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Ever since the article on Glucoboy surfaced on our website, we have been receiving several e-mails on how to purchase the Glucoboy. Questions from healthcare professionals and patients from all over the world: United States, Dubai, Israel etc.
Information on purchasing GlucoBoy can be found here.
Thank you for the 200+ inquiries on the purchase procedures for Glucoboy but because of time restraints, we feel that this is the best way to notify everyone.
Just a note: we are not affiliated with Nintendo nor endorse any products
After reading e-mails from some of my pals at Cornell College of Veterinary School, it has come to my attention that I have been neglecting a vital part of the practice of medicine…animals. With that being said, I’d like to introduce Pet Pals: Animal Doctor, a game developed by Legacy Interactive / Frontline Studios.
The game was originally developed for Nintendo DS but is apparently available for the PC (free to try) as well. In Pet Pals, players diagnose and treat 30 different medical cases that are created by real-life veterinarians. There are 23 different pets to treat from dogs to even the hamster. Medical cases range from broken bones to even hairballs.
A great game for future and current veterinarians as well as current physicians who would like to give veterinary medicine a shot.
I’ve been asked for opinions on what the best EMR system would be for a hospital. While I can’t provide the answer due to a conflict of interest, I will list the most popular systems currently used in the United States (in no particular order):
- Cerner
- McKesson
- CPSI
- Epic Systems
- GE Healthcare
- MEDITECH
- QuadraMed
- Siemens
- Eclipsys
- MEDPLUS
Some of the problems I’ve noticed with hospitals during their implementation phase and selection of an appropriate EMR is the lack of research in the area of implementation ease. While extensive research is put into cost and how well the system handles hospital’s needs, there are areas in which hospital administrators fail to ask themselves:
- How are the online tutorials for the EMRs?
- What is the support structure i.e. would the hospital be able to find enough consultants who have used the system to help them when they “go live?”
- Can the EMR handle a large-scale hospital?
- Diverse Team: You need a diverse team consisting of physicians, medical residents, nurses, pharmacist, technicians etc who need to be “Lead Coordinator” i.e. the go-to person or persons. A physician will not know the needs of the pharmacy, the pharmacist will not know the needs of a nurse, etc. Different roles, different work flow, different needs…
The most important advice, create a diverse team of healthcare professionals who are technologically savvy to begin with. The implementation of EMR requires speed and most importantly, efficacy. It is better to work with someone who has some sort of technical background either playing with websites, programming, or what Silicon Valley-ers like to refer to as ‘hackers’ (someone who knows or dips their hands in technology during spare time, and can make the computer do what they want, whether or not it wants to) than someone who doesn’t even know how to install a program in Windows.
Because when problems arise, you will need someone who isn’t afraid to act or at least is tech-savvy enough to search for the answer on forums instead of waiting for customer service in the morning. After all, in hospitals, time is life.
Games for Health Fourth Annual Conference 2008 will be held from May 8 - May 9 in Baltimore MD. The Serious Games Initiative, a Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, is the force behind this project. The goal is to spark the impact of games and game technologies on healthcare and policy.
There’s always buzz about Health 2.0, Web 2.0, Web 3.0 etc, but in my opinion, the next big thing will be Medutainment. Can you see a bunch of healthcare professionals discussing during lunch, the latest clinical trials for a drug x or rather that “cool medical game” they just played or the new XBOX game that is helping pediatric patients with disorders cope with their condition?
Mashable reports that TargetRX has landed $9.6 million in funding for its website. According to the website, TargetRX “offers member physicians an online forum to share their attitudes and beliefs with pharmaceutical companies through surveys and other market research activities.”
It is a site that is attempting to step into Sermo’s playground. Sermo has built a brand around itself. TargetRX is going to have extreme difficulty in establishing itself as the place to go to discuss issues.
The majority of topics on health forums are dedicated to physicians asking each other for medical advice or opinions about a case or how to deal with hospital politics. So the idea that an online forum made of physicians used to track behavioral prescribing is strange to me. From my clinical rounds, prescribing medication or pharmacist recommendations are mostly dependent on evidence-based practices and then afterwards, the hospital’s formulary.
So after convincing my dear friend to register for Health 2.0 physician-only sites awhile back so that I can take a look, I realize that venture capitalist firms are in need of a medical professional on their team. There is a fine balance in combining technology with health but a larger piece of the puzzle is understanding the fragile relationship or should I say non-existent relationship between healthcare professionals and the pharmaceutical industry.
As for my dear friend who is a medical resident at Cedars-Sinai Hospital he hasn’t logged on since.
Benefits Check-Up
Free, useful service that lists federal and state assistance programs for older Americans. It was the answer to address the problem of older adults being eligible for benefits and yet not utilizing them. Millions of older Americans may benefit from public programs that offer such things as health coverage, supplemental income and utility bill assistance.
PhRMA
Provides updated lists of patient assistance program directory
Needy Meds
Similar format to RXAssist in that the site provides a catalog of available programs listed according to drug name and manufacturer
Crayon Physics Deluxe is a game developed by Kloonigames. It is a sequel to the freeware game, Crayon Physics. The creator describes the game as a “2D physics puzzle game” in which objects that you draw are transformed to objects that can physically interact with one another on your Tablet PC. The challenge of the game is to solve puzzles using your artistic vision and creativity. Crayon Physics Deluxe is still in development and will launch soon.
