Medicine and Technology

Digital Health Summit at #CEWeek in NYC

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 23:00:00 +0000

Don't miss the Digital Health Summit at #CEWeek in NYC later this month:

Digital Health Summit
June 26, 2013
11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Metropolitan Pavilion | 125 W 18th St. NY, NY

The event will cover the booming markets of next generation medical devices, remote monitoring, mHealth apps and products, cloudbased medical services, and wellness and fitness devices.

Nanopatch to deliver vaccines: TEDGlobal 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 23:00:00 +0000

This year at TEDGlobal 2013, there was a fascinating presentation by Mark Kendall about a medical invention called the Nanopatch. This is a tiny square patch that can deliver a vaccine. This non-needle delivery method also addresses a number of problems that keep vaccines from being effective. Read about it here.

Medication Adherence infographic

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 23:00:00 +0000

Here is an infographic on the challenging topic of medication adherence:

Via: Healthcare Intelligence Network

As ASCO wraps up, docs are talking about cancer research while patients are talking about HPV and throat cancer

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 22:00:00 +0000

ASCO is the American Society of Clinical Oncology. It's the biggest professional cancer conference that draws a huge international crowd in Chicago every year. The city of Chicago sees a huge surge of tourism activity around this conference every summer.

In somewhat unrelated news, CBS published a story about Michael Douglas, his throat cancer, and HPV - the virus that causes cervical cancer, penile cancer, vulvar cancer, anal cancer, and oral cancers. In his case, his cancer risk was especially high because of his history of alcohol and tobacco use combined with HPV infection.

So, while doctors are buzzing about the latest developments in cancer research, the public is researching HPV and oral and throat cancers. I suspect that we'll see a rise in doctor's visits related to oral cancer concerns. Dentists are also involved in screening for oral cancers.

HPV is a preventable sexually transmitted illness. There are vaccines that prevent HPV infection and these can be given to girls and boys (one is approved for boys). In the USA, there are 2 HPV vaccines: Cervarix (made by GlaxoSmithKline) and Gardasil (made by Merck). Take a look at the CDC fact sheet about HPV vaccines.

Follow #HDpalooza on Twitter from the Health Datapalooza

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 00:00:00 +0000

This Mon and Tues (June 3 and 4), you can expect a lot of tweets using the hashtag #HDpalooza from the Health Datapalooza.

Health Datapalooza IV (HDP IV) is the fourth annual national conference born from government efforts to liberate health data. The conference is a forum that features the newest and most innovative and effective uses of health data by companies, startups, academics, government agencies and individuals.

The hallmark of the event is a national competition that searches for the best and most innovative uses of health data in apps and products. The competition culminates in live demonstrations of the winning applications to HDP IV attendees.

SBIRT - Coding for SBI Reimbursement

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Fri, 31 May 2013 22:00:00 +0000

Most doctors and nurses don't know this, but reimbursement for screening and brief intervention is available through commercial insurance CPT codes, Medicare G codes, and Medicaid HCPCS codes.

The Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration or SAMHSA is working with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to educate practitioners about the importance of SBIRT coverage and the Medicare billing rules around these services.

SBIRT services are defined as alcohol and/or substance (other than tobacco) abuse structured assessment (e.g., AUDIT, DAST) and brief intervention.

Commercial Insurance billing codes are CPT 99408 and CPT 99409.
Medicare codes are G0396 and G0397
Medicaid codes are H0049 and H0050

You can learn more about SBIRT coverage here and you can also purchase a novel nursing continuing education activity titled the "SBIRT Substance Use NursingMentor" here: cmecorner.com/sbirt

RFID enhancing blood safety

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Wed, 29 May 2013 01:00:00 +0000

FDA clears first blood tracking device that uses Radio Frequency Identification technology

iTrace for Blood Centers, (Version 1.0.924.0), the first application to use Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology in blood establishments to assist in enhancing blood safety by preventing the release of unsuitable blood components, was cleared today by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

“The iTrace for Blood Centers device has the ability to enhance blood safety by helping to ensure that unsuitable units are not released,” said Karen Midthun, M.D., director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “iTrace for Blood Centers will be used in blood establishments by trained personnel as a tool in streamlining blood collection and processing and aiding in product tracking and reconciliation.”

