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Healthy & Happy 4th of July!
As America celebrates its 232 birthday, I wanted to wish all my family, friends and fellow Americans a very Healthy and Happy Fourth of July. These pictures show America’s Declaration of Independence and fireworks in Washington, DC; New York City and San Francisco.
As a native Washingtonian, I grew up in the Nation’s Capital often watching the fireworks displays with tremedous awe at The Mall while sitting on blankets with my parents, six siblings and friends. They are treasured memories of the simpler time.
In 2001, I was living in New York City and with my offices on the 85th floor of Two The World Trade Center I had a great view of the Statue of Liberty below. That July 4th, I joined a few hundred thousand folks and watched the Macy’s fireworks near the United Nations building as fireworks lit up the East River. It was an amazing experience.
During my life I have lived, worked and celebrated our country’s birthday in many ways in 11 states including; at neighborhood parades in Maryland; at Wolf Trap for the Performing Arts Park in Virginia; on a bayou picnic in Louisiana; on the Atlantic Ocean in Florida; on a board walk in Delaware; and near the Golden Gate Bridge in California. It is truly a magical spectacular display of people gathering as one united voice regardless of hertitage, gender, race, religion, economic status and celebrating our night sky’s pyrotechnic displays with a collective “ooohhh! ahhhhh!” and always smiling with happiness.
As Americans celebrate our Declaration of Independence Day in 2008, I wanted to wish you a Happy 4th and I am thankful to live in a country that feeds the diverse human spirit to pursue “Life, Liberty & the Pursuit of Happiness”.
Take Care & Be Healthy,
Michael
wwww.execimpactgroup.com
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Medical Mentors: Maneuvering My Medical Maze
As the 77 million Baby Boomers age and need for expertise for theirs and their parents medical decision making, there is a growing need for “medical mentoring”. The term “medical mentoring” has been around for some time and is part of several medical schools formal academic program to assist pre-med and medical students eager to get additional gudiance as they embark on their long years of study.
However, the type of “Medical Mentoring” I am referring to is the kind which would be similar to a financial advisor people engage for effectively planning and managing their financial needs. The world of medicine despite the multiple direct to consumer television drug advertisements is an often even more mysterious and confusing then the financial world. People are seeking domain medical expertise in advising them in a full range of medicial decision making from clinical treatments to evaluating assisted living facilities for themselves or their parents.
“Mentor is the name of the person to whom Odysseus (a.k.a. Ulysses) entrusted the care of his son, Telemachus, when he set out on those famous wanderings of his that we now call an “odyssey” and which took him, among other places, to the Trojan Wars. Mentor was Odysseus’ wise and trusted counselor.”
To many patients and families, trying to navigate our US healthcare systems has indeed become an “Odyssey” full of various “wars” with providers, insurers and “the system” of red tape. Before managed care, reduced reimbursements, medical practice specialization and time constraints on physicians our “family doctor” was our “Medical Mentor” of “Patient Advocate” in the past, but that role as all but disappear much like the housecall.
Medical Mentoring may just become a new college study major for college student entering undergraduate programs, one that would be multi-year study, training and internships and offer a professional degree and professional “certification” not unlike a CPA or CFP. As the field of study expands, increase specialization would be a natural progression with individual medical mentors focusing areas such as preventive health, fitness & diet or medical treatments, or even managing the “medical maze” of providers and facilities. My friend Marjorie Alfus former general cousel at KMart and Chair at The Center for Women’s Business Research has been leading advocate for creating a solution for families struggling with medical maze issue, while pioneering educational support to train future “medical mentors”.
In some cases physicians are choosing to convert their private practices from a traditional insurance reimbursement model into a “medical concierge” model and are limiting their patient panel numbers and requiring cash only. I would not be surprise if nurse practictioners, physician assistants and in some cases physicians pursue a medical mentor role as this trend emerges and grows in the–it seems that the past is prologue.