This is an interesting concept that can be applied to foster a child’s development and creativity. While technology such as LeapFrog develops a child’s math and spelling skills, games such as Crayon Physics Deluxe will foster their problem-solving skills and introduce kids to relationships between objects.
American Diabetes Association (ADA)
This is as “must” source for newly diagnosed diabetics or those wishing to learn more about their condition. The site has sections for those who were recently diagnosed, those with Type 1, or Type 2 Diabetes along with an “Ask the Pharmacist” area. The ADA also supplies a newsletter that diabetics may subscribe to in order to receive news and events occurring in the world of diabetes.
For a much more interactive presentation on Diabetes provided by the ADA, users may watch Link for Life. Also available is a Diabetes Risk Test.
Not all glucometers work the same way and the importance of measuring ones blood glucose cannot be stressed enough. For those who need more help in learning to use your meter, please check this link. According to the FDA, it lists the Diabetes Education programs recognized by the American Diabetes Association. These Recognized programs meet the National Standards for excellence in diabetes education.
Diabetes Research and Wellness
This is a non-profit organization that offers free diabetic resources including free a pocket diary, diabetes identification card and diabetes necklace. The necklace will alert healthcare providers about your condition before they treat you.
Drug Companies Diabetes Resource Sites
Drug companies offer online diabetic tools for diabetics and especially for those patients who are using their meters.
Novo-Nordisk: Diabetic management features such as a diabetes care plan, menu planning tools, and stories written by patients on ways to live with diabetes
BD Diabetes: Provides flash-based patient education animations on how to draw, mix, and inject insulin. It even has a section for diabetes and pets.
Health 2.0 Sites
MySugarLevel
Tracking sugar site that charges users for access. Allows users to track and monitor sugar levels.
SugarStats
Site that allows you to monitor your suguar levels along with your foods. It provides users with graphs and trends.
TuDiabetes
Community for those affected by Diabetes. The site contains social networking features such as blogging, adding friends, and groups.
dLife
Diabetes resource that contains Q&A with experts, recipes, the “Wall”, and blood sugar management, among others.
Other related:
Johnson and Johnson’s Tour de Cure
MyOpenCare, a health site that we previously mentioned has announced a compelling competition.
The site has announced the “Create an H-Book and Win Company Shares” contest. In an effort to encourage greater member involvement in the site, the company will offer the winner of the best H-Book 0.5% shares in the company and those finishing second through sixth place will each receive 0.1% of MyOpenCare shares. The H-Book, otherwise known as the Health Book, is is a feature that every User has access too. It allows users to display information about particular disease states and conditions. However, unlike Wikipedia, MyOpenCare gives credit to the author.
The contest is a smart marketing move by MyOpenCare - increase user participation while promoting quality information.
As mentioned earlier in an article on Disaboom, a site should be accessible to a wide range of users. A lot of sites incorporate flash which is not user-friendly for blind individuals who utilizes screen readers. In the realm of healthcare, sites that are developed for patients should take note to build a site that is user-friendly and accessible to different types of the patient population. With that said, an interesting article on Businessweek discusses and asks the question of: “Is your web site handicap-accessible?”
Highlights of the article:
- Class action law suit against Target filed in 2006 Alameda County by National Federation of the Blind : Law suit alleges that Target’s refusal to make its website accessible to the Blind violates the Americans Disabilities Act
- Having a site revamped for disability access may cost $5,000 to $15,000 but return on investment from increased search engine optimization
- Find a web designer who is familiar with Section 508 Compliance
It is projected that internet usage baby-boomers and those over 60 will continue to rise. Just in the US alone, baby-boomers who use the internet will increase from 58.2 million in 2006 to 63.7 million in 2011. Over-60’s will grow from 17.7 million internet users in 2006 to 25.3 million by 2011. [Source: emarketer]
Here is a look at some social-networking sites dedicated to this growing segment:
Eons - “Lovin’ life on the flip side of 50″
Founder: Jeff Taylor, founder and former chairman of Monster.com
Founding Date: August 2006
Target: users 50 and older
Investors: Sequoia and General Catalyst - $32 million over two rounds of funding
Website features:
- Typical Social-networking features: groups, blogging, adding friends, personalization of profile with widgets
- Brain Games
- Obituary
- Eon’s Entertainment: members rate movies, books, music etc
- Articles on Travel, Fun & Entertainment
Notes: Eons have also launched a search engine which they termed “the age-relevant search engine for 50+.” The engine’s name is “cRanky.” It uses Ask.com for its indexing and allows members to rate the sites.
Comments: The “obituary” option is a good idea with a bad name. This segment should use a more positive nomenclature like “passing on” or “a life remembered”.
eGenerations
Founder: Nathaniel Adam Briggs, CEO/Founder BSCS
Founding Date: 2006
Target: users 50+
Investors: Self-funded
Website Features:
- Love Seeker Ads
- Forums
- Online Pharmacy (check notes section)
- Rating area on travel
Notes: Vator.tv pitch here. eGenerations was formerly called SeniorsGrandCentral.
Comments: eGeneration does not allow new users to browse what it has to offer without registering. This will turn a lot of potential users away. Why buy wine if you’re not allowed a “taste-test” first? The site is also somewhat laggy.
