Saturday, August 1, 2009
Purchasing Decisions
"Purchasing Decisions" by dennis on August 1, 2009, 3:21 am, in category Healthcare Source REGULATIONS AND REIMBURSEMENT DOMINATE THE HEALTH CARE PURCHASING DECISION We all know that the health care is one of the most heavily regulated businesses in America. On top of that, the health care provider deals with a dizzying array of ever changing reimbursement systems; insurance, local, state and federal. By the time the health care facility manager has spent his capital equipment budget on regulatory and reimbursement driven equipment and services, there isn’t much budget left to spend on discretionary items. But, have you ever stopped to think how the regulatory and reimbursement systems impact manufacturers? Having been the head of purchasing for two different multi-billion dollar health care companies, thousands of health care products have come across my desk over the years. To deal with that volume of contacts (all of whom wanted a lot of my time) I developed some qualifying criteria based on current and pending regulatory and reimbursement guidelines. Those five categories were: Never going to be! This doesn’t mean these aren’t good products or good ideas. It means that either they don’t have a regulatory or reimbursement application or the manufacturer is selling in the wrong health care distribution channel. I believe there are four distinct health care distribution channels. Look at hospital type beds for example. There are hospital beds, long term care beds and home health (DME) beds. All these beds are, generically speaking, “hospital beds”. Yet, each style bed is pretty much worthless to the other two distribution channels. Potential! These are products that may not have current regulatory or reimbursement support but pending changes or operational efficiencies make them attractive to know about and support. I always try to keep one of these in the HealthCare Source basket of products (more on this later). Current commodity. HoHum… These are the products and manufacturers who currently have a regulatory or reimbursement niche, but are also engaged in the toxic, downward spiral of copying other manufacturers and then value engineering that product. “Value engineering”, there is a term that has become an oxymoron at the hands of some health care manufacturers. Too often the purpose of the product is lost in the process of copying and value engineering. Also, gimmicks are often proffered as solutions by these companies. Innovative Alternative! These are products developed by manufacturers who have a current regulatory or reimbursement niche, AND they are seeking/finding innovative new ways to fill the niche, AND they are constantly developing new products to be current with our ever changing industry. These are also the manufacturers who “deliver value” not “engineer” it. HealthCare Source draws the majority of its manufacturers from this category. Used to be. Due to regulatory or reimbursement changes, some products and manufacturers become obsolete. Sad, but true! So we all know that Dennis prefers to spend his time with products in the Potential and Innovative Alternative categories … get on with your story Dennis! I thought that those of you who are interested in product development, might like to keep watch on a product that MAY transition from the “Potential” category to a “double hit” regulatory AND reimbursement “Innovative Solution”. The product, Live-Vu, is a low band width, remote, medical assessment system. If you want to know more about the product you need to schedule a demo. What you need to know for this article is that this product is a unique, well tested, innovative solution. It is well channeled in the Long Term Care distribution segment, but because it did not match up to regulatory or reimbursement criteria, the manufacturer was left to fighting for that very small pool of discretionary dollars that is available at the end of the budget year. AND THEN, ALONG CAME RUGS-IV! RUGS-IV (resource utilization groups) is the new MediCare reimbursement companion to MDS 3.0. Both are scheduled to be implemented nationwide in October 2010. What is intriguing is that CMS is planning to run a demonstration test of the RUGS-IV program starting in October of this year. Four states will participate in that test program. The demonstration is called NHVBP (Nursing Home Value Based Purchasing). As I understand the program (no one really knows yet, it’s brand new), RUGS-IV is a value calculation that includes four new domains: Staffing, Appropriate Hospitalization, MDS outcomes, and survey deficiencies. Again, as I understand it, superior NHVBP ratings will pay incentive bonuses to the facilities getting superior ratings. So what is the big deal? Live-vu is a unique product that should help facilities to be 100% compliant within the “appropriate hospitalizations” domain. If true, that application hits the perfect nexus of product, regulations and reimbursement! Hey, there is a lot more to learn about the RUBS-IV and MDS 3.0 systems, and this initial assessment by HealthCare Source is based only on what we have read about the program, so far … but like I said, it will be fun to watch. I’ll keep you updated as things progress. Dennis
Monday, June 1, 2009
Wound Care - Big Market as well
Live-Vu's video for wound care is needed!
Wound Care Devices: Growth Amid Uncertainty
By Anne Staylor, Medtech Insight 1/2009
Executive Summary
Over the last 15 years, a trend toward evidence-based medicine has led to a greater understanding of the science behind wound healing. This knowledge has fueled an explosion of innovation in technology and in the commercialization of a wide range of new products, generating a worldwide market estimated at $4.5 billion annually, with double-digit growth projected over the next three to five years.
Wound Care Devices: Growth Amid Uncertainty
By Anne Staylor, Medtech Insight 1/2009
Executive Summary
Over the last 15 years, a trend toward evidence-based medicine has led to a greater understanding of the science behind wound healing. This knowledge has fueled an explosion of innovation in technology and in the commercialization of a wide range of new products, generating a worldwide market estimated at $4.5 billion annually, with double-digit growth projected over the next three to five years.
Assisted living demand skyrockets
Live-Vu's main cart/kiosk product has a great Market!
Friday, February 27, 2009 Modified: Wednesday, March 4, 2009
While real estate demand in almost every sector is flat, one sector of the market is off the charts.
The demand for assisted living will outpace the supply of available housing in the coming years, and many facilities in Silicon Valley are already near capacity, with rents ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 per month, depending on services.
Merrill Gardens LLC is capitalizing on the momentum and is set to open two new assisted living facilities in Silicon Valley. One is in the Willow Glen neighborhood of San Jose, while another is planned for the city of Campbell.
The Seattle-based operator is working closely with Barry Swenson Builder to construct the 98-unit facility in Willow Glen that is slated to open on May 1. The Campbell project
is a mixed-use community made up of 101 senior rental units for assisted living, 26 rental units not restricted by age and a separate Alzheimer’s facility. It is scheduled to open in 2011.
CEO Bill Pettit said Merrill Gardens chose Silicon Valley because there haven’t been any new facilities built here in the past decade. Between the two new projects, Pettit said the company has made a $90 million commitment in housing to this market. Merrill Gardens already has assisted living communities in Fremont, Vallejo, Sonoma and Rohnert Park, with 54 communities nationwide.
Big market
Assisted living is a $38 billion industry. Today, 1 million Americans reside in assisted living facilities, according to the National Center for Assisted Living.
Paul Williams, director of government relations with the Assisted Living Federation, said occupancy rates in assisted living have decreased somewhat — from the 90s to the high 80s — but not drastically. The average age of a resident now is 85 years old, but that is going to change.
The need for assisted living is only going to increase once baby boomers
reach that age bracket, Williams said.
