Saturday, May 19, 2007
Health Forms and Records at MerckSource
Health Forms and Records at MerckSource: "Sample Letter for Requesting Medical Records"
Qualcomm To Market Cell Phones as Health Monitors
Qualcomm, a wireless technology company, in the second half of 2008 plans to launch a wireless mobile network that would allow people to use their cell phones to manage and monitor health issues, such as diabetes or dieting, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.
The service, called LifeComm, would offer cell phones with glucose meters that could be used to monitor blood sugar levels for people with diabetes, track aerobic activity and perform other medical functions.
Don Jones, vice president of business development for Qualcomm's health and life sciences unit, said that "there would be additional features on those phones that focus on health wellness or fitness, converged biosensors and medical devices, and personal health performance."
The service, called LifeComm, would offer cell phones with glucose meters that could be used to monitor blood sugar levels for people with diabetes, track aerobic activity and perform other medical functions.
Don Jones, vice president of business development for Qualcomm's health and life sciences unit, said that "there would be additional features on those phones that focus on health wellness or fitness, converged biosensors and medical devices, and personal health performance."
Friday, May 18, 2007
Electronic Health Claims
Electronic Health Claims: "IBA Health provides reliable, easy-to-use, highly automated, accurate transaction systems that enable private health fund rebates and bulk billed transactions to be processed “Here and Now” at your practice. This means that healthcare professionals can spend less time and resources on paperwork and chasing payments and more time focusing on the care of their patients.
As one of the largest eHealth networks in the southern hemisphere, IBA Health is at the forefront of transmitting both financial and clinical data to Medicare Australia and private health funds from general practitioners, specialists and allied health professionals.
Convenient electronic patient claiming
IBA HealthPoint is an EFTPOS device providing fast, easy and convenient patient claiming immediately after a consultation."
As one of the largest eHealth networks in the southern hemisphere, IBA Health is at the forefront of transmitting both financial and clinical data to Medicare Australia and private health funds from general practitioners, specialists and allied health professionals.
Convenient electronic patient claiming
IBA HealthPoint is an EFTPOS device providing fast, easy and convenient patient claiming immediately after a consultation."
Blogs, patients and doctors
" While blogs have a lot to offer family physicians and their patients now, their impact could be greater in the future, as imagination and motivation advance their use. Just 10 years ago, replacing some office visits with e-mail communication seemed inconceivable to most, but it's happening. Blogs won't replace face-to-face interactions either, but they may enhance doctor-patient communication.
For example, blogs have the capability to revolutionize group visits. A physician can give patients with diabetes an Internet address for a blog site that the physician has created. The physician can post his or her thoughts about lifestyle modifications or other relevant topics. Patients can then comment on the physician's original posting, share solutions or problems they encounter, and offer support to one another. Physicians can respond to patients' posts and introduce new subjects. I am working on launching blogs for diabetes group visits and well-child care. The diabetes blog will include posts on diet, exercise, medications and routine testing. The well-child blog will focus on growth and development, immunizations and other guidance for parents."
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Employee Health Management Programs
Employee Health Management Programs: " Insurance is an important piece of the health care pie but will not provide a valuable return to employers or employees unless it is integrated with pro-active Health Management programs and services.
From years of research, we have learned the following seven key facts about the relationship between employee health and corporate healthcare costs:
*Higher employee health risk leads to higher healthcare cost. Risk factors include excess weight, high cholesterol, poor diet, smoking, alcohol addiction, and lack of exercise.
* The health risk of an employee can easily and reliably be measured. This is accomplished through automated employee health risk appraisal questionnaires together with biometric measurement.
* The health risk of an employee can be reduced, and lower employee health risk leads to lower cost.
* The most cost-effective way to reduce employee health risk is through lifestyle change and appropriate medical intervention that is self-care based.
* In order to be effective, lifestyle change and medical intervention must be targeted to an employee’s risk level and “stage of change. An employee’s stage of change is a measure of an employee’s readiness to implement change, according to a scientific model of behavior awareness.
While employers have the benefit of management information tools like P&L accounts, balance sheets, production and maintenance reports and sales pipelines, there are no equivalent tools to help manage employee health costs – until now. Elements provides each client with knowledge tools and aggregated predictive data that provides a health & well-being fingerprint of their population. By linking business drivers to the Employee Health Management Program, Elements optimizes individual and corporate performance."
If human capital is such a valuable resource, then why aren't corporates spending more money and resources in ensuring their employees are in the pink of health ?
From years of research, we have learned the following seven key facts about the relationship between employee health and corporate healthcare costs:
*Higher employee health risk leads to higher healthcare cost. Risk factors include excess weight, high cholesterol, poor diet, smoking, alcohol addiction, and lack of exercise.
* The health risk of an employee can easily and reliably be measured. This is accomplished through automated employee health risk appraisal questionnaires together with biometric measurement.
* The health risk of an employee can be reduced, and lower employee health risk leads to lower cost.
* The most cost-effective way to reduce employee health risk is through lifestyle change and appropriate medical intervention that is self-care based.
* In order to be effective, lifestyle change and medical intervention must be targeted to an employee’s risk level and “stage of change. An employee’s stage of change is a measure of an employee’s readiness to implement change, according to a scientific model of behavior awareness.
While employers have the benefit of management information tools like P&L accounts, balance sheets, production and maintenance reports and sales pipelines, there are no equivalent tools to help manage employee health costs – until now. Elements provides each client with knowledge tools and aggregated predictive data that provides a health & well-being fingerprint of their population. By linking business drivers to the Employee Health Management Program, Elements optimizes individual and corporate performance."
