Blog Tag: Testing 
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The Challenge of Deploying Decision Support Systems (DSS) in Pathology
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This is a guest blog by Dr. Glenn Edwards. He is currently Medical Director, St John of God Pathology, Wembley , Western Australia. By way of disclosure, he was formerly CEO and Medical Director of Pacific Knowledge Systems.
Jim Harrison’s recent summary of pathologists’ visions about their view of the future from an IT perspective deserves close attention (see: Key Changes in AP and CP during the Next Five Years; Relevance of IT). Many pathologists believe that decision support and an enhanced consultative role, including better interpretation of test results, are the keys to a sustainable future for pathology. I full...
Source: Lab Soft News - September 6, 2011 Category: Pathologists Authors: Bruce Friedman Tags: Anatomic Pathology Clinical Lab Industry News Clinical Lab testing Electronic Medical Record Healthcare Information Technology Laboratory Industry Trends LIS Definitions and Strategy Source Type: blogs
Personal Genomic Tests: Do We Know Enough For Them To Be Beneficial?Email this article to a colleague.
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Campaigns against public spitting in the 19th century were largely driven by concerns about the spread of tuberculosis. However, at the beginning of the 21st century, spitting seems to be making a comeback. Over the past few years, several companies have begun offering personal genomic tests online to the public. There have been famous images of “spit parties”, where celebrities are seen filling tubes with saliva to ship for DNA testing. Getting information on one’s genes has been promoted as fun, as part of social networking, and as a basis for improving health and preventing disease.
When it comes to spitting to ...
Source: Better Health - September 2, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: MuinKhouryMDPhD Tags: Health Tips Research Cancer CDC Center for Disease Control and Prevention Diabetes DNA testing Effectiveness Family Health History Gene-Environment Interaction Genetic testing Genetics Genomics Government Accountability Office Source Type: blogs
Laboratory-Based Genetic Counselors Reduce the Cost of Ordered TestsEmail this article to a colleague.
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Appropriate test ordering by clinicians is a key aspect of clinical laboratory management. It can save time and money. One of the most obvious goals of this approach is to cull out duplicate test orders when the patient in question is clinically stable and the additional results are useless. The number of test cycles to arrive at a diagnosis can also often be reduced by immediately ordering a more specific test rather than repetitive groups of less-specific tests. The more specific test may be more expensive than the others but the total cost of testing may be less. In general, clinicians often require the most advice when...
Source: Lab Soft News - August 30, 2011 Category: Pathologists Authors: Bruce Friedman Tags: Clinical Lab Industry News Clinical Lab testing Healthcare Business Hospitals and Healthcare Delivery Lab Information Products Lab Processes and Procedures Laboratory Industry Trends Source Type: blogs
Myriad Genetics to Rely More on Trade Secrets than TechnologyEmail this article to a colleague.
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A recent article about Myriad Genetics makes some important points (see; Despite Gene Patent Victory, Myriad Genetics Faces Challenges). Here's an excerpt from it:
Myriad Genetics retained its monopoly on a lucrative genetic test for breast cancer risk when a federal appeals court recently upheld the company’s patents on two human genes — and the validity of gene patents in general. But newer DNA-sequencing techniques are far faster and only a fraction of the cost of the 1990s technology that Myriad uses. Indeed, it will soon be possible to sequence a person’s entire genome, all 22,000 or so genes, for less than ...
Source: Lab Soft News - August 29, 2011 Category: Pathologists Authors: Bruce Friedman Tags: Clinical Lab Industry News Clinical Lab testing Lab Information Products Lab Processes and Procedures Laboratory Industry Trends Medical Research Source Type: blogs
Here Comes Epic's Beaker LIS -- Ready or NotEmail this article to a colleague.
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There is going to be a lot of money made as the result of the potentially large-scale deployment of Epic's immature LIS called Beaker. One of the first in line to shake this money tree will be KLAS. Here is their announcement of a report on this topic by the company (see: Epic Beaker: Ready or Not?):
The laboratory market typically sees little movement. Because of the expense and complexity from a laboratory system’s deep penetration into a hospital, laboratory systems are not changed frequently. If providers do change, it is rarely from a more sophisticated solution to a more immature one. One product that seems to ...
Source: Lab Soft News - August 26, 2011 Category: Pathologists Authors: Bruce Friedman Tags: Clinical Lab Industry News Clinical Lab testing Electronic Medical Record Healthcare Information Technology Hospitals and Healthcare Delivery Lab Information Products Lab Processes and Procedures LIS Definitions and Strategy LIS Vendor New Source Type: blogs
Pathology Informatics 2011 Conference Only Six Weeks AwayEmail this article to a colleague.
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The second annual Pathology Informatics 2011 conference is only about six weeks away. It will be held in Pittsburgh on October 4-7, 2011. It's the merged version of two prior, long-standing informatics conference, APIII and Lab InfoTech Summit. You can review the entire conference schedule as well as register on-line. Three separate content tracks are being offered: Clinical Information Management, System Support and Connectivity, and Digital Imaging. The 3 1/2 day conference with a venue at the Pittsburgh Wyndham Grand offers an opening day with three workshops, included in the registration fee, 10 plenary lectures, a...
