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

Microsoft Releases New Robot-Building Software

<p><strong> Do you want to build a robot for use in healthcare,</strong> well here’s some software that might be of help.  Also from the website, check out the RoboChamps Urban Challenge, very similar to DARPA’s Urban Challenge, the creation and use to Autonomous Cars, so in time we may just be having vehicles that will be capable of driving those folks home to have had too much to drink for a simple example.<a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/robotics/default.aspx"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="85" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSRxI6ZvSfI/AAAAAAAAJ8A/x80Mh8A5qV8/image%5B4%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="244" /></a></p>  <p>Check out the related reading below and see what Los Angeles/USC County hospital is doing with robots.  BD  </p>  <p>(PhysOrg.com) -- As part of its belief that robotics is an important emerging technology, Microsoft has released Robotics Developer Studio 2008, a software program that enables users to create applications for robots.  </p>  <p>The new software, which Microsoft unveiled at the RoboDevelopment Conference and Expo in Santa Clara, Calif., this week, is the third edition of the company´s robot-building platform. Microsoft says previous versions of the software have been downloaded 250,000 times, and more than 60 companies currently use the software for developing commercial robots. </p>  <p><a href="http://adms.physorg.com/openads/www/delivery/ck.php?n=a649a0c4&cb=%n"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://adms.physorg.com/openads/www/delivery/avw.php?zoneid=8&n=a649a0c4&ct0=%c" /></a></p>  <p><a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/bb648760"><strong><font size="1"><em>Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio 2008</em></font></strong></a>    <br /><font size="1"><em>Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio 2008 is released. You can </em></font><a href="http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=134518"><font size="1"><em>download the Express Edition</em></font></a><font size="1"><em> at no cost, or </em></font><a href="http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=133310"><font size="1"><em>purchase the Standard Edition</em></font></a><font size="1"><em>. The Academic Edition can be obtained through MSDNAA. The release contains a number of exciting new features as well as many new samples and tutorials. For a complete list, please see </em></font><a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/cc998522"><font size="1"><em>What’s New</em></font></a><font size="1"><em>.</em></font></p>  <p><a href="http://www.microsoft.com/ccrdss/"><strong><font size="1"><em>CCR and DSS Toolkit 2008</em></font></strong></a>    <br /><font size="1"><em>Microsoft has announced the availability of the CCR and DSS Toolkit 2008. Originally part of the Microsoft Robotics Developer Studio (RDS), the CCR and DSS Toolkit can now be purchased as a separate product. The Toolkit is a set of high-performance class libraries that enable developers to write concurrent and distributed applications. CCR and DSS will still be distributed as part of RDS, but this new product enables the Toolkit to be licensed for non-robotic scenarios. </em></font><a href="http://www.microsoft.com/ccrdss/"><font size="1"><em>Read more</em></font></a><font size="1"><em> including Case Studies.</em></font></p>  <p><a href="http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/robotics/dd153758.aspx"><strong><font size="1"><em>RoboChamps Urban Challenge</em></font></strong></a>    <br /><font size="1"><em>Microsoft recently announced the launch of the RoboChamps Urban Challenge, sponsored by KIA Motors. Similar to the real-world DARPA Urban Challenge, participants will be tasked with programming a robotic car to navigate to a series of checkpoints in an urban environment. The vehicles must obey traffic lights, avoid other cars and stay on the road. The cars must drive autonomously using only the available sensors, i.e. no human intervention is allowed. The first prize is a real car - a KIA Soul! Second prize is $10,000 and third prize is $5,000.</em></font></p>  <p><a href="http://www.physorg.com/news146295165.html"><font size="2">Microsoft Releases New Robot-Building Software</font></a></p>  <p><font size="1">Related Reading:</font></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/robot-vendors-get-more-funding-robotics.html"><font size="1">Robot Vendors Get More Funding – Robotics playing a major role in hospitals today</font></a></h4>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/lacusc-hospital-new-facility-to-open.html"><font size="1">LAC+USC Hospital – New Facility to Open Soon - Los Angeles</font></a></h4>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:04faa9ad-fb4c-4c61-8bc9-0cd351c30987" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Robots" rel="tag">Robots</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Robotics" rel="tag">Robotics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Hospitals" rel="tag">Hospitals</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/USC+Medical+School" rel="tag">USC Medical School</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/LAC%2bUSC+Medical+Center" rel="tag">LAC+USC Medical Center</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Technology" rel="tag">Technology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Healthcare" rel="tag">Healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Microsoft" rel="tag">Microsoft</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Software" rel="tag">Software</a></div>

Microsoft Releases New Robot-Building Software

Do you want to build a robot for use in healthcare, well here’s some software that might be of help. Also from the website, check out the...

12:03 PM

Poor Understanding Of Medicare Leads To Worse Healthcare Access

<p> When you look at the system, even folks like me who are not in the senior category have issues at times as the system, along with those in place by the insurers get more complicated every day, so what, who, and where still continue to be on the horizon for trying to figure out the complicated algorithms we have created as a system.</p>  <p>On top of just understanding Medicare, there’s also a pilot program starting in 2 states for Personal Health Records, and little has been announced as far as any help, training or community outreach to help seniors here as well.  Personal health records have the potential of saving lives and cutting down medical errors, something pretty important too.  </p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/cms-names-four-phr-vendors-for-medicare.html"><font size="1">CMS names four PHR vendors for Medicare pilot program and includes Google Health</font></a></h4>  <p><strong>Why do we do this, create programs and software and yet run so far behind in the education processes</strong> and then <strong>on the other hand get frustrated when programs do not take off and benefit?</strong>  As a whole, we are still very much lacking in the education and awareness departments here in the US and where <strong>other countries such as China and India are utilizing new information to advance as both countries and individuals with embracing new technologies</strong>.  BD  </p>  <blockquote>   <p>A study appearing in Journal of the American Geriatrics Society shows that Medicare beneficiaries' understanding of their healthcare benefits may affect their ability to access needed care effectively and could lead them to the delay or avoid seeking care. In the study, 2,997 White, Black and Hispanic Medicare beneficiaries from across the United States were surveyed. About one-third of the respondents regarded themselves as being unfamiliar or very unfamiliar with their Medicare program. While Blacks and Hispanics were more likely than Whites to be unfamiliar with their Medicare benefits, poorer familiarity with the Medicare system was widespread and stretched across demographic groups.</p>    <p>"This is a problem that affects a substantial portion of the Medicare population and extends across races and ethnicities, and across educational and income levels," Morgan said. "Beneficiaries' understanding of their health benefits ultimately may affect the quality and outcomes of their care. Well designed educational interventions or policies simplifying Medicare benefit programs could have a significant effect on beneficiaries' abilities to get needed care."</p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/129934.php">Poor Understanding Of Medicare Leads To Worse Healthcare Access</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:3814ab2c-c4fb-485d-a28e-f4e36450672e" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/CMS" rel="tag">CMS</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/insurance" rel="tag">insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/commission" rel="tag">commission</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/audits" rel="tag">audits</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medicare" rel="tag">Medicare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Education" rel="tag">Education</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Personal+Health+Records" rel="tag">Personal Health Records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/PHR+Pilot+program" rel="tag">PHR Pilot program</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/personal+health+records" rel="tag">personal health records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Seniors" rel="tag">Seniors</a></div>  <p></p>  <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/study-predicts-big-savings-from-phrs.html">Study Predicts Big Savings from PHRs (Personal Health Records) – Best Kept Secret in Healthcare?</a></h6>

Poor Understanding Of Medicare Leads To Worse Healthcare Access

When you look at the system, even folks like me who are not in the senior category have issues at times as the system, along with those in ...

