MedWorm provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest medical blog items that have been tagged with 'centers'. Sat, 03 Sep 2011 01:56:06 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5159832&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FMZZz09zPr9Q%2F Despite strong endorsements from public health officials, teenage vaccination rates for the HPV vaccine are trailing the other two vaccines recommended for teens and pre-teens, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The two vaccines approved to combat the human papillomavirus are Gardasil, which is sold by Merck, and Cervarix, which is sold by GlaxoSmithKline. To be specific, coverage was 49 percent for one dose of HPV vaccine; 63 percent for MenACWY, which protects against meningococcal meningitis; and 69 percent for the TDP vaccine, which guards against tetanus, diptheria and pertussis. Meanwhile, coverage increases for Tdap and MenACWY vaccines grew 13.3 percent and 9.1 percent, respectively. For girls who received the recommended three doses of HPV vaccine, covera... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5159832 Fri, 26 Aug 2011 12:25:02 +0100 5159832 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5158874&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F08%2Fwhat-goes-up-non-profit-hospital-ceo.html We have frequently discussed the disconnect between incentives, particularly total compensation, given to the leaders of health care organizations and their roles, or lack thereof, in improving the health care of their patients or the public. One measure of that disconnect is how leaders' pay continues to defy gravity while the economy continues to suffer, and health care dysfunction continues to fester.In particular, total compensation given to CEOs of ostensibly not-for-profit hospitals and hospital systems is increasingly passing the magic $1 million mark. A round up including two recent articles and others from the last four months that we have not discussed before revealed more "million dollar babies" amongst the ranks of these leaders.  (Note that most of the data... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5158874 Fri, 19 Aug 2011 18:37:00 +0100 5158874 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5118643&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdrug-manufacturer-issues-statement-banning-drug-used-for-lethal-injections%2F2011.08.11 A friend sent me a press release a few days ago and I still find myself thinking about it. Here in the United States capital punishment is still legal in many states and is performed, frequently, by lethal injection. Prisoners sentenced to death have an IV placed in their arm which is then infused with the following three solutions: A barbiturate like Sodium Pentothal or Nembutal, used to induce anesthesia A paralytic like pancuronium bromide or succinylcholine chloride, used to stop respiration Potassium chloride used to stop electrical conduction in the heart I remember a few years ago drug manufacturer Hospira, the producer of Sodium Pentothal, issued a statement that it disapproved of its drug being used in capital punishment.  But, that was as far as their opposition went and, alth... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5118643 Thu, 11 Aug 2011 14:00:36 +0100 5118643 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5069544&cid=t_125669_109_f&fid=38950&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.shockmd.com%2F2011%2F07%2F27%2Fthe-characteristics-of-outstanding-mentors%2F Buffer In Academia it’s common knowledge that a critical component of academic success in health sciences is promoted by a mentor. A lot of health science institutions have invested in formal mentoring programs for faculty and trainees. But what makes a mentor and outstanding mentor from the perspective of a mentee. What are the key characteristics of these outstanding mentors? From qualitative research of the important qualities of outstanding mentors as described by their mentees’ letters of nomination for a prestigious lifetime achievement award inmentorship, the key characteristics are: Admirable characteristics of mentors included descriptions of outgoing and interactive personalities, kindness, and justness as in ethical fair and honest It’s important how they guide th... Dr Shock MD PhD blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5069544 Wed, 27 Jul 2011 06:21:47 +0100 5069544 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=5008364&cid=t_125669_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FxQq6eLbUOGU%2F When I learned that HITECH included funds setting up the regional extension center system to support small medical practices in implementing EHRs, I thought, well, that sounds OK. I wasn’t thrilled, mind you, as I wasn’t optimistic that a government-sponsored organization would produce the quick EHR adoption process HITECH demands, but it wasn’t a bad thing. Since then, I’ve gone from mildly interested to downright irritated.  While I wasn’t expecting the RECs to blaze a path to glory, I thought it would be nice if they produced great educational materials and sessions, made themselves highly accessible to physicians and offered clear guidance on vendor selection. As far as I can tell, we’re largely zero for three. Yes, as a recent a recent study notes,... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=5008364 Thu, 07 Jul 2011 02:59:47 +0100 5008364 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992990&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FLVsy771S9hA%2F The FDA may want to yank the breast cancer indication for Avastin, but the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will continue to provide coverage, even if treatment amounts to off-label usage. “As long as doctors continue to prescribe it, we will continue to pay, even for an off-label use, until and unless some time in the future we decide to change our coverage policy. We have no such thing underway at this time,” a CMS spokesman tells us. “We often pay for off-label use of drugs, but not always.” The move will, no doubt, cheer many breast cancer patients and their loved ones, who feared the FDA would soon put Avastin out of reach (look here), now that an agency advisory panel unanimously voted - once again - to rescind the indication. The vote came earlie... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992990 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:36:13 +0100 4992990 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4992996&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FIKpuqSGxcXI%2F Good morning, everyone. And how are you today? Another beautiful morning is rising over the Pharmalot corporate campus. However, we will be rolling in the sidewalks early as we prepare for a long weekend on this side of the pond. Our modest agenda includes a dip in the pool, hanging with the short people, catching up on some research (with thanks to our sources) and one of our favorite sports - hunting for mice. What about you? Anything special planned? Maybe a ride in the country, a barbecue in the backyard or how about a day at the beach? This will be Independence Day, after all, so perhaps this is a good time to think of suggestions for trimming the national debt. The symbolism is heavy, yes? Whatever you do, have a great time and be safe. See you soon… Glaxo Kicks Off Sale Of OTC... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4992996 Fri, 01 Jul 2011 11:50:16 +0100 4992996 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4984446&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention-cdc-bloggers-join-the-better-health-team%2F2011.06.30 It is with great pleasure that I welcome our CDC colleagues to the Better Health blog team. Going forward, Better Health will feature content from the CDC blogs on a weekly basis, and our collaborative efforts will be highlighted on the CDC blog pages as appropriate. Better Health and the CDC share a common mission: to reach as many Americans as possible with scientifically accurate, trustworthy, and helpful medical information. As social media platforms (such as blogs, Twitter, and Facebook) become a gathering place for people seeking health information – it is important for experts to be able to provide content through these channels. The CDC’s relationship with Better Health is an excellent example of a public-private partnership that can magnify reach and relevance. By beco... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4984446 Thu, 30 Jun 2011 14:00:47 +0100 4984446 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4921498&cid=t_125669_107_f&fid=34860&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.corporeality.net%2Fmuseion%2F2011%2F06%2F09%2Fpublic-communication-of-science-and-technology%2F My impression of the first and only Public Communication of Science and Technology (PCST) conference I’ve attended (Malmö in 2008) was quite mixed. The academic quality wasn’t particularly high, there were pretty few theoretically interesting talks, not much surprising stuff, almost no nerds around, no sudden bursts of creativity — and new media were (with few exceptions :-) totally absent. The whole thing was smoothly organised but there was an aura of a public and business management hanging over the conference venue. I think these biannual meetings are a major hang-out for science communication managers. But things can change for the better. And even better if researchers and curators from science, technology and medical museums were to attend (there was almost ... Biomedicine on Display blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4921498 Thu, 09 Jun 2011 15:00:53 +0100 4921498 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4902521&cid=t_125669_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fovercrowding-er-spurs-new-facility-development Even before accounting for the mass influx of Americans rushing to hospitals’ emergency departments from healthcare reform, EDs are in serious need of fine tuning as over crowding and escalating inpatient costs are on the rise. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, emergency department visits increased 117 million from 2007 to 2008 and it shows no sign of slowing. No sticky read more (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4902521 Mon, 06 Jun 2011 12:21:14 +0100 4902521 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4893441&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FGKtYZzVjl7Q%2F With summer break right around the corner, more kids unsupervised at home, and prescription drug abuse on the rise, the National Family Partnership’s Lock Your Meds campaign offers tips for parents. Studies show that more teens start using drugs during the summer months – while unsupervised and with more free time. 70% of teens who abuse Rx drugs get them from family and friends. 68% of households do not properly secure their Rx medications. Studies show that unmonitored kids are four times more likely to engage in substance abuse. The distressed employment market makes it harder for teens to find summer jobs, leading to more boredom, restlessness and free time.  A new study surveyed 2,500 high schoolers and reported that one in four admitted to abusing Rx drugs. TIPS F... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4893441 Fri, 03 Jun 2011 13:39:43 +0100 4893441 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4872476&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fl6OCIRjRzwE%2F And so another working week is about to come to an end, which means we can daydream about weekend plans. Our modest agenda includes hanging out with the short people and catching up on some reading. What about you? Maybe a dip in the pool? A walk in the park? Perhaps gazing into the future? This side of the pond has a three-day break, of course, so there will be more time to indulge. Whatever you do, have a great time and see you soon… Novartis Found Not Liable For Jaw Disease (Reuters) Medco Loses Blue Cross Blue Shield Contract (Reuters) Trimeris Gets $5M In Roche Settlement (Triangle Business Journal) Pharma Protests UK Pricing Plan (Bloomberg News) AstraZeneca Confirms Endings Payments For Docs To Attend Meetings (Reuters) CMS Proposes Looser E-Prescribing Rules (Internal Medicin... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4872476 Fri, 27 May 2011 12:09:07 +0100 4872476 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4803525&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Ff59stkxE_2w%2F The unnecessary use of antipsychotics in nursing homes has been controversial for several years. Now, a report from the US Department of Health & Human Services Office of Inspector General finds that, in the six-month period from January through June 2007, 51 percent of Medicare claims for atypical antipsychotics were erroneous. This amounted to a $116 million series of mistakes. The OIG report was generated at the request of US Senator Chuck Grassley, who expressed concern that atypical antipsychotics - the newest generation of such meds - were being prescribed on an off-label basis, given that the side effects associated with the drugs include increased risk of death in elderly persons with dementia. Nursing homes are a big business for these drugs. But as the OIG notes, Medicare re... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4803525 Mon, 09 May 2011 21:25:07 +0100 4803525 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4797764&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F05%2Fwere-only-in-it-for-money-big.html Discussion of some examples of what may happen to whistle blowers is here.  The survey mentioned earlier (here) showed that about one-third of faculty fear they may be punished for speaking  out. Leadership of academic medical centers by businesspeople - Ill-informed management may result from leaders who have no background or training in actual health care.  Leaders of teaching hospitals and universities become millionaires -  A recent example is here, and more may be found here.  Leaders of academic medical centers and the parent universities of medical schools often make more than $1 million a year in the US.  When such amounts are in play, executives may focus more on short-term measures that lead to even more pay than on upholding the mission. M... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4797764 Sat, 07 May 2011 16:13:00 +0100 4797764 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4696691&cid=t_125669_109_f&fid=34761&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedblitz.com%2F%7E%2F25543067%2F0%2Fneuromarketing%7EIf-Your-Customers-Have-to-Wait.htm In years of running a direct marketing firm that included a small call center, my objective was to eliminate, or at least minimize, waiting time for phone customers. We knew (from those times when we didn’t have enough staff in place) that the longer callers waited to speak to a representative, the higher the probability [...] CommentsCommentsRelated StoriesWhat Don Corleone Could Learn from Guy KawasakiEnchantment: How Not to Suck at Business and LifeGetting High Boosts Cooperation (Source: Neuromarketing) Neuromarketing blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4696691 Mon, 11 Apr 2011 14:16:38 +0100 4696691 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4696591&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F04%2Fmedinformaticsmd-and-dr-roy-poses-in.html I have considered Dr. Roy Poses' Dec. 14, 2010 post "The Lancet Emphasizes the Threats to the Academic Medical Mission" (with its hyperlinks to source posts and articles) an excellent summary of many of the pathologies we address at Healthcare Renewal, especially with regard to the academic mission and the disruption of the integrity of the medical literature by commercial interests. His post is consistent with what might be considered our mission statement:Addressing threats to health care's core values, especially those stemming from concentration and abuse of power. Advocating for accountability, integrity, transparency, honesty and ethics in leadership and governance of health care.The Wall Street Journal published the following letter to the editor authored by me today in which I cit... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4696591 Fri, 08 Apr 2011 11:15:00 +0100 4696591 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4693245&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F04%2Fmedinformaticsmd-and-dr-roy-poses-in.html I have considered Dr. Roy Poses' Dec. 14, 2010 post "The Lancet Emphasizes the Threats to the Academic Medical Mission" (with its hyperlinks to source posts and articles) an excellent summary of many of the pathologies we address at Healthcare Renewal, especially with regard to the academic mission and the disruption of the integrity of the medical literature by commercial interests. His post is consistent with what might be considered our mission statement:Addressing threats to health care's core values, especially those stemming from concentration and abuse of power. Advocating for accountability, integrity, transparency, honesty and ethics in leadership and governance of health care.The Wall Street Journal published the following letter to the editor authored by me today in which I cit... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4693245 Fri, 08 Apr 2011 11:15:00 +0100 4693245 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4658620&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FA5SmUewYtH8%2F After months of anticipation, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has decided that the Provenge prostate cancer vaccine is eligible for reimbursement. The unsurprising decision comes just four months after a CMS advisory panel voted that Dendreon’s Provenge vaccine for advanced prostate cancer shows “clinically significant” improvement in survival (look here) The panel was convened, however, after the agency last year unexpectedly initiated a so-called National Coverage Determination in response to questions raised by Medicare contractors amid concerns over off-label use. Such a review was unusual, given that Medicare generally pays automatically for FDA-approved oncology meds (read here). For that reason, the CMS review set off a firestorm of protest that the agency wa... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4658620 Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:35:23 +0100 4658620 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4631477&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdocs.house.gov%2Fenergycommerce%2Fppacacon.pdf The following is a guest post by Nicole Sweeny, originally posted on Policy Mic on March 22nd. By Nicole Sweeny. In October 2010, seven months after the passage of health reform, hundreds of health care industry stakeholders gathered in an overcrowded conference room at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. They were all eagerly waiting to give their input on one of the most buzzworthy provisions of health reform: the Accountable Care Organization. Implemented by Section 3022 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, Accountable Care Organizations, or “ACOs,” are vaguely defined as groups of providers that will manage all aspects of care for the Medicare beneficiaries assigned to them (seniors over the age of 65 are eligible for Medicare). ACOs will have to meet q... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4631477 Thu, 24 Mar 2011 12:45:51 +0100 4631477 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4605822&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FS50dW8TusvQ%2F By Mary Grealy. An interesting comment was made today at the annual national health research forum sponsored by the non-profit organization Research! America, and it drove home the conflict lawmakers face in trying to balance deficit reduction against the need for quality healthcare and better preventive care. Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said that the ideal American, from a budget standpoint, “is one who dies at age 65 on the drive home from his retirement party.”  His comment gets to the heart of the budget conundrum.  If our healthcare system takes steps to help people live longer in their retirement years, then they consume more Social Security and Medicare resources. Yet, as Frieden also said, we should all be able to agree to t... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4605822 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 13:33:07 +0100 4605822 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4606053&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FM9vyesqva3w%2F Top of the morning to you. A sunny day is unfolding here on the Pharmalot corporate campus where, once again, we are hustling the short people off to the school house. And then we will catch up on reading some interesting documents. What about you? Meetings and deadlines beckon? Of course. To help you along, here are some tidbits from around the world. Have a great day, everyone… Genzyme In Talks To Conduct R&D In Russia (Reuters) UK’s NICE Backs Simponi Rheumatoid Arthritis Med (Dow Jones) CMS Declines To Change Coverage For Anemia Meds (Reuters) ITC To Probe Lilly Infringement Claim (Indianapolis Business Journal) Pfizer Reaches Tax Deal With School District (LoHud) Ireland Plans Pharma Research Center (Irish Independent) CALPERS Ends Talks With Medco (Associated Press) ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4606053 Thu, 17 Mar 2011 11:53:34 +0100 4606053 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592690&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FXgxfoXXmECM%2F How has Medicare been spending taxpayer dollars these last few years? What would you say if the federally funded health care program dished out more than $3.1 million to buy Pfizer’s Viagra and other impotence pills for seniors? Well, that’s what happened in 2007 and 2008, according to a new report from the US Department of Health & Human Services Office of the Inspector General. As you might imagine, this was not supposed to happen. Medicare “should not have covered these drugs,” George Reeb, acting deputy inspector general for audit services at the HHS wrote in a report released yesterday. And he recommended that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services work with the FDA to maintain and distribute a list of prohibited drugs. But what went wrong? The CMS bra... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592690 Tue, 15 Mar 2011 12:15:46 +0100 4592690 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592493&cid=t_125669_113_f&fid=34625&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FNeilVerselsHealthcareItBlog%2F%7E3%2FopWr_wehgR8%2F President Barack Obama has made plenty of mistakes in his first two-plus years in office, but none may be more serious for the future of America than his decision to install Donald M. Berwick, M.D., as a recess appointment to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in July 2010. Berwick really is a great choice to head CMS, but the underhanded nature of the recess appointment has provided fodder for all kinds of uninformed ideologues and assorted nut jobs to attack Obama’s healthcare reform efforts. Just as CMS is gearing up to release widely anticipated proposed regulations for Accountable Care Organizations, we get the sad news that that Berwick’s days are numbered. After refusing to allow Berwick to testify before the Senate last year, Obama renominated Berwick on Jan. 2... Neil Versel's Healthcare IT Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592493 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 18:21:58 +0100 4592493 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4592401&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnearly-12-million-cancer-survivors-in-the-u-s%2F2011.03.14 The number of cancer survivors in the United States increased to 11.7 million in 2007, according to a report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Women survive more often, and survive longer, according to the report. There were 3 million cancer survivors in 1971 and 9.8 million in 2001. Researchers attributed longer survival to a growing aging population, early detection, improved diagnostic methods, more effective treatment and improved clinical follow-up after treatment. The study, “Cancer Survivors in the United States, 2007,” is published today in the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. To determine the number of survivors, the authors analyze... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4592401 Mon, 14 Mar 2011 13:00:00 +0100 4592401 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560597&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FC7Wu-i1zM6o%2F Hello, everyone, and top of the morning to you. Another shiny day is unfolding here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, where we are hustling the short people off to their various school houses for some learning. And this marathon calls for a much needed cup of stimulation - our flavor today is Cinnamon Cream Swirl. Please join us as we also peruse the news for interesting developments. As always, we encourage you to contact us if you hear of something noteworthy. Meanwhile, have a great day… FDA Warns About Abbott HIV Med In Premature Babies (Reuters) Teva Says Docs Contacted For Generic Copaxone Study (Bloomberg News) FDA Accepts Application For Astra & Bristol Diabetes Drug (Associated Press) Japan Finds No Direct Link To Vaccines And Deaths (Reuters) FTC Takes Aim At Patent T... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560597 Tue, 08 Mar 2011 12:53:17 +0100 4560597 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560274&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fadvice-from-the-emr-trenches%2F2011.03.07 The latest from moi: “Implementing Electronic Medical Records: Advice from the Trenches” in the March/April 2011 issue of HIT Exchange magazine. An excerpt: The news released in late December from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that more than half of the nation’s physicians are now using electronic medical records (EMR)—double the adoption rate of just five years ago—is surely worth celebrating. Until, that is, you take a look and realize that just a fourth of office-based physicians have access to a “basic” EMR system including patient history, demographics, problem lists, clinical notes, and computerized physician order entry (CPOE), while just one in 10 has a “fully functional” system, which also includes the communication system required for me... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560274 Mon, 07 Mar 2011 23:00:00 +0100 4560274 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4560251&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FLizuL3o0-Bs%2F By Michael F. CannonIn a column for Kaiser Health News, Michael L. Millenson, President of Health Quality Advisors LLC, laments that conservatives in the U.S. House are approaching ObamaCare like, well, conservatives.  He cites comments by unnamed House GOP staffers at a recent conference: The Innovation Center at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services? "An innovation center at CMS is an oxymoron," responded a  Republican aide..."Though it's great for PhDs who come to Washington on the government tab." There was also no reason the government should pay for "so-called comparative effectiveness research," another said. "Everything's on the chopping block," said yet another. No government-funded comparative-effectiveness research?  The horror!  For my money, those staffers (and... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4560251 Mon, 07 Mar 2011 15:26:48 +0100 4560251 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4544970&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcdc-campaign-hasnt-slowed-inappropriate-antibiotic-use%2F2011.03.03 High rates of inappropriate antibiotic use continued despite a 15-year campaign by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) aimed at Michigan physicians and consumers on the dangers of antibiotic overuse. The Center for Healthcare Research & Transformation (CHRT) released an issue brief detailing overall antibiotic prescribing for adult Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBSM) members. (The project is a non-profit partnership between the University of Michigan and BCBSM.) While antibiotic prescribing in adults decreased 9.3 percent from 2007 to 2009, it increased 4.5 percent for children during the same time period. The studies found significant differences in prescribing patterns between rural southeast Michigan and the rest of the state, particularly for children. Chi... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4544970 Thu, 03 Mar 2011 16:00:00 +0100 4544970 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4540567&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnew-study-links-hpv-to-head-and-neck-cancers-in-men%2F2011.03.02 A new study finds that half of men in America are infected with the HPV virus. Dr. Jon LaPook reports on the growing concern that the virus in men could be responsible for an increase in head and neck cancers. HPV Affects Half Of U.S. Men A study out [yesterday] in The Lancet by Moffitt Cancer Center researcher Anna Giuliano, Ph.D., and her colleagues finds that 50 percent of men ages 18 to 70 in Brazil, Mexico, and the U.S. have genital infection with human papillomavirus (HPV).  HPV is the virus that causes cervical cancer in women. It also causes warts and cancer of the genitals and anus in both men and women. Over the past several years, researchers have realized that the virus can also cause cancer of the head and neck. Aimee R. Kreimer, Ph.D., of the National Cancer Institute, ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4540567 Wed, 02 Mar 2011 16:00:34 +0100 4540567 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4501583&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Ftheres-still-time-for-a-flu-shot%2F2011.02.21 It’s not too late to protect yourself and your family from the flu. Influenza is about to enter its peak season in the United States. Now is the time to be vigilant in protecting against and preventing the spread of flu. Washing your hands, staying home from work or school, and covering your cough can be incredible steps. But the most effective way to prevent influenza is to get vaccinated. If you haven’t had a flu shot, get one this week. Your child can be immunized if over six months of age, and remember that many children under age nine will need a second dose (booster shot). Find out how to determine if your child needs a second dose. 1o Things To Know About Influenza 1. Influenza peaks in February and March in the United States. Look at the CDC data that reflects ongoing in... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4501583 Mon, 21 Feb 2011 18:00:38 +0100 4501583 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4489672&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fadult-vaccines-most-doctors-dont-stock-all-of-them%2F2011.02.17 Less than one in three primary care practices offer all 10 recommended adult vaccines, citing a variety of financial and logistical reasons. Researchers sponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sampled 993 family physicians and 997 general internists. Of the respondents, 27 percent (31 percent of family practitioners and 20 percent of internists) stocked all 10. Results appear in the Feb. 17 issue of the journal Vaccine. The 10 vaccines were hepatitis A; hepatitis B; human papillomavirus vaccine (HPV); combined measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR); meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV4); pneumococcal polysaccharide (PPSV23); tetanus diphtheria (Td); combined tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap); varicella; and zoster. Of the responding practices, two percent plan... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4489672 Thu, 17 Feb 2011 19:00:00 +0100 4489672 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4489977&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FTtqj3J1HvPI%2F Hello and nice to see you again. Having successfully deposited one of the short people at the local schoolhouse, we are celebrating with yet another cup of stimulation. Please join us or grab a bottle of water, if you prefer, and get ready for another day of meetings and deadlines and who-knows-what-else. Meanwhile, here are some fresh tidbits. Have a good one and stay in touch… China To Help Domestic Drugmakers Expand Overseas (Global Times) AstraZeneca Pays $150M To Settle More Seroquel Lawsuits (Bloomberg News) Amgen Haunted By Medicare Worries (Forbes) Glaxo Cuts Neuroscience Jobs In North Carolina (MedCity News) UK’s NICE Endorses Celgene Blood Cancer Med (Reuters) Allergan Wins Wider Use For Lap-Band Device (Wall Street Journal) EU Parliament Approves Tougher Counterfeit ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4489977 Thu, 17 Feb 2011 13:03:30 +0100 4489977 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4478161&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FE4YxlSrSI60%2F The use of language is a subtle art. Ask any regulator. And the regulators at the FDA have determined that Novartis was a bit too subtle, perhaps, in trying to promote its Fluvirin vaccine for the flu. The agency recently issued a warning letter that chastised the drugmaker for distributing a sales aid and print advertisement that were deemed misleading. Specifically, the promotional materials incorrectly characterized a published recommendation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and implied the Novartis vaccine can be used in all age ranges covered by the ACIP recommendations, according to the FDA letter, which was issued on February 4. For the current flu season, the ACIP recommended annual vaccination including infants who ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4478161 Mon, 14 Feb 2011 13:22:30 +0100 4478161 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4472951&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-still-incredible-edible-egg%2F2011.02.12 Enriched chicken feed may have resulted in eggs having less cholesterol and more Vitamin D than previously measured, reports the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). A large egg today has about 185 milligrams of cholesterol, down 14 percent from 215 milligrams in 2002, according to new research from the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, reports USA Today. Also, an egg today has 41 international units (IUs) of Vitamin D, up 64 percent from 25 IUs measured in 2002. (That’s still only about 7 percent of the 600 IUs recommended per day.) The agency regularly does nutrient checks on popular foods, this time analyzing eggs taken from store shelves in 12 locations around the country. The American Egg Board said in a press release that hen feed is made up mostly of corn, soyb... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4472951 Sat, 12 Feb 2011 20:00:00 +0100 4472951 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4470410&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-still-incredible-edible-egg%2F2011.02.12 Enriched chicken feed may have resulted in eggs having less cholesterol and more Vitamin D than previously measured, reports the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). A large egg today has about 185 milligrams of cholesterol, down 14 percent from 215 milligrams in 2002, according to new research from the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, reports USA Today. Also, an egg today has 41 international units (IUs) of Vitamin D, up 64 percent from 25 IUs measured in 2002. (That’s still only about 7 percent of the 600 IUs recommended per day.) The agency regularly does nutrient checks on popular foods, this time analyzing eggs taken from store shelves in 12 locations around the country. The American Egg Board said in a press release that hen feed is made up mostly of corn, soyb... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4470410 Sat, 12 Feb 2011 20:00:00 +0100 4470410 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4438887&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmanaging-diabetes-in-real-time%2F2011.02.05 The cost of managing chronic diseases is the largest portion of healthcare expenditures in developed countries. For example, the prevalence of adult acquired diabetes has been rising in the United States, in concert with increasing rates obesity. The CDC has termed it an “epidemic,” especially in light of the massive costs incurred by the healthcare system due to diabetes. The deleterious health effects of many chronic conditions can be diminished by behavior modifications. While few would underestimate the difficulty of having patients lose weight or exercise more, good management of blood sugar in diabetes is both objectively measurable and strongly correlated with reduced end-organ damage. This is among the reasons why Research2Guidance has recently nominated diabetes as the conditi... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4438887 Sat, 05 Feb 2011 14:00:52 +0100 4438887 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4433151&cid=t_125669_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2Fixc6zW-_Npo%2F As many of you know, I get a lot of interesting emails. I generally try to respond to all the emails I get. In many cases, the topics work great for a post on this blog and will extend the discussion beyond the email. This is one such case. The following is an email from a student in one of the HITECH funded healthcare IT education programs and my response to them (published with permission). I’ll be interested to hear what others think about the topics we discussed and if you have any other suggestions for Jojo. I would like to ask your opinion about what will the graduates of the HIT education grant do after fiishing the 6 month course ? I am one of these students and I want to freelance after. I have 13 years of IT experience and none of heallthcare (except for my medical appointm... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4433151 Thu, 03 Feb 2011 17:20:43 +0100 4433151 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4433290&cid=t_125669_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2011%2F02%2F02%2Frisk-of-death-doubles-for-early-stage-ovarian-cancer-patients-who-are-not-checked-for-lymph-node-metastases%2F University of California Davis Cancer Center and California Cancer Registry researchers determined that the risk of death doubles for those women with apparent early stage ovarian cancer who are not checked for lymph node metastases. A team of University of California (UC) Davis Cancer Center and California Cancer Registry researchers determined that more than a quarter of women [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4433290 Thu, 03 Feb 2011 03:40:46 +0100 4433290 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4429002&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FPdhP0nUq2RI%2F By David RittgersThe Tennessee ACLU sent a letter to public schools warning them not to celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday. The Tennessee Fusion Center (H/T Uncle) put the communication on its map of “terrorism events and other suspicious activity”: “ACLU cautions Tennessee schools about observing ‘one religious holiday,’” the website’s explanation reads. Also among the map’s highlights: “McMinn County Teen Brings Gun to School,” and “Turkish National Salih Acarbulut Indicted in Chattanooga for Alleged $12 million Ponzi Scheme.” Mike Browning, a spokesman for the Fusion Center, said “that was a mistake” to label the ACLU letter as a suspicious activity. He said the Fusion Center meant to use the icon that means merely general information. The icon wa... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4429002 Wed, 02 Feb 2011 15:02:58 +0100 4429002 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4399507&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FNb9gopEJD8o%2F By David RittgersIf you haven’t seen it already, I recommend the Frontline report Are We Safer? Since September 11, 2001, the government has gone on a spending spree without any regard for fiscal federalism, dumping $31 billion into grant programs. The program is based on The Washington Posts’ Top Secret America article, “Monitoring America.” Watch it below: Much of this spending has gone to local pork projects or allowed state and local governments to avoid the realities of budgeting – spend federal counterterrorism dollars on normal law enforcement requirements while spending the local tax base on unsustainable pensions for public employees. For a tally of this excess, check out the Price of Peril, an interactive map showing homeland security spending by state, courtesy of the... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4399507 Tue, 25 Jan 2011 18:49:22 +0100 4399507 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4386301&cid=t_125669_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2011%2F01%2F22%2Funiversities-college-students-and-mental-health%2F With the recent tragedy allegedly perpetrated by suspended college student Jared Loughner in Tuscon, AZ, the role of colleges’ and universities’ student counseling centers has taken center stage. This is a little odd, given that Mr. Loughner attended a community college that lacked a student counseling center. Most community colleges — catering to part-time students who often have families or hold down full-time jobs — don’t seem to have the mental health counseling centers that most traditional universities and colleges have. Dr. Emily Gibson, a family physician who apparently works with students at a college, recently wrote a blog entry about mental illness in the college student. In this entry, she seems to bemoan the fact that students have come to expect ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4386301 Sat, 22 Jan 2011 13:47:23 +0100 4386301 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4377568&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhead-lice-fda-approves-new-treatment%2F2011.01.20 Good news for parents, teachers, pediatricians, and others engaged in the ongoing battle against lice: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just approved a new treatment for head lice in children age four and older. Called Natroba, it’s a liquid that is rubbed into the hair and allowed to sit for 10 minutes before being rinsed off. Natroba is a useful addition to the anti-lice arsenal, since some head lice have become resistant to permethrin and pyrethrins, the active ingredients in over-the-counter anti-lice products such as Nix and Rid. Head lice are tiny insects that go by the big name Pediculus humanus capitis. They thrive in the warm tangle of human hair, feeding off blood in the scalp and breeding with abandon. A female lays eggs called nits that she attaches to strands of hair.... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4377568 Thu, 20 Jan 2011 21:30:14 +0100 4377568 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4372247&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fsb2Jltl930U%2F At a time when the national deficit is a growing problem, Medicare could have saved $111 million on more than a dozen Part B outpatient drugs, but its system for identifying prices for lower-cost generics is inefficient, according to a new report from the Office of Inspector General at the US Department of Health and Human Services. Here’s how it works: Drugmakers must submit average sales price (ASP) data to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services within 30 days after the close of each quarter, and the data are used to calculate amounts to be paid for the following quarter. But this causes a two-quarter lag between when sales occur and payments reflect the sales, which the OIG says is “especially problematic.” That’s because the OIG found Medicare paid ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4372247 Wed, 19 Jan 2011 14:14:27 +0100 4372247 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4331116&cid=t_125669_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FtVPk1z9NXRg%2F Every Monday during the next 10 weeks we’ll discuss here what leading industry, science and policy experts –all of whom will speak at the upcoming 2011 SharpBrains Summit (March 30th — April 1st, 2011)– have to say about emerging opportunities and challenges to address, over the next 10 years, the growing brain-related societal demands. Without further ado, here you have what four Summit Speakers say… — Alvaro Pascual-Leone is the Direc­tor of the Berenson-Allen Cen­ter for Non-Invasive Brain Stim­u­la­tion at Har­vard Med­ical School. 1. How would you define “brain fitness” vs. “physical fitness”? Physical fitness can refer to an overall or general state of health and well-being. However, it is also often used more specifically to refer to the ability to perfor... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4331116 Mon, 10 Jan 2011 20:57:18 +0100 4331116 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4331241&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F8xGmflYIDG4%2F An unusual sideshow to the ongoing controversy over the Provenge prostate cancer vaccine has ended - for now - as a federal appeals court has rebuffed a long-running attempt by a group of investors and patients to force the FDA to turn over documents pertaining to the agency’s decision in 2007 to delay approval of the prostate cancer vaccine. The group, which calls itself Care To Live, hoped to overturn a federal court decision denying them access to FDA documents, which they believe may reveal the agency improperly handled the 2007 episode. At the time, the agency ignored the recommendation of its own advisory committee after two committee members privately wrote FDA officials not to approve the vaccine, which is made by Dendreon. Allegations subsequently emerged that the two panelists... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4331241 Mon, 10 Jan 2011 13:57:00 +0100 4331241 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4331242&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F0hEzGdmPUxo%2F Late last week, the Medicare contractor that provides coverage for several states unexpectedly posted a notice on its web site that it would no longer pay for Roche’s Avastin medication for treating breast cancer after January 29. But late Friday, Palmetto, which is a subsidiary of BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, did an embarassing about face and rescinded its decision (read this). The move came after the FDA last month began the process of removing the breast cancer indication for the medication following a review that found clinical studies indicated Avastin does not prolong overall survival in breast cancer patients or provide a sufficient benefit in slowing disease progression to outweigh significant risks. At the same time, there were serious side effects (see here). The... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4331242 Mon, 10 Jan 2011 13:22:01 +0100 4331242 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4322507&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpain-contracts-do-they-threaten-the-doctor-patient-relationship%2F2011.01.07 Doctors today are wary about treating chronic pain. One of the main worries is precipitating fatal opioid overdoses. Indeed, according to the CDC, and reported by American Medical News, “fatal opioid overdoses tripled to nearly 14,000 from 1999 to 2006 … [and] emergency department visits involving opioids more than doubled to nearly 306,000 between 2004 and 2008.” Requiring chronic pain patients to sign pain contracts is a way to mitigate this risk. But how does that affect the doctor-patient relationship? Indeed, a contract is an adversarial tool. Essentially, it states that a patient must comply with a strict set of rules in order to receive medications, including where and how often they obtain controlled substances, and may involve random drug testing. Break the contract and the ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4322507 Fri, 07 Jan 2011 20:00:11 +0100 4322507 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4322510&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Faverage-hourly-earnings-of-primary-care-relative-to-other-specialists-graph%2F2011.01.07 Here’s an interesting article, talking about stuff that’s not new to anyone who has read my blog for the last three years. The current relative value unit (RVU) system is a scam, perpetuated by a super-secretive group of subspecialists each  inflating their own worth for the benefit of themselves, at the expense of primary care. If you don’t understand what I’m talking about, first read about RVUs explained. Then come back and read this article put out by the National Institute for Health Care Management. It’s titled “Out of Whack: Pricing Distortions in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule.“ In his essay, Dr. Robert Berenson shows how distorted primary care specialties are paid, relative to other specialties, in an all Medicare practice with t... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4322510 Fri, 07 Jan 2011 14:00:00 +0100 4322510 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4318291&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2011%2F01%2Fwhy-would-directors-of-health-care.html We recently posted about 36 well-paid top executives in the University of California system, including leaders of medical schools, academic medical centers, and public health, who threatened a lawsuit if their pensions were not increased according to what they claim was a promise made to them in 1999.Riddle me this: why would a group of directors of for-profit corporations that provide health care goods and services. plus a director of a leading biotechnology trade group, and the director of a leading mutual fund family band together to support this demand, thus to push for bigger pensions for these top managers of the University of California system?Here is a list of the directors, and their corporations:-  Mark R Laret, director of Varian Medical Systems and Nuance Communicatio... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4318291 Thu, 06 Jan 2011 22:35:00 +0100 4318291 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4318333&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealthcare-spending-slowest-growth-since-the-great-depression%2F2011.01.06 Healthcare spending grew in 2009 at its slowest rate since 1938, according to a report published in Health Affairs. The last time America saw such a slow growth rate on health spending it was still emerging from the Great Depression and hadn’t yet entered World War II. The most recent recession is also the cause for the health spending figures, according to the annual report, released by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The report shows that the recession left a deeper impact than previous ones. Healthcare spending grew 4 percent to $2.5 trillion, outpacing the rest of the still recovering economy. Authors wrote that the recession contributed to slower growth in private health insurance spending and out-of-pocket spending by consumers, as well as a reduction in capita... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4318333 Thu, 06 Jan 2011 18:00:00 +0100 4318333 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4318548&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FOvCFdzNxo9M%2F For the second time in as many months, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is being sued by an organization that has deep suspicions about the reason the agency chose to conduct a so-called National Coverage Analysis of the controversial Provenge prostate cancer vaccine, which was approved last spring by the FDA. This time around, Judicial Watch is demanding that CMS hand over documents that the organization believes will shed light on the review process, which the organization contends may have been undertaken in an effort to begin rationing healthcare. In explaining the reason for filing its lawsuit, Judicial Watch maintains that “cost is the major factor in the unusual decision by CMS” (read the statement). The Dendreon vaccine costs $93,000 per patient, althou... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4318548 Thu, 06 Jan 2011 13:20:00 +0100 4318548 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4309544&cid=t_125669_83_f&fid=34856&url=http%3A%2F%2Finsidesurgery.com%2F2011%2F01%2Fcms-adds-website-aid-physician-comparison-selection%2F The Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) has launched the website Physician Compare that will by 2013 include outcomes measures on quality and patient satisfaction. (Source: Inside Surgery) Inside Surgery blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4309544 Tue, 04 Jan 2011 02:52:10 +0100 4309544 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4309612&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmaking-2011-meaningful%2F2011.01.03 Today, $27 billion in incentives begin for using electronic medical records, as office- and hospital-based providers begin to register for meaningful use criteria. Providers must use a certified system according to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid meaningful-use guidelines for 90 consecutive days within the first year of the program to qualify. Eligible professionals can receive up to $44,000 over five years under the program. There’s an additional incentive for eligible professionals who provide services in a Health Professional Shortage Area. To get the most money, Medicare-eligible professionals must begin by 2012. By 2015, Medicare-eligible professionals and hospitals that do not demonstrate meaningful use get punished. (more…) *This blog post was originally publis... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4309612 Mon, 03 Jan 2011 20:00:00 +0100 4309612 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4277798&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Fhigh-heels-short-skirts-and-recruiting.html Once again, you just can't make this stuff up.  