Take care,
Michael
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Health Social Networks
As many who know me, I have been building connections in social networks both “off line” and online for 40+ years. The old networks are from my childhood friends who I continue to be in contact usually on a daily basis (via e-mail) and in person a few times a year. I have developed at least 20 different and distinct networks ranging from friends, family, grade school, high school, college, graduate school, internships, professional associations, employers, etc. Facebook, Linked In…
I have always enjoy connecting with people across the street or around the global since a very early age. It is a passion of mine. So I stay connected on a daily basis with many people mostly about common interests, hobbies, technology, online solutions, healthcare, medicine, social networking and charities. What I have noticed in the past 3-4 years is not only the proliferation of general and topic specific social networking sites (listed below) that have “members” into the multi-millions, but “niche” health, medical and wellness social networking sites that may only have a few hundred or thousands of members. Media reports on this growing trend with zest in Business Week “Health Social Networking“, Mashable and other publications. Both models seem to work for their respective audiences one is focused on the “masses” to create huge media sites much like a major network television station, and the latter to serve very specific disease, health or medical issues someone would like to talk to others who have similar experiences. Perhaps the old adage “Birds of a feather, flock together” has deep roots into our global human condition to reach out and discover/communicate with others regardless of where they live and to share a common interest.
Back in late 1990s, I was an alpha investor and founder of eHealth, which became HealthOnline.com a venture capital backed company providing many of the “innovations” and “tools” incorporated in the emerging healthcare social networking sites below including: online health communities; disease specific message boards; professional and clinical support; health experts; and instant messaging. It is a bit gratifying to see such tools as common place on most of these sites now. The technology has advance tremendously and that benefits the users, patients, providers or others with the need to interact about specific health, medical or wellness issues.
Some of the emerging “health” networking site include:
Trusera Founded by Keith Schorsch a former Amazon.com executive is based in Seattle. “Trusera is a new social-networking website centered on health, The site, which features online communities and personalized health information, allows members to endorse one another’s contributions, as a way to identify reliable sources of information.”
Keas. Founded by Adam Bosworth, formerly VP of Google Health is launching this new site with a goal to “Dedicated to helping people stay as healthy as possible”. They are building a world class Advisory Board including Salesforce.com founder/CEO Marc Benioff, Esther Dyson of EDventure, former FDA Commissioner, David Kessler, MD and bringing together many talented professionals, one to watch.
Sermo Founder & CEO Daniel Palestrant, MD presented at the Healthcare 2.0 conference last September 2007 in San Francisco. Phyisicans social networking to discussion about diseases. “We are a practicing community of 65,000 physicians who exchange clinical insights, observations, and review cases in real time — all the time.” according to their site.
Medical Mingle. “Is the professional social networking site for people working in, servicing and studying for a career in the healthcare and medical fields.” It is like “Facebook meets/mashes with AMA”.
Daily Stength. Considered a “pioneer” in healthcare social networking. by founders Doug, Josh and Lars. The site has over 600 “communities”, with members, chat, blogs, 24/7/365 support groups, 300 treatment issues discussed, and medical news.
Wellsphere. Capitalizing on the growing personal and corporate focus on creating health life styles at home and at work, Ron Gutman and Dave Kashen founded the company help people improve their well being. “Wellsphere builds online healthy living communities that help people ‘Get active, Eat better and Unwind’.
HealthWorldWeb.com. Founded by CEO Daniel Kogan and Dr. Asya Kogan in 2006, “Health World Web is a Social Network Of Patient Communities, offering Help, Emotional Support, Non-Medical Advice…Health World Web is a social networking tool that allows you to take charge of your health. At Health World Web you can blog, chat and post to forums about your healthcare needs.”
WebTribes. Founded by Ryan and Kristin FitzGerald in 2006. “Currently they have 25,000 members across the 5 tribes. WebTribes focuses on life consuming ailments where studies show that isolation can be a detriment to a person’s health, while journaling and sharing experience with others can have very positive effects.”
RealMentalHealth.com This mission “Find and Meet people that are dealing with similar conditions by joining the first Mental Health Social Networking Community”. They list Groups, chats, forums, journals, etc. Interesting approach. My wife Dr. Hagit Glickman founded MyPysch.com which served the mental health professional community in a smiliar way back in 1997 and was a cover story feature in Inc magazine.