11:48 AM

Geospiza Cuts Deal With Illumina, To Help Scientists Cope With Information Overload

<p>FinchLab is the name of the software product to be used.  We are all overwhelmed with data and sequencing is a huge amount of data to be interpreted, so the combination of the software along with the genetic machine produced by Illumina stand to make a good combination for not only speed, but also the cost of sequencing the entire human genome.  BD  </p>  <p><a href="http://www.illumina.com/dna/"><img align="right" height="69" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SAZN6TH4qBI/AAAAAAAAFPE/NiJI6hC7QbA/image[4].png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px" width="290" /></a>Geospiza, a Seattle-based maker of software to support biological research, said today it is hitching its wagon to San Diego-based <a href="http://www.illumina.com/">Illumina</a>, a rising star in next-generation gene sequencing. Geospiza is joining Illumina Connect, a sort of referral service in which researchers who buy Illumina’s gene analysis machines are advised that Geospiza software can help them sift through the resulting piles of data. It’s not guaranteed cash flow, but it’s a source of promising sales leads for privately-held Geospiza. <a href="http://www.geospiza.com/"><img align="left" alt="image" border="0" height="55" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSRqOIqS9lI/AAAAAAAAJ78/PGCOgR48aQA/image%5B5%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="153" /></a> </p>  <p>The Illumina Genome Analyzer is competing with devices from Applied Biosystems, Roche, and Cambridge, MA-based <a href="http://www.helicosbio.com/">Helicos Biosciences</a>, Arnold said. Geospiza is confident that researchers will start turning to software that can help them cope with information overload from machines like Illumina’s.</p>  <p><a href="http://www.xconomy.com/seattle/2008/06/24/geospiza-cuts-deal-with-illumina-to-help-scientists-cope-with-information-overload/">http://www.xconomy.com/seattle/2008/06/24/geospiza-cuts-deal-with-illumina-to-help-scientists-cope-with-information-overload/</a></p>  <p><u><strong>Related Reading:</strong></u> </p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/helicos-launches-open-access-web-site.html"><font size="1">Helicos Launches Open Access Web Site With Microbial Genome Data</font></a></h4>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/how-hot-is-genomics-and-sequencing.html">How Hot is Genomics and the Sequencing Machines?</a></h6>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/clc-joins-illumina-bioinformatics.html"><font size="1">CLC Joins Illumina Bioinformatics Partnering Program – Sequencing Software</font></a></h4>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/09/deciphering-genetic-code-work-in.html"><font size="1">Deciphering the genetic code - Work In Progress Companies</font></a></h4>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/09/genetic-counseling-foundation.html"><font size="1">Genetic Counseling Foundation - References and information for Genomics in Healthcare</font></a></h4>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/06/those-incredible-men-and-their-gene.html"><font size="1">Those Incredible Men and their Gene Machines..Personalized Medicine in the making…</font></a></h4>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/04/illumina-launches-iscantm-system-dna.html"><font size="1">Illumina Launches The IScan(TM) System - DNA</font></a></h4>  <div style="padding-bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; display: inline; float: none; padding-top: 0px" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:0492571d-b2df-4e8d-9e6f-69382179cd42" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/genomics" rel="tag">genomics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/sequencing" rel="tag">sequencing</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/software" rel="tag">software</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Science" rel="tag">Science</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/DNA+Testing" rel="tag">DNA Testing</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/personalized+medicine" rel="tag">personalized medicine</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Illumina" rel="tag">Illumina</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FinchLab" rel="tag">FinchLab</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Geopiza" rel="tag">Geopiza</a></div>

Geospiza Cuts Deal With Illumina, To Help Scientists Cope With Information Overload

FinchLab is the name of the software product to be used. We are all overwhelmed with data and sequencing is a huge amount of data to be int...

11:34 AM

Doctors transplant windpipe with stem cells

<p> Instead of removing a lung, the windpipe transplant was the solution, and this occurred in Spain.  Once the donor was located the physicians went to work with stripping off all its cells, leaving only a tube of connective tissue and next used a device to put the new cartilage and tissue in place.  The nice part is that the patient is not having to take any immune-suppressing drugs too.  </p>  <p>Stem cell research at it’s best for the patient who has been suffering from tuberculosis for years. BD  </p>  <blockquote>(AP) -- Doctors have given a woman a new windpipe with tissue grown from her own stem cells, eliminating the need for anti-rejection drugs. "This technique has great promise," said Dr. Eric Genden, who did a similar transplant in 2005 at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. That operation used both donor and recipient tissue. Only a handful of windpipe, or trachea, transplants have ever been done. If successful, the procedure could become a new standard of treatment, said Genden, who was not involved in the research. The results were published online Wednesday in the medical journal, The Lancet.<a href="http://www.physorg.com/news146297595.html"><img alt="image" border="0" height="224" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSRlYy83DsI/AAAAAAAAJ74/INMm1yzW9eQ/image%5B4%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-bottom: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px" title="image" width="389" /></a> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.physorg.com/news146297595.html">Doctors transplant windpipe with stem cells</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:df1f34cd-db53-40a8-8dea-ab8d3837ff78" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/tuberculosis" rel="tag">tuberculosis</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/stem+cells" rel="tag">stem cells</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/R+and+D" rel="tag">R and D</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/heatlhcare" rel="tag">heatlhcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/breatkthrough" rel="tag">breatkthrough</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/surgery" rel="tag">surgery</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/transplants" rel="tag">transplants</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/windpipe" rel="tag">windpipe</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a></div>

Doctors transplant windpipe with stem cells

Instead of removing a lung, the windpipe transplant was the solution, and this occurred in Spain. Once the donor was located the physician...

11:13 AM

2 Cancer Drugs show promise for Reversal Of Type 1 Diabetes

<p> It is still at the mice testing stage, but 80% tested had a reversal of diabetes and in other cases it prevented the onset of diabetes.  Side effects, etc. will need to be studied as well, but this looks very promising if in fact the drugs can prevent diabetes for many, especially children if their DNA possibly showed they might have a tendency to develop diabetes.  BD  </p>  <blockquote>   <p>Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco have reported that two common cancer drugs have been used to block and reverse type 1 diabetes in mice. The JDRF-funded study, published in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was led by Jeffrey Bluestone, Ph.D., director of the Diabetes Center at UCSF and an expert in the field of autoimmunity. </p>    <p>The drugs - Imatinib and Sunitnib, sold as <a href="http://www.medilexicon.com/drugs/gleevec_699.php">Gleevec</a> and <a href="http://www.medilexicon.com/drugs/sutent.php">Sutent</a>, respectively - are used to treat cancer by blocking tyrosine kinases, an enzyme that modify cells' signaling proteins through a simple biochemical change. </p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/130019.php"><a href="http://www.sutent.com/"><img alt="image" border="0" height="52" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSRij9GoVwI/AAAAAAAAJ7w/QyuVO-0XkaY/image%5B9%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="image" width="146" /></a><a href="http://www.gleevec.com/index.jsp?usertrack.filter_applied=true&NovaId=3350119535142648279"><img alt="image" border="0" height="51" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSRik-LJ9BI/AAAAAAAAJ70/TyfpHfFhx9Y/image%5B10%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="border-right-width: 0px; display: inline; border-top-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px" title="image" width="137" /></a></a></p>  <p><a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/130019.php">JDRF Funded Research Shows Promise For Prevention, Reversal Of Type 1 Diabetes</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:1412ea3d-c2f5-41a1-835d-b4e6d4166fdc" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Cancer" rel="tag">Cancer</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Diabetes" rel="tag">Diabetes</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/R+and+D" rel="tag">R and D</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/San+Francisco+University+of+California" rel="tag">San Francisco University of California</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/personalized+medicine" rel="tag">personalized medicine</a></div>

2 Cancer Drugs show promise for Reversal Of Type 1 Diabetes

It is still at the mice testing stage, but 80% tested had a reversal of diabetes and in other cases it prevented the onset of diabetes. Si...

