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 'industry,'. Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:54:38 +0100 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2886463&cid=t_266339_105_f&fid=38964&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrwes.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F10%2Fmail-order-drugs-direct-to-consumer.html It came in the mail to one of my partner's patients, a direct mailing (4 pgs, pdf, 1.2M) promising cheap drugs at significant cost savings from Global Pharmacy Canada. A closer look at the flier, however, discloses the drugs are not from Canada, but rather pharmacies somewhere in India. Call it global direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising. All you have to do is sign a little waiver and send your money:I appoint Global Pharmacy Canada to act as my agent to send my order and prescriptions to a licensed pharmacy in India, so that the pharmacy can send my medications directly to me. I understand that my prescriptions will be filled according to the laws of India, as defined by India's FDA. By completing and signing this form, I understand that I am placing an order for generic medicati... Dr. Wes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2886463 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 11:30:00 +0100 2886463 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2886374&cid=t_266339_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F10%2F13%2Fcourt-of-justice-of-the-european-communities-including-court-of-first-instance-decisions-3%2F Title: GlaxoSmithKline Services v Commission (Competition) [2009] The Skinny: Case relating to an appeal regrding a judgement on price fixing in Spain. Publisher: Bailii Size of Document: Webpage Case No.: EUECJ C-501/06 Posted in Pharmaceutical Industry, Pharmacy Tagged: Competition, Jurisprudence, Pharmaceutical Industry (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2886374 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:35:24 +0100 2886374 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2886375&cid=t_266339_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F10%2F13%2Fcourt-of-justice-of-the-european-communities-including-court-of-first-instance-decisions-2%2F Title: GlaxoSmithKline Services v Commission (Competition) [2009] The Skinny: Case relating to an appeal regrding a judgement on price fixing in Spain. Publisher: Bailii Size of Document: Webpage Case No.: EUECJ C-515/06 Posted in Pharmaceutical Industry, Pharmacy Tagged: Competition, Jurisprudence, Pharmaceutical Industry (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2886375 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:31:58 +0100 2886375 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2886376&cid=t_266339_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F10%2F13%2Fglaxosmithkline-services-v-commission-competition-2009%2F Title: GlaxoSmithKline Services v Commission (Competition) [2009] The Skinny: Case relating to an appeal regrding a judgement on price fixing in Spain. Publisher: Bailii Size of Document: Webpage Case No.: EUECJ C-519/06 Posted in Pharmaceutical Industry, Pharmacy Tagged: Competition, Jurisprudence, Pharmaceutical Industry (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2886376 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:27:39 +0100 2886376 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2886377&cid=t_266339_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F10%2F13%2Fcourt-of-justice-of-the-european-communities-including-court-of-first-instance-decisions%2F Title: GlaxoSmithKline Services v Commission (Competition) [2009] The Skinny: Case relating to an appeal regrding a judgement on price fixing in Spain. Publisher: Bailii Size of Document: Webpage Case No.: EUECJ C-513/06 Posted in Pharmaceutical Industry, Pharmacy Tagged: Competition, Jurisprudence, Pharmaceutical Industry (Source: Fade Library) Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2886377 Tue, 13 Oct 2009 09:25:59 +0100 2886377 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2886415&cid=t_266339_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FhFjLimHBpTU%2F The problem that Democrats have faced from Day One is finally coming to a head. The Left and the health care industry both want universal health insurance coverage.  The industry, because universal coverage means massive new government subsidies. The Left, because that’s their religion. But universal coverage is so expensive that Congress can’t get there without taxing Democrats. Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) is the biggest opponent of Sen. Max Baucus’ (D-MT) tax on expensive health plans because that tax would hit West Virginia coal miners. Unions vigorously oppose that tax because it would hit their members. Moderate Democrats in the House oppose Rep. Charlie Rangel’s (D-NY) supposed “millionaires surtax” because they know it would hit small businesses in their di... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2886415 Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:45:50 +0100 2886415 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2886542&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D1003 Today Allscripts & Intuit announced a deal that will integrate Allscripts Practice Management with Intuit Quicken Health systems. Last week at the Health 2.0 Conference Intuit Quicken Health was one of the best demos because you could see how it really changes the patient’s experience. I can’t wait to see it working in combination with an EHR/PM system! Instead of using CPT descriptions on EOBs they use descriptions patients can easily understand so they know what they’re paying for. It breaks down payments into easily understood math. If the patient doesn’t agree with something on the bill, they can fix errors right on the website. The patient is also able to pay straight from the website. Related Posts April 6, 2009 — HIMSS Day 2: Allscripts HIE Demo J... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2886542 Mon, 12 Oct 2009 17:50:47 +0100 2886542 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2876147&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Flong-tail-emr In the fall of 2008 I had the opportunity to do some research on the, then dormant, EMR marketplace. The results came as no surprise. Most physicians did not have an EMR and were not interested in adopting an EMR due to cost and usability barriers. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2876147 Fri, 09 Oct 2009 14:00:40 +0100 2876147 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2876148&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fnursing-health-20-hangover So it’s the morning after the big Health 2.0 bash and the hangover is awful. My head is awash with flashing screens of medical alerts, rainbow-colored demos of virtual patients flitting from one personal health app to the next, and a blur of snappy, almost sneering answers to the same old questions about user adoption, ROI, and business models. I just spent two days getting high on health care’s highest high-concept, I can’t log into my own health plan’s portal to look up a simple eligibility thing, and it’s dull, gray cloudy morning in San Francisco. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2876148 Fri, 09 Oct 2009 13:58:42 +0100 2876148 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2871813&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fofficial-google-blog-you-can-now-import-and-export-your-health-information-hello-health We launched our integration with Google Health today. Our mission is to be a secure, integrated platform so that you are in charge of your medical records. They can follow you wherever life leads you. Most importantly, you have access to your medical history and records safely and securely from anywhere you are. Literally, when your kids are 80, they’ll have their entire medical record searchable and available to them from anywhere. It’s good to live in the future.   (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2871813 Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:34:15 +0100 2871813 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2871814&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fmy-privacy-and-security-lessons-learned The editor at Computerworld gave me permission to share my monthly column with you on my blog: Privacy and security are foundational to healthcare reform. Patients will trust electronic healthcare records only if they believe their confidentiality is protected via good security. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2871814 Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:32:05 +0100 2871814 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2872075&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F10%2Fsmartphone-healthcare.html I have been using my new smartphone, a Palm Pre, for about a month now. I have posted a number of previous notes about the use of such devices for educating healthcare consumers and reporting lab test results to physicians (see: Making e-Health Information Accessible with Smart Phones; The Mobile Web and the Future of eHealth). Various features of this device have greatly impressed me, not the least of which has been the ease of surfing the web and the ability to quickly download new applications. A recent article referred to "smartphone apps" as the foundation for a new gold rush and I completely agree (see: Smartphone apps are the technology world's new gold rush). Below is an excerpt from it:Credit Suisse recently projected that total smartphone sales for 2009 will end up ... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2872075 Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:48:28 +0100 2872075 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2865777&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fontarios-ehealth-operation-bled-1b Even in a “socialist” healthcare system like Canada’s where they have the authority and freedom to command, they have failed to implement electronic health records from the top down. I think this mostly stems from the level of waste and fraud that happens in government, but also has much to do with the fact that healthcare IT simply sucks. It’s built by people who don’t understand simplicity nor can they imagine anything other than Windows 95. It’s a shame… (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2865777 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:19:15 +0100 2865777 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2865808&cid=t_266339_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FY90-ivA44Zg%2F Quick reminder of a great event tomorrow evening in Palo Alto, organized by MIT Northern California and SmartSilvers. Description: With the success of Nintendo’s Brain Age, Posit Science and dozens of new software programs and games that promise "brain fitness", the real question is: "Are we experiencing a fad, or an emerging new consumer market?" Click Here to Learn More and Register No Tags (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2865808 Tue, 06 Oct 2009 03:01:35 +0100 2865808 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2858649&cid=t_266339_105_f&fid=38964&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrwes.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F10%2Fspecialists-become-hospitalists.html From Columbus, Ohio:In the past, hospitals hired primarily family doctors who would refer patients to the facility for medical tests. Now, hospitals are employing more specialists.For example, having a neurologist or cardiologist on staff allows quicker patient consults than waiting for a private-practice doctor to come to the hospital."The reason we even employ specialists is to provide inpatient coverage on our floors in the hospital," said Cindy Sheets, senior vice president ambulatory services for Mount Carmel Health System.Another reason specialists are consolidating with hospital systems is the high cost of bringing on other experienced specialists that have insurance "tails" from their former practice. These insurance "tails" assure continued malpractice insurance coverage on patien... Dr. Wes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2858649 Sat, 03 Oct 2009 21:48:00 +0100 2858649 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2857384&cid=t_266339_86_f&fid=38272&url=http%3A%2F%2Flaikaspoetnik.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F10%2F03%2Fnlms-pillbox-a-new-pill-identification-system%2F The National Library of Medicine (NLM) not only launched a redesigned PubMed interface, but also another service (though still in beta): Pillbox beta for “rapid identification and reliable information. The web address is http://pillbox.nlm.nih.gov/ Pillbox was developed to aid in the identification of unknown solid dosage pharmaceuticals. The system combines high-resolution images of tablets and capsules [...] (Source: Laika's MedLibLog) Laika's MedLibLog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2857384 Fri, 02 Oct 2009 23:30:57 +0100 2857384 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2855688&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fnhin-new-health-internet Chilmark has not been a big fan of the National Health Information Network (NHIN) concept. It was, and in large part still is, a top heavy federal government effort to create a nationwide infrastructure to facilitate the exchange of clinical information. A high, lofty and admirable goal, but one that is far too in front of where the market is today.  The NHIN is like putting in an interstate highway system (something that did not happen until Eisenhower came to office) when we are still traveling by horse and buggy. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2855688 Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:34:34 +0100 2855688 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2855853&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F10%2Fvariations-of-integration-relating-to-lab-computing-and-clinical-pathologyanatomic-pathology.html I have just returned from Toronto where I delivered a lecture at the Executive Edge conference which focuses on Canadian lab management. All of the conference presentations were outstanding and are available on-line. I will return to some of them in upcoming notes for a more detailed analysis. My own presentation addressed various type of integration as the term applies to lab computing and to Clinical and Anatomic pathology. In this lecture, I tease out the following for detailed analysis: Integration of Clinical Pathology with Anatomic Pathology; integration of upstream diagnostics with downstream therapeutics. Workflow integration of digital pathology with the LIS; introduction of the pathologist dashboard/console. Integration of Pathology, Lab Medicine, and Radiology to form the new me... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2855853 Fri, 02 Oct 2009 12:11:05 +0100 2855853 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2851890&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fcontinuous-quality-improvement-unintended-consequence-ehr-implementation In a previous article ("Keys to EHR Team Success," Healthcare IT News; January 12, 2009) we detailed a number of governance structural components which are key to successful electronic health record (EHR) implementation. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2851890 Thu, 01 Oct 2009 13:48:47 +0100 2851890 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2842622&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fanother-look-incident-reporting-systems When the patient safety field began a decade ago with the publication of the IOM report on medical errors, one of its first thrusts was to import lessons from “safer” industries, particularly aviation. Most of these lessons - a focus on bad systems more than bad people, the importance of teamwork, the use of checklists, the value of simulation training - have served us well. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2842622 Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:53:44 +0100 2842622 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2842623&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fpreparing-icd-10 In 2013, CMS will require the use of ICD-10 for coding of diagnoses in billing/administrative transactions. The code set allows more than 155,000 different codes and permits tracking of many new diagnoses and procedures, a significant expansion of the 17,000 codes available in ICD-9. How can we best prepare for this transition? 