The study of social networking has been advanced by many including Albert-Laszlo Barabasi, Director of Complex Network Research at University of Notre Dame. He wrote “Linked” which is a book full on excellent research and insights into the networking topic. Unless you have been in a deep coma the past five years you must have come across some of the leading “social networking” web site promoted by radio, television and online media socurces that initially were driven by teenage and college students, but has witness an increasing mainstream accpetance and use. Here are a few familiar ones.
MySpace.com: 191 million members. This site is massive, boasting the largest membership of any social networking site on the Internet.
Facebook.com: Was initially intended for college students — it branched out, and now allows everyone membership. 70 million members. http://blog.patientslikeme.com/
Linkedin.com: 20 million members — a powerful tool for business networking.
Friendster.com: 29 million members. Friendster was considered the top online social networking service until around April 2004, when it was overtaken by MySpace. Demographic studies indicate users are from 17 to 30 years old.
Stumbleupon.com: Boasting 2.75 million users, StumbleUpon is a web browser plugin that allows its users to discover and rate webpages, photos, videos, and news articles. A great way to get website promotion. Bought by eBay for $75 million in May 2007.
Orkut.com: Orkut is an Internet social networking service run by Google and named after its creator, Google employee Orkut Büyükkökten. It claims to be designed to help users meet new friends and maintain existing relationships. Now has a membership of 57 million.
Twitter.com: A free social networking service that allows users to send “updates” (text-based posts that are up to 140 characters long) via SMS, instant messaging, email, the Twitter website, or an application such as Twitterrific.
Classmates.com: 40 million members. One of the oldest social networking sites around, Classmates was kicked off in 1995, and has proven to be a great way for members to to connect with old friends and acquaintances from throughout their lives.
Meetup.com: 2 million members. Meetup.com is an online social networking portal that facilitates offline group meetings in various localities around the world. Meetup allows members to find and join groups unified by a common interest, such as politics, books, games, movies, health, pets, careers or hobbies.
Yahoo! 360° (a.k.a Yahoo! Days) is a personal communication portal similar to orkut and MySpace — it is currently in the beta-testing phase. It integrates features of social networking, blogging and photo sharing sites.
Xanga.com: 40 million members. Xanga is a free Web-based service that hosts weblogs, photoblogs, videoblogs, audioblogs, and social networking profiles.
Care2.com: 7.2 million members. Care2 is a social networking website that was founded to help connect activists from around the world.
Ryze.com: .25 million members. Ryze.com is a free social networking website designed to link business professionals.
Recently, several major internet players including MicroSoft (www.healthvault.com now in Beta), Google (www.google.com/health in beta too)
Take Care,
Michael
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Jack Ryan: Father, Healthcare Innovator & Medical Design Visionary….from Georgia to China
In a few days is Father’s Day and I thought I would take some time to honor my Dad, John L. “Jack” Ryan. He is a recognized pioneer in many aspects of the modern healthcare industry. His accomplishments included numerous hospitals designs, healthcare innovations and cutting edge medical technology decades ahead of their times. He lead the healthcare planning team for the two largest public projects in the Republic of China (ROC) in the 1980s including The National Taiwan University Hospital in Taipei and National Cheng Kung University in Tainan (which was founded in January 1931 the same month and year of his birth).
Some Background. He was born at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia the second son of four children his mother a cafeteria worker and father newspaper worker. He used his smarts to gain academic scholarships to college and he graduated top of his class at both Regis University in Denver and St. Louis University in healthcare management. Dad would often remark “I started at the top in my field! I began by sweeping and mopping the top floors at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Denver while attending college.” By then he had married my Mom (Anne Herkins) and become a father of sisters Annette and Amy in 1952 and 1953.
After he graduated from St. Lousi University, he accepted an Associate Administrator’s position in Corpus Christi, Texas at Spohn Hospital. He became a father again when sister Alicia was born in 1955. He served with a director of nursing Margaret McGrale who was Canadian and introduce him to a fellow Canadian Gordon Friesen.
They joined forces together at Gordon A. Friesen International as a pioneering healthcare consulting firm. My Dad took an assignment in San Jose, Costa Rica to manage a system of hospitals and moved the growing family, where brother John L. Ryan, III was born in 1957.
Two and half years later, he was in Washington, DC where I was born in 1960, brother Steve in 1961, sister Karen (d) in 1963 and brother Paul in 1964 at Georgetown Unversity Hospital.