11:01 AM

Stolen Maine hospital records found

<p>One advantage to having electronic medical records, you won’t find them washing up on shore, wet, and potentially destroyed, and they are backed up usually in more than one location. BD  </p>  <p>MACHIAS, Maine — Records that were stolen from the Down East Community Hospital have been found after washing up on a riverbank.</p>  <p>An official for the Machias hospital says a local resident stumbled across bags of documents along the side of the Pennamaquan River in Pembroke and notified police.</p>  <p><a href="http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20081117-NEWS-81117005">http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20081117-NEWS-81117005</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:f106a7a7-7caf-4bb2-bc01-43655d4c4c34" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+records" rel="tag">medical records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/security+Breach" rel="tag">security Breach</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospital" rel="tag">hospital</a></div>

Stolen Maine hospital records found

One advantage to having electronic medical records, you won’t find them washing up on shore, wet, and potentially destroyed, and they are ba...

10:50 AM

First US FDA office unveiled in Beijing

<p>Here’s the ribbon breaking ceremony picture.  Let’s all hope this is a success and hopefully some new technology will enter the picture as well with remote batch monitoring of products manufactured in China and other locations in the world.  There is only so much an in person visit can cover, so perhaps some nice remote monitoring can be set up to not only keep daily track, but serve to subsidize in person visits to the factories.  <strong>Data management can do it as a less expensive cost once set up.</strong>  </p>  <p><a href="http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-11/19/content_7221094_2.htm"><img align="left" alt="image" border="0" height="285" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSRYkaTJiJI/AAAAAAAAJ7s/llt-2mbq-5s/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="300" /></a><strong>We meet remotely and have have web meetings today so why not some web monitoring of the factories where product is made, and for that matter the same could be set up for all our factories here too as nobody is beyond fault these days.</strong>  When chemical content is reported back by data systems, an alert to both the FDA and the factory would be initiated.  As we all know there should already be some quality controls somewhere along the line in place and by have an automated data function provide some intelligence, it would also serve to make the in house visits by members of the FDA more meaningful as well.  </p>  <p><strong>We have the technology and the question I am guessing at this point is whether or not plans will be made to institute quality control for food and drug products manufactured around the world.</strong>  </p>  <p>When it comes to financial data, such as Wall Street, no barriers were barred <strong>there as far as having reporting functions and the algorithms to produce desired results, so to do something healthy with technology that will benefit all would truly be once welcome addition</strong> to our global economy and food and drug safety programs.  I am growing very tired of having to post tainted food and drug products that a little technology could have possibly served to avert the entire situations when technology and reporting functions with business intelligence stand to make us not only better consumers, but better producers as well.  In the related articles below there are also some references to clinical trials and drug developments between partners here in the US and those in China as in the one example, data from Chinese R and D scientists were immediately accepted by the FDA, one item that was a bit of a surprise for all.  BD  </p>  <p>（From L to R) Mike Leavitt, US Health and Human Services Secretary, Shao Mingli, head of the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA), Andrew von Eschenbach, FDA Commissioner and the US Ambassador to China Clark T. Randt Jr. cut the ribbon at the opening ceremony of the FDA Beijing office, November 19, 2008. The US FDA will open three offices in Beijing, Guangzhou and Shanghai this week to help ensure export safety while China is also preparing to station offices in the US. [Asianewsphoto] </p>  <p><a href="http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-11/19/content_7221094.htm">http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2008-11/19/content_7221094.htm</a></p>  <p>Hat Tip:  <a href="http://pharmagossip.blogspot.com/2008/11/fdas-china-office-first-pic.html">Pharmagossip</a></p>  <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong>  </p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/chinese-pharma-and-us-clinical-trials.html"><font size="1"><strong>Chinese Pharma and US Clinical Trials Partnership– HUYA, San Diego and Chipscreen, China</strong></font></a></h4>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/fda-to-detain-food-shipments-from-china.html"><font size="1"><strong>FDA to detain food shipments from China – Why not add some technology to the inspection processes?</strong></font></a></h4>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/mayo-clinic-says-goodbye-to-clinical.html"><font size="1">Mayo Clinic Says Goodbye to clinical services in the US</font></a></h4>  <p></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/melamine-nightmare-needs-to-be-fixed.html"><font size="1">The Melamine Nightmare Needs to be Fixed – Business Intelligence Could Help</font></a></h4>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/mike-leavitt-and-fda-commissioner.html">Mike Leavitt and FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach go to China for consultations</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/fda-to-detain-food-shipments-from-china.html">FDA to detain food shipments from China – Why not add some technology to the inspection processes?</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/china-wants-to-make-bricks-from-toxic.html">China wants to make bricks from toxic milk - melamine</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/business-intelligence-for-fda-on-way.html">Business Intelligence for the FDA on the way</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/broken-agency-china-and-fda.html">A Broken Agency – China and the FDA</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/09/medicine-is-low-tech-business-clinical.html">Medicine is a Low Tech Business - Clinical Studies still done on paper too!</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/fda-will-open-inspection-office-in.html">FDA will open inspection office in China this year</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/chinese-drug-firm-recalls-all-injection.html">Chinese drug firm recalls all injection products after deaths</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/fda-tiny-bit-of-melamine-ok-in-most.html">FDA: Tiny Bit of Melamine OK in Most Foods But we Still need better labeling and shipping documentation</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:26f7821b-30f6-487c-859c-0bd6f8626873" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/technology" rel="tag">technology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/tainted+food" rel="tag">tainted food</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/import%2fexports" rel="tag">import/exports</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/pharma" rel="tag">pharma</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/food+contamination" rel="tag">food contamination</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/server+banks" rel="tag">server banks</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/food+safety" rel="tag">food safety</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA+inspections" rel="tag">FDA inspections</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/busines+intelligence+software" rel="tag">busines intelligence software</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/China" rel="tag">China</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/outsourcing" rel="tag">outsourcing</a></div>

First US FDA office unveiled in Beijing

Here’s the ribbon breaking ceremony picture. Let’s all hope this is a success and hopefully some new technology will enter the picture as w...