The “Love Seekers Ad” is a good idea. This generation often suffer from loneliness after a loss of a spouse. I predict that there will be a huge boom in the over 50 dating segment in the near future.
SGC Pharmacy: Lack of NABP VIPPs, a seal that is an assurance that an online pharmacy is meeting all applicable state and federal requirements to dispense prescription medication. This seal lets consumers know that the online pharmacy is in good standing in a state and that it is licensed. This is provided by the FDA and the National Boards of Pharmacy to ensure that consumers are not being given fake or non-FDA approved medications from non-legit online pharmacies.
TeeBeeDee - “Sharing experiences to thrive”
Founder: Robin Wolaner, founder of Parenting Magazine, former executive CNET Networks
Founding Date: Launched September 2007
Target: users age 40 and over
Investors: Shasta Ventures - $4.8 million Series A Funding
Website features:
- Social-networking features: friends, groups,
- Q&A area
- Discussion area
Notes: “TeeDeeBee” is a derivative acronym for “to be determined” suggesting that the next phase of life is filled with opportunities.
BoomJ - “Social & Lifestyle Network for Baby Boomers”
Founder: N/A
Founding Date: N/A
Target: Baby Boomers
Investors: N/A
Website Features:
- Sweepstakes
- Articles
- Social-networking features: Add buddy, send message, profile
- Video Channels
- Blogs
BoomerTowne - “A Destination for a Generation”
Founder/Team: Erin Madson, Lori Sansourcie
Founding Date: N/A
Target: Baby Boomers
Investors: N/A
Website Features:
- Rotation videos of “Towne Council Members” consisting of celebrities
- Online dating
- Monthly polls
- Contests - earn points for rewards
- Discussion Boards
- Chat rooms
- Social-networking
Boomersnetwork
Founder: N/A
Founding Date: N/A
Target: Baby Boomers
Investors: N/A
Website Features:
- Forum
- Social Networking
- Dating
- Saving money opportunities
- Q & A
Notes: new paid member site with no ads
General Comments
There’s a whole bunch of social-networking sites for older adults to choose from. How might a site distinguish itself from the others? Simple, any social-networking site for older adults should be empowering. These sites need to redefine the meaning of aging: beauty, wisdom, excitement and not adhere to what media has painted aging as - illness, death, fragility.
On another note, to develop a site for this target population would require having the actual users on the team or advisory board. Otherwise, it’ll be like creating a network for physicians without physician input. I think that a lot of these products need to revamp their marketing strategy and take a good look at some of the terms that they are using to describe this target population.
SEX ID
A set of visual challenges developed by psychologists to [Source: BBC World]:
- Get a brain sex profile and find out if you think like a man or a woman.
- See if you can gaze into someone’s eyes and know what they’re thinking.
- Find out why scientists are interested in the length of your fingers.
- See how your results relate to theories about brain sex
How Pregnancy Happens
When does pregnancy occur? It’s a simple question but a lot of people are confused about the process. This is a flash clip developed to illustrate the process. The character design is…explicit but the explanation is entertaining.
SearchMedica is a search engine developed primarily for physicians. Unlike other engines that search the entire world-wide web for information, SearchMedica only delivers results from websites dedicated to health professionals. These websites may include credible journals, evidence-based articles, and national associations.
Results are neatly categorized into areas that are meaningful to a clinician. The categories include:
- Research Reviews and Editorials
- Practice Guidelines
- Patient Education Materials
- Clinical Trials for Patients
- Continuing Medical Education
The engine was developed by CMP Healthcare Media.
This is a useful engine for those practicing in family medicine. It cuts out the clutter and delivers relevant and useful information.
Doctors and Med 2.0
Business Journal’s interesting article on doctors trying med 2.0. Article highlights are:
- Fliqz launches customized website for HealthGrades, allowing visitors to virtually tour various medical facilities as well as view a physician’s bedside manner.
- In May, Johnson & Johnson sponsored blogger’s events in Las Vegas
- Medem and Youtube strike a deal to bring internet videos to physicians, allowing them to create and broadcast welcome videos for new patients
Microsoft’s Digital Health View
Microsoft painting a rosy picture of the future of digital health. In the article, Bill Crounse, Microsoft’s worldwide health director, sketches the future of healthcare dominated by tablet PCs and real-time patient monitoring.
Comment: Like most pharma companies who design difficult-to-use glucometers, these technology companies do not realize how user-unfriendly some of their products are. What’s the use of overloading a product with neat tools if patients are unable to figure out how to use it?
Telemedicine becomes more valuable as number of seniors increase
Physicians and healthcare experts are predicting that telemedicine is the answer to caring for chronically ill elderly patients. The core of the software is the ability to track data such as blood pressure and medication adherence. The other major area of telemedicine is the ability of alerting-on call medical professionals if vital signs are not within desired limits.
[Source: Inside BayArea, Worcester Telegram]
Comment: The best form of a telemedical device has to be touch screen. You eliminate the cumbersome use of the mouse and decreases the learning curve of using the system.
Humana, a health benefits company, has been making a splash on the internet. They’ve recently won first place in the 2007 e-Healthcare Leadership Awards for “Best eBusiness Site.” The award recognizes the best websites for health plans, healthcare providers, online health companies and other healthcare organizations. Humana’s first place winning entry was the Humana-Military site.
