Aurora Health Care To Twitter Live Surgery

Aurora Health Care will be the first Wisconsin hospital to broadcast a live surgery via Twitter on 4/16/09 starting at 8AM.
You can get more info at Aurora Health care and follow them on twitter

Tags: health care, Twitter, Aurora Health Care

Meddesktop Is Alive!

After a short hiatus, we are back. Our roles will be a bit different as one of our partners has started to work with health care related company and our focus has shifted a little. We will be developing a Application to solve logistics and management related problem that many health care management companies face, under Meddesktop. Therefor our focus for this blog will be traveling along with our application focus. We will also reporting on active worthwhile health and medical news

Tags: health news, medical news, health care, meddesktop

Cost Of Raising Children With Special Needs Based On State They Live.

July 10, 2008 -- Therapies, rehabilitation and specialty medical care are just a few of the extra costs that parents face when raising children with special needs. In a new study that will be published in current issue of Pediatrics, Paul T. Shattuck, Ph.D., professor of social work at Washington University in St. Louis, found that families with similar demographics and nature of their children's special needs have different out-of-pocket health expenditures depending on the state in which they live.
The complete list of all 51 states could be found at Washington University in St. Louis.

Tags: children with special needs, health expenditures, health care, Children's Health

The Deloitte survey : U.S. Consumers Want Major Changes in Health Care Design, Delivery

WASHINGTON, D.C., February 20, 2008 – American consumers want more from their health care system than they’re currently getting – greater online connection to health care providers and medical records, customized insurance coverage and wider access to emerging innovations such as retail clinics, a new survey from Deloitte reveals.

At the same time, they express anxiety about future health care costs – only 7 percent say they’re adequately prepared financially – and increasingly search for alternative medicines and services that can save them money and offer convenience. But many also say they are willing to pay extra for wellness programs, and to support or consider tax increases to cover the uninsured.

The 2008 Survey of Health Care Consumers, a representative poll of more than 3,000 Americans between the ages of 18 and 75, was conducted by the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. It was directed by Paul Keckley, executive director of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, and William Copeland, Jr., national managing director of the Life Sciences and Health Care practice of Deloitte Consulting LLP.

“More than anything, the findings convince us that Americans no longer see themselves only as patients, but as consumers who want to take greater control of their health care,” Keckley said. “Consumers will redefine our health care market, but how they do it is the most important strategic question the health care industry must answer.”

Copeland said the survey’s scope makes it one of the most thorough and comprehensive efforts to date to measure consumer attitudes, behaviors and unmet needs. “We believe these attitudes and consumer demands could have a transformative impact on the way health care services and products are developed,” he said.

Among the survey’s key findings:

• 93 percent say they are not well prepared for future health care costs
• 79 percent of consumers believe health care will be an important issue in the 2008 election; 46 percent described it as one of the top three issues affecting their vote
• 34 percent say they would use a retail clinic; 16 percent already have
• 60 percent want physicians to provide online access to medical records and test results, and online appointment scheduling; one in four say they would pay more for the service
• 1 in 3 consumers say they want more holistic/alternative therapies in their treatment program
• 3 of 4 consumers want expanded use of in-home monitoring devices and online tools that would reduce need for visits and allow individuals to be more active in their care
• 2 in 5 consumers want a wellness program to improve health and/or save money; one in four say they would pay more for it
• 84 percent prefer generic drugs to name brands
• 29 percent support a tax increase to help cover the uninsured; another 34 percent say they would consider a tax hike
• 52 percent of consumers say they understand their insurance coverage; only 8 percent understand their policies completely
• For additional findings, visit www.deloitte.com/us/consumerism/library

The way Americans think and behave in buying, managing and using their health care varies widely by gender, age group and cultural background, according to the survey. Women and men, for instance, have very different approaches to how they select and pay for their health care.

The Deloitte survey, however, found that consumer needs overall are basic -- better service, personalization, value – and that they want specific tools to customize the health services and insurance programs they use. Consumers are embracing innovation. Respondents said they wanted health plans to provide help with clinical decisions, not simply administrative services, and many want to customize their insurance with unique coverage and pricing features.

In addition, the survey revealed the consumer health care market is not homogenous; key distinctions exist within different groups. An analysis of the data found that the more than 3,000 respondents fell into six discrete segments, ranging from “content and compliant” consumers more accepting of the status quo to “out and about” health care shoppers who tend to be more independent and willing to try unconventional treatments.

Those factors taken together carry with them the potential for dramatic near-term change in the way U.S. doctors, hospitals, health plan administrators, drug makers and biotech companies operate, Keckley noted.

For general information on the survey, please contact Scott Ladd. For information on the Health Plans, Health Providers, and Life Sciences practices of Deloitte, please contact Marykate Reese.

tag: health care, Medical News, Deloitte Center for Health, medical records, insurance coverage, health care costs, Deloitte survey,

UK National Health Service (NHS) Might OutSource Patients To India!

Looks like India is becoming a haven for western patients seeking affordable healthcare!. National Helthcare have been a problem to USA but looks like UK too is facing Healthcare Issues. The health services from India and China has been increasingly being used by western patients. So far it has been private citizens that went on their own. But this is a new development. NHS is a state funded entity. Here is a news article from Times of India.