Read more »

Addiction and Your Recovery: What Are the Best Options for You?

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Tue, 28 May 2013 23:00:00 +0000

The following is a guest post:

Whether it is alcoholism, drugs, or a behavioral addiction, addiction itself is an intricate and painful disease, both mentally and physically; it’s no wonder that finding the right rehab or treatment facility can seem just as difficult at times. Getting help for your addiction will ensure your success, but finding the right facility will truly determine the longevity of your success and sobriety. With the immense amount of options available to one seeking treatment, it’s extremely tempting to merely just pick any facility, which is a mistake some make. It is imperative to take time to research your options, finding a program that adequately fits with your personal situation, needs and preferences will significantly increase the likelihood that you will achieve recovery.
Read more »

Join me as we discuss the evolution of telemedicine on June 11th

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Tue, 28 May 2013 23:00:00 +0000

The world of medicine is changing rapidly as technology enables "televisits" and virtual consultations with medical experts. I hope you will join me on June 11th as I speak about the evolution of telemedicine:

Evolution of Telemedicine
Tuesday June 11th, 2013
9 to 10 am Pacific Time (12 to 1 pm Eastern Time)

Today, the majority of patients still receive care in a medical setting, but the future of health care may involve more “televisits” and virtual consultations that rely on digital communication technologies. In this webinar, we will review how the landscape of telemedicine has been evolving. We will also explore some innovative telemedicine concepts that are emerging and revolutionizing the way patients are receiving their health care.

This webinar is being hosted by InDemand Interpreting.

Back on the Fitbit

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Tue, 28 May 2013 00:00:00 +0000

I've pulled my old Fitbit Classic out and I've decided to start using it again. I did some running and walking today and I logged over 18,000 steps today! I also ate a lot of ice cream.

This summer, I'm going to use my Fitbit regularly. I'll also test other devices alongside it to see how they compare. I'm excited to see what Apple, Samsung, and others may have coming. An Apple watch that also tracks my physical activity would be a fun gadget to wear. A watch that also measures my heart rate when I go running?

Fitbit has come out with so many different activity trackers over the years. Believe it or not, I'm still on the Fitbit Classic. Join me on the Fitbit revolution and let's stay healthy together!

Follow the Twitter discussion about the Cleveland Clinic #pesummit

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Tue, 21 May 2013 00:00:00 +0000

If you're not in Cleveland, you're missing The 4th Annual Patient Experience: Empathy and Innovation Summit at the Cleveland Clinic.
May 19-21, 2013
Intercontinental Hotel & Conference Center, Cleveland

The Patient Experience: Empathy and Innovation Summit is a three-day, multidisciplinary conference devoted to exploring patient experience as a key differentiator essential to the future of healthcare delivery.

On Twitter, you can follow the discussion by following the Twitter hashtag #pesummit
There are some very interesting tweets coming out of this conference. For example:

Time spent on mobile apps exceeds the time spent browsing the web and will soon exceed TV watching - @smartpatientceo #PESummit #hcsm
— Cleveland Clinic (@ClevelandClinic) May 19, 2013

Patients that viewed Emmi had better HCAHPS scores.@ Cleveland Clinic #PESummit twitter.com/EmmiSolutions/…
— Emmi Solutions (@EmmiSolutions) May 20, 2013

Definitely agree "@tmerrick32711 By focusing on patient experience we can change healthcare overall!#PESummit"
— Garry Choy MD (@GarryChoy) May 20, 2013

The Physician's Evolving Role in Healthcare: Lead or Be Led

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Sun, 12 May 2013 18:00:00 +0000

This is a guest post by Wen Dombrowski, MD

During medical school and residency I realized that individual physicians can choose to Lead or Be Led. Each of us can try to design and manage the systems of care we would like to see (whether care models or technology that enables them), or physicians can be victims of what others decide we should do (such as administrators, sales reps, or well-intended developers without user experience insight).

I recall over a decade ago there were critics who lamented the rise of HMOs and Pay For Performance would end the Practice Of Medicine as we know it. Various medical organizations encouraged physicians to run away from these changes so they could continue business as usual. But while many physicians had their head in the sand and academic faculty were often shielded from practice management realities, the business world continued to evolve with new budgets, rules, and technology.