10:18 AM

Removable Medical Device Results In Substantial Weight Loss And Glucose

<p>The reports on the device state that it contributes to both weight loss and normalization of blood glucose levels.  In the trials the device was in place for 12 weeks, and then removed.  <strong>The procedures takes around 30 minutes or so and is done endoscopically through the mouth</strong>.  The report stated that participants lost triple <a href="http://www.gidynamics.com/about_gidynamics"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="121" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSRA3G9V33I/AAAAAAAAJ7k/zlIB4HGKto0/image%5B10%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="244" /></a>the amount of weight normally lost with diet programs.  </p>  <p><strong>The patients with diabetes 2 experienced decrease in blood glucose levels and a reduction in diabetic medication.</strong>  This appears to be some exciting news on the war against obesity with a temporary device to help individuals lose weight and could be a viable alternative to the more invasive bypass surgery.  </p>  <p>The product is in clinical trials at present time and represents one more example of the move toward devices versus drugs in healthcare.  The fact that glucose levels drop and a reduced need for diabetic medication also is certainly very promising.  When seriously obese patients need an MRI for example, sometimes the procedure can’t be done due to patient size and weight.  BD  </p>  <p><em><font size="1">“Because it is designed to mimic the effects of gastric bypass surgery, the same metabolic control of diabetes documented after surgery may be realized with the EndoBarrier™. Eighty-four percent of patients immediately resolve diabetes with gastric bypass surgery, a phenomenon found to occur as a primary, specific, and direct effect of this surgery, not secondary to the weight loss. “</font></em></p>  <blockquote><a href="http://www.gidynamics.com/about_gidynamics"><img align="left" alt="image" border="0" height="129" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSRA35pC7KI/AAAAAAAAJ7o/goHnNXFaqhY/image%5B11%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="366" /></a>GI Dynamics, a medical device company pioneering the development of new approaches to treat obesity  and type 2 diabetes, announced today a paper appearing in the advance online publication of the journal Obesity, which demonstrates that  implantation of an innovative endoluminal sleeve mimics key, beneficial effects of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery, inducing substantial weight loss and improved metabolic function in rats with diet-induced obesity. The dramatic effects of the removable device on blood glucose levels in this animal model suggest an important role for the duodenum (the first part of the small intestine) and jejunum (the central part of the small intestine) in the regulation of this metabolic function. GI Dynamics is developing an endoluminal sleeve, known as the <strong><a href="http://www.gidynamics.com/endobarrier_technology">EndoBarrier" Gastrointestinal Liner</a></strong>, and is currently in late-stage clinical trials.</blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/130008.php">Noninvasive, Removable Medical Device Results In Substantial Weight Loss And Glucose Normalization In A Preclinical Model Of Obesity</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:77e467b1-8c6e-45b0-9b89-01b7f9f50bbf" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/obesity" rel="tag">obesity</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+devices" rel="tag">medical devices</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/weight+Loss" rel="tag">weight Loss</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/glucose" rel="tag">glucose</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/diabetes" rel="tag">diabetes</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/diabetes+2" rel="tag">diabetes 2</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/clinical+trials" rel="tag">clinical trials</a></div>

Removable Medical Device Results In Substantial Weight Loss And Glucose

The reports on the device state that it contributes to both weight loss and normalization of blood glucose levels. In the trials the device...

8:37 AM

And now a word from the CEO of Complete Genomics

<p>There are big companies investing in genomics as well, but as time progresses we could see a combination of efforts and some melt downs  occur.  Cerner healthcare just recently made the news by adding genomics capabilities to their lab software.  </p>  <p><strong>Complete Genomics</strong> has a little different business plan, not to sell the machines, but to run the DNA sequencing wholesale, in other words<img align="right" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SOsTS64tcVI/AAAAAAAAJXU/ZdiVYKx8aQE/image[4].png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px" /> run the queries, but no interpretations.  Another company would then take the results and prepare the appropriate interpretation for the consumer/patient or physician.  </p>  <p>The company has claimed soon that the price will be around 5k to run a complete DNA sequence based on their technology.  Good article from Venture Beat written by the CEO of Complete Genomics to acquaint you with and describe how genomic sequencing is going to impact healthcare and the treatments and cures for disease. BD  </p>  <p><em>“[Editor's note: As </em><a href="http://venturebeat.com/2008/11/18/2008/11/17/cancer-drug-developer-chemocentryx-cancels-ipo/"><em>we've reported</em></a><em>, the economic downturn and frozen IPO market have been especially tough on health care companies. But that doesn't mean innovation has slowed across the board. Below, Clifford Reid, chief executive of genome sequencing company </em><a href="http://www.completegenomicsinc.com/"><em>Complete Genomics</em></a><em>, discusses the financial concerns and direction of one of the most buzzed about life science sectors.]  </em></p>  <p><em>Genetics are no longer the mystery they once were. Regular people can now have their genomes read to determine their susceptibility to illnesses like diabetes, breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease. This has given them unprecedented power to take preventative steps.</em></p>  <p><em>My company, Complete Genomics, is working to make large-scale genome studies a reality. With the proper sequencing tools at their disposal, biopharmaceutical firms and research institutions will be able to advance diagnostics, drug discovery and clinical trials by years if not decades. In turn, this will lead to the creation of better, more personalized therapies and treatment strategies.”</em></p>  <p><a href="http://venturebeat.com/2008/11/18/the-genomic-frontier-personalized-medicine-in-action/">http://venturebeat.com/2008/11/18/the-genomic-frontier-personalized-medicine-in-action/</a></p>  <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/complete-genomic-sequence-5000-next.html"><font size="1">Complete Genomic Sequence $5000 Next Year – Wholesale</font></a></h4>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/genome-database-will-link-genes-traits.html"><font size="1">Genome Database Will Link Genes, Traits in Public View – George Church</font></a></h4>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/05/100-human-genome-sequencing-within.html"><font size="1">$100 Human Genome Sequencing Within Sight?</font></a></h4>  <p><font color="#669966" size="1"></font></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/04/zs-genetics-joins-chase-for-10m-x-prize.html"><font size="1">ZS Genetics joins chase for $10M X Prize -The Journal of New England Technology</font></a></h4>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/03/testing-for-disease-could-be-easy-as.html"><font size="1">Testing for disease could be easy as spit</font></a></h4>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/09/is-complete-personal-genome-sequence.html">Is a complete personal genome sequence worth $350,000?</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/08/future-of-personal-genomics.html">The Future of Personal Genomics</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/06/bt-and-x-prize-foundation-team-up-to.html">BT and the X PRIZE Foundation Team Up to Inspire World Changing Innovations – Personalized Medicine Sequencing</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/06/those-incredible-men-and-their-gene.html">Those Incredible Men and their Gene Machines..Personalized Medicine in the making…</a></h6>  <h6><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/05/polonator-dna-machine-for-150000.html">The Polonator - the DNA Machine for $150,000</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:15503b43-6697-4e6c-8eaa-b74f2c8315d2" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Genomics" rel="tag">Genomics</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Personalized+medicine" rel="tag">Personalized medicine</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/George+Church" rel="tag">George Church</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/X-Prize" rel="tag">X-Prize</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Personal+Genomics+Project" rel="tag">Personal Genomics Project</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Polonator" rel="tag">Polonator</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Sequencing" rel="tag">Sequencing</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/DNA+Testing" rel="tag">DNA Testing</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Health+Insurance" rel="tag">Health Insurance</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Complete+Genomics" rel="tag">Complete Genomics</a></div>

And now a word from the CEO of Complete Genomics

There are big companies investing in genomics as well, but as time progresses we could see a combination of efforts and some melt downs occ...

