to remove tumors caused by a type of appendix cancer called pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP), Bayless was left with a 13-inch incision wound reaching from his bladder to his breastbone. Then, he suffered a wound infection that required his entire incision be opened.  </p>  <p>   <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: left; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:13544194-033a-436a-9b62-0e1c1d39f3ee" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent"><div id="b61c8d20-047b-4166-8fdc-aaa67052dac0" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYb5HzA0tEw&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999" target="_new"><img alt="" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('b61c8d20-047b-4166-8fdc-aaa67052dac0'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"235\" height=\"176\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/AYb5HzA0tEw&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&hl=en\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/AYb5HzA0tEw&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0x3a3a3a&color2=0x999999&hl=en\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"235\" height=\"176\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSSBLz0PAZI/AAAAAAAAJ8E/NvitIiDNp2M/video88e8dd6cd3b0%5B2%5D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none"></a></div></div></div>   <strong>To help the healing process progress faster and more smoothly, Bayless’ medical team used wound vacuum-assisted closure (Wound V.A.C.<sup>®</sup>). This technology is manufactured by the company Bayless held stock in years before.</strong></p>  <p>With Wound V.A.C., a foam surface dressing is applied and sealed with a plastic tape-like sheet. A pump applies negative pressure to the wound, removing fluids and other materials that might enable infection to progress. It maintains optimum moisture level for healing, draws the edges of the wound together and, most importantly, encourages more rapid growth of new blood vessels. </p>  <p>When Bayless was released, he was given a portable Wound V.A.C. that worked on rechargeable batteries. Sponge changes were required three times a week. When the unit was removed three months later, the wound was almost completely healed. </p>  <p><a href="http://www.cancerwise.org/November_2008/">http://www.cancerwise.org/November_2008/</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:6c34aa9b-abc7-4fda-8ff3-4d48403d5c67" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+devices" rel="tag">medical devices</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/wound+VAC" rel="tag">wound VAC</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/cancer" rel="tag">cancer</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/heatlhcare" rel="tag">heatlhcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/surgery" rel="tag">surgery</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/M+D+Anderson" rel="tag">M D Anderson</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/tumors" rel="tag">tumors</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/incision" rel="tag">incision</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Wound+care" rel="tag">Wound care</a></div>

Wound V.A.C Medical Device Helps Wounds Heal After Cancer Surgery

This technology is amazing. I have included a video from YouTube that is home made and not related this this patient or case, but shows th...

1:12 PM

FDA Scientists Allege Coercion In Medical Device Approval Process

<p> All I can say here is that this goes back to a earlier post:</p>  <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/2-new-hot-words-in-healthcare.html">The 2 New Hot Words in Healthcare: Algorithms and Whistleblowers</a></p>  <p>In this case we have a bit of both, algorithms created by the scientists, but a requested change by the clinical side of the table?  Sounds a bit like the algorithms run on Wall Street?  Algorithms will produce and reveal what the code is programmed to do.  Read the paragraph below in bold and it somewhat alludes to this statement.  </p>  <p> <img align="right" src="http://lh4.google.com/DucknetServices/R5BeRi6VIGI/AAAAAAAACJc/WpyKde_4edU/image_thumb[1]?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px" /> There have also been reports in the news of recent relating to some potential faulty software operations and perhaps the 2 items are or are not related, but as we all know you just can’t get enough beta testing today to get 100% of the bugs out of software, and this can cause some real areas of concern with implanted devices in particular.  BD  </p>  <p>The <a href="http://energycommerce.house.gov/">House Energy and Commerce Committee</a> on Monday launched an investigation into allegations by at least eight <a href="http://www.fda.gov/">FDA</a> scientists that agency managers coerced those in the medical device division into approving products despite serious safety and effectiveness concerns, <cite>CongressDaily </cite>reports (Edney, <cite>CongressDaily</cite>, 11/18). Committee Chair John Dingell (D-Mich.) and <a href="http://energycommerce.house.gov/Subcommittees/ovin.shtml">Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee</a> </p>  <p>Chair Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) said that the investigation was prompted by an Oct. 14 letter "written on behalf of a large group of <a href="http://www.fda.gov/CDRH/">Center for Devices and R<img align="left" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SOB9jx6bMRI/AAAAAAAAJMQ/64wGI7oAFF8/image_thumb[7].png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px" />adiological Health</a> scientists and physicians who state that CDRH managers have 'corrupted and interfered with the scientific review of medical devices'" (Reichard, <a href="http://corporate.cq.com/wmspage.cfm?parm1=95"><cite>CQ HealthBeat</cite></a>, 11/17). The letter to the committee, released publicly on Monday, did not include the names of the FDA scientists or information on which device approvals the scientists questioned (Harris, <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/health/policy/18fda.html?scp=2&sq=FDA&st=cse"><cite>New York Times</cite></a>, 11/18).  </p>  <p>   <br /><strong>The scientists claim that they were threatened with removal or negative performance reviews if they did not modify their scientific data to obscure unscientific clinical and technical data submitted by device companies and legal violations, including a lack of informed consent from study participants.</strong> "This misconduct reaches the highest levels of CDRH management including the Center Director and Director of the <a href="http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/ode/index.html">Office of Device Evaluation</a>," the scientists wrote (<cite>CongressDaily</cite>, 11/18).</p>  <p><a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/129945.php">FDA Scientists Allege Coercion In Medical Device Approval Process, House Panel Investigates</a></p>  <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p>  <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/beware-of-geeks-bearing-formulaswarren.html"><font size="1">Beware of Geeks Bearing Formulas</font></a></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/will-greed-lead-to-meltdown-of-health.html"><font size="1">Will Greed lead to Meltdown of the Health System?</font></a></h4>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/09/how-wall-street-lied-to-its-computers.html">How Wall Street Lied to Its Computers – Software and Programming</a></h6>  <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:ddfd8988-2026-41c0-9f36-7f8b46ca64bc" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Algorithms" rel="tag">Algorithms</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Whistle+Blower" rel="tag">Whistle Blower</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Healthcare" rel="tag">Healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Data" rel="tag">Data</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medications" rel="tag">medications</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/prescriptions" rel="tag">prescriptions</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Data+Base" rel="tag">Data Base</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Drugs" rel="tag">Drugs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+devices" rel="tag">medical devices</a></div>

FDA Scientists Allege Coercion In Medical Device Approval Process

All I can say here is that this goes back to a earlier post: The 2 New Hot Words in Healthcare: Algorithms and Whistleblowers In this c...

12:33 PM

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