October 12th, 2010 by Medgadget in Better Health Network, News, Research
Tags: Breath Acetone Detection, breath test, Diagnostic Tool, Disease Biomarker Detector, Disease Detection, Exhaled Breath, General Medicine, Medgadget, Nanomedicine, Nanoprobe, Personalized Medicine, Sensor Nanotechnology, Stony Brook University
No Comments »
A new sensor developed at Stony Brook University may become a clinically useful tool for detecting disease biomarkers in breath. The nanoprobe-based technology is currently able to detect acetone, but should be modifiable to spot other compounds.
From the study abstract:
This paper describes a sensor nanotechnology suitable for non-invasive monitoring of a signaling gas, such as acetone, in exhaled breath. This is a nanomedicine tool comprised of a selective acetone nanoprobe working on the principle of ferroelectric poling sensing, and a microelectronics circuit for comparing the actual sensor signal to a predetermined threshold value, displaying the result using LED signals. This on/off type non-invasive diagnostics platform technology is based on nanotechnology, gives a fast response, it is simple to operate and inexpensive to manufacture, and may truly revolutionize personalized medicine.
Full story: New Sensor Nanotechnology Developed by Stony Brook University Researchers Simplifies Disease Detection…
Abstract in Sensor Letters: Nanosensor Device for Breath Acetone Detection
*This blog post was originally published at Medgadget*
October 11th, 2010 by RyanDuBosar in Better Health Network, Health Policy, News, Research
Tags: ACP Internist, American College Of Physicians, Animal Feed, Animas, Antibiotic Resistance, Biomedical Ethics, Biomedical Research, Doctors In Politics, Doctors Running For Political Office, Dr. Margaret Hamburg, Dr. Val Jones, embryonic stem cells, FDA, Food and Drug Administration, Healthcare Policy, Healthcare Politics, Healthcare reform, Immunology, In Vitro Fertilization, Political Doctors, Ryan DuBosar
No Comments »
Medical organizations are donating heavily to doctors running for the U.S. House. Dentists, ophthalmologists, radiologists, surgeons, neurologists and ENTs have contributed heavily. The goal is to get doctors onto committees where they can have the most impact. So far, the candidates have trended heavily Republican and have, in at least one campaign, vowed to overturn healthcare reform. The stakes are high if opposing legislators succeed, because they could underfund or block portions of reform to the point that it works poorly or not at all. (Politico, New England Journal of Medicine)
Spurred by antibiotic resistance seen in almost every drug class, FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, FACP, is turning the agency’s attention toward animal feed. With little to no development of new antibiotics in the pipeline, the agency is discussing regulations for animal feed and guidelines for human use. (Wall Street Journal)
Scientists should be able to use stem cells for biomedical research, according to a recent Harris Interactive/HealthDay poll. Almost three quarters of adults surveyed are in favor of using embryonic stem cells left over from in-vitro fertilization. These poll results remain consistent with a similar survey released in 2005. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at ACP Internist*
October 11th, 2010 by DavidHarlow in Better Health Network, Health Policy, News, Opinion, Research
Tags: Chilmark Research, David Harlow, Goodfellas, Google Health, HealthBlawg, Healthcare Costs, Healthcare Quality, Healthcare Status, Healthcare Wired, John Moore, mHealth, Microsoft HealthVault, Mobile Health, Mobile Health Monitoring Devices, Mobile Health Reminder Services, Price, PWC
No Comments »
Last month, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) issued a report, Healthcare Unwired, examining the market for mobile health monitoring devices, reminder services, etc. among both healthcare providers and the general public. One of the big take-away points seems to be that 40% of the general public would be willing to pay for mobile health (or “mHealth”) devices or services ranging from reminders to data uploads — and the reaction by insiders is either joy (40% is good) or dismay (40% is not enough).
PwC estimated the mHealth market to be worth somewhere between $7.7 billion and $43 billion per year, based on consumers’ expressed willingness to pay. Deloitte recently issued a report on mPHRs, as well — and there is tremendous interest in this space, as discussed in John Moore’s recent post over at Chilmark Research. I agree with John’s wariness with respect to the mHealth hype — there is certainly something happening out there, but significant questions remain: What exactly is going on? Is there reason to be interested in this stuff or is it just something shiny and new? Can mHealth improve healthcare status and/or healthcare quality and/or reduce healthcare costs? Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at HealthBlawg :: David Harlow's Health Care Law Blog*
October 11th, 2010 by GruntDoc in Better Health Network, Health Policy, News, Opinion
Tags: AAEM, American Academy of Emergency Medicine, ED, EM, Emergency Department, Emergency Doctors, Emergency Room, EP Monthly, ER Doctors, Medical Lawsuits, Medical Malpractice, Standard Of Care Project
No Comments »
According to the Standard of Care Project at EP Monthly:
The Power of Agreement
We can stop baseless malpractice suits before they get started. How? By having a majority of practicing emergency physicians go on record as to the baseline “standard of care,” beneath which is negligence.
This has been rolling for a while, and I’ve been late to blog it. That does not in any way mean I’m not 100 percent FOR it.
The idea is beautifully simple: The standard of care in emergency medicine (EM) should be set by practicing EM physicians, not case-by case in courts before lay juries with battling experts. (AAEM had the “remarkable testimony” series as a retrospective attempt to shame “experts” who gave, well, remarkable statements under oath, which to date has two cases in it.)
This has the very real advantage of being a clear, concise peer statement that this is/is not the standard of care.
I voted (while at ACEP). If you’re an emergency physician (and you have to cough up some information to determine your bona-fides before you can vote), go to the Standard of Care Project and cast your vote. They’ve set the bar at 30,000 votes, which is ambitious. It’s also worth it.
*This blog post was originally published at GruntDoc*
October 10th, 2010 by Davis Liu, M.D. in Better Health Network, Health Policy, Health Tips, News, Opinion, Research
Tags: America's Health Insurance Plans, Dr. Davis Liu, General Medicine, Health Insurance, Health Insurance Companies, Health Insurance Coverage, Health Insurance Policies, Health Plans, National Committee for Quality Assurance, NCQA, Personal Health Insurance, Saving Money and Surviving the Healthcare Crisis
No Comments »
Unless your doctor is a policy expert, in healthcare administration, a researcher, an author or blogger, I seriously doubt he will be reviewing an important report card that helps you pick the best health insurance plan that keeps you healthy. Published annually by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), this year’s report card ranks 227 health plans across the country on their ability to keep you healthy and well, treat you quickly, and how patients feel about their insurance coverage.
Because unlike banking or airlines where there is not much difference in ATM machines or planes, there is a big difference in whether a health insurance plan helps in keeping its enrollees healthy. Do children get their vaccinations? Do healthy mothers get screened for breast cancer or cervical cancer with mammograms and pap smears respectively? Do kids only get antibiotics appropriately for strep throat and not overtreated and unnecessarily when they have a viral illness or cold? Are adults over 50 screened for colon cancer (something Dr. Oz can relate to). Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Saving Money and Surviving the Healthcare Crisis*
