Advertisement

August 22, 2008

States consider legislation to block prescription data mining
As many as 18 states are considering legislation that prevents prescription data firms from collecting such information and selling it to pharmaceutical companies for millions of dollars each year. Data mining companies regularly compile information on the medications doctors prescribe and the quantities in which they prescribe them. Maine and New Hampshire this year have enacted laws banning the practice and are in court battling legal challenges from marketing companies, while Vermont is holding off on implementing its new law until the other states' cases are resolved. Thus far, Maine and New Hampshire judges have ruled in favor of the companies, declaring the laws unconstitutional. But a federal appeals court is expected to rule on the matter later this month. If it overturns the lower courts' rulings, the doors could be open to more restrictions nationwide. http://www.azcentral.com/business/...

Health IT vendors encouraged to go after piece of upcoming $380 billion pie
With state Medicaid programs expected to disperse $380 billion in the coming year - and with contracts expiring for as many as 21 state Medicaid Management Information Systems (MMIS) over the next five years, vendors should push for health information technology enhancements, according to a report from Reston, VA-based research firm Input. The company expects MMIS-based states to become the center of gravity for IT supporting state health IT and e-health efforts, according to Input Health Care and Social Services Analyst Kristina Mulholland. "Numerous states will be seeking to issue proposals for preliminary systems planning services over the next year or two," Mulholland said. "Now is the time for vendors to begin making their names known in this space." http://www.input.com/corp/press/detail.cfm?news=1392

Democrats add health IT provision to official healthcare platform
On the eve of its national convention next week, the Democratic Party's official healthcare platform now includes a provision calling for widespread health information technology adoption. Doing so would save the average family up to $2,500 annually by increasing efficiency and reducing duplication of service, according to the Democratic National Platform committee for the national convention in Denver. The DNP platform committee's health reform plan also calls for universal healthcare coverage, increased focus on prevention and wellness, and health insurance industry reforms that eliminate insurance discrimination. The national convention is Aug. 25-28. http://www.ihealthbeat.org/articles/...

New Web-based emergency alert system to debut in Ohio hospitals
Ohio hospitals are preparing for a Web-based system that lets them know the severity levels of patients who may be headed their way following an emergency. The system, developed by the Greater Cincinnati Health Council, will be an add-on to a statewide bed-tracking system known as Surge Net, which hospitals have used since 2005. SurgeNet helps emergency services workers decide where to send patients to avoid overcrowding by detailing the types of beds that are available, such as burn unit, psychiatric, intensive care, emergency room or operating room. The system can also be used to alert funeral directors of fatalities. The Ohio Hospital Association plans to make the add-on available by Sept. 15. http://www.bizjournals.com/cincinnati...

EHNAC to develop health information exchange accreditation program
The Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC) has begun development of a new accreditation program for health information exchange (HIE). Designed for regional health information organizations (RHIOs), community health data/network partnerships and other groups that promote data sharing across multiple, independent stakeholders, the HIE program will assess the privacy policies, security measures, technical performance, business practices and organizational resources of participating entities. EHNAC expects to convene a workgroup for criteria development within the next year, according to EHNAC Executive Director Lee Barrett. "Leaders from the federal and state levels have been calling for authoritative standards that would establish accountability, ensure efficiency and promote involvement with RHIOs and other types of networks," Barrett said. "This HIE accreditation program will fill that much-needed role and add a measure of confidence for providers, payers and other potential HIE participants." http://www.ehnac.org/content/view/198/1/

Wireless heart monitoring technology gives doctors real-time views
IMEC, Europe's leading independent nanoelectronics research institute has broadened the functionality of its wireless heart monitoring technology by linking it to real-time relevant medical data extraction. The "knowledge streaming" technology, developed by Belgian forensics tech firm i.Know, uses an incoming stream of ECG signals to extract relevant features and actions in the body, such as the heart's rhythm and shape of its ECG peak, and detect abnormal physiological happenings. A doctor or call center may then be contacted. Flanders, Belgium-based IMEC and i.Know expect to eventually further enhance the system by associating it with external databases such as electronic medical records, according to IMEC Communications Manager Katrien Marent. http://www.imec.be/wwwinter/mediacenter/...