Source: Lab Soft News - August 24, 2011 Category: Pathologists Authors: Bruce Friedman Tags: Clinical Lab Industry News Clinical Lab testing Digital Imaging in Pathology Electronic Medical Record Healthcare Information Technology Laboratory Industry Trends LIS Definitions and Strategy LIS Vendor News Source Type: blogs
One of the best texts on intellectual assessment has been revised: Flanagan & Harrison's Contemporary Intellectual AssessmentEmail this article to a colleague.
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Just in time for your XMAS shopping!!!! One of the best texts on intellectual assessment and theories related to the practice of intellectual assessment.The publisher has given me permission to post this information. The text below does not show all the formatting in the original document sent to me, so if you want a nicer PDF version to share with others, click here.Conflict of interest disclosure: I have coauthored a chapter in the book and will be splitting an honorarium check (not big, trust me) and will be receiving a free copy. But, I get no royalties (I wish I did).Kudos to Dr. Flanagan and Harrison for revising wha...
Source: Intelligent Insights on Intelligence Theories and Tests (aka IQ's Corner) - August 19, 2011 Category: Neurologists Tags: book nook assessment intellectual assessment books IQ testing newtag Source Type: blogs
U.K. Researchers Launch Clinical Trial of Mercaptopurine (6-MP) In Women with Hereditary Breast and Ovarian CancerEmail this article to a colleague.
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A Cancer Research UK-funded clinical trial of a new drug for patients with advanced breast or ovarian cancer due to inherited BRCA gene mutations has been launched at the Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre at the University of Oxford. A Cancer Research UK-funded trial of a new drug for patients with advanced breast or ovarian cancer [...]
Source: Libby's H*O*P*E* - August 18, 2011 Category: Cancer Authors: Paul Cacciatore Tags: Clinical Trials Genetic testing Genetics 6MP BRCA gene mutations Cancer Research UK DNA damage Dr. Sally Burtles hereditary breast & ovarian cancer syndrome mercaptopurine Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Oxford Experimental Cancer Source Type: blogs
What Are the Most Important iPhone Apps for Pathologists?Email this article to a colleague.
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In response to a blog note about iPhone ecosystems (see: The iPhone Effect: Smartphones and Their App Ecosystems Have Changed Everything), a reader, Christopher Metts, asked the following question as a comment: If [you] wanted to create an app for a practicing pathologist, what do you think it should do?
It's an interesting question and, for me, the answer seems to be obvious. However, I need to qualify my answer. First, it will encompass all smart phones and not just the iPhone as well as tablets such as the iPad. Secondly. my response will include two broad functions rather than specific app products. Various ...
Source: Lab Soft News - August 17, 2011 Category: Pathologists Authors: Bruce Friedman Tags: Anatomic Pathology Clinical Lab Industry News Clinical Lab testing Digital Imaging in Pathology Electronic Medical Record Healthcare Information Technology Lab Information Products Laboratory Industry Trends LIS Definitions and Strategy Source Type: blogs
Early sex determination test turns an embryo into a boy or girlEmail this article to a colleague.
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No longer just an embryo, but a boy or girl.Photo: Westside Pregnancy ClinicThe Journal of the American Medical Association has reported that early prenatal sex determination tests are accurate. These tests are non-invasive looking for minute pieces of fetal DNA in the mother's blood. They report that the sex determination is 95 to 99% accurate as early as 5 to 7 weeks gestation! This procedure will likely replace amniocentesis for all kinds of prenatal genetic testing, not just for sex determination, which greatly lowers the risk for the growing fetus. At the news, there was a collective groan from both ...
Source: Mary Meets Dolly - August 13, 2011 Category: Geneticists and Genetics Commentators Tags: Genetic testing Source Type: blogs
ICSA Labs Questions Strength of ONC Certification RulesEmail this article to a colleague.
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You’ve undoubtedly heard the argument before: EHR certification is about assuring that systems meet minimum requirements for functionality and interoperability, but the certification process falls way short in terms of usability, privacy and security. But have you heard the argument from one of the ONC-authorized certification bodies?
This is an excerpt from an e-mail I received today:
Meaningful Use criteria have become a massive EHR certification driver for healthcare organizations. Hospitals and other providers rely on the criteria to ensure that their health IT systems meet minimum government-specified functional...
Source: EMR and HIPAA - August 11, 2011 Category: Technology Consultants Authors: Neil Versel Tags: Certified EHR EMR EMR Security EMR Technology Meaningful Use CCHIT Design Clinicals EHR Usability EMR Usability Health System Technology ICSA Labs ONC ONC Authorized testing and Certification Body ONC-ATCB Source Type: blogs
Inherited Mutations in RAD51D Gene Confer Susceptibility to Ovarian CancerEmail this article to a colleague.
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Cancer Research UK-funded scientists have discovered that women who carry a faulty copy of a gene called RAD51D have almost a 1-in-11 chance of developing ovarian cancer. The finding that inherited mutations in the RAD51D gene confer susceptibility to ovarian cancer was reported in a study published online in Nature Genetics on August 7, 2011. Cancer [...]
