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TelehealthNews Vol. 4 No. 1 January 2001
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Welcome to TelehealthNews, the Internet Telehealth Resource for Health Professionals. Please feel free to pass this newsletter on to your friends and colleagues. See the TelehealthNet Web Site: <http://telehealth.net>
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NEW TELEHEALTH BOOK: Now Available!
Maheu, M., Whitten, P., & Allen, A. (2001). E-Health, Telehealth &
Telemedicine: A Practical Guide to Program Startup and Success.
Jossey-Bass: San Francisco.
http://www.telehealth.net/shop/index.cgi?product=book
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. News Update
2. Market Watch
3. Legislative Update
4. Employment Opportunities
5. Resource Links
6. Funding Opportunities
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TELEHEALTH NEWS UPDATE
Back Pain? Arthritis? Step Right Up To Your Mouse
This article examines problems that the Federal Trade Commission and Food and Drug Administration have in regulating online claims for vitamins and minerals.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/07/technology/07VITA.html>
British Doctors to Consult Online
The British government has unveiled a huge information technology program that will allow general practitioners to get specialty consultations over the Internet and patients to view their medical records from home. As part of the project, every citizen will have a lifelong electronic medical record.
<http://www.independent.co.uk/news/UK/Health/2001-01/netdoc140101.shtml>
The Detwiler Group Report on Health Websites
Drug databases at health Web sites often lack the most current information, according to a new report from The Detwiler Group.
<http://www.detwiler.com/html/presentations/Detwiler_report_200101.pdf>
Digital Doctoring
As this article vividly demonstrates, handheld computers such as Palm Pilots can help doctors save lives by giving them immediate access to information. And a slew of e-health companies are developing other applications for handheld devices that will let doctors do everything from beaming prescriptions to checking insurance rules.
<http://www.nytimes.com/2001/01/08/technology/08HAND.html>
Doctre Group Unveils Online Communications Policies
Medem, the e-health network created by the American Medical Association and other medical societies, has developed new guidelines covering doctor-patient interactions online. Many of the guidelines cover physician Web sites.
<http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20010109/hl/www_1.html>
Finding More Ways To Track Patients On Your Palm
This article examines current patient tracking software that physicians can use with personal digital assistants such as Palm Pilots. It notes that entering data is cumbersome and that privacy concerns associated with "beaming" patient data from one Palm to another remain unresolved.
<http://www.ama-assn.org/sci-pubs/amnews/pick_01/tecb0115.htm>
New British Telemedicine Initiative and Information Service Launched
The UK Ministry of Health announced a major investment in information technology to be used in part for telemedicine aimed at improving access to medical expertise for patients, physicians and ambulance workers. Under the new system local medical offices will be linked into hospital centers. The announcement coincides with the deployment of a new web site to provide information about telemedicine projects, organizations, vendors and people involved in telemedicine.
<http://www.tis.bl.uk/>
Patient Medical Data Opened
The new federal medical privacy regulations issued explicitly allow doctors, hospitals, and others to use patient medical data for marketing and fundraising.
<http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/nation/health/A63303-2001Jan15.html>
Quality of Web-Based Information On Treatment of Depression Cross Sectional Survey
Australian researchers who examined the content of 21 popular Web sites about depression found that the general quality of information presented was poor. However, they grudgingly admit that "many sites did contain important and potentially useful information."
<http://bmj.com/cgi/content/full/321/7275/1511>
Texas Proposes New Funds for Telemedicine
The 2001 budget proposal for the state of Texas includes $37.6 million to pay for a pilot program to expand children's Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program reimbursements to telemedicine services provided in rural areas. The proposal was made by President Bush’s successor, Governor Rick Perry.
Up For Sale: Your Secret Health Files
Canada has a brand new privacy law, but the provision covering health records doesn't take effect for a year. And even when it does, there are lots of questions about exactly who will have to comply.
