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November 14, 2008

Intel hopes to make big splash in medical market with home health monitors
The world's biggest computer chip maker has jumped into the medical market with a telemedicine-based home health monitoring system. The new Intel® Health Guide allows medical personnel to review the health of chronically ill, at-home persons via long distance. Doctors and nurses can track heart functions, blood sugar levels and other health functions, effectively offering a more personalized approach to healthcare, according to Louis Burns, Vice President of Intel's Digital Health Group. "Intel has spent years researching the needs of caregivers and patients," Burns said. "We are now moving to launch a series of products that will help extend care from the hospital to the home." Early customers for the product include the Mayo Clinic, the American Heart Association and healthcare services provider Advanced Warning Systems Inc. http://www.intel.com/pressroom/archive/releases/20081110corp.htm

Free National Health Information Network interface set for March 2009 debut
Six federal agencies have developed an interface for the Nationwide Health Information Network that they plan to make available to the public as a free download in March 2009. According to Vish Sankaran, Director of the Federal Health Architecture program at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, the agencies decided to build the software together and deploy it individually. Without the shared interface, each agency would have undertaken its own development project, resulting in greater costs and possibly non-compatible approaches, he said. The six agencies involved are the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs, the Indian Health Service, the National Cancer Institute, and the Social Security Administration. http://www.govhealthit.com/online/news/350664-1.html

European Commission pushes EU member states to embrace telemedicine
The European Commission is urging European Union member states to remove legal barriers to telemedicine and open up a potentially profitable niche market for healthcare in Europe. With projections showing that the number of Europeans aged 65 to 80 will increase by 40 percent between 2010 and 2030, the EC in 2007 launched an action plan on "Ageing Well in the Information Society," designed to encourage use of information and communications technologies for long-distance medical treatment. This month, the EC followed up that plan with a communication addressing several challenges that EU member states face in getting into widespread telemedicine mode: lack of confidence in and acceptance of telemedicine services; lack of legal clarity; and technical issues related to facilitating market development. http://www.euractiv.com/en/health/... and http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/...

Kansas and Nebraska hospitals gain $9 million federal loan for EHR network
A $9 million federal loan program is helping 20 small hospitals - 19 in Kansas, one in Nebraska - to computerize their medical recordkeeping systems. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has granted Phillipsburg, KS-based Great Plains Health Alliance the funds to buy medical records software that will, in turn, be leased to the participating hospitals. The system will allow the hospitals to be digitally interconnected and will also hook them up electronically with larger, regional medical centers, according to Great Plains President Roger John. The loans will also allow each hospital to build an electronic records system at their own, affordable pace. Great Plains will use the proceeds from the equipment leases to repay the loans. Installation of the various systems is expected to take two to four years. http://www.khi.org/s/index.cfm?aid=1748

Medicare selects PHR service providers for Arizona, Utah
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has chosen four personal health record (PHR) companies - Google Health, HealthTrio, NoMoreClipboard.com, and PassportMD - to participate in its new Medicare PHR Choice Pilot in Arizona and Utah. Starting in early 2009, the pilot program will provide beneficiaries with Original Medicare a chance to choose one of the four PHR companies to maintain their health record information electronically. Some of the companies' product choices are free; others have "concierge" service and a diverse set of connections to health care providers, pharmacies, and other sources of health information. "This pilot is a major step forward for Medicare," said HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt. "It will provide information and tools that will empower consumers to manage their health better. Most importantly, the pilot provides beneficiaries with a choice of products to meet their individual needs." http://www.cms.hhs.gov/apps/media/press/release.asp?Counter=3359...

MyVetwork.com launched as resource tool for new and longtime war veterans
A Marine Corps. veteran has launched a non-profit social Web community to help connect veterans, their families and supporters. MyVetwork.com offers veterans a place to go for information and support on issues they might not want to talk about in person or are unable to find, according to site founder John Campbell, a Vietnam veteran. The site is non-partisan. People connect by stating their interests or by searching out individuals. MyVetwork.com is intended for veterans long away from combat, as well as those just emerging from the battlefield. "This is a population that has been underserved for years," Campbell said. "We're thrilled that everyone is finally stepping up. The launch of MyVetwork isn't about fighting for a piece of the pie. This is about growing the pie. The more resources, the better." http://www.usatoday.com/news/health... and http://www.myvetwork.com/

iSoft launches strategic care records software 'Lorenzo' in UK
In the "better late than never" department, "Lorenzo" is on his way to Britain. Lorenzo is a strategic care records software originally promised for delivery in late 2004 but now making its debut at several pilot sites in the United Kingdom, according to Gary Cohen, executive chairperson of Sydney, Australia-based IBA Health, parent of software developer iSoft. Designed to help healthcare providers manage their processes while also giving secure, authorized access to patient information to those who need it, Lorenzo will "build and deliver new generations of highly configurable, high quality, cost-effective, connected healthcare services," Cohen said. Lorenzo will be deployed to more than 60 percent of all National Health Service hospitals in England as part of the nation's National Programme for Health IT, he added. http://www.ehealtheurope.net/news/4322/lorenzo_officially_launched