Source: Libby's H*O*P*E* - August 7, 2011 Category: Cancer Authors: Libby's H*O*P*E* Tags: Genetic testing Genetics Medical Study Results Cancer Research UK Harpal S. Kumar Institute of Cancer Research Nature Genetics Nazneen Rahman Nic Jones ovarian cancer Ovarian Cancer Risk PARP inhibitors Poly ADP ribose polymerase Source Type: blogs
In-Depth Review: The Cancer Genome Atlas Reports On Landmark Analysis of High-Grade Serous Ovarian CancerEmail this article to a colleague.
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An analysis of genomic changes in high grade serous ovarian cancer provides the most comprehensive and integrated view of cancer genes for any cancer type to date. Ovarian serous adenocarcinoma tumors from 489 patients were examined by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Research Network and its analyses are reported in the June 30, 2011 issue [...]
Source: Libby's H*O*P*E* - August 5, 2011 Category: Cancer Authors: Libby's H*O*P*E* Tags: Biological Therapies Gene Therapies Genetics Medical Study Results Molecular Diagnostics Novel Therapies Pipeline Drugs Preclinical testing Targeted Therapies BR1 gene BRAF gene BRCA1 gene BRCA2 gene Cancer Commons CCNE1 gene Source Type: blogs
Genes and Not Lifestyle the Major Contributor to Long LifeEmail this article to a colleague.
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All of your have certainly seen articles in which a centenarian is interviewed by a reporter, usually on his or her birthday, and asked for the secret elixir of long life. The usual response is something like "a shot of whiskey a day" or even vigorous daily walks. I have always had a hunch that the secret to long life was mainly in the genes. A recent article addressed the topic of longevity and genes (see: Genes, Not Healthy Living, Get Most to Age 100)
New research suggests that your life choices might not be the crucial factor in determining whether you make it to 95 or beyond; it finds that many extremely old...
Source: Lab Soft News - August 5, 2011 Category: Pathologists Authors: Bruce Friedman Tags: Clinical Lab testing Medical Consumerism Medical Research Source Type: blogs
Mara Aspinall Appointed President of Roche's Ventana Medical SystemsEmail this article to a colleague.
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An important new executive appointment has recently occurred -- Mara Aspinall, a well-known expert in the diagnostics industry, has been appointed president of Roche's Ventana Medical Systems (see: Roche Appoints Mara G. Aspinall President of Ventana Medical Systems), Below is an excerpt from the press release:
Ventana Medical Systems..., a member of the Roche Group, announced...the appointment of Mara Aspinall to the role of President, Ventana Medical Systems. Aspinall was most recently Founder, President, and CEO of On-Q-ity, a start-up diagnostics company focused on circulating tumor cell technology. Prior to...
Source: Lab Soft News - August 3, 2011 Category: Pathologists Authors: Bruce Friedman Tags: Clinical Lab Industry News Clinical Lab testing Laboratory Industry Trends Source Type: blogs
Court Rules that DNA Patentable if Removed from Your BodyEmail this article to a colleague.
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For decades the U.S. Patent Office has been issuing patents for naturally occurring genes. This affects you directly whether you know it or not. Because a company legal "owns" a gene sequence, they control who is able to test or research that gene. In the case of genetic testing, labs are limited on what genes they can offer tests for because of gene patents, which limits the choices they can offer patients. Labs that are allowed to test a patented gene pay royalties to the companies that own the genes which drives up the cost of the genetic test. Many labs, like ones I have worked in, jus...
Source: Mary Meets Dolly - August 1, 2011 Category: Geneticists and Genetics Commentators Tags: Genetic testing Source Type: blogs
Update: Videogames or Meditation?; Internship Program @ SharpBrainsEmail this article to a colleague.
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First of all, an announcement. We are starting a Virtual Internship Program @ SharpBrains, allowing full-time undergrad and grad students and postdocs to lead 100-hour projects jointly defined by themselves and by SharpBrains. Interested candidates should Contact Us indicating a) a preliminary project proposal (200 words or less), and b) brief bio and qualifications (200 words or less). Internships don’t require travel and will be paid in-kind, with access to SharpBrains reports and conference recordings. SharpBrains will select a limited number of Interns based on fit between candidates’ proposal and bio and SharpBr...
Source: SharpBrains - August 1, 2011 Category: Neurologists Authors: Alvaro Fernandez Tags: Brain Fitness Industry Cognitive Neuroscience Monthly eNewsletter ADHD. ADHD medication age Alzheimer’s Disease Alzheimer’s Disease Prevention Alzheimer’s Disease testing baby-boomers BMO cognitive functionality cogni Source Type: blogs
Free Testing for ADHD and ADD And Support for ParentsEmail this article to a colleague.
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Since new criteria to diagnose ADD and ADHD ended up released, the percentage of youngsters diagnosed with ADD or ADHD has enhanced quickly. In the beginning it was 3% of the little one population, then 5%. In the USA and Australia, it’s now about 12%.