1. Improve electronic clinical documentation (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2842623 Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:38:51 +0100 2842623 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2842819&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F09%2Fm-who-will-function-as-the-system-integrator-for-the-minilisnetwork-.html In a recent note (see: A Scenario for Lab Computing in the Post-Classic-LIS Era), I predicted that hospital-based mini-LIS-network would, in time, replace the monolithic classic LISs that are common in hospitals today. For the sake of simplicity, let's call these new systems MLNs. They can be defined as classic LISs that are integrated (not interfaced) with additional specialized modules including molecular diagnostics and digital pathology, important functionality that the classic LIS can't adequate provide. The MLNs, in turn, will be integrated with various esoteric reference labs via electronic national lab networks. These networks, with electronic links to reference labs, differ from the one-to-one interfaced connections between hospital and reference labs that are commonplace ... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2842819 Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:00:13 +0100 2842819 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2832255&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fmedical-data-internet-%25E2%2580%259Ccloud%25E2%2580%259D-data-privacy The concepts of “security” and “privacy” of medical information (Protected Health Information, or PHI) are closely intertwined. “Security,” as described in the second part of this series, has to do with breaking into medical data (either data at rest, or data in transit) and committing an act of theft. “Privacy,” on the other hand, has to do with permissions, and making sure that only the intended people can have access to PHI. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2832255 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 17:41:07 +0100 2832255 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2832414&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F09%2Flab-computing-in-the-postclassiclis-era.html I think that we may now be working our way through what might be called the post-classic-LIS era. The classic LISs were designed to meet most of the computing needs of the major hospital-based clinical labs such as chemistry, hematology, microbiology, and blood bank. These multipurpose systems dominated the market for about three decades. The first crack in the facade of their functionality and invincibility was the emergence in the market of so-called middleware. These niche applications were supported and promoted by the IVD vendors and smaller software companies, installed as "black boxes" between analyzers and the LISs, and provided additional functionality not always available in the LISs. A second blow was struck when many of the LISs available in the market were unable to ... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2832414 Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:13:24 +0100 2832414 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2832145&cid=t_266339_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FgSN0QaVCDss%2F Big news: The FDA is holding a public hearing to discuss online promotion of FDA-regulated medical products – including prescription drugs, prescription biologics, and medical devices. The hearing will be November 12 and 13, 2009 in Washington, DC (registration closes October 9 – see also registration instructions from Eye on FDA), but public comments can be submitted in writing or electronically now through February 28, 2010. View the docket details and full Federal Register notice. A common reaction around the Web has been “Finally!” – with remarks like “This is NOT a Hoax!” and “Just in time for Web 3.0,” the FDA has set a date to start figuring out “how to deal with Web 2.0.” (NPR Health Blog). But after the initial shock and sarcas... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2832145 Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:24:35 +0100 2832145 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2828449&cid=t_266339_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F24%2Fthe_grant_application_treadmill.php There's a (justifiably) angry paper out in PLoS Biology discussing the nasty situation too many academic researchers find themselves in: spending all their time writing grant applications rather than doing research. The paper's written from a UK perspective, but the problems it describes are universal: To expect a young scientist to recruit and train students and postdocs as well as producing and publishing new and original work within two years (in order to fuel the next grant application) is preposterous. It is neither right nor sensible to ask scientists to become astrologists and predict precisely the path their research will follow—and then to judge them on how persuasively they can put over this fiction. It takes far too long to write a grant because the requirements are so comple... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2828449 Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:51:15 +0100 2828449 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2828468&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F09%2Femergence-of-professional-services-divisions-as-significant-profit-centers.html In a recent note, I commented on the professional services division of Aperio as a relatively novel component of digital pathology companies (see: Emergence of a Professional Services Division at Aperio). Ole Eichhorn, the CTO of Aperio, emailed me the following comment to this note, which I quote with his permission:One key point about having a professional services team is that [this approach requires] a relatively open system to build on....The professional services team is a sort of “third party for hire” that [Aperio's] customers can use to create interfaces, customize the product, and otherwise work with them to craft a tailored solution.  Our team builds onto existing interfaces and plug-in APIs at each point, they never modify our baseline code. Another point which wo... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2828468 Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:16:14 +0100 2828468 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2828348&cid=t_266339_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FCjhNwYEwB7Q%2F Excellent Scientific American cover story: Turbocharging the Brain--Pills to Make You Smarter? "Will a pill at breakfast improve concentration and memory—and will it do so without long-term detriment to your health?" Their answer, in short: not really, not anytime soon. I couldn't agree more. Let's pay real attention to non-invasive options to augment cognition, from exercise to cognitive training and meditation. For more context, you may enjoy my recent article Preparing Society for the Cognitive Age, published in Frontiers in Neuroscience. augment cognition, cognitive, cognitive enhancement, Cognitive Training, exercise, improve concentration, improve memory, invasive, meditation., pills (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2828348 Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:35:43 +0100 2828348 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2824219&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fsocial-security-administration-has-lot-prove-its-it-systems One doesn't necessarily put federal government agencies in the category of innovation, but the Social Security Administration (SSA) is doing some pretty forward-thinking things with healthcare IT. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2824219 Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:12:07 +0100 2824219 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2824220&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fkolodner-retires-federal-government Former national health IT coordinator and longtime Department of Veterans Affairs informatics leader Robert Kolodner, M.D., is retiring from the federal government today. Here's an excerpt of a note he sent out today: I am writing to let you know that today is my last day as a federal employee, after 31 gratifying years in public service. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2824220 Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:08:33 +0100 2824220 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2824221&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fmeaningful-use-specialists I was recently asked how specialists, such as pediatric surgeons with few Medicare or Medicaid patients, can participate in ARRA and implement EHRs with meaningful use. First, let's review how ARRA stimulus payments work: Medicare Medicare incentive payments are capped at 75% of allowable Medicare charges, up to $18,000 for the first payment year. Incentive payments are reduced in subsequent years: $15,000, $12,000, $8,000, $4,000, and $2000. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2824221 Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:05:54 +0100 2824221 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2820602&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F09%2Fuse-of-procalcitonin-to-distinguish-between-viral-and-bacterial-infections.html Serum procalcitonin levels have been shown in the past to be elevated with bacterial infections but not with viral infections. It's important for physicians to be able to distinguish between these two types of infections because antibiotics are often the treatment of choice in the former but ineffective in the latter. Appropriate use of antibiotics can reduce the cost of care and also the likelihood of the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. A recent article revealed some new findings in this area of inquiry (see: Procalcitonin measurement may help reduce antibiotics overuse for lower respiratory tract infections). Below is an excerpt from the article:The use of guidelines for treatment of lower respiratory tract infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia determined b... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2820602 Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:04:49 +0100 2820602 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2820385&cid=t_266339_109_f&fid=38951&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarlatpsychiatry.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fglaxosmithkline-stops-cme-grants-to.html In another piece of good news for patient care, GlaxoSmithKline has announced that they are clamping down on funding continuing medical education programs. According to their press release, "GSK will no longer fund CME by commercial providers including medical education and communication companies (MECCs)." The new policy takes effect immediately. The company says that it will cut down drastically on the number of organizations receiving CME grants, to only about 20 academic centers that meet their criteria of having a "track record of developing and delivering high quality medical education programs that have a measurable impact on improved patient health." I asked GSK for a list of the favored 20, as well as exactly what their criteria for CME excellence are, but I have not yet heard bac... The Carlat Psychiatry Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2820385 Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:46:00 +0100 2820385 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2814522&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D935 Today, Dell announced that they will be purchasing Perot Systems in order to improve Dell’s market share in the healthcare IT sector and increase Perot’s international presence. This is another major shift in the EHR market to include some of the big IT powerhouses, which this year has included SalesForce.com’s alliance with PracticeFusion and the eCW / Sam’s Club / Dell deal. As we predicted when ARRA came out, the high profile stimulus is going to continue to reshape the healthcare IT vendor make-up. For those of us in the NextGen arena, this is a big fish eats little fish scenario. Just a year ago, the major player in NextGen hosting was Tellurian Networks. Tellurian started as a small hosting operation, but did an excellent job of capturing much of the new EHR A... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2814522 Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:18:30 +0100 2814522 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2814523&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fmedinfo-paper-deadline-extended The deadline for submitting papers for the 13th World Congress on Medical and Health Informatics, also known as MedInfo 2010, has been extended to Oct. 15. MedInfo 2010, the triennial meeting of the International Medical Informatics Association, is scheduled for Sept. 12-15, 2010, in Cape Town, South Africa. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2814523 Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:39:41 +0100 2814523 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2814524&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fwhat-providers-should-consider-regarding-phrs On Friday last week, Chilmark Research participated in the session, “PHRs and EHRs, Should They Be Linked?” as part of the Health IT Stimulus Summit that was put on by Health Data Management.  With meaningful use criteria that was approved on July 16th clearly stating that providers are to provide a PHR to their customers by 2013, we thought this question to be nonsensical.  Of course PHRs and EHRs are to be linked, how else might a provider offer a PHR to their customers?  By the way, o (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2814524 Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:34:25 +0100 2814524 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2814750&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F09%2Fprofessional-services-as-a-key-function-at-aperio.html I attended a workshop entitled Multisite Integration in a Global Environment at the recent Pathology Visions conference in San Diego. The workshop faculty included representatives from the global medical research/pharma corporations Quintiles and Merck. Also on the panel was a representative of the Aperio professional services division that was launched in February, 2008, and responsible for IT integration, configuration, and compliance consulting. I was intrigued by the apparent success of this Aperio business unit thus far and decided to explore the idea a little further. Please keep in mind that I had concluded in a previous note that software development was the core competency of digital pathology companies like Aperio so I consider these companies to be first cousins of the LIS vendo... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2814750 Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:46:48 +0100 2814750 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2812528&cid=t_266339_132_f&fid=35011&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmndoci%2F%7E3%2FxNomfpW_kkQ%2F Anyone who reads bbgm knows that I am not a fan of bureaucratic big companies and the current pharma model. So this bit from a talk by Stefan Loren and reported by In the Pipeline piqued my interest Break up large pharma into therapeutic areas and build shared networks between distinct entities. Small organizations can operate far more efficiently in decision making about research directions – use the network to maintain manufacturing efficiencies. Small focused companies will revitalize the industry and offer opportunities for scientists coming out of academia. This is not dissimilar to the model I have thought about, although I do like the idea of an entity that orchestrates the network, since you do need direction. While there is some innovation going on in the biotech industry to... business|bytes|genes|molecules blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2812528 Sun, 20 Sep 2009 05:07:45 +0100 2812528 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2807893&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F09%2Ffdrivers-for-the-adoption-of-digital-pathology-in-academic-centers.html I have just returned from the Pathology Visions conference in San Diego, which is now being converted from an Aperio user group conference to a vendor-neutral conference under the control of the Digital Pathology Association (DPA). This was one of the best managed and content-rich conferences that I have attended lately and I intend to post a number of notes about the ideas that the conference presentations have sparked in my mind. For today's note I want to concentrate on what I now consider to be the major driver for the adoption of digital pathology in the country's most prestigious pathology teaching programs.Included in the Visions conference were lectures by Drs. Victor Reuter, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, John Pfeifer,Washington University School of Medicine, and ... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2807893 Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:08:54 +0100 2807893 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2804077&cid=t_266339_122_f&fid=34755&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneuropsychological.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F09%2Fbusiness-world-biotechnology-venture.html From The New York Times:Biotech Tries to Shrug Off SetbacksBy JAMES FLANIGANPublished: September 17, 2009"While some investors are pulling back, life sciences companies continue to innovate, and hope the capital to expand will come."Read the piece (Source: BrainBlog) BrainBlog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2804077 Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:36:00 +0100 2804077 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2804031&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Flatest-deliverables-hit-standards-committee Today, the HIT Standards Committee received the latest deliverables from its workgroups. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2804031 Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:28:45 +0100 2804031 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2804085&cid=t_266339_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FwojPfENZP00%2F Discussion Cost: * $20.00 in advance on the website * $25.00 Walk-ins at the door (cash or check please, no credit cards accepted at door) Contact: Michael Sarfatti tel 415-885-2293 sarfatti@alum.mit.edu Location: Wilson Sonsini 950 Page Mill Road Palo Alto, CA 94301 Click Here to Register No Tags (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2804085 Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:45:22 +0100 2804085 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2800513&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=34898&url=http%3A%2F%2Fbillkosloskymd.typepad.com%2Fwirelessdoc%2F2009%2F09%2Fsprint-seeing-no-deal-weisel-downgrades---tech-trader-daily-should-google-buy-sprint.html Sprint: Seeing No Deal, Weisel Downgrades - Tech Trader Daily - Barrons.com. “Current price levels do not fully reflect recent changes in the Sprint business and the wireless landscape, including the launch of the Any Mobile plan, Palm Pre discounts and modifications to executive compensation, all of which we feel reflect challenging fundamentals in the hyper-competitive U.S. wireless market,” Breen wrote in a research note.It looks like the T-Mobile deal is uncertain.Imagine, if you will, a Google purchase of Sprint. Device manufacturers supporting Android will find a sympathetic carrier for an already extensive 3G network. Sprint already has very competitive voice and data plans, so this would represent an immediate attraction to new customers, with a solid path for the future.There... Wireless Doc blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2800513 Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:05:24 +0100 2800513 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2796542&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fcchits-latest-gambit Many of us have enjoyed a few good minutes of fun having our fortunes told by soothsayers who claim they can predict our future based on patterns of tea leaves in a cup or the playing cards we’ve pulled from a deck. We pay a few dollars for the entertainment and if the fortune teller is skilled, we are temporarily impressed by his “insight.” But once we leave the carnival, we come back to our senses. Fortune-tellers can’t predict the future. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2796542 Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:10:06 +0100 2796542 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2796543&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fapple-make-push-healthcare It seems inevitable, given the success of the iPhone in healthcare, but I'm hearing that Apple is getting ready to make a full-scale push into healthcare. I understand that the company invited several vendors to a meeting at an Apple office in Chicago this week. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2796543 Tue, 15 Sep 2009 14:01:10 +0100 2796543 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2796544&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Ftime-kill-phr-term-part-2 Yesterday, we outlined why the PHR term has the potential to stunt future advances in consumer health and engagement via HIT.  Our thesis is that the PHR term is rooted in a dated concept of simply providing the user/citizen a virtual file cabinet for their health records.  Since the initial introduction of Internet-based PHRs nearly a decade ago, adoption has been by and large abysmal.  Our belief is that adoption, or lack thereof, is symptomatic of PHRs not having a sufficient value proposition for the vast majority of potential users. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2796544 Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:59:41 +0100 2796544 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2796545&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fsecurity-healthcare-information-exchange In my role as vice-Chair of the HIT Standards Committee, I join many of the subcommittee calls debating the standards and implementation guidance needed to support meaningful use. Over the past few months, I've learned a great deal from the Privacy and Security Working group.   Here are my top 5 lessons about security for healthcare information exchange.   (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2796545 Tue, 15 Sep 2009 13:58:24 +0100 2796545 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2796769&cid=t_266339_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F15%2Findustrial_research_more_grounded_in_reality_or_not.php My post the other day on why-do-it academic research has prompted quite a bit of comment, including this excerpt from an e-mail: I would also note that mediocrity is hardly limited to academia. I cannot tell you the number of truly dumb things that I continue to see happening in industry, motivated by the need to be doing something - anything - that can be quantified in a report. The idea that industry is where reality takes command is depressingly false, and I would guess that the same thing that distinguishes the best from the rest in academia also applies in the "real world." Well, my correspondent is unfortunately on target with that one. Industry is supposed to be where reality takes command, but too often it can be where wishful thinking gets funded with investor's cash. I'm coming... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2796769 Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:22:22 +0100 2796769 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2796592&cid=t_266339_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FcdOXB8416O0%2F Press release: "Leader in cognition measurement integrates into UBC to maximize measurement precision of pivotal endpoints and ensure data integrity. United BioSource Corporation (UBC) today announced the acquisition of CDR" Press release (09/10/09): Here Analysis for members of SharpBrains Network for Brain Fitness Innovation: Here For context, see our previous article titled Computerized Cognitive Assessments: opportunities and concerns, focused on the OptumHealth - BrainResource partnership and innovative work by the US Army. No Tags (Source: SharpBrains) SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2796592 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:20:58 +0100 2796592 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2793150&cid=t_266339_87_f&fid=38368&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FDisruptiveWomenInHealthCare%2F%7E3%2FJIq6B9GXv5w%2F As I check Facebook before going to Program Planning for Health Behavior Change class, I can’t help but look at this pre-class behavior of mine in terms of some of the concepts I am learning in the classroom. We can keep in touch with all of our friends quickly and efficiently with the click of a button and thanks to the Internet, but on the whole we aren’t quite as compulsive about getting the recommended nutrition, exercise or health services upon which our livelihoods depend. Much blame has been put on individuals for not exercising, eating properly, or managing their chronic conditions, thus burdening the healthcare delivery system. Some ask, if we have tons of healthcare literature out there and people know what is the ‘right’ thing to do—eat 3-5 fruits and vegetables a day,... Disruptive Women in Health Care blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2793150 Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:56:51 +0100 2793150 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2786289&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F09%2Fthe-power-of-aggregating-lis-databases-in-multiple-client-sites.html Neal Patterson, CEO and one of the founders of Cerner, has always been ahead of most his competitors in terms of strategic vision. For example, he has always had a keen understanding of the feasibility and power of aggregating the databases of Cerner LIS clients. Needless to say, some of them have been reluctant to use their LIS databases for any use other than serving their local patient needs. However, I think that this is a short-sighted view if patient records are appropriately anonymized, although much of the decision will be based on the value for the hospital and lab of the merged lab data. Continuing in this same vein, Mr. HIStalk reports on a Cerner database aggregation initiative in pursuit of epidemiologic data for the H1N1 virus:[Here is a] letter from HHS Secretary Kathleen Se... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2786289 Fri, 11 Sep 2009 12:43:50 +0100 2786289 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2782128&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Ftime-kill-phr-term-part-1 Chilmark Research is becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the PHR acronym for Personal Health Record.  There are a couple of reasons for this: 1) The term is a hold-over from the physician-centric term EMR and thereby firmly attached to that conceptual framework.  But does the average consumer really need to adopt an EMR architectural construct for their PHR?  Unlikely.  The consumer needs their own unique and self-empowering “system” to more effectively manage their health and interact with the healthcare establishment. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2782128 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:06:08 +0100 2782128 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2782330&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F09%2Fwdigital-pathology-reaches-inflection-point.html I was mildly surprised to learn from an executive of a digital pathology company that he considers software development as the core competency of his company. I guess that my attention was focused on the development of scanners by them and I had underestimated the software side of the business. I have also been influenced by my opinion that the engineering and scientific culture of the IVDs has limited their competency in lab software. However and given the emergence of algorithms as a key product line for both BioImagene and Aperio, I now accept the fact that these are primarily software companies (see: A Blueprint for Blending Anatomic and Clinical Pathology). So why is this important? Please read on. A recent article in the Dark Daily discusses the digital pathology industry, desc... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2782330 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:03:29 +0100 2782330 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2782306&cid=t_266339_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F09%2F10%2Fto_what_end.php I was looking through my RSS feed of journal articles this morning, and came across this new one in J. Med. Chem.. Now, there's nothing particularly unusual about this work. The authors are exploring a particular subtype of serotonin receptor (5-HT6), using some chemotypes that have been looked at in serotinergic ligands before. They switch the indole to an indene, put in a sulfonamide, change the aminoethyl side chain to a guanidine, and. . .wait a minute. Guanidine? I thought that the whole point of making a 5-HT6 ligand was to get it into the brain, and guanidines don't have the best reputation for allowing you to do that. (They're not the easiest thing in the world to even get decent oral absorption from, either, come to think of it). So I looked through the paper to see if there were... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2782306 Thu, 10 Sep 2009 12:21:51 +0100 2782306 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2778558&cid=t_266339_125_f&fid=34820&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dentalblogs.com%2Farchives%2Fadministrator%2Fdr-john-cranham-on-the-future-of-dental-implants%2F I can’t imagine doing restorative dentistry without a good relationship with an oral surgeon or periodontist. Implants are an important part of comprehensive treatment planing. Research shows, a single-tooth implant fares better than a 3-part bridge. That’s why I encourage my patients to get implants rather than bridges. There’s a great number of patients who are edentulous or edentulous just in the lower arch and cannot wear a denture comfortably. Some patients need just two or three implants or the bar system for denture stability or full fixed dentures. I am seeing that through the tough economic times, cosmetic dentistry is down, but implants are still popular. There is no question that the statistics show implants and grafts are down – still, the number of people who want the ... dental blog for dentists about dentistry blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2778558 Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:59:55 +0100 2778558 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2778530&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fhitsps-next-priorities Today I led a HITSP Board meeting and we discussed the work being done in collaboration with the HIT Standards Committee. On September 15, the HIT Standards Committee and its workgroups will release the finished 3 matrices documenting the chosen standards for Clinical Operations, Clinical Quality and Security/Privacy including certification criteria and implementation guidance.   (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2778530 Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:43:13 +0100 2778530 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2778704&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F09%2Fabbott-plans-companion-diagnostic-test-with-pfizer.html Companion diagnostics are lab tests designed to screen patients as candidates for treatment with new biotech drugs (see: A Closer Look at Companion Diagnostics Strategies; Consideration of a Broader Definition for "Companion Diagnostics"; Some Interesting Insights into Companion Diagnostics). Although they may limit the sale of these drugs, such tests appeal to pharmaceutical companies because they increase the likelihood that the treatment will be effective. These companies often approach diagnostic firms as partners early in the drug development cycle so that they can be used to screen subjects during the clinical trials. Now comes news about another such partnership between Abbott and Pfizer (see: Abbott to partner with Pfizer to develop a companion diagnostic test for non-sma... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2778704 Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:31:10 +0100 2778704 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2774929&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F09%2Fwhole-genome-sequencing-to-spawn-new-segment-of-clinical-lab-industry.html I am sure that most of the readers of this blog have already heard this news before but the cost of human genome sequencing continues to decrease. This was the focus of a recent article in the New York Times (see: Cost of Decoding a Genome Is Lowered). The consequences of this trend for clinical lab professionals will be significant. One of them will be that a whole new information management segment of the clinical lab industry will be spawned. Here is an excerpt from the article about this topic:[Stanford University professor Stephen] Quake calculates that the most recently sequenced human genome cost $250,000 to decode, and that his machine brings the cost to less than a fifth of that....He said the much-discussed goal of the $1,000 genome could be attained in two or three years. That i... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2774929 Tue, 08 Sep 2009 11:19:04 +0100 2774929 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2772603&cid=t_266339_117_f&fid=34808&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthebeautybrains.com%2F2009%2F09%2F07%2Flabor-day-and-the-love-of-cosmetic-science%2F Happy Labor Day to all our American readers! As you may recall, Labor Day originated in 1882 as “a day off for the working citizens.” But have you ever stopped to think how many “working scientists” are involved making the brand name cosmetics you use every day? From Almay and American Crew, to the Body Shop and Burts Bees; to Clinique and Clearasil, to Dove and Dr. Scholls, there are thousands of chemists, biologists, and engineers who work behind the scenes to make the makeup and other products you use daily. Here are some examples: Cosmetic Scientists… Formulators who mix and match chemicals to develop new products.  