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December 23, 2008

New recommendations urge $25 billion investment in health IT in 2009
In the coming months, Congress should appropriate at least $25 billion to help improve adoptions of health information technology by hospitals and physicians, according to a new report by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS). In “Call for Action: Enabling Healthcare Reform Using Information Technology,” HIMSS recommends that such funding, if granted, be used to mandate electronic medical record (EMR) adoption, provide EMRs for children, and establish health IT empowerment zones that improve access to and knowledge of IT technology. HIMSS also recommends application of recognized standards and requirement of certified health IT products among all federally funded health programs; and convention of a White House Summit on Healthcare Reform through Information Technology to develop consensus and propose solutions to critical national health IT issues. All of these recommendations should be implemented within 120 days of the new presidency, according to the report. http://www.himss.org/ASP/ContentRedirector.asp... and http://www.himss.org/2009calltoaction/HIMSSCallToActionDec2008.pdf

Doctors’ switch to e-prescriptions fires up as incentive program launch date nears
Twice as many doctors are expected to have switched to electronic prescriptions in 2008 versus a year earlier, as physicians prepare to take advantage of the new e-prescribing incentive program that begins on New Year’s Day, according to e-prescription network management firm SureScripts-Rx. Under the program, Medicare will provide incentive payments to eligible doctors who use e-prescription technology instead of writing paper ones. Such physicians will receive a 2 percent incentive payment in 2009 and 2010; a 1 percent incentive payment in 2011 and 2012; and a 0.5 percent incentive payment in 2013. As of 2013, however, any paper-using holdouts will face Medicare reimbursement payment cuts. SureScripts-Rx projects that more than 70,000 doctors will have made the switch by year’s end – up from 35,000 in December 2007 – with the number of monthly paperless prescriptions increasing by two to three times the rate of one year ago. A large reason for the increase is use of the online portal “Get Connected” at www.GetRxConnected.com, which is now backed by 13 of the nation’s leading medical associations. http://www.surescriptsrxhub.com/press_2008_12_10.aspx

HHS issues guidelines for privacy of EHRs, asks healthcare industry to do same
Although the government is attempting to address privacy and security issues related to use of electronic health records, the healthcare industry should also implement voluntary guidelines to protect patients’ records, according to Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) Secretary Mike Leavitt. Leavitt said growing computerization, exchange and analysis of patient data can improve the quality of care and reduce costs and medical errors, but those benefits won’t be fully realized until privacy concerns are effectively addressed. Government-mandated regulations, while seemingly a logical course of action, will also slow the process to a crawl as vendors conform to the new rules. To that end, HHS has issued guidelines on patient privacy, which include individual access to records by consumers, timely correction of records, open information about the collection, use and disclosure of personal information, freedom of choice about how information is used, and accountability for misuse of that information. http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2008pres/12/20081215a.html and http://www.hhs.gov/healthit/documents/NationwidePS_Framework.pdf

China to build national high-capacity fiber-optic network
In a move that could improve telemedicine access to much of the country, China has announced plans to build its first national high-capacity fiber-optic network, designed to carry Internet, TV and phone services on one line. The new network will have a bandwidth of 1,000 gigabits, compared with the current network’s 1-gigabit capacity, and will allow every user to have 100 megabit-per-second access to the Internet rather than the existing 1-megabit access, according to The Ministry of Science and Technology. A regional network built in the Yangtze River Delta in December 2006, servicing 30,000 users, was tested for a year and worked effectively, according to the ministry. http://www.china.org.cn/china/sci_tech/2008-12/13/content_16943108.htm

Health IT measure could save government $34 billion over 10 years, CBO says
The potential savings from a requirement for doctors and hospitals to use health information technology could save the federal government more than $34 billion over 10 years, and stands out as one of the most-effective cost-cutting proposals circulating on Capitol Hill, according to a report by the Congressional Budget Office. The requirement, which includes use of electronic medical records as a condition of participating in Medicare, could also save the government more than $7 billion in the first five years alone by reducing medical errors and avoiding unnecessary tests and procedures, according to the report. It will also help lower health insurance premiums in the private sector and help reduce the number of people who might drop coverage each year because they can’t afford it, CBO notes. In its report, CBO analyzed 115 healthcare proposals but did not endorse any specific options. http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/99xx/doc9925/12-18-HealthOptions.pdf