If human capital is such a valuable resource, then why aren't corporates spending more money and resources in ensuring their employees are in the pink of health ?
| Elements Health Plans | Business Model
| Elements Health Plans | Business Model: "Elements realized years ago that employers have typically seen traditional disease-based health insurance as a “health plan.” The traditional brokerage community has fostered this thinking by almost exclusively selling disease-based insurance products. Yet few, if any, employ qualified health professionals, or provide any activities or programs that actually lower health care costs.
It is Elements' belief that every client is unique and creates a work plan to gather data, identify a direction that makes sense, design the complete package, and communicate this to the employees in an easy to understand format.
The Elements Health Plans model has evolved from nearly 20 years of experience in the health insurance and health promotion industry. Our management team has collectively over 100 years experience in the health insurance, financial services, and worksite wellness business.
We are seen as the leaders in the design of integrated health plan models, even to the extent that brokers are asking us to design programs for their respective clients."
It is Elements' belief that every client is unique and creates a work plan to gather data, identify a direction that makes sense, design the complete package, and communicate this to the employees in an easy to understand format.
The Elements Health Plans model has evolved from nearly 20 years of experience in the health insurance and health promotion industry. Our management team has collectively over 100 years experience in the health insurance, financial services, and worksite wellness business.
We are seen as the leaders in the design of integrated health plan models, even to the extent that brokers are asking us to design programs for their respective clients."
Personal Health Coaching
Personal Health Coaching: "The Center for Personal Health Coaching conducts coaching sessions over the telephone. 'Telecoaching,' as it is sometimes called, is the standard practice for coaching, is more efficient than in-person coaching, and allows you to be coached from the convenience of your own home or office. Not only that, but telecoaching gives you the opportunity to be coached by the very best coach for you, without geographical restrictions.
Many clients have specific health goals in mind, but many also are trying to make changes in other aspects of their lives, including their careers or their overall sense of well-being."
For the new generation, health coaches are likely to be more useful than doctors ! Doctors are illness experts - health coaches are wellness experts !
Many clients have specific health goals in mind, but many also are trying to make changes in other aspects of their lives, including their careers or their overall sense of well-being."
For the new generation, health coaches are likely to be more useful than doctors ! Doctors are illness experts - health coaches are wellness experts !
CONFIDANT, Inc. - Mobile phone-based support for chronic disease management
CONFIDANT, Inc. - Mobile phone-based support for chronic disease management: "The CONFIDANT solution helps chronic disease patients manage their condition. By designing it to be used on patients' everyday cell phones, it easily can become part of the daily routine, even for those who have an active, mobile lifestyle. All of the data is maintained in the phone to provide an electronic log with graphical displays to help users visualize their status. At the same time, the data is maintained in a secure server that is Web accessible by the patients, clinicians, caregivers or patients' guardians."
Himalayan Cataract Project
Himalayan Cataract Project : "The Himalayan Cataract Project (HCP) is establishing a sustainable eye care infrastructure in the Himalaya that empowers local doctors to provide high-quality ophthalmic care through skills-transfer and education. The HCP responds to a pressing need for eye care in the Himalayan region. Our programs in Nepal, Tibet, China, Bhutan, India, Sikkim, and Pakistan have restored sight to tens of thousands of blind people every year since 1994, and our efficacy is increasing. By teaching ophthalmic care at all levels, by establishing a first-rate eye care infrastructure through creating and mentoring facilities, by making all of our facilities financially self-sustaining, and by addressing eye care from the public health level up to subspecialty care, our programs have brought world-class eye care to the people of the Himalaya. We hope to soon cut into the backlog of people blinded by preventable and treatable causes in the region. We appreciate your support, which has made possible our programs and has gone directly toward eradicating blindness in the Himalaya."
Reading this will gladden your heart - and it's people like these who remind us why doctors take up the practise of medicine in the first place !
Reading this will gladden your heart - and it's people like these who remind us why doctors take up the practise of medicine in the first place !
The Wellness Revolution
The Wellness Revolution: "Five years ago, in the first edition of The Wellness Revolution, economist Paul Zane Pilzer outlined an emerging $200 billion industry he called 'wellness.' Today, that industry has grown to $500 billion, and it's just getting started, offering even greater entrepreneurial opportunities.
The Wellness Revolution was the 'shot heard round the world' for the wellness industry. It defined wellness as an industry—linking tens of thousands of disparate service and product suppliers with a single cause. It showed scientists, fitness providers, businesspeople, food manufacturers, doctors, and others focused on disease prevention and anti-aging that they were part of a worldwide revolution—rather than merely lone iconoclasts inside their chosen professions or industries."
The Wellness Revolution was the 'shot heard round the world' for the wellness industry. It defined wellness as an industry—linking tens of thousands of disparate service and product suppliers with a single cause. It showed scientists, fitness providers, businesspeople, food manufacturers, doctors, and others focused on disease prevention and anti-aging that they were part of a worldwide revolution—rather than merely lone iconoclasts inside their chosen professions or industries."
Personal Health Planners
Personal Health Planners - Enabling You to Make Informed Decisions About Healthcare: "Why do I need a Personal Health Planner?
The healthcare system today is very complex, with frustrating and confusing policies, procedures, rules, regulations, and information overload. It’s hard to know whom to turn to for advice or what information is accurate. A Personal Health Planner is a healthcare professional who knows the inner workings of the complex system and can help guide you through the maze of decisions you need to make for your health. Ho‘okele Personal Health Planners are RNs, pharmacists, and therapists who work together with our Physician Advisors to help you navigate your way through the system.
