Archive for 2007
A Business Model for Telehealth?
August 3, 2007
In iHealthbeat, a feature on the Idaho telehealth program explores the issue of creating sustainable models for telehealth. They wisely point out that even academic programs like this one with a broad network of connectivity throughout the state can be in trouble we grant funding runs out. What better place to experiment that a rural state like Idaho. But where is the business model. Will Medicare provide the ongoing reimbursement? What about major insurors within the state? Business partnerships?
Sustainable business models are sorely needed now that the technology is readily available. But as in other studies, the cost of home monitoring and telemedicine needs to come down. Here is a chicken and egg dilemma – should the price come down to sustain the business or will more business drive down the cost?
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Healthcare 100
August 2, 2007
Made in into the top 200 blogs on this list. 184 – in the honorable mention category. A growing list of blogs.
Share this:Benefits of Patient-Provider email
August 2, 2007
On Healthline TechMedicine, Joshua Schwimmer creates a helpful list of the benefits of email exchanges between physicians and patients. These include:
- Asking about lab results
- Reporting potential side effects of medications
- Clarifying whether it’s safe to take a certain medication
- Reporting home blood pressure readings
- Asking for prescription renewals
- Reporting new minor (but important) symptoms
- Communication new medical issues when out of the country
Now of course a structured application which enables this communication may be preferred to a open, unsecured email. Well designed PHRs include functions to request script refills, see lab results, and record home self-monitoring (although fewer PHRs have this feature). Another argument for tethered PHRs with an interface into an EMR?
Share this:KP Online offers more features
July 31, 2007
Kaiser Permanente Health Connect launched in 2005 for Northern California. It has the standard features for a teathered PHR – appointments, test results, and now includes secure email with providers. Some procedures are described step-by-step as an example of its integration with health information. Adoption has been steadily increasing, now up to 42,000. In this same article in scabee.com (Sacramento Bee newspaper), UC Davis’ MD Online boasts 25,000 patients online, although it does not mention if they are using a specific PHR product.
Maybe the tipping point for PHRs is those which are teathered to an EMR because basic services are offered up front despite the lack of ability to add one’s own content. There is also the advantage of a trusted source owning the PHR, the hospital or provider group.
Share this:Healthcare Unbound
July 29, 2007
Medical Connectivity Consulting reports on this conference which was held in Cambridge, MA, last week. With a focus on Remote Patient Monitoring, eDisease Management and consumer health technologies. Sponsored by The Center for Business Innovation, the conference included some interesting presentations, such as, “Connected health implications for the patient-provider relationship”, “The Paradox of Self-Management” and “Personal health technologies for home health solutions.”
Vince Kuraitis said in his talk “If we had a platform like Google Health to plug into to support HU applications and products, this would hasten market development.”
Check out the end of the Agenda to see some of the up and coming companies in this space.
Unfortunately, the conference is going the traditional route of selling CDs of the program rather than offering them as free podcasts.
Share this:Medicine 2.0 and Healthcare 100
July 28, 2007
Although it dates back to June, this post of 10 tips for How to Use Web 2.0 in Medicine has a nice list of tools. Second Life is at the top of the list. Medical blogs, medical wikis, medical search engines are all in the lineup. The growth of Web 2.0 in health care is exponential and will continue to spread.
On a related note, eDrugSearch.com has created the Healthcare 100 – top blogs in health and medicine. Not only are there 100 with some familiar names like Clincial Cases and Images and the Krafty Librarian, but another 150 give honorable mentioned. The ranking is based on a combine algorithm from Google, Bloglines and Technorati.
This blog is not there yet but will be added soon.
Streamlined online medical records among proposals
July 27, 2007
Today, the Cleveland Plain Dealer focused on one of the recommendations of the Commission on Care for America’s Returning Wounded Warriors. Specifically, they note the recommendation to improve family and veteran access to online medical records and disability benefits. Touting C. Martin Harris, CIO of the Cleveland Clinic, the article notes:
“Using aspects of the Clinic model, the federal commission has recommended that the VA and the Pentagon create a Web
site called “My eBenefits” that would allow doctors and service members to access private medical information as the injured move from facility to facility to receive treatment.” The recommendation also includes better sharing of information between the military and Veteran’s Administration medical systems.
Let’s hope these are implemented in a timely manner to fix this shameful problem.
Share this:Patient Advocate Blog
July 25, 2007
A recently launched blog by George Van Antwerp, focuses on consumer-directed health care and process improvement in healthcare. His perspective is from a consultant from the pharmaceutical industry but his thoughts are broad and deep. The most recent post is a summary of a Wired article on healthcare costs noting that the average family spent “$1,361 (3%) on health insurance and $405 (1%) on prescription drugs”.
Share this:International eHealth websites
July 24, 2007
The term eHealth is used more commonly in Canada and the European Union than the U.S. Here are some helpful sites to get those perspectives.
- http://www.ehealthdirectory.eu
- http://www.ehealthnews.eu
- http://www.ehealthinitiative.org
- http://www.euro.who.int/telemed
- http://www.ehealthinnovation.org/splash/ehealthflash
In addition, the Wikipedia definition of eHealth is worth reviewing. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EHealth
Share this:Problems at Dossia?
July 19, 2007
The Dossia Consortium is reportedly in crisis according a to report by Information Week. This major PHR initiative (PHR for Life) includes some major employers but the story Dossia has sued the company they contracted with to build the PHR to prevent from being sued and that the company failed to deliver (mid-July was meant to be the first online evidence of the PHR for some users). TMCNet reports on a history of disappointments.
Generally it is a disappointment that more could not be accomplished with that kind of corporate financial backing. But maybe it was a choice of the wrong contractor to build such a comprehensive solution in a PHR market which has yet to see much consolidation or adoption.
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