<http://www.torontostar.com/apps/AppLogic+FTContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=979619495059&call_page=TS_News&call_pageid=968332188492&call_pagepath=News/News>
Welcome To The #?!!*&*! Future Of Medicine
In this article, a Washington Post reporter visits the recent eHealthcareWorld conference and finds lots of continuing problems with digitizing healthcare. The sidebar describes some Web sites for consumers featured at the conference.
<http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25699-2001Jan5.html>
Sidebar:
<http://washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A25700-2001Jan5.html>
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Market watch
Cardiac Science Inc. Merger Off
External cardiac defibrillator maker Cardiac Science Inc. said last week it has withdrawn its $143 million proposal to acquire Spacelabs Medical Inc., which makes patient monitors. The company said it withdrew its proposal of $15 per share because of a lack of response from Spacelabs. Spacelabs Medical provides integrated healthcare information systems and instrumentation, focusing on wireless, telemedicine and Internet solutions.
CYBeR-CARE Reaches Out
CYBeR-CARE Inc. recently activated live telehealth network operations in China, supporting its joint venture with SIIC Medical Science and Technology Group of Hong Kong. CYBeR-CARE's first initiative to disseminate its Electronic HouseCall(TM) System (EHC) in this region will be handled through its new wholly owned Asian operating company, Cyber Pacificare Ltd.
DrKoop.com Relocation
Just in time to cope with rolling blackouts, the troubled health Web site Drkoop.com is closing its Texas headquarters and moving to California.
<http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/ap/20010116/bs/drkoop_moving_2.html>
Good-Doctor.com Draws Negative Attention
A new British Web site called Good-Doctor.com promises to help patients find the best medical specialists available. But the British Medical Association found that two of the doctors recommended by the site lost their medical licenses last year for serious professional misconduct.
<http://www.idg.net/ec?go=1&content_source_id=13&link_id=394956>
Motion Media Set to Purchase C-Phone Corporation
Motion Media, a UK-based firm, announces that it has signed a Letter of Intent to purchase certain assets of C-Phone Corporation, a US company. A primary market for Motion Media is telemedicine. C-Phone is a provider of video communications technology and products to business, security, education and healthcare markets in the US.
Quality Diagnostic Services Acquired
CardGuard Scientific Survival is buying the majority of business assets owned by Quality Diagnostic Services (QDS), a wholly owned subsidiary of Matria Healthcare. Both Card Guard and QDS specialize in telemedicine systems and cardiac telemedicine monitoring equipment. CardGuard will broaden its activities in the cardiac monitoring market and will strengthen its position in the medical communication sector.
Report Calls for New Strategies For E-Health Ventures
Most European Internet health ventures are failing, according to a new report by the Boston Consulting Group. Typical e-commerce business models don't work, the report said.
<http://www.nua.ie/surveys/?f=VS&art_id=905356334&rel=true>
The Struggles of WebMD and Its Outlook For The Future
This article takes a detailed look at the woes afflicting WebMD, a company that does everything from providing consumers health information online to handling insurance claims by doctors.
<http://www.msnbc.com/news/517414.asp>
Verizon Increases Access To Telemedicine
Verizon Communications and more than a dozen leading community advocacy groups in California launched an independent $25 million fund that will benefit community and educational programs serving the state's low-income, minority, ethnic and other "underserved" communities. <http://newscenter.verizon.com/proactive/newsroom/release.vtml?id=48048>
WebMD See Narrower Than Expected Loss
The e-health firm WebMD expects to post losses of $50 to $55 million for the fourth quarter of 2000. That's actually good news, since the company had earlier projected losses of $60 to $65 million.