In 1969, he and my Mom, Anne, started their own firm, Ryan Advisors and were based in the “extra” bed room in our house for about 6 months before moving the The Chevy Chase Building for 14 years. They eventually acquired a building in Gaithersburg, Maryland The Ryan Center in the ealy 1980s and had offices in Rome, Italy and Singapore. Over the decades, Dad along with my Mom Anne, raised seven children, built an international healthcare consulting practice and influence thousands by their innovative hospital designs, trend setting solutions, cutting edge technology systems and a monthly newsletter, The Ryan Advisory for Healthcare Governing Board that was subscribed and read in all 5o US states and world wide by healthcare leaders.
On this Father’s Day, I honor my Dad by sharing his story with you and provide some brief insight into his remarkable career, family and life. I have received some additonal thoughts from his colleagues and friends.
“Jack was one of the very valuable associates I had during my tenure at The George Washington University (GWU), particularly when I served as chair of the department. He was an inspiration to all the students and faculty and became a role model for those who chose to follow a career in consulting. His support (e.g., through the (Jack & Anne )Ryan Award and student tours of his headquarters) gave the GW program a unique asset.” Philip N. Reeves, DC, LFACHE, Former Chair, The George Washington University, Department of Health Services Management
“Michael: It is a pleasure to reply. What a great idea to connect with Father’s Day. Yes, I have memories of your Dad, My most important link was with the Ryan Advisory Newsletter and Jack’s consulting going back to Friesen (I believe that we used Friesen in Kalamazoo in the 1960s - I am not sure given senior moments. Maybe it was with a VA Hospital that I consulted with). In addition my years at ACHE gave me opportunity to meet and work with many people like Jack. That was part of the joy of the job.”Stuart Wesbury, Former CEO, American College of Healthcare Executives 1979-1991
“I first met your Dad in 1967 at a conference he and Gordon (Friesen) put on in Washingon. Our then chief of Paediatrics, John Rathbun and I attended, We were the only Canadians there, I think, and there was real pressure being put on to have Gordon Friesen International appointed to provide up to the minute design advice for a new children’s’ hospital we were planning to build. Politics intervened, and there is still no separate children’s hospital in London! Later, I joined the Trendleaders Club (Networking organization founded by Jack Ryan) in 1980, enjoying the quarterly meetings for some time. Again, I was the only Canadian. During that time your Dad provided valuable strategic planning advice which formed the basis for the redevelopment of the St Thomas Elgin General Hospital where I was president and CEO. Jon R. Skafel, LFACHE, St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada
“(I) worked with Jack in the early 70’s at Mercy Hospital & Medical Center in Chicago. It was one of Friesen’s premier Hospitals. I remember as an administrative resident touring visitors from all over the world, several times with Jack expounding on trayveyors, SPD, and nurse servers. We were already planning for bedside computers. When I came to St. Johns Regional Medical Center in California and got the opportunity to build a new replacement hospital, Jack was the first person on my list for consultation. He was one of the brightest people I have encountered in healthcare, way ahead of his time. Daniel R. Herlinger, LFACHE, Former CEO, Catholic Healthcare West Central Coast www.chw.edu
Dad had manyhealthcare industry recognitions including:
Fellow, American College of Healthcare Executives
Fellow, American Association of Healthcare Consultants
Fellow in the American Academy of Medical Administrators and received their “Distinguished Service Award” in 1983.
My Dad has taught me many lessons over the nearly five decades, and he is always fond of saying give “Roses to the Living”, well Dad, enjoy these many beautiful bouquets from your friends and colleagues, Happy Father’s Day,
Love,
Michael
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Healthcare Reform: Back to the Future
During this past Memorial Day week, I embarked on a “road trip” with my eldest children to Washington, DC covering six states and 1,200 miles as my daughter begins an internship in the United States Senate this week.
It brought back memories of when I was a White House internback in 1980 and it seems alot has changed since then, but much has remained the same. As we walked from Capitol Hill to the White House I recollected how in the “good old days” when Pennsylvania Avenue was a street I could drive my car in front of The White House between Layfayette Park and I would park my car everyday between The Treasury Bulding the the East Wing at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Now, only foot traffic is acceptable due to security concerns of the executive office and President’s home.
