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November 4, 2008

Health IT could go long way toward preventing infectious disease outbreaks in U.S.
E-health could play a major role in keeping Americans from contracting fatal infections in the coming years, according to a new report from the Trust for America's Health (TFAH). At least 170,000 Americans die annually from infectious diseases, and that number could increase dramatically during a major disease outbreak, according to "Germs Go Global: Why Emerging Infectious Diseases are a Threat to America." Globalization, increased drug resistance and climate change are making it more likely that emerging diseases such as bird flu or severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) could become full-blown U.S. epidemics. The nation's defenses against such diseases are inadequate, with shortcomings in surveillance, vaccines, testing and treatment, the report notes. But systems that can improve communication between physicians and other healthcare providers could be of immense help in preventing such outbreaks, TFAH adds. http://healthyamericans.org/newsroom/...

URAC issues revisions to HIPAA privacy and security standards
In an effort to boost consumer privacy on the Web - and clarify HIPAA's privacy and security standards - independent nonprofit accreditation organization URAC (formerly the Utilization Review Accreditation Commission) is revising its healthcare information technology standards. The revisions delineate HIPAA's workforce training and consumer notification of privacy practices. They also require healthcare Web site providers to verify and disclose the credentials of health content reviewers and explain the credential verification process, according to Douglas Metz, chairperson of URAC's Health Standards Committee. "The revisions mirror advancements in the market and strengthen the credibility of organizations that provide information and services on the Web," Metz said. "Accreditation protects the public interest by giving organizations a framework to ensure they are protecting personal health information and providing beneficial health information." http://www.urac.org/press/cmsDocument.aspx?id=612

An e-health budgetary problem for Australia: too much available funding
Australia's federal Health Department has an unusual situation: for the second consecutive year, it didn't spend enough money on e-health. The department spent $29 million [USD] of $36.7 million allocated for health IT projects in 2007-08, despite trimming its budget by more than $17.2 million from the previous fiscal year. In 2006-07, the health department budgeted $53.9 million but spent $25.6 million, according to the agency's annual report. And less than $1 million of the funding for 2007-08 went to consultants, which is usually a major expense area. While the government has yet to comment on the findings, critics note that certain programs, such as development and implementation of a national e-prescribing system, could have used extra funding. http://www.australianit.news.com.au/...

Minnesota Department of Health awards $3.5 million in grants for EHR programs
The Minnesota Department of Health's Office of Rural Health and Primary Care (ORHPC) has awarded $3.5 million in grants to 21 electronic health record projects throughout the state. Three facilities received grants of $500,000 or more: St. Gabriel's Hospital in Little Falls ($516,000); the Mahnomen Health Center in Mahnomen ($500,000); and Minnesota Rural Health Cooperative in Cottonwood ($500,000). Minnesota law requires all state healthcare providers to begin using an electronic prescribing system by Jan. 1, 2011 and to use full electronic health records by Jan. 1, 2015. A full list of grant recipients can be found at www.health.state.mn.us. ORHPC is also accepting applications for the state's Electronic Health Record Loan Program, which provides six-year, no-interest loans of up to $1.5 million on a first-come, first-served business. More information is available at www.health.state.mn.us/divs/... and http://www.health.state.mn.us/news/...

Imaging studies uncover risk of weight gain in women with weak 'reward circuitry'
Using brain imaging and chocolate milkshakes, scientists have found that women with weakened "reward circuitry" in their brains are at increased risk of weight gain over time and potential obesity. The risk increases even more for women who also have a gene associated with compromised dopamine signaling in the brain, according to a study from the University of Oregon's Lewis Center for Neuroimaging in Eugene, OR. The first-of-its-kind approach unveiled "blunted activation in the brain's dorsal stratium" when subjects were given milkshakes, which may reflect less-than-normal dopamine output. Dopamine is the primary neurotransmitter in the brain's reward pathways. Food intake is associated with dopamine release, while pleasure from eating correlates with the amount of dopamine release, according to the study. Previous studies have suggested that obese individuals have fewer dopamine receptors in the brain and have to eat more than lean people to be satisfied. http://pmr.uoregon.edu/science-and-innovation/uo-research...

India to develop telemedicine facility in Afghanistan during 2009
Within the next year, India plans to establish a telemedicine facility in Afghanistan, according to the Afghan Public Health Ministry (APHM). New Delhi-based Telecommunications Consultants India Ltd. (TCIL) would be the sole agency for implementation of the project, according to APHM. India has contributed more than $750 million [USD] to Afghanistan since 2002, with major parts of the contribution invested in the fields of health, education and road building, according to Afghan Public Health Minister Syed Mohammad Amin Fatimi. "The main purpose of this project is to provide complex technical know-how and expertise to the healthcare providers of Afghanistan from a distance by the Indian health professionals," he said. http://english.people.com.cn/90001/...

Traditional colonoscopies making way for increasingly popular virtual method
Virtual colonoscopies - a.k.a. computed tomographic or CT colonography - are gaining popularity among doctors after new research has revealed the procedure is just as effective as a standard colonoscopy at finding large polyps. And although the newer procedure is rarely covered by health insurers for routine cancer screening, the virtual test can run from $500 to $1,500 - less than half the total cost of the traditional colonoscopy. Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S., with more than 130,000 new cases diagnosed every year. But half of all Americans age 50 and older are not getting colonoscopies because they consider the traditional version unpleasant. Physicians hope the easier, less-invasive virtual method will significantly boost screening rates. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122515172081974303.html