However, Humana is entering the social-networking realm of healthcare professionals. ChangeNow4Health is a blogging community site designed for healthcare reform. Its goal is to engage healthcare bloggers to come together to share ideas on ways to change healthcare for the better. There are 3 communities on the site that focus upon:
- Helping consumers make smarter healthcare decisions
- Simplifying the business of healthcare
- Preventing sickness and maintaining health
The site targets all players in the healthcare system and encourages everyone to participate: caregivers, providers, policymakers, and everyone else who has an interest in brainstorming ideas to fix the broken healthcare system. It looks like pharmaceutical companies as well as healthcare insurers are starting to penetrate the web and finally stepping into the Health 2.0 movement.
Frustrated by the slow adaptation of physicians to medical technology, hospitals and legislators are considering requiring physicians to purchase some form of an electronic medical records system in order to conduct business. Proponents argue that the technology would reduce medical errors and costs. A major advocate for the mandatory use of EMR is HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt who comments on his blog:
“Large health care providers, including Medicare and Medicaid, need to move toward making it a mandatory part of medical practice soon.”
Partners in Healthcare, an organization in Massachusetts, has mandated that physician practices and its other partners who refer patients must have some form of EMR. Otherwise, they will no longer be able to practice at the Partners facilities.
The hospitals have offered to pay for some of the costs but not all of it. Cardiologist Mario Motta MD, who works for North Shore Cardiovascular Associates, a partner of Partners Healthcare, comments:
“It is basically a loss,. I don’t get to keep the medical record if I decide to move. The benefit primarily accrues to the system and insurers, who make out royally for this. They should be paying for the bulk of it.”
Other Partners-affiliated physicians who are refusing to purchase the system are either leaving or retiring.
[Source: American Medical News]
ABC’s World News reports that the health IT at the Veterans Health System is considered by most experts as “one of the best health care systems in the country.”
Most private hospitals repeat 20% of their lab tests because physicians are unable to find the patient’s results. However, unlike the VA system, the lab results are kept in an EHR, saving millions of dollars from repeated lab tests. Along with the superb EHR is the use of an electronic band.
Patients are provided with a band that looks like a typical hospital ID. This band is an electronic monitoring device that when scanned, provides a photo of the patient along with his current treatments.
Video available here.
[Source: ABC World News]
Comments
The VA Medical System’s EHR is superb. It takes less than 5 minutes for a new VA healthcare professional to figure out where to find lab results. However, it is not just the VA’s user friendly EHR that reduces costs, it’s also their operation and approach to patient care.
Unlike a lot of private hospitals, the VA is heavy on utilizing a multi-disciplinary approach. Each medical team consists of a a clinical pharmacist who rounds with the medical residents. So you have your doctors who are the diagnosing experts along with the pharmacist who is the drug specialist. During each patient case review, nurses are also involved in the discussion of the patient’s everyday progression. This allows for a detailed approach towards caring for the patient.
In addition to their multi-disciplinary approach is their drug-check system. Every order inputted by a medical resident or attending is sent to the inpatient pharmacists who double-check the drug dose, allergies, use, proper dosage according to lab results and so forth. This reduces errors as well as provides improved patient care.
WiiFit was launched in Japan and will not be available in the United States until next year. However, if you are really gung-ho about getting your hands on this game package, you can try snagging one at Success-HK, Play-Asia, or Amazon Japan.
The WiiFit bundle comes with a copy of the WiiFit and the Wii Balance Board. The game begins by calculating your BMI which it then uses to set your individual fitness goals. After the game obtains the necessary information, your body receives a “real age” based upon your BMI rating along with the appearance of your avatar. So you may be older or younger, based upon your “real age” and how healthy you’ve been keeping yourself. After the 20 seconds the system takes to determine your BMI, you have a variety of games to choose from, including yoga, skiing, and soccer.
Just how popular is WiiFit? It is currently the top selling game on Amazon Japan [Source: PunchJump] with product reviews averaging 4.5/5. The WiiFit is going to make a huge splash in the United States with plans of launching next year.
This is probably the ultimate combination of Health and Games 2.0 combined. Who knew that being healthy could be so much fun?
[Picture Sources: iDorkas , GoNintendo]
[Source: Famitsu]
Picture 1: The line for WiiFit [Famitsu]
Picture 2: The Wii Fit System [GoNintendo]
Picture 3: WiiFit Yoga [IDorkas]
Picture 4: WiiFit Games [IDorkas]
Picture 5: WiiFit Checking out [Famitsu]
The Journal of the American Medical Association review of autopsy studies found that doctors misdiagnose 8 - 24% of the time. According to Jerome Groopman, author of How Doctors Think and chairman of experimental medicine at Harvard University, errors are due to what experts term “anchoring” Anchoring is when a healthcare professional is stubbornly stuck on a diagnosis and fails to consider other possibilities.
Doctors are increasingly using the internet to assist in finding answers to a patient’s ailments, according to “Googling for a Diagnosis” a British Medical Journey conducted last year. While some are “Googling for a Diagnosis”, others turn to Isabel, a decision support system already implemented in 18 hospitals across the United States.
Isabel is simple to use. Healthcare providers enter typical patient data such as age, gender, pregnancy status, location, and symptoms. The system then releases possible diagnoses neatly categorized into different types of diseases and other possible causes such as medication. The software also takes into consideration the diseases native to a particular part of the world.
