Promises Made – Promises Kept:   President Biden’s Support for “Obamacare.”
BY MIKE MAGEE As the saying goes, “History repeats!” This is especially true where politics are involved.  Consider for example the past three decades in health care. It is striking how many of the players in our nation’s health policy drama remain front and center. And that includes President Biden who recently commented on the 12th anniversary of the passage of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare):  “The ACA delivered quality, affordable health coverage to more than 30 million Americans — giving families the freedom and confidence to pursue their dreams without the fear that one accident or il...
Source: The Health Care Blog - November 2, 2022 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Ryan Bose-Roy Tags: Health Policy Affordable Care Act Biden Obamacare Source Type: blogs

Generative Adversarial Networks: How Can AI Learn So Much While Its IQ Remains Zero?
A short while ago we wrote about why it is a good idea to get friendly with AI before it arrives in your everyday work environment. We introduced the text-to-art algorithm Midjourney – as an easy and entertaining partner for this venture. But how do these algorithms work? How can they translate our words (Superman and Wonderwoman in Starbucks) into (more or less) fitting images? And how is it possible that while these models get better and better, their IQ remains 0? Superman and Wonderwoman in Starbucks – by Midjourney Welcome to the wonderful world of Generative Adversarial Networks or GANs for short...
Source: The Medical Futurist - November 2, 2022 Category: Information Technology Authors: Andrea Koncz Tags: TMF Artificial Intelligence in Medicine AI algorithm deep learning GAN Generative Adversarial Networks Source Type: blogs

Rethinking Newer Events
BY KIM BELLARD It’s a lot more fun to write about exciting new technologies, or companies in other industries that healthcare could learn from, than to pick on healthcare for its many, well-known shortcomings, but there was an article in JAMA Forum last week that I had to note and perhaps expand on: A New Category of “Never Events” – Ending Harmful Hospital Policies, by  Dave A. Chokshi, MD, MSc and Adam L. Beckman, BS (he is also an MD/MBA student).   The concept of a “Never Event” is well known by this point.  Coined some twenty years ago by Ken Kizer, MD of the National Quality Form (NQF) and soon w...
Source: The Health Care Blog - November 1, 2022 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Ryan Bose-Roy Tags: Health Policy Public Health Kim Bellard medical debt Never Event sustainable development Source Type: blogs

The Secret Surveillance Capitalism That Suffuses Medicare
By MICHAEL MILLENSON Imagine a government program where private contractors boost their bottom line by secretly mining participants’ personal information, such as credit reports, shopping habits and even website logins. It’s called Medicare. This is open enrollment season, when 64 million elderly and disabled Americans choose between traditional fee-for-service Medicare and private Medicare Advantage (MA) health plans. MA membership is soaring; within a few years it’s expected to encompass the majority of beneficiaries. That popularity is due in no small part to the extra benefits plans c...
Source: The Health Care Blog - October 31, 2022 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: matthew holt Tags: Medicare FTC HHS Humana Michael Millenson Surveillance United Healthcare Source Type: blogs

These 8 Countries Could Put Together The World ’ s Most Advanced Healthcare System
If we are looking for the one thing common in the healthcare systems in various countries, is that no one has ever been truly satisfied with their own. The level of satisfaction/dissatisfaction of course varies widely between countries and is closely related to the economic performance and possibilities available for the given country in the past centuries/decades. But as we will see, with having focus and working for the right goals, it is possible to fully transform a country and its healthcare in just a few decades. Can we, dreaming freely, come up with the perfect system? There are so many good examples all over the...
Source: The Medical Futurist - October 27, 2022 Category: Information Technology Authors: Andrea Koncz Tags: Future of Medicine Science Fiction e-patient Healthcare healthcare design digital technology health IT healthcare system longevity digital health technologies Future of healthcare patient inclusion Source Type: blogs

