The Drummond Group, Inc. has plans to submit a plan to become a certifying body when the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) releases its requirements for certifying bodies for EHRs. Right now, there is only one certifying body.
More to the story: http://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/drummond-group-may-provide-competition-cchit
Monday, November 9, 2009
Medicare Advantage Analysis by Kaiser
The Kaiser Family Foundation produced an interesting analysis of what the Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans will look like in 2010: http://www.kff.org/medicare/8007.cfm
Dialysis Facilities' Dosage Protocals for Administering Erythropoiesis-Stimulating Agents - OIG Decision
The Office of Inspector General (OIG) issued a statement regarding dialysis facilities and their protocols in place for administering ESA. It found that only 56 percent of the facilities' protocols state a target hemoglobin range. Of those protocols that state a target hemoglobin range, 94 percent are consistent with the boxed warning on FDA-approved labeling.
Monday, October 26, 2009
New Physician Fee Schedule Just Days Away
CMS is expected to release its final rule on the 2010 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule by November 1, 2009. Cardiologists are still facing some of the biggest cuts.
Here's how one cardiologist in Arkansas describes his efforts to travel to rural areas to treat patients and how the cuts could hurt those efforts: http://www.youtube.com/guardinghearts#p/a/u/0/szk0wj0S-gY
Here's how one cardiologist in Arkansas describes his efforts to travel to rural areas to treat patients and how the cuts could hurt those efforts: http://www.youtube.com/guardinghearts#p/a/u/0/szk0wj0S-gY
Are There Really 46 Million Uninsured Americans?
It seems like the number of uninsured Americans always stays around 46 million. It doesn't go up by a huge percentage each year. And it seems like people always like to attack Texas and its "high uninsured population." But you rarely see a breakdown of what the uninsured population really looks like.
National Review Online did an interesting job of breaking down the 46 million uninsured Americans:
“The American health-care debate is a blizzard of numbers, but few get tossed around as frequently as “46 million.” According to the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey (CPS), that’s roughly how many people (the more precise figure was 45.7 million) lacked health insurance at a given moment in 2007 — nearly one-sixth of the entire U.S. population. ... Economist Keith Hennessey, director of the National Economic Council under Pres. George W. Bush, has examined the 2007 data and sliced the 45.7 million uninsured into several distinct clusters, basing his estimates on an earlier government analysis, conducted in 2005. Hennessey reckons that
· “6.4 million were enrolled in Medicaid or the State Children’s Health Insurance Program — now known just as the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) — but misreported their status (a phenomenon known as the “Medicaid undercount”);
· “4.3 million were eligible for Medicaid or CHIP but not enrolled;
· “9.3 million were noncitizens;
· “10.1 million belonged to families earning more than 300 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL); and
· “5 million were childless adults aged 18 to 34.
“If we eliminate those individuals from the original 45.7 million, we are left with about 10.6 million.”
National Review Online did an interesting job of breaking down the 46 million uninsured Americans:
“The American health-care debate is a blizzard of numbers, but few get tossed around as frequently as “46 million.” According to the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey (CPS), that’s roughly how many people (the more precise figure was 45.7 million) lacked health insurance at a given moment in 2007 — nearly one-sixth of the entire U.S. population. ... Economist Keith Hennessey, director of the National Economic Council under Pres. George W. Bush, has examined the 2007 data and sliced the 45.7 million uninsured into several distinct clusters, basing his estimates on an earlier government analysis, conducted in 2005. Hennessey reckons that
· “6.4 million were enrolled in Medicaid or the State Children’s Health Insurance Program — now known just as the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) — but misreported their status (a phenomenon known as the “Medicaid undercount”);
· “4.3 million were eligible for Medicaid or CHIP but not enrolled;
· “9.3 million were noncitizens;
· “10.1 million belonged to families earning more than 300 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL); and
· “5 million were childless adults aged 18 to 34.
“If we eliminate those individuals from the original 45.7 million, we are left with about 10.6 million.”
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Cleveland Clinic's Top 10 Medical Innovations for 2010
The Cleveland Clinic's 2009 Medical Innovation Summit just wrapped up. They released their "Top 10 Medical Innovations for 2010" list. They include:
10. Whole-Slide Imaging for Management of Digital Data In Pathology: A technology for creating digital pathology slides with excellent image quality that can be viewed, stored, streamed over the Internet, and analyzed on a computer.
9. Devices for Occluding Left Atrial Appendage to Reduce Stroke Risk: Device alternatives to long-term warfarin use that can prevent clots from developing in patients with atrial fibrillation.
8. Oral Thrombopoeitin (TPO) Receptor Agonist That Stimulates Platelet Production: A recently approved drug that stimulates production of cells in bone marrow that form platelet cells in the blood.
7. Outpatient Diagnosis of Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders: Self-contained, reliable, at-home sleep-monitoring devices for screening, diagnosing, and treatment assessment of sleep-related breathing disorders.
6. Forced Exercise To Improve Motor Function in Patients With Parkinson's: Pedaling at 90 RPMs on a tandem bike to dramatically improve motor functioning of patients with Parkinson's disease.
5. Fertility Preservation Through Oocyte Cryopreservation: A rapidly-improving technology that allows eggs of a healthy woman to be safely frozen and stored, ready to be thawed and fertilized at a later date.
4. Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants: Predictable and well-tolerated alternatives to the oral anticoagulant warfarin that provide a more convenient -- and safe -- way for patients to dose themselves and prevent blood-clot formation.
3. Continuous-Flow Ventricular Assist Devices: Tiny 3-ounce devices surgically attached alongside the heart that quietly and effectively take over the pumping ability of the heart.
