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September 19, 2008

Internal monitoring devices lead to better care for adult Type 1 diabetics
A cell phone-sized device that continually monitors blood-sugar levels can mean better control of diabetes for adults with the Type 1 version of the disease, according to a study by the New England Journal of Medicine. Relatively new, the continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system includes a small sensor inserted just beneath the skin that triggers an audio alarm if the patient's blood sugar rises or falls to dangerous levels. Under traditional monitoring, the patient pricks a finger, puts blood on paper and inserts it into a meter for reading. Researchers say these tests can miss sudden and unsafe changes in blood sugar, a classic symptom of Type 1 diabetes. Five percent to 10 percent of the nation's 24 million diabetics have Type 1, once known as juvenile diabetes. http://online.wsj.com/article/...

Alaska telemedicine program touted as national broadband access model
An Alaska telemedicine program is being hailed as a model for how broadband access can benefit rural U.S. residents. During this week's Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation hearing on "Why Broadband Matters," lawmakers such as Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) stressed the geographic difference between the country's largest state and "the lower 48." Many Alaskans, according to Stevens, live off the state's road system. "We basically have no transportation system," Stevens said. "We've got telemedicine and tele-education in Alaska far ahead of the rest of the country." Other witnesses at the hearing noted the importance of developing broadband connections throughout the United States primarily as a larger technological need. But Jonathan Linkous, executive director of the American Telemedicine Association, detailed the broad application of the technique nationwide. "No other state has benefitted more, I might add, than the state of Alaska," Linkous said. http://stevens.senate.gov/public/...

BlueCross-BlueShield urges government to slow down coding system efforts
The nation's largest insurer, BlueCross and BlueShield Association (BCBSA), is asking the federal government to revise its timeline for initiating a new coding system for patient treatment because the proposed one is "completely inadequate." The Department of Health and Human Services wants to implement the new set of codes by Oct. 1, 2011. BCBSA believes a more realistic deadline would be late 2013. "Rushing the process will result in a major meltdown in the healthcare industry, including - unavoidably - inaccurate and delayed payments to providers and consumers, an inability to detect fraud and abuse, and unnecessarily higher total costs of implementation due to the accelerated timeline," BCBSA President Scott Serota said. http://www.bcbs.com/news/bcbsa/...

UK's Health Protection Agency debuts eHealth training service
The United Kingdom's Health Protection Agency (HPA) has launched an online education and training service for healthcare professionals to help them prepare to respond to a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear accident. The new site at www.hpa.org.uk/ehealth, known as eHealth, offers educational modules designed to reflect a shift away from the "traditional, static linear approach," according to Roger Cook, head of Emergency Response at the HPA's Centre for Preparedness and Response in London. "By providing health care professionals with e-learning modules, members of this community will be equipped with the skills required to limit the risk to public health," Cook said. "I believe that this new e-learning tool will enhance existing training in preparing healthcare professionals to respond during a terrorist attack or accidental release." http://www.hpa.org.uk/web/HPAweb&HPAwebStandard/HPAweb_C/1221552037114

Rep. Stark unveils new electronic medical records bill, faces tough deadline
House Ways and Means Health Subcommittee Chair Pete Stark (D-CA) has introduced legislation to create a national electronic health record (EHR) system that uses Medicare reimbursement to encourage doctors and hospitals to implement and use the new technology. Under the bill, physicians using an approved EHR system would be eligible for up to $40,000 in incentive payments over a five-year period, while hospitals could be eligible for up to several million dollars. Stark considers the bill complementary to one passed by the House Energy and Commerce Committee, although his legislation differs in terms of Medicare language, imposition of a deadline for Health and Human Services standards, and availability of a low-cost public information technology system. Stark's bill, however, isn't likely to pass before Congress adjourns on Sept. 26, according to policy experts. http://www.house.gov/stark/news/... and http://www.house.gov/stark/news/...

Arizona hospital uses videoconferencing to break language barrier
An Arizona healthcare system is using videoconferencing to overcome a major hurdle to medical care: the language barrier. Iasis Healthcare, in conjunction with Language Assistance Telemedicine program at Houston Medical Center, has installed Webcams at its four hospitals in Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa to give physicians a way to communicate with non-English speaking or hearing-impaired patients. Prior to installing the network, the facilities relied on telephone interpretation services, when available. "The patient can actually see the interpreter and the interpreter can see the patient," said April Hayes, director of the emergency room unit at Mountain Vista Medical Center in Mesa. "The patient has a little more personalization." Medical staff and translators are now available 24 hours a day. Most requests are for Spanish-speaking interpreters, but other languages are possible, according to Hayes. http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/125612

Pfizer launches medication error prevention Web site for patients, doctors
The world's biggest drug company is attempting to lower the odds of prescription drug errors by launching a new informational Web site. Pfizer Inc.'s medication safety site at www.pfizer.com/medicinesafety includes plain-English sections for patients and health professionals, such as steps taken to monitor a drug's safety from initial testing until it's on the market, and how the pharmaceutical industry, regulatory agencies and health professionals work together and with patients to try to ensure safety. Another section details what patients should know, tell their doctor and ask about every time they are prescribed medicine. "The spirit of what they're doing is great," said Dr. Harlan Krumholz, director of the Yale-New Haven Hospital Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation. "Whether this is the most effective way to assist patients to make the best decisions for themselves, time will tell." http://www.boston.com/business/healthcare/articles/... and http://www.pfizer.com/responsibility/...