Pettit adds that companies will be unable to build communities fast enough to meet the growth of the senior population.
The existing facilities in the United States can serve less than 10 percent of the current 38 million Americans over age 65, Pettit said.
“We’re adding almost 10 million seniors every year,” he said, “and with the rapid increase in seniors, the market will become increasingly competitive to find an assisted living facility.”
Pettit said Merrill Gardens is currently at 91 percent occupancy across the country.
“There’s almost no new development going on in 2009 because of the financial markets, and it takes two years before a building is ready for occupancy,” Pettit said. “Seniors who have held off because of economic conditions will be competing with other seniors when the market normalizes.”
Friday, February 27, 2009 Modified: Wednesday, March 4, 2009
While real estate demand in almost every sector is flat, one sector of the market is off the charts.
The demand for assisted living will outpace the supply of available housing in the coming years, and many facilities in Silicon Valley are already near capacity, with rents ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 per month, depending on services.
Merrill Gardens LLC is capitalizing on the momentum and is set to open two new assisted living facilities in Silicon Valley. One is in the Willow Glen neighborhood of San Jose, while another is planned for the city of Campbell.
The Seattle-based operator is working closely with Barry Swenson Builder to construct the 98-unit facility in Willow Glen that is slated to open on May 1. The Campbell project
is a mixed-use community made up of 101 senior rental units for assisted living, 26 rental units not restricted by age and a separate Alzheimer’s facility. It is scheduled to open in 2011.
CEO Bill Pettit said Merrill Gardens chose Silicon Valley because there haven’t been any new facilities built here in the past decade. Between the two new projects, Pettit said the company has made a $90 million commitment in housing to this market. Merrill Gardens already has assisted living communities in Fremont, Vallejo, Sonoma and Rohnert Park, with 54 communities nationwide.
Big market
Assisted living is a $38 billion industry. Today, 1 million Americans reside in assisted living facilities, according to the National Center for Assisted Living.
Paul Williams, director of government relations with the Assisted Living Federation, said occupancy rates in assisted living have decreased somewhat — from the 90s to the high 80s — but not drastically. The average age of a resident now is 85 years old, but that is going to change.
The need for assisted living is only going to increase once baby boomers
reach that age bracket, Williams said.
Pettit adds that companies will be unable to build communities fast enough to meet the growth of the senior population.
The existing facilities in the United States can serve less than 10 percent of the current 38 million Americans over age 65, Pettit said.
“We’re adding almost 10 million seniors every year,” he said, “and with the rapid increase in seniors, the market will become increasingly competitive to find an assisted living facility.”
Pettit said Merrill Gardens is currently at 91 percent occupancy across the country.
“There’s almost no new development going on in 2009 because of the financial markets, and it takes two years before a building is ready for occupancy,” Pettit said. “Seniors who have held off because of economic conditions will be competing with other seniors when the market normalizes.”
There's No Place Like the Home Health Care Market
Live-Vu's Home Care Kit Market!
Article preview reprinted from Start-Up - February, 2009
The market for home health care products, valued at $4.3 billion today, is one of the largest and most stable medtech markets in the US, and like most health care markets, it owes its growth to the burgeoning aging population. In the year 2010, the number of people age 65 and older in the US is expected to total more than 40.2 million, according to "US Markets for Home Health Care Products," a report recently published by the FDC-Windhover division of Elsevier Business Intelligence.
It's this growth that spawned the critical need for less expensive strategies and technologies used to care for patients sick enough to require chronic care, but healthy enough to live at home. The home market also serves younger, disabled patients who don't require hospitalization and those recovering from acute medical conditions who only need temporary or intermittent home-based medical care.
This population will only grow. As the larger elderly segment of the population ages, they'll require care. But rising health care costs have forced patients to recover from disease and injury at home rather than in an acute care or even rehabilitation setting. A dangerous shortage of facilities, nurses and other skilled health care personnel adds to the pressures and ensures strong growth in the home health care market for the foreseeable future.
The respiratory segment is the largest market in home health care, covering asthma, obstructive sleep apnea, chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, emphysema and cystic fibrosis. In the US, the home respiratory market was estimated at $1.5 billion in 2007, and is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 4% through 2012. As hospitals continue to look for ways to reduce their costs and better manage patients, new home health care respiratory therapy technology will offer clinically safe, long-term therapy alternatives.
Gaining access to the home respiratory market was part of the rationale behind the acquisition of Respironics Inc. by Royal Philips Electronics NV for $4.9 billion at the end of 2007. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in particular, is emerging as a hot growth segment, due to the enormous patient population: there are 12 million people with OSA in the US. As testament to the promise in this field, 2008 saw four acquisitions and two venture financings of sleep apnea companies. (See "Once Sluggish Sleep Apnea Gets Active," START-UP, January 2009
Article preview reprinted from Start-Up - February, 2009
The market for home health care products, valued at $4.3 billion today, is one of the largest and most stable medtech markets in the US, and like most health care markets, it owes its growth to the burgeoning aging population. In the year 2010, the number of people age 65 and older in the US is expected to total more than 40.2 million, according to "US Markets for Home Health Care Products," a report recently published by the FDC-Windhover division of Elsevier Business Intelligence.
It's this growth that spawned the critical need for less expensive strategies and technologies used to care for patients sick enough to require chronic care, but healthy enough to live at home. The home market also serves younger, disabled patients who don't require hospitalization and those recovering from acute medical conditions who only need temporary or intermittent home-based medical care.
This population will only grow. As the larger elderly segment of the population ages, they'll require care. But rising health care costs have forced patients to recover from disease and injury at home rather than in an acute care or even rehabilitation setting. A dangerous shortage of facilities, nurses and other skilled health care personnel adds to the pressures and ensures strong growth in the home health care market for the foreseeable future.
The respiratory segment is the largest market in home health care, covering asthma, obstructive sleep apnea, chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, emphysema and cystic fibrosis. In the US, the home respiratory market was estimated at $1.5 billion in 2007, and is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 4% through 2012. As hospitals continue to look for ways to reduce their costs and better manage patients, new home health care respiratory therapy technology will offer clinically safe, long-term therapy alternatives.
Gaining access to the home respiratory market was part of the rationale behind the acquisition of Respironics Inc. by Royal Philips Electronics NV for $4.9 billion at the end of 2007. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in particular, is emerging as a hot growth segment, due to the enormous patient population: there are 12 million people with OSA in the US. As testament to the promise in this field, 2008 saw four acquisitions and two venture financings of sleep apnea companies. (See "Once Sluggish Sleep Apnea Gets Active," START-UP, January 2009
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
$215 Million to Help Rural Vets
This may be a Live-Vu kickoff! We are looking forward to working with the undersecretary to do a project in our local VISN.