Besides the increase in national security around the city and soaring gas prices, alot hasn’t changed in my birthplace of Washington, DC. The momuments are the same, Senator Robert Bryd (D-WV) is still in Senate and healthcare “reform” has been a campaign issues for the past 28 years with little change. As my daughter begins her US Senate internship, she no doubt will hear many of the same protests, arguments, complaints, support and crys to reform for our current healthcare system I heard a generation before.
Politics dominates DC and the status quo is the norm, however, one possible pathway for change is by creating healthcare “think tanks” or “forums” to transform the current healthcare system based on our core American values with individualism and diversity as center pieces.
Two decades ago, I served as director of a healthcare “think tank” based in Washington, DC. Its primary mission was to bring together some of the brightest minds inside and outside of the healthcare sector to “think outside the box” as potential health reform was taking place and the need for changes in healthcare was a public cry.
The “TLC” or Trend Leaders Club recruited only healthcare chief executive officers (I know there are those that would question this approach and challenge this group’s intellectual exclusivity) across the nation. Each quarter this club would gather to hear from leading business, government and healthcare innovators, researchers and academics. Such notable speaker participants included Universal’s founder Alan Miller www.ushinc.com, The Johns Hopkins University’s Dr. Susan Horn www.isisicor.com/Shorn_biosketch.html and ”Mr. Health” Paul Rogers among many others.
I am not sure how much if any impact the TLC had on healthcare directly or indirectly in impacting policy or individual health organizations. But I do know that the concept of bringing together very smart people and others impacted by our healthcare system to understand how to positively transform a nearly $3 trillion industry was a noble idea then and is today. The question becomes what are the major forces involved and how do we address cost, care delivery, quality care, medical advances, consumerism, funding, diverse labor force with decreasing long term single employer “life time” employment, aging Baby Boomers, etc.
I am coming to believe that the ultimate solution will be created from mirroring our core values as a country that places a large emphasis on the “individual” versus the collective group approach, this despite the current massive structure framework of our healthcare “system” which has been operational for the past 40+ years.
My colleague Robert Fisher, MD is founder of the Future of Healthcare Forums Network and has developed a platform to facilitate discussions, debate and solutions for healthcare’s future. I am optimistic about its impact given its mission:
Future of Healthcare Forums Network. FOHCF is an organization devoted to creating vibrant discussions among senior leaders in healthcare, business and other creative thinkers. The purpose of FOHCF is to create scenarios for new approaches for change and implementation in healthcare leading to a better healthcare future. The network’s methodology is a unique tool of inquiry. It is focussed on Prevention and Distribution of resources and Access to healthcare. It is founded on the basis of a Medical Democracy, diverse voices creating a more promising future in healthcare.
As the national Democratic, Republican, Libertarian, GreenPresidential campaigns gear up for a general election, healthcare should be a top issue to be discussed, addressed and ultimately creative solutions implemented over the next few years after the political elections are completed. Back in 1980, only 8% of the US GDP was spent on healthcare, now it is 16% with predictions as high as 25% in th enext few years. Healthcare “crisis” must be resolved or the 16% GDP spent of healthcare expenditures will more than likely pale in comparison to cost of serving the 77 million baby boomers as we march towards retirement every 8 seconds beginning in 2011 and consume greater healthcare resources before the next Presidential election cycle. My hope is my 20 year old daughter can look back at her Capitol Hill internship in 28 years and be proud of the accomplishments achieve in healthcare policy during her generations watch and action.
Take Care,
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Memorial Day Salute
Memorial Day seems to have taken on a “commercialize” meaning during the past few decades as a time for new cars, furniture and BBQ “SALES” as well as the “Official” beginning of the Summer versus the actual reason the holiday was established 140 years ago. It is a holiday dedicated to the “memory” of all the war dead, to honor those who have made the ultimate sacrifice by giving their lives in service to our country.
We salute to the men and women that served our country and their families that have given so much.