While technology advances medicine, it is important to know that it will never surpass the individual judgment of a healthcare provider. Although the lofty sum of $50,000 a year to use Isabel is pricey, the potential cost-savings associated with preventing a diagnosis error as well as ensuring the well-being of the patient is worth every penny.
The cost: around $50,000 a year for a 300 bed hospital
Demo: USA News, Official Isabel
[Source: USA News]
Other related:
Pogo is a site known for its free online games that has 16 million unique visitors a month, with members spending an average of 51 minutes on the site. Pogo, a part of Electronic Arts, has teamed up with Dr. Kathleen Hall, founder and CEO of the Stress Institute to convey the message to students that “playing games such as those found at Pogo.com provide needed mental breaks, reduce stress and restore the mind and body connection.”Partnered with Dr. Hall, Pogo has launched “Take 5 to Play,” which provides Pogo players with advice on achieving a balanced and healthy life while highlighting the positive stress effects from playing casual games on Pogo. The program offers:
- “Take five for You” Stress LESS tips
- Ask Dr. Hall : Players may submit questions to Dr. Hall about problems they encounter in their lives
- Monthly articles
- Pogo stress-relief game nights
This is an interesting strategy by Pogo executives. However, if Pogo really wants to prove that casual gaming reduces stress, they’re going to have to link to clinical studies as well as have the “Doctor-approved” stamp on some of the games because not all games are stress-free games.
Comments
Jeremy Liew, a partner at the venture capital firm Lightspeed Venture Partners, wrote his predictions for the consumer Internet 2008. One of his prediction is Games 2.0, of which involves an increase in the number of players that participate in casual gaming as a means to connect with friends.
While I concur with Dr. Liew’s predictions, I’d like to add that another emerging trend for the Consumer Internet 2008 is the marriage between games and health. There have been several posts on HippocraTech in regards to online games developed by insurance and independent game companies aimed at improving health.
Coupled to Dr. Liew’s predictions, I think that an untapped area is the use of casual gaming online that is connected to the mental well-being of users. While there are games such as BrainAge that offers a variety of games on the Nintendo DS to give your brain a workout, inspired by a prominent Japanese scientist, I have yet to see more casual-gaming online sites that plays upon the mental health arena.
There have been several clinical studies that have shown that frequent brain stimulation in old age reduces risk for Alzheimer’s disease. Stimulation does not have to be reading or walking, it could be playing games online, as long as these situations stimulate the mind.
The gaming industry cannot merely put a bunch of casual games online and call it “Games for Health.” A game that requires the cognitive skills of unscrambling words are different than that where a user throws a cat out of a cannon. The casual games aimed at improving mental health need to be those that stimulate the “thinking” frontal cortex.
The Medication Errors Panel, Persuant to California Senate Concurrent Resolution 49:
“The most recent estimate of costs associated with drug-related morbidity and mortality in the U.S. exceeds $177 billion per year. Amazingly, this amount is significantly greater than the amount actually spent on prescription drugs during the same year. In terms of patient harm, the Institute of Medicine projects that at least 1.5 million Americans are sickened, injured or killed each year by medication errors. “
We have covered Health 2.0 in regards to websites and games but there’s a small uprising in another area of medicine, call it Doctor Visit 2.0, a word HippocraTech KF reader termed.
Jay Parkinson, MD/MPH can probably be called the ultimate Dr. Geek, or rather, Dr. “House” (as in house calls). This 31-year-old physician began his New York medical practice in September, shorty after finishing his residencies in pediatrics from St. Vincent Hospital and Preventive Medicine from Johns Hopkins. Because of his unconventional approach to medicine, he already has a TV series planned for next season, a book deal and he was recently interviewed on the Colbert Report.
Dr. Parkinson’s approach has been termed by the media as “Medicine 2.0.” He incorporates the use of video chat, e-mail, and IM into his medical practice. Patients can see “open-slots” on his website where he uses Google Calendar then text him for an appointment.
After receiving the text, Dr. Parkinson would then personally go see the patient even if it is within the next hour. Patients spend 10-15 minutes filling out their health information on the website before the visit so that Dr. Parkinson has a snapshot of the situation, saving both him and the patient time.
During the housecall, he performs physical exams, explains his services, and assesses the patient’s medical status. Visits usually last about half an hour. His electronic medical record is ran on his iPhone and he uses a Mac computer.
The cost of his medical startup: less than $1500 (HisTalk)
Other coverage: NY Post, Gothamist, GeekSugar, Wired, WSJ
The following are sites that connect patients to clinical trials. Clinical trials are controlled drug/device testing environments conducted on disease states that have no current treatment or try to improve upon a current treatment.
This is not an endorsement for any of these sites or any particular clinical trial but rather serves as another resource for physicians to explore options for their patients. Please remember that these trials have both benefits as well as risks.
ClinicalTrials.gov
This site is developed and maintained by the National Library of Medicine at NIH. It contains updated information on a variety of clinical trials that are sponsored by NIH, federal agencies and academic medical institutions. Users may enter geographic or descriptive search terms and a list of open clinical trials along with eligibility criteria and contact information shall be provided.
