Michael Fitzgerald, contributing editor at MIT Sloan Management Review, talks with WellPoint executive Lori Beer. Read more…
Remote Patient Monitoring will Lead Value-Based Healthcare
Traditional health insurance reimbursement to providers (though payment is a more appropriate word) for healthcare services and products is at the root of our healthcare crisis. Our traditional fee for service system in the USA rewards hospitals and providers for doing more (and more costly) procedures to patients. Some interesting findings from a study from Harvard Medical School were that the higher the cost of surgery, the greater the likelihood of complications and the more out-of-pocket a patient with Medicare or private insurance paid, the more complications were reported.
3-D Printer Builds Structures From Microscopic Water Droplets!
For more information, go to http://cenm.ag/drop. 3-D printers don’t build only solid objects anymore. They also build liquid objects, thanks to a research team at the University of Oxford.
Classification of technology enabled behavior modification programs
In thinking through how to classify technology enabled behavior modification programs, found this to be helpful.
Health-oriented behavior-change programs can be divided into five categories based on their relationship to clinical settings. The participant and clinician expectations are different for each approach.
1 Direct to consumer: No relationship to clinical setting.
2 Clinically referred: Clinician/system suggests a patient tries a particular solution (e.g., why don’t you try a commercial weight loss program?).
3 Clinically sponsored: Clinical setting has decided on particular solution(s) and offers it to the patient (for free or for a charge) (e.g., linked directly from clinical website to clinic-branded site with direct-to-consumer application/program, e.g., dLife, WebMD).
4 Clinically linked: Clinical site refers patient to specifically approved approach, provides information to the program and receives feedback about the patient’s performance. Clinician is expected to encourage participation, identify barriers, support patient’s choices, etc.
5 Clinically integrated: Clinical site provides branded experience in which clinic-based clinicians are part of the approach (e.g., there is a group-based experience run by the clinic staff and an Internet-based experience in which a clinician coaches the patient).
Neal Kaufman. Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics. February 2013, 15(S1): S-60-S-74.
Touchscreen T-Shirts only a few years away
Read more on psfk: http://bit.ly/UmONJb
A "Talking Dog" Keeps Seniors Safe and Happy: Introducing GeriJoy
Ever talked to your dog and wished she would talk back? Well, now there are some seniors who are talking to their dogs and getting an answer. It’s all because of the hard work and dedication of an MIT Mechanical Engineer, now entrepreneur with a big idea.
GeriJoy is the brainchild of Victor Wang and it was born out of concern for his own grandmother.
Great to see Buddy helping others!
Want Your ACO To Succeed? ...Then You Better Focus On Improving How Your Doctors & Patients Communicate
The basic premise of the Accountable Care Organizations is simple enough. By incentivizing providers (physicians and hospitals) to assume financial responsibility for coordinating the health care of a defined patient population, it is possible to increase the quality of care while decreasing the cost of care delivery.
For ACOs to succeed, experts tell us that 3 things are required: 1) health information technology is needed to track and manage patient populations, 2) redesigned care delivery processes are needed to support patient care coordination, and 3) the right set of provider financial incentives must be in place.
Digital health, key for improved doctor patient communication!