7:16 PM

Obesity – Top Priority for the CEO Council

<p>A couple weeks ago I posted an interview with Mike Milken and he addressed the same issue, weight and a few more items such as curing cancer.  In case you missed it, use the link below to follow, very good interview and recommended.  <a href="https://ceocouncil.wsj.com/participants.html"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="102" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSNscl_eayI/AAAAAAAAJ7g/igtGCqu3WAU/image%5B5%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="158" /></a></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/michael-milken-and-muhammad-yunus.html"><em><font size="2">Michael Milken and Muhammad Yunus – Discuss Healthcare and the Economy with Charlie Rose</font></em></a></h4>  <p>The uninsured, tort reform and the nursing shortage? Yeah, they matter. But obesity matters a lot more.  </p>  <p>That was the conclusion a bunch of CEOs reached today, in a meeting where they hashed out what they thought the president-elect’s top health priorities should be. </p>  <p>The looming disease burden associated with the epidemic, and all the costs and suffering it will entail, apparently pushed it ahead of other, frequently discussed health-reform issues.</p>  <p>The group — which included the CEOs of Pfizer, Novartis, WellPoint and the Mayo Clinic, among others — is part of the <a href="https://ceocouncil.wsj.com/participants.html">WSJ CEO Council</a>, a conference the Journal convened in DC this week.</p>  <p><a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/11/18/ceos-top-health-priority-obesity/">http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/11/18/ceos-top-health-priority-obesity/</a></p>  <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p>  <p><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/michael-milken-and-muhammad-yunus.html"><font size="1">Michael Milken and Muhammad Yunus – Discuss Healthcare and the Economy with Charlie Rose</font></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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:57b4acae-5f59-4e80-8360-c53c974d9428" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/obesity" rel="tag">obesity</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/CEO" rel="tag">CEO</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/priorities" rel="tag">priorities</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Washington+DC" rel="tag">Washington DC</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/CEO+Council" rel="tag">CEO Council</a></div>

Obesity – Top Priority for the CEO Council

A couple weeks ago I posted an interview with Mike Milken and he addressed the same issue, weight and a few more items such as curing cancer...

5:31 PM

Disfigured groin case settled – Flesh Eating Bacteria case at Washington Prison

<p> With all the recent concern about MRSA, this article goes to show that bacteria can be living anywhere, besides the hospital.  According to the article here, he was misdiagnosed and later it turns up he had the flesh eating bacteria infection and after the fact needed quite a bit of surgery to help restore the loss.  BD  </p>  <blockquote>   <p>A man whose groin was disfigured by a flesh-eating bacteria infection in prison has accepted a $300,000 settlement from the Washington Department of Corrections.</p>    <p>The 61-year-old man became ill in 2004 while serving time for threatening a neighbor.</p>    <p>By the time he was taken to a hospital, Manning had an internal abscess that required doctors to remove several pounds of flesh from his pelvic region.</p>    <p>Surgeons made a replacement penis with skin from his thigh.</p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/11/18/national/a090551S30.DTL&tsp=1">Wash. prisons, inmate settle disfigured groin case</a></p>  <p>Hat Tip:  <a href="http://www.boingboing.net/2008/11/18/lawsuit-over-inmates.html">Boing Boing</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:7b405d1c-91d0-4b3c-8f19-2bb533ae49d0" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Flesh+Eating+bacterial" rel="tag">Flesh Eating bacterial</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/MRSA" rel="tag">MRSA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/infections" rel="tag">infections</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/bacterial" rel="tag">bacterial</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/lawsuits" rel="tag">lawsuits</a></div>

Disfigured groin case settled – Flesh Eating Bacteria case at Washington Prison

With all the recent concern about MRSA, this article goes to show that bacteria can be living anywhere, besides the hospital. According to...

5:04 PM

GE Collaborates and will offer new web based version of Centricity EHR

<p> With collaborating with Mayo Clinic here, this gives an example of how “branding” of methodologies and information technologies serve to create additional income from the licensing of such by incorporating information from Mayo as an example to include decision making support software at the point of care, thus not having to leave the program to go to the web to search and locate needed information. </p>  <p>The new Digital Day One service appears to be web based and I am guessing included all the framework to integrate the hospitals and physicians.  Also mentioned is the fact that GE will be working harder to open the doors for other software to connect and integrate patient information.  There is no doubt this is the year for healthcare integration all the way from the EHR to the <a href="http://www.gehealthcare.com/usen/img_info_systems/centricity_clin_info/products/office_day.html"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="61" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSNi49_Lm6I/AAAAAAAAJ7c/c5EmraA7xqE/image%5B5%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="95" /></a>PHR.  BD  </p>  <blockquote>   <p>Waukesha, Wis.-based GE Healthcare has introduced three new information technology service offerings that it developed with clients. The company's <strong>Digital Day One service</strong> is a remotely hosted and scalable version of its <a href="http://www.gehealthcare.com/usen/img_info_systems/centricity_clin_info/products/office_day.html">Centricity Enterprise</a> clinical/financial/administrative information system. It is designed for new hospitals and physician practices being constructed in the U.S. and emerging markets.  </p>    <p>New consulting services are part of the package. Aspetar Hospital in Qatar and Qatar Science Foundation were pilot sites. With Intermountain Healthcare in Utah and Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, <strong>GE Healthcare has introduced a service to get published medical breakthroughs and best practices quickly to physicians at the point of care</strong>. Under the service, the vendor will update its clinical decision support systems with new treatment options developed at <strong>Intermountain and Mayo.</strong></p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/vendor_news27304-1.html?CMP=OTC-RSS">GE Collaborations Bear Fruit</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:3908c4c1-f54c-4a1f-bade-2f7d073a9fbc" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/GE+Healthcare" rel="tag">GE Healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/EHR" rel="tag">EHR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Centricity" rel="tag">Centricity</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospital+branding" rel="tag">hospital branding</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/hospital" rel="tag">hospital</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/integration" rel="tag">integration</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+records" rel="tag">medical records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a></div>

GE Collaborates and will offer new web based version of Centricity EHR

With collaborating with Mayo Clinic here, this gives an example of how “branding” of methodologies and information technologies serve to cr...

4:50 PM

Edwards Hospital in Chicago to Supply Practice management and EHR software for physicians

<p> One more hospital provided integrated services for physicians on staff and 40 with practice management software from the hospital.  </p>  <blockquote>Edward Health Service Corporation Selects Allscripts Electronic Health Record and Practice Management CHICAGO and <a href="http://www.allscripts.com/default.asp"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="61" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSNfzTwapaI/AAAAAAAAJ7Y/5UKxa7-wKQ4/image%5B5%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="113" /></a> NAPERVILLE, Ill., Nov. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Allscripts announced today that Edward Hospital & Health Services (Edward) will implement the company's Enterprise(TM) (formerly TouchWorks(TM)) Electronic Health Record (EHR) and Practice Management (PM) solution to automate and connect clinical and administrative processes for more than <strong>50 physicians</strong> and mid-level providers. Another 40 providers affiliated with the health system will implement Practice Management, initially without the Electronic Health Record component.</blockquote>  <p><a href="http://investor.allscripts.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=112727&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1227812&highlight=">Allscripts Investor Relations - News Release</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:474dad43-3d6e-4142-83c5-75c4a85aad82" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/EMR" rel="tag">EMR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/EHR" rel="tag">EHR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Integration" rel="tag">Integration</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medical+Records" rel="tag">Medical Records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Practice+Management" rel="tag">Practice Management</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Allscripts" rel="tag">Allscripts</a></div>

Edwards Hospital in Chicago to Supply Practice management and EHR software for physicians

One more hospital provided integrated services for physicians on staff and 40 with practice management software from the hospital. Edwar...