Here is the New York Times description of new state of the art in recruiting donors for bone marrow transplant.On its face, it seemed reasonable enough: a bone marrow registry sending recruiters to malls, ballparks and other busy sites to enlist potential donors. But the recruiters were actually flirtatious models in heels, short skirts and lab coats, law enforcement officials say, asking passers-by for DNA swabs without mentioning the price of the seemingly simple procedure. And the registry, Caitlin Raymond International, was paying up to $60,000 a week for the models while billing insurance companies up to $4,300 per test. In New Hampshire, where prosecutors say thousands of people appeared to have provided swabs, the attorney general... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4277798 Tue, 21 Dec 2010 22:08:00 +0100 4277798 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4266267&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FrpFWtBGMpYA%2F This may seem like a moot point in some circles, but a group of activist investors and patients have filed a lawsuit against the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in hopes of forcing the agency to disclose its reasons for conducting a so-called National Coverage Analysis for the controversial Provenge prostate cancer vaccine. The move comes one month after a CMS advisory panel voted that Dendreon’s Provenge shows “clinically significant” improvement in survival as part of the NCA process, which was triggered by questions raised by Medicare contractors amid concerns over off-label use. Such a meeting is unusual, though, given that Medicare generally pays automatically for FDA-approved oncology meds. And so Care To Live, which is also locked in a legal battle with the FDA ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4266267 Thu, 16 Dec 2010 14:11:38 +0100 4266267 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4258807&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Flancet-emphasizes-threats-to-academic.html Discussion of some examples of what may happen to whistle blowers is here.  The survey mentioned earlier (here) showed that about one-third of faculty fear they may be punished for speaking  out.  Leadership of academic medical centers by businesspeople - Ill-informed management may result from leaders who have no background or training in actual health care.  Leaders of teaching hospitals and universities become millionaires -  A recent example is here, and more may be found here.  Leaders of academic medical centers and the parent universities of medical schools often make more than $1 million a year in the US.  When such amounts are in play, executives may focus more on short-term measures that lead to even more pay than on upholding the mission. ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4258807 Tue, 14 Dec 2010 21:30:00 +0100 4258807 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4258922&cid=t_125669_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F12%2F14%2Fsleep-tight-7-travel-tips-for-bedbug-phobia%2F “I don’t have bedbugs, Kenneth. I went to Princeton.” ~ Jack Donaghy, Character on NBC’s show “30 Rock” You probably have heard on the news about the problem with bedbugs in hotels. Nasty little things. They come out at night and suck your blood while you sleep. I like vampire stories as much as the next guy, but when it comes to my blood I am very possessive. I don’t want to share it with a bug. I assume you feel the same. You can learn more than you’d ever want to know about these creatures at the government’s CDC website here, but suffice to say that it is worth an ounce of prevention to cope with them beforehand, particularly this holiday travel season. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Environmental Protection Agency hav... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4258922 Tue, 14 Dec 2010 16:03:22 +0100 4258922 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4258808&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Fhealth-professionals-for-new-century.html A major article just published in the Lancet urged global reform of health care education  [Frenk J, Chen L, Bhutta ZA, Cohen J, Crisp N, Evans T et al. Health professionals for a new century: transforming education to strengthen health systems in an interdependent world.  Lancet 2010; 376: 1923-1958.  Link here.]The problems it recognized included"Pitifully modest" spending for health professional education, compared to overall health spendingHealth care systems that are "dysfunctional and inequitable," due in part to "commercialism in the professions," leading to "breakdown ... especially noteworthy within primary care, in both poor and rich countries."For profit medical education leading to "a so-called de-Flexnerisation process ... in which low-quality professional ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4258808 Mon, 13 Dec 2010 21:19:00 +0100 4258808 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4253137&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdecline-in-stroke-deaths-reinforces-brain-attack-prevention%2F2010.12.13 Stroke killed 2,000 fewer Americans in 2008 (the last year with complete numbers) than it did in 2007, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said yesterday in its latest annual Deaths report. That dropped stroke from the third leading cause of death in the United States to the fourth. Good news? Yes and no. It’s always good news when fewer people die. The reduction suggests a payoff for efforts to prevent stroke and improve the way doctors treat it. Yet the drop from third to fourth place is due largely to an accounting change. The CDC reorganized another category, “chronic lower respiratory diseases” (mainly chronic bronchitis and emphysema), to include complications of these diseases such as pneumonia. The change substantially increased the number of deaths in this c... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4253137 Mon, 13 Dec 2010 13:00:25 +0100 4253137 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4233133&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Fduke-divinity-students-protest-pay-of.html This may be a first.  A small group of Duke University divinity students publicly protested the compensation given to some top university leaders, specifically including the Chancellor for Health Affairs.  According to the Raleigh-Durham News-Observer:Theo Luebke strolled the plaza outside Duke's Bryan Center on Thursday afternoon with a bucketful of apples and a tale of woe.'Come on! Everyone's in this together! Get your apples!' he exhorted students passing by during the lunchtime rush. 'With all the cuts we have around here and all the bonuses we have to give to the big guys, we need to raise all the money we can.'Luebke isn't really the Depression-era fruit peddler his costume suggested. Luebke and a couple of other Duke divinity students hawked apples, ostensibly to raise mo... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4233133 Mon, 06 Dec 2010 22:58:00 +0100 4233133 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4230162&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fa-new-superbug%2F2010.12.04 Scientists have discovered a new, highly-transmissible gene that could, quite easily in fact, open a frightening new front in the ongoing global war against superbugs. The antibiotic-resistant gene, NDM-1, was first identified in 2008 a Swedish patient that had received hospital care in New Delhi. NDM-1 produces an enzyme that allows bacteria to destroy most antibiotics. It exists on plasmids, which are pieces of genetic material that are easily shared between bacteria including E coli and other species that can cause pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and blood stream infections. NDM-1 probably evolved in parts of India where poor sanitation and overutilization of antibiotics provide a perfect environment for the creation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The gene has been identified i... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4230162 Sat, 04 Dec 2010 15:00:17 +0100 4230162 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4225247&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Faddressing-healthcare-spending-%25e2%2580%259ccowardice%25e2%2580%259d-or-bravery%2F2010.12.03 In assessing the “best and worst” of the recommendations from the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility, Washington Post blogger Ezra Klein accuses the Commission of “cowardice” in addressing healthcare spending: “The plan’s healthcare savings largely consist of hoping the cost controls . . . and various demonstration projects in the new healthcare law work and expanding their power and reach. . . In the event that more savings are needed, they throw out a grab bag of liberal and conservative policies . . . but don’t really put their weight behind any. . .[their] decision to hide from the big questions here is quite disappointing . . . ” Pretty harsh words, considering that in other respects Klein gives the Commission high marks. But I think there is a lot mo... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4225247 Fri, 03 Dec 2010 21:00:00 +0100 4225247 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4225185&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Facademic-medical-center-crime-wave.html Every large group or organization has a few bad apples.  My web searches constantly turn up stories of individuals working in health care who behave unethically or commit crimes.  I do not generally discuss these cases on Health Care Renewal, since they seem unavoidable, and their sporadic appearance does not necessarily have anything to do with systemic problems in health care.However, in the last week, I noted four cases of rather exceptionally bad behavior by individuals working in large hospital systems, and the severity and proximity of these cases made me wonder if they reflect some new trend.Pennsylvania State University Faculty Member Charged with RapeAs reported by PennLive.com,Former Derry Township, Dauphin County, doctor Dr. Robert L. Yarwood stands accused of using hi... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4225185 Thu, 02 Dec 2010 22:16:00 +0100 4225185 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4219700&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Famerican-medical-schools-are-only-in-it.html We recently discussed the plight of young medical faculty.  It appears that their plight is even worse than we imagined.Last month, an abstract was presented at the Annual  Conference on Research in Medical Education at the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Medical Colleges, in a session entitled "Your Career is More than Your Specialty."  The citation would be: Pololi L, Ash A, Krupat E.  Faculty Values in the Culture of Academic Medicine: Findings of a National Faculty Survey.The authors described a large survey, of over 5000 faculty at 26 US nationally representative medical schools, done as part of the National Initiative on Gender, Culture, and Leadership in Medicine (known as C ‐ Change) project.  The overall response ra... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4219700 Wed, 01 Dec 2010 16:28:00 +0100 4219700 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4197069&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwhy-the-french-dont-go-to-the-gym%2F2010.11.23 Like their counterparts in other first-world countries, French people know about the health benefits of exercise. And French culture has emphasized, even worshipped, good looks (which these days translates to “fit and trim.”) So it’s surprising that the French avoid fitness centers as vigorously as factory-produced croissants. But they do. According to the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association, just 5.4 percent of French people were members of a fitness club in 2008. That’s substantially less than their counterparts in Italy (9.5 percent), the UK (11.9 percent), and Spain (16.6 percent). “It appears that more people are sitting in cafes smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee than working out … the French don’t see fitness as a lifestyle,” American-born f... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4197069 Tue, 23 Nov 2010 17:00:10 +0100 4197069 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4179286&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Fwho-you-gonna-call-how-should-young.html To prepare a workshop on conflicts of interest in health care, I wrote a case of a faculty member offered a proposition that might provide a conflict of interest:Consider a health care researcher called by a commercial health care corporation's marketing department. The department representative proposes paying the researcher as a consultant to write a scholarly article on a specific policy topic of interest to the company. The implication is that the article should be favorable to the interests of the corporation in this arena. The corporation would be delighted to give the researcher editorial and staff assistance in writing the article and getting it published.Who you gonna call?The researcher is concerned that getting this consultancy might be a conflict of interest. What organization ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4179286 Thu, 18 Nov 2010 20:17:00 +0100 4179286 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4175969&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FSEaiTmOqdjk%2F A closely watched meeting ended with….not much of a surprise. An advisory panel to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services voted that Dendreon’s Provenge vaccine for advanced prostate cancer shows “clinically significant” improvement in survival. The meeting was held just a few months after CMS unexpectedly decided to launch a so-called National Coverage Determination in response to questions raised by Medicare contractors amid concerns over off-label use. Holding such a move is unusual, though, given that Medicare generally pays automatically for FDA-approved oncology meds (see more here). At issue is whether coverage for the $93,000 treatment, which is the first such therapeutic cancer vaccine, is deemed reasonable and necessary. The drug was approved e... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4175969 Wed, 17 Nov 2010 22:25:44 +0100 4175969 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4175400&cid=t_125669_146_f&fid=34960&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsleepdoctor.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Freggie-white-sleep-disorder-centers.html The above is from the open h0use of the Tupelo branch of Reggie White Sleep Disorder Centers (Source: sleepdoctor) sleepdoctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4175400 Wed, 17 Nov 2010 00:04:00 +0100 4175400 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4167956&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fhealthcare-decision-making-and-don-berwicks-leaders-with-plans%2F2010.11.15 From a recent post of the Retired Doc’s Thoughts blog entitled “What Are the Plans Of Don Berwick’s ‘Leaders With Plans?’“: “I wonder which is worse: A medical leader recommending price controls out of ignorance of basic economics or being aware of the likely outcomes and mak[ing] that recommendation anyway?” Wow. I’m speechless. Thanks to Retired Doc for getting this out in a cogent summary. *This blog post was originally published at GruntDoc* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4167956 Mon, 15 Nov 2010 23:00:55 +0100 4167956 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4167960&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fmedical-malpractice-reform-would-doctors-accept-the-deal%2F2010.11.15 The bipartisan debt commission appointed by President Obama recently released its recommendations on how to pare the country’s debt. Of interest to doctors is the suggestion to change the way doctors are paid. Physician lobbies have been advocating for removal of the Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) formula — the flawed method by which Medicare, and subsequently private insurers, pays doctors. According to this method, physicians are due for a pay cut of more than 20 percent next month. According to the commission: The plan proposes eliminating the SGR in 2015 and replacing it with a “modest reduction” for physicians and other providers. The plan doesn’t elaborate on what constitutes a “modest reduction” in Medicare reimbursement. Meanwhile, the Centers for Medicare and Medicai... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4167960 Mon, 15 Nov 2010 15:00:26 +0100 4167960 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4168209&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fo0tgfBcltr0%2F On Wednesday, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will hold a widely anticipated meeting to review the controversial Provenge vaccine for prostate cancer. At issue is whether coverage for the $93,000 treatment, which is the first such therapeutic treatment, is deemed reasonable and necessary. Such a move is unusual, though, given that Medicare generally pays automatically for FDA-approved oncology meds. But nothing about Provenge has been usual – the FDA approval was mired in charges of conflicts of interest, agency conspiracies and stock manipulation. The very fact that CMS decided to review the vaccine prompted an outcry from some investors, patients and doctors, amid concern that coverage may be nixed, although others say the real issue is separating on-label use from of... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4168209 Mon, 15 Nov 2010 14:42:59 +0100 4168209 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4155399&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F8U5t5tpWzHs%2F The latest chapter in the Provenge saga emerged yesterday evening when the Agency for Healthcare and Research Quality issued an analysis of the prostate cancer vaccine, which is one of the most controversial medical and investor stories over the past three years. Not surprisingly, the report did little to quell the inflamed passions that characterize the debate over the Dendreon product. Why? The AHRQ determined there is only “moderate” evidence that Provenge helps patients. And the analysis was released just a week before a widely anticpiated meeting to be held by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, which is conducting its own analysis to determine coverage after questions were reportedly raised several months ago by regional Medicare contractors. The meeting, itse... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4155399 Thu, 11 Nov 2010 14:58:30 +0100 4155399 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4155402&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FB8VV4pLwrP4%2F Good morning, everyone. Another brand new day is under way here on the Pharmalot corporate campus, where the short people are showing signs of arriving at the local school house on time. This calls for a celebratory cup of stimulation and we invite you to join us. While you indulge, the news of the world awaits you. Have a great day and do stay in touch… J&J Holds Talks To Resolve Risperdal Probe (Dow Jones) Former Pfizer Exec Leaves CEO Job At Cellceutix (Xconomy) Novartis Halts Cancer Drug Trial (TheStreet) Medicare Chief To Make First Appearance Before Congress (Bloomberg News) Hawaii Sues McKesson And First DataBank Over Pricing (Honolulu Star-Advertiser) Activists Lobby India To Reject Obama Lobbying On IP And Meds (Pharmabiz) One Million More Kids Are Diagnoses With ADHD (... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4155402 Thu, 11 Nov 2010 13:08:24 +0100 4155402 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4133799&cid=t_125669_107_f&fid=34860&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.corporeality.net%2Fmuseion%2F2010%2F11%2F04%2Fbiomediation-in-museums%2F At the conference in September, Kim Sawchuk talked about why, in this micro-molecular age, we are still hanging on to the fantasy of travelling inside the anatomical spaces of our own bodies. Kim admits that she herself has become what she calls a ‘biotourist’, a person who visits medical museums in order to experience the sublime and grotesque landscapes of her own body. Kim pointed out that museums are part of the reproduction of this narrative of fictional travels through the body. She analyzed the fictions offered to the visitor through vectors in terms of their scale; how we are asked to mentally enlarge objects or shrink ourselves in order to understand the different levels of the biology of our bodies, or space; how the visitor’s movement through the exhibition affects her und... Biomedicine on Display blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4133799 Thu, 04 Nov 2010 10:24:56 +0100 4133799 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4133714&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Flight-shed-on-the-corruption-of-the-ruc%2F2010.11.03 Interesting [recent] front-page article in the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) about the American Medical Association’s (AMA) Relative Value Scale Update Committee (RUC). From the WSJ: Three times a year, 29 doctors gather around a table in a hotel meeting room. Their job is an unusual one: divvying up billions of Medicare dollars. The group, convened by the American Medical Association, has no official government standing. Members are mostly selected by medical-specialty trade groups. Anyone who attends its meetings must sign a confidentiality agreement. [...] The RUC, as it is known, has stoked a debate over whether doctors have too much control over the flow of taxpayer dollars in the $500 billion Medicare program. Its critics fault the committee for contributing to a system that spen... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4133714 Wed, 03 Nov 2010 18:00:00 +0100 4133714 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4124616&cid=t_125669_146_f&fid=34960&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsleepdoctor.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Fhow-to-find-medical-director-for-your.html I was recently contacted by a non-physician regarding how to find a medical director for a sleep lab she is opening. This sleep lab is not in my state (Mississippi). Here is my answer to her:You can try advertising- either on the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Job Board, or in one of the sleep journals (either "Sleep" or "The Journal of Clincal Sleep Medicine"). You can also post the position at the Annual Sleep Meeting.Another option is calling sleep physicians in your state (medical directors of existing sleep labs) and asking them if they are interested in being medical director of your sleep lab. (Source: sleepdoctor) sleepdoctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4124616 Tue, 02 Nov 2010 01:01:00 +0100 4124616 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4125008&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fvaccines-top-10-reasons-to-get-your-shots%2F2010.11.01 Vaccines have saved more lives than any other medical intervention in history. They are incredibly safe and effective and are well-tolerated by most people. In the US, the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) carefully reviews all reports of adverse reactions that could be associated with vaccines. Over decades of review, they have found that the rate of potential severe reactions is so low that they cannot even calculate a risk. There are many vaccines available for babies, children, and adults. Please check these vaccine schedules to make sure that you and your family are fully protected from vaccine-preventable diseases. (Or you can ask your doctor/nurse to review your vaccine needs with you in person.) Vaccines for ages 0-6 click here. Vaccines for ages 7-18 click here. Vac... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4125008 Mon, 01 Nov 2010 17:00:32 +0100 4125008 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4121850&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fscienceroll.files.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F10%2Fcdc-toolkit.jpg The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has published the newest “Health Communicator’s Social Media Toolkit.” From the CDC: A guide to using social media to improve reach of health messages, increase access to your content, further participation with audiences, and advance transparency to improve health communication efforts. The guide is truly fantastic, detailed, and comprehensive. *This blog post was originally published at ScienceRoll* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4121850 Sun, 31 Oct 2010 19:00:11 +0100 4121850 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4118930&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fteen-pregnancy-decline-is-likely-as-low-as-it-will-go%2F2010.10.29 Teen pregnancy rates have declined, but likely bottomed out, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Teen births dropped by a third between 1990 to 2005, but rose again in 2006 and 2007. The latest figures for 2008 show a decline of 2.4 percent, to 41.5 pregnancies per 1,000 teenagers. Experts told My Health News Daily/MSNBC the dropping rates have bottomed out, and that new strategies are needed to deglamorize teen pregnancy. Teen birth rates were consistently highest in states across the South and Southwest, and lowest in the Northeast and upper Midwest. In 2008, state-specific teenage birth rates varied widely, from less than 25.0 per 1,000 15-19 year olds (Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont), to more than 60.0 per 1,000 (Arkans... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4118930 Fri, 29 Oct 2010 16:00:00 +0100 4118930 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4105665&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnurse-anesthetists-allowed-to-work-without-doctor-supervision%2F2010.10.25 New Jersey’s state health department is considering a rule that would allow nurse anesthetists to work without a doctor’s supervision, as long as there’s a plan to reach one in case of an emergency. New Jersey would join the 30 states that allow nurse anesthetists to work without direct supervision. On the other end of the country, a California court upheld the state’s decision to opt out of a Medicare requirement that doctors be present while a nurse anesthetist works in order to be reimbursed. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have allowed states to opt out of that requirement since 2001. Since then, there has been no evidence of increased inpatient deaths or complications, researchers reported in the August 2010 issue of Health Affairs. Earlier this ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4105665 Mon, 25 Oct 2010 22:00:00 +0100 4105665 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4097942&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fprescriptions-on-the-rise-so-look-out-for-the-side-effects%2F2010.10.22 Eighty eight percent of Americans 60 years or older take at least one prescription drug and more than two-thirds of this age group take five or more, according to a report by the National Center for Health Statistics. Spending for prescription drugs totaled $234.1 billion in 2008 — more than double what was spent in 1999. The National Center for Health Statistics excerpted elements of its National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys to prepare the report: Other key findings include: – Over the last 10 years, the percentage of Americans who took at least one prescription drug in the past month increased from 44 percent to 48 percent. The use of two or more drugs increased from 25 percent to 31 percent. The use of five or more drugs increased from 6 percent to 11 percent.... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4097942 Fri, 22 Oct 2010 14:00:00 +0100 4097942 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4031306&cid=t_125669_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F10%2F04%2Fmental-health-awareness-week%2F So this is the 20th anniversary since Congress first established Mental Health Awareness Week as the first week in October. The effort to increase awareness about mental health is based in the history of numerous government reports and well-meaning workgroups and such that have found that stigma still exists surrounding the diagnosis of mental disorders. Surprise, surprise. Of course it still exists. People who’ve never encountered someone living with a mental illness still believe it’s the kind of thing that “happens to other people.” But it happens to a lot more “other people” than anyone realizes. In our lifetime, 1 in 5 Americans will have a diagnosable mental disorder. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention just announced last week that ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4031306 Mon, 04 Oct 2010 18:30:31 +0100 4031306 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4013112&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Fmore-tales-of-hospital-executive.html I have collected another series of stories from the wild and wacky world of health care executive compensation.  These are from three different hospitals/ hospital systems, ordered from smallest to largest.Jefferson HealthcareThis story, from Jefferson County, Washington state, came from the Peninsula Daily News:When Mike Glenn takes over the Jefferson Healthcare CEO office Oct. 4, he will be receiving $225,000 annually to run the 25-bed publicly funded hospital.And he will become the highest-paid public official in Jefferson County.Jefferson Healthcare's budget is $65 million, and it employs 360 full-time workers and about 550 part-timers.Note that the amount above is apparently salary, not total compensation, which could well be higher.Lakeland Regional Medical CenterThis story, fro... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4013112 Tue, 28 Sep 2010 19:24:00 +0100 4013112 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=4003432&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FQpD3J-Qg3ds%2F There is yet another twist in the ongoing and always interesting Provenge saga. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which last June issued a surprise decision to conduct a National Coverage Analysis, which will be used for coverage guidance by Medicare contractors, has released the questions to be answered at a Nov. 17 panel meeting and the focus is on on-label efficacy. The NCA, for those who may not recall, stunned all sorts of people because such reviews do not occur very often (see here and here). Dendreon execs subsequently downplayed the move by telling analysts NCA was sparked by concerns of off-label use, although CMS has been cryptic about its reasoning other than to point to the fact that Provenge is the first in a new class of treatments that use a patient’s... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=4003432 Mon, 27 Sep 2010 22:49:00 +0100 4003432 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3976499&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fchronic-fatigue-syndrome-plenty-of-speculation%2F2010.09.16 Humans love to find patterns in the world. Sometimes patterns exist, sometimes they are imaginary. Sometimes you can see a pattern that may be interesting and ignore its significance. As a resident I used to say that anyone who smokes three packs of cigarettes a day has to be schizophrenic. It was meant more as a joke when, in fact, it was later discovered that tobacco helps ameliorate the symptoms of schizophrenia. I need to pay more attention. Part of my job is to look for patterns as a key to the patients diagnosis. Diseases and pathogens tend to (more or less) cause reproducible signs and symptoms and looking for that pattern is often the most helpful clue towards finding the diagnosis. Of course things are never as easy as one would like, as you have to consider whether you are seeing... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3976499 Thu, 16 Sep 2010 12:00:00 +0100 3976499 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3973115&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FC6JmIOJ13uA%2F Earlier this year, the US Senate Finance Committee wrote to the US Department of Health and Human Services to complain that the agency wasn’t properly investigating complaints about pharmacies that are, essentially, fly-by-night operations and are billing millions of dollars to Medicare and private insurers - and then disappearing. Examples included: A Miami area pharmacy billed an insurer $26,000 for antipsychotics and inhalers during a three-day period, but the owners soon disappeared and the store was abandoned. A Los Angeles pharmacy billed $1.3 million under the Part D program over 18 months, more than double the Rite Aid pharmacy blocks away. Another Miami pharmacy billed an insurer $245,000 in false claims in less than three months, and the owner later bought a one-way ticket ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3973115 Wed, 15 Sep 2010 11:58:55 +0100 3973115 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3946400&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F09%2Flogical-fallacies-in-defense-of-million.html We recently posted about the latest example of generously paid health care leaders, million dollar plus hospital CEOs in the Baltimore area (here).  Such stories are appearing more often in the media, and increasingly generating skeptical, anguished, or angry responses.  Defending Millionaire Hospital CEOsSo it should be no surprise that the defenders of rich hospital CEOs are starting to rally.  The Baltimore Sun published two letters defending the million dollar plus compensation received by many local hospital CEOs.  But what arguments they made.First, let us examine in detail  the arguments made by Carmela Coyle, "president and CEO of the Maryland Hospital Association."  She opened with this description of hospitals as organizations:Famed management expert... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3946400 Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:23:00 +0100 3946400 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3942791&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpatient-safety-video-hand-hygiene-saves-lives%2F2010.09.07 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has produced a patient safety video about the importance of handwashing for hospital patients and their healthcare providers. The instructional piece entitled “Hand Hygiene Saves Lives” is available for hospitals to offer their newly-admitted patients. I think everyone should watch and learn: Source: CDC-TV (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3942791 Tue, 07 Sep 2010 16:00:57 +0100 3942791 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3925055&cid=t_125669_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2010%2F09%2F01%2Fu-s-president-barack-obama-proclaims-september-2010-as-national-ovarian-cancer-awareness-month%2F Yesterday, U.S. President Barack Obama designated September 2010 as National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month.  During National Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month, we honor all those lost to and living with ovarian cancer, and we renew our commitment to developing effective screening methods, improving treatments, and ultimately defeating this disease. The White House Office of the Press [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3925055 Wed, 01 Sep 2010 15:36:36 +0100 3925055 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3925092&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F6aH2dBf1AlQ%2F Now that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has caused a ruckus by unexpectedly conducting a so-called National Coverage Analysis for the Provenge prostate cancer vaccine, the agency last night posted an announcement on its web site that a Nov. 17 meeting will be held to review on-label and off-label use of the Dendreon product. The move comes shortly after two US Senators wrote CMS asking why an NCA was being undertaken, given that only three times in the past has the agency begun an NCA to examine potential off-label use of a new med approved by the FDA (see this). Judging from their letter, the pols seem to believe there is little likelihood of off-label use of Provenge, although Dendreon execs recently told analysts they believe CMS is, in fact, concerned with such usag... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3925092 Wed, 01 Sep 2010 12:27:32 +0100 3925092 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3920789&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F08%2Fmore-hospital-ceos-join-millionaires.html As we predicted, more stringent requirements by the US Internal Revenue Service for financial reporting by not-for-profit organizations, including hospitals and hospital systems, have produced an enlarging parade of revelations of obese pay packages for hospital leaders.  The latest report came out courtesy the Baltimore Sun:Baltimore-area hospital CEOs and presidents boast seven-figure salaries, club and gym memberships, and paid financial planning and tax services as part of compensation packages from their nonprofit employers.According to a survey of Baltimore-area hospitals, the highest-ranking executives were often the recipients of financial payouts and perquisites that many private-sector companies have abandoned in the face of intense public debate about excessive CEO pay. The... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3920789 Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:09:00 +0100 3920789 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3914998&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fcharitable-hospitals-being-sold-to-for-profits-to-survive%2F2010.08.30 More than one-fifth of hospitals are government-owned, but states and counties are out of cash to keep them open. So, charitable hospitals are being sold to for-profit groups or facing closures. Rising costs and more uninsured patients run smack into falling Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement. When bonds come due, there’s little chance of states and counties paying them back. And the facilities are often standalones, and they can’t fall back on corporate backing. This year, 53 hospitals have been sold in 25 arrangements. While the deals often stipulate that care for the poor continues, no one is certain exactly how or even whether such services will continue. That said, other charitable hospitals are making big profits. What are they doing differently? First, they’re co... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3914998 Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:00:00 +0100 3914998 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3915004&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbe-aware-of-heat-dangers-in-young-athletes%2F2010.08.29 With back-to-school time around the corner, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a warning about the risk for heat-related illness in young athletes, especially football players, the Los Angeles Times reports. Coaches and parents should be aware of the signs and symptoms of heat stroke, dehydration and other problems, and fluid replacement formulas should be used during practices and workouts, among other precautions, the LA Times said. *This blog post was originally published at ACP Internist* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3915004 Sun, 29 Aug 2010 15:00:00 +0100 3915004 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3907602&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-health-hive-is-it-ready-for-primetime%2F2010.08.26 Maybe not according to this report from the CDC. They studied Internet use with respect to adherence behavior and a number of health-related outcomes. It suggests that folks who diss the doc in favor of the Internet may not do as well as we think. This quote caught me: The data also revealed that personal determinants such as neuroticism (reflects anxiety and emotionality) and health-related poorer quality of life differentiated internet-instigated non-adherent respondents from their counterparts. More plainly put: If you trust your life to an anonymous guy on Twitter with the handle @YourHealthGuru, you might not do as well as if you partnered with a trained professional. Or perhaps I’m reading too much into the study. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3907602 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 16:00:05 +0100 3907602 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3907782&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FdhMhoMraD94%2F The latest people to object to the recent decision by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to open a National Coverage Analysis of the Provenge prostate cancer vaccine happen to be two US Senators. John Kerry and Arlen Specter, Democrats from Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, respectively, wrote an Aug. 20 letter to the agency questioning the rationale for the review and voicing suspicion the move will lead to restricted coverage. At issue is the extent to which CMS believes coverage is reasonable and necessary. As noted previously, an NCA is uncommon for new drugs, but CMS officials have ranged from silent to vague in explaining their decision. Although marketed for $93,000, price is not supposed to factor into the analysis. Presumably, the undertaking was prompted by regional ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3907782 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 12:04:50 +0100 3907782 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3895834&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F08%2Fmaking-community-health-agency-into.html As we predicted, it seems that the US Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) increased reporting requirements for not-for-profit organizations are leading to more examples of the coziness now prevalent among the top leaders of such organizations.  The latest entry in this new parade comes from a story in the Bradenton (Florida) Herald about a not-for-profit community health agency whose mission is to provide health care to the poor and disenfranchised:Providing medical services to the indigent and uninsured in Manatee and Sarasota counties has financially benefitted some of Manatee County Rural Health Services Inc.’s officers, board members and their families, records show.The nonprofit agency has paid nearly $2 million in recent years to businesses owned by board members, officers, emplo... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3895834 Mon, 23 Aug 2010 20:30:00 +0100 3895834 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3865268&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Famerican-cancer-society-only-a-fundraising-ad-right%2F2010.08.13 EDITOR’S NOTE: Following Gary Schwitzer’s HealthNewsReview.org August 11th blog post below entitled “American Cancer Society: ‘Only’ A Fundraising Ad, Right?”, the American Cancer Society pulled its “Screening Is Seeing” ad the next day. See Schwitzer’s follow-up post “Screening Is Seeing” Ad By American Cancer Society-Cancer Action Network (ACS-CAN) Is Pulled” and a related article by Mary Carmichael of Newsweek: ”The American Cancer Society’s Misleading New Ads.” Also see “Common Themes In The Alzheimer’s Test Stories And The Cancer Society Screening Ad” by Schwitzer. (ORIGINAL POST) American Cancer Society: “Only” A Fundraising Ad, Right? A well-intentioned ad campaig... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3865268 Fri, 13 Aug 2010 12:00:32 +0100 3865268 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3858157&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fbaby-boomers-are-bypassing-primary-care%2F2010.08.11 Office-based practices are focusing increasingly on patients 45 and older, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In 2008, those 45 and older accounted for 57 percent of all office visits, compared to 49 percent in 1998. Prescriptions, scans and time spent with the doctor also became increasingly concentrated on those middle aged and older, according to data from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics. Also, physician visits increasingly concentrated on medical and surgical specialists and less on care provided by primary care practitioners for those ages 45 and older. Furthermore, for patients ages 65 and older, the percentage of visits to primary care specialists decreased from 62 percent to 45 percent from 1978 to 2008, while the percentage of visits ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3858157 Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:00:00 +0100 3858157 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3822918&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwe%25e2%2580%2599re-making-fewer-babies-what-to-expect%2F2010.08.04 Recently I ran into the office manager for one of Houston’s largest pediatric practices. New patient visits are way down and their doctors are looking for ways to keep business rolling. The same day I picked up this piece in the Wall Street Journal which shows declining admissions and doctor visits as a national trend. This is bad news and shows how our faltering economy is finally working its way more visibly into healthcare. And apparently we’re making fewer babies –- admissions to neonatal intensive care units are down. This is a problem. For large tertiary medical centers and hospitals specializing in maternal-child health, babies are the critical customers of a healthy operation. A few thoughts on what to look for (or dare I say, what to “expect”) with fewer ba... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3822918 Thu, 05 Aug 2010 01:11:40 +0100 3822918 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3816761&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F7n1Wk8OF9tg%2F In a sharply worded letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, the American Society of Clinical Oncology takes the federal agency to task for conducting a coverage review of the Provenge prostate cancer vaccine. You may recall that CMS unexpectedly disclosed plans for a National Coverage Analysis in late June in response to inquiries from regional Medicare programs about the novel therapy. Ever since, CMS has been bombarded with comments from patients, doctors and investors, among others. The vast majority express concern that CMS will somehow limit coverage next year, although a review of the $93,000 annual price tag per patient is not supposed to factor into the review (back story). In his letter, ASCO ceo Allen Lichter complains the reasoning given for the review is wa... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3816761 Tue, 03 Aug 2010 12:26:29 +0100 3816761 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3802342&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F07%2Fhospital-ceo-as-debt-collector.html Last year we noted that the US Internal Revenue Service (IRS) required more detailed reporting starting in 2009 by US not-for-profit organizations. Many US health insurance companies/ managed care organizations, most hospitals, nearly all medical associations, nearly all disease advocacy organizations, all health care charities, and nearly all medical schools are not-for-profit organizations. We suggested then that this reporting might lead to more transparency about the leadership and governance of these organizations.  The 2009 990 forms seem to be trickling into public view, sometimes leading to some striking disclosures about how US not-for-profit health care organizations are lead.The California Watch blog just reported about the interesting part-time job of a hospital CEO:The fo... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3802342 Thu, 29 Jul 2010 22:17:00 +0100 3802342 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3795053&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FJqmh-OvPe3Q%2F After much anticipation, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services last night issued its new rules on the bundling payment system for meds used to treat anemia. The bottom line is that after the rules goes into effect, the use of anemia drugs - notably, Amgen’s Epogen - will likely drop, which was expected. But the agency did offer one surprise: some oral meds will be exempt until 2014. Right now, Medicare pays a set fee for each dialysis treatment, but drugs such as Epogen are reimbursed separately. This sparked controversy because hospitals and clinics had more incentive to use more Epogen, which racked up $2.65 billion in sales last year. But widespread use is not only a big expense for Medicare, but also a concern ever since studies found such drugs were linked to heart ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3795053 Tue, 27 Jul 2010 14:43:05 +0100 3795053 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3776438&cid=t_125669_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F07%2F21%2Fwanted-crisis-hotline-stories%2F Crisis and suicide hotlines are the backbone of most civilized nation’s response to suicidal individuals and are often the “first line” of intervention and response. Surprisingly, very little large-scale research has been conducted on the effectiveness of suicide hotlines, whether they actually save people’s lives, and what kind of followup they provide for individuals in crisis. In one recent research study, Mishara et al. (2007) found that suicide hotline call center quality and the nature of their interventions varied considerably. The researchers also found that call centers tended to do little systematic quality assurance to ensure that volunteers who man the suicide hotlines are conducting interventions according to their initial training. They also found tha... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3776438 Wed, 21 Jul 2010 17:42:18 +0100 3776438 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3757866&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fdr-don-berwicks-patient-centered-medicine%2F2010.07.15 There’s been a bit of buzz in the health blogs over President Obama’s decision last week to use the mechanism of a recess appointment to be the director of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Recess appointments, for those who may not be aware, allow a President to put a nominee in place when Congress is in recess in order to have him in place without the messy process of having him approved by the Senate. True, the Senate still has to approve a recess appointment by the end of its term, or the seat goes vacant again, but it’s an excellent way to avoid having nasty confirmation fights during election years. Of course, both parties do it, and the reaction of pundits, bloggers, and politicians tend to fall strictly along partisan lines. If you support the President, t... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3757866 Thu, 15 Jul 2010 12:00:36 +0100 3757866 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3753826&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-free-stuff-of-healthcare-reform%2F2010.07.14 It happened. Guilty. I confess. Reading about Dr. Berwick’s recess appointment to lead the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) induced me to watch a Fox news clip. Gosh, I feel bad about it. It felt good, though. Patients — that’s you and me — should know that CMS controls doctors, nurses and especially hospital/practice managers. They are ten times more scary than the radar patrol car on the highway. Dr. Berwick likes the British system of healthcare delivery. In Europe healthcare is free, and everyone likes free stuff. Free stuff happens all the time, doesn’t it? In Cambridge, Mass — at Harvard — free stuff for all seems a plausible tenet. There must be a lot of coffee shops and free time in Cambridge. In the real world — on Ma... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3753826 Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:00:00 +0100 3753826 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3737295&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FQ0qrV9urFMY%2F The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is unexpectedly conducting a national coverage analysis of the Provenge prostate cancer vaccine (back story), but what do private insurers think? A new survey of medical and pharmacy directors from 50 national and regional insurers finds two-thirds do not have concerns the vaccine is available, but 65 percent may restrict patient access in some form. At the time the survey was conducted last month by Reimbursement Intelligence, 80 percent of the respondents hadn’t yet reviewed the Dendreon vaccine, but 74 percent expected to require some form of prior authorization - such as documented use of two courses of hormonal therapy - with only 19 percent indicating no restrictions. And 46 percent would not reimburse without prior chemotherapy... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3737295 Thu, 08 Jul 2010 12:21:35 +0100 3737295 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3733298&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FyHqkGt3oVBA%2F The unending quest to ensure that the Provenge prostate cancer vaccine is approved and readily available to patients has seen a group of activists - some are investors and some are patients - take on various federal agencies, from the FDA and the National Cancer Institute to the Department of Justice and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Along the way, they have filied lawsuits and complaints (background here and here). Now, they are targeting the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which last week issued a surprise notice that an analysis would be conducted to determine whether covering the Dendreon vaccine is reasonable and necessary (back story here and here). In announcing its move, CMS indicated it was responding to “informal inquiries,” which Wall Street ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3733298 Wed, 07 Jul 2010 12:08:39 +0100 3733298 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3729876&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fnew-study-shingles-vaccine-is-safe-and-effective%2F2010.07.06 Shingles (herpes zoster) is no fun. It usually begins with a couple of days of pain, then a painful rash breaks out and lasts a couple of weeks. The rash consists of blisters that eventually break open, crust over, and consolidate into an ugly plaque. It is localized to one side of the body and to a stripe of skin corresponding to the dermatomal distribution of a sensory nerve. Very rarely a shingles infection can lead to pneumonia, hearing problems, blindness, brain inflammation (encephalitis) or death. More commonly, patients develop postherpetic neuralgia (PHN) in the area where the rash was. The overall incidence of PHN is 20%; after the age of 60 this rises to 40%, and after age 70 it rises to 50%. It can be excruciatingly painful, resistant to treatment, and can last for years or eve... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3729876 Tue, 06 Jul 2010 19:00:19 +0100 3729876 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3721958&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fp4Eet0gDYQY%2F The decision by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to review Dendreon’s Provenge prostate cancer vaccine caused investors to dump the stock in after-hours trading Wednesday night. Most analysts believe CMS will ultimately decide in favor of providing coverage, but initiated its review because Provenge is a novel treatment. Cost is not supposed to be a determinant, although the $93,000 price tag is an eye opener (back story here and here). Investors, however, are not the only ones who are upset. CMS is encouraging public comment and, not surprisingly, many patient remarks have already been filed. Whether some comments were made by stealth investors or insiders can be debated if you wish. Nonetheless, here is a smattering… “I am amazed that your agency will t... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3721958 Fri, 02 Jul 2010 19:01:12 +0100 3721958 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3729957&cid=t_125669_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2010%2F07%2F02%2Fshould-working-with-recs-be-an-emr-stimulus-requirement%2F I know that many of you don’t read all of the past comments made on this site. So, I’m sure many of you missed when DonB asked Bobby Gladd the following question: Could you explain your statement at the end of the fifth concern: “I would have added another MU criterion: require working with the RECs as a condition of incentive money eligibility;” Bobby, from this REC blog, offered the following well thought out answer: HHS is spending nearly a billion dollars on us RECs, yet we then have to go out and “recruit” providers, doing months of cold-call sales? That just opens the government up to right-wing charges that Obama is simply blindly throwing money around at cross-purposes. Many vendors and VARs see us as “competition,” which, in my view, is why ... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3729957 Fri, 02 Jul 2010 15:30:38 +0100 3729957 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718697&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FlMT1GNwF2yc%2F Last night, the latest chapter in the Provenge saga was unexpectedly written - the news that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services was reviewing coverage for the Provenge prostate cancer vaccine sent Dendreon shares plunging as much as 23 percent in after-hours trading. Coupled with manufacturing constraints that are causing rationing, investors were caught off guard. That’s because a National Coverage Determination usually isn’t issued for cancer treatments. In fact, an NCD is uncommon for new drugs, in general. What likely prompted this move were requests from local Medicare providers, or what RW Baird analyst Chris Raymond calls “local fiscal intermediaries.” Why? Remember that Provenge is unusual in that it works by stimulating a patient’s own ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718697 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:36:12 +0100 3718697 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3718400&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2F%25e2%2580%259cnaturopathic-oncology-a-new-specialty-of-pseudoscience%2F2010.07.01 On “wholistic” medicine If there’s one aspect of so-called “alternative medicine” and “complementary and alternative medicine” (CAM) is that its practitioners tout as being a huge advantage over what they often refer to sneeringly as “conventional” or “scientific” medicine is that–or so its practitioners claim–alt-med treats the “whole patient,” that it’s “wholistic” in a way that the evil reductionist “Western” science-based medicine can’t be. Supposedly, we reductionistic, unimaginative physicians only focus on disease and ignore the “whole patient.” Of course, to me this claim is belied by the hectoring to which my own primary care physician has subjected me about my horrible diet and lack of exercise on pretty much every visit I’ve had wi... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3718400 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 12:00:53 +0100 3718400 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714442&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FkbaEvFLNUu4%2F Nothing like an after-hours plunge in a stock. Dendreon shares fell as much as 23 percent this evening after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced it is reviewing the prostate cancer vaccine to determine whether national coverage is “reasonable and necessary,” but a final decision won’t be made for an entire year. The stock later regained some of its losses to close at $26.69, but remains well below its 52-week high of $57.67 on May 3. The agency will take public comments through July 30 “on the evidence regarding the effects of this treatment on health outcomes in patients with prostate cancer,” according to a statement, adding that it is “particularly interested in clinical studies and other scientific information relevant to the ... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3714442 Thu, 01 Jul 2010 00:24:51 +0100 3714442 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714187&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fpreventive-health-tip-get-vaccinated-for-whooping-cough%2F2010.06.30 California recently declared an epidemic of whooping cough (pertussis) which resulted in the death of five infants under the age of 3 months. The pertussis vaccine, which is already given routinely to infants, is first given at 2 months of age, then 4 months and 6 months of age, with an additional booster at 15 to 18 months of age, and then again at 4 to 6 years old. The vaccines for Bortella pertussis bacteria, which causes whooping cough, does not confer lifelong immunity. In other words, fully-vaccinated children who then become teenagers and then adults lose immunity, can acquire the infection and then spread it. Should babies acquire pertussis, as the public has discovered, it can be deadly. The persistent cough tires the baby, causes difficulty breathing, and can make them turn blue ... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3714187 Wed, 30 Jun 2010 14:00:00 +0100 3714187 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3714284&cid=t_125669_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2010%2F06%2F29%2Femr-challenges-faced-by-recs%2F I’ve been meaning to write a post linking to BobbyG’s blog for a while and just never got around to it. If you follow the comments on here, you’ll have seen many of BobbyG’s comments as well. The thing that first struck me about Bobby was his sincere and thoughtful comments on the challenges that the RECs face. Here’s some of his thoughts on REC Challenges: Critics bemoan a lack of prior HIT deployment and QI experience among some REC awardees (as well as the heterogeneity of business models); While 60 REC contracts have thus far been awarded, with the newly chartered RECs frantically ramping up to meet the rather compressed Stage One Meaningful Use incentive payment timelines, both the requisite Meaningful Use reporting criteria and the EHR (Electronic Healt... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3714284 Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:41:15 +0100 3714284 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3671695&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fwho-and-h1n1-conflict-of-interest%2F2010.06.17 On June 11, 2009, Dr. Margaret Chan, the director general of the World Health Organization (WHO), declared that the H1N1 flu that was then spreading around the world was an official pandemic. This triggered a series of built-in responses in many countries, including stockpiling anti-viral medications and preparing for a mass H1N1 vaccination program. At the time the flu was still in its “first wave” and the fear was that subsequent waves, as the virus swept around the world, would become more virulent and/or contagious –- similar to what happened in the 1918 pandemic. This did not happen. At least our worst fears were not realized. The H1N1 pandemic, while serious, simmered through the winter of 2009-2010, producing a less than average flu season, although with some worrisome differe... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3671695 Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:00:41 +0100 3671695 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3672034&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2F7CpBD1Qpr10%2F Once again, a battle looms over the cost of treating wet age-related macular degeneration. An unpublished study shows Medicare can save more than $500 million annually by using Avastin, instead of Lucentis to treat the illness, The Wall Street Journal reports. The disclosure underscores a heated debate that has embroiled federal officials and Genentech, which sells both drugs, for years. Why? Avastin is not approved to treat the eye disease, which is a leading cause of blindness among the elderly. Lucentis is approved, but Avastin is much cheaper. For instance, the study found Avastin, which is used in 65 percent of Medicare patients but only 40 percent are treated with Lucentis. But Medicare paid $537 million for Lucentis in 2008 and only $20 million for Avastin, the Journal writes. Put a... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3672034 Thu, 17 Jun 2010 13:13:18 +0100 3672034 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3678586&cid=t_125669_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2010%2F06%2F16%2Frec-sharing-or-lack-thereof%2F There was a pretty interesting thread posted to a LinkedIn group about the RECs. Here’s some comments that will make you think a little bit about the RECs and in particular the RECs working together (or not). It is understandable that REC’s must adapt their programs to the communities they plan on serving….Healthcare is local. However, living in Florida, where there are 4 REC’s, I expect some things to be consistent…for example the implementation process should include the same pre-implementation workflow worksheet. Unfortunately, this may not happen. We know that ONC is asking that the REC’s play nice and share best practices. However, as a consultant that is talking with 3 of the 4 REC’s about a role….one REC leader in Florida asked me&#82... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3678586 Wed, 16 Jun 2010 19:59:38 +0100 3678586 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3648495&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fthe-return-of-mumps%2F2010.06.10 I write this post with a great deal of trepidation. The last time I perused the Medical Voices website I found nine questions that needed answering. So I answered them. One of the consequences of that blog entry was the promise that Medical Voices was poised to “tear my arguments to shreds.” Tear to shreds! Such a painful metaphor. They specified that the shred tearing would be accomplished during a live debate, rather than a written response. While Dr. Gorski gave excellent reasons why such a debate is counterproductive, I am disinclined for more practical reasons. I am a slow thinker and a lousy debater and have never, ever, won a debate at home. If I cannot win pitted against my wife, what chance would I have against the combined might of the doctors and scientists at Medical Voices... Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3648495 Thu, 10 Jun 2010 14:00:03 +0100 3648495 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3633445&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=39187&url=http%3A%2F%2Fgetbetterhealth.com%2Fprescription-drugs-and-high-school-students%2F2010.06.06 A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that one in five U.S. high school students have taken a prescription drug that they didn’t get from their doctor. According to the 2009 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) that was released today from the CDC, the survey asked more than 16,000 high school students if they’ve ever taken a prescription drug such as Oxycontin, Percoset, Vicodin, Adderall, Ritalin and Xanax. (more…) *This blog post was originally published at Health in 30* (Source: Better Health) Better Health blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3633445 Sun, 06 Jun 2010 12:00:16 +0100 3633445 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3632328&cid=t_125669_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2F8UP7zpEkYB8%2F I’ve previously posted a number of posts about the RECs. However, I found this guest post by Bobby Lee was interesting since it looked at how the RECs could significantly influence the EMR vendor market. I’ll be interested to hear your thoughts. There’s EMR shopping list being created across the country – about sixty of them. Whether or not your favorite EMR vendor makes these lists may determine the vendor’s future viability. Let me explain. HITECH Act established Health Information Technology Extension Program which in turn established Health Information Technology Regional Extension Centers (REC). ONC awarded 60 RECs across the country in two rounds of funding (first on 2/12/2010 and second on 4/6/2010) totaling $642 million. Collectively RECs are charged w... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3632328 Fri, 04 Jun 2010 18:45:22 +0100 3632328 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3595680&cid=t_125669_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2Fx70ShBxHWJ4%2F Sorry if you’re bored, but I’m still completely obsessed interested in the RECs and how they’re using millions of government dollars. From what I’ve seen most RECs are really getting the cart before the horse. From what I’ve seen most (if not all) of the RECs are out their doing RFPs with various EMR vendors and they are trying to narrow down their list of EMR vendors that they’ll support. Ok, yes I know they’re going to support all EMR vendors, but there’s going to be a different level of support for those EMR vendors for whom the RECs do group purchases with and “promote” in their REC. I just don’t see what kind of RFP a REC could be sending to an EMR vendor. How would an EMR vendor even respond? Does the RFP say, we need ... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3595680 Tue, 25 May 2010 15:30:20 +0100 3595680 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3573786&cid=t_125669_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2010%2F05%2F17%2Fguest-post-healthcares-challenging-with-meaningfully-using-an-emr%2F Tom Chernitsky has over 15 years experience in the fields of Document and Information Management. He is currently President of File Management Solutions, LLC, which offers a variety of solutions for helping Practices digitze their paper files to be linked into an EMR system. As we SLOWLY progress towards the Government putting in place an actual plan to fulfill the goals set forth for Healthcare in the American Recovery and Reinvestment act of 2009, the backlash seems on the verge of overtaking the talk of actual good that would be achieved. Perhaps it’s because without a clear plan, everyone has had the opportunity to focus on the negatives. Maybe it’s because many think that by the time a plan is in place, it will already be 2020. Or it could just be the general fact that no one lik... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3573786 Mon, 17 May 2010 13:58:15 +0100 3573786 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3560496&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2Fas95V6glgzI%2F Containing drug development costs and speeding compounds through the pipeline is always a big issue, but clinical trials are becoming more expensive anyway. Why? One answer is the increasing complexity of the studies - the number of procedures for each clinical trial rose 49 percent from the 2000 to 2003 period to the 2004 to 2007 timeframe, and the total effort per protocal jumped 54 percent. For instance, the average number of eligibility criteria used to screen volunteers rose 58 percent, which contributed to a 21 percent decline in volunteers enrolling in trials. But the larger number of procedures per protocol dissuades volunteers from completing trials - retention rates dropped 230 percent, according to the Tufts Centers for the Study of Drug Development, which reviewed data from 8,... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3560496 Thu, 13 May 2010 15:15:35 +0100 3560496 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3519409&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Finvestigations-indictments-and-guilty.html Some of the US most prestigious academic medical centers have been receiving unusual scrutiny lately.Mount Sinai Medical Center and New York - Presbyterian Hospital.As reported first by the Wall Street Journal,Federal prosecutors are investigating allegations that bid rigging and fraud at Mount Sinai Medical Center and New York-Presbyterian Hospital resulted in the hospitals awarding contracts worth tens of millions of dollars to outside contractors.Purchasing officials at the hospitals, two of the city's largest and most prestigious, are alleged to have gotten more than a million dollars in payments from companies that were then given lucrative contracts to perform work such as re-insulating pipes and removing asbestos, according to documents filed in the Southern District of New York. Ni... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3519409 Thu, 29 Apr 2010 22:29:00 +0100 3519409 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3515338&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FH78JrwFZ7EQ%2F By Michael F. CannonPopular discontent with ObamaCare extends even so far as the traditionally left-of-center Columbus Dispatch editorial page: Almost daily, the ill effects of the health-care overhaul passed by Congress last month are becoming apparent. As employers and government bureaucrats analyze the law’s effect on bottom lines for the private sector and for government, the alarm bells are ringing. The tragedy is that these ill effects could have been and should have been calculated before the law was passed, not after. In fact, many of them were prophesied before passage of the bill, but the prophets were ignored by President Barack Obama and the Democratic majority in Congress. That’s because their uppermost goal was not to pass the best health-care bill possible but me... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3515338 Wed, 28 Apr 2010 20:05:13 +0100 3515338 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3515517&cid=t_125669_129_f&fid=36038&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.everydayhealth.com%2Fblog%2Ftrevis-life-with-multiple-sclerosis-ms%2Fthe-art-of-living-with-ms%2F “Nature abhors a vacuum”, Rabelas said; and so do I! Multiple sclerosis has carved our big gaping chunks from our lives; be it our career, family, activity or some other joy-giving entity.  MS leaves holes; some large some now so.  How to fill them? That question was one of the first to enter my mind once the initial slide abated (read about 6 months post Dx).  It’s still one with which I struggle and suspect that many others do as well. For me, writing, gardening, and volunteer work with the National MS Society (along with the extra time everything seems to take with MS) have filled much of the time I used to spend working; but not all of it.  I’ve learned that many people with MS have turned to art (in many forms) to not only fill the void of available time but to help either... Life with MS blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3515517 Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:13:50 +0100 3515517 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3515481&cid=t_125669_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2010%2F04%2F22%2Fpossible-rec-business-model%2F As I said before, I’m finding the EHR RECs very intriguing right now. Thus a few extra posts about the RECs. First, thanks for those who have been helping update the EHR REC wiki page. There’s still a ways to go, but little by little we’ll get all of the RECs listed in one space. From what I can tell, and as evidenced by this CalHIPSO REC blog, these REC organizations have A LOT on their plate. First, they have to meet the mandates of the government (which I’ll talk about more another time). Second, they have to create an organization that didn’t really exist previously (for the most part). Third, they have to look at a long term business model for when the government funding for EHR RECs runs out. Not a simple task. I find the third item pretty interesting si... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3515481 Thu, 22 Apr 2010 16:03:00 +0100 3515481 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3494265&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Ffailed-leaders-of-citigroup-as-leaders.html When we began this blog, I never dreamed I would do so much writing about finance and the financial services sector of the economy, but,...  The Governance of CitigroupThe discussions and revelations generated by the global financial collapse/ great recession continue to provide insights into the ongoing health care crisis.  Let me start with a small item from the Dow Jones Newswire this week:The California Public Employees' Retirement System said it opposes the re-election of two Citigroup Inc. (C) directors, in part because of their roles in the recent financial crisis. The nation's largest public pension fund, which owns about 61.2 million Citigroup shares, plans to cast 'withhold' votes for board nominees Andrew Liveris, chairman and chief executive of Dow Chemical Co. (... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3494265 Wed, 21 Apr 2010 18:30:00 +0100 3494265 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3490709&cid=t_125669_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2010%2F04%2F20%2Fehr-regional-extension-centers-recs%2F Every day I’m seeing little pieces of information come out about the EHR Regional Extension Centers (RECs). Sadly, there’s not one central location that is covering the activity of these RECs so that doctors and clinics could quickly see what’s going on and enjoy the benefits of the millions of dollars that was given to these RECs as part of the ARRA EHR stimulus money. Rather than just complain, I’ve started to create a wiki page that lists each of the EHR RECs, how much funding they’ve received and hopefully links to all of the REC websites. I have a long way to go, so I’d love to get your help in updating this list. So, leave a comment or feel free to update the wiki with the information you have about these RECs. Unfortunately, I’d guess that 9... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3490709 Tue, 20 Apr 2010 15:23:56 +0100 3490709 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3471737&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F04%2Fwamu-worry-more-overlaps-between.html Investigations of the failures of major US financial corporations during the global financial meltdown continue to paint a picture of bad leadership.  The latest failed corporation to get public attention was Washington Mutual (WaMu).  As described by the Los Angeles Times, Before Washington Mutual collapsed in the largest bank failure in U.S. history, its executives knowingly created a 'mortgage time bomb' by making subprime loans they knew were likely to go bad and then packaging them into risky securities, a congressional investigation has found.In some cases, the bank took loans in which it had discovered fraudulent activity -- such as misstated income by borrowers -- and rolled them into mortgage securities sold to investors without disclosing the fraud, according to the rep... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3471737 Wed, 14 Apr 2010 17:44:00 +0100 3471737 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3448838&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FLljRnaMl8Oo%2F By Jim HarperA good friend sent me an article on “patient-centered health care” written by Dr. Donald Berwick, President Obama’s intended nominee for administrator of the Centers of Medicare & Medicaid Services. What an improvement an administrator like this will bring compared to his predecessors! Right? The article is called What ‘Patient-Centered’ Should Mean: Confessions Of An Extremist (requires login). I have no doubt of Berwick’s sincerity, but the essay gives me little hope for progress. It doesn’t mention, for example, parity in the tax treatment of employer-purchased and individually purchased health insurance. Why don’t we talk about diner-centered restaurants or grocery stores? Because when consumers select restaurants and stores, ch... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3448838 Thu, 08 Apr 2010 15:36:02 +0100 3448838 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3403978&cid=t_125669_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fcms-cdc-call-icd-9-and-icd-10-code-freeze The epic healthcare bill passed by the House on Sunday might not make the ICD-10 conversion any easier, but a more simple suggestion by CMS could help. CMS, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, along with CDC, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, proposed that both ICD-9-CM and ICD-10-CM/PCS code sets be frozen two years before the compliance deadline. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3403978 Thu, 25 Mar 2010 15:09:55 +0100 3403978 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3398864&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=34765&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhcrenewal.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F03%2Fmembers-of-board-of-now-bankrupt-lehman.html In our own Providence Journal, Michael Hiltzik commented about the Valukas report on the fall of the once proud Lehman Brothers.  He asserted that one of the lessons learned from the case is the "folly of relying on self-discipline and self-regulation in the financial markets," particularly given the irresponsibility of the top leaders of financial corporations. In particular, I’d love to hear an argument for allowing any of Lehman’s independent directors, who seem seldom to have asked a penetrating question, ever to serve on a corporate board again.As I write, those 10 directors, who pulled down better than $100,000 cash a year to sit jointly in the driver’s seat for Lehman’s race to disaster, still boast at least 15 company directorships among them. Does this make ... Health Care Renewal blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3398864 Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:41:00 +0100 3398864 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3403965&cid=t_125669_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.emrandhipaa.com%2Femr-and-hipaa%2F2010%2F03%2F23%2Fregional-extension-centers-recs-and-hitrcs%2F One area of the HITECH act that I haven’t heard discussed nearly enough is the Regional Extension Centers. Sure, I’ve heard them mentioned in passing plenty of times. However, I haven’t heard any real good information on what’s being done to make sure that these RECs are going to be successful in their goal of 100,000 providers becoming meaningful users of EHR’s by 2011. Yes, that’s a pretty big hairy goal. Especially considering the EHR adoption rates up until today. Not to mention, these Regional Extension Centers (RECs) are going to have to find a way to effectively help doctors sort through the 300+ EHR vendors that are on the market with more coming out every day. This is not an easy task to accomplish and will require a lot of great tools to do it ... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3403965 Tue, 23 Mar 2010 15:19:50 +0100 3403965 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3335288&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FeMoZExHNuB4%2F By Alan ReynoldsCongressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) takes the President to task for cooking the books on projected health care costs, most egregiously with the “doc fix” — namely, assuming Medicare slashes physician payments by 21.3% this year and subsequently lets them fall continuously in real terms. What nobody seems to have noticed is that the same phony “doc fix” taints the new “Health Spending Projections Through 2019” from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Drew Altman, president and CEO of the Kaiser Family Foundation, tries to downplay the CMS forecast “that the public sector will start paying more than half of the nation’s health care bill starting in 2012, and that government spending will grow faster than private spending from 2009 to 2019... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3335288 Thu, 04 Mar 2010 20:59:09 +0100 3335288 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3322629&cid=t_125669_150_f&fid=35777&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FPharmalot%2F%7E3%2FbOW8qNg2sho%2F A report from the General Accountability Office found that among all Medicare Part D beneficiaries who used at least one specialty tier–eligible drug in 2007, 55 percent reached the catastrophic coverage threshold, after which Medicare pays at least 80 percent of all drug costs. In contrast, only 8 percent of all Medicare Part D beneficiaries who did not use a specialty tier–eligible drug reached this threshold in 2007. Specialty tier–eligible drugs accounted for 10 percent, or $5.6 billion, of the $54.4 billion in total prescription drug spending under Medicare Part D plans in 2007. And Medicare beneficiaries who received a low-income subsidy accounted for most of the spending on specialty tier–eligible drugs—$4.0 billion, or 70 percent of the total, according to the GAO. High-c... Pharmalot blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3322629 Tue, 02 Mar 2010 17:21:36 +0100 3322629 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3298377&cid=t_125669_109_f&fid=34750&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpsychcentral.com%2Fblog%2Farchives%2F2010%2F02%2F23%2Fpilfered-lunches-point-to-a-bigger-employee-problem%2F Stealing lunches from the office frig could be a symptom of a more serious problem — low employee engagement. “Hunger does crazy things to you,” was the comment made by an employee interviewed on the Today Show segment, “Pains in the Office.” While physical hunger is one reason employees pilfer lunches, I suspect that employees who steal from each other have a different kind of hunger. If your office is experiencing a rise in the number of stolen lunches, you are not alone. Recently several call center managers told me that they’re getting a lot more “stolen lunch” complaints. It’s no coincidence that these are the same managers who are plagued by low employee morale. Low morale can have disastrous effects. When employees are dissatisfied and chronically unhappy they ... World of Psychology blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3298377 Tue, 23 Feb 2010 13:05:41 +0100 3298377 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3254156&cid=t_125669_146_f&fid=34960&url=http%3A%2F%2Fsleepdoctor.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F02%2Fman-dies-during-sleep-study.html (from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, via Drudge) A 25 year old man recently died during a sleep study at Emory:Harris, a medical assistant, entered the Emory sleep center on Jan. 22, said his mother....... By the next morning he was dead.Emory said in a statement that he died of sudden cardiac arrest....The article doesn't give many details and doesn't specify whether Mr. Harris was having a diagnostic study or a CPAP titration study. Usually the most dangerous part of a sleep study is the drive to the sleep center. (Source: sleepdoctor) sleepdoctor blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3254156 Tue, 09 Feb 2010 00:33:00 +0100 3254156 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3208364&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedocket.access.gpo.gov%2F2009%2Fpdf%2FE9-26502.pdf Every January, new billing rules and rates go into place for physicians’ services as part of the annual update to Medicare’s Physician Fee Schedule. Dominating DC health policy concerns in this arena are the medical community’s efforts with Congress to address Medicare’s cost-of-living adjuster, known as the “sustainable growth rate” (SGR), which would have lowered 2010 fees across-the-board by 21 percent, if not for a last-minute temporary stay through the end of February. Negotiations with Congress are on-going to provide a long term or multi-year solution—a costly “fix” that I believe is well worth the price to keep physicians in the Medicare program, and seems to have widespread support. Getting much less attention is a unilateral policy pronouncement made by the Cent... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3208364 Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:00:43 +0100 3208364 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3201910&cid=t_125669_151_f&fid=35818&url=http%3A%2F%2Frecoveryissexy.com%2Fspirituality-is-universal%2F Spirituality lies at the heart of every person A small circle of men listened attentively as their counsellor at a mission in St. Paul announced their assignment. Their faces might have belonged to anyone–professionals with post-graduate degrees or homeless individuals who constantly struggle. But they were late-stage, chronic alcoholics, the kind who huddle beneath city bridges in the December cold or who simply revolve through local detox centers and shelters. All were searching for a reason to hope. A week earlier, the counsellor had asked each of them to write a prayer. Everyone managed to come up with something, except one. The counsellor asked if he had written something, and the man shook his head and stared dismally at the floor. Years on the street immersed in alcohol and g... Recovery Is Sexy.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3201910 Sat, 23 Jan 2010 09:02:22 +0100 3201910 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=3185327&cid=t_125669_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FRvNuXS_xZxo%2F My mother’s generation lived in fear of diseases we have the privilege to forget.  She graduated from nursing school 60 years ago, in an era when people died each day from diseases that today are physicians have never seen. Like many from her generation, she is haunted by a sound she will never forget, the sound of an iron lung pushing life into patients crippled from polio who could not breathe on their own. It was a time when polio could not be prevented and the fear of paralysis and death haunted the country. On April 12, 1955, church bells rang out, kids were let out of school, people danced in the streets. It was great news: Salk’s polio vaccine worked! Fifty years later, as my mother strolled through the National Museum of American History’s polio exhibit, she shared with me ... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=3185327 Tue, 19 Jan 2010 06:00:41 +0100 3185327