Yet many father and mother don’t know how to discover quick, risk-free, efficient treatment options to support their youngsters.
Diagnosis
Due to the fact medical diagnoses became accessible, a youngster can be assessed for ADD or ADHD signs or symptoms with validated types from specialist health professionals, academic psychologists or little one psychi...
Source: Life With ADHD - July 29, 2011 Category: Other Conditions Authors: ADHD Dad Tags: ADHD Research free support testing Source Type: blogs
FDA Says CRO Studies Should Be ReevaluatedEmail this article to a colleague.
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THIS POST RAN LAST NIGHT, BUT FOR THOSE WHO DID NOT KNOW… This is every drugmaker’s nightmare. The pharmaceutical industry has been put on alert by the FDA that any clinical tests conducted between April 2005 and June 2010 by a contract research organization called Cetero Research may have to be reevaluated because two FDA inspections and an outside audit found falsified data and manipulated samples. There were “significant instances” of misconduct, the FDA says.
“This misconduct appears to be significant enough to cast doubt on the data generated…If the foundation of the laboratory is corru...
Source: Pharmalot - July 27, 2011 Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: Ed Silverman Tags: Uncategorized ANDA Bioequivalence Cetero Research Clinical Trials Contract Research Organization CRO Pharmacokinetic testing Source Type: blogs
Which Generation Of Physicians Uses The Most Mobile Technology?Email this article to a colleague.
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Smartphones and tablets have reached 80% of physicians across all practice types, locations and years in practice, and 25% of users are “Super Mobile” physicians who use both types of mobile devices. This is far beyond the general population’s 50% adoption of smartphones and 5% adoption of tablets.
QuantiaMd, a free, online learning collaborative, released survey results that showed 44% of physicians who do not yet have a mobile device intend to buy one this year.
While younger physicians have higher adoption rates than older ones, current use of mobile devices by physicians longest in practice is above 6...
Source: Better Health - July 25, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: RyanDuBosar Tags: Research Age Clinical Work Demographic Diagnosis Doctors Electronic Medical Records Experienced Physicians Health Information Technology Medical Education Medical testing Mobile Devices Mobile Technology QuantiaMd Reference Inf Source Type: blogs
Trends in Pathology Fellowship Training; Speculation about the Job MarketEmail this article to a colleague.
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A recent article on fellowship training in pathology got me thinking about the number of years of postgraduate training that is required for training in pathology and also the job market (see: 2011 Fellowship & Job Market Surveys), Below is an excerpt from the article:
Each year the ASCP Resident Council directs [a] survey on fellowships and the job market for pathologists in training, both residents and fellows....This year, 2,591 residents participated in the survey. Competition is tight for fellowships. Similar to both the 2009 and 2010 results, slightly more than half of residents (54 percent) received one fellowsh...
Source: Lab Soft News - July 22, 2011 Category: Pathologists Authors: Bruce Friedman Tags: Anatomic Pathology Clinical Lab testing Digital Imaging in Pathology Laboratory Industry Trends Medical Education Surgical Pathology Source Type: blogs
Early Detection of Alzheimer's Disease: Mutations of Three Genes StudiedEmail this article to a colleague.
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From a diagnostic perspective, one of the hottest current issues is the early detection of Alzheimer's disease. The volume of testing for Alzheimer's will undoubtedly be large so that the commercial market for a lab test will be attractive (see: Diagnosing Alzheimer's Disease with Imaging and Biomarkers). Also, obtaining a population of patients with documented early disease is critical in the development of clinical trials for early drug treatment. Below is an excerpt from an article about early testing for three gene mutations (see: Clinical trials to detect Alzheimer’s 20 years before dementia onset planne...
Source: Lab Soft News - July 21, 2011 Category: Pathologists Authors: Bruce Friedman Tags: Clinical Lab Industry News Clinical Lab testing Lab Processes and Procedures Laboratory Industry Trends Medical Consumerism Medical Research Source Type: blogs
Orchard Promotes Its CP/AP LIS as an Integrated Diagnostics SolutionEmail this article to a colleague.
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Integrated diagnostics can be achieved by breaking down the sub-specialty silos in the diagnostic specialties like pathology, laboratory medicine, and radiology. The current standard of practice is to present the procedure and test-ordering clinicians with individualized reports from the various specialty labs (e.g., surgical pathology, immunology, microbiology) and radiology units like MRI and CT. This approach results from the super-specialization and subdivision of the diagnostics specialties. Under the integrated diagnostics mantra, the goal of integrating the diverse diagnostic reports is moved upstream and becomes th...
Source: Lab Soft News - July 19, 2011 Category: Pathologists Authors: Bruce Friedman Tags: Anatomic Pathology Clinical Lab Industry News Clinical Lab testing Electronic Medical Record Healthcare Information Technology Lab Information Products Lab Processes and Procedures LIS Definitions and Strategy LIS Vendor News Source Type: blogs
Overregulation: The View From a Helicopter CockpitEmail this article to a colleague.
