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July 11, 2008

Healthcare RFID markets booms upward by 204 percent since 2005
The use of radio frequency identification (RFID) in healthcare increased 204 percent from 2005 to 2007 as medical care organizations invested in ways to track high-value mobile assets, according to a study by Menlo Park, CA-based Spyglass Consulting Group. "Trends in RFID 2008" attributes the growth to a better understanding of RFID technology among healthcare organizations. "RFID solutions are being deployed to enhance patient safety, increase operational efficiency and optimize business workflow processes," said Gregg Malkary, SCG's managing director. "Larger organizations are more likely to make RFID investments than smaller hospitals because they have larger physical footprint, making it more difficult to track things." Malkary called the increase "the beginning of the curve." The market will continue to grow as more hospitals and other healthcare groups discover the benefits of RFID, he said. http://www.spyglass-consulting.com/...

European telemedicine market expected to hit $236 million by 2014
Commerce within the European telemedicine industry is expected to double over the next six years, growing from $118 million in [USD] 2007 to $236 million by 2014, according to a report from London-based Frost & Sullivan. But "SAS Competitive Benchmarking of Telemedicine Vendors in Europe" also notes that although the industry has "achieved significant progress," certain technological advances have also created new hurdles: for example, telemedicine has lowered the travel time and costs associated with treatment, but there is now a greater need for standards and physician acceptance of those standards. "It is apparent that the telemedicine industry is in the midst of great change," Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Janani Narasimhan said. "But it is not clear how the industry will look in the years to come."
http://www.frost.com/prod/servlet/press-release.pag?docid=137208975...

Infectious disease tracking unit to bring telehealth services to U.S.
A U.S. military unit that has long relied on telehealth-related services to help track diseases that threaten American forces overseas will now assess infections that could endanger civilians here at home. The new National Center for Medical Intelligence, formerly the Army Forces Military Intelligence Center, will gather information on diseases and contaminants that could make their way into the United States through food, animals, travelers, immigrants and returning troops. Based in Fort Detrick, MD, the agency will work in close partnership with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which also looks for border crossing-related infectious agents, according to Lt. Gen. Michael Maples. Past pathogens studied at the facility include anthrax, Ebola and other hemorrhagic diseases. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/...

Faxed prescriptions may survive pending elimination rule - for now
A proposed rule that establishes physicians' Medicare payment policies for calendar year 2009 also includes an exemption to the pending elimination of computer-generated faxes for prescriptions and refills. As of Jan. 1, 2009, Medicare is to prohibit use of computer-generated faxes to transmit prescriptions and refill requests, except in cases of temporary network transmission failures. But many e-prescription systems generate a fax when they "send" a prescription refill to a pharmacy. The new policy was designed to encourage increased use of electronic prescribing systems by physicians. But CMS is now considering permitting computer-generated faxes "when the prescriber is incapable of receiving electronic transmissions using the NCPDP SCRIPT standard." http://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/...

Switzerland parliament recommends eHealth identifiers
Switzerland's government has proposed four amendments to its existing plans for a digital insurance card that are designed to make the card safer and easier to use. The parliamentary initiative on the Digital Identity Card asks that every insured resident receive a digital identity, one that can give access to a national eHealth system. The system should be regulated by the nation's Federal Council, including management of how health data is stored and accessed. Lawmakers note that the initiative "has a long way to go before it becomes law," and that it will not halt the work being performed on setting up a national health insurance card system. http://www.epractice.eu/document/4881

Authors sought for handbook on Knowledge Management in Telemedicine
Authors working in telemedicine and knowledge management as researchers and practitioners are invited to contribute chapters to a book to be published by Washington, D.C.-based ICI Global. The Handbook of Research on Knowledge Management in Telemedicine: Advanced Ethics, Policy and Regulatory Applications will cover a range of topics, from early adopters of telemedicine, to the latest innovations and futuristic telerobotic technologies. The target audience is professionals and researchers working in the field of information and knowledge management in various disciplines, including library, information and communication sciences, administrative sciences and management, and education. Chapter submissions are due by Aug. 5; a list of recommended topics and additional information is available at www.igi-pub.com. http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/07/prweb1072084.htm

Scientists begin online project to map human stem cell differentiations
An Emeryville, CA-based plasma product company has launched an online database to document and map all the different cells that were lab-created out of human embryonic stem cells. BioTime Inc., in collaboration with the International Embryome Initiative, wants to develop a mapping system similar to the international initiatives to map the human DNA or genome in the 1990s. The database available for viewing at Embryome.com currently has 2,000 distinct cell types, but the complete map will require the collective efforts of hundreds of scientists in coming months, according to BioTime Chief Executive Officer Dr. Michael West. The state of California is contributing $3 billion toward funding the project. "We hope this collaborative map will speed the day when life-saving therapies can be translated from the laboratory to the host of patients suffering from life-threatening disease," West said. http://www.b2i.us/profiles/investor/ResLibrary...

