Healthcare approaching a nexus of Star Trek: The Tricorder, Incentivizing mHealth Innovation

 

 

Qualcomm (San Diego, Ca) a company well known for development of cellular phone technology is sponsoring an  XPRISE competition for an award worth $10 million global in a competition developed to incentivize healthcare technology

innovation.  The goal is to develop a hand-held device that would allow a consumer to access the state of their own health anytime, anywhere.

The goal is to develop a hand-held device that would allow a consumer to access the state of their own health anytime, anywhere.  The device will be able to capture key health metrics and diagnose a set of 15 diseases.  These metrics could include blood pressure, respiratory rate and temperature.  The device would ultimately collect large volumes of data from ongoing monitoring.

So far, more than 250 teams from around the world have already filed Intent to Compete forms. Look at this map (from the website) to see where the teams come from:

 

HealthWorks Collective’s Joan Justice interviews Mark Winter, Senior Director, Qualcomm Tricorder XPrize, to get an update.

 

BOOTILICOUS----The formula for Beyonce’s Butt

 

Alternative title:   The Algo Conspiracy, or how a graph deceives us . What Beyonce can tell us about health statistics, or what are we measuring?

Huxters play on this….”The Million Man Match” “Hummers are more Green than Prius’  These are distortions to prove a pre-conceived goal.

Charles Seiffe explains:

Healthcare decisions, like those in other fields are based upon statistics, which measure disease, treatment, alternative treatments, outcomes, reimbursements, market share,,morbidity, mortality. Well to sum it up, watch the video. It tells it much more eloquently than I am able to.

 

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Tension between Health Care and IT Security

 

The Economic & Productivity Impact of IT Security on Healthcare

 

A major impact on efficiency caused by EMR implementation is the need for security which is usually provided by password protection.  Security policies often require automatic log off if a terminal is unused for a period of time.  Users are cautioned to not leave a unattended terminal without logging off.  Most EMRs automatically revert to a screensaver during idle periods.

Depending upon the clinic layout physicians may be highly mobile moving from exam room to exam room during a day’s work.  Each movement will require a log in. The situation may be lessened if the user is on a mobile platform such as an iPad, smartphone or other tablet interface, and never logs off from the EMR.

Time lost is significant in the first case and probably adds up to a significant amount of time logging in and waiting for access. Beside the inherent loss of time logging in, there is the additional frustration for the user in a busy clinic situation or if an urgent medical situation arises.  In most cases such as this the user delays entering into the electronic record until the end of the day.

Health Information systems lag behind the state of the art, for secure log ins. Readily available and affordable webcams and software for facial recognition, voice recognition, and/or fingerprint identification would speed the process with a seamless and transparent function.

Hopefully vendors will get the message, and render workable solutions for this common and very  irritating situation.

 

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HL7–The Common Denominator for Health Information Exchange and Electronic Health Records.

 

By no means am I a  computer scientist or engineer. I cannot even code.

Earlier today I had the fortuitous privilege of meeting Professor William Hammond, PhD at Duke University.

Professor Drummond began his career in electrical engineering and computer science.  He then found an intense interest in medicine and what computer science would do for clinicians. He immersed himself in working along with and behind practicing clinicians at Duke University School of Medicine. He is an original thinker in ‘translational computer science” as it relates to clinical medicine.  He is fluent in  acronyms in computer science and health care

Because of his early profound understanding what physicians want and need in information technology we now have HL-7. HL-7 (Health Level Seven)  as many know it began early in the development of electronic records, long before what we now call EMR.

             

Health Level Seven (HL7), is a non-profit organization involved in the development of international healthcare informatics interoperability standards.^[1] "HL7" also refers to some of the specific standards created by the organization (e.g., HL7 v2.x, v3.0, HL7 RIM).^[2]

HL7 and its members provide a framework (and related standards) for the exchange, integration, sharing, and retrieval of electronic health information. The 2.x versions of the standards, which support clinical practice and the management, delivery, and evaluation of health services, are the most commonly used in the world.^[3]

As a result of his pioneering work we now have many Certified EMR Vendors.and Regional Health Information Exchanges much of what is based upon the HL-7 Standards

HL-7 Newsletter

Why Health Level Seven is essential. Please feel free to listen to the presentation and attempt to answer the brief quiz.

 

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How a Physician’s Smartphone Camera might save Lives | Mobihealthnews

 

As mobile technology develops, and wireless cell phone data rates increase the use of a smartphone camera with adequate resolution can become a useful source of information which requires no additional, nor specialized services to be utilized in a medical situation.

For instance the use of an electrocardiogram  for remote monitoring would ordinarily require a specialized EKG machine and a specialized data link.

 

A team of doctors at the University of Virginia medical center has developed an app to more easily, quickly, and efficiently transmit electrocardiogram tracings from heart attack patients to doctors, enabling doctors to diagnose a particular kind of heart attack that can benefit from immediate treatment.

Most of the existing commercial systems, where the EKG hooks up to a modem to send readings to a hospital computer, are expensive and time consuming.