$215 Million to Help Rural Vets
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
The Department of Veterans Affairs has provided $215 million to improve access and quality of healthcare for veterans in rural areas. The funding will be used to support the latest technologies, to recruit and retain a well educated and trained healthcare workforce, and to collaborate with non-VA rural health community partners.
According to Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki, the funds will enable the VA to establish new outpatient clinics, expand collaborations with federal and community partners, accelerate the use of telemedicine deployment, explore innovative uses of technology, and fund pilot programs.
The VISNs, VA regional healthcare networks, and VHA program offices were allowed to submit up to eight proposed projects each for funding. The proposals were prioritized and then sent to the Office of Rural Health where they were evaluated based on methodology, feasibility, and the intended impact on rural veterans. ORH then selected 74 programs where many of the programs were either national in scope or affected multiple states.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
VA's Information Tech Focus
Dr. Callaci's meeting Tuesday with the VA at the May 2009 Care Coordination and Telehealth Forms went well and shows great possibilities.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
VA's Information Tech Focus
The VA is requesting $3,307 billion for FY 2010 excluding the Recovery Act stimulus funding for $50.1 million. This is an increase of $559 million or 20 percent above 2009 to support Information and Technology.In April, President Obama along with Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Shinseki and Defense Secretary Gates, took the first step to create a Joint Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record. The two Departments will leverage information sharing programs and infrastructure, expand existing initiatives, and implement health benefits and personnel communities as technology advances. DOD and VA are committed to achieving clinical interoperable EHR systems by September 30, 2009.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
VA's Information Tech Focus
The VA is requesting $3,307 billion for FY 2010 excluding the Recovery Act stimulus funding for $50.1 million. This is an increase of $559 million or 20 percent above 2009 to support Information and Technology.In April, President Obama along with Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Shinseki and Defense Secretary Gates, took the first step to create a Joint Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record. The two Departments will leverage information sharing programs and infrastructure, expand existing initiatives, and implement health benefits and personnel communities as technology advances. DOD and VA are committed to achieving clinical interoperable EHR systems by September 30, 2009.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Seventy-five percent of adults believe it is very important for health care providers to use electronic health records
How Important Is It for Health Care Providers To Use Electronic Health Records?
Seventy-five percent of adults believe it is very important or somewhat important for health care providers to use electronic health records, according to a recent survey. However, 59% of adults said they are not too confident or not at all confident that their health information would remain confidential if stored electronically and shared online.
Seventy-five percent of adults believe it is very important or somewhat important for health care providers to use electronic health records, according to a recent survey. However, 59% of adults said they are not too confident or not at all confident that their health information would remain confidential if stored electronically and shared online.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
The USA is behind the rest of the World!
Live-Vu is in the right place at the right time!
Telemedicine/Telehealth Update
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
This is an amazing time and we are at the center of the storm with everyone ready to see telemedicine and telehealth move forward said Jonathan Linkous, CEO, of the American Telemedicine Association. He continued to say that telemedicine has been growing with 200 networks, at 300 sites, and 100,000 units in homes treating individuals with chronic conditions. Yet we are behind the rest of the world.
Posted by Carolyn Bloch at 3:03 PM
Telemedicine/Telehealth Update
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
This is an amazing time and we are at the center of the storm with everyone ready to see telemedicine and telehealth move forward said Jonathan Linkous, CEO, of the American Telemedicine Association. He continued to say that telemedicine has been growing with 200 networks, at 300 sites, and 100,000 units in homes treating individuals with chronic conditions. Yet we are behind the rest of the world.
Posted by Carolyn Bloch at 3:03 PM
Monday, April 20, 2009
Telemedicine can serve the critical care needs of rural communities.
Study shows that Telemedicine works for rural critical care!
eICUs Can Save Millions
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Telemedicine can serve the critical care needs of rural communities and already has saved millions of dollars while improving patient survival. Dr. Edward Zawada, Medical Director of Avera eICU® CARE, a service of Avera Health based in Sioux Falls, S.D., authored a study that found that significant financial benefits can be accomplished ranging from improved quality, less stress on rural physicians and nurses, along with higher patient and family satisfaction.The study presented at the Society of Critical Care Medicine’s annual meeting compared data before eICU implementation, and then did a comparison 30 months after implementation. The findings showed:
eICUs Can Save Millions
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Telemedicine can serve the critical care needs of rural communities and already has saved millions of dollars while improving patient survival. Dr. Edward Zawada, Medical Director of Avera eICU® CARE, a service of Avera Health based in Sioux Falls, S.D., authored a study that found that significant financial benefits can be accomplished ranging from improved quality, less stress on rural physicians and nurses, along with higher patient and family satisfaction.The study presented at the Society of Critical Care Medicine’s annual meeting compared data before eICU implementation, and then did a comparison 30 months after implementation. The findings showed:
- Rural hospitals had fewer patients requiring transfer, which represented a cost savings of more than $1.2 million
- There were shorter lengths of stay in intensive care units resulting in a saving of an estimated $8 million
- Hospital mortality rates were 65-80 percent lower than predicted after implementation of the eICU as compared to 50 percent lower than predicted before implementation
- Ninety percent of rural hospital clinical leaders reported being more comfortable caring for critically ill patients with eICU
- Ninety percent of rural hospital leaders agreed that patients and families are comfortable staying in the hospital with the added eICU care
- One hundred percent of rural physicians agreed that better and safer care can be supported by a remote critical care team
While numerous studies documented by the Leapfrog Group show that intensivist staffing reduces the risk of ICU mortality by up to 40 percent, a shortage of intensivists makes such bedside care impossible in most locations. With only about 6,000 of these specialists in practice, less than 15 percent of ICUs have dedicated intensivist care which is especially true in rural areas.
Posted by Carolyn Bloch at 12:30 PM
Friday, April 17, 2009
Global Telemedicine Market to Exceed $18 Billion by 2015
The Telemedicine market is huge and money from the Federal Government is being injected into it to make it grow faster!
According to a New Report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
Driven by aging population, increased medical requirements in remote locations and technology advancements, the world market for telemedicine is projected to exceed $18 billion by the year 2015. Application of telemedicine is expanding virtually across all the medical areas. Telemedicine currently finds application in majority of medical domains including radiology, cardiology, dermatology, psychiatry, dentistry, pediatrics and pathology, among others.
San Jose, California (PRWEB) April 6, 2009 -- Telemedicine, offering quality services with significant cost savings, has given a new dimension to the healthcare sector. Although telemedicine programs have been in vogue for nearly half a century, the recent health care reforms have been instrumental in promoting the increased usage of such applications. Telemedicine services are used in several medical areas including diabetes control, primary health care, psychiatry, genetics, radiology, pathology, cardiology, dermatology and pediatrics, among others. Telemedicine programs have proved cost effective, and with curtailment of health care expenditures becoming one of the major concerns, such programs are being increasingly implemented in several nations across the globe.
