U.S. colleges to begin mass health IT training to meet 'meaningful use' needs
This fall, more than 80 U.S. community colleges and universities will begin using $144 million in federal grant money to train healthcare information technology workers for doctors and hospitals making the switch to electronic health records (EHRs). According to Dr. Charles Friedman, chief scientific officer at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology in Washington, D.C., an estimated 50,000 trainees are needed to meet demands created by the government's "meaningful use" incentives. These hirings are in addition to people already being trained in existing IT programs in U.S. universities, Friedman said. The training programs are aimed at people who already have healthcare or IT backgrounds: a six-month certification version for healthcare IT workers can be trained at community colleges, and a one- to three-year version for persons requiring university training, such as senior clinician leaders, privacy and security specialists, and research and development scientists. A list of participating schools can be found at www.healthit.hhs.gov. Full Story   Further Information

Virtual e-Hospital Trains Albanian telemedicine team
This month, July 2010, marks the first Albanian Leadership Telemedicine Training program conducted by the International Virtual e-Hospital, an Alaskan Foundation. The training was part of a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) award to build a sustainable telemedicine program in Albania. This program includes a national center at the Tirana University Hospital and 13 Regional Telemedicine Centers throughout the country. Faculty included: Rifat Latifi, M.D., Ronald C. Merrell, M.D., Charles R. Doarn, M.B.A., Ronald S. Weinstein, M.D., Ana Maria Lopez, M.D., Elizabeth Krupinski, Ph.D., Achyut Bhattacharyya, M.D., Gail Barker, Ph.D., Ismet Lecaj, M.D. and Flamur Bekteshi. Full Story   Further Information

VA, Defense Department to develop lifetime virtual EHR for veterans
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense (DoD) are developing a lifetime electronic health record (EHR) for military members. According to the VA's newly released "Strategic Plan 2010-2014," the Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record (VLER) will allow patients to control access to certain elements of their medical records, including diagnoses, laboratory results and medication lists. The plan includes development of a "more patient-centric model," improved infrastructure, and a leveraged EHR system. VLER is one of 13 high-priority items for the VA. Others include automating disability and GI Bill claims and benefits processing, and deploying a Veterans Relationship Management Program across all VA phone centers and Web sites to make all VA services and benefits available by phone and Web site by June 2011. VA and DoD want to launch portions of VLER nationally by 2012. Full Story

Stay-at-home robotic 'coach' can help overweight people stick to their diets
A newly developed robot sits on your kitchen counter and supports you in your quest for weight loss through daily conversations. According to Cory Kidd, co-founder and chief executive of Intuitive Automata Inc., the company's "Autom" robot acts as a coach, encouraging people to stay on their diets. Dieters start off with Autom by entering the details of their diet and exercise into the robot. "She" sits on a countertop and is programmed to hold daily "conversations" with the user, Kidd said in a Wall Street Journal report. The company's research has shown that users continue with Autom's programs, which provide feedback and encouragement, longer than most diets, even after the novelty of using a robot wears off, Kidd noted. Intuitive Automata hopes to launch the product in the U.S. in 2011 after completing a pilot program, he added. Full Story   Further Information

IBM, Peking University build China's first data-sharing patient care system
IBM and Peking University People's Hospital (PUPH) have built China's first evidence-based patient-centric care system, or ePC3, designed to enable cooperation and resource sharing among medical services providers for improved patient care. The ePC3 system aims to provide a comprehensive overview of patients' health data, as well as best practices from previous diagnoses, treatment and research. An intended result is to reduce medical errors and enable better interactions with patients and increase physicians' effectiveness. People's Hospital will also be able to create an electronic health record system for patients. Healthcare in China, particularly in remote cities, is often inaccessible and expensive. The Chinese government has pledged $124 billion toward healthcare reform for China's 1.3 billion citizens by next year. Full Story

Surgical telemonitoring system to allow surgeons to provide virtual training
InTouch Health has released a surgical telemonitoring system that enables a surgeon to be "virtually" present while training other surgeons. The RP-Vantage system is reported to combine the company's Remote Presence technology with multiple camera "vantage points" tailored for surgical telementoring and remote procedure collaboration in operating and procedure rooms. The company purports that with RP-Vantage, a remote surgeon can avoid the time, cost and inconvenience of travel and be virtually present to train and collaborate with on-site surgeons. The product is aimed to accelerate adoption of innovative medical devices and procedures in a safe manner and drive improved clinical outcomes.  Full Story