CenterWatch
CenterWatch allows physicians and patients to locate on-going clinical trials that may be appropriate to their specific condition. The site provides an alphabetical geographic listing of available clinical trials complete with protocol descriptions, eligibility criteria, as well as contact information. Interested patients may sign up with the Notification Service which will provide e-mail updates in regards to the status of a new or ongoing clinical trial.
The Washington Post reports that Revolution Health, created by AOL founder Steve Case, has acquired two new websites to join the revolution offering. HealthTalk, a site focused on patients with chronic diseases and SparkPeople, a site that is dedicated to the fitness of its users.
According to Steve Case: “We are building a platform that reaches the largest possible audience, and in the process want to build the largest health brand from a consumer standpoint.”
October data gathered by comScore, an Internet market research firm reports the following:
- Revolution Health - 105 million page views
- Spark People - 84 million
- Health Talk - 8 milllion
Thus far, Revolution Health has (source:Washington Post 12/5, Heath) :
- Revolutionhealth : health information site
- Drugstore : site that allows users to purchase health related items
- CarePages : social-networking site for people with chronic illness to connect and discuss issues
Comments
It seems like Revolution Health, in an effort to outdo WebMD, is on a buying spree. A better strategy is to not buy more information of what consumers already have, but give consumers what they need but isn’t yet available. In addition, the site should focus more upon perfecting the user-interface to make it friendlier for everyone to use. Most importantly, the site needs to work on its branding among health professionals and patients.
Currently, Revolution Health is known as the “site that the AOL founder guy created,”not “the site I go to find health information.” Steve needs to look into building the brand name by seeking opportunities to sponsor national marathons such as the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer or the MS Walk. “Revolutionizing” health isn’t about acquiring multiple sites, it’s about “doing” something that people need. Show users that you’re “revolutionizing” health. A start would be to have Revolution Health employees participate in health marathons or hold fundraisers. Revolution Health is doing a lot virtually but what are they doing in real life to build their brand?
More Pharma companies are embracing the Internet as a means of advertising medication and marketing their brand. According to the Baltimore Sun, the latest players to enter the shift to online advertising are AstraZeneca and Merck Co. Because doctors have little time and patience for unannounced pharmaceutical representatives to provide drug presentations, these Pharma companies have implemented the Web into their marketing strategy. Among other things, pharmaceutical representatives from these companies are booking appointments with doctors via websites for drug presentations.
According to Merck Co., the average online appointment with a physician is 10 minutes compared to 4 minutes in person. A survey reports that “nearly half of all physicians prefer to learn about new medications through the Internet, instead of through a salesperson.”
Also covered by: USA Today, Star Tribune,
Related
Fora.tv: Mashup’s article on Pfizer partnering with Fora.tv to launch a Health and Wellness channel.
Johnson & Johnson Launches Medical Assistance Program Drug Tool
Pharmaceutical Marketing: Stuck in Web 1.5: Interesting analysis on percent of patients looking for information online as well as information on the online marketing services or programs that US Pharmaceutical Marketers provide to consumers. Studies show that the pharmaceutical companies are stepping into the Health 2.0 movement are causing them to miss opportunities to build relationships with patients.
Covered in this post:
- Wii: The Utlimate ExerGaming Tool against obesity
- A “Wii” smile from a cerebral palsy pediatric patient
- Improving ‘Elderly’ health with the Wii
- Wii used in rehabilitation
Wii: The Ultimate Gamercise Tool against obesity
The Wii may be considered the ultimate gamercise console on the market. A programmer, Mickey Delorenzo, hypothesized that he would be able to lose weight if he played the Wii for at least 30 minutes a day. In six weeks, he was able to lose six pounds and has signed a book deal titled “Wii Fitness.” He has also teamed up with Traineo to create a Wii workout group. Users may now choose “Playing the Wii,” as a fitness activity. Traineo will in turn, motivate you to reach your goal, tools to track your progress, along with charts and graphs.
Another interesting piece of information is a study conducted at John Moores University in Liverpool found that regular use of the Wii could help users lose 27lbs a year. The study compared the use of the Wii against other console games where users are usually seated. Participants were five girls and seven boys, aged 13-15, and measured the impact of playing an inactive and active console for 15 minutes [Videogamer]. Compared to the Wii, other game consoles increased energy expenditures were only 60% compared to the Wii’s 156% above resting. Heart rates were greater with Wii use (130 beats/minute) compared to (85 beats/minute) and the findings are that on average, using the Wii results in 40% more calories burned. [BBC]
The study was conducted by Professor Tim Cable at the John Moores University.
Other
A “Wii” smile from a cerebral palsy pediatric patient
This photo is from Matt Clark’s Flickr photostream. Matt’s little brother Stephen, was born with cerebral palsy and is unable to walk or talk. However, with help from the Wii, Stephen is able to play video games with his little sister. [Kotaku]
Improving ‘Elderly’ health with the Wii
The Wii is reaching all ages. Telegraph reports that elderly residents from the retirement home Sunrise Living Center in Edgbastron are taking turns to play the Wii. The residents are between the ages 80 and 103 years old. The most popular game being played there: bowling.
One preventative measure or suggestions to those with osteoporosis is more movement so that joints do not become stiff from inactivity. Walking is often suggested for this, perhaps the Wii is a good alternative. Even though there have not been any clinical studies on the benefits of the Wii on the elderly, anything that encourages older adults to increase their physically activity level and stimulate their mental acuity is a good thing.