Wavetrend, Ardan Control to deploy Israel's largest RFID installation
Surrey, United Kingdom-based radio frequency identification (RFID) specialist Wavetrend Technologies has signed an agreement to work with Tel Aviv, Israel-based Ardan Control Tech Ltd. to install active RFID ports throughout the newly built Ashdod Medical Centre in Southern Israel. The ports will enable the six-floor facility to track movement of patients and assets. When completed, the project will be the largest active RFID installation in the Middle East, according to Ardan Control Chief Executive Officer Moshe Ranz. The real-time tracking capabilities that the system offers will allow the hospital to locate critical equipment and personnel in the event of an emergency, and also monitor the whereabouts of high-risk patients in real time so that medical staff can react to an alert immediately, according to Ranz. http://www.wavetrend.net/news_061708.aspx

Telemedicine on verge of striking it big in California
After years of being an "unfeasible" afterthought among California doctors, telemedicine may be on the verge of becoming a "must use" item, according to a report by the California Healthcare Foundation. "Telemedicine in California: Progress, Challenges and Opportunities" notes that anticipated explosive growth in Internet use, expansion of remote communication models, and relentless pressure to cut the cost of care delivery suggest that "the time may be ripe for telemedicine." Use of telemedicine has been limited to rural locations due to numerous financial, technological and regulatory hurdles, but those days could be in the distant past, according to the report. http://www.chcf.org/topics/view.cfm?itemID=133682

Most controlled medication mail-order sites skip Rx requirement
Eighty-five percent of Web sites that sell controlled medications by mail do so without requiring a prescription, according to a study by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse in New York City. The center's fifth annual survey of illegal Internet medicine sales found 365 Web sites that advertise or sell the medications - down from 581 in 2007 - and the majority of these merely directed the shopper to a seller, according to NCASA Director Joseph Califano Jr. But 135 of the 159 medication-selling sites did not require a prescription, or they merely asked the consumer to complete an online questionnaire before selling. Much of the problem stems from college students, who make major use of prescription opiods and anxiety drugs, the report notes. http://www.casacolumbia.org/absolutenm/...

t+Medical acquires Vivatec, strengthens hold on UK telecare market
Oxford, United Kingdom-based t+Medical has acquired Wokingham, UK-based telecare product provider Vivatec for an undisclosed sum, the companies announced. t+Medical is a leading supplier of mobile phone-based technology for capturing patient data. Vivatec is one of Europe's only companies to be selected as a supply partner to the National Health Service Purchasing and Supply Agency for telecare products and services. "We believe this combination of two successful companies provides an ideal base from which to further deliver the benefits of mobile telephones in healthcare," t+Medical Chief Executive Officer Tim Clover said. http://www.tplusmedical.com/us/news.html

Physicians still wary, ambivalent of mandatory EHR systems
Doctors remain reluctant to use electronic health records (EHRs) because they worry about how the data will be used, according to a survey by the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons. In the survey of 430 doctors, conducted in June, 81 percent said their practices do not use EHRs; 60 percent of those who use EHRs said they would still maintain some, if not all, records on paper. The ambivalence runs high: physicians' comments on EHR use ranged from "If they go electronic, I go," to "Think Big Brother, 1984." Major concerns were fear of government interference in their practice, privacy issues, potential lack of return on investment, lack of investment capital and "degradation of the personal doctor/patient relationship." http://www.healthcareitnews.com/... and http://www.aapsonline.org/surveys/...

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

Mobile Health Clinics and Telemedicine
Kevin D. Blanchet
Think of mobile health clinic and what comes to mind? Depending on where you live, it might mean Tommy the Tooth van dispensing free brushes and toothpaste to the community. Maybe a loved one received a mammogram in their small town or received diabetes education. The Lions Club may have sponsored a mobile vision clinic where senior citizens were screened for glaucoma. Perhaps migrant farm workers lined up for hours to get free medical care while working in the fields. Whether you live in the city or the country, chances are some type of mobile health clinic has visited your community sporting colorful graphics on the outside and various medical/dental services on the inside. 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.

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

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