4:37 PM

New Hampshire Law Will continue to protect patient privacy – Drug information not provided for sales

<p>This indeed makes it much more difficult to pin down and see which physicians are using which drugs, but from their own internal sales information each drug company will have sales from drug stores, so the overall business from a pre set territory can be derived, so perhaps a new curve in Pharma marketing, work the territory and not the doctors, so in essence each physician should be receiving the educational materials needed without other marketing interference.  </p>  <p><strong>Many Pharma companies are beginning to outsource their sales force as well, with a 3rd party representing several drugs and perhaps even more than one manufacturer as well.</strong>  </p>  <p>From a prior post:</p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/09/merck-outsourcing-brings-in-contract.html"><font size="1">Merck Outsourcing - Brings in Contract Sales Force</font></a></h4>  <p><strong>If this continues in the outsourcing direction then a territory focus would seem to fall right in line with accomplishing sales methodologies and the individual doctor records may not bear perhaps as much importance at they do today, and I make this comment strictly with a marketing twist only.   We will know more as time goes on and observe the next wave.  BD  </strong></p>  <p>The federal appeals court in Boston upheld New Hampshire’s law barring the sale of doctor prescribing data, rebuffing the drug industry’s argument that the law infringes free speech.</p>  <p>Drug companies buy the detailed information on prescribing histories from companies like IMS Health and Verispan and use it for everything from tailoring doctor-specific sales pitches to calculating compensation for sales reps. The data houses are the ones challenging New Hampshire’s 2006 Prescription Information Law.</p>  <p>In a 51-page decision this afternoon, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit overturned a <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2007/10/03/drug-info-cos-sue-to-block-rx-privacy-laws/">lower-court decision striking down</a> New Hampshire’s data-mining ban as an unconstitutional violation of free speech. “In our view, the portions of the law at issue here regulate conduct, not speech,” Judge Bruce Selya wrote. </p>  <p><a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/11/18/new-hampshire-prevails-on-law-guarding-prescription-privacy/">http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2008/11/18/new-hampshire-prevails-on-law-guarding-prescription-privacy/</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:54b79e5f-982d-415a-bd7b-3ecc3f878a83" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Patient" rel="tag">Patient</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Privacy" rel="tag">Privacy</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Drugs" rel="tag">Drugs</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Pharma" rel="tag">Pharma</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Records" rel="tag">Records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Pharma+Marketing" rel="tag">Pharma Marketing</a></div>

New Hampshire Law Will continue to protect patient privacy – Drug information not provided for sales

This indeed makes it much more difficult to pin down and see which physicians are using which drugs, but from their own internal sales infor...

4:29 PM

The Economy – One more Reason to think about a Free PHR

<p>This is just one more thought here and with IT budgets being back burnered and cut at the upper levels, if you are in a medical practice, some of the technology may be put on hold, so if you want to have credible records at the office for no cost, try the PHR and educate patients.  </p>  <p>Even if you do not have an electronic medical records system, you can still view, print and even transfer information to a Word document to get you by until an EHR or EMR is affordable.  It sure beats the heck out all the paperwork too of having to ask patients to fill all of that information in over and over.  <a href="https://www.google.com/accounts/ServiceLogin?service=health&nui=1&continue=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fhealth%2Fp%2F&followup=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fhealth%2Fp%2F&rm=hide"><img align="left" height="38" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SGRPjPR9NVI/AAAAAAAAH30/dA55nv_qrf4/googlehealth%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" width="95" /></a></p>  <p>When you think about it,<strong> wouldn’t it be nice to have an entire records of a patient’s medications that have been imported from one of the drug stores?</strong>  Sure it would and also, wouldn’t it be nice to have the information sent to a specialist too with the patient opting to share?  Sure that would be great also.  <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>Wouldn’t it also be nice to see a record of blood pressure readings or glucose readings that have been added by a device you can buy at the drug store that is certified to work with MS HealthVault?  <strong>Again, credible information for free.</strong>  </p>  <p>If you are waiting for your place of work to begin with an integrated medical record system and things are put off, help yourself and patients too, and again it is free for all.  The pilot Medicare program for Arizona and Utah seniors starts January 1st, so there is one big push here, why, <strong>it is free</strong> and just costs a little time to learn how to use it and benefit, you will be miles down the road and it will help avert medical errors with credible information at your fingertips.  BD  </p>  <p></p>  <p></p>  <div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline; float: none;" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:c395538a-78b6-4402-b663-208dbea65f88" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/PHR+Pilot+program" rel="tag">PHR Pilot program</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Personal+Health+Records" rel="tag">Personal Health Records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/medical+records" rel="tag">medical records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/healthcare" rel="tag">healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/economy" rel="tag">economy</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medicare" rel="tag">Medicare</a></div>

The Economy – One more Reason to think about a Free PHR

This is just one more thought here and with IT budgets being back burnered and cut at the upper levels, if you are in a medical practice, so...

3:09 PM

Real Men Get Prostate Cancer – Hormone Therapy Observations

<p> Part of the cure for his cancer involves hormones and, yes he is getting a taste of what females deal with all our lives, but if it offers a cure for him, it is worth every minute.  Good article to read if this therapy would be applicable to you or someone you know as it offers a lot of information on what to expect.  BD</p>  <blockquote>   <p>Hormone therapy to shrink or slow the growth of prostate cancer is one of the most common treatments for the disease. New York Times editor Dana Jennings, who was diagnosed with prostate cancer earlier this year, talks about his own treatment with the drug Lupron. By Dana Jennings The day after my most recent hormone injection for prostate cancer, I told my wife, Deb, that I had a headache, hot flashes, cramps and was very, very hungry.</p>    <p>Those are just a few of the side effects I’ve been experiencing on Lupron, which is part of the hormonal treatment for my advanced case of prostate cancer. Lupron is a testosterone suppressant, designed to starve hormone-dependent cancer cells of the fuel (testosterone) that they crave in order to grow. My doctors believe, and studies indicate, that using hormonal therapy to complement my radiation treatments, which are scheduled to start next month, will give me a better chance of being cured, of survival.  </p>    <p>Essentially, my Lupron shots are inducing biochemical (but reversible) castration. Besides the hot flashes and shrinking testicles, another potential side effect is that a man’s breasts grow larger and more sensitive. Now, I’ll tell you straight up, no doctor ever sits you down and says, “Son, to cure you, we might have to kind of turn you into a woman.” I suspect that some men would almost rather die than have hot flashes and larger breasts.</p>    <p>You women remember kegeling — the contracting and relaxing of the muscles that make up the pelvic floor, exercises recommended before and after pregnancy. Well, prostate cancer patients need to do them, too, mainly to help improve bladder control.</p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/real-men-get-prostate-cancer/?partner=rss&emc=rss">Real Men Get Prostate Cancer - Well Blog - 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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:2f71e051-db95-4a53-b6cb-22918cff235d" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Cancer" rel="tag">Cancer</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Prostate+Cancer+Foundation" rel="tag">Prostate Cancer Foundation</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Therapy" rel="tag">Therapy</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Healthcare" rel="tag">Healthcare</a></div>

Real Men Get Prostate Cancer – Hormone Therapy Observations

Part of the cure for his cancer involves hormones and, yes he is getting a taste of what females deal with all our lives, but if it offers ...

