U.S. military finalizes five-year strategic plan for health IT
The U.S. Military Health System (MHS) has finalized a five-year strategic plan for information technology and information management. According to MHS Chief Information Officer Chuck Campbell, the new strategic plan will emphasize collaboration among the various Armed Forces; Tricare, the military’s health plan organization; Joint Chiefs of Staff; MHS; and other Department of Defense health-related offices. The strategic plan’s goals include redesigning the MHS IT architecture and delivering an electronic health record. MHS’s IT architecture strategy, adopted in late 2008, revolves around adoption of a service-oriented architecture (SOA), which would allow new software services to be more easily adopted by MHS, and between DoD and Department of Veterans Affairs medical records systems. The two departments are also under a presidential mandate to develop a joint virtual lifetime electronic record which would
incorporate medical as well as other beneficiary records, Campbell said. Full Story

Handheld devices could be teleconsultation staple for radiologists
Handheld devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) and the iPod Touch may one day help emergency radiologists perform teleconsultation and emergency procedures, according to a study published in the February issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology. According to Rachel Toomey, the study’s lead researcher, devices such as PDAs are already prevalent: 46 percent of attending physicians and trainees and 45 percent of radiologists use them in medical care. For the study, researchers compared the diagnostic efficacy of a PDA and iPod Touch against that of secondary-class monitors for wrist radiographs and images from CT of the brain, and found “no statistically significant differences.” The study’s findings “extend the potential of the devices beyond current applications such as teaching residents and organizing clinical commitments,” Toomey said. Full Story

St. Jude’s Genesis device approved for sale in Japan
Wireless cardiac implant maker St. Jude Medical Inc. has received approval to market its Genesis spinal cord stimulation system in Japan. According to Chris Chavez, president of the St. Jude Medical Neuromodulation Division, the approval is a significant step in the product’s marketing growth, as Japan is the world’s second-largest medical device market. Spinal cord stimulators, or neurostimulators, are small implanted devices that can treat chronic pain of the back, arms and legs, including pain associated with failed back surgeries. They deliver mild electrical pulses to leads placed in the epidural space to interrupt or mask the transmission of pain signals to the brain. The Genesis neurostimulator also allows patients to freely adjust their therapy as needed within parameters set by physicians. Full Story

Intamac unveils pair of home health monitoring applications
United Kingdom-based home health provider Intamac Systems has unveiled two new connected home applications for monitoring and controlling home security, energy management, home automation, and telecare through the Internet and cell phones. According to Intamac Chief Executive Officer Kevin Meagher, the Intamac iPhone application allows full two-way control, live video, messaging and reporting from the home. The application should be available to download from the Apple store during the first quarter of 2010. Meanwhile, The Intamac iBridge, an interface device, enables third-party communicating products to be connected via broadband to the Intamac Platform, allowing end-user customers to monitor and control these products remotely through a Web-enabled Intamac account. The Intamac iBridge features full two-way support of Zigbee and Zwave devices, Meagher said. Full Story

Upgraded home heart failure monitor can cut healthcare costs
London-based Medical Care Technologies Inc. (MDCE) has completed the latest version of its home health monitoring Tele-Health Suite for Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), the company announced. According to MDCE President Ning Wu, Tele-Health Suite 6.17 requires CHF home patients to answer a range of health-related questions. This data is supplemented with medical parameters such as blood pressure and weight. Tele-Health Suite automatically analyzes the data, then sends it for review by a healthcare professional. On average, patients managing their CHF via telehealth remote monitoring can reduce their healthcare system use by up to 30 percent, a change that translates into substantial savings for both the patient and the healthcare system, Wu said. Full Story

Aerotel EcoTec to market European GeoSKeeper device in Finland
Telemedicine and telecare solutions provider Aerotel Medical Systems and EcoTec, a Finnish provider of personal safety and tracking services, have launched a new personal telecare service in Finland. According to Ofer Atzmon, vice president for business development and marketing at Aerotel, the mobile service is based on Aerotel’s wrist-worn GeoSKeeper personal safety and location system. It enables the accurate location of seniors, children, and lone workers and also sends a short message alert to a monitoring center when the wearer wanders outside a specific zone. The device also allows two-way voice calls and text messages with an advanced alerting system for enhanced personal security, Atzmon said. The European version of GeoSKeeper will be distributed in Finland by EcoTec. Full Story