Center for Tech and Aging awards $500,000 in home monitoring grants
The Center for Technology and Aging (CTA) has awarded $500,000 in grants to several healthcare organizations that plan to test the quality of remote home monitoring and improve chronic disease management and post-acute care. According to CTA Director David Lindeman, each project involves a coordinated effort among patients, families and caregivers. The recipients - Sharp HealthCare Foundation in San Diego, New England Healthcare Institute in Cambridge, MA, AltaMed Health Services in Los Angeles and the Stamford Hospital in Stamford, Conn.; Centura Health At Home in Denver; and California Association for Health Services at Home Foundation in Sacramento, CA - will each receive or share $100,000 and will be supplemented with more than $1.7 million in matching funds from various agencies. Development of remote patient technologies will "make a huge difference in the quality of life for those living with chronic conditions," Lindeman said. Full Story

India, China to benefit from international plan for new imaging services
Project HOPE, RAD-AID International and Philips Healthcare are collaborating on a project to improve access to medical imaging services for people in medically underserved areas of northern India and western China. According to John P. Howe III, M.D., president and chief executive officer of Project HOPE, the partnership focuses on partnering health facilities, and is designed to "expand and optimize vital medical imaging services as a component of HOPE's healthcare programs." The service also addresses economic development, technology implementation and optimized clinical applications, for assessing and planning sustainable long-term medical imaging in communities with limited health care resources. The project aims to eventually expand to other emerging and developing nations. Full Story

Glucose monitoring device can also be used to track diabetes in pets
A University of Missouri researcher has found a new use for a continuous glucose monitoring device typically used to track diabetes in humans: track the course of the disease in dogs and other animals as well. According to Charles Wiedmeyer, assistant professor of clinical pathology in the MU College of Veterinary Medicine, the device, which provides a detailed glucose picture of an animal over several days, will help pet owners manage diabetes in dogs, cats, cows and horses. The device, produced by insulin pump maker Medtronic, sits under the skin between the shoulder blades of an animal and records blood glucose data every five minutes. Wiedmeyer said he hopes that other companies will start producing continuous glucose monitoring devices specifically designed for animals. Full Story

New Web site enables patients to obtain bids for medical care
A new Web site is providing patients who seek medical treatment for various medical problems with the ability to request bids from about 3,000 physicians worldwide in an effort to avoid long wait times and obtain experimental treatments. The site, MediBid.com, provides information on location, price of treatment, where physicians attended school, and how quickly a patient can obtain an appointment, according to MediBid President and Chief Executive Officer Ralph Weber. About 80 American and Canadian patients each day use the site. Patients create free profiles by answering basic health questions and providing information on their medical needs, such as knee replacements or dental cleanings. Patients then receive a list of providers and can request a cash-price quote for services. "We're just trying to give people access and choice," Weber said. But the idea doesn't sit well with many doctors, who note that complex care such as surgeries should not merely go to the lowest bidder. Full Story   Further Information

HHS to create public database on most-effective medical treatments
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) plans to develop a national inventory of research on the most-effective treatments and medical interventions for patients. According to a Request for Information posted on the Federal Register, the inventory will be a "living document" that provides Web-based access to the public, including patients, clinicians, and policymakers, to the latest research records, resources on methods and training efforts. The goal of the research is to "improve health outcomes by developing and circulating evidenced-based information to patients and clinicians about which treatment methods are most valuable," according to HHS. The agency is also seeking public comment on design of the inventory database; interested persons should submit comments to HHS at www.regulations.gov by Aug. 9. Full Story

Physicians' e-prescription use doubles nationwide from 2008 to 2009
The percentage of physicians across the nation who prescribe medication electronically more than doubled between 2008 and 2009, according to a report by insurance company Excellus BlueCross BlueShield. However, only 1 in 4 doctors use e-prescriptions in the insurers' home state of New York. The number is expected to grow regionally and nationally as systems become more affordable and as government incentives to encourage use of health information technology take effect, the report notes. The report states that besides reducing errors, e-prescribing increases the use of less-expensive generic drugs, provides greater security, prevents "doctor shopping" and illegal prescribing, and is more efficient for patients, providers and pharmacists. The benefits would also save insurance companies money. Full Story

Movers & SHAKERS

• Global TeleHealth 2010
  November 10-12, 2010 - Perth, Western Australia
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