The US and Europe dominate the world telemedicine market, as stated by the recent report published by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. In the US, federal grants to encourage telemedicine deployment and develop telecommunications infrastructure, has been responsible for wide adoption of the technology. Moreover, growing number of multiple chronic disease patients coupled with rapidly increasing population of aging baby boomers and lack of disease management and requisite healthcare facilities are expected to propel the market for remote monitoring of patients. Consequently, increased remote monitoring of patients bodes long-term growth for the telemedicine market.
How the stimulus package affects healthcare.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) was signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009. This landmark bill sets aside approximately $180 billion in federal funding for healthcare-related spending. Included in the legislation are significant provisions for health IT to encourage physicians, hospitals, and other providers to adopt and use electronic health records as well as other technology to advance the delivery of healthcare.
This unprecedented federal funding and support for technology-enabled healthcare will permanently alter the landscape of the industry for hospitals, physicians, payers, and ultimately patients.
According to a New Report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
Driven by aging population, increased medical requirements in remote locations and technology advancements, the world market for telemedicine is projected to exceed $18 billion by the year 2015. Application of telemedicine is expanding virtually across all the medical areas. Telemedicine currently finds application in majority of medical domains including radiology, cardiology, dermatology, psychiatry, dentistry, pediatrics and pathology, among others.
San Jose, California (PRWEB) April 6, 2009 -- Telemedicine, offering quality services with significant cost savings, has given a new dimension to the healthcare sector. Although telemedicine programs have been in vogue for nearly half a century, the recent health care reforms have been instrumental in promoting the increased usage of such applications. Telemedicine services are used in several medical areas including diabetes control, primary health care, psychiatry, genetics, radiology, pathology, cardiology, dermatology and pediatrics, among others. Telemedicine programs have proved cost effective, and with curtailment of health care expenditures becoming one of the major concerns, such programs are being increasingly implemented in several nations across the globe.
The US and Europe dominate the world telemedicine market, as stated by the recent report published by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. In the US, federal grants to encourage telemedicine deployment and develop telecommunications infrastructure, has been responsible for wide adoption of the technology. Moreover, growing number of multiple chronic disease patients coupled with rapidly increasing population of aging baby boomers and lack of disease management and requisite healthcare facilities are expected to propel the market for remote monitoring of patients. Consequently, increased remote monitoring of patients bodes long-term growth for the telemedicine market.
How the stimulus package affects healthcare.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) was signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009. This landmark bill sets aside approximately $180 billion in federal funding for healthcare-related spending. Included in the legislation are significant provisions for health IT to encourage physicians, hospitals, and other providers to adopt and use electronic health records as well as other technology to advance the delivery of healthcare.
This unprecedented federal funding and support for technology-enabled healthcare will permanently alter the landscape of the industry for hospitals, physicians, payers, and ultimately patients.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Obama announces joint virtual lifetime electronic record
Electronic Medical Records are in the news again.
Live-Vu is working with the VA and will work on being a part of this effort.
WASHINGTON, April 9, 2009 - President Barack Obama announced plans today to create a joint virtual lifetime electronic record that will improve care and services to transitioning veterans by smoothing the flow of medical records between the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments. The concept, long advocated by officials in both departments, is considered a major step toward improving the delivery of care and services to service members transitioning from military to civilian life.
The goal, he said, is simple and straightforward."When a member of the armed forces separates from the military, he or she will no longer have to walk paperwork from a [Defense Department] duty station to a local VA health center," Obama explained. "Their electronic records will transition along with them and remain with them forever."
No comprehensive system is currently in place to streamline the transition of health records between the two departments, the president noted. "And that results in extraordinary hardship for an awful lot of veterans who end up finding their records lost [or] unable to get their benefits processed in a timely fashion," he said.Obama said he's heard countless stories over the years about veterans who found it almost impossible to get the benefits they had earned - even when their disabilities and needs were clearly evident."
That's why I'm asking both departments to work together to define and build a seamless system of integration," he said.
NeoTool EMR Blog
Live-Vu is working with the VA and will work on being a part of this effort.
WASHINGTON, April 9, 2009 - President Barack Obama announced plans today to create a joint virtual lifetime electronic record that will improve care and services to transitioning veterans by smoothing the flow of medical records between the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments. The concept, long advocated by officials in both departments, is considered a major step toward improving the delivery of care and services to service members transitioning from military to civilian life.
The goal, he said, is simple and straightforward."When a member of the armed forces separates from the military, he or she will no longer have to walk paperwork from a [Defense Department] duty station to a local VA health center," Obama explained. "Their electronic records will transition along with them and remain with them forever."
No comprehensive system is currently in place to streamline the transition of health records between the two departments, the president noted. "And that results in extraordinary hardship for an awful lot of veterans who end up finding their records lost [or] unable to get their benefits processed in a timely fashion," he said.Obama said he's heard countless stories over the years about veterans who found it almost impossible to get the benefits they had earned - even when their disabilities and needs were clearly evident."
That's why I'm asking both departments to work together to define and build a seamless system of integration," he said.
NeoTool EMR Blog
Monday, April 13, 2009
Suspect arrested in nursing home abuse case
Nursing homes have problems!
Regular use of our Telemedicine roll-around carts with our EMR system would catch many of these problems before they become critical!
April 10, 2009 07:47 AM PDT
LUFKIN, TX (KTRE) - Lufkin Police have arrested a woman suspected in the Castle Pines nursing home abuse case.
Bail was set at $5,000 and Rodriguez posted bond Thursday and left the Angelina County Jail. According to an arrest affidavit, Rodriguez abused an 80-year-old woman on March 22, 2009.
One of the nursing staff, the affidavit states, noticed the victim's door was closed and her help light was activated. The worker went to check on the victim and saw Rodriguez striking the resident on her left hand. The worker then saw blood on the bed and reported it to the hall desk. According to the affidavit, other staff came into the room and saw bruising begin to develop on both of the victim's hands and arms. Rodriguez admitted to "popping the victim," the affidavit states and to holding her hands down and trying to fight with her. Rodgriguez is a certified nurse aid, the affidavit states.
Problems at a Nursing Home
Reported by: Nate Potter
Friday, Mar 13, 2009 @02:43pm EST
CAMBRIA TOWNSHIP, CAMBRIA COUNTY – Several problems have been found at a nursing home.
Inspectors found three concerns at Laurel Crest Nursing Home. The report was released in March. It found deficiencies in the monitoring of the nurses, the care by staff and the documentation procedures.