IP5280 enters telemedicine market with purchase of CEWest
Englewood, CO-based IP5280 Communications has moved into the telemedicine market with the purchase of Denver-based CEWest Consulting Inc. IP5280 specializes in business VoIP and data communications; CEWest is an IP services provider that targets the healthcare sector. According to IP5280 Managing Partner Jeffrey Pearl, IP5280 will take on projects such as helping hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare entities adapt to the use of electronic medical records (EMRs). The move is a well-timed one, as the healthcare world gradually is turning to options such as online records storage, the ability to transmit data such as X-rays via broadband, and even meet with patients through videoconferencing, because high-speed Internet access promises to cut costs, Pearl said. The acquisition – IP5280’s fourth since 2006 – includes hardware and software assets, customers, and key employees. Financial terms were not disclosed. Full Story

Hospitals asked to document problems with new health IT system 
The U.S. Senate Finance Committee’s ranking member has sent letters to 31 hospitals nationwide asking about their experiences in implementing the $19 billion federal health information technology program launched last year. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) asked the healthcare facilities to inform him of any “issues or concerns that have been raised by your healthcare providers” over the past two years. He said the letter was prompted by concerns with regard to electronic health record systems that included “administrative complications, formatting and usability issues, errors and interoperability.” In some of the most serious cases, incorrect medication dosages are being miscalculated by software that is interchanging patient body weights with kilograms and pounds. He is asking each hospital for a response to his letter by Feb. 16. Full Story

CMS offers $6.3 million to four states for new EHR programs
Four states will share $6.3 million in federal matching funds to help develop electronic health record (EHR) programs for Medicaid providers, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced. According to CMS, Kentucky will receive $2.6 million, South Carolina $1.48 million, Wisconsin $1.37 million and Alaska $900,000. States will use the funding to analyze their various health IT activities; assess barriers to each state’s use of EHRs; determine healthcare provider eligibility for EHR incentive payments; and develop a state Medicaid health IT plan. The funds are offered through the 2009 federal economic stimulus package, which is providing a 90 percent match for state planning activities related to the health information technology incentive program. Related Information    Related Information    Related Information   Related Information

Scotland launches ‘health-e-space’ site for personal health monitoring
The Scottish government has launched a Web site designed to help consumers actively monitor their own health. The Health-e-Space site provides users with online tools and information needed to help them live with or seek treatment for existing health conditions, according to site co-founder Prof. Grant P. Cummings, a consultant in obstetrics and gynecology at Dr. Gray’s hospital in Elgin, Scotland. The site provides users with services such as “visit the clinic,” an online tool for patients to interact with professionals of the National Health Service. It also offers detailed information on health conditions and a section where clinicians can blog about specialist subjects. The e-health portal is similar to some of the well-known social networking sites, but patients’ health matters can remain private, Cummings said. Full Story

Popularity of virtual consultations for cosmetic surgery on rise
Web-based virtual consultations are gaining popularity among cosmetic surgeons and other specialists, but critics are concerned about licensing issues and the security of such services, according to a report in The New York Times. Supporters say the technology allows patients to compare options and prices from multiple physicians, and can be more convenient than in-person visits. Surgeons also note that the anonymity of online consultations may attract patients who otherwise would not discuss a procedure in person. But some experts contend that virtual consultations and digital photos do not provide physicians with sufficient information to make a reliable diagnosis. And, physicians might be on shaky legal ground with virtual consultations that cross state lines, as most state laws require physicians to be licensed in the state where a patient receives their services. Full Story

Colorado may introduce bill on online medical care tracking portal
Colorado Rep. John Kefalas (D-Fort Collins) is considering a bill that would create an online portal for residents to compare the cost of certain medical procedures at different hospitals statewide. The system, according to Kefalas, would allow consumers to see variations in medical procedure costs from place to place and from insurer to insurer. Kefalas said he would like to see Colorado’s system track the cost of various episodes of care and compare them to situations in other parts of the state. Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont have similar systems already in place, and other states, such as Massachusetts, Minnesota, Utah, Tennessee, Kansas, and Oregon, are also considering cost-tracking and comparison programs. If passed, Kefalas’ bill would create a committee of businesses, insurers, and others to decide what medical procedures Colorado’s system will track. Full Story