BlueCross BlueShield to begin covering telehealth services
The nation’s largest health insurance provider will soon begin covering telehealth services in the country’s second most-populated state. BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York (BCBSWNY) and Blue Shield of Northeastern New York (BSNENY) will use American Well’s Online Care platform to provide telemedicine coverage for patients who connect with healthcare providers from home or work, according to BCBSWNY/BSNENY President Alphonso O’Neil-White. Initially, telehealth care will be available from BCBSWNY and BSNENY network providers during times set up by the doctor, such as pre-office hours or in the evening. American Well’s standard telehealth services allow 24-hour coverage without a booked appointment. First launch of Online Care will take place in western New York, with service to northeastern New York expected by fourth quarter 2010. At first, only BCBSWNY/BSNENY members will be covered, but services are expected to be expanded to non-members and the uninsured throughout New York State, O’Neil-White said. Full Story

Robosoft introduces voice-activated, Web-accessing homecare robot
French robotics company Robosoft has unveiled a mechanical caregiver to assist dependent persons within their homes. According to Robosoft Chief Executive Officer Vincent Dupourqué, the Kompaï robot can speak, understand what is said to it, find its way around the house and access all Internet services on command. Similar to a dog, Kompai has its “basket,” a recharging dock that it heads back to when its batteries are low. Future generations of Kompaï will be equipped with visual abilities, and also the possibility of understanding and expressing emotions. Later, the addition of arms will allow it to handle objects, leading to meal preparation and tidying – more-practical yet fundamental everyday functions, Dupourqué said. Full Story

New iPhone app gives radiologists better access to key images and videos
A new clinical iPhone app from GE Healthcare is providing radiologists with improved access to imaging tools required for best quality of care. According to Tom Verghese, chief marketing officer for GE’s MR Global Marketing division, the new Clinical IMAGES iPhone app allows radiologists to choose a product, and browse sample images and videos by anatomy or by applications specific to the selected system. Radiologists and hospital administrators have been big fans of the iPhone and like to access visual information quickly, Verghese said. The new program is capable of showing more than 100 clinical images and videos in about 30 seconds, making it perfect for their busy lifestyles, he noted. Full Story

Nonprofit Cal eConnect to oversee development of California HIE
California’s governor and the Department of Health and Human Services (CHHS) have named a new nonprofit agency to oversee development of the state’s health information exchange (HIE) services. According to CHHS Secretary Kim Belshé, the Cal eConnect agency will be responsible for helping California healthcare providers meet certain data exchange criteria to qualify for at least $3 billion in incentive payments from the 2009 federal economic stimulus package. CHHS will grant almost $40 million initially to help Cal eConnect develop the exchange. Cal eConnect’s leadership consists of key members of two other nonprofits, the California eHealth Collaborative (CAeHC) and the California Regional Health Information Organization (CalRHIO). Pacific Business Group on Health Chief Executive Officer David Lansky and Don Crane, CEO of the California Association of Physician Groups, will serve as Cal eConnect’s first co-chairs. Full Story

Circuit loop antenna could lead to more energy-efficient monitoring devices
Wireless control and GPS system maker Taoglas has developed what it believes is the first flexible-circuit loop antenna for the medical device market, an item that could ultimately increase the energy efficiency of wireless patient monitoring units. According to company director Dermot O’Shea, the FLA series antenna solves the challenge of “wedding medical device design requirements with high-tech monitoring and wireless data-transfer needs.” The antenna creates a loop around the medical device’s circuit board, resulting in more-efficient energy use. The antenna boasts more than 40 percent efficiency in monitoring devices, compared with 20 percent demonstrated by standard, off-the-shelf antennas, O’Shea said. The antenna’s flexibility allows it to be easily integrated into existing designs, he added. Full Story

Remote heart monitoring software approved for sale in Europe
Rcadia Medical Imaging has received European approval for its COR Analyzer software, which helps physicians remotely identify heart disorders. According to Rcadia President Shai Levanon, the COR Analyzer, designed to identify coronary artery stenosis from coronary CT angiography (cCTA) data, runs on standard PCs and will automatically process CT angiogram studies sent to it over a hospital network. The application then identifies any coronary legions, and points out to radiologists or cardiologists any areas of concern. COR Analyzer is already marketed in the United States under 510(k) clearance. Full Story