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By Walter OlsonPhilip Greenspun discovers that an FAA inspector is happy to march a little helicopter charter outfit run by a single owner/pilot through the same paperwork slog that a much busier operation would face:
Finally, the FAA inspector looked at my random drug testing program to make sure that everything was in place. I’m subject to the same drug testing requirements as United Airlines. I am the drug testing coordinator for our company, so I am responsible for scheduling drug tests and surprising employees when it is their turn to be tested. As it happens, I’m also the only “safety-sensitive employee” sub...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - July 14, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Walter Olson Tags: Regulatory Studies drug tests drug use drugs faa inspector philip greenspun pilot random drug testing regulatory overkill united airlines Source Type: blogs
Dengue Fever: Mosquito Born Illness Now Found In Texas, Florida, And HawaiiEmail this article to a colleague.
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Dengue fever is a viral (flavivrus) disease transmitted by Aedes albopictus and female A. aegypti mosquitoes. It is estimated that 50 to 100 million people in more than 100 countries are infected each year with dengue viruses.
There are four different types of dengue virus, and there is no cross-immunity, so a person may be stricken with dengue fever four times in his life. The most active feeding times for dengue vector mosquitoes is for a few hours after daybreak and in the afternoon for a few hours just after dark (dusk).
As opposed to the night-feeding mosquitoes that transmit malaria, these species tend to be “urban...
Source: Better Health - July 13, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: DrPaulSAuerbach Tags: Health Tips Dengue Fever ELISA Florida Hawaii Mosquito Signs symptoms testing Texas Treatment Source Type: blogs
Continuing Discussion, and Clarification, of the Topic of IVDMIAs and LDTsEmail this article to a colleague.
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In response to my note yesterday (see: Cancer Diagnostic Scandal at Duke; More Regulation of Multiplexed LDTs in the Future?), two comments were submitted. The first, from molecular pathologist and informaticist Federico Monzon, serves to clarify some of the confusion that I have introduced into the discussion of IVDMIAs and LDTs:
You need to make a distinction between multiplexed biomarker tests and LDTs. Your article appears to equate the two. Laboratory developed tests (LDTs) are commonplace in diagnostic laboratories (most molecular tests, HLA, flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry assays are LDTs). LDTs can be devel...
Source: Lab Soft News - July 13, 2011 Category: Pathologists Authors: Bruce Friedman Tags: Clinical Lab Industry News Clinical Lab testing Lab Processes and Procedures Lab Regulation Laboratory Industry Trends Medical Research Source Type: blogs
Cancer Diagnostic Scandal at Duke; More Regulation of Multiplexed LDTs in the Future?Email this article to a colleague.
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I have posted a number of previous notes about those diagnostic tests consisting of a set of biomarkers plus an computer algorithm used to interpret the results. This type of lab test was previously referred to as in-vitro diagnostic multivariate indexed assays (IVDMIAs) by the FDA. More recently, they have been called laboratory developed tests (LDTs). Historically, this type of test was also referred to informally in the industry as home-brew.
A simple definition for an LDT is that the test reagents are developed by a single lab and all of the testing is performed by that lab. IVDMIAs/LDTs can be used for various purpose...
Source: Lab Soft News - July 11, 2011 Category: Pathologists Authors: Bruce Friedman Tags: Clinical Lab Industry News Clinical Lab testing Hospitals and Healthcare Delivery Lab Information Products Lab Processes and Procedures Lab Regulation Laboratory Industry Trends Medical Consumerism Medical Ethics Source Type: blogs
Pharmalot… Pharmalittle… The Weekend NearsEmail this article to a colleague.
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And so, another working week will soon draw to a close. As always, this is the signal to daydream about weekend plans. Our agenda calls for a dip in the pool, a little yardwork, hanging with assorted short people and catching up on some interesting R&D. What about you? Is a day at the beach in order? Or a drive in the country? Maybe catching up on some sleep or thinking big thoughts? Whatever you do, have a good time and be safe. Meanwhile, here are some tidbits. See you soon…
Bayer Loses European Patent For Yasmin (Reuters)
PETA Proposes Procter & Gamble Stop Animal Testing (Dayton Business Journal)
Republ...
Source: Pharmalot - July 8, 2011 Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: Ed Silverman Tags: Uncategorized Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients Alkermes Amylin Pharmaceuticals Animal testing Antibiotics API Astellas Bayer Bydureon Caduet Diabetes Dr. Reddys Eli Lilly Estrogen FDA Germany GlaxoSmithKline Ireland Source Type: blogs
FDA Issues A Serious Warning For An Abbott DrugEmail this article to a colleague.
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For the second time in less than two years, the FDA has issued a sobering warning about the Depakote epilepsy med sold by Abbott Laboratories. This time, the agency says that children born to mothers who take the anti-seizure drug or related products during pregnancy have an increased risk of lower cognitive test scores than children exposed to other such drugs (read here).
The conclusion was reached after the agency reviewed epidemiologic studies. In the primary study upon which the FDA based its conclusion, cognitive tests were performed at age three; in other studies, testing was done on children 5 to 16 years old. The ...