On the other hand, just snapping a photo with a mobile phone’s camera is not always high enough quality to be helpful, and can also take a long time.

STEMISend uses the phone camera but compresses the file size as much as possible while still maintaining a diagnostic-quality image. The development of 4G and LTE on the cell phone network may obviate compressing the images. 4G and LTE adequately carry video and imaging with HD resolution. (720p or 1080p.

   Faster than my home desktop on wifi

They tested the app more than 1,500 times via Sprint, AT&T and Verizon Wireless networks, with three or more bars of cellular service. Burt and his team have been doing preliminary field testing on the app, taking pictures at various locations near UVA’s campus where heart attacks often occur, like local grocery stores.

The system can remain HIPAA compliant even though the pictures are sent through unsecure cellular networks in the same way that radio conversations with emergency response workers comply with HIPAA: by eliminating patient identifiers. The EKG images are sent without images or names of the patients.

Burt says the goal is to make this remain a low-cost option for hospitals that can’t afford to invest in expensive commercial systems:

mHealth, Telehealth and the Digital society: Where does the ‘value’ lie?

 

Medical economics and the market dynamics, competition, new emerging technology, cost containment, improving outcomes and increased government oversight are driving transformation in the delivery of healthcare.

At the same time strides are taking place in genomics, proteomics, personalized medicine in the form of DNA analysis and scientific analysis of the coming wave of big data and analytics.

 

from Health Informatics New Zealand

 

Billions of dollars are entering (or perhaps leaving) the health system with the capitalization and investment of health information systems including electronic medical records, health information exchange, mobile health applications, remote monitoring and telehealth.

The net yield is still to be accurately determined. Most payors are not reimbursing for these additional services despite the very real commitment by some institutions, small and large. If payors expect providers to provide these HIT features without additonal financial support via the current reimbursement system further growth will be throttled back..

 

There are many uses for mobile health communications.  These range from medical education, remote monitoring.

MHealth can be integrated into normal routine daily activities, it can be there at the right times, personalized, interactive,ongoing and provide social support.  In fact there are many community advocacy and support groups available from social media sites such as Google + Facebook and other focused applications.

 

Mobile health: clinical aspects from Health Informatics New Zealand

The informatics and information technology enterprises now seem to be fully engaged in health. Most vendors have a CMIO who functions to translate clinical needs with IT know how to develop useful solutions which are intutive and efficient. Times have changed, vendors must adopt to the new paradigm or face extinction.

 

 

Telehealth and Health Informatics: How They Should Work Together from Health Informatics New Zealand

 

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Not quite a “Blue Screen” perhaps HIE needs just a Reboot

 

After five or more years of terrifyingly slow progress in developing a nationwide health information network, several large enterprise vendors have agreed to bypass the nationwide effort in favor of their own agreement. While not stating the impetus to form their own alliance the vendors have entered into an agreement, named “CommonWell Alliance”

Frustrated with the snail-like pace for development of health information exchange, several U.S. Senators have suggested a ‘REBOOT”. This is detailed in a white paper entitled, “Re-examining the Strategies Needed to Successfully Adopt Health IT. They took issue with what they said is paltry progress on system interoperability so far, raised alarms about unnecessary billing enabled by EHRs, sought better oversight of the MU program, called for more stringent patient privacy protections and wondered about the chances for long-term health IT sustainability.

And at the same time there has been a critique of the new plan from the EHRA (EHR Association) Their concerns include launching  a new Collaborative .

One of the main criteria for incentive funding for providers is meaningful use and attestation requiring interoperability and the ability to communicate with differing vendor EMRs.  What happens after the fact when many providers find their EMR, although certified as interoperable by CCHIT, Drummond, or ANSI do not function correctly, and has not been used. Will HHS demand refunds from providers who have already received their incentive payments?.

I would enjoy hearing comments and feedback about the Reboot

 

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Social Media Platform Google +

 

Clicking on Image above will take you to the I/O features.

Most physicians have adopted social media in blogging, twitter, facebook, texting, MySpace and other platforms.

This past week the Google I/O was held in San Francisco. The meeting is not so much for the general  public but for independent developers.

Google/Android/Chrome are “open source’ and have a number of APIs (Application Program Interface.  This allow anyone to write software that integrates with Android and/or Chrome

Many physicians already use Google Docs, Search, and email. 

Those who use Facebook and/ or twitter may find Google + a bit intimidating and do not use it.  However, after mastering it I have several comments.

Positive features

It is a dynamic social media platform

Innovative functions

Integrated with Google email, offering almost all of Google’s functions,and offers video conferences as well as public “hangouts on air”

Communities of common interest, Hangouts offer a sense of intimacy and ability to develop real friendship.

Google’s I/O reveals the newest features for developers

 

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Trust in the Health Information Exchange Agreements

 

It’s been almost 8 years since I began helping to forge the Inland Empire Health Information Exchange with a small group of HIT visionaries. As you may know forging requires intense hear to  harden the iron. Certainly HIX has  felt this heat.

There has been progress.