2:50 PM

FDA and Face Filler Warnings…

<p> Well perhaps not a moment too soon this device was approved today and perhaps maybe an alternative  treatment.  BD  </p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/11/fda-clears-dpl-deep-penetrating-light.html"><font size="1">FDA Clears The DPL (Deep Penetrating Light) Therapy System For Over-the-Counter - Home Use</font></a></h4>  <p><font size="1">This looks very interesting, as it appears you can have both minor pain relief and work on your wrinkles at the same time, so you have a choice to</font><a href="http://www.ledtechnologies.org/info/products.aspx"><font size="1"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="176" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSL72NbOuHI/AAAAAAAAJ6o/JV7iMs8t9eE/image%5B8%5D.png?imgmax=800" title="image" width="244" /></font></a><font size="1"> strap on the unit or use it on the stand as shown below.</font></p>  <p><font size="1">The before and after pictures look pretty good for the treatment of wrinkles.  It certainly appears to be a move to devices from the standard creams and lotions that have been available in the past for both beauty and pain relief.  The special price shown on </font><a href="http://www.ledtechnologies.org/info/Product_DPL.aspx"><font size="1">the web site today is $349.00.</font></a></p>  <blockquote>(AP) -- Hundreds of thousands of baby boomer women who think they've found an antidote to aging in cosmetic facial fillers must be better informed of possible risks, government health advisers said Tuesday. A panel of independent advisers urged the Food and Drug Administration to revise the labeling to include the possibility of long lasting reactions such as bumps under the skin, blotches and scars. "It is almost a no-brainer," said Dr. Michael Bigby, a Harvard Medical School dermatologist. "The current label is not adequate." The gel-like fillers, which have become hugely popular in the last few years, are injected into the face to smooth away wrinkles.</blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.physorg.com/news146245592.html">FDA panel: Tell consumers about facial filler risks</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:79201ef9-8302-4065-9197-dff86d90a790" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/FDA" rel="tag">FDA</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Face+Fillers" rel="tag">Face Fillers</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/dermatology" rel="tag">dermatology</a></div>

FDA and Face Filler Warnings…

Well perhaps not a moment too soon this device was approved today and perhaps maybe an alternative treatment. BD FDA Clears The DPL (D...

2:43 PM

Clinical Trials in the US – Begin involving the physicians and patients at the point of care to achieve greater success and participation with Personal Health Records

<h6 style="font-family: arial;">   <p><span style="font-size:85%;">There are many companies out there who have some very elaborate data bases and software to connect participants and investigators; however, what appears to be <strong>missing here is the patient and physician involvement at the point of care.</strong>  </span></p>    <p><span style="font-size:85%;">When looking for new participants it makes perfect sense to use real time updated information and for this to be a success and done quickly, <strong>instituting this information at the point of care</strong> will serve to increase the number of available participants and also create an awareness for physicians as to what is available, something that is missing with bringing electronic medical records together with clinical trial information.  </span></p>    <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong><a href="https://trialx.org/"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="64" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SM3q6i3IgjI/AAAAAAAAI94/XSTIHld2Ht4/image%5B13%5D.png?imgmax=800" style="display: inline; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px;" width="244" /></a>This also brings to light, the need for clinical trial companies to help promote and embrace the use for personal health records,</strong> again, one more facet of bringing the point of care, physician and patient all to a technology “roundtable” at once.  Once this is promoted and accomplished, the job of locating qualified candidates and bringing the knowledge to all at once, it should stand to increase awareness as well well as participation.  </span></p>    <p><span style="font-size:85%;">One vendor is working in this area called <strong> </strong><a href="https://trialx.org/"><strong>Trialx.org.</strong></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">  Their up and coming service will allow you t connect with investigators from  both Google Health and Microsoft Health Vault.  The dashboard give both the patient and investigator a common dashboard and makes communication between both areas simple and easy, plus, if the patient’s other data changes, i.e. a new medication, just update the TrialX record with a new set of imported data, makes sense and is done with a few clicks and there are also alerts one can set up to alert of new trials and messages from the investigator.  The patient here has the control to initiate the communication with an investigator, thus from a trial standpoint,<u> potential clients are contacting the investigators</u>, thus putting aside figuring out how to get in touch with patients with some type of marketing plan, <strong>in other words the interest is already there from a patient to inquire about participation.  </strong></span></p>    <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><a href="https://www.google.com/accounts/ServiceLogin?service=health&nui=1&continue=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fhealth%2Fp%2F&followup=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2Fhealth%2Fp%2F&rm=hide"><img height="38" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SGRPjPR9NVI/AAAAAAAAH30/dA55nv_qrf4/googlehealth%5B1%5D.png?imgmax=800" width="95" /></a> <a href="http://www.healthvault.com/"><img height="40" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/DucknetServices/SM3q6TdZm-I/AAAAAAAAI90/u04OgRqDvPI/image%5B14%5D.png?imgmax=800" width="96" /></a></span></p>    <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><u>In short, it comes back around to the education processes</u>, so if we could align ourselves better with a bit more education processes, perhaps we could see the benefit of using real time information and at the same time further both physician and patient involvement in clinical trials before we end up losing more to other countries.  This is especially important with cancer trials as we all know.  BD  </b></span></p>    <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong>Below are a couple of trial companies in the news of late, for a simple comparison.</strong></span></p>    <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><b><a href="https://www.acurian.com/sitesloveacurian.html">Acurian Fast Fact:</a> </b>Sites call Acurian weekly and ask about buying patient recruitment from us directly. As a clinical trial manager, you can <b>feel confident </b>that bringing Acurian on board for patient recruitment will be well received by your sites. And that means your patient recruitment investments won't be wasted.</span></p>    <p><span style="font-size:85%;"><strong><a href="http://www.outsourcing-pharma.com/Clinical-Development/etrials-sees-losses-escalate-names-new-CEO">eClinical specialist etrials Worldwide</a></strong> saw its losses quadruple in the third quarter on the back of a dip in revenues and financial charges, including a $4m asset impairment charge related to goodwill. </span></p> </h6>  <p><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:85%;" >etrials, which makes software for electronic </span><span style="font-size:85%;"><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.outsourcing-pharma.com/content/search?SearchText=data+capture">data capture</a></span><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family: arial;"> and interactive voice response technologies, posted an operating loss of $6.1m – four times the year-earlier figure - on net service revenues of $3.7m for the quarter, which outgoing CEO Chuck Piccirillo described as “</span><i style="font-family: arial;">disappointing.</i></span>”</span> </p>  <p><strong><u>Related Reading:</u></strong></p>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/09/drugmakers-seek-to-cut-red-tape-to.html"><span style="font-size:78%;">Drugmakers Seek to Cut Red Tape to Speed Cancer Trials</span></a></h4>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/09/healthvault-personal-health-records.html"><span style="font-size:78%;">HealthVault Personal Health Records gets a Facelift - Match records and find clinical trials</span></a></h4>  <h4><a href="http://ducknetweb.blogspot.com/2008/10/google-health-online-services.html"><span style="font-size:78%;">Google Health Online Services – Connections Beyond Medications – Personal Health Records</span></a></h4>  <div style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline; float: none;" id="scid:0767317B-992E-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:3507f467-fee3-4259-a43b-0909ad77d836" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/PHR" rel="tag">PHR</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/personal+health+records" rel="tag">personal health records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Google+Health" rel="tag">Google Health</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Healthcare" rel="tag">Healthcare</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Technology" rel="tag">Technology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Health+2.0" rel="tag">Health 2.0</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Medical+records" rel="tag">Medical records</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Clincal+Trials" rel="tag">Clincal Trials</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/Microsoft+HealthVault" rel="tag">Microsoft HealthVault</a></div>

