Philanthropic pioneers Gary and Mary West launched the West Health Policy Center in Washington D.C at the Health Care Innovations Summit held January 26th in Washington D.C. The goal is to save up to $100 billion in cumulative healthcare costs within ten years.
The event partnered by CMS, Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, West Wireless Health Institute, and Health Affairs brought together health delivery systems, physicians, innovators, policymakers, academics, and investors to help find payment solutions already working in the marketplace.
“Healthcare costs are rising at an unsustainable rate and which has caused a national crisis, has threatened our economy and national security, weakens our global competitiveness, causes millions of jobs to be “offshored” and violates public trust,” said Gary West. “It is vital for the future of our country to begin immediately to focus on some common sense changes in healthcare reimbursement and regulation.”
Independently funded by a multi-year, multi-million dollar commitment from the Wests, the Policy Center is the only non-profit, non-partisan organization with the single aim of lowering healthcare costs.
The Policy Center will initially work to:
• Provide patients with the right care, at the right time, wherever they are, whenever they need it. This will be enabled by new models of care coordination powered by smart technology
• Provide timely, easily accessible, easily understandable and actionable price data that enables consumers and providers to fully understand the costs associated with diagnostic, therapeutic, and routine healthcare choices
• Advocate for reimbursement models that incentivize development and use of equally or more effective low cost high value alternatives to the status quo
• Provide research and analysis for clear regulatory pathways to expeditiously bring tools to enable infrastructure-independent low-cost care to consumers and clinicians
• Identify wasteful, costly, unnecessary, or duplicated healthcare spending
The Policy Center will establish a competitive fellowship program where five established researchers will be selected through a nationwide application and interview process each year based on their ability to identify at least $1 billion in actionable annual healthcare cost savings.
The Policy Center’s first fellow is Dr. Peter Neumann, an internationally renowned researcher on the use of cost effectiveness analysis in healthcare decision making. He currently serves as the Director of the Center for the Evaluation of Value and Risk in Health at the Institute for Clinical Research and Health Policy at Tufts Medical Center in Boston.
He will join the other fellows to identify opportunities for regulatory and reimbursement changes ensuring that the rules across CMS, FCC, and FDA are aligned with each other to allow for equal or better clinical outcomes at lower costs.
For more information on the West Health Policy Center, go to www.westhealthpolicy.org, for more information on the West Wireless Health Institute, go to www.westwirelesshealth.org and for more information on the Health Care Innovations Summit, go to www.hcidc.org.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
State Legislative Issues
The Commonwealth of Virginia spends $42.3 billion each year on their Medicaid program and this amount is expected to increase with the implementation of federal health care reform and spending requirements. Therefore, the state is looking at using telemedicine to help reduce Medicaid costs.
House Joint Resolution No. 171 introduced by State Delegate Daniel W. Marshall III (R-VA) on January 11, 2012 would establish a joint subcommittee to study how telemedicine could play a role in reducing Medicaid costs.
The joint subcommittee with a total membership of 15 members, would examine the current use of telemedicine in the Commonwealth and in other states, research methods that could be used to reduce Medicaid costs using telemedicine, and consider other new technological advances used in other states to help solve the problem.
In New York State, a roundtable discussion was held on January 9th with the Legislative commission on rural resources. The hearing was held to identify what state legislators and policymakers can do to eliminate the remaining barriers to using telemedicine.
At the roundtable, the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) and other stakeholders identified issues related to telemedicine that need to be addressed:
• Encourage all private payers to recognize telemedicine and telehealth services including new models of care emerging at the state and federal levels
• Expand Medicaid support for telemedicine to include service provided from licensed providers and private physician offices, especially with the critical need for child and adolescent psychiatry needed in many areas of the state
• Expand Medicaid support for consultations provided to nursing home residents
• Identify and address areas of the state that still lack broadband access
• Allow for peer review responsibilities when a hospital is contracting with another entity for specialty telemedicine consultations since the receiving hospital may not have the specialists on staff to appropriately conduct quality assurance activities that are part of the credentialing and privileging process
Participants in the roundtable also identified barriers at the federal level that included discussion on Medicare support for telemedicine. For example, there is limited payment for services to patients located in designated rural Health Professional Shortage Areas.