This is really a Digital Health Space .

Since that time there have been many changes:

1. The political environment, and the technical environment.

2. Patient expectations, information cannot be siloed. Patients want to carry information with them (Portability)

3. Maturation of Interoperability

4. Development of ‘Trust” for sharing information…at the local level.

5. The idea that HIX is patient centric for their information

The recent meeting of the CAOHI Summit

Talk Back

Talk Back Session #3

Talk Back Session # 1

Talk Back Session #4

You can bookmark these three presentations, they are all interesting.

 

Technorati Tags: health information exchange,hix,interoperability,CAOHI Summit,patient centric medicine

International Impact of the ACA and Health Information Technology Expansion

 

As part of his trade visit to Ireland this week, Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick visited a digital health summit in Dublin yesterday to explore possible collaborations between digital health hubs in Dublin and Massachusetts.

Massachusetts Governor explores digital health collaborations at Dublin summitJim Joyce, director of HealthXL and CEO of Point of Care, with Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick in Dublin yesterday at the digital health gathering organised by HealthXL

Sustained growth and projections for further expansion and use of electronic health records and health information infrastructure have stimulated economic growth in this quarter, extending to the eurozone.

Some states are looking to the Eurozone in countries such as Ireland to develop trade advantages for growth.  Boston has become known in the past decade for it’s interest in establishing a greater presence as a ‘startup’ region for young technology companies to rival Silicon Valley in California.

The effort includes HealthXL which is a three month boot camp in Dublin, to incubate 10 start-ups in the digital and technology space, but this year the focus will purely be on digital health ventures.

Patrick spoke about how everyone should have access to affordable and quality healthcare.

_{HealthXL mentors Johnny Walker; Eoghan Jennings, director; and Jim Joyce at the launch of HealthXL in Science Gallery last September}

There are a variety of mobile and health applications in development.

 

Technorati Tags: Categories: Intellectual Property,Mobile,Research,Networking,Enterprise,Digital Business Tags: Healthcare,Digital Health

Mobile Health and the FCC

FCC Names New Director of Healthcare Initiatives

At a time when mobile health initiatives and mobile apps are flooding the market, the Federal Communications Commission has shown enough interest to appoint Matthew Quinn as Director of Healthcare Initiatives.  “In this role, Quinn leads the agency’s efforts in facilitating and promoting communications technologies and services that improve the quality of health care for all citizens and help reduce health care costs; facilitating the availability of medical devices that use spectrum; and ensuring hospitals and other health care facilities have required connectivity. In addition, Quinn advises the FCC on health issues, working closely with the team overhauling the $400 million Rural Health Care program, and coordinating with federal partners including the NIH and the FDA, and with the private health care sector to develop effective FCC programs related to healthcare technology.”

Mr. Quinn will have expanding responsibilities at his new position. FCC is currently working on health initiatives to improve and enhance wireless communications and broadband connectivity nationwide. Projects include the Healthcare Connect Fund to expand telemedicine and revising its experimental licensing program to open more pathways for mobile healthcare app development.

This quiet appointment which occurred in April comes at a time when wireless technology is critical, because both  wifi and cellular systems will be essential for health information technology. It becomes one more step for FCC oversight of it’s authority over the radio-frequency spectrum.

“The incumbent will lead the agency’s efforts in facilitating and promoting communications technologies and services that improve the quality of health care for all citizens and help reduce health care costs; facilitating the availability of medical devices that use spectrum; and ensuring hospitals and other health care facilities have required connectivity,” the posting read.

The job description includes advising the FCC on health issues, providing guidance to the team overhauling the $400 million Rural Health Care program, working with other government bodies like the NIH and the FDA, and working with the private health care sector to develop effective FCC programs.

The job description includes advising the FCC on health issues, providing guidance to the team overhauling the $400 million Rural Health Care program, working with other government bodies like the NIH and the FDA, and working with the private health care sector to develop effective FCC programs.

The West Health Institute’s director of public policy Kerry McDermott was the last person to head up health care initiatives for the FCC.  McDermott previously led the FCC’s healthcare efforts and helped Mo Kaushal and Spencer Hutchins write the healthcare chapter in the FCC’s National Broadband Plan. Following the National Broadband Plan’s publication all three of them left the FCC to join the then-named West Wireless Health Institute. In 2011 the American Telemedicine Association published an open letter to the FCC criticizing the agency for going “silent” on healthcare since the publication of its National Broadband Plan in early 2010. In its letter the ATA also noted “the departure of every key professional staff from the Commission involved in healthcare policy.”

Last September the FCC held a public briefing this week with its mHealth Task Force, which formed in June 2012 to gather input from healthcare professionals and technologists to create a report full of “concrete” next steps that the FCC (and other agencies) can take to facilitate the adoption and acceleration of mHealth in the United States. One of the task force’s key suggestions was that the FCC hire a new healthcare director immediately.

My impression is that this is a low level appointment designed to give the appearance of FCC engagement in health.  It seems to be a redundant position one which is less necessary than FDA guidance for mobile health apps.

 

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