Source: Pharmalot - June 30, 2011 Category: Pharma Commentators Authors: Ed Silverman Tags: Uncategorized Abbott Laboratories Cognitive testing Depakote Epilepsy Pregnancy Source Type: blogs
Lower Blood Tranfusion Rates as a Metric for High Quality CareEmail this article to a colleague.
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Generally speaking, I think that the amount of blood transfused to a patient can and should be used as a metric for the quality of care delivered by physicians, particularly surgeons. I have long been aware of differences in transfusion rates by hospitals or by regions of the country. Much of this can be explained by local customs and norms rather than well defined standards of care. When I was a blood banker back in the 1970's, one of the hospital cardiac surgeons would frequently transfuse six units of blood for a CABG when type-and-screen was the common blood order for the same procedure at the Cleveland Clinic. Onc...
Source: Lab Soft News - June 30, 2011 Category: Pathologists Authors: Bruce Friedman Tags: Blood Banking Clinical Lab Industry News Clinical Lab testing Hospitals and Healthcare Delivery Laboratory Industry Trends Medical Consumerism Source Type: blogs
Chris Noth Talks Diabetes AwarenessEmail this article to a colleague.
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You probably know him best as “Mr. Big,” but Chris Noth is putting his star power behind something other than Carrie Bradshaw these days in a new Diabetes Awareness campaign. The actor, who’s starred in Law & Order and The Good Wife, in addition to Sex and The City, told Huffington Post that “[diabetes] is a disease that’s way too much under the radar. We’re trying to get ahead of the game with people; … encouraging [them] to call [their] doctors and get a blood test.”
According to recent CDC statistics, 25.8 million Americans, or just over eight percent of the population, is living with...
Source: Healthbolt - June 28, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: Briana Rognlin Tags: chronic disease/chronic illness FEEL celebrities diabetes diabetes testing Source Type: blogs
Why Should You Get An HIV Test? National HIV Testing DayEmail this article to a colleague.
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jQ(document).ready(function(){jQ('.bannerad').hide();jQ('#healthy_vision').parent().parent().parent().hide();});Note: Yesterday President Obama issued a statement on National HIV Testing Day
Thirty years ago, at the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, there was no test for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. For many, there was only the long and worrisome wait for the signs of infection. Once those signs appeared, no treatment for the virus was available. I personally cared for many, many patients in this era, and I am thankful that those days are over. Today, HIV testing is accurate, widely available, and often free...
Source: Better Health - June 28, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: DrThomasFrieden Tags: Health Policy Health Tips AIDS CDC HIV HIV/AIDS Prevention And Services National HIV testing Day Source Type: blogs
Text messaging with your mobile deviceEmail this article to a colleague.
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One of my favorite ways of communicating is via text – traditionally via email or SMS. I find communicating with colleagues, patients friends and family this way convenient and indeed non-obtrusive. There can be nothing more annoying than a phone call coming in the middle of a clinic or worse still while one is in the middle of a procedure. I am sure my colleagues appreciate a text from me to enquire if it is convenient to call at that time rather than to make a call straight away.
In the era of smartphones and data plans, it may be cheaper to text over data rather than SMS unless you have free SMS usage with your mo...
Source: The Palmdoc Chronicles - June 23, 2011 Category: Technology Consultants Authors: palmdoc Tags: General/PDA messaging SMS testing Source Type: blogs
Harvard Scientists Image Beginning Stages of Ovarian Cancer Metastasis; Cancer Cells Bully Their Way Through Normal TissueEmail this article to a colleague.
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According to a study reported in the Cancer Discovery journal, scientists at Harvard University imaged the beginning stages of ovarian cancer metastasis, and identified a mechanism used by cancer cells to bully their way through normal tissue. Scientists at Harvard University have created a laboratory model using time-lapse video microscopic technology that allows observation of early [...]
Source: Libby's H*O*P*E* - June 21, 2011 Category: Cancer Authors: Libby's H*O*P*E* Tags: Medical Study Results Preclinical testing alpha 5 beta 1 integrin American Association For Cancer Research Cancer Discovery Harvard University Joan Brugge Ph.D. muscle myosin II ovarian cancer ovarian cancer metastases talin I Source Type: blogs
Screening tests - good or bad?Email this article to a colleague.
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There is a little furor (debate, discussion, disagreement, shouting match, hoo-haa, to-do, etc) going on regarding screening tests. First of all are the disputes about which tests should be done and when - mammograms at 40 or 50, prostate checks - are they worth it, and more. All sorts of meetings are going on around the country and doctors and specialists and other 'important' people are arguing about it and some even are quitting their jobs over them. Well, they can argue all they want because I don't want to get into a discussion about whether they are important or not because that's not my business. And 'with your medi...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - June 20, 2011 Category: Cancer Tags: testing results medical costs Source Type: blogs
Can Bad Journalism Impact Your Respect for Journalists?Email this article to a colleague.
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Miller-McCune, whose tagline reads, “Smart journalism. Real solutions,” recently published an article entitled, Dumb Entertainment Can Have Impact Your IQ: Can Watching ‘Jackass’ Turn You Into One? (I am not making up that first part.) So you’d think it would be an article describing a study about the effects of either entertainment or watching a movie on one’s IQ.