House Joint Resolution No. 171 introduced by State Delegate Daniel W. Marshall III (R-VA) on January 11, 2012 would establish a joint subcommittee to study how telemedicine could play a role in reducing Medicaid costs.
The joint subcommittee with a total membership of 15 members, would examine the current use of telemedicine in the Commonwealth and in other states, research methods that could be used to reduce Medicaid costs using telemedicine, and consider other new technological advances used in other states to help solve the problem.
In New York State, a roundtable discussion was held on January 9th with the Legislative commission on rural resources. The hearing was held to identify what state legislators and policymakers can do to eliminate the remaining barriers to using telemedicine.
At the roundtable, the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) and other stakeholders identified issues related to telemedicine that need to be addressed:
• Encourage all private payers to recognize telemedicine and telehealth services including new models of care emerging at the state and federal levels
• Expand Medicaid support for telemedicine to include service provided from licensed providers and private physician offices, especially with the critical need for child and adolescent psychiatry needed in many areas of the state
• Expand Medicaid support for consultations provided to nursing home residents
• Identify and address areas of the state that still lack broadband access
• Allow for peer review responsibilities when a hospital is contracting with another entity for specialty telemedicine consultations since the receiving hospital may not have the specialists on staff to appropriately conduct quality assurance activities that are part of the credentialing and privileging process
Participants in the roundtable also identified barriers at the federal level that included discussion on Medicare support for telemedicine. For example, there is limited payment for services to patients located in designated rural Health Professional Shortage Areas.
Startups Receive Funds
Technology developed by the Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University to help deliver drugs and other therapeutics to specific locations in the eye is the foundation for a startup company. The startup “Clearside Biomedical” was formed with the assistance of Georgia Tech’s VentureLab program which helps obtain early-stage seed funding from the Georgia Research Alliance.
The technology was developed by the research team led by Mark Prausnitz, a Professor in Georgia Tech’s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering in collaboration with Henry Edelhauser, a Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Emory School of Medicine. The research leading to the development of the technology was sponsored by NIH.
The Atlanta-based “Clearside Biomedical” received a venture capital investment of $4 million to develop the microinjection technology. The funding came from Hatteras Venture Partners, a venture capital firm based in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina that focuses on seed and early-stage investments in companies developing products in biopharmaceutical, medical device, diagnostic, and related human health areas.
The microinjection technology will use hollow microneedles to precisely target therapeutics within the eye. If the technique proves successful in clinical trials and wins regulatory approval, this technology could provide an improved method for treating diseases that affect the back of the eye, including age-related macular degeneration.
Drugs today can be delivered to the retinal tissues at the back of the eye in three indirect ways. One way is to inject using a hypodermic needle into the eye’s vitreous humor, the gelatinous material that fills the eyeball, or use eye drops which are limited in reaching the back of the eye, or taking pills that expose the whole body to the drug.
With the development of new the technology researchers are able to use a hollow micron-scale needle to inject therapeutics into the suprachoroidal space located between the outer surface of the eye known as the sclera and the choroid which is a deeper layer providing nutrients to the rest of the eye. Preclinical research has demonstrated that fluid can flow between the two layers where it can spread out to the entire eye, including to the retina that is difficult to reach.
So far, the technique has been tested only in animals. The funding will enable the company to conduct additional efficacy and safety testing needed to seek regulatory approval. The company’s first product is expected to address macular edema and retinal vein occlusion.
For more information, contact Holly Korschun at (401) 727-3990 or Joy Bell at (404) 778-3711.
In a project in Virginia, the Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) a nonprofit corporation has invested CIT Gap Funds of $50,000 in the University of Virginia’s based start-up Rivanna Medical, a company specializing in portable low cost, radiation free x ray replacement technology based on medical ultrasound.