Clinical Trials in the US – Begin involving the physicians and patients at the point of care to achieve greater success and participation with Personal Health Records

There are many companies out there who have some very elaborate data bases and software to connect participants and investigators; howeve...

12:02 PM

UnitedHealth Group Purchases $3.2 Million in Tax-Exempt Obligations from Plumas Hospital District to Enhance Access to Health Care Services in Plumas County

<p> Earlier this year Plumas Hospital District a $326,357 grant to upgrade the hospital's telemedical capabilities as well.  BD  </p>  <blockquote>QUINCY, Calif., Nov 10, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Plumas Hospital District received $3.2 million in capital from UnitedHealth Group (UNH: unitedhealth group inc com News, chart, profile, more Last: 18.38-0.51-2.70% 2:27pm 11/18/2008 Delayed quote data Add to portfolio Analyst Create alert Insider Discuss Financials Sponsored by: UNH 18.38, -0.51, -2.7%) to help the hospital deliver quality health care services to the rural communities in Plumas County. The $3.2 million purchase of Plumas Hospital District's tax-exempt general obligation bonds is part of UnitedHealth Group's California Health Care Investment Program, a 20-year, $200 million commitment to provide access to capital for health care entities providing services to underserved, low-income and underinsured communities and populations throughout the Golden State.</blockquote>  <p><a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/UnitedHealth-Group-Purchases-32-Million/story.aspx?guid={FEDAE04F-ACBF-40EE-86D4-163EF04C38A3}">UnitedHealth Group Purchases $3.2 Million in Tax-Exempt Obligations from Plumas Hospital District to Enhance Access to Health Care Services in Plumas County - MarketWatch</a></p>

UnitedHealth Group Purchases $3.2 Million in Tax-Exempt Obligations from Plumas Hospital District to Enhance Access to Health Care Services in Plumas County

Earlier this year Plumas Hospital District a $326,357 grant to upgrade the hospital's telemedical capabilities as well. BD QUINCY, ...

11:30 AM

Further effects of Wall Street collapse -NYC Subway System To Cut Services

<p>Getting around in New York could present some challenges in the future with traveling on the subways.  BD  </p>  <blockquote>   <p>Sure, Mayor Bloomberg is a competent manager, but it's not hard to be competent when a booming financial sector swells your tax coffers. Anyone who thinks that New York City dodged a bullet because Bloomberg will probably get a third term needs to wake up. This is going to suck. The collapse of Wall Street and the hollowing out of old media means mondo tax shortfalls that can't be overcome by printing money.</p>    <p><a href="http://wcbstv.com/topstories/mta.subway.budget.2.867290.html">WCBSTV.com</a>: During the Thursday meeting, The MTA is expected to: completely do away with the "W" line, which runs from Queens to Manhattan, and the "Z" line, which runs through Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan. <strong>Also on the chopping block: service will be cut in half on the "G" line, which runs from Queens to Brooklyn; and the "M" line, which runs through Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens.</strong></p>    <p>Now, the "W" line, fine, we've actually barely heard of it. But the "G" is a low blow, since some of us actually live on it, and it's <em>already</em> the worst line in the whole system.</p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://clusterstock.alleyinsider.com/2008/11/crisis-fallout-new-york-is-going-to-suck">NYC Subway System To Cut Service</a></p>

Further effects of Wall Street collapse -NYC Subway System To Cut Services

Getting around in New York could present some challenges in the future with traveling on the subways. BD Sure, Mayor Bloomberg is a c...

11:12 AM

New Technology could diagnose cancer in 10 minutes at patient bedside

<p> It keeps getting smarter out there, and this looks to be something that I hope moves along very quickly, so instead of waiting days or weeks for blood tests, this could be done at bedside at the hospital, or for that matter even at the office perhaps down the road.  BD</p>  <blockquote>   <p>When you're sick, getting blood work done can be a long, expensive process. The current method involves a doctor or nurse <a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSMS7MbBSAI/AAAAAAAAJ7Q/o-nlJLUdajY/s1600-h/image%5B4%5D.png"><img align="right" alt="image" border="0" height="149" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/_v3zjJigoAPE/SSMS8e9zIPI/AAAAAAAAJ7U/DOmjwpFRL6E/image_thumb%5B2%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="153" /></a>drawing 10 to 15 milliliters of blood into several vials, multiple technicians analyzing that blood for many hours, and an end cost  of about $500 per test. With that in mind, how does this sound? A new chip can do the same work in <strong>10 minutes with one drop of blood, and it only costs "a nickel a protein," according to one of its developers.</strong> </p>    <p>The micro fluidic chip is being developed by James Heath, a chemistry professor at Caltech, and Institute for Systems Biology founder Leroy Hood. The chip performs the entire test, separating cells and proteins, and tagging the proteins so that they'll light up under a microscope if anything is found. The technology, they say, will make it possible for doctors to give a bedside diagnosis based on blood analysis, rather than having to wait a week. <strong>Even better, it analyzes blood when it's fresh, rather than letting the quality of the sample degrade, making it far more accurate.</strong></p> </blockquote>  <p><a href="http://dvice.com/archives/2008/11/new_blood-analy.php">DVICE: New blood-analyzing chip could spot cancer in 10 minutes from only one drop</a></p>  <p></p>  <p></p>  <p>Hat Tip:  <a href="http://www.medlaunches.com/cancer/fastest_cancer_detection_in_mi.php">Medlaunch</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-4b12-91E0-4F059A8CECA8:02c43b7e-3946-4578-a038-c4acbeb073b5" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent">Technorati Tags: <a href="http://technorati.com/tags/blood+test" rel="tag">blood test</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/technology" rel="tag">technology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/cancer" rel="tag">cancer</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/biology" rel="tag">biology</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/R+and+D" rel="tag">R and D</a>,<a href="http://technorati.com/tags/genomics" rel="tag">genomics</a></div>

New Technology could diagnose cancer in 10 minutes at patient bedside

It keeps getting smarter out there, and this looks to be something that I hope moves along very quickly, so instead of waiting days or week...

11:09 AM

Subscribe to: Posts ( Atom )