February 27th, 2011 by Bryan Vartabedian, M.D. in Better Health Network, Opinion
Tags: 33 Charts, Discussing Mobile Health, Dr. Bryan Vartabedian, Dr. Jay Parkinson, General Medicine, Health 2.0, Health and Smartphones, mHealth, Mobile Health Apps, Mobile Health Technology, Mobile Healthcare Apps, Mobile Medical Apps, Mobile Technology and Health, Questioning Mobile Health, Smartphones and Medical Apps, Youngme Moon
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This is something. Jay Parkinson on the Future Well blog has suggested that health apps are overrated. Then on Twitter came a remark that the post represented “fightin’ words.” While I think the tweet was in jest, I’m sure there are some who will take offense to the less-than-flattering remarks about our coveted health apps.
We love the concept of health apps for what they represent more than for what they really offer us. We want to feel that we’ve got it all in the palm of our hand. After all, technology might do for us what we won’t do for ourselves.
Like Jay I’m underwhelmed, but I don’t think that’ll always be the case. The post’s criticism should start a conversation about what’s real in mobile health and what isn’t. Even the fantasy of Health 2.0 has been questioned, and that’s a good thing. This dialog about reality versus rainbows and unicorns needs to continue.
Youngme Moon in Different: Escaping the Competitive Herd wrote, “The way to keep criticism from devolving into cynicism is to make it a starting point rather than a punctuation mark.” Jay Parkinson’s post is a starting point.
*This blog post was originally published at 33 Charts*
February 27th, 2011 by RyanDuBosar in Better Health Network, Research
Tags: ACP Internist, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, American College Of Physicians, Household and Pharmacy Components, Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, MEPS, Most Expensive Medications, Outpatient Prescription Drug Purchases, Prescription Drugs, Ryan DuBosar, U.S. Healthcare Costs
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The top five therapeutic classes ranked by total expense are metabolic, central nervous system, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and psychotherapeutic, altogether totaling $155.7 billion, or two-thirds of prescription drug expenses by U.S. adults in 2008.
Two-thirds of American adults use a prescription drug, totaling the $232.6 billion in expenses. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality compiled a statistical brief showing that drug classes varied widely in how they made the top five list. While 46 percent of adults with a prescribed drug expense bought a central nervous system agent, they are relatively cheaper on average. Gastrointestinal agents had the highest average expense per prescription ($133), or more than three times the average expense of the cheapest class, which was cardiovascular agents ($39). But 46 percent of adults who take a prescription drug use a central nervous system agent, while 17.7 percent take a gastroenterological one.
Metabolic agents had the highest total expenses ($52.2 billion), or more than one-fifth of all prescription drug expenses. The rest of the list by total expenditures were central nervous system agents ($35.1 billion), cardiovascular agents ($28.6 billion), gastrointestinal agents ($20.2 billion), and psychotherapeutic agents ($19.6 billion).
The estimates presented are derived from the Household and Pharmacy Components of the 2008 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS). Expenditures include payments from all sources including out of pocket, private and public insurance sources for outpatient prescription drug purchases during 2008. Over-the-counter medicines are excluded, as are prescription medicines administered in an inpatient setting, clinic, or physician’s office.
*This blog post was originally published at ACP Internist*
February 26th, 2011 by AndrewSchorr in Better Health Network, True Stories
Tags: Abnormal Test Results, Afraid Of Bad News, Andrew Schorr, Cancer Survivors, Cancer Survivorship, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, CLL, Emotional Component, Fear, Fear Of Recurrence, Nervous About Seeing The Doctor, Normal Vs. Abnormal, Oncology, Patient Power, Stress and Anxiety, Test Anxiety
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I had breakfast this morning in Las Vegas with my friend, Dave Garcia. Dave is a pit boss on the graveyard shift at the Belagio Hotel where they made the modern-day “Ocean’s 11” buddy movie from 1960. Dave is also a 52-year-old chronic lymphocytic leukemia survivor. He reached out to me online and we have been friends since soon after his diagnosis in 2002.
Dave is a father of two young kids. He dreams of seeing them grow up. But, understandably, he worries. Some days more than others. Today was his day to see his oncologist and get the latest blood test results. Would his white blood count (WBC) be in the normal range? If so, his third round of treatment was still working. If not, he might be headed to a stem cell transplant, short-term disability, and living in another city for weeks or months.