Rivanna Medical’s ultrasound technology is set to create a pipeline of advance handheld ultrasound products. The company’s technology enables clear delineation of bone structures with 3D imaging capabilities all contained in low cost handheld devices. According to the company their devices provides sharper contrast, resolution, and reduced noise when compared with standard ultrasounds due to advance signal processing technology. The product is a smart phone sized device targeting the spinal anesthesia market as a replacement for fluoroscopy guided or blind needle insertion.
Markets for the technology include spinal anesthesia, the diagnosis of bone fractures, and guidance for orthopedic surgeries. The combined market size is approximately $664 million per year in the U.S. and for Rivanna Medical’s product alone, the U.S. market is estimated at $208 million per year due to a population of 41,000 anesthesiologists and the fact that 18 million spinal anesthesia procedures performed each year.
For more information, email Hap Connors at hep.connors@cit.org or Stephanie Boucher at Stephanie.boucher@cit.org.
The technology was developed by the research team led by Mark Prausnitz, a Professor in Georgia Tech’s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering in collaboration with Henry Edelhauser, a Professor in the Department of Ophthalmology at Emory School of Medicine. The research leading to the development of the technology was sponsored by NIH.
The Atlanta-based “Clearside Biomedical” received a venture capital investment of $4 million to develop the microinjection technology. The funding came from Hatteras Venture Partners, a venture capital firm based in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina that focuses on seed and early-stage investments in companies developing products in biopharmaceutical, medical device, diagnostic, and related human health areas.
The microinjection technology will use hollow microneedles to precisely target therapeutics within the eye. If the technique proves successful in clinical trials and wins regulatory approval, this technology could provide an improved method for treating diseases that affect the back of the eye, including age-related macular degeneration.
Drugs today can be delivered to the retinal tissues at the back of the eye in three indirect ways. One way is to inject using a hypodermic needle into the eye’s vitreous humor, the gelatinous material that fills the eyeball, or use eye drops which are limited in reaching the back of the eye, or taking pills that expose the whole body to the drug.
With the development of new the technology researchers are able to use a hollow micron-scale needle to inject therapeutics into the suprachoroidal space located between the outer surface of the eye known as the sclera and the choroid which is a deeper layer providing nutrients to the rest of the eye. Preclinical research has demonstrated that fluid can flow between the two layers where it can spread out to the entire eye, including to the retina that is difficult to reach.
So far, the technique has been tested only in animals. The funding will enable the company to conduct additional efficacy and safety testing needed to seek regulatory approval. The company’s first product is expected to address macular edema and retinal vein occlusion.
For more information, contact Holly Korschun at (401) 727-3990 or Joy Bell at (404) 778-3711.
In a project in Virginia, the Center for Innovative Technology (CIT) a nonprofit corporation has invested CIT Gap Funds of $50,000 in the University of Virginia’s based start-up Rivanna Medical, a company specializing in portable low cost, radiation free x ray replacement technology based on medical ultrasound.
Rivanna Medical’s ultrasound technology is set to create a pipeline of advance handheld ultrasound products. The company’s technology enables clear delineation of bone structures with 3D imaging capabilities all contained in low cost handheld devices. According to the company their devices provides sharper contrast, resolution, and reduced noise when compared with standard ultrasounds due to advance signal processing technology. The product is a smart phone sized device targeting the spinal anesthesia market as a replacement for fluoroscopy guided or blind needle insertion.
Markets for the technology include spinal anesthesia, the diagnosis of bone fractures, and guidance for orthopedic surgeries. The combined market size is approximately $664 million per year in the U.S. and for Rivanna Medical’s product alone, the U.S. market is estimated at $208 million per year due to a population of 41,000 anesthesiologists and the fact that 18 million spinal anesthesia procedures performed each year.
For more information, email Hap Connors at hep.connors@cit.org or Stephanie Boucher at Stephanie.boucher@cit.org.
CBO Discusses CMS Demos
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) released an issue brief on January 18th reviewing the outcomes on 10 major CMS demonstrations. The evaluations by independent researchers show that most programs have not reduced Medicare spending.