The Macro View – Health, Economics, and Politics and the Big Picture. What I Am Watching Here And Abroad.
October 27, 2022 Edition-----In the UK we have a political farce running with only a day or so to run when you read this, with a new PM (Rishi Sunak) in place..In the US the mid-term elections are coming in a week or so, thus some concern as to where the US is going!In China Xi has his third 5 year term so we all wonder how that will turn out!In OZ we have has a Budget with floods, inflation, data leaks, the threat of recession, Medicare concerns and other issues just rolling on! At least the Budget does not seem to have broken anything!Overall an ‘omnishambles’ as they say!-----Major Issues.-----https://www.afr.com/wo...
Source: Australian Health Information Technology - October 27, 2022 Category: Information Technology Authors: Dr David G More MB PhD Source Type: blogs

Commentators and Journalists Weigh In On Digital Health And Related Privacy, Safety, Social Media And Security Matters. Lots Of Interesting Perspectives - October 25, 2022.
-----This weekly blog is to explore the news around the larger issues around Digital Health, data security, data privacy, AI / ML. technology, social media and any related matters.I will also try to highlightADHA Propagandawhen I come upon it.Just so we keep count, the latest Notes from the ADHA Board were dated 6 December, 2018 and we have seen none since! It ’s pretty sad!Note: Appearance here is not to suggest I see any credibility or value in what follows. I will leave it to the reader to decide what is worthwhile and what is not! The point is to let people know what is being said / published that I have come upon, a...
Source: Australian Health Information Technology - October 25, 2022 Category: Information Technology Authors: Dr David G More MB PhD Source Type: blogs

Weekly Australian Health IT Links – 24 October, 2022.
Here are a few I have come across the last week or so. Note: Each link is followed by a title and a few paragraphs. For the full article click on the link above title of the article. Note also that full access to some links may require site registration or subscription payment.General Comment-----This week it is all about your and my data being spurted all over the place by Government and corporates. It is a huge mess and will need real work from all to sort out!-----https://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/leadership/australian-institute-of-company-directors-launches-first-steps-towards-cyber-security-regulation/news-sto...
Source: Australian Health Information Technology - October 24, 2022 Category: Information Technology Authors: Dr David G More MB PhD Source Type: blogs

Mark Cuban CostPlus Drug Company Is Distributing Roche Accu-Chek Testing Supplies
Taking a bit of a break from my recent podcast recommendations, but kind of an extension of the previous one about theMark Cuban CostPlus Drug Company, on October 11, 2022, Mark Cuban ' s startup known as the Mark Cuban CostPlus Drug Company ( " MCCPDC " , in different notices shared on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, etc.) announced a partnership with Roche Diabetes Care to bring CostPlus Drugs patients to buy Accu-Chek testing supplies through them at a lower price.  Thecost of buying Accu-Chek test strips from CostPlus is $16.79 for a quantity of 50 test strips. That works out to a cost of $0.34 per strip. Price-...
Source: Scott's Web Log - October 23, 2022 Category: Endocrinology Tags: 2022 Accu-Chek cash price costplus drug company mark cuban Roche Source Type: blogs

Weekly Overseas Health IT Links – 22nd October, 2022.
Here are a few I came across last week.Note: Each link is followed by a title and few paragraphs. For the full article click on the link above title of the article. Note also that full access to some links may require site registration or subscription payment-----https://mhealthintelligence.com/news/partnership-to-add-virtual-primary-care-feature-to-smart-tvsPartnership to Add Virtual Primary Care Feature to Smart TVsTelehealth provider HealthTap has partnered with Samsung to add a virtual healthcare feature to the tech giant ' s Smart TVs to expand access to primary care.ByMark MelchionnaOctober 14, 2022 - Aiming to ...
Source: Australian Health Information Technology - October 22, 2022 Category: Information Technology Authors: Dr David G More MB PhD Source Type: blogs

