Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Health Informatics News

Health Informatics News

BlueCross BlueShield Bring Online Care to New York State

Posted: 09 Jun 2010 08:29 AM PDT

Bluecross Blueshield of Western New York  (BCBSWNY) and Blueshield of Northeastern New York (BSNENY) announced the initial launch of Online Care NY, an on-demand health care service in New York State available to eligible members and employers. The service will be available first to employees and its charter physician group on August 1, with the member launch in Western New York following September 1 and Northeastern New York by year-end 2010. The announcement was made at the American Health Insurance Plans’ industry conference. Powered by  American Well (Boston) technology, Online Care NY will enable eligible members to have immediate live encounters via Internet or telephone with credentialed physicians from the plans’ established provider networks. During live encounters, physicians can review patients’ clinical information, speak with and see patients, prescribe medication, and suggest follow up care. BCBSWNY and BSNENY are divisions of HealthNow New York Inc., heaquartered in Buffalo, N.Y. They are independent licensees of the BlueCross BlueShield Association.

Patients decry C-section rate

Posted:

2/12/2010 © Health News Florida Advocates for women's health are hosting a seminar today and Saturday on the alarming rate of unnecessary Cesarean sections in Miami, where the surgery accounts for more than half of births. Meanwhile, the Orlando Sentinel reports on another patient-education effort: on the dangers of MRIs for pacemaker patients.

State agencies on trial today

Posted:

By Sammy Mack 2/9/2010 © Health News Florida A landmark lawsuit that seeks to rewrite Florida's Medicaid policy resumed today in Miami, with plaintiffs charging that state agencies' low pay for doctors and dentists and tendency to switch plans without notice often leave children with no access to care. A related story in Florida Today shows the struggle of dentists who take Medicaid. 

Some defend DOH secrecy

Posted:

By Carol Gentry 2/8/2010 © Health News Florida  The state Department of Health's decision to withhold information on its consumer web site about pending actions against health professionals -- including arrests --- is entirely appropriate, say attorneys who defend doctors. The public's reaction was different. As one woman said, "I was horrified."

Uninsured Mexicans find care

Posted:

2/2/2010 © Orlando Sentinel When Josefina de la Rosa was diagnosed with cancer in 2007, she could not afford treatment. In stepped nonprofit Casa de Mexico, which finds doctors to help.

Patient or fetus -- whose rights prevail?

Posted:

1/26/2010 © Associated Press The case of Samantha Burton, who was forced to remain in the hospital for the welfare of her fetus, is drawing attention to the question of whether pregnancy deprives patients of their rights.

As records go digital, cultures clash

Posted:

By Sammy Mack 1/21/2010 © Health News Florida The switch to electronic medical records has been rocky for doctors in Broward who refused to pay what they called unwarranted charges and were turned over to collections. More disputes are arising as midcareer physicians bump up against the world of high-tech software sales.

Doctor wrote 1,000 scripts/week

Posted:

By Carol Gentry 1/15/2010 © Health News Florida Since 2004, a Miami psychiatrist has prescribed almost 14 million pills to Medicaid patients at a cost to taxpayers of $43 million, a feverish pace of 1,000 prescriptions a week. A state senator says the doctor should be the "poster boy for tougher enforcement actions."

Medics overwhelmed by injured

Posted:

 1/14/2010 © New York Times First aid responders and doctors tried to triage the massive number of injured in Haiti as the death toll estimate rose to 45,000. They didn't even have aspirin, much less anesthesia.

Insurers, state reach pact on cancer

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By Christine Jordan Sexton 1/13/2010 © Health News Florida The state’s largest insurance companies on Wednesday said they have signed a voluntary pact committing them to cover routine medical treatments for cancer patients who enroll in clinical trials. 
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