Nursing Home Ratings & Inspection Reports - IQ Nursing Homes.com
Database Statistics
Last Checked: March 23, 2009
Facilities: 15,354
Deficiencies: 462,747
Nursing Home Abuse, Neglect, and Negligence are at Epidemic Levels. Abuse can occur even in the best facilities. Problems can range from Bed Sores and Neglect to outright Abuse and Wrongful Death. IQ Nursing Homes is dedicated to protecting the elderly. We provide tools so you can easily:
Assess Nursing Homes Nationwide
Choose a Safe Nursing Home
Recognize Signs of Elder Abuse
Prevent Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
Protect your Elder from Nursing Home Negligence
Research each facility's record before you make any choices. Unfortunately, our loved ones are mistreated, abused, and even die in Nursing Home facilities across the United States. We strongly recommend you review the performance record for any facilities you are considering, or currently have loved ones in. Protect your loved ones from elder abuse.
Nursing Home Neglect
California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR)
Some Nursing Home Settlements
Nursing Home Settlements & Verdicts Reported
Regular use of our Telemedicine roll-around carts with our EMR system would catch many of these problems before they become critical!
April 10, 2009 07:47 AM PDT
LUFKIN, TX (KTRE) - Lufkin Police have arrested a woman suspected in the Castle Pines nursing home abuse case.
Bail was set at $5,000 and Rodriguez posted bond Thursday and left the Angelina County Jail. According to an arrest affidavit, Rodriguez abused an 80-year-old woman on March 22, 2009.
One of the nursing staff, the affidavit states, noticed the victim's door was closed and her help light was activated. The worker went to check on the victim and saw Rodriguez striking the resident on her left hand. The worker then saw blood on the bed and reported it to the hall desk. According to the affidavit, other staff came into the room and saw bruising begin to develop on both of the victim's hands and arms. Rodriguez admitted to "popping the victim," the affidavit states and to holding her hands down and trying to fight with her. Rodgriguez is a certified nurse aid, the affidavit states.
Problems at a Nursing Home
Reported by: Nate Potter
Friday, Mar 13, 2009 @02:43pm EST
CAMBRIA TOWNSHIP, CAMBRIA COUNTY – Several problems have been found at a nursing home.
Inspectors found three concerns at Laurel Crest Nursing Home. The report was released in March. It found deficiencies in the monitoring of the nurses, the care by staff and the documentation procedures.
Nursing Home Ratings & Inspection Reports - IQ Nursing Homes.com
Database Statistics
Last Checked: March 23, 2009
Facilities: 15,354
Deficiencies: 462,747
Nursing Home Abuse, Neglect, and Negligence are at Epidemic Levels. Abuse can occur even in the best facilities. Problems can range from Bed Sores and Neglect to outright Abuse and Wrongful Death. IQ Nursing Homes is dedicated to protecting the elderly. We provide tools so you can easily:
Assess Nursing Homes Nationwide
Choose a Safe Nursing Home
Recognize Signs of Elder Abuse
Prevent Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
Protect your Elder from Nursing Home Negligence
Research each facility's record before you make any choices. Unfortunately, our loved ones are mistreated, abused, and even die in Nursing Home facilities across the United States. We strongly recommend you review the performance record for any facilities you are considering, or currently have loved ones in. Protect your loved ones from elder abuse.
Nursing Home Neglect
California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR)
Some Nursing Home Settlements
Nursing Home Settlements & Verdicts Reported
Diabetes and skin problems
Bed sores are common!
We must watch for them with a medical professional making the judgement!
by Melissa Dopp
It is very common for people who have diabetes to have skin problems. Especially when they get older. Skin problems with people who have diabetes is very hard to cure. They don't heal very well. It is also easy to prevent the skin problems.
Mainly people who have diabetes get sores around their pressure points. If not taken care of they can turn real bad. They can also hurt. This stuff mainly happens when they are in the hospital. They are known as bed soars. The soars can spread and smell bad. Once you have one it takes quite a while to get ride of. These are more common in people who can't move around by themselves than people who are ambulatory.
It is real easy to prevent people from getting bed soars. You just gotta get them to move around so that they are not on there pressure points. If you lay or sit on a pressure point for to long even a healthy person it starts to bother you. That is when you switch positions. You moved to get the blood flowing and to get air to the spot you where sitting on. You have pressure points in your legs, arms, and your back side. So if you can stay off them as much as possible than you will never have a problem. People with diabetes have a hard time healing but if any one can keep their skin clean, dry, and get them moving it really shouldn't,t be a problem.
People with diabetes also have problems with there nails. They become very brittle. So you have to be careful not to hurt them when you are trimming their nails. It is because when they check their blood sugar the fingers is where they check. It is much easier for them to check at the top of the fingers then it is to do it from any where else.
People with diabetes you have to watch, because their diet and sugar. They get all their problems, because they have to watch what they eat. So they don't get all the nutrition that people who don't have diabetes do. It is all do to their diet.
Also, people who are diabetic can't scratch an itch that they might have or they can't get scratched by any one else. If they do their skin will easily open up and then they will have a soar that will be harder than normal to heal. That is why they are probably the most careful people around. Their skin is so easy to break open it is really unreal. That is why if your taking care of someone that is a diabetic you have to be careful not to scratch them with you rings or nails.
They also bruise very easily. So they have to be careful that nobody hits them or they bang in to anything. Even a bruise can cause them problems. They don't heal very well either. Just like nay thing else for them a bruise is real hard to get rid of. It may take weeks for it to go away.
We must watch for them with a medical professional making the judgement!
by Melissa Dopp
It is very common for people who have diabetes to have skin problems. Especially when they get older. Skin problems with people who have diabetes is very hard to cure. They don't heal very well. It is also easy to prevent the skin problems.
Mainly people who have diabetes get sores around their pressure points. If not taken care of they can turn real bad. They can also hurt. This stuff mainly happens when they are in the hospital. They are known as bed soars. The soars can spread and smell bad. Once you have one it takes quite a while to get ride of. These are more common in people who can't move around by themselves than people who are ambulatory.
It is real easy to prevent people from getting bed soars. You just gotta get them to move around so that they are not on there pressure points. If you lay or sit on a pressure point for to long even a healthy person it starts to bother you. That is when you switch positions. You moved to get the blood flowing and to get air to the spot you where sitting on. You have pressure points in your legs, arms, and your back side. So if you can stay off them as much as possible than you will never have a problem. People with diabetes have a hard time healing but if any one can keep their skin clean, dry, and get them moving it really shouldn't,t be a problem.
People with diabetes also have problems with there nails. They become very brittle. So you have to be careful not to hurt them when you are trimming their nails. It is because when they check their blood sugar the fingers is where they check. It is much easier for them to check at the top of the fingers then it is to do it from any where else.
People with diabetes you have to watch, because their diet and sugar. They get all their problems, because they have to watch what they eat. So they don't get all the nutrition that people who don't have diabetes do. It is all do to their diet.