The report explained that the programs where care managers had substantial direct interaction with physicians and significant in-person interaction with patients were more likely to reduce Medicare spending than other programs, but on average, even these programs did not achieve enough savings to offset their fees.
Results from demonstrations of value-based payment systems were mixed. In one of the four demonstrations examined, Medicare made bundled payments that covered all hospital and physician services for heart bypass surgeries. In those cases, Medicare’s spending for those services was reduced by about ten percent under the demonstration. Other demonstrations of value-based payment appear to have produced little or no savings for Medicare.
The report recommends that future efforts focus on collecting better data, targeting resources at patients really in need, and encouraging care providers to work together.
According to Rick Gilfillan, Acting Director of the CMS Innovation Center, reports that today the Innovation Center is engaging doctors, hospitals, and other providers to try new approaches. This can be achieved by keeping patients healthy and out of the hospital by having:
• Health systems participate in the Pioneer ACO and ACO Shared Savings models
• The Community-Based Care Transition Program invest up to $500 million in organizations such as Area Agencies on Aging to help seniors as they leave the hospital, and include home visits
• The Demonstration to Reduce Hospitalizations of Nursing Facility Residents invest $134 million to provide additional care and supports to help reduce preventable hospitalizations among nursing home residents
• The Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative provide new support from both Medicare and private health insurers to make sure that participating primary care practices have robust care teams
• The Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office and the Innovation Center is empower states to invest in new models targeted towards beneficiaries that are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid
• The Innovation Center is testing several new payment models, such as the Pioneer ACO Model and the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement with no upfront payments to participating doctors and hospitals. These groups will be rewarded once their innovative approach is proven to have reduced costs and keep patients healthier
To view the entire document, go to www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=12663.
The report explained that the programs where care managers had substantial direct interaction with physicians and significant in-person interaction with patients were more likely to reduce Medicare spending than other programs, but on average, even these programs did not achieve enough savings to offset their fees.
Results from demonstrations of value-based payment systems were mixed. In one of the four demonstrations examined, Medicare made bundled payments that covered all hospital and physician services for heart bypass surgeries. In those cases, Medicare’s spending for those services was reduced by about ten percent under the demonstration. Other demonstrations of value-based payment appear to have produced little or no savings for Medicare.
The report recommends that future efforts focus on collecting better data, targeting resources at patients really in need, and encouraging care providers to work together.
According to Rick Gilfillan, Acting Director of the CMS Innovation Center, reports that today the Innovation Center is engaging doctors, hospitals, and other providers to try new approaches. This can be achieved by keeping patients healthy and out of the hospital by having:
• Health systems participate in the Pioneer ACO and ACO Shared Savings models
• The Community-Based Care Transition Program invest up to $500 million in organizations such as Area Agencies on Aging to help seniors as they leave the hospital, and include home visits
• The Demonstration to Reduce Hospitalizations of Nursing Facility Residents invest $134 million to provide additional care and supports to help reduce preventable hospitalizations among nursing home residents
• The Comprehensive Primary Care Initiative provide new support from both Medicare and private health insurers to make sure that participating primary care practices have robust care teams
• The Medicare-Medicaid Coordination Office and the Innovation Center is empower states to invest in new models targeted towards beneficiaries that are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid
• The Innovation Center is testing several new payment models, such as the Pioneer ACO Model and the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement with no upfront payments to participating doctors and hospitals. These groups will be rewarded once their innovative approach is proven to have reduced costs and keep patients healthier
To view the entire document, go to www.cbo.gov/doc.cfm?index=12663.
Accuracy in Hospital Reports Questioned
The HHS Office of Inspector General recently reported that 13.5 percent of hospitalized Medicare beneficiaries experience adverse events during their hospital stays. This lack of reporting by incident reporting systems has resulted in prolonged hospitalizations, sometimes causing required life-sustaining interventions, has caused permanent disabilities, and has even resulted in death.
All of the hospitals reviewed for the report had incident reporting systems designed to capture events and their hospital administrators indicated that they rely heavily on the systems to identify problems. However, hospital accreditors report that they do not investigate event collection methods such as incident reporting systems unless evidence of a problem emerges through the survey process.