There are parallels to then and now : physicians are facing unprecedented changes -- some embrace or at least reluctantly accept change as inevitable, but many physicians have told me "I don't understand what any of that ACA/ACO/PCMH/MU/ABCDEFG is about, so I'm just going to ignore it and just be a doctor." Then they are surprised when their hospital, state, and federal policies don’t reflect what they would want.
Read more »

Hospitals Slow to Go Paperless Despite Benefits

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Thu, 09 May 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Guest Post: Hospitals Slow to Go Paperless Despite Benefits

If you are walking into an ER, you better have a reliable memory of your last doctor's visit, the medications you have taken, and any x-rays you've had in the last year. Unless you are walking into one of the very few hospitals in the United States that has gone paperless, your wait could be very long. This is because hospitals are still using an outdated method of managing information: paper.

Healthcare is far behind other industries when it comes to information technology and document management. Hospitals and patients could greatly benefit from the conveniences an upgraded IT system could provide. This isn’t wishful thinking or guesswork. The benefits for hospitals and patients have been proven.

In 2009, Johns Hopkins released a now famous statewide study that demonstrated the benefits of hospitals using paperless technologies. The study included over 40 hospitals and 160,000 patients and found a correlation between computerizing records and overall hospital safety and effectiveness.

The hospitals with the top paperless technologies in the state showed a 15% decrease in the odds of patients dying while hospitalized. Imagine if we could see this kind of decrease throughout the rest of the healthcare industry. Assuming this decrease would hold true for all US hospitals, going paperless across the country could save more than 100,000 lives every year.
Read more »

RP-VITA telemedicine robot may be coming to your hospital

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Tue, 07 May 2013 00:00:00 +0000

The next time you go to the hospital, you may run into a telemedicine robot like the RP-VITA. At ATA 2013, InTouch Health & iRobot announced the first hospitals and medical centers that will be using the RP-VITA telemedicine robot. Here's a snippet from their press release:

Austin, TX (May 6, 2013) -- Top academic medical centers and leading healthcare systems across North America are now introducing their patients to RP-VITATM, the first FDA-cleared telemedicine robot that combines state-of-the-art telecommunications and AutoDrive technology. InTouch Health, the leader in acute care telemedicine, today announced at the 18th Annual American Telemedicine Association’s International Conference the first hospitals to integrate this new telemedicine platform into their TeleStroke, TeleICU, TelePsych, and TelePediatric programs. RP-VITA, jointly developed by InTouch Health and iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT), a leader in delivering robotic technology-based solutions, is a class apart from any other telemedicine device available, providing a new level of ease of use and independence that frees doctors and nurses to focus solely on patient care and to forget the technology.

The first hospitals that will get RP-VITA include:

Dignity Health
Sacramento, CA

Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian
Orange County, CA

Instituto de Salud del Estado de México
Mexico City, Mexico

Ohio State Wexner Medical Center
Columbus, OH

Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center
Burbank, CA

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
Los Angeles, CA

St. Mary’s Medical Center
Huntington, WV

Big Data & Healthcare Analytics Forum

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Mon, 06 May 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Don't miss the Big Data & Healthcare Analytics Forum
June 4-5, 2013
Washington DC

Healthcare IT News and HIMSS Media, the industry’s leading sources for news and leadership in healthcare information technology, have joined forces to present the Big Data & Healthcare Analytics Forum. This two-day event in the nation’s capital will gather leading providers, industry experts, solutions suppliers and key government officials.

As reimbursement shrinks and risk sharing grows, analyzing data to improve decision-making may well determine the winners and losers in this new healthcare landscape. That’s where the forum comes in. Through interviews with hospital CIOs and other providers, we know that questions abound about how to deploy analytics in a fashion that meets an organization’s business and clinical goals. With that in mind, we have designed the Big Data and Healthcare Analytics Forum to provide answers to those questions. Sessions will focus on peer-to-peer learning, case studies and best practices—practical, actionable information that can be taken home and put to use.

http://www.bigdatahitforum.com/

Pediatrics 2040: Trends And Innovations for the Next 25 Years

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Fri, 03 May 2013 22:00:00 +0000

Don't miss this exciting event this fall:

Pediatrics 2040: Trends And Innovations for the Next 25 Years
October 3 - 5, 2013

Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel & Spa
Anaheim, CA

The current myriad of challenges such as cost containment, care fragmentation, healthcare reform, access to subspecialists, escalating costs and knowledge escalation face today’s pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists as well as hospital administrative leadership.

