September 2011 Blog Posts (9)

As a Washingtonian, I’m as cynical as they come. Cancer awareness, however, is rarely an issue that causes me to raise an eyebrow. Which is why I was surprised to read that this morning, USA Today announced the results of a Gallup Poll which found Americans have mixed emotions about National Breast Cancer…

I feel like I am always writing about these types of stories but I absolutely love it when I see how technology is making things better in the developing world especially if it involves better access to healthcare in Africa. 

I've seen the power of mobile access first hand in Haiti and through the earthquake. It is such a fantastically powerful tool that is making life easier.  This piece from mashable details how mobile phones are bringing healthcare and…

By Palmer Reuther

Tomorrow, the MA Association of Health Underwriters (MassAHU) is holding its 9th Annual Statewide Conf. and Trade Show at the DoubleTree Hotel in Westborough, MA. The event, "Benefest 2011", looks to be a great event with sponsors including Harvard Pilgrim, Fallon Community Health Plan, Pfizer, BCBS and Tufts.

One of the themes expected to emerge from the day's…

There is so much to be said about the way the internet has improved our society. We can now do everything from our home computer or via our smart phone. There’s no need to leave the house anymore. We can rent movies, order groceries, telecommute and even have consults with our doctors. But I was kind of surprised to read that some people are now having sessions with their therapist via Skype from their home computer, or even the Skype app.

Some say there’s comfort in carrying…

A great blog post on the use of derogatory language used by a group of male doctors on twitter was brought to my attention earlier this week. The post scopes the sentiment among colleagues against the author’s own distaste of some of the comments made by those involved in the discussion.    

Unsurprisingly, this has provoked a wide-range of responses. In particular, it brings to the fore the debate about the use of slang and dark humour displayed by medical personnel – terms…

The below article by John Mack provides an interesting and troubling view of the pharma industry and the big push for orphan drugs and the huge influence PhRMA has over the government.  At first look, it seems like no harm no fowl but what sort of impact is this having on the patient communities suffering from the disease who may not find effective treatment from biologics or chemical compounds but rather a med device. 

Additionally – if orphan diseases need to meet…

Healthcare Communications News has posted an interesting article on 4 steps to reduce a social media crisis in a hospital.  One thing I think should be added-- or changed-- across most social media policies is more clarifications around new tools.  A social media policy is outdated almost just as quickly as its created. Is there anything on this list that you would change?

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An interesting survey from the UK about teenagers seeking sexual health information from websites that might not be the most credible or accurate. While it seems like a perfect venue for a shy teenager to learn more in order to make better decisions which could affect the rest of their lives, if the information isn’t accurate, what’s the point. 

It seems like there is a real need for some sort of grading system that assesses the accuracy of the information.  I think…