Take Care,
Michael
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Physician Search: Seeking the “Holy Grail”
How do consumers find, research, evaluate and determine the best doctor for them? I am NOT talking about the one we see on televison for the past 40 years… I did a quick
www.google.com search and typed in “Best Doctors” and 640,000 search results came up in 0.09 seconds ; and at 
www.yahoo.com received 4,040,000 in 0.25 seconds which are amazing database responses, however, I am not sure how useful it is in my or others specific circumstances of needs of finding a provider. The top results (first page)s showed “best doctors” articles from various regional magazines none from where I lived as well as eight (8) display ads from companies. I am not sure this is the best way to ensure you and your family are getting a quality provider.
I can tell you from my own personal search for a physician it can be very time consuming and frustrating. Last year our family physician retired and I needed to find another one. My wife has her “best” OB/GYN and my son has his “best” pediatrician since his birth. So I went to my health insurance provider’s online portal and began searching for a physician. First, I choose the specialty, board certification, then location, then other factors I was interested in (for me having online communications with my doctor was important priority). I clicked off my requirements and recieved 10 pages of physicians that met my criteria (I guess living in a medical hub such as San Francisco isn’t typical) and began the process of reading their profiles. I appreciate my health insurance provider having such a tool, however, it was a bit overwhelming even for me as someone who is a former hospital CEO and who over my career managed the Georgetown medical school residency programs over the past 20 years . I knew what I needed and what to look for, but the process was very time consuming, ineffiecent and frustrating at times. Once I had reviewed each physician’s profile I needed to then call their offices to set up a time to meet with them and determine if what I read on paper was good in person.
Now, I know a common “short cut” to this process is to get a direct referral from friends and family or physicians, however, I can only imagine what others experience in trying to select such an important part of their healthcare decision making. Now add to that if suddenly you or a family member were diagnoses with a life threatening or serious illness and wanted a second opinion or “the best” in the business. I know it occures every day across the country. I had a conversation with a friend who searched for nine months for cause of his illness and tried to find a specialist who could correctly diagnosis and provide treatment options for his disease. He was very frustrated and concerned about the process consumers of healthcare must endure every day in searching for providers and solutions for their illnesses.
I conducted a “non-technical” survey of my network which includes many healthcare providers, very experienced physicians and other “consumers” and asked the question, “Where can I find a listing of the Best Doctors in the US”. Not surprisingly, many did not have a clue. And this included a collective 1,000+ years of experience of people who work every day in the healthcare industry at hospitals, clinics, physician practices. Here is a few responses:
“When one strips off the hype, only good doctors & nurses know who are the good doctors, both locally & nationally. There will probably be metrics to assist with this, but not for a few years” —A board certified neurosurgeon with 30 years experience
“I don’t know of any top lists nationally. In SF there is a list of the top docs in each specialty from SF magazine. I am sure there are similar lists in different locations.” —Yale educated MD practicing at leading medical center
“Nothing reliably. Each region has its top docs, i’d ask a fellow in the teaching institution if interested.” - MD practicing at world class medical center
“The one publication rating docs that I know is just US News and World Report. Our local Louisville Magazine has a yearly top docs list as do most other local magazines. Most of it is political BS…” —MD in practice for 20 years
If people who do know the “best” providers (quality) but there is no way for the consumers to access such “private” database and recommendations, there seems to be an opportunity as my friend above states to build a system that is national in scope, verifiable, unbiased and accessible to the consumer 24/7 online to enable them the tools to make the best healthcare decisions for themselves and their families maybe the “Holy Healthy Grail” of the future. More to come….
Take Care,
Michael
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Ted Kennedy: Healthcare Hero
Today it was announced Senator Ted Kennedy was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. Our thoughts and prayers go to him and his family as they tackle this in the weeks, months and years ahead. Like almost every American, we all have someone in our family or close friends who has battled some type of cancer. Senator Kennedy son Teddy, Jr. successfully fought his own cancer battle in 1973. As a native Washingtonian, I grew up surrounded by politics and I can recall a few times heading to the Kennedy’s Hickory Hill compound the 1960s in McLean, VA and seeing him, Bobby and other members of the growing political family “Dynasty”.
When I served as a White Intern in 1980, I watched Senator Kennedy mount a dramatic Democratic Presidential campaign challenge against President Carter and witness one of his greatest speeches at Madison Square Garden. After losing his Presidential bid at the Democractic Convention he concluded his speech by exclaiming…”For me, a few hours ago, this campaign came to an end. For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.”
Although I have often been on the opposite side of his politics, there have been very few people in Congress that have championed and successfully passed such important health legislation into law over the past 40 years he has served this country. This is especially true in his legislative fights for cancer healthcare funding. Senator Ted Kennedy, like his older brothers is indeed an American ”Hero” and may his living legacy be all those Americans that are better served by a not perfect health system, but one that has been made better by Ted Kennedy’s passions, talents and untiring efforts. His dream lives on…
Take Care,
Michael
Michael Ryan
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“Governator” to the EMR Privacy Rescue? Who Protects Patient Privacy in Electronic Medical Records
Wow! Two years have nearly flew by when I first posted this in Summer 2006; and 16 years since an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) was mandated by the Feds. Issues of access, adoption, adaption (A3) continues as well as with the V.I.P.’s privacy making headlines with Gov. Schwarzenegger’s medical records being breached. http://topics.latimes.com/politics/people/arnold-schwarzenegger
According the the LA Times, “I have been a victim of this in my own hospital visits,” Schwarzenegger said at a news conference, “if it was for heart surgery or hip surgery, shoulder surgery, all of those things.”
Every time he has left an operating room, the governor said, he has been told there were “people going through your file that had white coats on. Obviously, they snuck into the hospital. They had nothing to do with the hospital staff at all. So those things happen.”
Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times
Electronic Medical Record, Personal Health Record and your medical information and patient privacy
I had lunch this week with a friend of mine here in Silicon Valley who recently sold his technology company, a person health record (PHR) system to a major health insurer. The PHR system provided individuals with an online and portable health and medical record with the focus on the consumer managed versus a specific health plan, employer or medical facility. It will be interesting to observe how the technology is adopted/adapted by the new owner in servings its membership.
This past year there has been a dramatic increase activity and push by the Feds to breath new life in this medical information, Electronic Medical Record (EMR) and PHR area. As I have stated on numerous occasions, way back in 1992 when I was serving as a hospital CEO, Congress “mandated” a EMR for all hospitals and health facilities by 1997. This never happen. Why? Perhaps it was the lack of enforcement to backup the federal requirement, the lack of internal/external funding sources to pay for such change or the industry trying to develop and accept one system that could interface with all those “legacy systems” within the walls of the hospitals such as radiology, lab, surgery, pharmacy, etc. It isn’t a matter of “hardware” but “software” meaning getting humans to adapt, accept and adopt (A3) change.
There is no doubt the advances in software and hardware applications has improved over the last 12 years and it is now technically possible, but there continues to be a search for this “Holy Grail” solution that enables providers to implement a robust EMR. In the mean time, hundreds of EMR and PHR vendors are chasing after this market which is very cluttered and confusing. Equally important is just who “owns” your health and medical information? Who makes sure it is “secure” and protects your privacy? Recent news report about millions of medical recordsand health data being stolen out of cars, vans and homes of government and hospital employees give little comfort to all of us who should have concern over privacy and patient confidentiality issues.
Do you know where your medical information is?
“I’ll Be Back”,
Michael
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Takes All Types: Leveraging Social Networks for Better Health
In late 2007 I was approached by friends Ben Bergman and Richie Hecker two successful entrepreneurs to assist them in developing a concept which would increase blood donation nationally by creating an app for Facebook and other social networking sites. Since then they have established a not-for-profit organization based in New York that Ben is serving as executive director. They are tapping into the social networking world by leveraging people interest in connecting and “changing the world” for the better.
“Today, our blood supply is drawn from a donor pool comprising 2%-5% of the population. The typical donor is an affluent white male in his mid-40s to 50s. In order to ensure the future of America’s blood supply, there is an urgent need to reach out to the next generation of donors – young people in their teens and early twenties who have never donated.”
The “Takes All Types” app is up and running.
As a former chapter chairman and State of Louisiana American Red Cross chairman, I have connected them with the national American Red Cross leaders to make things happen.
Much like your driver’s license “donor” designation, I encourage you to add the TAT app to your FaceBook profile and others social networking site you may use now and in the future, it really does Take All Types to save a life or two.
Take care,
Michael