Commonwealth Fund unveils physician-based hospital comparison Web site
A new Web site that allows healthcare providers free access to conduct side-by-side comparisons of 4,500 hospitals nationwide, track performance over time against numerous benchmarks, and download tools to improve health care quality has been launched by New York City-based medical research underwriter The Commonwealth Fund. Benchmark comparisons at WhyNotTheBest.org show how a hospital measures up against others in the same state, the top 10 percent, or the national average, according to Commonwealth Fund President Karen Davis. The site also lets users search for and compare hospitals with similar characteristics, such as region, ownership, size, and type. “We are home to many of the best physicians and hospitals in the world but we aren't where we could be on many quality measures,” Davis said. “This resource offers healthcare providers another useful tool in their continued efforts to provide the best care possible for their patients.” http://www.commonwealthfund.org/newsroom... and http://whynotthebest.org/

CCHIT opens new public comment period on certification criteria
The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT) has opened a 31-day public comment period on updated drafts of its certification criteria and test scripts for 2009. The criteria and test scripts are for ambulatory, child health, cardiovascular medicine, inpatient and emergency department electronic health records, as well as for standalone electronic prescribing systems and personal health records. E-prescribing criteria are in their first draft; all other drafts have gone through a first round of public comment. The criteria are available for review at http://cchit.org/participate/public-comment/. Public comment period, which began Dec. 22, 2008, closes on Jan. 21, 2009. http://www.cchit.org/about/news/releases/... and http://cchit.org/participate/public-comment/

Uganda implements national telemedicine program with help from India
The government of Uganda has implemented a national telemedicine program in an effort to improve communication between patients and doctors, and facilitate better diagnosis and treatment of persons who live too far away to make it into one of the country’s better-equipped hospitals. The project, under the Uganda Communication Development Fund of the Uganda Communications Commission, will outfit health centers with computers, digital cameras, scanners and other items to allow doctors to diagnose and prescribe treatment to patients in other health centers, according to Bob Lyazi, UCDF Manager. Uganda has partnered with different India-based hospitals and doctors as part of the telemedicine program, Lyazi said. The project should also reduce patient referrals, saving them time and money. http://www.ugpulse.com/articles/daily/news.asp?...

American families are lukewarm toward use of retail-based health clinics
Despite rapid growth of retail clinics, only a fraction of American families are using the new in-store clinics in pharmacies, supermarkets and big-box retailers, according to a study by the Center for Studying Health System Change (HSC). The study by the Washington, D.C.-based policy research organization notes that the number of retail clinics increased from 60 in 18 states at the start of 2006, to 900 in 300 states by the end of 2007. But by that point, only 2.3 percent of American families, or 3.4 million, had ever used a retail clinic. Families that did not receive or delayed getting needed medical care at some point were 2.5 times as likely to have used a retail clinic as families without such access problems. Among those who used the services, 48 percent reported they had done so for diagnosis and treatment of a new illness or symptom. Forty-seven percent said their visit included a prescription renewal. http://www.hschange.com/CONTENT/1033/

Among cost-cutting consumers, Web tops doctors as No. 1 resource for health info
The Internet has now surpassed doctors as the top source of medical information for consumers, as they try to curb spending on medical visits and medications, according to a study by Manhattan Research. In addition, in the past year nearly 40 million U.S. adults decided not to fill a prescription form from a doctor because of the cost, according to the New York City-based market research firm. Women and patients with neurological and mental health conditions were most likely to give up their medications, according to the report. But while acknowledging that more consumers are using the Internet as a health resource, Meredith Abreu Ressi, Vice President of Research at Manhattan Research, said it’s not the best option. “The Internet is an invaluable health resource for patient education and support, but it doesn’t replace the expertise of a trained medical professional,” she said. http://www.manhattanresearch.com/newsroom/Press_Releases/healthcare-costs-prevent-people-filling-rx.aspx

Hospitals integrate external medical record collection with internal EMRs
Hospitals are beginning to integrate their electronic medical records (EMRs) with existing picture archiving systems to give specialists immediate access to documents and images needed to determine appropriate treatment. The Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit recently made the adoption, when it combined its existing EMR and picture archiving and communication system with the eHealthConnect medical record collection service produced by Rochester, NY-based eHealth Global Technologies. eHealthConnect replaces ad hoc data collection with a systematic method that makes patient medical records quickly available to authorized clinicians. “Time is of the essence when evaluating or treating a critically ill patient who has a life-threatening illness or a failing organ,” said Marianne Beach-Langlois, Transplant Administrator at Henry Ford Hospital. “Our specialists now have access to all the patient information they need, wherever they are located throughout the health system and regardless of where that data originated.” http://www.ehgt.com/ehealth_press_release_12-18-08.html