Portable electromagnetic pulse unit reduces chronic knee pain
Electromagnetic pulses from a portable device can significantly reduce pain and inflammation in people suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee, according to a study by researchers at Henry Ford Hospital ’s Osteoarthritis Center in Detroit. In the study, researchers gave a battery-operated device to 34 people, who used it to emit a low-intensity, pulsating, electromagnetic frequency to their knees. The participants experienced pain relief of more than 40 percent on the first day of treatment, according to Dr. Fred Nelson, M.D., associate program director for research and director of the Osteoarthritis Center. Participants wore the device around their knees for 15 minutes, twice a day for six weeks. The electromagnetic pulses are believed to reduce the level of calcium in cartilage cells and set off a process that reduces inflammation, Nelson noted. Full Story

Medweb adds free EHR application to virtualPACS module
San Francisco-based telemedicine products maker Medweb has begun providing a free electronic health record (EHR) application with its popular virtualPACS gateway module. According to Medweb Chief Executive Officer Pete Killcommons, the software-only virtualPACS includes a fully hosted backup DICOM archive, Web server and router enabling clinicians to securely access patient data from the office, hospital, clinic or emergency room. The full-featured Medweb EHR includes charting, scheduling, e-prescribing and medical billing tools. When combined with virtualPACS, orthopedic practices will have an image enabled EHR that demonstrates “meaningful use” according to the guidelines proposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and will be eligible for federal incentive payments, Killcommons added. Full Story

Radicom releases line of medical certified modems for telemedicine use
San Jose, CA-based wireless modem maker Radicom Research Inc. has launched a line of medical certified dial-up modems for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). According to Radicom Research Vice President of Operations Alex Tsau, the small, full-featured and low-cost modems are specifically engineered to meet the stringent requirements of the medical services industry, as well as provide design flexibility for emerging telemedicine applications. Certifications are transferable to allow easy integration into almost any platform. All are capable of operating under Windows, Linux or Mac environments and are available in Serial TTL and the popular USB interfaces. Radicom Research modems are Safety, Emissions, and Telco compliant to meet most medical device requirements, Tsau said. Full Story

Magnetic field technology to help MIT scientists expand brain research
Scientists at MIT are planning to expand efforts on brain research with the acquisition of magnetic field detection technology this summer. According to Charles Jennings, Ph.D., director of neurotechnology at the McGovern Institute for Brain Research on the MIT campus, the new Elekta Neuromag system will use magnetoencephalography (MEG) to explore brain electrical function and monitor the timing of brain activity with millisecond precision. MIT researchers will use MEG to study normal cognition in children and adults, as well as the neural basis of autism, depression, schizophrenia and other brain disorders. The new system is expected to be delivered in June and fully operational by this fall, Jennings said. Full Story

WebMD launches online health exchange for consumers, doctors
Health information services provider WebMD Corp. has launched the WebMD Health Exchange, a social networking system designed to provide consumers with the ability to engage in discussions with health experts, as well as gather medical advice and support from other consumers. According to WebMD President Wayne Gattinella, the new exchange will also enable third party sponsors to create branded exchanges and to host consumer discussions on specific health and wellness topics most important to them. Leading specialists available at WebMD.com include physicians from Duke Medicine, the National Health Council, National Osteoporosis Foundation, American Gastroenterological Association, North American Menopause Society, and the American Veterinary Medical Association. The Health Exchange is the latest addition to a WebMD Health Network that includes WebMD Health, Medscape, MedicineNet, emedicine, emedicineHealth, RxList, theheart.org and drugs.com. Full Story