Addressing the Mental Health Crisis in Kids: Collaboration and Technology Are Key
The following is a guest article by Serrah Linares, Vice President of Partner Sales at Change Healthcare, and Rachel Mack Robinson, Founder and President at DotCom Therapy. Children in America were increasingly struggling with mental health before COVID-19, but the pandemic compounded an already growing crisis. Today in the U.S., nearly one in five children experience a mental health disorder. What’s just as alarming is that for every five children with a mental health disorder, only one will receive treatment. In October 2021, leading pediatric healthcare associations declared a national emergency in child and adolescen...
Source: EMR and HIPAA - October 19, 2022 Category: Information Technology Authors: Guest Author Tags: Ambulatory Clinical Communication and Patient Experience Health IT Company Healthcare IT Telemedicine and Remote Monitoring AAP American Academy oF Pediatrics API behavioral health CARES Act Change Healthcare CHIP Coronavirus Aid Source Type: blogs

Milliman IntelliScript Acquires OneRecord
Milliman IntelliScript®, an insurtech company with risk assessment solutions for life and health insurers, has acquired OneRecord, a digital healthcare company that empowers consumers to access, aggregate, and share their healthcare data with the people and organizations they trust using standards-based APIs. OneRecord has two products: a consumer application, called OneRecord, that enables consumers to retrieve their own clinical and financial healthcare information for free, and a business-facing application programming interface, called OneRecord API, that can deliver electronic health records (EHR) and claims data wit...
Source: EMR and HIPAA - October 17, 2022 Category: Information Technology Authors: Healthcare IT News Tags: EMR-EHR Health IT Company Healthcare IT Chris Martin Electronic Health Record Health IT Acquisitions Healthcare M&A Jennifer Blumenthal Milliman Milliman IntelliScript OneRecord OneRecord API OneRecord Consumer Application Source Type: blogs

Weekly Australian Health IT Links – 17 October, 2022.
Here are a few I have come across the last week or so. Note: Each link is followed by a title and a few paragraphs. For the full article click on the link above title of the article. Note also that full access to some links may require site registration or subscription payment.General Comment-----We seem to have an epidemic of cyber leaks this week.Otherwise a few fun bits as usual and a few new apps.-----https://itwire.com/science-news/health/a-free-mobile-app-helps-people-track-early-dementia-diagnosis.htmlThursday, 13 October 2022 11:15A free mobile app helps people track early dementia diagnosisByKenn Anthony MendozaHe...
Source: Australian Health Information Technology - October 17, 2022 Category: Information Technology Authors: Dr David G More MB PhD Source Type: blogs

The Macro View – Health, Economics, and Politics and the Big Picture. What I Am Watching Here And Abroad.
October 13, 2022 Edition-----In the US the recovery from Hurricane Ian, which will take years is starting as nuclear war sadly seems to be coming closer – I hope this is just sabre-rattling and no more!In China there seems to be more instability as Xi moves to term 3 of 5 years in a week or two.Liz Truss still seems to be there!In OZ we have more floods – again – and we are waiting for a new Budget in 2 weeks or so!-----Major Issues.-----https://www.theaustralian.com.au/inquirer/defence-gets-ready-for-the-fight-of-our-lives/news-story/4ea89108b822df72194742dc3eec0246Defence gets ready for the fight of our livesAlan D...
Source: Australian Health Information Technology - October 13, 2022 Category: Information Technology Authors: Dr David G More MB PhD Source Type: blogs

I Wonder Why We, In OZ, Do Not Have A Right Like This Right Now?
This appeared last week.Call it data liberation day: Patients can now access all their health records digitally  ByCasey RossOct. 6, 2022The American Revolution had July 4. The allies had D-Day. And now U.S. patients, held down for decades by information hoarders, can rally around a new turning point, October 6, 2022 — the day they got their health data back.Underfederal rules taking effect Thursday, health care organizations must give patients unfettered access to their full health records in digital format. No more long delays. No more fax machines. No more exorbitant charges for printed pages.Just the data, ...
Source: Australian Health Information Technology - October 12, 2022 Category: Information Technology Authors: Dr David G More MB PhD Source Type: blogs