August 12th, 2011 by Medgadget in Health Tips, Research
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It seems intuitive (at least to Medgadgeteers) that mobile technology can be used to improve health outcomes, but we still need studies to actually put data behind this idea. A recent study of the DiabetesManager mobile health platform from WellDoc is a step in this direction. We last reported about WellDoc’s mobile diabetes application in 2010, and since that time it has been tested in a clinical trial and was shown to reduce HgbA1c by 1.9%.
The DiabetesManager is a behavioral coaching and clinical decision support system. Patients enter details about blood glucose values, medications, and behaviors via mobile phone, and health care providers receive quarterly summaries based on this information. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Medgadget*
July 31st, 2011 by Iltifat Husain, M.D. in News
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Researchers at Northeastern University are using nanosensors implanted into the skin — similar to a tattoo — and a modified iPhone to measure sodium and glucose levels in patients. The implications for this could be tremendous, but first, here’s how it works:
“The team begins by injecting a solution containing carefully chosen nanoparticles into the skin. This leaves no visible mark, but the nanoparticles will fluoresce when exposed to a target molecule, such as sodium or glucose. A modified iPhone then tracks changes in the level of fluorescence, which indicates the amount of sodium or glucose present.”
For patients who are diabetics, Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at iMedicalApps*
July 22nd, 2011 by StevenWilkinsMPH in Opinion
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“I don’t have the time…I don’t get reimbursed for that.” This is an all too common refrain from primary care physicians and practice managers when ever the subject of improving physician-patient communications comes up.
I get it. Primary care physicians in particular are under tremendous pressure to produce. Just imagine…physicians in small primary care practices spend about 3.5 hours/week just on dealing with insurance-related paperwork. Then there’s keeping up with recommended treatment guidelines, journals, and IT issues and routine staffing issues…not to mention routine patient care, much of which they in fact do not get paid for. Physicians do have it rough right now.
But Doctors Can Sometimes Be Their Own Worst Enemies
Currently, in just about every State, Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Mind The Gap*