The emerging medical and technological advances as well as trends in the care of children in the coming era is covered in a comprehensive three-day academic program for all involved in the care of children for the next 25 years.

Learn more about this conference here.

ONC is hosting the Million Hearts Webinar on May 7

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Thu, 02 May 2013 23:00:00 +0000

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is hosting the Million Hearts® Webinar on May 7th in honor of National High Blood Pressure Education and Stroke Awareness months. Leading experts will discuss how they are using the latest health IT tools to standardize and improve the delivery of care to reduce the number of people with high blood pressure and high cholesterol, both leading causes of heart disease and stroke.

Tuesday, May 7, 2013 3:30 PM - 5:00 PM EDT

Jawbone Acquires BodyMedia

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Wed, 01 May 2013 23:00:00 +0000

I have a BodyMedia arm band. I also have an original Fitbit, along with several traditional pedometers. I don't have a Jawbone Up or a Nike + FuelBand, but those items are on my Amazon wishlist and I'm waiting for the 2nd or 3rd generation devices before I make a purchase.

Jawbone is making a serious move into the Quantified Self (QS) movement of self-tracking gadgets and they are acquiring BodyMedia for over $100 million. BodyMedia has had more than 80 patents issued, so it's a valuable company because of its technology and its people.

Do you wear a fitness gadget or use a fitness tracking app? If you do, then stay tuned because a host of new gadgets like the Misfit Wearables SHINE and many other new gadgets will be coming in 2013.

My photo with George Takei in NYC (taken by @KentBottles)

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 02:00:00 +0000

I was in NYC over the weekend attending the 2013 ACPE conference and I was having lunch with Kent Bottles at McCormick & Schmick's. Before I realized it, I saw Star Trek's George Takei having lunch right next to us! So, I patiently waited until he was finished with his lunch and then I did what any other MIT alum would do. I got a photo with him and sent it via Twitter. (special thanks to Kent Bottles for taking the photo). There's just something about MIT and Star Trek.

The new Star Trek movie is coming out in a few weeks and I'm sure we'll see some interesting futuristic medical concepts that go beyond the tricorder.

Don't miss the iHT2 Health IT Summits

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 23:00:00 +0000

iHT2 has a series of Health IT Summits throughout the country, so don't miss the next one coming to your region.

Each year, the Institute for Health Technology Transformation (iHT²) hosts a series of events & programs which promote improvements in the quality, safety, and efficiency of healthcare through information and information technology. iHT² events are designed to support multi-stakeholder organizations who are navigating through health IT issues, policies and strategies in an attempt to improve care. iHT² events include a variety of guest speakers and keynotes representing many diverse sectors within health care. Speakers provide expert advice, practical recommendations and reactions related to the most pressing issues.

View the calendar of Health IT Summits here.

Who Killed Health Care? Regina Herzlinger speaks at ACPE 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 15:00:00 +0000

Today, I am in NYC attending the 2013 American College of Physician Executives (ACPE) conference. The afternoon keynote was delivered by Regina Herzlinger, author of "Who Killed Health Care?: America's $2 Trillion Medical Problem - and the Consumer-Driven Cure."

Here is a description of her book:

One of the nation's most respected health care analysts, Regina Herzlinger exposes the motives and methods of those who have crippled America's health care system-figures in the insurance, hospital, employment, governmental, and academic sectors. She proves how our current system, which is organized around payers and providers rather than the needs of its users, is dangerously eroding patient welfare and is pushing costs out of the reach of millions.

Who Killed Health Care? then outlines Herzlinger's bold new plan for a consumer-driven system that will deliver affordable, high-quality care to everyone. By putting insurance money in the hands of patients, removing the middleman in the doctor-patient relationship, and giving employers cost relief, consumers and physicians will be empowered to make the system work the way it should. Herzlinger describes in precise detail how her innovative program will provide

Smaller, disease-focused medical facilities that provide complete care for patients
A national system of medical records that provides privacy with confidential access by approved practitioners
Mandatory performance evaluations of all hospitals and all other medical organizations
Mandatory health insurance with subsidies for those who cannot afford it

MIT professor studying the mechanics of metastasis

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Professor Roger Kamm at MIT was my advisor when I was a mechanical engineering student at MIT.