OIG recommends that AHRQ and CMS collaborate to create and promote a list of potentially reportable events for hospitals to use. They further recommend that CMS provide guidance to accreditors regarding their assessments of hospital efforts to track and analyze events.
The report "Hospital Incident Reporting Systems Do Not Capture Most Patient Harm" published January 2012 suggests that when hospitals collect information they use AHRQ’s Common Formats. Additionally, CMS should scrutinize survey standards when assessing hospitals and their compliance with the requirement to track and analyze events. They should also reinforce the assessment of incident reporting systems to improve event tracking.
OIG received comments on the draft report from AHRQ and CMS. AHRQ concurred with the recommendations and stated that they will collaborate with CMS to create a list of potentially reportable events and provide technical assistance to hospitals that use the list.
CMS also concurred with OIG’s recommendations stating that strengthening hospital reporting systems and practices is essential to preventing patient harm. Also, using a voluntary list of adverse events could be highly beneficial for improving incident reporting practices and that CMS is developing draft guidance for surveyors regarding assessment of patient safety improvement efforts within hospitals.
The full report is available at http://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-06-09-00091.asp.
All of the hospitals reviewed for the report had incident reporting systems designed to capture events and their hospital administrators indicated that they rely heavily on the systems to identify problems. However, hospital accreditors report that they do not investigate event collection methods such as incident reporting systems unless evidence of a problem emerges through the survey process.
OIG recommends that AHRQ and CMS collaborate to create and promote a list of potentially reportable events for hospitals to use. They further recommend that CMS provide guidance to accreditors regarding their assessments of hospital efforts to track and analyze events.
The report "Hospital Incident Reporting Systems Do Not Capture Most Patient Harm" published January 2012 suggests that when hospitals collect information they use AHRQ’s Common Formats. Additionally, CMS should scrutinize survey standards when assessing hospitals and their compliance with the requirement to track and analyze events. They should also reinforce the assessment of incident reporting systems to improve event tracking.
OIG received comments on the draft report from AHRQ and CMS. AHRQ concurred with the recommendations and stated that they will collaborate with CMS to create a list of potentially reportable events and provide technical assistance to hospitals that use the list.
CMS also concurred with OIG’s recommendations stating that strengthening hospital reporting systems and practices is essential to preventing patient harm. Also, using a voluntary list of adverse events could be highly beneficial for improving incident reporting practices and that CMS is developing draft guidance for surveyors regarding assessment of patient safety improvement efforts within hospitals.
The full report is available at http://oig.hhs.gov/oei/reports/oei-06-09-00091.asp.
Developing Low Cost Tech
The biomedical device startup Praxis Biosciences LLC is the fifth company to move into the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2) technology business incubator called TechPortal. The firm founded in 2010, has been developing low-cost technologies aimed at the medical industry.
Their sinus-screening tool uses near-infrared light to illuminate patient’s sinus cavities when signs of blockage are indicated. The tool is intended for use in primary care settings and will be tested for efficacy alongside CT scans, which is the current and more expensive tool used for sinus scans
The sinus screening tool uses a light wand type device placed inside the patient’s mouth that emits near infrared light which is not absorbed by tissue. Instead, it scatters and lights up the whole face. “However, if you have blocked sinus cavities, the shape of the light pattern differs. A digital camera outfitted with special filters captures the images, which can’t be seen with the naked eye, and then automatically uploads the images wirelessly,” reports Chief Technology Officer Joan You.
Praxis is collaborating on this tool with researchers Bruce Tromberg and Albert Cerussi at the University of California at Irvine’s Beckman Laser Institute. Along with developing the light-wand device, Praxis plans to work on organizing and managing the data for seamless integration into patient care databases.
The company has already developed a cartilage-reshaping instrument that molds cartilage in the ears using electrical stimulation that can be used in a medical office setting. So far the instrument is in the early stages of development. Currently, the device is focused on ear reshaping to correct trauma or genetic defects, but the technology can also be adapted for other procedures such as rhinoplasty.