LONDON: Britain may soon permit patients at its state-funded National Health Service to travel to India for speedy and cheaper medical treatment. The issue was discussed between Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss and British authorities here and the "response" was positive.
"We had discussions about how to use the Indian medical facilities by the NHS," Ramadoss said, addressing a national conference on the 60th Anniversary celebration of India's Independence and the setting up of the NHS at the Royal College of Physicians here on Saturday.
"At present, NHS patients can have treatment at places within three hours flying and we have request that the flying limit may be lifted and in the present day globalised world there is not much of a difference between three hours and seven and a half hours flying."
"The response was positive and in the next few months, NHS may open out," the minister said, adding "we believe these issue could be solved through dialogue."
During the discussions, Ramadoss also pressed for mutual recognition of medical degrees and unilateral recognition of post-graduate degrees in five countries --India, Australia, the UK, New Zealand and the USA Ramesh Mehta, President of British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO), the organizer of the conference, expressed his gratitude to the minister for "initiating a political dialogue" with British authorities.
Ajit Lalvani, Chair of Infectious Diseases and Head, Tuberculosis Immunology Group, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Imperial College, London, said premier British medical institutions were currently looking at India to develop research in partnership.
Times of India

tag: healthcare, health care, National Health Service, NHS, BAPIO, India, Indian Healthcare

US Ranked Last In Preventable Deaths

First thought in my mind was Health Insurance, when I read this article. These deaths were caused by not having access to to timely and effective health care, and Health Insurance is a cause. Read on and weep. Perhaps these times of vote, we need to address health care more intensively.
WASHINGTON, Jan 8 (Reuters) - France, Japan and Australia rated best and the United States worst in new rankings focusing on preventable deaths due to treatable conditions in 19 leading industrialized nations, researchers said on Tuesday.
If the U.S. health care system performed as well as those of those top three countries, there would be 101,000 fewer deaths in the United States per year, according to researchers writing in the journal Health Affairs.
Researchers Ellen Nolte and Martin McKee of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine tracked deaths that they deemed could have been prevented by access to timely and effective health care, and ranked nations on how they did.
They called such deaths an important way to gauge the performance of a country's health care system.
Nolte said the large number of Americans who lack any type of health insurance -- about 47 million people in a country of about 300 million, according to U.S. government estimates -- probably was a key factor in the poor showing of the United States compared to other industrialized nations in the study.
"I wouldn't say it (the last-place ranking) is a condemnation, because I think health care in the U.S. is pretty good if you have access. But if you don't, I think that's the main problem, isn't it?" Nolte said in a telephone interview.
In establishing their rankings, the researchers considered deaths before age 75 from numerous causes, including heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, diabetes, certain bacterial infections and complications of common surgical procedures.
Such deaths accounted for 23 percent of overall deaths in men and 32 percent of deaths in women, the researchers said.
France did best -- with 64.8 deaths deemed preventable by timely and effective health care per 100,000 people, in the study period of 2002 and 2003. Japan had 71.2 and Australia had 71.3 such deaths per 100,000 people. The United States had 109.7 such deaths per 100,000 people, the researchers said.
After the top three, Spain was fourth best, followed in order by Italy, Canada, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, Greece, Austria, Germany, Finland, New Zealand, Denmark, Britain, Ireland and Portugal, with the United States last.
You can read about previous ranking at Reuters, where US ranked 15th.
tag: health care, Health Insurance, healthcare system

California State court puts limits on health insurers' policy cancellations

San Francisco Chronicle;

Health insurers can't wait until a policyholder is sick or injured to investigate the person's medical history and then abruptly cancel the policy on the grounds that important information was left out of the original application, a state appeals court has ruled.

On Monday, the Fourth District Court of Appeal in Santa Ana called a halt to a practice that lawyers for policyholders claim is widespread. Known as "post-claims underwriting," it has led to numerous lawsuits - mostly unsuccessful so far - and state enforcement actions against insurers.

The court stopped short of a strict pro-consumer standard advocated by state regulators and plaintiffs' lawyers. But the justices said health insurers can rescind policies after the fact, because of misinformation on the application, only by showing that they conducted a reasonable investigation before issuing the policy, or that the applicant deliberately lied.

California law requires insurers to verify applicants' health information before issuing a policy, rather than waiting until they file a claim, the court said. The purpose is "to prevent the unexpected cancellation of health care coverage at a time coverage is needed most," said Justice Richard Aronson in the 3-0 ruling.

The ruling, the first by an appellate court on the issue, sets a precedent for other cases around the state. It applies only to health plans and insurance policies issued to individuals and their families and not to employer-based coverage, which does not require individual applications.