2. Low-Volume, Low-Pressure Tracheal Tube Cuff To Reduce Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia: A device that dramatically reduces the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia and death in the hospital ICU by providing continuous effective airway seals.
1. Bone Conduction of Sound For Single-Sided Deafness: A new non-surgical, removable hearing and communication device designed to imperceptibly transmit sound via the teeth to help people with single-sided deafness.
10. Whole-Slide Imaging for Management of Digital Data In Pathology: A technology for creating digital pathology slides with excellent image quality that can be viewed, stored, streamed over the Internet, and analyzed on a computer.
9. Devices for Occluding Left Atrial Appendage to Reduce Stroke Risk: Device alternatives to long-term warfarin use that can prevent clots from developing in patients with atrial fibrillation.
8. Oral Thrombopoeitin (TPO) Receptor Agonist That Stimulates Platelet Production: A recently approved drug that stimulates production of cells in bone marrow that form platelet cells in the blood.
7. Outpatient Diagnosis of Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders: Self-contained, reliable, at-home sleep-monitoring devices for screening, diagnosing, and treatment assessment of sleep-related breathing disorders.
6. Forced Exercise To Improve Motor Function in Patients With Parkinson's: Pedaling at 90 RPMs on a tandem bike to dramatically improve motor functioning of patients with Parkinson's disease.
5. Fertility Preservation Through Oocyte Cryopreservation: A rapidly-improving technology that allows eggs of a healthy woman to be safely frozen and stored, ready to be thawed and fertilized at a later date.
4. Non-Vitamin K Antagonist Oral Anticoagulants: Predictable and well-tolerated alternatives to the oral anticoagulant warfarin that provide a more convenient -- and safe -- way for patients to dose themselves and prevent blood-clot formation.
3. Continuous-Flow Ventricular Assist Devices: Tiny 3-ounce devices surgically attached alongside the heart that quietly and effectively take over the pumping ability of the heart.
2. Low-Volume, Low-Pressure Tracheal Tube Cuff To Reduce Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia: A device that dramatically reduces the risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia and death in the hospital ICU by providing continuous effective airway seals.
1. Bone Conduction of Sound For Single-Sided Deafness: A new non-surgical, removable hearing and communication device designed to imperceptibly transmit sound via the teeth to help people with single-sided deafness.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas Grants Available
The state's new cancer organization announced new grants available to organizations for cancer outreach programs. The deadline to submit the grants is November 13, 2009.
Two Requests for Applications (RFAs) for cancer prevention grants are available on the CPRIT website (www.cprit.state.tx.us).
Evidence-Based Prevention Programs and Services
This RFA seeks grant applications from qualified organizations located in the State of Texas that would provide services aimed toward prevention and reduction of the risk of cancer, early detection, and improving the lives of those living with the disease. These projects would provide services that are based on scientific evidence of their effectiveness in prevention of cancer or improvement in quality of life. CPRIT expects measurable outcomes of supported activities that demonstrate impact on incidence, mortality, or morbidity or interim measures related to the outcomes. Successful applicants are eligible for a grant award of up to $1 million for up to 24 months.
Health Promotion, Public Education, and Outreach Programs
This RFA seeks grant applications from qualified organizations located in the State of Texas that propose education and outreach efforts that have the potential to demonstrate change in the behaviors that can prevent or reduce the risk of cancer. CPRIT seeks projects and partnerships that will apply evidence based strategies in novel ways, leverage resources and can demonstrate measureable outcomes in personal behaviors leading to prevention, risk reduction, early detection of cancer and improve the quality of life for survivors. Successful applicants are eligible for a grant award of up to $300,000 for up to 24 months.
The online application system for prevention grant submission will be available October 15, 2009 at 7:00a.m. CST. The deadline for grant submissions is November 13, 2009 at 3:00 p.m. CST. CPRIT expects to award the first round of prevention grants in March or April of 2010.
CPRIT has created two new list serves to provide up-to-date information by email to anyone interested in agency news and grant information. To sign up for the list serves, please visit the CPRIT website (http://www.cprit.state.tx.us) and click the “Listserve” button on the top information bar.
Two Requests for Applications (RFAs) for cancer prevention grants are available on the CPRIT website (www.cprit.state.tx.us).
Evidence-Based Prevention Programs and Services
This RFA seeks grant applications from qualified organizations located in the State of Texas that would provide services aimed toward prevention and reduction of the risk of cancer, early detection, and improving the lives of those living with the disease. These projects would provide services that are based on scientific evidence of their effectiveness in prevention of cancer or improvement in quality of life. CPRIT expects measurable outcomes of supported activities that demonstrate impact on incidence, mortality, or morbidity or interim measures related to the outcomes. Successful applicants are eligible for a grant award of up to $1 million for up to 24 months.
Health Promotion, Public Education, and Outreach Programs
This RFA seeks grant applications from qualified organizations located in the State of Texas that propose education and outreach efforts that have the potential to demonstrate change in the behaviors that can prevent or reduce the risk of cancer. CPRIT seeks projects and partnerships that will apply evidence based strategies in novel ways, leverage resources and can demonstrate measureable outcomes in personal behaviors leading to prevention, risk reduction, early detection of cancer and improve the quality of life for survivors. Successful applicants are eligible for a grant award of up to $300,000 for up to 24 months.
The online application system for prevention grant submission will be available October 15, 2009 at 7:00a.m. CST. The deadline for grant submissions is November 13, 2009 at 3:00 p.m. CST. CPRIT expects to award the first round of prevention grants in March or April of 2010.
CPRIT has created two new list serves to provide up-to-date information by email to anyone interested in agency news and grant information. To sign up for the list serves, please visit the CPRIT website (http://www.cprit.state.tx.us) and click the “Listserve” button on the top information bar.
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