All Blog Posts (1,472)

Primary care physicians (PCPs) have been marginalized by Medicare for decades with low reimbursement rates for routine office visits which has led to the 15-20 minute office visit with 10-12 minutes of actual “face time” and a panel of patients that well exceeds 2000. 

Is there a good solution to the Medicare cost and quality issues? Setting aside either the…

The Republicans’ proposals for Medicare are quite different than the Democrats’ in that they begin with fundamental structural changes that will convert Medicare from a defined benefit to a defined contribution plan. The Democrat’s plan, see my last post, approaches the fix mainly with price controls. 

Politicians realize that Medicare will not be able to continue on its current track. Something has to change since the country will simply not be able to afford the inexorable growth…

The two party’s approaches are quite different. The Democrats’ plans are contained generally in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and for the most part are based on rate or price controls. This is Part 4 of my series on Medicare.  Politicians realize that Medicare will not be able to continue on its current track. Something has to change since the country will simply not be able…

A retired couple can expect to spend about $6000 per year (or more) for Medicare. And since Medicare does not “cover” all costs, there will be added expenses as well. 

Part A, generally for hospitalization, is paid fully by the Medicare Trust Fund supported by the Medicare tax described in my last post, which you paid into all of your working life.  Part B, generally physician fees, is paid 50-50 by the individual and the federal government from general tax revenues, not the Trust…

Medicare is complicated. And expensive to government and individuals. My last post was the beginning of a primer on Medicare. It is not simple but can be understood. Medicare covers about 50 million older Americans for general health care and covers about 75% of covered services or 50% of total health care costs of these seniors. Medicare, as the largest single insurer, sets the standard for reimbursement rates across all insurers. It tends to pay slightly less than costs, leading hospitals…

With the nomination of Congressman Paul Ryan last summer as the vice presidential candidate of the Republican Party, Medicare became front and center in the political discussions and, although there is less attention just now, it will return with a vengeance once again to dominate. To understand the dialogue requires an understanding of Medicare, how it works, where the money…

This workshop, to be held in San Diego, will examine the theoretical and practical implications of implementing a Universal Health Language, as recommended in the 2010 report of the President's Council on Science and Technology. It is open to all interested parties, at a registration fee of $250.

We also are seeking corporate sponsors for this event at the $5,000 level.

Further information is available at: …

The Medical affairs groups are a growing vital sector in today's bio pharmaceutical industry in providing hospital consultants, key opinion leaders (KOL's), regulatory agencies and healthcare professionals with scientific and medical information relating to the value and correct usage of the products.

Medical affairs personnel strive for the highest scientific integrity so as to produce…

Colleagues,

Please find excellent interview by Kathleen Goolsby, Managing Editor, SandHill.Com, of Tim Yeaton, President and CEO, Black Duck…

More chronic illnesses, more diseases of old age, consumers demanding more quality and safety, physicians no longer in typical private practice, and high deductible health care polices are each about to cause major changes in the practice of medicine and how it is delivered to patients. Will this come about smoothly or, more likely, with some serious hand wringing? 

Health care delivery will change substantially in the coming years. This is not because of reform but rather due to a…

Our care is generally good in the United States but not as good as it could be nor as good as it should be. There are multiple problems to consider. 

First, ours is a medical care system not a health care system. We focus on disease once it has occurred but give relatively little attention to maintaining health and developing wellness. 

Clearly there is a need for greater attention to disease prevention and health promotion.  Second, our sytem developed over many decades to…

We have a real paradox in American healthcare. On the one hand we have exceptionally well educated and well trained providers who are committed to our care. We are the envy of the world for our biomedical research prowess, funded largely by the National Institutes of Health and conducted across the county in universities and medical schools. The pharmaceutical industry continuously brings forth life saving and disease altering medications. The medical device industry is incredibly innovative…

Colleagues,

Please see this hyperlink to blog post at the OSEHRA (Open Source Electronic Health Record Agent) homepage on article published…

A cure for spinal cord injury? Diabetes? Macular degeneration?  Hope or just hype?

There are now some clinical trials using embryonic stem cells to treat serious diseases for which no other good therapy is currently available. But this is just the beginning of a major medical megatrend that will blossom forth in the coming years.

Embryonic stem cells are present after a fertilized egg divides for two or three days. They have the seemingly miraculous ability to turn into…

Colleagues,

Please see press release from MedTechIQ Member, Maureen Mulvihill, President and CEO, Actuated Medical.  

Congratulations to Maureen, Roger and the whole Actuated team.

ENJOY!

CC

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:  August 1, 2012

For more information:

Maureen L. Mulvihill,…

Colleagues,

Please see link below to OSEHRA Board Member, Dr. John D. Halamaka's widely read "Life as a Healthcare CIO" blog.  

As you are probably aware, Dr Halamka is Chief Information Officer Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Chairman of the New…

Medical Messenger is growing! We are looking for an experienced inside B to B salesperson. Preference will be given to those applicants with 1-3 years of medical or technology sales experience. Email me at sgolbe@emrmessenger.com for immediate consideration.

Imagine a man with a recent severe heart attack who has the muscle repaired with stem cells or a child with a severe bladder defect repaired with stem cells grown on a biodegradable scaffold. Sounds like science fiction but these are actual clinical studies in progress today.

Stem cell therapies promise to be one of those scientific breakthroughs that will have an enormous impact on health care in the future. Stem cells will bring us closer to the goal of personalized medicine,…

New cells to replace those destroyed in diabetes type 1, cells to help heal a heart attack, cells to cure leukemia – this is the promise of stem cells. Some of this is happening now; more will be available in a few years.

Stem cells will usher in the era of regenerative medicine, allowing the creation of cells, tissues and organs to treat or cure diseases and injuries. This will be a fundamental alteration in our approach to medical care and a transformational medical megatrend. And…

Colleagues,

Please see link below to article in "Upstart Business Journal" on the recent $100 Million Series A investment in GitHub made by one of Silicon Valley's hottest venture capital firms Andressssen Horowitz.

As it probably goes without saying, a $100 million is an outsized early stage venture investment.  It is my understanding that GitHub had refused outside money to this point.  A typical Series A investment would usually range between $3 to $6…