As you can imagine, Dave was on pins and needles today. He would be against more chemo because he worries about the toxic drugs killing cancer cells but weakening him in the long run. Dave admits his blood pressure goes up on these days.
Dave is not alone in his fear. For millions of cancer survivors, while each day is special, some days are anxiety producing. For me it’s when I have a strange ache or pain. I rarely tell Esther, but I worry. For almost everyone it’s on days when we are having a “checkup.” The worry is, is this the day another shoe will drop? Fortunately, that hasn’t come for me yet and I hope it never will. I am happy to say Dave just texted me. His worry today was unfounded. The WBC was normal. He was given a pass at least for a few more months. We hope forever!
At another meeting today in Las Vegas there was a discussion about information for cancer patients. Nurses ticking off all sorts of facts and admonishments to patients. The nurses feel they are doing their job of education quite well. Some patients would say maybe not so well. How come? Fear. For us it is not clinical routine. It is our lives on the line at diagnosis or at a checkup. We often don’t hear so well in those moments. Dave may not have heard so well today. Only one word counted: “Normal.” Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Andrew's Blog*
February 25th, 2011 by Medgadget in Better Health Network, Health Tips
Tags: City Guide, Handicapped, iPhone App, Map App, Medgadget, Mobile Health Apps, OpenStreetMap, Physical Disability, Wheelchair Accessiblity, Wheelchair Users, Wheelmap
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Getting around a city can be hard when you’re in a wheelchair because some places simply aren’t designed for wheels. Wheelmap is an iPhone app for wheelchair users which tells you about the accessibility of nearby restaurants, cafes, clubs, museums, and other locations.
Locations are color-coded on a map to show how accessible they are. The current location, but also any place around the world, can be viewed. Maps are based on OpenStreetMap data, and accessibility data about locations can be modified and sent back to the servers by users from within the app. There is also a corresponding website showing the same information online.
As with any other crowd-sourced initiative, success depends on the number of contributors, but we have good hopes for this one to succeed. Because the app was created by a German, coverage is most extensive in Germany, particularly Berlin, but other large cities worldwide are starting to catch up.
More from AP: German iPhone app guides handicapped around cities…
iTunes link: Wheelmap…
Homepage: Wheelmap…
*This blog post was originally published at Medgadget*
February 24th, 2011 by Jeffrey Benabio, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Tips
Tags: Astringents, Dimethicone, Dr. Jeff Benabio, Dry Skin, Eye Cream, Face Cream, Healthy Skin, Oily Skin, Pores, Sensitive Skin, Silicone, Skin Care Products, Skin Rejuvenation, Skin Serums, Skin Toners, The Dermatology Blog
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Step-by-step skin care? It’s complicated. You have a cabinet full of toners, creams, and serums and you don’t know what goes on when. Using products in the wrong order could mean you’re not getting the most for your money. Here’s a guide to make it easier for you:
1. Toners
Toners are astringents, which means they contract tissue like pores, making your face feel tighter. They often contain alcohols and are used to remove oil from the skin as well as tightening. Therefore, you should use them first. If you have dry or sensitive skin, however, you might skip them completely because they can make dryness worse.
2. Serums
Serums are liquid cosmetics. They usually have antioxidants or peptides to minimize the day’s damage done to your skin and to give you a more youthful appearance. Serums are applied first so that there’s nothing between their expensive ingredients and your skin. The exceptions are serums that contain silicone or dimethicone. Silicone helps lock moisture in your skin, but it also acts as a barrier hindering anything above it from getting to your skin. Silicone serums should be applied last. Like expensive serums, any prescription medications should also be applied first to ensure that their active ingredients penetrate the skin unhindered. If you have both, then apply the prescription first and the serum second.
3. Eye cream and face cream
Face and eye creams can be simple moisturizers or complex anti-aging products. Eye creams usually have antioxidants to help restore this most delicate skin. If you have one, then apply it before your face cream. Otherwise, by applying your face cream first, you risk rubbing it into your eyes. Once your prescription medications (if any) serums, and eye creams have absorbed, then apply your face cream last. If your serum has silicone or dimethicone, then apply it last, so its protective ingredients are the outermost barrier.
*This blog post was originally published at The Dermatology Blog*
