Are Habilitative Services Part of “Essential Care”?
One of the great challenges facing the folks who have been tasked to implement the Big O’s health care law is defining “essential benefits,” the core medical services that insurers…
Health Wonk Review – Opening Day Edition
Today is opening day. The first day of the season where the Milwaukee Brewers will win the World Series. In honor of opening day, I’ve put together an all-star team…
In Defense of Primary Care, and of Sub-Sub-Sub-Specialists
An article in the March 24 NEJM called Specialization, Subspecialization, and Subsubspecialization in Internal Medicine might have some heads shaking: Isn’t there a shortage of primary care physicians? The sounding-board…
Is Europe A Better Place To Build A Medical Technology Company?
Growth in the life sciences industries will greatly depend on how the FDA responds to growing complaints that they are stifling medical technologies. Companies have seen a vast difference in…
Medtech startups, March 2011
Below is a list of the technologies under development at medtech startups identified in March 2011. Clip and closure system as for an aperture in a vessel wall. Surgical devices…
Clinics, Free Clinics, and the Future Uninsured – Interview with Erika Viccellio
Free Clinics are volunteer based health care organizations providing medical, dental, pharmaceutical or behavioral health services to the uninsured. There are approximately 1200 Free Clinics in the Unitied States. When…
Physically and Socially Active Adults Less Chance of Being Disabled in Elder Years
Older adults who remain as physically and socially active as possible have a better chance of not becoming disabled in their elderly years. That's the conclusion of Rush University researchers…
A New Way to Allocate Donor Kidneys?
Younger, healthier patients would be more likely than older, sicker ones to get the best kidneys if a new proposal by UNOS, the US’ organ transplant network is accepted. The…
TeleICU Lowers Mortality Rates and Length of Stay
I love reporting good news! Today I share the results of a meta-analysis looking reported in the March 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. Researchers looked at the use…
Wireless Device Sends Lab Results Direct to EMRs
Now when talking about useful wireless devices, this is one of them and we see some nice collaboration efforts here with more than one thing being done via a medical…