Philips acquires Meditronics, expands healthcare business
In a private transaction, Amsterdam-based Royal Philips Electronics has acquired Mumbai, India-based X-ray systems maker Meditronics for an undisclosed sum. The deal, set to finalize at the end of 2008, is Philips’ fifth consecutive acquisition in emerging markets since mid 2007 and second within India since September, according to Philips Chief Executive Officer Gerard Kleisterlee. The company has previously acquired Alpha X-Ray Technologies in India, Chinese Shenzhen Goldway Industrial, and Dixtal Biomédica e Tecnologia and VMI Sistemas Medicos, both in Brazil. “This underlines our conscious decision to step up investments in these high-growth areas while also delivering on our commitment to supply affordable healthcare solutions in emerging markets,” Kleisterlee said. http://www.newscenter.philips.com/sites/philipsnews/...

• Home Telehealth & Remote Patient Monitoring for Hospitals & Health Systems Forum
  January 21-23, 2009 - Philadelphia, PA
  Home Telehealth & Remote Patient Monitoring for Hospitals & Health Systems is a three-day industry forum highlighting the latest trends, best case studies, hands-on experiences, and innovative strategies from America's top telehealth hospitals, facilities and other prestigious organizations.
  A special discount is being offered to the first 15 people who register early; mention the code MLP when registering. To learn more, contact Gia Bosch at (414) 221-1700, ext. 130, or gbosch@acius.net.
  
  
• The World Health Care Congress 2nd Annual Leadership Summit on Consumer Connectivity
  February 23-24, 2009 - The Sheraton Carlsbad Resort & Spa
  This Summit will offer compelling strategies for providers, insurers and employers to revolutionize health care through the integration and adoption of eHealth applications and personal health management tools.
  
  
• Med-e-Tel - The International eHealth , Telemedicine and Health ICT Forum
  April 1-3, 2009 - Luxembourg
  In its 7th edition and with a proven potential for global networking, Med-e-Tel 2009 will attract healthcare providers, industry representatives, researchers, and government officials from 50 countries around the world. The event showcases new technologies and solutions, and its comprehensive conference program focuses on a wide range of current telemedicine and ehealth experiences, business cases and research results. Med-e-Tel is organized in collaboration with the International Society for Telemedicine & eHealth and several other national and international stakeholder organizations. Details are available at www.medetel.eu, where also a library with presentations and abstracts from previous events can still be found.
  
  
• IHE-Europe to hold Connectathon 2009
  April 20–24, 2009 - Vienna
  The Connectathon is a 'connectivity marathon' during which systems exchange information with complementary systems from multiple vendors, performing all of the transactions required for the roles they are implementing. At the IHE Connectathon, all companies which have implemented IHE's Technical Framework specifications in their products have the chance to test them with many other companies' products in a real interoperability environment.
  
  
• ATA 2009 - Focus on Hot Topics and Outcomes
  April 26-28, 2009 - Las Vegas, NV
  Recognized throughout the world as the primary forum for the telemedicine industry, ATA's peer-reviewed oral and poster presentations and certificate courses set the standard for medical education on the topics of telemedicine and telehealth. The ATA Expo offers over 100,000 square feet of the latest in telemedicine products and services.

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

A Systematic Review of the Key Indicators for Assessing Telehomecare Cost-Effectiveness
Stephanie Vergara Rojas, Marie-Pierre Gagnon
Telemedicine and e-Health. November 2008, 14(9): 896-904.
This careful review identified 5,219 reports on telehomecare published between 1997 and 2007. Of all these, 23 were appropriate for comparison of cost in various ways. Of these, 70% were in the United States, 15 of 23 were randomized control trials, and 48% were published between 2003 and 2007. Teleconsultation was about equal to telemonitoring in the services. Total cost, cost per patient, and cost per visit were all reduced by telehomecare. However, standardization of cost outcomes is needed in this field to make a compelling case to funding agencies. 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.

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