Patients experience fewer complications from robot-assisted surgeries
Robotically assisted surgery provides superior short-term outcomes for two gynecologic procedures, according to a new study by doctors at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine. For almost 10 years hundreds of hospitals worldwide have used robotic surgical systems to equip surgeons with enhanced vision and dexterity when performing minimally invasive procedures. The study, led by John Boggess, M.D., Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UNC-CHSM, found outcomes that were "at least equivalent to those from the current gold standard procedure." Boggess and colleagues report that patients who underwent robotic-assisted radical hysterectomy for cervical cancer or robotic-assisted endometrial cancer staging experienced less blood loss and shorter hospital stays than patients who had the same procedures performed in the traditional, open manner or via laparoscopy. http://www.unchealthcare.org/site/newsroom/...

Ultrasounds help provide better heart attack predictions among low risk patients
Ultrasound imaging combined with the traditional risk factors for coronary heart disease has led to improved prediction of heart attacks in people previously considered low risk, according to a study by doctors at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Researchers used ultrasound imaging to view the thickness of artery (C-IMT) walls and discovered that persons in the low risk group - those with a 5 percent to 10 percent chance of having a heart attack within a 10-year period - were found to have a greater chance of a heart attack if imaging revealed a thicker C-IMT. Thirteen percent of such persons actually had coronary events, as did 4 percent of those in the zero percent to five percent risk category, according to the study. "The ultrasound added another dimension to the risk factor score," said the study's lead author, Dr. Vijay Nambi, Assistant Professor of Atherosclerosis and Vascular Medicine at BCM. http://www.bcm.edu/news/item.cfm?newsID=1262

New regulations to strengthen privacy element of British Columbia E-Health Act
British Columbia Health Services Minister George Abbott has announced regulations to bring legislation into force that supports the introduction of electronic health records (EHRs) while ensuring patient privacy is protected. The E-Health (Personal Health Information Access and Protection of Privacy) Act, passed earlier in the year, will create an EHR for every British Columbian, starting in summer 2009, according to Abbott. But new regulations in place now allow individuals to issue disclosure directives to block access to their personal information, and prohibit disclosure of information from a health information bank for market research. The regulations also add new whistleblower protection to protect individuals who report privacy breaches to the chief data steward or the privacy commissioner, and to encourage good faith reporting to enhance privacy protection; and establish penalties for privacy and security breaches, Abbott said. http://www2.news.gov.bc.ca/news_releases...

Education appears as key method to preventing Alzheimer's, according to study
A brain scan that uncovers changes believed to be the cause of Alzheimer's disease has bolstered the theory that education can delay the onset of the dementia, according to a study by researchers at Washington University's School of Medicine in St. Louis. In the study, participants who appeared to have the brain plaques long associated with Alzheimer's - who spent more years in school - still received high scores on cognitive ability tests. "The good news is that greater education may allow people to harbor amyloid plaques and other brain pathology linked to Alzheimer's disease without experiencing decline of their cognitive abilities," said lead author Catherine Roe, Ph.D., a research instructor in neurology. http://mednews.wustl.edu/news/page/normal/12951.html

Sunquest Information Systems completes acquisition of Anglia Healthcare
In a private transaction, Tucson, AZ-based Sunquest Information Systems, a specialist in laboratory and diagnostic information systems, has completed acquisition of Anglia Healthcare Systems Ltd. Terms were not disclosed. Anglia, which had been privately held, is a Norfolk, United Kingdom-based company providing laboratory connectivity, orders, reporting and messaging products. "This is the beginning of a very exciting future together as we fulfill our mutual commitment to solutions innovation, market leadership, and industry-leading customer service," Sunquest President Richard Atkin said. http://www.sunquestinfo.com/Press+Room/...

• 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
  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

A Brief Retrospective Review of Medical Records Comparing Outcomes for Inpatients Treated via Telehealth Versus In-Person Protocols: Is Telehealth Equally Effective as In-Person Visits for Treating Neutropenic Fever, Bacterial Pneumonia, and Infected Bacterial Wounds?
Aristides Assimacopoulos, Rabiul Alam, Manuel Arbo, Jawad Nazir, Ding-Geng Chen, Susan Weaver, Marilyn Dahler-Penticoff, Karla Knobloch, Mary DeVany, Cheryl Ageton
Telemedicine and e-Health. October 2008, 14(8): 762-768.
A retrospective, comparative study of 107 medical records from a metropolitan hospital and a frontier hospital was conducted. The review focused on those who received treatment from an infectious disease specialist as inpatients (metropolitan) versus those who received treatment through telehealth (frontier). Patients treated via telehealth had fewer days of antibiotics and fewer days of hospitalization. In addition, fewer inpatients from the frontier hospital required transport to the larger metropolitan setting. 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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