Chemists who create the raw materials.   Technical representatives for the companies who sell chemicals.   Compounders who actually batch... thebeautybrains.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2772603 Mon, 07 Sep 2009 06:01:55 +0100 2772603 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2766155&cid=t_266339_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F9nHMIkobkaU%2F After a surprisingly calm summer, I am getting my brain, throat, and presentation, ready for the book tour to promote The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness. The tour includes two talks at New York Public Library! These are the events during September and October - please let me know if you plan to attend any. And, of course, if you haven't ordered your copy yet, Amazon.com is here to help you... Order Book at Amazon.com Click Here to order at Amazon.com. Print Edition, $24.95 Order Kindle eBook Click Here to order at Amazon.com, Kindle Edition, $9.99 > September 8th, Petaluma, California: Physical and Mental Exercise for Brain Fitness, at the Club One Fitness Center. More information here. > September 9th, San Francisco: The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness, at San... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2766155 Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:38:12 +0100 2766155 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2766116&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Foutsource-your-ehr-india One of the biggest obstacles facing EHR adoption is the sheer cost. Hardware, data storage, training, and software make up a small slice of the pie. Most of your IT dollars will inevitably go to highly paid developers, consultants, and support staff who make a princely sum off hourly rates and bamboozled clients. Meanwhile, a new generation of technology experts, hungrier for success and client satisfaction, are offering their services at a fraction of the cost. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2766116 Fri, 04 Sep 2009 15:17:55 +0100 2766116 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2766117&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fsocial-media-disruptive-force-medicine Before the Obama administration set aside billions to accelerate the dissemination of EHRs, providers were slow to adopt them. As recently as 2 years ago for example, a study published in the NEJM revealed that only 4% of non-hospital based providers had fully implemented an EHR, and only 13% more had a partial installation. By contrast, the growth of social media including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, blogs and virtual communities like Sermo and Physician Connect, has been explosive. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2766117 Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:26:17 +0100 2766117 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2757885&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fquality-meaningful-use-and-interoperability A reporter recently asked me to describe the quality measures and standards that are part of meaningful use. Floyd Eisenberg, Senior Vice President, Health Information Technology at the National Quality Forum, summarized the work nicely: (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2757885 Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:04:43 +0100 2757885 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2752220&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F08%2F14th-annual-apiii-pathology-informatics-conference-september-2326.html It's not too late to register for the 14th annual APIII pathology informatics conference that will be held on September 20-23, 2009, in Pittsburgh. The conference brochure is available on-line as a PDF file. Take a look at it -- this event is one of the major highlights of the year in the field and should not be missed by anyone with even a passing interest in lab computing. You can register on-line, by fax, or my mail. The conference was originally scheduled to run through Thursday, September 24, but the program was slightly truncated because of a conflict with the G20 meeting that will begin on that Thursday in Pittsburgh. Here is the G20 announcement copied directly from the APIII home page:We were recently informed that Pittsburgh will begin hosting the G20 Summit on the last day o... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2752220 Mon, 31 Aug 2009 15:11:10 +0100 2752220 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2748157&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F08%2Fmintegrated-diagnostic-centers-beyond-breast.html Dr. Mark Pool, who blogs over at The Daily Sign-Out, has developed an interest in Integrated Diagnostic Centers which have been covered extensively here. My most recent note addressed whether currently existing diagnostic breast centers could, or should, evolve into centers addressing a broader range of diseases (see: Can Existing Breast Clinics Evolve into Integrated Diagnostic Centers?). Below is his reaction to this question (see: Integrated diagnostic centers beyond focusing on breast). It's longish but worth the time. How could the pulmonologists and bronchoscopy/mediastinoscopy be integrated with radiology and pathology into an integrated lung disease diagnostics center?  There seems to be a natural convergence that could really be beneficial for thoracic surgeons, oncologi... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2748157 Mon, 31 Aug 2009 12:46:58 +0100 2748157 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2748094&cid=t_266339_132_f&fid=35011&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmndoci%2F%7E3%2FNKxsTDxjOqw%2F Image by Getty Images via Daylife When _why disappeared from the web, there was an effort to come up with a distributed _why, by hosting his works on github and similar repositories.  There are other examples of open source projects continuing when the original developer moves on to other things.  The whole idea of distributed content, with each person acting as their own hub came up when Facebook acquired Friendfeed.  I couldn’t held draw an analogy when I read about DeCODE looking for someone to take over their biobank due to their financial troubles. From the link in Science Iceland’s deCODE Genetics announced earlier this month that it has enough cash to keep going for only a few more weeks. The genomics company’s troubles are raising questions abo... business|bytes|genes|molecules blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2748094 Sun, 30 Aug 2009 21:51:29 +0100 2748094 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2747906&cid=t_266339_86_f&fid=36669&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffadelibrary.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F08%2F30%2Fa-bitter-pill-to-swallow-drugs-for-people-not-for-profit%2F Title: A Bitter Pill to Swallow: Drugs for people not for profit The Skinny: Reported in the press as indicating that the cost of drugs will cripple the NHS and identifying the questionable ethics of big pharma in relation to the NHS this report from the think tank Compass discusses the current state of the pharmaceutical industry – particularly in relation to the UK. It draws on a large body of evidence to highlight the key issues in the pharmaceutical industry – looking specifically at rates of innovation, clinical trials, and its relationship with the medical profession. It goes on to call for an improved regulatory structure to ensure that the industry delivers the drugs we need at prices which we can afford. Publisher: Compass Size of Publication: 46p Published: 29/08/2009... Fade Library blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2747906 Sun, 30 Aug 2009 19:56:50 +0100 2747906 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2789017&cid=t_266339_105_f&fid=38964&url=http%3A%2F%2Fdrwes.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F08%2Fsaving-money-byop.html * bleeeeep bleeeeep bleeeeep *It was 11:57PM on the alarm clock last night. I peeled my head from the pillow and felt my heart racing from the adrenaline surge that usurped by Stage IV REM sleep. I fumbled for the pacer and pressed the button. Glorious silence ensued as I caught my breath. Reading the pager, I noticed it was the nurse caring for my patient calling. I dialed the phone."This is Doctor Fisher. I'm returning Sally's call (not her real name).""Just a moment."Some cheesy commercial played in the background with some canned music that I had heard a thousand times before. 'Damn, why don't they just play some soft classical music?' I thought to myself. Just then, a voice answered."This is Sally...""Sally, Dr. Fisher, returning your call...""Yes, Mr. Faachamatacheesedip is having tr... Dr. Wes blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2789017 Fri, 28 Aug 2009 19:34:00 +0100 2789017 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2744138&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fmilestone-device-interoperability What is standards harmonization? I describe it as the parsimonious number of standards required to meet the requirements of stakeholders. It is achieved by closing gaps and eliminating redundancy. Can we always reduce the number of standards in a domain to 1? Not necessarily. Sometimes the best we can achieve is 2 with mapping between them or 2 initially converging over time to 1. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2744138 Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:00:25 +0100 2744138 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2744139&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fi-knew-it-hill-blew-it As I write today in FierceEMR, consummate Washington insider publication The Hill made a rather glaring mistake in reporting earlier this week that the $1.2 billion in federal grant funding for health information exchange and regional health IT extension centers can't be awarded until HHS (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2744139 Fri, 28 Aug 2009 15:19:20 +0100 2744139 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2737831&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fhit-deluge-part-i-need-and-opportunity There was a time --not too long ago, in fact-- when it seemed safe and reasonable to define health information technology narrowly: the acronym encompassed the management of health information and its secure exchange between patients, providers, and insurers. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2737831 Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:53:32 +0100 2737831 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2786004&cid=t_266339_109_f&fid=38951&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarlatpsychiatry.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F08%2Fmecc-that-blissfully-keeps-promotion-in.html Recently, medical writers from across the country have been forwarding me blatant examples of how medical education companies are currupting the basic tenets of continuing medical education. Although I've become jaded, this particular company astonished even me with their willingness to do away with the pretense that industry-funded medical education is anything other than advertising.The company is called Brand(x) and they are based in the United Kingdom. They are mainly an advertising firm but they have a robust medical education department. Here is a screen shot from their website in which they explain their conception of "medical education."If you can't quite make out the small print, you can reach this page by going to the home page, clicking "enter" then "services" then "med ed." Her... The Carlat Psychiatry Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2786004 Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:41:00 +0100 2786004 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2734150&cid=t_266339_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FEsy5_D3iqVA%2F In this study, the authors were interested in comparing the impact of Working Memory Training and stimulant medication treatment on the WM performance of children diagnosed with ADHD. Participants were 25 8-11 year-old children with ADHD (21 boy and 4 girls) who were being treated with stimulant medication. Children's memory performance was assessed on 4 occasions using the Automated Working Memory Assessment (AWMA), a computerized test that measures verbal short-term memory, verbal working memory, visuo-spatial short-term memory, and visuo-spatial working memory. At time 1, the assessment was conducted when children had been off medication for at least 24 hours. The second assessment occurred an average of 5 months later and when children were on medication. The third assessment occurred ... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2734150 Wed, 26 Aug 2009 09:40:20 +0100 2734150 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2730381&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F08%2Fcan-breast-clinics-evolve-into-integrated-diagnostic-centers.html I started blogging about Integrated Diagnostic Centers (IDCs) (see: A Call for the Development of Integrated Diagnostic Centers) as an offshoot of my interest in the merger of pathology, lab medicine, and radiology. Radiologists with clinicians have a long history of developing multidisciplinary diagnostic breast clinics. Michael Legg, one of my hosts at the Health Informatics Conference (HIC) just completed in Canberra, called my attention to the Sydney Breast Clinic which has been in operation since 1978. Its multidisciplinary physician team consists of breast surgeons, breast physicians (i.e, internists), and radiologists. Any breast biopsies or fine needle aspirations (FNAs) of breast lesions, of course, are interpreted by pathologists. Clinics of this type are also well established in... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2730381 Tue, 25 Aug 2009 11:41:02 +0100 2730381 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2730169&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D884 Last Thursday, Dr. Blumenthal announced that meaningful use will be finalized by mid or late Spring 2010. Turns out that often quoted December 31st date is actually for a draft, after which there will be 60 days for comments and then additional revisions. Frustrated, I went back to the initial enabling legislation in ARRA and found the following requirement: 3004(b)(1) Not later than December 31, 2009, the Secretary shall… adopt an initial set of standards, implementation specifications, and certification criteria… I didn’t see any other language stating that the date could be pushed back. I follow the legislation pretty closely, but its certainly possible that additional legislation has been passed that extended the due date for the criteria. If so, please comment and le... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2730169 Tue, 25 Aug 2009 01:25:56 +0100 2730169 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2730174&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=34634&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FEmrAndHipaa%2F%7E3%2FPW_oVYAGSCY%2F I’ve been exchanging emails with someone in the EMR industry who described us as going through some interesting times of hype, hope and hyperbole. Then, they went on to say: “I have installed (successfully and not so successfully) EMR’s and clinical systems from most vendors since the mid 90’s and found almost all vaporware looking for their next sale, but not too worried about their last.” Thankfully, I know a couple EMR vendors that aren’t just “vaporware looking for the next sale.” Sadly, far too many of them are. Related posts:Promising EHR Prospects with Short List of EHR Sales I recently got the following message from a colleague who...Another Example Why Small EHR Companies Face Tough Challenges No doubt many small EHR companies have been lo... EMR and HIPAA blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2730174 Mon, 24 Aug 2009 21:36:08 +0100 2730174 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2727247&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=36694&url=http%3A%2F%2Fblog.crossoverhealth.com%2F2009%2F08%2F24%2Fhealthcare-pioneer-ehr-vendors-start-their-outreach%2F Pioneer (pī‘ə-nîr’) adj. Of, relating to, or characteristic of early settlers Leading the way; trailblazing When I worked shifts in the ER, I was trained and learned to be weary of people who were overly complimentary or attempted to become too familiar. It is a personality defect seen in those with borderline personality and often in drug seeking behavior. The appeal to the ego can provide a tug into the deep waters, but that natural hesitancy and wariness kept me in the safe shallows more than once. The often innovative ways these people appeal to the ego is almost as interesting as the sudden shift into the vicious when you don’t give them what they want. So it is with that familiar wariness in which I review alot of incoming email I have been receiving as of la... Crossover Healthcare blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2727247 Mon, 24 Aug 2009 06:23:03 +0100 2727247 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2725086&cid=t_266339_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2Fpzftv3iQFC0%2F Round-up of recent news on cognitive health and brain fitness: 1) Impressive coup by Posit Science: Walter Mossberg reviews DriveSharp: A Review of DriveSharp (Wall Street Journal) - "My verdict is that it was easy to use, and it did indeed work on my ability to rapidly recall the color and position of multiple moving objects and of objects on the periphery of my vision. It intelligently adjusted to my performance, and gradually presented me with tougher tasks." - "However, two major caveats are in order. First, I am neither a scientist nor a doctor, so I can't vouch for the company's claims about DriveSharp's benefits or even the underlying problem it aims to alleviate. Secondly, I wasn't able to test DriveSharp long enough to know if it actually made me a better driver.