Except it’s nothing of the sort.
The study described in the article looked at 81 college student responses to reading a story about a man with a directionless life, and then gave them a short, general knowledge survey th...
Source: World of Psychology - June 15, 2011 Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: John M. Grohol, PsyD Tags: Brain and Behavior General Memory and Perception Psychology Research Students Correlation Entertainment General Knowledge Hard Time Immigrant Iq Jackass Knowledge Survey Mccune Meier Movie Script Psychometric testing Re Source Type: blogs
Algorithms as the Basis for a New Type of Medical Test?Email this article to a colleague.
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I was somewhat surprised by a recent article suggesting that algorithms themselves will constitute a new type of medical test. The short article cited the work of Predictive Medical Technologies as a basis for this claim. The company software generates health predictions based on previous clinical data for ICU patients (see: Algorithms are the new medical tests; How data and algorithms help doctors make use of real-time data). Below is an excerpt from the article:
Predictive Medical Technologies claims that it can use real-time, intensive care unit (ICU) monitoring data to predict clinical events like cardiac arrest up to ...
Source: Lab Soft News - June 15, 2011 Category: Pathologists Authors: Bruce Friedman Tags: Clinical Lab Industry News Clinical Lab testing Electronic Medical Record Healthcare Information Technology Hospitals and Healthcare Delivery Lab Processes and Procedures Laboratory Industry Trends Source Type: blogs
State supported eugenics in France?Email this article to a colleague.
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It has been estimated that 96% of fetuses with Down Syndrome in France are aborted. Most of the cases are detected in older women whose physicians offer prenatal testing. As in the United States, offering prenatal testing for Downs in France is not a government mandated practice for obstetricians. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists simply recommends that doctors offer it. Lawmakers in France are considering making it mandatory for physicians to offer prenatal testing for Down Syndrome.Why is this significant? Because mandating that doctors offer prenatal testing completely changes the game....
Source: Mary Meets Dolly - June 14, 2011 Category: Geneticists and Genetics Commentators Tags: Genetic testing Source Type: blogs
A "New" Twist on Personalized Medicine: Genetically Targeted TherapyEmail this article to a colleague.
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The overarching definition for personalized medicine has always been the following: the right drug for the right patient at the right time (see: Further Consideration of the Definition for Personalized Medicine; Term "Personalized Medicine" More About Business than Healthcare Delivery). Implicit in this definition has been the idea that the "right drug" will exploit the biologic weaknesses of a patient's tumor. The classic example has been the use of the monoclonal antibody trastuzumab, marketed as Herceptin, for breast tumors that overexpress the HER2/neu protein. A recent article discusses a subtl...
Source: Lab Soft News - June 9, 2011 Category: Pathologists Authors: Bruce Friedman Tags: Anatomic Pathology Clinical Lab Industry News Clinical Lab testing Hospitals and Healthcare Delivery Lab Processes and Procedures Laboratory Industry Trends Medical Consumerism Source Type: blogs
Direct-To-Consumer Genetic Tests are Not BeneficialEmail this article to a colleague.
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While 23andMe brings down the price of consumer genetic tests and builds up relations with big pharma (doesn’t share individual data though), it seems the DTC genetic testing is neither accurate in predictions nor beneficial to individuals according to a study described on Medical News Today.
Working under the supervision of Associate Professor Cecile Janssens, together with researchers from Leiden, The Netherlands, and Boston, USA, Ms Kalf examined the risk predictions supplied by two large DTC companies, deCODEme (Iceland) and 23andMe (USA). They simulated genotype data for 100,000 individuals based on established ...
Source: ScienceRoll - June 8, 2011 Category: Geneticists and Genetics Commentators Authors: Dr. Bertalan Meskó Tags: 23andMe Genetic testing science Source Type: blogs
2011 ASCO: Women with BRCA Gene Mutations Can Take Hormone-Replacement Therapy Safely After Ovary RemovalEmail this article to a colleague.
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Women with the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations, which are linked to a very high risk of breast and ovarian cancer, can safely take hormone-replacement therapy (HRT) to mitigate menopausal symptoms after surgical removal of their ovaries, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Women with the BRCA1 or BRCA2 gene mutations, which are linked [...]
Source: Libby's H*O*P*E* - June 4, 2011 Category: Cancer Authors: Libby's H*O*P*E* Tags: Meeting Highlights Prevention Conferences Genetics Medical Study Results Genetic testing ovarian cancer BRCA gene mutations Timothy Rebbeck Ph.D. breast cancer Abramson Cancer Ctr. risk-reducing salpingo oophorectomy American Socie Source Type: blogs
Physicians Don’t Profit From Tests And PrescriptionsEmail this article to a colleague.
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Physicians don’t make money from the tests, prescriptions, procedures and admissions they order, according to a new survey by the staffing and technology company Jackson Healthcare. At most, 6.2% of physicians’ total compensation comes from the doctor’s orders, the survey reported.