Also, people who are diabetic can't scratch an itch that they might have or they can't get scratched by any one else. If they do their skin will easily open up and then they will have a soar that will be harder than normal to heal. That is why they are probably the most careful people around. Their skin is so easy to break open it is really unreal. That is why if your taking care of someone that is a diabetic you have to be careful not to scratch them with you rings or nails.
They also bruise very easily. So they have to be careful that nobody hits them or they bang in to anything. Even a bruise can cause them problems. They don't heal very well either. Just like nay thing else for them a bruise is real hard to get rid of. It may take weeks for it to go away.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Senior had bed sores, ants crawling on her
If she had a Live-Vu system monitoring her with a doctor or a nurse watching over her as needed, this may not have happened!
By Hal Conick, hconick@mysuburbanlife.com
GateHouse News Service
Thu Apr 02, 2009, 05:38 PM CDT
Geneva, IL - Geneva paramedics told today of an elderly woman covered with bed soars in a urine-soaked bed and ants crawling on her body during the first day of testimony in the bench trial of two Geneva women charged with elder abuse.Sisters Jill, 55, and Julie M. Barry, 48, were each previously charged with two counts of criminal neglect of an elderly person in relation to the death of their mother, MaryKane County State's Attorney John Barsanti said in his opening statement that this is a different case because there has yet to be a definitive negligence case under Illinois law.
Barsanti said his case would revolve around Mary Barry’s condition upon arrival at Delnor-Community Hospital and at the time of the autopsy. Geneva firefighter John McCaffery, who was working as a paramedic the day of the emergency call, said that upon entering the home there was an “overwhelming odor of urine and fecal (matter).” Jill and Julie Barry, who were living with their mother, called 911 at 9:45 a.m. April 20, 2007 after they found Barry unresponsive, paramedics said, noting that they thought she had suffered a stroke. Geneva paramedics arrived at Mary Barry’s home to find her near death in a urine-soaked bed, covered with bed sores and with ants crawling on her body, according to Thursday’s testimony.
Mary Barry, 84, died that day at Delnor. The Kane County coroner determined Barry died of pneumonia. The sisters’ trial will continue at 9:30 a.m. Friday in Kane County Circuit Court.
By Hal Conick, hconick@mysuburbanlife.com
GateHouse News Service
Thu Apr 02, 2009, 05:38 PM CDT
Geneva, IL - Geneva paramedics told today of an elderly woman covered with bed soars in a urine-soaked bed and ants crawling on her body during the first day of testimony in the bench trial of two Geneva women charged with elder abuse.Sisters Jill, 55, and Julie M. Barry, 48, were each previously charged with two counts of criminal neglect of an elderly person in relation to the death of their mother, MaryKane County State's Attorney John Barsanti said in his opening statement that this is a different case because there has yet to be a definitive negligence case under Illinois law.
Barsanti said his case would revolve around Mary Barry’s condition upon arrival at Delnor-Community Hospital and at the time of the autopsy. Geneva firefighter John McCaffery, who was working as a paramedic the day of the emergency call, said that upon entering the home there was an “overwhelming odor of urine and fecal (matter).” Jill and Julie Barry, who were living with their mother, called 911 at 9:45 a.m. April 20, 2007 after they found Barry unresponsive, paramedics said, noting that they thought she had suffered a stroke. Geneva paramedics arrived at Mary Barry’s home to find her near death in a urine-soaked bed, covered with bed sores and with ants crawling on her body, according to Thursday’s testimony.
Mary Barry, 84, died that day at Delnor. The Kane County coroner determined Barry died of pneumonia. The sisters’ trial will continue at 9:30 a.m. Friday in Kane County Circuit Court.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Case for Improving Communications
Prior use of Live-Vu's carts or kits with our EMR would make the patient's record available in the Emergency Room or anywhere else that he required medical care.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
A story on AHRQ’s Morbidity & Mortality website makes a strong case for better communication between non-acute care facilities and emergency departments. The case commentary was provided by Christopher Fee, M.D. Assistant Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine at UCSF Medical Center.
The case highlights the communication failures that can and have occurred between nursing homes and the emergency departments as well as between emergency medical services personnel and emergency departments.
How do failures occur while transporting a patient? In one situation, paramedics delivered a patient to the emergency department and left without speaking with the doctor plus the paramedics did not leave any paperwork or documentation.
The physician managed to find some papers with the patient that identified him as a 68 year old nursing home resident with shortness of breath and some scant notes about his medications but there wasn’t any further information on the patient’s past medical history. Because of the inadequate handoff from the paramedics, the ED physician had no choice but to proceed with the evaluation and treatment of the patient despite only having minimal information.
Although the majority of patients seen in EDs present directly or are brought by ambulance, many are referred from outside facilities such as other EDs, nursing homes, or local clinics. These patients are frequently quite ill and may have received significant medical evaluation or treatment prior to transfer.
Unfortunately, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) only applies to the transfer of patients to the ED from another ED, hospital, or medical center and does not apply to patients from non-acute facilities.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
A story on AHRQ’s Morbidity & Mortality website makes a strong case for better communication between non-acute care facilities and emergency departments. The case commentary was provided by Christopher Fee, M.D. Assistant Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine at UCSF Medical Center.
The case highlights the communication failures that can and have occurred between nursing homes and the emergency departments as well as between emergency medical services personnel and emergency departments.
How do failures occur while transporting a patient? In one situation, paramedics delivered a patient to the emergency department and left without speaking with the doctor plus the paramedics did not leave any paperwork or documentation.
The physician managed to find some papers with the patient that identified him as a 68 year old nursing home resident with shortness of breath and some scant notes about his medications but there wasn’t any further information on the patient’s past medical history. Because of the inadequate handoff from the paramedics, the ED physician had no choice but to proceed with the evaluation and treatment of the patient despite only having minimal information.
Although the majority of patients seen in EDs present directly or are brought by ambulance, many are referred from outside facilities such as other EDs, nursing homes, or local clinics. These patients are frequently quite ill and may have received significant medical evaluation or treatment prior to transfer.
Unfortunately, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) only applies to the transfer of patients to the ED from another ED, hospital, or medical center and does not apply to patients from non-acute facilities.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Wound care is key!
Our carts and kits can help handle Wound care, even at remote locations when a medical practitioner cannot be locally present!
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
The public health impact of chronic wounds is staggering. An estimated 1.3 to 3 million people in the U.S. are believed to have pressure ulcers and as many as 10 to 15 percent of the 20 million individuals with diabetes are at risk of developing diabetic ulcers. Many more people have had venous ulcers or wounds resulting from arterial disease. Treating these wounds costs an estimated $5 to $10 billion each year with additional costs to patients in terms of lost productivity.