Roger Kamm, the Cecil and Ida Green Distinguished Professor of Biological and Mechanical Engineering, and his doctoral student Ioannis Zervantonakis are studying the mechanics of metastasis. They are using a 3-D microfluidic device developed in his lab, including a recent study on the effect of flow on tumor-cell migration.

Read more here.

Doctors on Doximity - 2012 Year in Review

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Physician testimonials on Doximity - 2012 Year in Review

Tomotherapy treatment

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0000

This is a guest post by William Blackhurst, MD

Have you ever heard of Tomotherapy treatment? This is a treatment designed for radiation therapy of various cancers. Its name comes from the Greek root for slice. Basically it combines a CT or other type of scan with radiation therapy in such a way that the radiation dose can be altered to match the thickness of the tumor in a given image slice.

Tomotherapy is both intensity modulated and image guided. Intensity modulated radiotherapy or IMRT uses devices called collimators to adjust the amount of radiation delivered in a single dose. Image guided radiotherapy or IGRT, on the other hand, uses a scan (from a CT or another imaging modality) to adjust the dose base on the tumors size and shape.

While tomotherapy may or may not be the best treatment option in a given case, it is good to know that it is an option. It has now been a way to treat cancers for more than 10 years and there are over 300 sites across the US, Canada, Europe and Asia that offer this new kind of cancer treatment.

About the author:

William Blackhurst, MD, after graduating from The Ohio State University College of Medicine, converted from clinical work to medical communications.

Keynote Speakers at ATA 2013

noreply@blogger.com (Joseph Kim, MD, MPH) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 00:00:00 +0000

Don't miss ATA 2013 for the latest updates on telemedicine. This year, the keynote speakers are:

Lynn Britton, President & CEO, Mercy. Mercy, a 31 hospital healthcare system serving hundreds of communities in the Midwest, is transforming the patient experience through comprehensive telemedicine and HIT services. Mercy gives patients online access to doctors and medical records, utilizing telemedicine for a wide array of clinical services, include pediatrics and rural healthcare. Moreover, Mercy SafeWatch is the largest teleICU service in the United States. Under Britton’s leadership, Mercy was named the 2012 “Most Wired” healthcare organization by the American Hospital Organization. Lynn Britton will speak at the ATA 2013 Opening Plenary on Sunday, May 5, 2013.

Jeffrey Henley, Chairman, Oracle Corporation. Oracle is helping to transform the economics of healthcare by enabling patient-centered technology for health engagement. Oracle has invested heavily in developing software and IT infrastructure for disease management and health management, as well as accountable care, connected health and public/private insurance exchanges. As Chairman, Henley has been instrumental in this mission, working with leading hardware and healthcare providers to streamline the delivery of medical services. Jeffery Henley will speak at the ATA 2013 Monday Morning Plenary on Monday, May 6, 2013.

Reed Tuckson, MD, Managing Director, Tuckson Health Connections. Reed Tuckson is the immediate past Chief of Medical Affairs for UnitedHealth, the nation’s largest private healthcare insurer, serving approximately 70 million Americans. Under his guidance, UnitedHealth embraced telemedicine, demonstrating compelling advances in data and communication technologies for better, more efficient service and better health for everyone. Reed Tuckson, a former Senior Vice President of the American Medical Association and former Commissioner of Public Health for the District of Columbia, was also instrumental in United Health’s establishment of a national telehealth network aimed at serving rural, difficult to access and underserved patient populations. Reed Tuckson, MD will speak at the ATA 2013 Tuesday Morning Plenary on Tuesday, May 7, 2013.

For 18 years, the ATA Annual International Meeting & Exposition has been the premier forum for the fields of telemedicine, telehealth and mHealth. It is one of the fastest growing meetings in the country and ATA 2013 is projected to be ATA’s largest meeting ever, with 500 educational sessions, 300 exhibitors and over 6000 estimated attendees. For more information, visit www.ATA2013.org.