<http://news.excite.com/news/r/010108/13/net-health-webmd-outlook-dc>
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LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
HCFA Implementing New Medicare Telemedicine Legislation, ATA To Respond
The Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) is in the process of implementing recently enacted legislation that increases funding for telemedicine services to rural areas. Under the new law, the area of coverage has been extended to all rural counties, a co-payment or split fee requirement is eliminated and many other requirements have been either eliminated or expanded. ATA will be reviewing and providing comments on the regulations and encouraging members to provide their own comments when the proposed regulations are released. The legislation made clear that, while no additional Medicare payments will be made for telehomecare, such services can be included for patients receiving Medicare services. On January 12, HCFA sent out a Program Memorandum regarding telehealth services for home healthcare.The memorandum took a harsh tone to the legislation stating that Medicare will not specifically reimburse for telehealth services nor would telehealth be considered a "covered" service. However, the memorandum also stated that homehealth agencies may adopt telemedicine or other technologies to "promote efficiencies." ATA is working to clarify this issue through efforts with Congress and HCFA. The HCFA Program Memorandum is available at: <http://www.hcfa.gov/pubforms/transmit/a0102.pdf>
JCAHO Standards
The American Telemedicine Association has issued a briefing regarding the changes in standards set by Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations credentialing and privileging of health professionals using telemedicine. <http://www.americantelemed.org/news/newres.htm>
Likely Outcomes of New Federal Medical Privacy Regulations
The American Hospital Association estimates hospitals will spend $22.5 billion to comply with the new federal medical privacy rules. Technology companies that produce compliance solutions stand to profit handsomely.
<http://www.wired.com/news/print/0,1294,41075,00.html>
The Regulation of Internet Pharmacies
Bills that would increase regulation of Internet pharmacies are likely to pass Congress this year. However, they fall well short of enforcement tools requested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
<http://www.drugdiscoveryonline.com/content/news>
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EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
GHA Telnet Information Conferences
<[log in to unmask]>
Worldwide Organization and Meeting Guide by Myron Pulier, MD. http://telehealth.net/calendar/ for a wide range of eHealth, Telehealth and Telemedicine meetings and over 3,300 organizations. Searchable by:
Alphabetic Index of Organizations
Telehealth Organizations
Meetings Indexed by Location
Meetings Indexed by Date
Telehealth Meetings by Date
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EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES
See TelehealthNet's New Job Center
http://telehealth.net/classpro/jobboard.html
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RESOURCE LINKS
Bibliographies:
TelehealthNet
http://telehealth.net/biblios/biblio_menu.html
Databases:
TelehealthNet
Resources: http://telehealth.net/resources/index.php3
Add Your Link: http://telehealth.net/resources/add.php3
UK National Database of Telemedicine
http://www.dis.port.ac.uk/ndtm/
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FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
New Federal Grant Competition Announced
The Technology Opportunities Program (TOP) announced the opening of the FY 2001 grant round competition. This year the program has approximately $42.5 million available for grants, up from $16 million last year. Grants are targeted toward use of advanced telecommunications technologies such as telemedicine. Individuals can contact TOP at 202-482-2048.
<http://www.ntia.doc.gov/otiahome/top/>
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TELEHEALTHNEWS REVIEW BOARD:
George Alexander <[log in to unmask]>
Deborah Burton, M.A. <[log in to unmask]>
Rob Glueckauf, Ph.D.<[log in to unmask]>
Leigh W. Jerome, Ph.D. <[log in to unmask]>
Warren B. Karp, Ph.D., D.M.D. <[log in to unmask]>
Sunkyo Kwon, Ph.D. <[log in to unmask]>
David Nickelson, Psy.D., J.D. <[log in to unmask]>
Nancy J. Sharp, MSN, RN <[log in to unmask]>
B. Hudnall Stamm, Ph.D. <[log in to unmask]>
TelehealthNews Editor/Writer
Marlene M. Maheu, Ph.D. <[log in to unmask]>
TelehealthNews Assistant Editor and Reporter at Large
Bob Pyke, Jr. RN, CPNP <[log in to unmask]>
TelehealthNews Assistant Editor
Michael J. Mallen, M.A. <[log in to unmask]>
http://telehealth.net/about/staff/michael/bio.html
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Disclaimer: The accuracy of any information presented herein cannot be guaranteed. Permission is granted to reproduce or distribute this newsletter in whole or in part, provided copyright and source website <telehealth.net> is fully acknowledged.
Copyright 2001 by Pioneer Development Resources, Inc.
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