&qu... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2725086 Fri, 21 Aug 2009 23:47:50 +0100 2725086 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2727245&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fnext-deliverables-hit-standards-committee Today in Washington the HIT Standards Committee met to discuss the latest deliverables from its workgroups - Clinical Quality, Clinical Operations and Privacy/Security. A few highlights: *The workgroups presented the standards needed to support meaningful use and certification criteria. A certified EHR must meet the functionality criteria currently being developed by ONC but also must be capable of supporting the standards defined by the HIT Standards Committee workgroups. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2727245 Fri, 21 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0100 2727245 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2719773&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Frethinking-clinical-transformation In healthcare IT, clinical transformation has been around for a while, traveled far, and, predictably, come to mean many different things. Is it a process one can follow? Is it an objective to shoot for? Yes and no. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2719773 Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:34:30 +0100 2719773 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2719999&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F08%2Fi-am-currently-in-canberra-australia-where-i-am-participating-in-the.html I am currently in Canberra, Australia, where I am participating in the HIC 2009. This is the annual healthcare informatics conference sponsored by HISA, which is the Health Informatics Society of Australia. Yesterday afternoon, I delivered a 40-minute lecture to the group entitled: Interpreting the Tea Leaves: Ten Trends in Healthcare, Lab Medicine, and Pathology Informatics. It's an expanded version of a previously posted lecture that I presented to the DxMA in Chicago on July 22, 2009.After some introductory explanatory material in the talk, I tease out the ten macro trends that I believe are occurring now in the U.S. with particularly relevance for pathology and lab medicine. Most of them have significant implicatiions for pathology informatics. I consider this "top-ten" a... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2719999 Thu, 20 Aug 2009 20:33:27 +0100 2719999 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2716043&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fphrs-what-are-they-good Title of this post is the title of a session I’ll be moderating at the upcoming AHRQ conference to be held in Bethesda, MD from Sept 13-16.  If you’ve been thinking of attending this free conference (its put on by the feds) you’ll have to register soon for as of yesterday the event was almost sold-out. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2716043 Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:41:07 +0100 2716043 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2716271&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F08%2Fhalf-of-us-hospitals-maintain-electronic-medical-records-on-permanent-basiks.html Storage of healthcare data in the "cloud" is an important topic to understand. Although the use of this technology for all healthcare data is important, it is particularly relevant for the storage of radiology and pathology imaging data. For additional details about cloud storage, you want to review my past notes on this topic. Last week I signed up for a webinar on this topic sponsored by Iron Mountain, which is in the healthcare data storage and protection business. This lecture is available for your review (see: Leveraging Cloud Storage: Store More and Spend Less for Medical Image Archiving).All of the material provided by the two speakers was useful and interesting. One of the points that interested me the most was the assertion that about half of all hospitals save all medic... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2716271 Wed, 19 Aug 2009 14:35:38 +0100 2716271 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2716044&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D869 Anyone who has worked on EHRs for any length of time has some great stories. To implement an EHR well, you have to get a deep understanding of the fundamental dynamics of an organization. Oftentimes, you find the good along with the bad. Here’s some of the most funny and shocking stories I’ve heard, with many of the details left out to protect the innocent: Computers being kicked and thrown by frustrated physicians. I’ve never experienced this one personally, but its a common theme. A small solo physician practice where the practice management system consultant discovered the numbers weren’t adding up accurately. Turns out a family member was embezzling. That’s probably one of the saddest stories I’ve heard. A medical group that converted from one EHR t... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2716044 Wed, 19 Aug 2009 12:51:47 +0100 2716044 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2712207&cid=t_266339_117_f&fid=34808&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthebeautybrains.com%2F2009%2F08%2F19%2Fyou-can-pick-your-nose-but-would-your-nose-pick-hugo-boss%2F Mid Brain reports: Call me a geek, but I dream of the day when we invent an electronic nose that’s better than our own nostrils. Well, now my dream has come one step closer to reality:  Science Daily reports that the smelling range of electronic noses has been dramatically improved through a program that compares their readings to what is arguably the best nose of all – the common housefly. Super Fly According to the article the scientists evaluated “how the most common type of e-nose sensors – metal oxide or ‘MOx’ receptors – sample the air around them. This is a critical factor in the performance of all noses. We then compared it with the performance of odorant receptors from the common house fly, Drosophila.” The researchers say that this new system all... thebeautybrains.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2712207 Wed, 19 Aug 2009 06:01:20 +0100 2712207 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2712122&cid=t_266339_90_f&fid=0&url=http%3A%2F%2Fannietv600.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F08%2F18%2Fmedical-associations-relationships-industry%2F This article was published in JAMA in April 2009: Rothman DJ, McDonald WJ, Berkowitz CD, Chimonas SC, DeAngelis CD, Hale RW, Nissen SE, Osborn JE, Scully JH Jr, Thomson GE, Wofsy D. Professional medical associations and their relationships with industry: a proposal for controlling conflict of interest. JAMA 2009 Apr 1;301(13):1367-72. Professional medical associations (PMAs) play an essential role in defining and advancing health care standards. Their conferences, continuing medical education courses, practice guidelines, definitions of ethical norms, and public advocacy positions carry great weight with physicians and the public. Because many PMAs receive extensive funding from pharmaceutical and device companies, it is crucial that their guidelines manage both real and perceived conflict... ANNE T-V's BLOG blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2712122 Tue, 18 Aug 2009 20:47:14 +0100 2712122 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2709212&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fmerge-healthcare-opens-its-code Merge Healthcare, a company that seems to be back on its feet after an accounting scandal, a trip through bankruptcy and a change of management, is opening up some of its proprietary code for outside development. The Milwaukee-based company announced today that it has released several SDKs for imaging technologies, including x-ray and tumor tracking. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2709212 Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:37:30 +0100 2709212 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2703872&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D879 Last Friday, TempDev sponsored the California NextGen Advisory Group (CNAG) at the beautiful Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco. CNAG is a a collaborative of large NextGen EHR clients in California, including some of the leading IPAs, MSOs, and multi-specialty groups. One of the presenters of was Bryan Rosenberger, NextGen’s Senior Vice President of Research and Development. Bryan made the exciting announcement that NextGen’s 6.0 version will be developed utilizing Microsoft’s Silverlight. This is great news for NextGen users: Silverlight offers a significant improvement in look, feel, and functionality. By deploying via web browsers, farms of terminal servers are not long required. This allows for faster, less costly, and easier to maintain deployments. By utilizi... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2703872 Sat, 15 Aug 2009 17:20:55 +0100 2703872 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2699730&cid=t_266339_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F-JW8Doxud-I%2F Here you have the August edition of our monthly newsletter covering cognitive health and brain fitness topics. Please remember that you can subscribe to receive this Newsletter by email, using the box at the top of this page. Scientific publication Frontiers in Neuroscience recently published a special issue on Augmenting Cognition, and invited me to contribute with an article titled Preparing Society for the Cognitive Age. Groundbreaking brain research has occurred over the last 20 years. The opportunity to improve brain health and performance is immense, but we need to ensure the marketplace matures in a rational and sustainable manner, both through healthcare and non-healthcare channels. Click Here to read my article. Announcements In May 2009 SharpBrains published The State of the Bra... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2699730 Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:18:24 +0100 2699730 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2699692&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fcloud-computing-right-health-it The announcement of Salesforce.com investing and coordinating development efforts with Practice Fusion has brought talk of “cloud computing” to the fore. Salesforce has been known as a leader in cloud computing, and moving healthcare IT to that “cloud” has raised questions by a number of observers. What, exactly, is “cloud computing?” Is it appropriate for health IT? What are the security issues and risks? (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2699692 Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:56:33 +0100 2699692 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2695447&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D873 Practice Fusion recently posted on their blog “An Open Letter to ONCHIT Chief David Blumenthal”. The letter contains some pretty strong language, including that CCHIT and HITSP “…have been overly influenced by the same small group of special interests, and have created at least the appearance of conflicts of interest.” With CCHIT and HITSP having such close relationships with HIMSS, which is focused on futhering vendors by defintion, there is certainly a history of deference to furthering the goals of HIT vendors rather than directly improving functionality for physicians or patients. In addition, the letter goes on to make the compelling point that disruptive new-comers as well as the stalwarts of IT are being left out of the discussion. The letter states tha... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2695447 Thu, 13 Aug 2009 07:44:19 +0100 2695447 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2691610&cid=t_266339_117_f&fid=34808&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthebeautybrains.com%2F2009%2F08%2F12%2Fanother-way-cosmetic-sales-advertising-tricks-your-brain%2F Right Brain reports: Sarah Bellum recently mentioned (in her mildly mocking tone) that Mid Brain’s favorite Beauty Brains’ feature is “Actual Ads.” Well, I can’t speak for the other lobes, but I really enjoy our posts on the psychology of cosmetics. Case in point: Cosmeticsdesign.com just published a  a fascinating article on how high tech visual demonstrations can “trick” you into buying cosmetics. After before and after Dr. Torsten Clarius (of the cosmetic ingredient company Cognis) has conducted a study that suggests demonstrating a cosmetic’s performance with high tech visual imagery instead of just numerical statistics can improve the success of advertising. So-called “before and after” pictures used to demonstrate the efficac... thebeautybrains.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2691610 Wed, 12 Aug 2009 06:01:21 +0100 2691610 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2691574&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fgoogle-ceo-eyes-national-ehr-database Eric Schmidt, CEO of Google, warned members at a Thursday meeting of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology that the Obama administration's health IT plan relies too heavily on outdated database technology. The current plan stifles innovation and encourages the use of proprietary, copyrighted databases that cannot easily duplicate or share information, according to Schmidt. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2691574 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 19:24:43 +0100 2691574 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2691575&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fehr-without-appropriate-technical-infrastructure-patient-risk An often times overlooked aspect to implementing an electronic health record (EHR) is the need for a solid technical infrastructure. Unfortunately, most organizations in healthcare do not have a technical infrastructure that is fully prepared to handle the needs of an EHR safely. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2691575 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 19:19:27 +0100 2691575 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2691576&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D857 We’ve long had a corporate crush on Practice Fusion – that spunky, SaaS EHR that’s also a built in HIE. You know; the free one? Practice Fusion has been the way of the future for years now, but last Wednesday the future arrived. Practice Fusion has announced an investment by salesforce.com, an investment which the San Francisco Business Times is calling “significant”. Even more revolutionary is the announcement that Practice Fusion’s newest version is going to be launched on Force.com. I think our corporate crush just got a little stronger! Why the fascination with Practice Fusion? Well.. By deploying on Force.com, Practice Fusion moves the existing proprietary software model that every current EHR software vendor utilizes to a scalable platform utilize... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2691576 Tue, 11 Aug 2009 17:49:37 +0100 2691576 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2688749&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fballmer%25E2%2580%2599s-advice-cios As I mentioned in my last post I got a chance to meet with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.  He started the meeting asking what we wanted to hear.  The 5 CIOs went around the table asking for information on various technical topics.  The last CIO asked Steve Ballmer what advice he would give to CIOs.  I wish I would have asked that question. Ballmer had a number of suggestions, but two stuck with me as being most enlightening. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2688749 Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:32:49 +0100 2688749 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2688942&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F08%2Fexpenditure-on-complementary-and-alternative-medicine.html I illustrated in a previous note that there is broad overlap between wellness, pre-disease, and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) (see: Wellness, Preventive Medicine, and the Classic Disease Model). Complementary medicine can be defined in the following way:...[C]omplementary medicine is used by conventional medical practitioners to refer to non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical techniques which are used in conjunction with medical treatments such as drugs and surgery. The term implies that conventional medicine is used as a primary tool and the non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical techniques are used as a supplement when needed.I fully understand that CAM is a broad term and incorporates a number of therapies that may provide few objective health gains such as aromatherapy. However, man... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2688942 Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:07:15 +0100 2688942 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2685255&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D848 This year has been revolutionary for organizations who invests in healthcare IT, including TempDev. To celebrate the exciting changes coming to our industry, we’re very excited to announce our new website and refreshed blog! You’ll find a new, fresh look and feel, as well as expanded content that reflects our service lines, including: Services - A full range of consulting services from planning and project management to custom development and upgrades. Packages - Our plug and play solutions that offer immediate solutions to the problems you’re facing today. We can also create new packages at minimal expense by sharing the cost amongst multiple organizations. Interop -Creating a fully integrated EHR that includes interoperability with labs, radiology, medical devices, hea... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2685255 Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:14:52 +0100 2685255 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2682018&cid=t_266339_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FB3droOuf73A%2F This article, an industry overview, is reproduced here with authorization by the Frontiers Research Foundation). Preparing Society for the Cognitive Age - By Alvaro Fernandez Groundbreaking cognitive neuroscience research has occurred over the last 20 years - without parallel growth of consumer awareness and appropriate professional dissemination. “Cognition” remains an elusive concept with unclear implications outside the research community. Earlier this year, I presented a talk to health care professionals at the New York Academy of Medicine, titled “Brain Fitness Software: Helping Consumers Separate Hope from Hype”. I explained what computerized cognitive assessment and training tools can do (assess/enhance specific cognitive functions), what they cannot do (reduce one’s “br... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2682018 Fri, 07 Aug 2009 23:14:30 +0100 2682018 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2681984&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fgoogle-health-irrelevant Scott Shreve, formerly of Medsphere, wrote a good post imploring Google to get back into the Personal Health Cloud game, a game where Microsoft HealthVault now appears to be the only game in town.  Everything Scott says in his post Chilmark Research agrees with and we would even go so far as to say that Google Health has been nothing more than a distraction to the broader market.  A distraction in that Google Health has really done very little to create a truly compelling platform, yet due to its size, market presence and media and market pundits belief that Google is the be all t (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2681984 Fri, 07 Aug 2009 17:04:27 +0100 2681984 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2674525&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F08%2Feven-moderate-elevations-of-cholesterol-predispose-to-two-types-of-dementia.html Most people know about Alzheimer's disease but few are aware of the second most common cause of dementia, vascular dementia. That's probably because the latter condition is poorly understood and little discussed in the media. The name, however, provides a clue. The three most common mechanisms of vascular dementia are multiple brain cortical infarcts, a strategic single infarct, and small vessel disease (see: Vascular Dementia). There's now evidence that both types of dementia have a relationship to serum cholesterol and that even moderate levels of it in midlife can put you at risk (see: Study Shows Even Moderately Elevated Cholesterol Level Boosts Dementia Risk). Below is an excerpt from the article:Elevated cholesterol levels in midlife – even levels considered only border... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2674525 Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:40:35 +0100 2674525 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2674490&cid=t_266339_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F08%2F05%2Fjust_give_it_to_nih.php I know that many people are getting tired of this topic. But many people who work in the industry have never met someone who's convinced that drug companies are just standing in the way of innovation, and that all the good stuff comes from the NIH, anyway. So allow me a couple of quick quotes from Dr. Jerry Avorn, chief of pharmacoepidemiology at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital, and (thus) a person who should know better: ". . .Virtually every progressive recommendation about health policy for the last 20 or 30 years that the drug industry felt might harm its bottom line has been met by the threat that if they don't make as much money before, innovation will cease and there will be no cures for new diseases. It came up around Medicare drug pricing and generic drugs. It's not a surpr... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2674490 Wed, 05 Aug 2009 16:55:58 +0100 2674490 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2670949&cid=t_266339_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FrZYUDP-BGt4%2F Good article today in the NYT on "chemo brain" - some typical short-term and long-term cognitive consequences of chemotherapy. The Fog That Follows Chemotherapy (New York Times) One quote is critical - for chemo brain and also for a variety of clinical conditions that present associated cognitive impairments: "Controlling for brain function before cancer treatment begins can help determine cause and effect. In one study, cancer patients took a battery of neuropsychological tests before starting chemotherapy, three weeks after completing treatment, and again one year later. Although a third of the patients had signs of cognitive impairment before therapy began, the number jumped to 61 percent after treatment, and half remained impaired a year later." As we have discussed... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2670949 Wed, 05 Aug 2009 02:47:22 +0100 2670949 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2670905&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Ffinally-reasonable-plan-certification-ehr-technologies  A caution to readers: This post is about methods for certifying Electronic Health Record (EHR) technologies used by physicians, medical practices, and hospitals who hope to qualify for federal incentive payments under the so-called HITECH portion of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2670905 Tue, 04 Aug 2009 18:20:47 +0100 2670905 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2667527&cid=t_266339_117_f&fid=34808&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthebeautybrains.com%2F2009%2F08%2F04%2Fmore-beauty-science-blogs-worth-reading%2F While the Beauty Brains may have been the first cosmetic chemists to start a beauty blog, we are no longer the only ones. Here are a few of our fellow scientists writing about the chemistry & science of beauty products. 5 More Sciencey Beauty Blogs 1. Colin’s Beauty Pages – Written by a UK-based cosmetic scientist. Colin reviews products, beauty advice, and the science behind beauty and attraction. He’s currently writing a book on the science of beauty and you can see some excerpts on the blog. 2. The b-spot Nikita is a cosmetic chemist who works as a consultant to the industry. She also has a regular column in the prestigous Cosmetics & Toiletries magazine, one of the top publications for cosmetic science professionals. She gives an insider’s view of the c... thebeautybrains.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2667527 Tue, 04 Aug 2009 07:48:07 +0100 2667527 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2670804&cid=t_266339_87_f&fid=34470&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehealthcareblog.com%2Fthe_health_care_blog%2F2009%2F08%2Ffinally-a-reasonable-plan-for-certification-of-ehr-technologies.html By DAVID C. KIBBE and BRIAN KLEPPER A caution to readers: This post is about methods for certifying Electronic Health Record (EHR) technologies used by physicians, medical practices, and hospitals who hope to qualify for federal incentive payments under the... (Source: The Health Care Blog) The Health Care Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2670804 Mon, 03 Aug 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2670804 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2664132&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F08%2Ffinally-a-fast-path-to-the-blending-of-anatomic-and-clinical-pathology.html The continuous blending of clinical pathology and anatomic pathology will be a necessary step in the evolution of the specialty (see: Integration of Anatomic and Clinical Pathology). However, I have never had a clear idea about how this change would take place, which is to say I was unable to predict the catalyst for the change. However, I think that I now understand what it will be -- the expanded use of tissue and serum biomarker algorithms to diagnose disease within these two subdisciplines of pathology. The germ of this idea is contained in a recent article (see: BioImagene Develops Companion Algorithms (TM) to Further Enable Personalized Medicine). Below is an excerpt from it:BioImagene...is advancing its goal of bridging personalized medicine and the clinical practice of pathology by... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2664132 Mon, 03 Aug 2009 12:26:35 +0100 2664132 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2664079&cid=t_266339_132_f&fid=35011&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2Fmndoci%2F%7E3%2F1frH06-gajY%2F Image via Wikipedia Pharmacovigilance is an area where a lot of pharma companies are beginning to spend more money and attention and going forward, this will be an area of major emphasis both for the industry and regulatory bodies, especially given recent setbacks. That’s why the work being done at companies like ProSanos is critical. Prosonos’ SafetyWorks product is a web-based system that queries data sources like insurance claims and electronic health records. In addition the system also listens in on other data sources (unsure what these are). These systems, over time, will evolve to monitor CDC data sources, various adverse event reporting systems, both public and private, and additional resources. The challenge will be making sure that there is automation that alerts ... business|bytes|genes|molecules blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2664079 Sun, 02 Aug 2009 16:46:29 +0100 2664079 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2662629&cid=t_266339_136_f&fid=37846&url=http%3A%2F%2Fhealthinfoispower.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F08%2F01%2Fm-d-andersons-epha2-targeted-therapy-delivers-chemo-directly-to-ovarian-cancer-cells%2F With a novel therapeutic delivery system, a research team led by scientists at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center has successfully targeted a protein that is over-expressed in ovarian cancer cells. Using the EphA2 protein as a molecular homing mechanism, chemotherapy was delivered in a highly selective manner in preclinical models of [...] (Source: Libby's H*O*P*E*) Libby's H*O*P*E* blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2662629 Sat, 01 Aug 2009 15:49:10 +0100 2662629 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2660817&cid=t_266339_117_f&fid=34808&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthebeautybrains.com%2F2009%2F08%2F01%2Fhairy-glaze-of-glory%2F Sandy says…Talk to me about these new hair color glazes on the market. What do you know? Do you like ‘em? The Right Brain replies: Hair color glazes are all the rage these days. We here at the Beauty Brains have taken a look and even tried them and have the following observations. What’s in there? Here is John Frieda’s Brilliant Brunette Luminous Color Glaze. It’s interesting to note that except for the color of the formulas, the Brunette, Red head, and Blonde formulas are pretty much the same. Water, Propylene Carbonate, Alcohol Denat., PEG-12 Dimethicone, Dimethicone, Citric Acid, Hydrogenated Polydecene, Xanthan Gum, Dimethiconol, Oleyl Alcohol, Sodium Hydroxide, Propylene Glycol, Methylcloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothizolinone, Pearl Powder, Fragrance, Ir... thebeautybrains.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2660817 Sat, 01 Aug 2009 06:01:32 +0100 2660817 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2786012&cid=t_266339_109_f&fid=38951&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarlatpsychiatry.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fsenate-cme-hearing-impressions-more.html There's no question that the recent Senate hearing on CME was stacked against industry funding of CME, but that's because from the standpoint of the American public and Congress, the practice is slimy and wrong. Senator Mel Martinez, a republican from Florida, summed up the mood best with his perplexed question (I'm paraphrasing here): "Wouldn't it just be better if doctors paid for their own continuing medical education?" As a lawyer, he said, he always paid for his own CLE (continuing legal education) and he was never paid to give CLE lectures.To those of us who have lived and breathed this issue for years, his question came across as innocent, but in fact it hit the obvious point, and surely summarized the view of most Americans.Tom Stossel, to his credit, came out swinging in a ring wh... The Carlat Psychiatry Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2786012 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:58:00 +0100 2786012 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2660942&cid=t_266339_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F31%2Fwhere_drugs_come_from_and_how_once_more_with_a_roll_of_the_eyes.php I linked yesterday to a post by Megan McArdle about health care reform. And while I realize that everyone got into a shouting match in the comments to my own post on the subject - and people sure did in the comments to hers; it's endemic - I wanted to quote a section from her on drug discovery: Advocates of this policy have a number of rejoinders to this, notably that NIH funding is responsible for a lot of innovation. This is true, but theoretical innovation is not the same thing as product innovation. We tend to think of innovation as a matter of a mad scientist somewhere making a Brilliant Discovery!!! but in fact, innovation is more often a matter of small steps towards perfection. Wal-Mart’s revolution in supply chain management has been one of the most powerful factors influencing... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2660942 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:42:43 +0100 2660942 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2657733&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fnext-steps-hit-standards-committee At the July 21 meeting of the HIT Standards, we approved an initial set of standards for quality, clinical operations and security/privacy. We were told to refine these initial efforts by the next meeting of the Committee, August 20, so that ONC and CMS can incorporate the work into the interim final rule. Here's an update on the deliberations of the workgroups. Privacy and Security (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2657733 Fri, 31 Jul 2009 12:26:15 +0100 2657733 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2657759&cid=t_266339_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FBCZ8Vbq2q2Q%2F The American Society on Aging and SharpBrains have partnered to co-produce a professional development day for professionals in the field of aging. The day is themed "New Tools, New Partnerships", and will take place on Friday, September 11th, 2009, during ASA's West Coast Conference on Aging, in the Oakland Marriot City Center, Oakland, CA. "Given aging population trends, it is clear that we need more and better trained aging professionals, and that brain health needs to be a major component in that training. We are pleased to partner with SharpBrains to offer the latest thinking, best practices, and resources, to our members," said Carole Anderson, Vice President of Education. "The growing interest in brain health and fitness among consumers and professionals alik... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2657759 Thu, 30 Jul 2009 22:13:39 +0100 2657759 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2657762&cid=t_266339_122_f&fid=34755&url=http%3A%2F%2Fneuropsychological.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fupcoming-industry-conference-social.html e-patient Connections 2009Health marketingMeeting website (Source: BrainBlog) BrainBlog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2657762 Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:52:00 +0100 2657762 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2657941&cid=t_266339_167_f&fid=38271&url=http%3A%2F%2Frebeccascritchfield.wordpress.com%2F2009%2F07%2F30%2Fdebunking-the-new-smart-choices-packaged-food-label%2F Uniform Food Label I first wrote about the Smart Choices labeling program in November 2008, after it was rolled out at the American Dietetic Association Food and Nutrition Conference. In a nutshell, it is the food industry’s stab at taking all the “front of package” labeling from individual companies (smart spot, sensible solutions, etc…) and giving it some uniformity. The new smart choices program has come under hefty criticism from Marion Nestle, who thinks it is more a marketing effort than a nutrition effort. I hear what she’s saying – do we really need a big effort to help people choose processed foods?  Shouldn’t nutrition experts tell people to limit packaged foods and eat more whole foods?  YOU BET! But, I’m more of a realist than a... Balanced Health and Nutrition Rebecca Scritchfield's Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2657941 Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:50:12 +0100 2657941 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2654067&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F07%2Fwwcontainerized-aids-lab.html One the most significant barriers to delivering basic healthcare in many developing countries is the inability to perform even relatively simple clinical lab tests. An idea has been hatched by a South African private diagnostics lab to convert a standard shipping container into a turnkey AIDS testing facility is being copied across sub-Saharan Africa (see: Container AIDS labs could work across Africa). Below is an excerpt from the article that provides more information about this project:A lack of quality laboratory services in the world's poorest continent hampers the battle against HIV/AIDS, with the sub-Saharan Africa region hardest hit by the global pandemic which kills millions each year....Krista Thompson, general manager for global health at Becton Dickinson & Co, told Reute... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2654067 Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:06:03 +0100 2654067 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2653876&cid=t_266339_117_f&fid=34808&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthebeautybrains.com%2F2009%2F07%2F30%2Fare-there-too-many-choices-in-the-shampoo-aisle%2F The Right Brain rambles: We came across an interesting shampoo rant by UK blogger by Rob Fisher that touches on some of the same themes that we write about here. You can check out the entire article, but here are a few pithy quotes from Rob followed by The Beauty Brains comments: Rob Writes: I find shopping for toiletries an overwhelmingly draining experience. I can stare at an entire aisle of shampoo for hours, just looking your basic, ordinary, not-too-cheap, not-too-expensive, not-containing-any-weird-ingredients shampoo. It’s nearly impossible. There’s too much choice! The Brains Comment: What do you people in the real world think? Are there too many choices out there for shampoo and other personal care products? Rob Writes: Yet could it be that all this choice is a go... thebeautybrains.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2653876 Thu, 30 Jul 2009 06:01:14 +0100 2653876 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2653666&cid=t_266339_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2Fv4MERyzbrMU%2F The recent focus in Washington on mortgage modifications once again illustrates one of the most fundamental flaws in current political debate:  the notion of using government to threaten or force the “voluntary” transfer of wealth from one group of citizens to another. Just this week Rep. Barney Frank warned the banking industry if they don’t “voluntarily” do more to reduce foreclosures, Congress will step in and make them do so, by allowing bankruptcy judges to re-write mortgage contracts.  This proposal is really nothing more an ex poste transfer of wealth from investors in mortgage backed assets to borrowers. Of course, Rep. Frank and others respond that they are only trying to “bring lenders to the table” in order to keep negotiations going... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2653666 Wed, 29 Jul 2009 20:42:48 +0100 2653666 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2653669&cid=t_266339_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FgXFYSxav4ZQ%2F While banks such as Goldman and J.P. Morgan have managed to find a way to re-pay the capital injections made under the TARP bailout, their reliance on public subsidies is far from over. The federal government, via a debt guarantee program run by the FDIC, is still putting considerable taxpayer funds at risk on behalf of the banking industry.  The Wall Street Journal estimates that banks participating in the FDIC debt guarantee program will save about $24 billion in reduced borrowing costs of the next three years. The Journal estimates that Goldman alone will save over $2 billion on its borrowing costs due to the FDIC’s guarantees. One of the conditions imposed by the Treasury department for allowing banks to leave the TARP was that such banks be able to issue debt not guaranteed�... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2653669 Wed, 29 Jul 2009 18:48:54 +0100 2653669 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2653848&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fballmer-healthcare My last post covered the opportunity I had to meet with Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer in a small group setting.  He said a couple of things about healthcare that I though were noteworthy. Firstly, he said that Microsoft develops technologies that are intended to be used across all industries.  He said they were a horizontal software company.  But, he went on to say that healthcare is the one vertical that is fragmented among many software providers.  Since there are no SAPs, Microsoft is making investments in this industry. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2653848 Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:22:31 +0100 2653848 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2649123&cid=t_266339_117_f&fid=34808&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthebeautybrains.com%2F2009%2F07%2F29%2F78%2F Cynical Girl sez…I have over-highlighted my hair and it’s fried. The salon recommended a Redken All Softconditioning treatment and another Redken protein treatment. Will any of these products really make a difference, or do I just need to cut off the damaged ends of my hair? Is it possible to add too much moisture or protein to my hair? Any risks? The Right Brain replies: Cynical Girl – it looks like you’ve committed the cardinal sin of chemically caring for your hair: you over-processed. But, rather than publicly berating you here on the Beauty Brains blog, we’ll give you some information that will help save your hair. Is protein powerful? Your stylist recommended a couple of Redkin products. There’s certainly nothing wrong with using those – the... thebeautybrains.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2649123 Wed, 29 Jul 2009 06:01:52 +0100 2649123 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2786015&cid=t_266339_109_f&fid=38951&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarlatpsychiatry.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fsenator-kohl-targets-commercial-cme-in.html It was only a matter of time before the U.S. Senate decided to shine a national spotlight on one of the more corrupt sectors of the nation's economy: industry-sponsored continuing medical education (CME).Senator Herb Kohl (D-Wis) has just issued this press release announcing a hearing entitled "Medical Research and Education: Higher Learning or Higher Earning?" It will take place Wednesday, July 29, at 2 p.m., at 562 Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington DC. You can view it live on the web by going to the Special Committee on Aging's website. To view the all-star line up of those providing testimony, see the press release link above. I think it is safe to say that there will be some very strong testimony about the plethora of sham "educational" programs that are in reality marketing... The Carlat Psychiatry Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2786015 Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:46:00 +0100 2786015 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2649084&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fsnomed-ct-problem-list-has-arrived As promised in my earlier blog, the National Library of Medicine has created a "best practices" subset of SNOMED-CT which is highly usable by clinicians for documenting the symptoms and conditions used on a typical Problem List. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2649084 Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:31:05 +0100 2649084 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2649085&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Finteresting-question-raised Attending the last day of the Aspen Health Forum, I was asked a question by Esther Dyson who is getting ready to take the stage to discuss the evolution of technology, its use and future impact on health and behaviors.  She was invited, somewhat at the last moment, to participate in one of the final panel sessions. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2649085 Tue, 28 Jul 2009 17:28:35 +0100 2649085 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2634686&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F07%2Fkey-trends-that-are-now-occurring-in-pathology-the-clinical-labs-and-healthcare.html I am in Chicago to attend the 2009 AACC annual meeting which includes the largest clinical lab exposition in the world. I was invited to deliver a lecture at the parallel meeting of the Diagnostic Marketing Association (DxMA), which builds diagnostic industry leadership by providing industry knowledge, professional development and a venue for the exchange of ideas. Here is the title and link to that presentation: Ten Hot Trends in Healthcare, Lab Medicine, and Pathology Informatics.Although many of the trends have genereal applicability to healthcare delivery, all of them were chosen because of their particular relevance and importance for the future of pathology and lab medicine, frequently using an informatics lens to assess them. See what you think. I am going to rework this lecture sho... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2634686 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:17:55 +0100 2634686 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2630225&cid=t_266339_117_f&fid=34808&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthebeautybrains.com%2F2009%2F07%2F23%2Fwhat-does-science-say-about-cosmetic-chemical-toxicity%2F This study found a large number of people believed personal care products contained dangerous chemicals. Scientific opinion Now here is an interesting survey that looked at what experts who dedicate their lives to studying the topic think about how dangerous are the chemicals used in cosmetic products. Note, these scientists do not work for cosmetic companies. Here are some findings from a survey conducted by George Mason University researchers. The survey included 937 member of the Society of Toxicology. This group is composed of scientists who specifically test chemicals to determine the risk of human exposure. Some of the more interesting findings are below. Cosmetic product safety 26% believe cosmetics pose a significant health risk. 10% believe organic/natural products are safer 23% s... thebeautybrains.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2630225 Thu, 23 Jul 2009 06:01:44 +0100 2630225 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2630229&cid=t_266339_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2F-F_jm4PRjhA%2F I  am very excited to pre-announce a collaboration with the American Society on Aging (ASA) to co-produce a Brain Health event, themed "New Tools, New Partnerships", to take place in Oakland, CA, on September 11th. Registration will be open next week so we will issue the formal announcement and provide links then ($150 for the whole day, which includes a signed copy of The SharpBrains Guide to Brain Fitness), but here you have the agenda & speakers in case you want to pencil in the date. Context: Since 2006, healthy aging pioneers have been actively evaluating and implementing an expanding menu of stimulating brain health programs. The American Society on Aging and SharpBrains have partnered to introduce aging professionals to the best practices in a variety of community-ba... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2630229 Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:44:15 +0100 2630229 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2630199&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fsteve-and-me Last month I was asked by Microsoft to attend an event in Chicago that featured their CEO Steve Ballmer.  I really didn’t understand the details, but Chicago is a convenient train ride from the land of cheese, so I agreed.  I rarely attend any events, vendor sponsored or otherwise.  But I am glad I went to this one. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2630199 Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:37:19 +0100 2630199 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2630200&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fhit-standards-committee-deliverables Over the past 60 days, the HIT Standards Committee and its workgroups have been hard at work mapping standards to meaningful use. Here are their deliverables: Clinical Quality The Clinical Quality Workgroup Report describes the approach used to specify the 27 performance measures for 2011 which support meaningful use. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2630200 Wed, 22 Jul 2009 13:34:00 +0100 2630200 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2626298&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F07%2Fassessing-illegal-drug-use-by-analyzing-municipal-wastewater.html The assay techniques for illegal drugs have now reached a sensitivity such that the use of such substances can be quantified  and tracked by analyzing samples of the municipal wastewater (see: New study uses wastewater to map large-scale patterns of illicit drug use). I discussed this same topic in December, 2007, referring to it as community urinalysis (see: The Community Urinalysis: A New Lab Testing Opportunity). Below is an excerpt from the current article:A team of researchers has mapped patterns of illicit drug use across the US state of Oregon using a method of sampling municipal wastewater before it is treated. Their findings provide a one-day snapshot of drug excretion that can be used to better understand patterns of drug use in multiple municipalities over time. Municipal ... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2626298 Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:40:16 +0100 2626298 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2786018&cid=t_266339_109_f&fid=38951&url=http%3A%2F%2Fcarlatpsychiatry.blogspot.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fnew-accme-report-commercial-cme-support.html Once a year, the ACCME (Accreditation Council of Continuing Medical Education) releases its Annual Report detailing the state of the health of the CME enterprise. It reports various things, like how many CME courses have been offered, how many physicians have taken part, etc.... But the meat of the report is always on page 8, Table 7: "Income and Expense by Organization Type".This year, the big news (though not that newsy to those who have been following the issue) is that for the first time since financial records were reported in 1998, the size of the CME industry has contracted. In 1998, the total income for all CME activities was $888 million, and over the years, it steadily increased to a high of $2,539 million in 2007. Well, last year, the total dipped to $2,365 million, a "loss" of ... The Carlat Psychiatry Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2786018 Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:55:00 +0100 2786018 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2626226&cid=t_266339_134_f&fid=34841&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.diabetesmine.com%2F2009%2F07%2Fpharma-on-twitter-and-other-social-media-the-epatients-dilemma.html As the Diabetes Social Media Summit hosted by Roche approaches, I’ve been thinking and reading a lot about the question of Pharma engagement here.  Is Social Media destined to be just another forum for them to push marketing mantras and build brands?  Or can there really be valuable two-way interaction between the chronically drug-dependent (us [...] (Source: Diabetes Mine) Diabetes Mine blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2626226 Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:08:35 +0100 2626226 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2626103&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fmeaningful-use-and-phr-market Yesterday’s ONC HIT Policy Committee meeting was a big one.  Over the course of many hours, the committee went from hearing revised recommendations for Meaningful Use, to recommendations from the HIE workgroup and lastly recommendations regarding certification processes for EHRs.  Over the next week or so we plan to do separate write-ups on each of these topics and their implications. But for today, one topic seems the most urgent and relevant to bring to the forefront (at least from our somewhat biased perspective) and that is… (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2626103 Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:19:00 +0100 2626103 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2622075&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F07%2Fintegrated-lis-pacs-ris.html I have made occasion references to Diagnostic Information Systems (DIS) that could be developed by the integration of the the currently separate LIS, RIS, and PACS systems. In a recent note, I made specific reference to the fact that few vendors were offering such a system (see: Few Vendors Deliver an Integrated RIS/PACS Solution According to KLAS). It appears that this situation is being partly remedied by one vendor, McKesson, which has sent me the specification sheet for their Horizon Anatomic Pathology product that you can review with this link (Horizon Anatomic Pathology). The product offers many of the features of what has been called a pathologist dashboard or console including the following: (1) a workflow engine; (2) a case-aggregating application to integrate whole slide images f... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2622075 Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:44:49 +0100 2622075 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2621902&cid=t_266339_117_f&fid=34808&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthebeautybrains.com%2F2009%2F07%2F21%2Fdo-you-want-photoshop-free-beauty-ads%2F Scatter Brain says: Beware the Art Director With a Photoshop Program As long as there have been photographs, there has been photo manipulation. It’s interesting, because this art form came about to capture reality, but as soon as we figured out how, we started altering that reality. For instance, I have a baby picture of my Dad, taken at a portrait studio over 7 decades ago. My sweet chubby baby Daddy has rosy cheeks that are hand tinted and the lushest painted on eyelashes that ever adorned a baby’s face. He even appears to be wearing just the slightest hint of lip color. Hand tinted of course. Later came airbrushing and composite photos. When I worked at the advertising agency in Atlanta (I’m not telling how many decades ago) there was big dust up over the fact that TV Guide used a... thebeautybrains.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2621902 Tue, 21 Jul 2009 06:01:58 +0100 2621902 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2621874&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Ffive-ways-visual-communications-approach-can-help-medical-practices-get-more-their-emr-systems Although stimulus money incentives have been provided for hospitals and health systems to adopt electronic medical records, medical practices, for the most part, have had to make this significant investment on their own.   Buying the right EMR system remains a major monetary investment as well as a daunting task for overstretched medical practice staff and physicians.  These practices need to find the right technology to mesh with their processes in order to experience a strong return on their investment, which most understand to be time and money saved. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2621874 Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:19:12 +0100 2621874 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2616876&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F07%2Fmmore-on-integrated-diagnostic-centers-trend-or-lukewarm-idea.html In a recent note (see: Repurposing Outpatient Clinics and Medical Procedure Units as Integrated Diagnostic Centers), I continued my ongoing dialogue about Integrated Diagnostic Centers (IDCs). A reader, Mark Terry, posted a comment to this note, taking issue with my use of the term trend for IDCs, suggesting that the level of interest he has observed for this idea does not rise to this level. I am elevating his comment to the level of a note to enable additional discussion:The conversion [to Integrated Diagnostic Centers] is an interesting thought. I'm wrapping up a large report on integrated diagnostics and have recently been interviewing and profiling hospitals that have (or say they have) some level of integration in diagnostics, ie., pathology and imaging. Very few, if any, think t... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2616876 Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:39:38 +0100 2616876 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2613945&cid=t_266339_117_f&fid=34808&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthebeautybrains.com%2F2009%2F07%2F18%2Fbeauty-news-from-diet-drinks-to-tasty-toothpastes%2F Mid Brain reports: Cosmetics and Toiletries magazine cites a tasty piece of research done by the Monell Chemical Senses Center: Monell Chemical Senses Center announced that a scientific paradox linking artificial sweeteners with a sensory experience, in which plain water takes on a sweet taste, has guided researchers to an increased understanding of how humans detect sweet taste. As reported in Nature, scientists from Monell describe how certain artificial sweeteners, including sodium saccharin and acesulfame-K, paradoxically inhibit sweet taste at high concentrations. The researchers further reported that taste perception switches back to sweetness when these high concentrations are rinsed from the mouth with water, resulting in the aftertaste experience known as sweet water taste. Well B... thebeautybrains.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2613945 Sat, 18 Jul 2009 06:01:02 +0100 2613945 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2614067&cid=t_266339_149_f&fid=35776&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpipeline.corante.com%2Farchives%2F2009%2F07%2F17%2Fdrug_approvals_natural_and_unnatural.php I seem to have been putting a lot of graphics up this week, so here's another one. This is borrowed from a recent Science paper on the future of natural-products based drug discovery. It's interesting both from that viewpoint, and because of the general approval numbers: And there you have it. Outside of anomalies like 2005, we can say, I think, that the 1980s were a comparative Golden Age of Drug Approvals, that the 1990s held their own but did not reach the earlier heights, and that since 2000 the trend has been dire. If you want some numbers to confirm your intuitions, you can just refer back to this. As far as natural products go, from what I can see, the percentage of drugs derived from them has remained roughly constant: about half. Looking at the current clinical trial environment... In the Pipeline blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2614067 Fri, 17 Jul 2009 13:04:13 +0100 2614067 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2611014&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fstay-tuned-meaningful-use-part-deux-forthcoming Today, ONC’s HIT Policy Committee will reconvene to hear the latest iteration of draft recommendations on “meaningful use.” For those of you that are new to all of this, “meaningful use” is the legislative language used in ARRA, to insure that the ~$36 billion to be spent on clinician adoption of EHRs will result in EHRs being used in a meaningful fashion. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2611014 Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:16:07 +0100 2611014 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2610890&cid=t_266339_87_f&fid=36438&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FCato-at-liberty%2F%7E3%2FpdgGefsqbyw%2F Reading the New York Times’s coverage of a Senate committee’s recent vote on health care legislation, I was struck by the following statement from Sen. Dodd: If you don’t have health insurance, this bill is for you,” said Senator Christopher J. Dodd, Democrat of Connecticut, who presided over more than three weeks of grueling committee sessions. “It stops insurance companies from denying coverage based on pre-existing conditions. It guarantees that you’ll be able to find an insurance plan that works for you, including a public health insurance option if you want it.” The bill would also help people who have insurance, Mr. Dodd said, because “it eliminates annual and lifetime caps on coverage and ensures that your out-of-pocket costs will never exceed your ability to... Cato-at-liberty blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2610890 Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:05:02 +0100 2610890 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2606249&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F07%2Frepurposing-obsolete-hospitals-as-integrated-diagnostic-centers.html I have been an advocate of the merger of pathology and radiology into what could be described as the new medical specialty of diagnostic medicine. This merged specialty can also referred to as integrated diagnostics. The integration of pathology and radiology is related to the idea of the development of Integrated Diagnostic Centers (IDCs). These are clinics staffed by multidisciplinary teams and focused on the goal of diagnosing disease faster, better, and less expensively than the norm today. Most such centers today specialize n the diagnosis of breast masses. In the U.K, they are referred to as one-stop breast cancer clinics (see: The Value of "One-Stop" Breast Cancer Clinics Confirmed in the U.K.). What is the basis for the claim that IDCs can arrive at diagnoses faster, bett... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2606249 Thu, 16 Jul 2009 10:57:52 +0100 2606249 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2610920&cid=t_266339_87_f&fid=34470&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thehealthcareblog.com%2Fthe_health_care_blog%2F2009%2F07%2Fpreventing-extortion.html By JACK CHURCHILL The debate about a public health insurance option mirrors the debate about public power in the 1920’s and 30’s. The arguments then were very similar to the arguments we hear today. The principal issue then was whether... (Source: The Health Care Blog) The Health Care Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2610920 Wed, 15 Jul 2009 23:00:00 +0100 2610920 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2606052&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fdispatch-washington Today I was in Washington attending two important meetings - an Institute of Medicine gathering to discuss healthcare information exchange and the HIT Policy Committee Certification/Adoption Workgroup. The Institute of Medicine meeting brought together 30 experts from computer science, informatics, and the health information exchange community to discuss the applications of grid computing technologies to health information exchange. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2606052 Wed, 15 Jul 2009 12:39:17 +0100 2606052 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2602254&cid=t_266339_155_f&fid=34629&url=http%3A%2F%2Flabsoftnews.typepad.com%2Flab_soft_news%2F2009%2F07%2Fcdc-releases-online-environmental-health-tracking-system.html The future of tethered personal health record (PHR) products, as in the case of HealthVault and Google Health, lies on the web. The term tethered here means that these electronic records have links to hospital and physician office EMRs such that data from them can be copied to the PHRs. Moreover, web-based PHRs also provide the opportunity to link to other valuable medical information resources on the web. For example, a consumer might highlight the name of a drug or disease in his or her personal health record and launch a search of trusted web resources to learn more about the topic. A recent article (see: CDC Launches Online Health Tracking Network) alerted me to another possibility -- tracking environmental exposures and chronic health conditions on the web. Below is an excerpt from th... Lab Soft News blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2602254 Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:25:32 +0100 2602254 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2602068&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38236&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.healthcareitnews.com%2Fblog%2Fit-staffing-issues The newly published July issue of Hospitals & Health Networks includes a story I wrote about the worsening staffing crunch in health IT. (Source: Healthcare IT News Blog) Healthcare IT News Blog blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2602068 Tue, 14 Jul 2009 20:03:56 +0100 2602068 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2602105&cid=t_266339_122_f&fid=36582&url=http%3A%2F%2Ffeedproxy.google.com%2F%7Er%2FSharpBrains%2F%7E3%2FK6SqC-qPCLo%2F The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety just started to recommend a new driver safety program called DriveSharp (see AAA and Posit Release Program to Improve Drivers' Minds), developed by Posit Science. DriveSharp is a computerized cognitive assessment and training tool based on Karlene Ball's research on older adults' cognitive fitness and driving.  In the press release for the agreement, Peter Kissinger, driver safety research and policy veteran and CEO of the AAA Foundation, says that "Part of making our nation's roads safer is helping mature drivers who wish to stay active - a quickly growing population - maintain or improve their driving safety." We have Peter Kissinger with us to discuss the context for this innovative initiative. Peter, I appreciate your time. In order to s... SharpBrains blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2602105 Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:18:19 +0100 2602105 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2598311&cid=t_266339_113_f&fid=38130&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tempdev.net%2Fblog%2F%3Fp%3D841 Over the past year, I’ve heard the frequent comment that banks successfully deployed interoperability over 10 years ago, but the healthcare industry lags far behind. Often the comment is followed up with a statement that we can go to any bank and they can instantly access our financial information, but each physician I go to has to manually fax documentation back and forth. The banking industry is one of the most conservative in our society; healthcare can do better than banks, right? However, what these commentators fail to remember is we cannot deduce healthcare conditions into one simplem standard currency. For example, my back pain caused by poor posture and too much time in the car is different from someone else’s back pain caused by their scoliosis, which is different from anothe... Implementing EMRs blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2598311 Tue, 14 Jul 2009 08:01:24 +0100 2598311 http://www.medworm.com/index.php?rid=2591579&cid=t_266339_117_f&fid=34808&url=http%3A%2F%2Fthebeautybrains.com%2F2009%2F07%2F11%2Fwho-wants-anti-aging-lotions-that-really-work%2F Mid Brain reports: Tired of spending top dollar for that Anti-aging skin lotion only to see barely noticeable effects? Take heart because scientists at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have recently discovered some new bio-markers that should help in the development anti-aging lotions that really work. The sad truth is that creams and lotions that claim to be anti-aging are not much more effective than standard moisturizing lotions. Under the right testing circumstances, you can make anyone’s skin look less wrinkled with a decent moisturizer. When you hear really impressive claims, the comparisons are probably done against untreated skin. And most people’s untreated skin will look nasty when compared to lotion treated skin. Of course, the good news is that most skin lotion... thebeautybrains.com blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=2591579 Sat, 11 Jul 2009 06:01:47 +0100 2591579