Posted by Carolyn Bloch at 8:38 AM
CMS over the past several years established new ulcer guidelines that will raise the bar for wound care documentation. Wound images, objective measurements, and tracking information have to be available to any authorized level of a medical or provider organization. This needs to be done instantaneously allowing clinicians to make accurate evidence-based decisions.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
The public health impact of chronic wounds is staggering. An estimated 1.3 to 3 million people in the U.S. are believed to have pressure ulcers and as many as 10 to 15 percent of the 20 million individuals with diabetes are at risk of developing diabetic ulcers. Many more people have had venous ulcers or wounds resulting from arterial disease. Treating these wounds costs an estimated $5 to $10 billion each year with additional costs to patients in terms of lost productivity.
Posted by Carolyn Bloch at 8:38 AM
CMS over the past several years established new ulcer guidelines that will raise the bar for wound care documentation. Wound images, objective measurements, and tracking information have to be available to any authorized level of a medical or provider organization. This needs to be done instantaneously allowing clinicians to make accurate evidence-based decisions.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Telemedicine and ATA’s Annual Meeting Defy Slowdown, Witness Strong Growth
The market is being prepared for Live-Vu's Telemedicine products!
For Immediate Release Contact: Alice Watland 202-223-3333
April 1, 2009, Washington, DC
Bucking nationwide trends toward decreased attendance at meetings, the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) is witnessing the strongest growth in its history for its upcoming annual meeting this April. With a record 20 percent increase in attendance and sold-out trade show with 200 exhibiting companies, ATA is experiencing the largest surge in interest since its creation in 1993. The ATA meeting is apparently viewed by many of the first time attendees and exhibitors as an opportunity to take advantage of the sudden increase in attention to remote healthcare services, considered a hot topic in Washington and elsewhere as part of healthcare reform. Congressional leaders and the Obama administration have stated their interest in accelerating the adoption of telemedicine services. For example, the nation’s economic stimulus package targets millions of dollars to fund accelerated use of telemedicine networks. ATA will hold its annual meeting on April 26-28 at the Rio Hotel and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. More information is available at http://www.americantelemed.org/
For Immediate Release Contact: Alice Watland 202-223-3333
April 1, 2009, Washington, DC
Bucking nationwide trends toward decreased attendance at meetings, the American Telemedicine Association (ATA) is witnessing the strongest growth in its history for its upcoming annual meeting this April. With a record 20 percent increase in attendance and sold-out trade show with 200 exhibiting companies, ATA is experiencing the largest surge in interest since its creation in 1993. The ATA meeting is apparently viewed by many of the first time attendees and exhibitors as an opportunity to take advantage of the sudden increase in attention to remote healthcare services, considered a hot topic in Washington and elsewhere as part of healthcare reform. Congressional leaders and the Obama administration have stated their interest in accelerating the adoption of telemedicine services. For example, the nation’s economic stimulus package targets millions of dollars to fund accelerated use of telemedicine networks. ATA will hold its annual meeting on April 26-28 at the Rio Hotel and Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. More information is available at http://www.americantelemed.org/
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Elderly Care and Home Care
Distance, time and availability of skilled medical personal are the major forces in delaying effective medical treatment, especially in the preventative or emergency stages. Live-Vu has created its system to close the time gap for patients.
This system has been designed to reach almost anywhere in the world with solutions for nearly every wireless link, telephone line, Internet, or wideband connection. Our technology delivers video, audio and data support, even over standard phone lines and the US cellular network, allowing a provider to get immediate medical care even to "unreachable" rural locations.
Here are some of the key dynamics:
* There is a mushroom cloud of 78 million baby boomers hitting retirement age beginning in the next few years.
* In 2009 there is a current nursing shortage of 116,000 and 100,000 unfilled RNs for hospitals and nursing homes, respectively.
* In California there has been virtually no new Long Term Care Facilities built in the past ten years to house the avalanche of new chronically ill citizens.
* Doctors and especially medical specialists tend to be clustered in highly populated urban areas, which by its nature, under serves a vast area of America.
* Millions of dollars in Federal, state and private foundation grants are being made available to deploy telemedicine solutions.
* The need for video (doctor seeing resident) in elderly care facilities has become extremely apparent. An average of 8 out of 10 residents are not making it to their offsite medical appointments and an epidemic proportion of bed sores and other skin problems are going untreated. California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR)
* Most uses of telemedicine today requires premium wide band infrastructures to handle the minimum requirements of most video transmissions.
* The Federal government is pushing for the universal implementation of Electronic Medical Record (“EMR”) systems to modernize healthcare delivery yet, EMR systems are primarily being used only in hospitals.
In the homecare market there are countless competitors in the data collection business. But, where a low bandwidth environment requires live video, we are aware of only one competitor and their system is inferior. We also add much needed medical components Stethoscopes, Wound Care Cameras and even Video Otoscopes for elderly care and homecare solutions. Hundreds of our videophones have been sold with and without kits, being used currently for home based healthcare.
Our system has an inherent ability to integrate our low bandwidth video devices and our data collection EMR database with any healthcare provider. Our SCN box allows for this integrating of differing video systems and EMR systems.
This system has been designed to reach almost anywhere in the world with solutions for nearly every wireless link, telephone line, Internet, or wideband connection. Our technology delivers video, audio and data support, even over standard phone lines and the US cellular network, allowing a provider to get immediate medical care even to "unreachable" rural locations.
Here are some of the key dynamics:
* There is a mushroom cloud of 78 million baby boomers hitting retirement age beginning in the next few years.
* In 2009 there is a current nursing shortage of 116,000 and 100,000 unfilled RNs for hospitals and nursing homes, respectively.
* In California there has been virtually no new Long Term Care Facilities built in the past ten years to house the avalanche of new chronically ill citizens.
* Doctors and especially medical specialists tend to be clustered in highly populated urban areas, which by its nature, under serves a vast area of America.
* Millions of dollars in Federal, state and private foundation grants are being made available to deploy telemedicine solutions.
* The need for video (doctor seeing resident) in elderly care facilities has become extremely apparent. An average of 8 out of 10 residents are not making it to their offsite medical appointments and an epidemic proportion of bed sores and other skin problems are going untreated. California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR)
* Most uses of telemedicine today requires premium wide band infrastructures to handle the minimum requirements of most video transmissions.
* The Federal government is pushing for the universal implementation of Electronic Medical Record (“EMR”) systems to modernize healthcare delivery yet, EMR systems are primarily being used only in hospitals.
In the homecare market there are countless competitors in the data collection business. But, where a low bandwidth environment requires live video, we are aware of only one competitor and their system is inferior. We also add much needed medical components Stethoscopes, Wound Care Cameras and even Video Otoscopes for elderly care and homecare solutions. Hundreds of our videophones have been sold with and without kits, being used currently for home based healthcare.