[Attention Pharma companies! It would be great PR for you to donate a Wii to all the long term care homes out there!]
Wii used in Rehabilitation
CBCNews wrote an interesting article on a patient who, upon admittance into Glenrose Rehabilitation Center, is now on his feet, through the use of the Wii as a rehabilitation tool. The “gamer”, Albert Liaw, was a boxer who was knocked out of the ring and suffered brain damage. Don Simoneau, his physical therapist comments, “”It was very motivating. We could have him do therapy for an hour and he wouldn’t mind one bit. Now when I see him playing today it’s incredible to think back to where he was.”
Areas that Wii game developers need to address
Through use, we find that the Wii has been used for more than just entertainment. Its use has made a tremendous impact on different types of patients ailments, mental as well as physical impairment. However, here are some problems:
The Wii Mote is not suitable for users with limited movement
Muscular Dystrophy is a genetic neuromuscular disorder that gradually weakens the body’s muscles thereby limiting the user’s range of motion. Games such as bowling, baseball, golf require arms to swing at a wide angle. Those with Muscular Dystrophy or older users with severe arthritis in their upper body, have a limited range of motion. Because of this, they are unable to play several Wii games. A letter written by a muscular dystrophy gamer may be found here.
My suggestion is that Wii devleopers create either a sensitivity control setting in the Options menu or create an alternative Wii Mote that is more sensitive to this population of people who are finding renewed life through its use.
Why not create games playable for blind or visually impaired individuals?
In 1999, a japanese video game company called Warp created an audio game for blind gamers. The game was called “Real Sound: Kaze no Riglet” and was created by Warp’s president, Kenji Eno for the Sega Saturn and DreamCast [Audiogames]. The Wii should further explore the possibilities of developing audio games that may be fun for both blind as well as non-blind individuals. Video games development does not need to be inclusive or special for “blind” people…make it mainstream.
Related: Singapore-MIT GAMBIT Game Lab are developing AudiOdyssey (PC Game) for the blind or visually-impaired with the option of incorporating the Wii Mote into the game as an optional controller, using bluetooth to connect it to the PC. Players would swing the Wii Mote to correlate with the player’s music rhythm.
Incentives for Nintendo
Nintendo may be wondering why they should change their games for a “small population.” But how much does it cost to keep in mind the other potential users while building games? It’ll increase your user base and create positive PR.
Given the boom of “Health 2.0″ lately, Nintendo needs to create social-networking communities that emphasize the healthcare benefits associated playing with the Wii. While there are Wii fitness communities, they are mostly centered around the weight management population.
Make playing games good for your health… if anything, give kids an extra excuse as to why their parents should get them a Wii for Christmas.
Description of video above: Paraplegic patient navigates through a virtual world using a brain-computer interface with 90% accuracy.
Two teams that met at a European consortium called PRESCENCCIA are teaming up to create a virtual world where users may navigate through a virtual environment using their mind. The team from Graz University of Technology in Austria, specializes in measuring signals from the brain through electrodes. The other team, from the University of College London (UCL), UK builds virtual reality worlds [NewScientistTech].
In a recent study, users guided an avatar (virtual reality figure) through a virtual environment using direct thought. EEG recordings were recorded as the users imagined moving his legs and arms. The readings were then linked to visuals presented on the computer monitor. 75%-90% of users in the virtual reality world were able to use thoughts associated with movement to walk an avatar through the environment while waving to other virtual characters.
This research may prove to be a means for patients with severe neuromuscular disorders to communicate as well as provide a possible tool as rehabilitation for stroke patients. Perhaps one day this technology may link patients to “exo-skeletons” and allow them to perform regular tasks through direct thoughts.
WebSurg is a virtual surgery university that provides more than 500 surgical videos, over 1000 expert interviews and 100 descriptions of surgical procedures complete with photos, and animated procedures. The site is peer reviewed by top surgeons from all around the world: United States, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Japan, Germany, Italy, China, and Taiwan. The telesurgeries and information provided on this site are geared more towards healthcare professionals than patients.
WebSurg’s content has been accredited by the University of Virginia School of Medicine in 2002 to become the first website outside the United States to meet the American Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) standards. Presently, it is certified by McMaster University, Continuing Health Science Education Program. WebSurg was developed by Professor Jacques Marescaux and his team at the European Institute of TeleSurgery in France.
The site is available in 5 languages: English, Japanese, traditional Chinese, Spanish, and French.
Pharmaceutical Marketing: Stuck in Web 1.5: Interesting analysis on % of patients looking for information online as well as information on the online marketing services or programs that US Pharmaceutical Marketers provide to consumers. Studies show that pharmaceutical companies’ baby-steps into the Health 2.0 movement are causing them to miss opportunities to build relationships with patients.
BurstMedia: Survey done on 3,700 users that found women ages 25-34 as the power searchers of online health information.
Digital Communities: 2007 Consumer Medical and Health Information poll, commissioned by Ask.com and conducted by Harris Interactive found that Americans turn to the Internet for health information nearly as often as they turn to doctors.
Chicago Tribune: More people are turning to the web for health information. “Boomers are the key drivers of that shift. Fifty-three percent of all visitors to health sites are age 45-to-64, according to comScore Media Metrix.”