The more, the merrier for hospital IT workflow management systems
Medical management organizations prefer to use more than one approach toward optimizing workflow within their companies, but there aren't that many health information technology systems available, according to a report by Auburn, CA-based TCS Healthcare Technologies. Sixty-four percent of survey respondents reported using multiple systems, compared to 17 percent who rely on one system, according to TCS founder and Chief Executive Officer Rob Pock. In addition, only 20 percent of respondents reported having a system that was fully integrated with external IT systems. "The survey findings warrant follow-up discussion by healthcare thought leaders regarding the lack of standardization IT platforms currently available that support the care management process, and the need to define better ways to popularize successful strategy," Pock said. http://www.tcshealthcare.com/ and http://www.examiner.com/p-215001~New_Health_IT_Survey_...

Rwanda to rollout nationwide broadband to improve healthcare
Rwanda is proceeding with a nationwide broadband rollout program that will ease health service delivery for the rural population, according to President Paul Kagame. The "fiber optic backbone" of the project is due for completion by the end of 2009, and the country is also rolling out broadband network coverage within one year. Broadband expansion will also help ease training of healthcare professionals, according to Kagame. "The increased bandwidth will allow us to send digital radiology images from district hospitals to experts in our capital Kigali, and outside the country," he said. "Given that the overwhelming majority of our population lives in rural areas, this will allow many more patients to easily secure specialist opinion at significantly reduced cost." http://www.itnewsafrica.com/?p=914

Hospital death rates, quality data go online at CMS comparison site
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has begun posting mortality rates for Medicare beneficiaries at individual hospitals on its Hospital Compare Web site at www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov. CMS in 2007 released a broad comparison of death rates for heart attacks and heart failure, noting how hospitals compared to the national average, without releasing the death rates themselves. Now, those numbers, along with death rates for pneumonia, are being disclosed - for better or worse. Death rates from heart attack, heart failure and pneumonia are widely viewed as measuring sticks of a hospital's overall performance, according to Donald Berwick, chief executive officer of the Institute for Health Improvement, a Cambridge, MA-based nonprofit that helps hospitals improve care and eliminate errors. "We're in an era of change at last," Berwick said. http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/... and http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov/Hospital/Search/Welcome...

Montefiore's CMO, Health Hero Network to move healthcare into the Bronx
The Care Management Co. (CMO), a subsidiary of Montefiore health system, and telehealth services provider Health Hero Network, are partnering to provide 400,000 individuals in Bronx, NY with care- and disease-management services, the companies announced. Initially, the partnership will focus on individuals with complex chronic conditions, who tend to be elderly and frail, and have diverse health care and social support needs, according to Health Hero Network Chief Executive Officer Derek Newell. The partnership is ultimately aimed at using interactive, network-based technologies that will enable CMO and Montefiore to "broadly address the needs of its population proactively, preventively, and cost-effectively," Newell noted. https://www.healthhero.com/press/press_releases/pr_08_18_08.html

AnyWare Group, HealthCare Information Management work U.S. market deal
Australian IT firm AnyWare Group and California healthcare software maker HealthCare Information Management Inc. have entered a partnership designed to bring the St. John, New Brunswick company into the American market. The partnership will enable healthcare organizations to achieve day-to-day savings through more efficient billing, according to Dan Keddy, partner relationship manager with the AnyWare Group. AnyWare's software allows doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals, as well as front-line staff, secure access to medical records, diagnostic images and more, anywhere and anytime they can access a computer with Internet access. HCIM's product helps centralize and consolidate the way in which insurance companies and other paying situations are able to bill through electronic health records. The partnership "shows the best of both companies, and by doing so [allows us to] offer a full-scale solution," Eddy said. http://nbbusinessjournal.canadaeast.com/journal/article/388101

Home diagnostic provider Lifespan announces its own extended lifespan
Las Vegas-based Internet-based home medical diagnostic product provider Lifespan Inc. is coming off life support, according to the company. Lifespan, which recently endured "greatly exaggerated" reports of its demise, is now in a position to "offer significant opportunities in the home healthcare, telemedicine and medical tourism space," according to corporate communications officer Bob Washington. Lifespan plans to pursue development of its MyWebTel and MyScreenMd technologies, which allow users to record medical records on devices such as PDAs, desktop PCs or laptop computers. Lifespan acquired these technologies in 2003 but they "proved to be several years ahead of the market and the company's ability to finance their development," Washington said. But the renewed emphasis in the U.S. on healthcare and the development of inexpensive, powerful cellular connectivity has changed that picture, he said. http://www.lifespaninc.com/news_releases1.htm#one

Correction:
In the Aug. 19 edition of News Alert, Ohio Rep. Zack Space was erroneously identified as the state's governor. We apologize for the error.