What does a Personal Health Planner do?
A Personal Health Planner’s role is to serve as a caring professional to provide you with information, assistance, tools and support to enable you to make the best healthcare decisions for your particular situation. Every individual has different needs, lifestyles, combinations of conditions, and desired outcomes. A Personal Health Planner will help customize the right plan to meet your goals.
If you are sick, a Personal Health Planner can help you to understand your disease, advocate for you when you are in the hospital, work with your physician to be sure you understand your treatment options, help you to arrange for a second opinion or find a specialist, or assist you with finding the right providers and scheduling appointments with community and other resources. We manage all the details of your illness so that you can concentrate on your recovery.
If you are healthy, a Personal Health Planner can help you develop your plan for health improvement to meet your wellness goals. We can help you develop a roadmap, keep you on track and help to keep you motivated.
If you are managing the care of a loved one, a Personal Health Planner can help you keep abreast of their progress even if you cannot physically be with them. We can help you keep track of their records with a personal health record, communicate with their providers on your behalf, and help ease the burden of attending to all the details, especially from long
distance."
This is a whole new career option - which would be great for retired nurses or doctors who want to provide VIP patients with VIP services !
The healthcare system today is very complex, with frustrating and confusing policies, procedures, rules, regulations, and information overload. It’s hard to know whom to turn to for advice or what information is accurate. A Personal Health Planner is a healthcare professional who knows the inner workings of the complex system and can help guide you through the maze of decisions you need to make for your health. Ho‘okele Personal Health Planners are RNs, pharmacists, and therapists who work together with our Physician Advisors to help you navigate your way through the system.
What does a Personal Health Planner do?
A Personal Health Planner’s role is to serve as a caring professional to provide you with information, assistance, tools and support to enable you to make the best healthcare decisions for your particular situation. Every individual has different needs, lifestyles, combinations of conditions, and desired outcomes. A Personal Health Planner will help customize the right plan to meet your goals.
If you are sick, a Personal Health Planner can help you to understand your disease, advocate for you when you are in the hospital, work with your physician to be sure you understand your treatment options, help you to arrange for a second opinion or find a specialist, or assist you with finding the right providers and scheduling appointments with community and other resources. We manage all the details of your illness so that you can concentrate on your recovery.
If you are healthy, a Personal Health Planner can help you develop your plan for health improvement to meet your wellness goals. We can help you develop a roadmap, keep you on track and help to keep you motivated.
If you are managing the care of a loved one, a Personal Health Planner can help you keep abreast of their progress even if you cannot physically be with them. We can help you keep track of their records with a personal health record, communicate with their providers on your behalf, and help ease the burden of attending to all the details, especially from long
distance."
This is a whole new career option - which would be great for retired nurses or doctors who want to provide VIP patients with VIP services !
Ho'okele Personal Health Planners - Enabling Hawaii to Make Informed Decisions About Healthcare
Ho'okele Personal Health Planners - Enabling Hawaii to Make Informed Decisions About Healthcare: "Keeping healthy and changing behaviors to maintain a healthy lifestyle is difficult.
Ho‘okele’s Personal Health Planners can help you to design a wellness plan that fits you and your unique lifestyle. A Ho‘okele Personal Health Planner can:
* Work with you and your physician to develop an overall wellness plan with defined health goals and actionable steps to be taken.
* Help you stay committed to that plan and achieve your goals
* Keep you motivated!
* Meet with you regularly to touch base and answer any questions you may have.
* Provide individual coaching to help you make difficult changes in your lifestyle that improves your health.
* Assist you with nutritional consulting, exercise programs, educational information and finding any other resource you may need to achieve your health goals.
* Help you to understand and manage your stress."
Ho‘okele’s Personal Health Planners can help you to design a wellness plan that fits you and your unique lifestyle. A Ho‘okele Personal Health Planner can:
* Work with you and your physician to develop an overall wellness plan with defined health goals and actionable steps to be taken.
* Help you stay committed to that plan and achieve your goals
* Keep you motivated!
* Meet with you regularly to touch base and answer any questions you may have.
* Provide individual coaching to help you make difficult changes in your lifestyle that improves your health.
* Assist you with nutritional consulting, exercise programs, educational information and finding any other resource you may need to achieve your health goals.
* Help you to understand and manage your stress."
Connecting Pennsylvanians for Better Health
Connecting Pennsylvanians for Better Health Report To aid in the Connecting Pennsylvanians for Better Health development process, specific guiding principles were endorsed and provided the foundation for a long-term strategy:
Guiding Principle 1: Patients come first.
Guiding Principle 2: Consumer privacy, security and confidentiality are paramount.
Guiding Principle 3: Multi-stakeholder collaboration is needed to implement
achievable and measurable initiatives in order to show early progress and value.
Guiding Principle 1: Patients come first.
Guiding Principle 2: Consumer privacy, security and confidentiality are paramount.
Guiding Principle 3: Multi-stakeholder collaboration is needed to implement
achievable and measurable initiatives in order to show early progress and value.
Medicine's New Bankers - Express Pharma
Medicine's New Bankers - Express Pharma: "Retail is the new business mantra for the Indian healthcare industry, which has added a new dimension to healthcare. Just as you have bread and milk in your shopping list, you can now add a flu shot too.
In a first-of-its-kind venture in India, Manipal Group is rendering healthcare related services and sale of quality healthcare products, through its wellness stores. A comprehensive healthcare retail brand 'Manipal Cure & Care' (MCC), is a brain child of Dr Ranjan R Pai, Manipal Group CEO. MCC retail will be launched soon and would focus predominantly on wellness and preventive care in mall environment as well deliver the service offerings through qualified professionals. Each health store is estimated at Rs 2 crore–Rs 3 crore.
'It will be a holistic wellness centre,' explains Somnath Das, Chief Operating Officer, MCC. 'A one-stop-shop with seven specialities under one roof. We will target corporate houses, mall going crowd and megacities,' says Das. The consultations include all basic specialities such as general medicine, paediatrics, cosmetic dentistry, dermatology, ophthalmology and sports medicine.
There would also be instant medications available for cold, cough or flu, at 'Express Clinics'—a part of MCC. "We expect healthy people to come in a mall, but nevertheless, if somebody is looking for general treatment, they can avail of it at Express Clinics," informs Das. The Manipal Group believes that a patient can have a 'fun' environment to treat flu, than that provided by a clinic or a hospital. The joint venture, formed at an initial investment of Rs 10 crore, will be headquartered in Bangalore and the first MCC store will come up on a 7,000 square feet space on Old Madras Road, Bangalore, likely by May 2007. Existing pharmacies of both companies will now come under the ambit of MCC.
In a first-of-its-kind venture in India, Manipal Group is rendering healthcare related services and sale of quality healthcare products, through its wellness stores. A comprehensive healthcare retail brand 'Manipal Cure & Care' (MCC), is a brain child of Dr Ranjan R Pai, Manipal Group CEO. MCC retail will be launched soon and would focus predominantly on wellness and preventive care in mall environment as well deliver the service offerings through qualified professionals. Each health store is estimated at Rs 2 crore–Rs 3 crore.
'It will be a holistic wellness centre,' explains Somnath Das, Chief Operating Officer, MCC. 'A one-stop-shop with seven specialities under one roof. We will target corporate houses, mall going crowd and megacities,' says Das. The consultations include all basic specialities such as general medicine, paediatrics, cosmetic dentistry, dermatology, ophthalmology and sports medicine.
There would also be instant medications available for cold, cough or flu, at 'Express Clinics'—a part of MCC. "We expect healthy people to come in a mall, but nevertheless, if somebody is looking for general treatment, they can avail of it at Express Clinics," informs Das. The Manipal Group believes that a patient can have a 'fun' environment to treat flu, than that provided by a clinic or a hospital. The joint venture, formed at an initial investment of Rs 10 crore, will be headquartered in Bangalore and the first MCC store will come up on a 7,000 square feet space on Old Madras Road, Bangalore, likely by May 2007. Existing pharmacies of both companies will now come under the ambit of MCC.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
53 ways to cut your health care and health insurance costs
53 ways to cut your health care and health insurance costs
A commonly asked question, and a tough one to answer is, "Why are my health insurance costs going up at a rate that is so much higher than inflation?" Experts say that there are no easy answers as to why costs keep going up. But there are straightforward explanations.
PAGE ONE:First of all, it is important to understand that the health insurance companies aren't the source of these cost hikes. They are merely a conduit. Nearly all insurance companies work with fixed and highly regulated operating margins. Health insurance premium increases are a "pass along" expense from rising doctor, hospital and overall medical costs.
Introduction: Why costs keep rising
- High tech is high cost
- Heroic efforts
- Inflation
- Drug costs
- Fewer hospital admissions
- Social ills drive up costs
- The government pays a smaller share
- Uncompensated care
- The aging population
- Chronic illnesses
- People sue doctors
The 53 Tips on Reducing Health Care Costs
- If a medical bill seems excessive, try negotiating
- Contact a medical bill "auditor"
- You may get a tax break on your medical bills
- Can I qualify for any other tax breaks?
- Deduct 100% of your healthcare costs from your taxes
- Help for families with kids -- CHIP
- 24-hour nurse-on-call services
- Only in an emergency
- Use home health care
- You better shop around
- Federal funding may come your way
- Know when to stay home and treat your aches on your own
- Check for free clinics in your community
- Ask what a new doctor charges before seeking treatment
- Get a second opinion out of town
- Don't pay double for a second opinion
- Take your dental x-rays to your next dentist
- Make sure you're covered . . . or begin to plan ahead
- Get regular mammograms
- Avoid sunburn
- No smoking during pregnancy and beyond
- Emotional Stability
- Use a hospital that offers incentives
- Order your prescription drugs by phone or mail
- Ask your doctor to prescribe generic drugs
- Take only those drugs you really need
- Pay attention to the quantity
- Buy over-the-counter drugs only when needed
- Buy the cheapest supplement possible
- Think about buying home test kits
- Understand your Medicare benefits
- Look for a doctor who accepts Medicare
- You can appeal your Medicare reimbursement
- Know what's not covered under Medicare
- Look for medical equipment discounts
- Use unexpired prescriptions
- Share a home with other seniors
- Try seniors day care
- Get enrolled in a group plan
- Choose a higher deductible
- Pay premiums annually
- Review your policy carefully once a year
- Think twice about additional cancer insurance
- Make sure there's a ceiling for out-of-pocket expenses for catastrophic illnesses
- Helpful hints for filing insurance claims
- Get educated about your health
- Take advantage of free health advice
- Call toll-free health care hotlines
- Buckle up for safety
- Brush up on first-aid skills
- Keep your home safe
- For your back health: prevent injuries
- Take a lifestyle approach to wellness - every day
Affordable health insurance for the individual, the family and the self-employed
Affordable health insurance for the individual, the family and the self-employed: "Welcome to the Health Insurance Resource Center ... pieces to solving the health insurance puzzle:
Finding affordable coverage for your family can be confusing. We provide several tools to help you make better choices.
* glossary of medical insurance terms
* information on high risk insurance pools.
* Frequently-asked questions on health insurance
* get a quote on health insurance
* Self-employed health insurance
* added on 5/11/07, state-specific guide to Maryland health insurance.
What can you do to provide health insurance for your family?
Here at the Health Insurance Resource Center, we strive to make you a better-informed consumer to aid you in your quest to secure and keep adequate health insurance protection for your family, regardless of your personal situation."
Finding affordable coverage for your family can be confusing. We provide several tools to help you make better choices.
* glossary of medical insurance terms
* information on high risk insurance pools.
* Frequently-asked questions on health insurance
* get a quote on health insurance
* Self-employed health insurance
* added on 5/11/07, state-specific guide to Maryland health insurance.
What can you do to provide health insurance for your family?
Here at the Health Insurance Resource Center, we strive to make you a better-informed consumer to aid you in your quest to secure and keep adequate health insurance protection for your family, regardless of your personal situation."
Professional Patient: Working with your Doctor
Professional Patient: Working with your Doctor: "Getting A Last-Minute Doctor's Appointment.
You need to see your doctor -- NOW! How do you get in to see your doctor on the same day you call, or even the same hour?
Step 1: Call at the right time. First thing in the morning is good, if you want to get in on the same day. But realize that every doctor's office takes a flood of calls first thing in the morning. Expect to be put on hold. If you can't bear waiting in line, call at midmorning instead.
Step 2: Ask for help. 'Hello, I am hoping you can help me.' 'Hi, I need some help.' 'Good morning, can you help me, please?' This lets the receptionist or appointment scheduler know you are in a vulnerable spot.
Step 3: Give a good reason why you need an appointment right away. Be specific about what is dangerous, disabling, or getting significantly worse. Explain any previous appointments you had for the same thing.
Examples:
'I saw Dr. X two days ago, and have been having bizarre reactions to the medication he gave me at that appointment. My legs are going numb.'
'My peak flow is down in the red zone for no apparent reason. I am having trouble breathing when I do anything.'
You'll know what you need to say."
You need to see your doctor -- NOW! How do you get in to see your doctor on the same day you call, or even the same hour?
Step 1: Call at the right time. First thing in the morning is good, if you want to get in on the same day. But realize that every doctor's office takes a flood of calls first thing in the morning. Expect to be put on hold. If you can't bear waiting in line, call at midmorning instead.
Step 2: Ask for help. 'Hello, I am hoping you can help me.' 'Hi, I need some help.' 'Good morning, can you help me, please?' This lets the receptionist or appointment scheduler know you are in a vulnerable spot.
Step 3: Give a good reason why you need an appointment right away. Be specific about what is dangerous, disabling, or getting significantly worse. Explain any previous appointments you had for the same thing.
Examples:
'I saw Dr. X two days ago, and have been having bizarre reactions to the medication he gave me at that appointment. My legs are going numb.'
'My peak flow is down in the red zone for no apparent reason. I am having trouble breathing when I do anything.'
You'll know what you need to say."
Electronic Health Information Exchange - a Guide for Consumers
Electronic Health Information Exchange - a Guide for Consumers " Secure Electronic Health Information Exchange
- Allows your physicians to access the right medical information at the right time.
- Allows your physicians to share critical health information so they can make decisions
that may impact your treatment.
- Ensures that healthcare providers have the critical life-saving information they need
in times of emergency."
What does this means for patients ?
" All healthcare providers involved with your care can
access the information they need to know, only when they need to know it.
- No more clipboard and forms. Eliminates the need for repetitive retelling of medical history each time you see a provider.
- Less telephone tag and runaround for test results and follow-up messages, both for personal
healthcare as well as for administrative details.
- Avoids the cost of unnecessary/duplicate drugs, tests and/or visits."
- Allows your physicians to access the right medical information at the right time.
- Allows your physicians to share critical health information so they can make decisions
that may impact your treatment.
- Ensures that healthcare providers have the critical life-saving information they need
in times of emergency."
What does this means for patients ?
" All healthcare providers involved with your care can
access the information they need to know, only when they need to know it.
- No more clipboard and forms. Eliminates the need for repetitive retelling of medical history each time you see a provider.
- Less telephone tag and runaround for test results and follow-up messages, both for personal
healthcare as well as for administrative details.
- Avoids the cost of unnecessary/duplicate drugs, tests and/or visits."
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Adopt A Doctor
Adopt A Doctor is a New England-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization seeking to reverse the brain drain that is drawing experienced physicians away from the poorest countries in the world.
What Does This Mean?
Many of the world's poorest countries are finding it difficult to attract and retain experienced physicians because salaries are so low. In Malawi, for example, a doctor earns on average just $70 USD per month and thus practices medicine in the country for an average of only 3 years. Physicians are leaving developing nations such as Malawi in droves to seek more reasonable pay and better resources in other parts of the world.
This is a serious crisis because of the dismal health conditions in these countries. Every day, 35,000 children under five die in the developing world. The great majority of these deaths are from three diseases: pneumonia, diarrhea, and measles, all of which can be prevented or cured by adequate medical care. In total, 14 million people die annually from easily treatable infectious diseases-a quarter of all deaths worldwide. Over 90% of these victims live in developing countries.
Our Program
Adopt A Doctor aspires to solve this problem of high turnover rates and unavailability of experienced physicians by providing financial aid and other critical resources to physicians already working in these poor countries so that they can stay and continue their work.
It is our mission to encourage these doctors to stay where they are needed the most. We significantly increase doctors salaries, contingent upon their agreement to stay in one of our target countries for at least 7 years. We also plan to offer a worldwide network through which doctors can request resources (supplies, equipment, educational materials) directly from donors.
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Kishore Biyani and philanthropy
I just finished reading the book , “ It Happened in India ” by Kishore Biyani, one of India India
He is now going to enter his 50s ; and after establishing a highly successful and profitable business , he is likely to invest his energies into trying to improve Indian society. As successful people mature, they often become philanthropic , because they want to see the money that they have earned being put to good use. It will be very exciting to see how he can apply his original insights into the mind of the Indian consumer in order to improve health care in
Friday, May 11, 2007
The Medical Home - Patient Centered Primary Care
The Medical Home - Patient Centered Primary Care: " The Patient-Centered Medical Home ('medical home') is a model of care that puts the needs of the patient first. The medical home is the base from which health care services are coordinated to provide the most effective and efficient care to the patient. This includes the use of health information technology, the coordination of specialty and inpatient care, providing preventive services through health promotion, disease management and prevention, health maintenance, behavioral health services, patient education, and diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic illnesses."
This makes so much sense ! In the past , doctors would make home visits It's high time we made clever use of technology to offer a similar "high-tech" version for today's world.
This makes so much sense ! In the past , doctors would make home visits It's high time we made clever use of technology to offer a similar "high-tech" version for today's world.
The Verizon PHR - Modern Healthcare Online
The Verizon PHR - Modern Healthcare Online: "Verizon Communications Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Ivan Seidenberg said on Wednesday that the company has implemented an electronic personal health-record system for its more than 900,000 active employees, retirees and their families. Called Verizon HealthZone PHR, the system works in conjunction with WebMD to allow individuals to store personalized health information on a password-protected Web site, he said. 'We think this kind of a simple connection creates enormous consumer power to drive change across the system,' Seidenberg said.
In Washington yesterday for a panel discussion that featured government and private-sector leaders, Seidenberg said Verizon's healthcare tab was about $3.5 billion last year, and, overall, about 90% of those transactions happen hand-to-hand via phone or by fax.
'We come at this from the whole idea of what can we do to help support the infrastructure for health distribution processes,' he said. 'We think a healthy introduction of health IT will help.' Seidenberg, who sat on the President Bush's Commission on Systemic Interoperability, said that health IT ultimately will increase the efficiency of healthcare delivery and make the industry more responsive to consumers' and providers' needs."
In Washington yesterday for a panel discussion that featured government and private-sector leaders, Seidenberg said Verizon's healthcare tab was about $3.5 billion last year, and, overall, about 90% of those transactions happen hand-to-hand via phone or by fax.
'We come at this from the whole idea of what can we do to help support the infrastructure for health distribution processes,' he said. 'We think a healthy introduction of health IT will help.' Seidenberg, who sat on the President Bush's Commission on Systemic Interoperability, said that health IT ultimately will increase the efficiency of healthcare delivery and make the industry more responsive to consumers' and providers' needs."
Doctors' MRI deals a 'sham,' state says | Chicago Tribune
Doctors' MRI deals a 'sham,' state says | Chicago Tribune: "Chicago-area doctors were told they could earn more than $130,000 a year just for referring patients to some MRI centers, according to new documents filed in probe by the Illinois attorney general's office into radiology business practices.
A civil complaint filed by the attorney general's office was amended recently to include additional details about how some MRI centers allegedly marketed and trained sales people to entice physicians into what the state characterizes as phony lease deals. The state alleges the kickback scheme resulted in health insurers being billed for millions of dollars in fraudulent claims, although the operators of the MRI centers says the lease deals are perfectly legal.
Though MRIs were performed at radiology centers, the lease deals made it appear as though the doctors were in charge of the equipment and billed the services as their own, according to the suit. The attorney general's office alleges that the centers concocted 'sham 'lease' agreements' to benefit doctors, who, in return, boosted referrals to the centers, sometimes for unnecessary tests."
This is one of the reasons why patients find it so hard to trust their doctors these days !
A civil complaint filed by the attorney general's office was amended recently to include additional details about how some MRI centers allegedly marketed and trained sales people to entice physicians into what the state characterizes as phony lease deals. The state alleges the kickback scheme resulted in health insurers being billed for millions of dollars in fraudulent claims, although the operators of the MRI centers says the lease deals are perfectly legal.
Though MRIs were performed at radiology centers, the lease deals made it appear as though the doctors were in charge of the equipment and billed the services as their own, according to the suit. The attorney general's office alleges that the centers concocted 'sham 'lease' agreements' to benefit doctors, who, in return, boosted referrals to the centers, sometimes for unnecessary tests."
This is one of the reasons why patients find it so hard to trust their doctors these days !
Hesperian Foundation Books Now Online for Free !
Hesperian Foundation Books Now Online for Free ! : " Hesperian has made a commitment to publish online versions of all of our books and to keep those online editions up-to-date, incorporating all corrections and revisions as they are made.
The Following Titles are available for Free Download:
Where There Is No Doctor
Where Women Have No Doctor
A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities
Donde no hay doctor para mujeres
A Book for Midwives
Un libro para parteras
HIV Health and Your Community
Helping Children Who Are Deaf
Helping Children Who Are Blind
Ayudar a los niños ciegos
Where There Is No Dentist
Donde no hay dentista
A Worker's Guide to Health and Safety
A community guide to environmental health
Women's Health Exchange
Global Health Watch"
This is the one series of books which every one living in the developing world should have ready access to ! Not only are the books full of accurate health information, presented very simply, they also help to empower the reader to take more responsibility for their own health !
The Following Titles are available for Free Download:
Where There Is No Doctor
Where Women Have No Doctor
A Health Handbook for Women with Disabilities
Donde no hay doctor para mujeres
A Book for Midwives
Un libro para parteras
HIV Health and Your Community
Helping Children Who Are Deaf
Helping Children Who Are Blind
Ayudar a los niños ciegos
Where There Is No Dentist
Donde no hay dentista
A Worker's Guide to Health and Safety
A community guide to environmental health
Women's Health Exchange
Global Health Watch"
This is the one series of books which every one living in the developing world should have ready access to ! Not only are the books full of accurate health information, presented very simply, they also help to empower the reader to take more responsibility for their own health !
Where There is no Dentist
Where There is no Dentist " Where There Is No Dentist is a book about what people can do for themselves and each other to care for their gums and teeth. It is written for: village and neighborhood health workers who want to learn more about dental care as part of a complete community-based approach to health; school teachers, mothers, fathers, and anyone concerned with encouraging dental health in their children and their community; and those dentists and dental technicians who are looking for ways to share their skills, to help people become more self-reliant at lower cost.
Just as with the rest of health care, there is a strong need to ‘deprofessionalize’ dentistry—to provide ordinary people and community workers with more skills to prevent and cure problems in the mouth. After all, early care is what makes the dentist’s work unnecessary—and this is the care that each person gives to his or her own teeth, or what a mother does to protect her children’s teeth."
This book will tell you everything you need to know about your teeth and how to take good care of them. A sub-title could be - How to help your Dentist !
Just as with the rest of health care, there is a strong need to ‘deprofessionalize’ dentistry—to provide ordinary people and community workers with more skills to prevent and cure problems in the mouth. After all, early care is what makes the dentist’s work unnecessary—and this is the care that each person gives to his or her own teeth, or what a mother does to protect her children’s teeth."
This book will tell you everything you need to know about your teeth and how to take good care of them. A sub-title could be - How to help your Dentist !
Free book on HIV, Health and Community Action
" Free book on HIV, Health and Community Action The idea for this book grew out of our experiences working to help growing numbers of people with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). In Rwanda, one of us met a doctor who struggled to care for a hospital ward overflowing with women with HIV and tuberculosis. Families were camped outside, cooking and caring for their sick relatives; patients without families suffered because food and other supplies were scarce, but often other people shared what they had.Working long days under tough conditions, the members of the health care team had to make difficult decisions about treatment. They watched as a few patients died each day despite their best efforts. Health workers, social workers, and educators joined together to lessen the suffering caused by HIV.When asked where they had learned to do their jobs, they shrugged their shoulders and pointed to each other. They had learned from experience and word of mouth.Why was there no guide that addressed some of the basic issues regarding HIV disease in areas where most of the people with HIV live? "
Here's the guide !
Here's the guide !
Taiwan’s First WiMAX Healthcare Network
Taiwan’s First WiMAX Healthcare Network: "Taiwan Mobile Healthcare Services include remote outpatient registration known as Mobile Nurse and, Treatment Assistant, which allows doctors virtual access to a patient's medical records. Wireless Care Genie, using Bluetooth-enabled mobile devices, remotely monitors the condition of long-term sufferers of chronic diseases. Health Care Guru is a virtual heath care information center. These innovative healthcare services will allow medical personnel immediate access to high-quality diagnostic images and audio-visual information for specific treatments, information searches or medical diagnoses."
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Helping doctors to manage administrative paperwork using a digital lockbox
Helping doctors to manage administrative paperwork using a digital lockbox " The back-office of the 21st century medical practice continues to deal with an avalanche of paper. A study published in 2003 by the New England Journal of Medicine reports that paperwork and administrative costs account for 31% of the total cost of healthcare. More practically, just talking to a practice business manager or observing the workflow in any physician’s business office confirms the obvious – a practice’s cash flow is still tightly linked to paper. A practice deals with an avalanche of EOBs, checks, invoices and other statements that never stop coming. The tedious work of dealing with this paper is mission-critical.
A solution to the inefficient manual processing of paper for medical practices exists in
the form of a Digital Lockbox, a service that combines the benefits of a traditional bank
lockbox solution with document imaging capabilities. Practices that use a Digital Lockbox
effectively outsource the processing of their mail to their service provider. Practice
mail is received at the service provider’s operations center where it is opened, sorted and
processed. Processing includes both depositing of checks and scanning of documents.
The paper documents are typically returned to the practice for storage or disposal.
Documents are accessed online by practice administrative staff."
A solution to the inefficient manual processing of paper for medical practices exists in
the form of a Digital Lockbox, a service that combines the benefits of a traditional bank
lockbox solution with document imaging capabilities. Practices that use a Digital Lockbox
effectively outsource the processing of their mail to their service provider. Practice
mail is received at the service provider’s operations center where it is opened, sorted and
processed. Processing includes both depositing of checks and scanning of documents.
The paper documents are typically returned to the practice for storage or disposal.
Documents are accessed online by practice administrative staff."
Helping doctors to manage administrative paperwork using a digital lockbox
Helping doctors to manage administrative paperwork using a digital lockbox " The back-office of the 21st century medical practice continues to deal with an avalanche of paper. A study published in 2003 by the New England Journal of Medicine reports that paperwork and administrative costs account for 31% of the total cost of healthcare. More practically, just talking to a practice business manager or observing the workflow in any physician’s business office confirms the obvious – a practice’s cash flow is still tightly linked to paper. A practice deals with an avalanche of EOBs, checks, invoices and other statements that never stop coming. The tedious work of dealing with this paper is mission-critical.
A solution to the inefficient manual processing of paper for medical practices exists in
the form of a Digital Lockbox, a service that combines the benefits of a traditional bank
lockbox solution with document imaging capabilities. Practices that use a Digital Lockbox
effectively outsource the processing of their mail to their service provider. Practice
mail is received at the service provider’s operations center where it is opened, sorted and
processed. Processing includes both depositing of checks and scanning of documents.
The paper documents are typically returned to the practice for storage or disposal.
Documents are accessed online by practice administrative staff."
A solution to the inefficient manual processing of paper for medical practices exists in
the form of a Digital Lockbox, a service that combines the benefits of a traditional bank
lockbox solution with document imaging capabilities. Practices that use a Digital Lockbox
effectively outsource the processing of their mail to their service provider. Practice
mail is received at the service provider’s operations center where it is opened, sorted and
processed. Processing includes both depositing of checks and scanning of documents.
The paper documents are typically returned to the practice for storage or disposal.
Documents are accessed online by practice administrative staff."
Monday, May 07, 2007
Intel's Andy Grove Pitches a Plan for Fixing Health Care
Intel's Andy Grove Pitches a Plan for Fixing Health Care. Grove breaks the problem of health care into three manageable chunks. Two have technological solutions -- but not complex tech. Grove wants to keep the technology as simple as possible, a surprising idea for a man who put millions of transistors on a chip.
First: Keep elderly people at home as long as possible (an idea he calls "shift left"). Use high-tech gadgets to help them remember to take their medicine and monitor their health. In one year, if a quarter of the people now living in nursing homes went home, it would save more than $12 billion, Grove says.
Second, Grove advocates addressing the uninsured by building more "retail clinics" -- basic health care centers in drugstores and other outlets that can take care of problems that are presently, and expensively, addressed in emergency rooms.
Lastly, unify medical records using the internet. In his vision, every patient carries a USB drive containing his or her medical records, which any doctor can download.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Beyond Concierge Healthcare
You will often see MDVIP labeled as a “Concierge Healthcare” company. The truth is, MDVIP goes far beyond the “fee for access” companies that are rightfully seen as “Concierge Healthcare” and is actually setting the new gold standard for healthcare.
MDVIP physicians value personal attention and prevention and have chosen to limit their practices to 600 patients in order to deliver personalized medical care focused on prevention and wellness, backed by early detection and state - of - the - art treatment and condition management.
MDVIP physicians value personal attention and prevention and have chosen to limit their practices to 600 patients in order to deliver personalized medical care focused on prevention and wellness, backed by early detection and state - of - the - art treatment and condition management.
Concierge practises make for happier doctors - and happier patients !
Like many of the nation's family physicians, Dr. Scott Molden felt dissatisfied with medicine.
To generate the revenue needed to run his Town and Country office and pay his salary, Molden typically saw 20 patients a day and often spent as little as 15 minutes with each. He frequently ran late, and sick patients could wait days for an appointment.
"My patients, unfortunately, got very used to waiting for me," said Molden, whose office is on the Missouri Baptist Medical Center campus.
To fix the problem, Molden has decided to partner with MDVIP Inc., a Florida company that offers doctors a "turn-key solution" to transform their traditional practices into smaller, concierge physician offices.
To generate the revenue needed to run his Town and Country office and pay his salary, Molden typically saw 20 patients a day and often spent as little as 15 minutes with each. He frequently ran late, and sick patients could wait days for an appointment.
"My patients, unfortunately, got very used to waiting for me," said Molden, whose office is on the Missouri Baptist Medical Center campus.
To fix the problem, Molden has decided to partner with MDVIP Inc., a Florida company that offers doctors a "turn-key solution" to transform their traditional practices into smaller, concierge physician offices.
WHO launches 'Nine patient safety solutions'
The nine solutions are now being made available in an accessible form for use and adaptation by WHO Member States to re-design patient care processes and make them safer. They come under the headings of:
- Look-alike, sound-alike medication names;
- patient identification;
- communication during patient hand-overs;
- performance of correct procedure at correct body site;
- control of concentrated electrolyte solutions;
- assuring medication accuracy at transitions in care;
- avoiding catheter and tubing misconnections;
- single use of injection devices; and
- improved hand hygiene to prevent health care-associated infection.
Thursday, May 03, 2007
Infertility Treatment Guidebook
Infertility Treatment Guidebook Beginning infertility treatment is like entering a new world with
own language. This treatment guide will help you understand and track your progress
through it."
own language. This treatment guide will help you understand and track your progress
through it."
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
The Times of India story on Infertility Support Groups
The Times of India story on Infertility Support Groups: "The Times of India, in a story on Infertility Support Groups, wrote about Abhishek's birth and what Bhavana and I went through. For more, read The Making of Abhishek. The Infertility Friends website is at www.infertilityfriends.org ."
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