Era of telemedicine, teleworking on its way for Malaysians
Malaysia's Ministry of Energy, Water and Communications and Telekom Malaysia Berhad have signed an agreement to begin developing a national high-speed broadband Internet network by 2012. The infrastructure, designed to offer speeds of 10 Megabits per second (Mbps) to 100 Mbps for residential service and up to 1 Gigabit per second for business, government and medical facilities, will be rolled out over a 10-year period, beginning in 2012, according to Deputy Prime Minister YAB Dato' Sri Najib Tun Razak. The network, in addition to allowing medical hookups with distant facilities through telemedicine, should also boost the country's annual gross domestic product and encourage teleworking, making it an environmentally friendly choice, Sri Najib Tun Razak said. More than 1.3 million Malaysian households are expected to benefit from the project, he added. http://www.malaysianwireless.com/2008...

Rural populations to benefit most from advent of telemedicine
Continued adoption of telemedicine will most benefit patients in rural or underserved areas, according to a survey by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society. In the survey, 54 percent of respondents reported that telemedicine will have its greatest impact with rural patients. Patients with chronic diseases will also benefit strongly, according to 32 percent of respondents; another 7 percent said telemedicine would be of greatest assistance to patients requiring specialized care. Six percent of respondents said telemedicine would equally affect all three groups. The survey also noted that more than three-fourths of respondents think telemedicine will improve the nation's healthcare. http://www.himss.org/content/files/...

Telemedicine, in-person consultations hold equal reign in strabismus cases
Telemedicine consultation for diagnosis and treatment planning in cases of strabismus paints just as true a clinical picture as in-person consultation, according to a new study in this month's issue of Telemedicine and eHealth. In this report by Eugene Helveston, M.D., D. Hunter Cherwek, M.D., and Lynda Smallwood, all of ORBIS International, and Daniel Neely, M.D., of the Indiana University School of Medicine's Department of Opthamology, agreement between mentor (10 in 3 countries) and partners (58 in 25 countries) was studied for superior oblique palsy (89), Duane syndrome (130), and Brown syndrome (50). In the first diagnosis, there was 81 percent diagnostic agreement, but mentors only agreed with the treatment proposed in 35 percent. The interaction was clearly not one of supportive agreement but of interactive and valuable discussion of treatment protocols, according to the study. http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/tmj.2007.0086

Atos Worldline, French Superior Health Authority ink EMR deal
Paris-based electronic technology vendor Atos Worldline has signed a contract with the French Superior Health Authority (SHA) to ensure implementation and hosting of an electronic information system for certification of health establishments across France. The secure technical platform will enable healthcare establishments to enter their self-assessments and help mandated auditors to draw up their assessment reports, according to SHA Chief Information Officer Antoine Vigneron. A real "one-stop shop" for healthcare establishments, the platform will optimize the way reports currently function and thereby optimize their quality, Vigneron said. http://www.atosorigin.com/en-us/Newsroom/...

AT&T demos new videoconferencing, telemedicine technologies
AT&T is getting into the "smart pillbox" industry. The nation's largest telecommunications provider this week demonstrated a pill reminder that lights up to remind a patient when medication was required, and notifies doctors when the unit was actually opened for medicine dispensing. The device can send its signals over the Zigbee-based wireless network, which requires a low bandwidth and minimal power, according to AT&T engineers. AT&T is also demonstrating two versions of videoconferencing, one for home users and a higher-quality, telepresence form for business users, which are currently in use within AT&T, according to AT&T Chief Technology Officer John Donovan. The company hopes to eventually tie in videoconferencing with Apple's popular iPhone, which AT&T is the exclusive mobile phone service provider for. http://www.computerworld.com/action/...

• 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

Text Messaging in Healthcare: The Elephant Knocking at the Door
Mark Terry
Telemedicine and e-Health. August 2008, 14(6): 520-524.
n discussions of telemedicine modalities, text messaging, also more technically referred to as SMS for Short Message Service, isn't the elephant in the room, the one everybody's ignoring and afraid to talk about. Text messaging is the elephant at the door, the one everybody knows is trying to get into the room, but nobody's quite sure how it'll fit through the door, how big it is, or what exactly they're going to do with it once it gets through. 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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