Fora.tv: Mashup’s article on Pfizer partnering with Fora.tv to launch a Health and Wellness channel.
JNJBTW: Johnson & Johnson enters the blogsphere.
Hearst Magazine’s acquires the website RealAge. RealAge is a site that that provides users with an online test where they answer questions and in turn, the site spits out the user’s “biological body age.” The site has about 8 million users, mostly women aged 30-59 years old. The Herald Tribune believes that the acquisition price was near $100 million.
Man has three loves in his life: his work, his family and his best friend….whether you call this best friend a dog, cat, fish or even a pig. The current boom of combining healthcare with the internet has been obsessively and narrowly focused upon the healthcare of humans, leaving a “Dolittle” hole.
While there are social-networking for animals such as Dogster and Catster, that offer some medical information, there is a lack of a resource totally dedicated to the health of our furry friends. Animals are prescribed the same types of medications as do humans. The difference is in the dosage as well as how they respond to the medication’s side effects. Different animals take different doses and respond differently to medication.
Where do I go to look if my Great Dane or German Shephard was responding strangely? I can’t ask my dogs if they’re feeling nauseous or dizzy. Where do I go to look up medication administration to my dogs who always manage to eat the entire hotdog yet spit out the hidden pill?
Health information delivered to veterinary pets are different from that of humans. With that being said, this is an untapped, unpenetrated area of “Health 2.0″ that should be addressed. Our furry friends deserve the same amount of care as we do. Perhaps…the Pet 2.0 revolution?
Feline Health Videos
A video site developed by Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. The site provides videos on:
- caring for your diabetic cat
- giving your cat a pill or capsule
- giving your cat liquid medications
- trimming your cat’s claw
- taking your cat’s temperature
- brushing your cat’s teeth
Cornell also provides Consultant, a “database designed to link over 500 clinical signs and symptoms to nearly 7,000 possible diagnoses or disease conditions. Thus, it can help you find summary information about animal diseases. In addition, it can assist in compiling lists of diseases with certain clinical signs, such as all of the dog diseases that have “diarrhea” as one of the clinical signs. Consultant also contains a selected list of up-to-date journal articles on each diagnosis. “
Merck Veterinary Manual
“The Merck Veterinary Manual is the single most comprehensive electronic reference for animal care information. It is brought to you as a service of Merck & Co., Inc., providing quality medical information on a not-for-profit basis for more than 100 years, and Merial Limited, dedicated to producing a wide range of pharmaceuticals and vaccines to keep livestock and pets healthy and productive.”
Traineo + Dogster
Dogster and Traineo have teamed up to develop the “Dogster.com Fitness with Dogs Group.” The site’s purpose is to not only get pets into shape, but pet owners as well. Users will be assigned a “Training buddy” when they register as well as have the option of sharing ideas on how to get both their pet and themselves in shape.
December makes me think of JC, a 20-year-old patient who was rushed into the Emergency Room after he was found collapsed on the lawn. We couldn’t save him. It wasn’t a heart attack or a drug overdose, he died because he was on Lipitor (atorvastatin) 40mg every day and drank a large amount of grapefruit juice. His mother, with all the best intent, bought him grapefruit juice because she read in a magazine that it helped in lowering cholesterol. The grapefruit juice inhibited the breakdown of Lipitor (and all statins like it) to a toxic level in his blood.
One of the biggest issues that have always bothered me is the amount of counseling given to patients in regards to drugs. While there is an emphasis on drug-drug interactions, I have noticed that there is a lack of emphasis on drug-food and drug-herbal interactions.
Are people aware that grapefruit interacts with statins, anti-arrhythmics (i.e. amioradone), some anti-depressants and many other drugs?
Does someone who is on a monamine oxidase inhibitors(MAOI - i.e. Selegiline, Isocarboxazid) know that he should avoid tyramine containing foods such as cheese, sauerkrauts, snow pea pods?
We cannot assume that patients will read the package inserts.
With that being said, here are some sites that send users the latest information about their medication or alert users of FDA recalls due to an adverse reaction such as the Vioxx situation. Unfortunately, I am unaware of any alerts that reminds users of drug-food or drug-herbal interactions.
iGuard
iGuard is a drug alert system that sends users notification of important safety information. It alerts you when there is information pertaining to your drug sent by the FDA, drug manufacturers, or the scientific community. It also provides you with a personalized risk rating that assesses your risk for a potential side effect along with its potential severity. The site was developed by Dr. Hugo Stephenson, who was President of the strategic research and drug safety division of Quintiles Transnational, a firm providing clinical research services to the drug industry.
FDA e-Mail Alerts
The FDA sends e-Mail alerts in the area that you are interested in. Of particular interest are the subscriptions under “Consumer Health Information”:
- FDA & You
FDA newsletter on medical products and health topics for teens, parents and educators- FDA Consumer Education about Medicine
Consumer education on making the best medicine choices, buying safely, and using medicine safely and effectively- FDA Consumer Health Information
Timely and easy-to-read articles on product approvals, safety warnings, and other health information. Articles cover all FDA-regulated products, including drugs, medical devices, vaccines, blood, food, dietary supplements and cosmetics- Maturity Health Matters
FDA newsletter on regulated products for older adults, their families and caregivers.- Medicines in My Home
An interactive and educational program about the safe and effective use of over-the-counter medicines
Navigating the FDA Maze: