E-Prescribing

Filling prescriptions electronically is one of the demands of IT systems in healthcare and that is fueling cloud computing system purchases, according to a report from Kalorama Information. The global market for cloud computing in healthcare is estimated to reach $3.9 billion for 2013, representing 21.1% growth over the 2012 year, and that storage demands from e-prescribing will create sales opportunities for cloud providers. The finding was made in Kalorama's latest report, “The World Market for Cloud Computing in Healthcare.”

An e-prescriptions is sent to pharmacies electronically instead of by fax. Re-fill requests are sent to health provider electronically from the pharmacy resulting in faster prescription management.    Kalorama notes that the use of e-prescribing technologies has jumped from less than 10% in 2004 to about 35% in 2010. The healthcare market research firm says that hospitals, physician offices and retail pharmacies will adopt cloud computing systems, off-site servers that can store information accessible to healthcare organization employees at a different location.

“e-Prescribing creates a variety of storage responsibilities for both the physician and the pharmacy, leading to demand for server space,” said Bruce Carlson, Publisher of Kalorama Information. “In healthcare, space is often limited and the last thing organizations want is a bulky server.”

Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1553055#ixzz2jKZXBk8d

Questioning Doctors about Your Therapy Could Save You Money

In all of the discussions about the Affordable Care Act and how to rein in the escalating cost of medical care in this country, no one seems to mention the need for patients to become more informed and to take more responsibility for their own health.

Greed, ego, lack of time or even discouragement with human nature can drive physicians to prescribe a pill or recommend surgery when a discussion about losing weight or quitting smoking might make more sense. But doctors have told me they’re not reimbursed for the time it takes to educate patients, and too often, patients want an easy fix.

Add to that the influence of pharmacy sales reps and the fear of malpractice, resulting in prescriptions for drugs that might be questionable and extra tests ordered simply to cover the doctor in case of legal trouble down the road.

Medicine’s not an exact science, either. What works for one patient may not work for another. A former dean of the medical school at the University of Missouri in Columbia where I once worked liked to say, “It’s called the practice of medicine for a reason.”

To continue reading this article, visit: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/she-the-people/wp/2013/10/28/patients-need-to-educate-themselves-question-doctors-to-prevent-unnecessary-surgeries-and-prescriptions/

Affordable Care Act and Senior Citizens

WASHINGTON -- The HealthCare.gov website is back online Monday after a data center's failure Sunday caused an outage that blocked people from signing up for theAffordable Care Act, federal officials said.

The Obama administration also said Monday that a provision in the law reducing out-of-pocket prescription drug payments for Medicare recipients saved recipients $2.3 billion, or an average of $834 per beneficiary, during the first nine months of 2013. In Louisiana, the per-recipient savings averaged $756.

The HealthCare.gov website outage Sunday and early Monday was resolved Monday. "Verizon Terremark successfully resolved the issue with the networking component overnight," Department of Health and Human Services spokeswoman Joanne Peters said in a statement Monday, and as of 6 a.m., "the Data Services Hub was fully operational." 

Is There A Possible Link Between Autism and Tylenol

                                                                      

Although Cuba’s per capita income is about eight times lower than that of the U.S., the percentage of its population with autism is also lower — a surprising 298 times lower. Dr. William Shaw, who has supervised departments in endocrinology, nutritional biochemistry, toxicology, and immunology at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other organizations, hypothesizes that the increased rate of autism, as well as rising rates of asthma and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, may be caused by an increased use of acetaminophen. Acetaminophen, a pain reliever and fever reducer, is the active ingredient in Tylenol as well as other medications.

Among the controversial topics he covers in his latest work of research is the potential connection between autism and vaccines — or more correctly, the connection between autism and the fever prevention therapies recommended before and after vaccinations.
Vaccines or OTC Drugs to Reduce Fever?

Although vaccines are technically optional in the U.S. — mandatory for children enrolling in school — vaccines are compulsory throughout Cuba. In fact, Cuba boasts one of the most highly vaccinated populations in the world with a rate of inoculation against measles at 99.7 percent. This certainly tops the estimated worldwide rate of 84 percent among 1 year olds in 2011 reported by the World Health Organization, which also found the rate of measles vaccination to be 90 percent in the United States.

Read more: http://www.autismsupportnetwork.com/news/acetaminophen-behind-autism-epidemic-otc-meds-given-prevent-fever-after-vaccines-may-be-culprit-24782942#ixzz2j2bhUBni

HSA Account Overview

Health savings accounts: Is an HSA right for you?

Health savings accounts are used to save money for future medical expenses. Discover how these plans work.

By Mayo Clinic staff

Health savings accounts (HSAs) are like personal savings accounts, but the money in them is used to pay for health care expenses. You — not your employer or insurance company — own and control the money in your health savings account. The money you deposit into the account is not taxed. To be eligible to open an HSA, you must have a special type of health insurance called a high-deductible plan.

Why were health savings accounts created?

HSAs and high-deductible health plans were created as a way to help control health care costs. The idea is that people will spend their health care dollars more wisely if they're using their own money. In addition, doctors and other health care providers will have an incentive to lower their rates because they're competing for business.

Is a health savings account right for me?

Like any health care option, HSAs have advantages and disadvantages. As you weigh your options, think about your budget and what health care you're likely to need in the next year.

If you're generally healthy and want to save for future health care expenses, an HSA may be an attractive choice. Or if you're near retirement, an HSA may make sense because the money in the HSA can be used to offset costs of medical care after retirement. On the other hand, if you think you might need expensive medical care in the next year and would find it hard to meet a high deductible, an HSA might not be your best option.

To continue reading about HSA accounts, visit:  http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/health-savings-accounts/GA00053

Discount Pharmacy Programs

                                                                      

It's hard to know where to begin to respond to Sally C. Pipes' op-ed about the 340B drug discount program because it has so many mistakes, half-truths and exaggerations ("Health Care Program Has Become an Arbitrage Operation," Aug. 29, 2013).

She is either badly misinformed or on a misguided mission to tear down 340B — a valuable program that reduces costs for patients and taxpayers.

First, a disclosure: I am president and chief executive officer for Safety Net Hospitals for Pharmaceutical Access, an organization that represents nearly 1,000 hospitals enrolled in the 340B drug discount program.

It would have been nice, not to mention transparent, if Pipes had similarly disclosed her ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

Her essay has all the hallmarks of being part of the campaign to undermine 340B by some of the most highly profitable drug companies in the world and other well-financed special interests.

Congress created the 340B program in 1992 with bipartisan support. It gives hospitals and other health care providers that serve a disproportionate share of low-income patients relief from high prescription drug costs.

Read More At Investor's Business Daily: http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials-counterpoint/102113-675980-low-income-patients-get-shot-in-the-arm-from-340b-drug-program.htm#ixzz2ieDRQuVT

Drug Shortages Make it Harder for Patients to Afford Medications

                               

Fran Beall, a nurse practitioner in Athens, prescribed a seven-day supply of doxycycline, a dependable antibiotic that’s long been generic and inexpensive.

Shortly thereafter, a pharmacist called Beall and asked if she could prescribe another antibiotic for the young man, because he had no insurance.

“Why?” Beall asked. “He can’t afford $5?”

“It’s not $5,’’ the pharmacist replied. “It’s $157.’’

Beall called another pharmacist she knew. The cost there was $135. “There’s a big shortage of doxycycline,’’ the pharmacist told her.

Those high prices for doxycycline hyclate stunned Beall, who has been a nurse practitioner for 38 years. She told GHN that for a long time, the drug was easily available and typically cost $4 or $5. In fact, she said, “just a year ago it was even free at the local Publix pharmacy.”

Doxycycline is not the only drug in short supply. Shortages of dozens of critical drugs have persisted in the United States in recent years, with manufacturing problems cited as a major reason. Some of the drugs in limited supply include anesthetics, chemotherapeutic agents, antibiotics, painkillers and intravenous solutions.

For more of this article visit http://chronicle.augusta.com/news/health/2013-10-21/drug-shortages-price-spikes-affecting-care?v=1382369163

Practitioner's Oath vs. Drug Costs

                                         

Later this month, the American Society of Clinical Oncology will convene more than 25,000 cancer specialists at its annual meeting to wrestle with some of the country’s most pressing healthcare issues.

One of conference’s top agenda items is sure to be drug pricing. A recent editorial in a major industry journal fervently made the case that high prices for certain cancer pharmaceuticals are preventing patients from getting treated and violating the Hippocratic Oath’s charge to “do no harm.”

This is an increasingly popular sentiment in the oncology community. While it does seem to be driven by a genuine concern for patient well-being, it’s deeply misguided. Drug prices are minuscule compared to the profound social benefit generated by successful pharmaceuticals.

To continue reading this article visit: http://www.forbes.com/sites/tomasphilipson/2013/10/20/capping-drug-prices-scraps-the-hippocratic-oath/

How to Find the Right Medicare Part D Plan

If you are covered by Medicare Part D and are not on an employer or group plan, this is critical information. Open enrollment for the Medicare Part D Drug plans start started on October 15th. You have until December 7thto determine which is the best plan for you in 2014 and make the needed change. It could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars.

 Why is it important to compare?

In a recent analysis for one of our clients, he would save $5,200 for the year and his wifes would save $1,450 by switching to a different plan and using a different pharmacy. That is a total savings of $6,650 for the year!

When reviewing plans for clients for 2014, so far we have found the average savings is $220 per year. In some cases it turns out that the plan you have will still be the best for you in 2014. You just won’t know if you don’t take the time to get a review of your options.

There are many reasons you cannot assume that the plan you are on now will be the best one for you in 2014. These reasons include:

1. Increased monthly premium.
2. Increased deductible amount.
3. Changes in what drugs the plans cover and how well they cover them.
4. Changes in the medications you take.
5. Your plan may no longer be offered. (In this case if you do nothing you will be enrolled in another plan that most likely will not be the best suited for you.)
6. Brand new plans will be offered which might save you money.
7. With some plans you get the best price on drugs by using a specific pharmacy. (You need to know this and make sure you are using that pharmacy.)

To read more of this article from Forbes magzine visit http://www.forbes.com/sites/feeonlyplanner/2013/10/17/shopping-for-new-medicare-part-d-drug-plan-is-critical/

Dangerous New Drug Overdoses Reported Across the Country

A dangerous drug cocktail has hit the United States and some local doctors worry it could hit the Mahoning Valley because of its cheap costs and easily accessible ingredients.

It is called Krokodil, which is a mixture of codeine and substances like gasoline and paint thinner. Doctors say the drug mimics heroin, but this injectable drug destroys the body from the inside out, causing infection and gangrene.

"When you inject this drug, it causes massive tissue damage and death of your tissues, leading to the possibility of surgery, further tissue loss or loss of an extremity," said Dr. Michael Cicchillo of  Northside Hospital.

To continue reading this article click here:

http://www.wkbn.com/news/local/doctors-warn-of-drug-cocktail-dangers