FDA awards $1.2 million to pharmaceutical consortium for telemedicine projects
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has awarded a $1.2 million contract to the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Technology and Education, a consortium of 11 leading pharmaceutical engineering universities, to develop guidance on design specifications for drug manufacturers. The initiative, known as "Quality by Design," will enhance quality control and improve manufacturing efficiency, according to Prabir Basu, the consortium's executive director. Consortium members include Purdue University, Rutgers University, the University of Maryland-Baltimore, and the University of Kentucky. "This brings a greater degree of science into the pharmaceutical development and manufacturing process," Basu said. "It provides more front-end quality and less dependence on back-end inspections." http://news.uns.purdue.edu/x/2008b/081029BasuNIPTE.html

Connecticut health department goes online with cancer incidence database
The Connecticut Department of Public Health has launched an online database that measures cancer rates in eight different counties. The database, available at the health department's Web site at www.cancer-rates.info/ct , is based on information from Connecticut hospitals and pathology laboratories. Users can specify year of diagnosis or death, type of cancer, county or counties involved, and race or ethnicity. "The data emphasizes the importance of regular screenings for cervical and breast cancer, smoking cessation and using sunscreens," said Anthony Dolednak, an epidemiologist with the health department's Connecticut Tumor Registry. Connecticut has the nation's eighth-highest cancer rate, with 183 deaths per 100,000 residents, according to the National Cancer Institute. http://www.theday.com/re.aspx...

Different healthcare models in U.S., Europe get same results - with and without IT
Even though healthcare funding models in the United States and Europe are different - with the U.S. model being a combination of private and government insurance plans, while the European model is primarily government-funded - the two have similar outcomes in regards to perceived quality of care, according to a new study by emergency department information systems provider Picis. For example, 63 percent of those using American hospitals and 68 percent of United Kingdom patients say quality of care in hospitals has declined or stagnated in the past 10 years. On the other hand, increased use of information technology can improve patient and employee morale in both models, according to Liz Popovich, Executive Vice President of international operations at Picis. "People prefer to be treated in modern, efficient surroundings," Popovich said. "People also work better in newer facilities with strong investment in infrastructure such as healthcare IT." http://www.picis.com/news/press_release/081029.cfm

ATI telehealth systems to support Canadian health failure management study
Two patient monitoring telehealth systems produced by Minneapolis-based American TeleCare Inc. (ATI) will be the focal point of a forthcoming study from Atlantic Canada. "A Strategy of Home Telehealth for the Management of Heart Failure" (STARTEL) will evaluate telehealth-supported care management of heart failure patients at home across Canada. ATI's InLife™ and LifeView™ telehealth systems are part of the evaluation process, according to STARTEL principal investigator Miroslaw Rajda, M.D. "Both elements are essential to STARTEL, as we are studying whether or not patients who receive video intervention may have better outcomes than those who receive their home telehealth visits via a phone call with the nurse," Rajda said. The study is expected to be completed by November 2009. http://www.bio-medicine.org/medicine-news-1/...

New low-priced CVS Caremark healthcare savings program targets uninsured
CVS Caremark, the nation's largest provider of prescriptions, has unveiled a new pharmacy healthcare savings program aimed at helping the uninsured. The company plans to sell 90-day supplies of generic drugs for $9.99 and offer 10 percent discounts at in-store clinics for customers who pay cash. The Rx Health Savings Pass, scheduled to begin Nov. 9, is expected to escalate a price war first unleashed by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. when it started a low-price generic drug program several years ago. CVS will charge a $10 annual fee to participate in the program; although it is intended for the uninsured, anyone may take part, according to CVS Caremark Chairperson Tom Ryan. http://www.cvscaremark.com/newsroom/press-releases/...

• 12th Annual Healthcare Internet Conference
  November 10-12, 2008 - Omni Orlando Resort at ChampionsGate hotel Orlando, FL
  www.greystone.net - Two-and-a-half days dedicated to help healthcare executives from hospitals, health systems, group practices, integrated networks and health plans pinpoint the technologies, strategies, and solutions that best position an organization for a consumer-driven future. Includes six General Sessions to inspire and broaden thinking about the impact of new technologies.
  
  
• BitNet co-hosting eHealth seminar at Burlington Art Centre
  November 18, 2008 - Burlington Art Centre, Burlington, Ontario
  www.bitnet.ca - BitNet and the Golden Horseshoe Bioscience Network, together with the McMaster University and McMaster eBusiness Research Centre, will provide an opportunity for many technology companies, healthcare providers, medical device companies, students and entrepreneurs to become more aware of the issues and opportunities for eHealth and to encourage collaboration on the issues. The BitNet seminar begins at 7:30 a. m. with registration, networking and breakfast. The meeting begins at 8 a. m. with and keynote speaker Dr. Jim MacLean. At 9 a. m. there is further networking followed by a panel discussion with four presenters from 9:30-11:45 a. m. A light lunch will be served at noon. Cost to attend the seminar is $25 for BitNet nonmembers and $15 for members. You can register and pay online or at the door.
  
  
• Home Telehealth & Remote Patient Monitoring for Hospitals & Health Systems Forum
  January 21-23, 2009 - Philadelphia, PA
  www.acius.net - 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.
  
  
• 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

Internet-Based Weight Control: The Relationship Between Web Features and Weight Loss
Rebecca A. Krukowski, Jean Harvey-Berino, Takamaru Ashikaga, Colleen S. Thomas, Nicci Micco
Telemedicine and e-Health. October 2008, 14(8): 775-782.
The utilization of weight control website features and their relationship to weight loss and maintenance were evaluated. The evaluation included 123 participants, who took part in a 12-month behavioral weight control program using the Internet. Web utilization patterns were monitored. Feedback factors and social support factors were shown to be good predictors of weight loss and maintenance. Websites with key features that are dynamic and interactive are of value to those who seek to lose weight. 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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Telemedicine and e-Health is the Official journal of the American Telemedicine Association.
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