Universities of Virginia, Miami join in e-health medical effort for Haiti
A partnership between the health systems at the University of Miami (UM) and the University of Virginia (UV) hopes to fill a gap between a need for medical specialists and their lack of availability following January’s massive earthquake in Haiti. According to Dr. Karen Rheuban, medical director of UV’s Office of Telemedicine and president of the American Telemedicine Association, the agreement allows specialists from both universities to remotely treat patients at the University of Miami Hospital in Port-au-Prince through the Swinfen Charitable Trust, an organization that connects physicians and their patients in poor or remote parts of the world with specialists who offer medical advice on specific cases. Dr. Anne E. Burdick, associate dean for telehealth and clinical outreach at UM’s Miller School of Medicine and longtime Swinfen consultant, added that finding alternative methods to transmit medical information has become crucial with the destruction of most of Haiti’s communications infrastructure due to the quake. Full Story

Movers & SHAKERS

Ted Epperly, chair of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) board of directors, wrote a letter to acting CMS Administrator Charlene Frizzera, calling for significant changes to “meaningful use” criteria used to determine eligibility for federal subsidies for health IT usage...Virginia state Senator William Wampler Jr., sponsored a bill that was recently passed in Virginia that calls for health insurance companies, HMOs and healthcare subscription plans to provide full coverage for telemedicine services… Christina Beach Thielst, FACHE, was selected as the new executive director of The Northwest Regional Telehealth Resource Center and will use her extensive experience to re-position the NRTRC for further expansion and new provider adoption of telehealth technologies… Dr. Olajide Adebola, president of the Society for Telemedicine and e-Health in Nigeria, advised the Nigerian government to create strategies to ensure integration of e-health into the national healthcare system...Gregg Veltri, chief information officer at the Denver Health and Hospital Authority expressed concerns in an article in Computerworld that the U.S. government’s timeline for deployment of electronic health records is unrealistic…Aldo Di Clemente, head of an Italian entrepreneurial delegation, and Huila province Governor Isaac dos Anjos, jointly announced the intention of signing a cooperative agreement with Angola for a surgical telemedicine initiative…Dr. Moises Arriaga, an ear surgeon with the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center and Tom Winchell, LSU HSC ’s telemedicine program coordinator, discuss the university’s telemedicine program on BusinessReport.com…Rainer Herzog, director of Strategy & Business Development e-Health Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa, for Ericsson, announced the company’s intention to commercialize its mHealth telemedicine solution, with particular focus on the India market... Please send us your news on Movers and Shakers in the field.

• Health 2.0 Europe Conference to be Held in Paris
  April 6–7, 2010 - Cité Universitaire International, Paris
  Health 2.0 Europe, a new conference dedicated to how Web 2.0 and social media are transforming healthcare systems in Europe. Organized by e-health specialists Health 2.0 of San Francisco and Basil Strategies of Paris, the two-day event will assemble attendees from the converging industries of healthcare, the internet, mobile applications and social media, to network and brainstorm about technologies that are revolutionizing healthcare delivery and treatment.
  
  
• Med-e-Tel - The International eHealth, Telemedicine and Health ICT Forum
  April 14–16, 2010 - Luxembourg
  In its 8th edition and with a proven potential for global networking, Med-e-Tel 2010 will attract healthcare providers, industry representatives, researchers, and government officials from 50 countries around the world. The event showcases new technologies and solutions, and its comprehensive conference program focuses on a wide range of current telemedicine and ehealth experiences, business cases and research results (in telenursing, cybertherapy, quality standards, open source applications, telecardiology, home telehealth, disease management and more). Med-e-Tel is organized by the International Society for Telemedicine & eHealth together with several other national and international stakeholder organizations. Details are available at www.medetel.eu, where also a library with presentations and abstracts from previous events can still be found.
  
  
• ATA 2010: 15th Annual International Meeting & Exposition
  May 16 - 18, 2010 - San Antonio, TX
  Call for Presentations Now Open » Click here for exhibiting Information 

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		Telemedicine and e-Health delivers more authoritative content from the peer-reviewed journal of record. The peer-reviewed publication, Telemedicine and e-Health , is published 10 times a year in print and online covering all aspects of clinical telemedicine practice, technical advances, enabling technologies, education, health policy and regulation and biomedical and health services research. The journal also deals with the clinical effectiveness, efficacy and safety of telemedicine and its effects on quality, cost and accessibility of care, medical records and transmission of same. For complete information and to subscribe, check out our website. Telemedicine and e-Health is the Official journal of the American Telemedicine Association.