Good Health News and a Hospital That Cares About Everyone

(PRWEB via PRWebDirect) December 19, 2007 -- When so much of the news we hear about the US health care system is what’s breaking or broken, it’s inspiring to hear the story of a hospital that is transforming stress and transforming lives. Delnor-Community Hospital in Geneva, Illinois recently received two awards from HeartMath®, an innovative research, technology and training organization which is helping hospitals across the US create healthy environments for both staff and patients.
Delnor is the first hospital in the US to receive the HeartMath Hospital designation, the highest recognition awarded by HeartMath to honor those hospitals that meet or exceed standards of quality, staff well-being and patient care. The award also honors the leaders who appreciate and recognize the importance of employee well-being. Since implementing the HeartMath program, Delnor has seen increased employee satisfaction, reduced staff turnover, improved communications at all levels, and high levels of patient satisfaction. The second award Delnor received, HeartMath’s Continuity of Care Award, recognizes a hospital’s long-term commitment to integrating HeartMath practices into the culture of the hospital for staff and patients, as well as to the community. These awards were presented by Bruce Cryer, HeartMath’s CEO, on December 5, 2007 at Delnor’s Quarterly Leadership Conference in Geneva, Illinois.

It was in 2000 that Delnor’s senior management team passionately committed to a hospital-wide initiative to address issues such as reducing employee turnover rates, vacancy rates and costs. They also wanted to become a national leader in patient satisfaction as well as becoming the hospital of choice in their primary market. To meet these objectives Delnor embarked on a multi-faceted strategic initiative, which included HeartMath’s programs and supportive tactics in service excellence to achieve these goals. Delnor has advanced to the top by demonstrating how the real meaning of care can create an exemplary work environment.

Delnor’s Chief Operating Officer, Tom Wright, says, “The HeartMath programs have enabled our leaders to sustain peak performance, to manage more efficiently in a changing environment and to maintain work life balance. For our staff, it has made the difference between required courtesy and genuine care.”

The results to date: Delnor has ranked number one nationally in employee satisfaction for the last four years. Delnor has also consistently exceeded the 90th percentile in patient satisfaction, after being at 73% prior to HeartMath. Delnor’s turnover has significantly improved, dropping from 27% to an average 6% turnover rate with their HeartMath-trained staff, whereas the industry standard is 11-12% and the national average hovers around 25%. Diane Ball, a certified HeartMath trainer at Delnor, says, “Our employees know that Delnor truly cares about their well-being on all levels and that makes all the difference. Our staff is happy, they enjoy working here and truly want to be here, and that’s felt by our patients when it comes to their care.”

This is not the first award Delnor has received in its ongoing transformation. In 2002 Delnor was honored with the Corporate Health and Productivity Management Award. In 2005 Delnor won the Management Innovations Award -- with HeartMath -- from the American College of Healthcare Executives and has been named to the Honor Roll of the Center for Companies that Care for the past three years.

HeartMath’s CEO Bruce Cryer remarked, “This is a time of unequalled stress in health care. The nursing shortage has reached unprecedented proportions, and high turnover rates, sick leave, medical errors, and shrinking reimbursement are adding even greater stress. With these compounding pressures, personal and organizational effectiveness suffer. Delnor is an inspiring example of a hospital which is putting care at the top of the priority list, creating a culture of care for their workforce as well as for the patients and their community. And they’re proving they can build a strong, viable hospital in the process,” says Cryer. “We’re extremely proud of their commitment to this process. Working with Delnor to facilitate their goals and watching their progress unfold has been very rewarding.”

Delnor has also outreached to their community with HeartMath programs for students grades 7 to 12 to help them learn how to transform test anxiety and improve test performance. They’re also offering HeartMath programs for cardiac and diabetes patients to help them learn how to reduce the stress and anxiety of their diseases.

To learn more about Delnor-Community Hospital and their community programs see http://www.delnor.com. To learn more about HeartMath’s programs for health care, see http://www.heartmath.com/health/hospital/index.html.

Tags: HeartMath, Health Care,

Better Healthcare through Technology? Yes but Give Access to Healthcare First

San Jose Mercury has a news article about how we could have better health care if the medical community adapts the technology, so they can do away with hand written prescriptions and paper medical records. I think the article points to a sector that needs attention. But what need to be done is more than attaching technology to doctors office. They are getting there (By the way my doctor wires in my prescriptions to the pharmacy, has a digital filling system). But what we need, before the technology, is a way for people to get to the doctor. There are millions of uninsured people out there and even the insured people are controlled and mistreated most of the time insurance companies. The medications are based on what the insurance wants to pay, not what the doctor wants.
So I would take, any day, a badly hand written prescription and the risk than not being able to visit a doctor!.
Better Healthcare through Technology? Yes but Give Access to Healthcare First
The article, which is well written and substantiative is here "Technology key for better health care".

Tags: healthcare, Health Business, digital filling system

SBA Chief Steve Preston Focuses on Health Care With President

WASHINGTON, July 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- SBA Administrator Steve
Preston today discussed health care issues with President Bush and small
business owners during a visit to Man & Machine, Inc. of Landover, MD.

  "Since coming to SBA I've met hundreds of small business people around
the country," Preston said. "When I ask what Washington can do to help
them, it is clear health care reform tops the list. They pay a
significantly higher cost for medical coverage, which takes dollars away
from investment, expansion, and job creation in our country."

SBA Chief Steve Preston Focuses on Health Care With President