• UA Conference Explores 'Future of Health Care' Through Telehealth, Pharmacology and Rural Medicine Issues
  Sept. 4-5, 2008 - The University of Alabama
  TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Telehealth – the use of state-of-the-art telecommunications and computer technology to help health-care professionals – will be one of the key topics at a conference on the future of health care in the United States. The Ninth Annual Rural Health Conference, whose theme this year is "The Future of Health Care," will feature keynote speakers well-versed in contemporary health issues and with backgrounds in building telehealth systems in the Southeastern United States.
  
  
• The Forum 08, the 10th annual meeting of DMAA: The Care Continuum Alliance
  Sept. 7-8, 2008 - Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa Hollywood, FL
  Hear the outlook for population health in the medical home from American Academy of Family Physicians leader Bruce Bagley, MD, and Patient Centered Primary Care Collaborative Chair Paul Grundy, MD. Also, with just two months before the hotly anticipated 2008 general election, get the latest word on the battle for the White House and Congress from former U.S. Senator John Breaux and acclaimed political analyst Charlie Cook. Ken Thorpe, PhD, executive director of the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, will provide similar insights on the health policy landscape and chronic disease.
  
  
• ATA 2008 Mid-Year Meeting
  September 15-16, 2008 - Marriott Waterside Hotel and Marina,Tampa FL
  The 2008 Home Telehealth & Remote Monitoring Meeting serves as a forum for sharing scientific research findings, significant advances in related technology and applications, and groundbreaking programs, projects, or case studies.
  The UC Davis 2008 Pediatric Telehealth Colloquium will be held in conjunction with the ATA Mid-Year Meeting. The Colloquium, already established as a premier event for the pediatric telehealth community, is dedicated to the presentation of original research related to pediatric telemedicine by investigators in clinical science.
  
  
• 2008 National Telehealth Conference
  September 25-27, 2008 - St. Paul International Airport Hilton Hotel, Bloomington, MN
  Children's Physician Network
  
  
• 2008 AHIMA Convention and Exhibit
  October 11-16, 2008 - Seattle, WA
  The 2008 AHIMA Convention and Exhibit presents incomparable opportunities to connect with colleagues and learn from key leaders who influence change in health information management. Take advantage of the exceptional educational sessions, explore the exhibit hall and network with fellow HIM professionals.
  
  
• Canadian Society of Telehealth conference
  October 4-7, 2008 - Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
  Joint meeting of Canadian Society of Telehealth and International Society for Telemedicine and eHealth
  
  
• 2008 5th Annual Connected Health Symposium
  October 27-28, 2008 - The Conference Center at Harvard Medical, Boston, MA
  Who Provides, Who Decides, Who Pays: Consumers, Clinicians and Business Models in the Connected Care Era

To showcase your event here, please email us at events@telemedicinealerts.com

In the Current Issue of the peer reviewed publication Telemedicine and e-Health

An Experience of Health Technology Assessment in New Models of Care for Subjects with Parkinson's Disease by Means of a New Wearable Device
Daniele Giansanti, Giovanni Maccioni, Sandra Morelli
Telemedicine and e-Health. June 2008, 14(5): 467-472.
This report characterizes a system combining gastrocnemius expansion measurement unit (GEMU), a step-counting device, with a telemedicine application for patients with Parkinsonism. GEMU by telemedicine correlated strongly with motion decrement in a robust and reliable system, which enjoyed high user acceptance. Full Article

Published 10 times a year in print and online, Telemedicine and e-health covers all aspects of clinical telemedicine practice, technical advances, enabling technologies, education, health policy and regulation and biomedical and health services research dealing with clinical effectiveness, efficacy and safety of telemedicine and its effects on quality, cost and accessibility of care, medical records and transmission of same.

For advertising
Contact us to maximize your print and/or online opportunities

Telemedicine and e-Health is the Official journal of the American Telemedicine Association.
To learn more, click here.

This email was sent by: The Mary Ann Liebert Companies
140 Huguenot Street, 3rd Floor, New Rochelle, NY 10801-5215, USA
Phone: 914-740-2100 (Toll Free in USA/Canada) 1-800-M-LIEBERT    Fax: 914-740-2101    Email: info@liebertpub.com