Our system has an inherent ability to integrate our low bandwidth video devices and our data collection EMR database with any healthcare provider. Our SCN box allows for this integrating of differing video systems and EMR systems.
Monday, March 9, 2009
VA Data Shows Home Health Technology Improves Access to Care
Current studies are demonstating the benefit of patient monitoring.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 5, 2009
VA Data Shows Home Health Technology Improves Access to Care
Peake: Entire Health Care System More Effective
WASHINGTON – Veterans with chronic conditions can manage their health and avoid hospitalization by using special technology provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in their homes, according to a recent study.
“The study showed that home telehealth makes health care more effective because it improves patients’ access to care and is easy to use,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake. “A real plus is that this approach to care can be sustained because it’s so cost-effective and more veteran-centric. Patients in rural areas are increasingly finding that telehealth improves their access to health care and promotes their ongoing relationship with our health care system.”
The study found a 25 percent reduction in the average number of days hospitalized and a 19 percent reduction in hospitalizations for patients using home telehealth. The data also shows that for some patients the cost of telehealth services in their homes averaged $1,600 a year – much lower than in-home clinician care costs.
The authors of the study in the current issue of the journal Telemedicine and e-Health are VA national telehealth staff members. The study looked at health outcomes from 17,025 VA home telehealth patients.
VA’s home telehealth program cares for 35,000 patients and is the largest of its kind in the world. Clinicians and managers in health care systems, as well as information technology professionals, have been awaiting the results of the telehealth study, said Dr. Adam Darkins, chief consultant in VA’s care coordination program, who led the study.
“The results are not really about the technology, but about how using it helps coordinate the full scope of care our patients need,” said Darkins. “It permits us to give the right care in the right place at the right time.”
VA’s Under Secretary for Health, Dr. Michael J. Kussman, said the key to the program’s success is VA’s computerized patient record system. “Data obtained from the home such as blood pressure and blood glucose, along with other patient information in the electronic system, allows our health care teams to anticipate and prevent avoidable problems,” he said.VA health care officials emphasize that home telehealth does not necessarily replace nursing home care or traditional care but can help veterans understand and manage chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and chronic heart failure. Patients’ partnership with the medical team can delay the need for institutional care and maintain independence for an extended time.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 5, 2009
VA Data Shows Home Health Technology Improves Access to Care
Peake: Entire Health Care System More Effective
WASHINGTON – Veterans with chronic conditions can manage their health and avoid hospitalization by using special technology provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in their homes, according to a recent study.
“The study showed that home telehealth makes health care more effective because it improves patients’ access to care and is easy to use,” said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Dr. James B. Peake. “A real plus is that this approach to care can be sustained because it’s so cost-effective and more veteran-centric. Patients in rural areas are increasingly finding that telehealth improves their access to health care and promotes their ongoing relationship with our health care system.”
The study found a 25 percent reduction in the average number of days hospitalized and a 19 percent reduction in hospitalizations for patients using home telehealth. The data also shows that for some patients the cost of telehealth services in their homes averaged $1,600 a year – much lower than in-home clinician care costs.
The authors of the study in the current issue of the journal Telemedicine and e-Health are VA national telehealth staff members. The study looked at health outcomes from 17,025 VA home telehealth patients.
VA’s home telehealth program cares for 35,000 patients and is the largest of its kind in the world. Clinicians and managers in health care systems, as well as information technology professionals, have been awaiting the results of the telehealth study, said Dr. Adam Darkins, chief consultant in VA’s care coordination program, who led the study.
“The results are not really about the technology, but about how using it helps coordinate the full scope of care our patients need,” said Darkins. “It permits us to give the right care in the right place at the right time.”
VA’s Under Secretary for Health, Dr. Michael J. Kussman, said the key to the program’s success is VA’s computerized patient record system. “Data obtained from the home such as blood pressure and blood glucose, along with other patient information in the electronic system, allows our health care teams to anticipate and prevent avoidable problems,” he said.VA health care officials emphasize that home telehealth does not necessarily replace nursing home care or traditional care but can help veterans understand and manage chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and chronic heart failure. Patients’ partnership with the medical team can delay the need for institutional care and maintain independence for an extended time.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Live-Vu's first product demo
Live-Vu Demoed it's first product on 12 Feb 2009 in Long Beach before potential clients.
Live-Vu has market ready turnkey telemedicine solutions that uniquely address this multi-billion dollar segment of the market. We have made extensive inroads to high level governmental executives, having private discussions with both California Gov. Schwarzenegger and Dr. Kussman, Undersecretary for the Federal Veterans Health Administration. We have also spoken with key private industry players for leading hospitals and Long Term Care Centers on both coasts. The players in each segment of the market are excited by Live-Vu’s product offerings.
Live-Vu’s unique competitive advantage is the aggregation of four components:
1) Our low bandwidth videophones, “the best in the industry”.
2) Our turnkey telemedicine solution is HIPAA compliant and is flexible enough to allow for video, audio and data transmission over IP, wireless or land based telephone lines.
3) Our working relationships with the VA, the State of California, the University of California system and key private groups have shown that Live-Vu is highly regarded as a leader in telemedicine and our size allows us to move quickly with solutions.
4) The technical founders have a long and successful history as large system integrators in the area of video communication and telemedicine systems.
We add video, audio, Stethoscopes, Cameras and even Video Otoscopes to an elderly care or homecare solution. Our technology can deliver this video and audio support, even over standard phone lines and the AT&T cellular network, allowing medical practitioners to get needed medical care even to rural locations.
All this can be tied into a practitioners healthcare system.
Live-Vu has market ready turnkey telemedicine solutions that uniquely address this multi-billion dollar segment of the market. We have made extensive inroads to high level governmental executives, having private discussions with both California Gov. Schwarzenegger and Dr. Kussman, Undersecretary for the Federal Veterans Health Administration. We have also spoken with key private industry players for leading hospitals and Long Term Care Centers on both coasts. The players in each segment of the market are excited by Live-Vu’s product offerings.Live-Vu’s unique competitive advantage is the aggregation of four components:
1) Our low bandwidth videophones, “the best in the industry”.
2) Our turnkey telemedicine solution is HIPAA compliant and is flexible enough to allow for video, audio and data transmission over IP, wireless or land based telephone lines.
3) Our working relationships with the VA, the State of California, the University of California system and key private groups have shown that Live-Vu is highly regarded as a leader in telemedicine and our size allows us to move quickly with solutions.
4) The technical founders have a long and successful history as large system integrators in the area of video communication and telemedicine systems.
We add video, audio, Stethoscopes, Cameras and even Video Otoscopes to an elderly care or homecare solution. Our technology can deliver this video and audio support, even over standard phone lines and the AT&T cellular network, allowing medical practitioners to get needed medical care even to rural locations.
All this can be tied into a practitioners healthcare system.
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