Direct income from medical orders comprised:
–0.5% from charges from prescriptions,
–1.0% from charges from lab tests,
–1.1% from charges associated with hospital admission,
–1.3% from charges associated with facility fees for surgeries, and
–2.3% from charges from diagnostic imaging.
The survey of...
Source: Better Health - June 4, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: RyanDuBosar Tags: News Research Defensive Medicine Malpractice Medical Malpractice Prescriptions Primary Care Professional Liability Profit Reasons For Referral Reimbursement Tests Tort Reform Unnecessary testing Source Type: blogs
Diabetes and BasketballEmail this article to a colleague.
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Diabetes and exercise is something incredibly hard to manage. It is difficult to get my blood sugar where I want it for exercise, and even harder to get it to stay there. For many people, managing blood sugars before, during, and after, is so hard that they just don’t exercise. I don’t blame them. It introduces a million new variables.
I shot some video during basketball of me checking my blood sugars and talking about what was going through my head at the time.
I still ended the day at 277 mg/dl. Do I blame it on a few too many gulps of Gatorade? Maybe a temporary basal rate reduction that was too ...
Source: Scott's Diabetes Blog - June 1, 2011 Category: Diabetes Authors: Scott K. Johnson Tags: Blog Posts Exercise Basetball Blood sugar Experiment testing Trial and error Source Type: blogs
Emory University Hospital Reports Possible TB Transmission From Infected EmployeeEmail this article to a colleague.
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Emory University Hospital is contacting approximately 600 patients and 100 employees who may have contracted tuberculosis after coming into contact with a hospital worker who has tested positive for the disease.
Source: Inside Surgery - May 28, 2011 Category: Surgeons Authors: Editor Tags: Medical News Wire Emory hospital worker TB testing tuberculosis Source Type: blogs
Strange Requests In The Emergency Department: Virginity Testing And MoreEmail this article to a colleague.
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As the country wrestles with the cost of health-care, and as various media outlets address the role of emergency departments, I thought this little guide-might be helpful! I pulled it out of my archives from several years ago. Enjoy!
All too often, I discharge a patient and think to myself, What instructions can I give for this? Sometimes there are problems and questions that don’t have obvious solutions or answers. And in these situations, coming up with something useful for the patient to read at home is, to say the least, difficult. I’ve come up with a few based on some of the enigmas I see at Oconee Memorial Ho...
Source: Better Health - May 27, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: DrEdwinLeap Tags: Humor True Stories Drug Screen Emergency Medicine Medical Education Non-emergencies Public Health Strange Requests testing Virginity testing Source Type: blogs
One-Time PSA before Age 50 Can Stratify Risk for Subsequent Prostate CancerEmail this article to a colleague.
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This study shows whom we really need to focus on," he added. The young men in this "top 10%" need "aggressive follow-up," such as reminder phone calls for doctors' appointments, and should have either annual or biennial PSA tests, he said...."Currently, a lot of these men would be told: 'You're fine'," he said. And they are fine, to a large extent. Their absolute risk of dying from prostate cancer is low, said Dr. Vickers.
I don't know if this research will be validated in subsequent studies but it's fascinating in terms of its simplicity. The majority of men who r...
Source: Lab Soft News - May 23, 2011 Category: Pathologists Authors: Bruce Friedman Tags: Clinical Lab testing Laboratory Industry Trends Medical Consumerism Medical Education Medical Research Source Type: blogs
A New DNA Test For Skin Cancer: Scotch Tape?Email this article to a colleague.
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“I hate needles.” Patients say this to me everyday. When you think about it, who “likes” needles?
Skin biopsies are relatively painless, but they still involve the dreaded needle and always leave scars. The trouble is we dermatologists cannot guarantee that a mole isn’t skin cancer without sending a biopsy for pathology. That is, until now.
Although it is not available in clinic yet, an almost incredible new innovation might allow us to determine if a mole is cancerous by testing the DNA of the mole. It sounds like it’s from an episode of CSI, but it’s real.
Melanomas have DNA (messager-RNA to be exact, but ...
Source: Better Health - May 18, 2011 Category: Health Medicine and Bioethics Commentators Authors: DrJeffreyBenabio Tags: Health Tips Dermatology DNA melanoma New Test Oncology Skin Cancer Tape Test testing Source Type: blogs
Overuse of Colonoscopy in a Medicare CohortEmail this article to a colleague.
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It probably will not come as a surprise to veteran observers of our healthcare delivery system that colonoscopies are overordered. This particular procedure is a major source of revenue for gastroenterologists and many healthcare consumers understand the advantages of preventive medicine. The key question, then, revolves around the question of how often to perform the procedure by age group. A recent article addresses this overutilization topic (see: 'Large' Overuse of Screening Colonoscopy in Medicare Cohort), Below is an excerpt from it:
About half of a sample of 24,071 Medicare patients who had a negative screen...
Source: Lab Soft News - May 17, 2011 Category: Pathologists Authors: Bruce Friedman Tags: Clinical Lab Industry News Clinical Lab testing Healthcare Business Hospitals and Healthcare Delivery Imaging Other Than Pathology Laboratory Industry Trends Medical Consumerism Source Type: blogs