By using electric current to reshape the tissue, doctors would be able to perform their work incrementally while eliminating the need for costly surgical procedures. The process is relatively painless and a topical anesthetic can eliminate the discomfort entirely.
In other Praxis research, the “EarTrumpet” could be the answer for some of the approximately 36 million people in the U.S. who need hearing assistance but can’t afford expensive hearing aids. The iPhone, iPad, and iPod app features a self administered hearing test to identify user specific frequencies that require amplification, and then is able to deliver a personalized hearing aid program. The app is already available but Praxis seeks to refine it to the level of a medical device. The current device is being upgraded to include more testing options and better amplification capabilities.
“In addition to their collaborations with researchers at the Beckman Laser Institute, Praxis Biosciences seeks additional partnerships with Calit2-affiliated faculty in the areas of telemedicine, medical informatics, and micro-devices,” said CTO Joan You who also serves as the company’s business affairs officer.
For more information, email praxisbiosciences@gmail.com.
Their sinus-screening tool uses near-infrared light to illuminate patient’s sinus cavities when signs of blockage are indicated. The tool is intended for use in primary care settings and will be tested for efficacy alongside CT scans, which is the current and more expensive tool used for sinus scans
The sinus screening tool uses a light wand type device placed inside the patient’s mouth that emits near infrared light which is not absorbed by tissue. Instead, it scatters and lights up the whole face. “However, if you have blocked sinus cavities, the shape of the light pattern differs. A digital camera outfitted with special filters captures the images, which can’t be seen with the naked eye, and then automatically uploads the images wirelessly,” reports Chief Technology Officer Joan You.
Praxis is collaborating on this tool with researchers Bruce Tromberg and Albert Cerussi at the University of California at Irvine’s Beckman Laser Institute. Along with developing the light-wand device, Praxis plans to work on organizing and managing the data for seamless integration into patient care databases.
The company has already developed a cartilage-reshaping instrument that molds cartilage in the ears using electrical stimulation that can be used in a medical office setting. So far the instrument is in the early stages of development. Currently, the device is focused on ear reshaping to correct trauma or genetic defects, but the technology can also be adapted for other procedures such as rhinoplasty.
By using electric current to reshape the tissue, doctors would be able to perform their work incrementally while eliminating the need for costly surgical procedures. The process is relatively painless and a topical anesthetic can eliminate the discomfort entirely.
In other Praxis research, the “EarTrumpet” could be the answer for some of the approximately 36 million people in the U.S. who need hearing assistance but can’t afford expensive hearing aids. The iPhone, iPad, and iPod app features a self administered hearing test to identify user specific frequencies that require amplification, and then is able to deliver a personalized hearing aid program. The app is already available but Praxis seeks to refine it to the level of a medical device. The current device is being upgraded to include more testing options and better amplification capabilities.
“In addition to their collaborations with researchers at the Beckman Laser Institute, Praxis Biosciences seeks additional partnerships with Calit2-affiliated faculty in the areas of telemedicine, medical informatics, and micro-devices,” said CTO Joan You who also serves as the company’s business affairs officer.
For more information, email praxisbiosciences@gmail.com.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Army's Health Technology
The Army lists soldier medical readiness as its number one priority and wants to do a better job of screening to keep today’s service members healthy. Currently, almost half of all non-deployable soldiers have suffered preventable musculoskeletal injuries. It has been found in studies, that those at risk for injuries can be identified by using an up-to-date screening process referred to as MP3.
The MP3 research team with faculty and students from the Army-Baylor University Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy and researchers from the University of Evansville, and Duke University are conducting a study through the Army’s Medical Department of Advanced Medical Technology Initiative (AAMTI) with TATRC providing $239, 547 in funds.
The Army by using hand held devices (Motorala MC75) and netbooks are able to speed up the assessments and screen 35-40 soldiers in less than 90 minutes. The soldier’s data is translated into a score and then sent to a computer that uses an algorithm to determine whether the soldier is at risk for musculoskeletal injuries and to what degree. If a soldier is found to be at risk for injury, prescribed corrective steps are taken under the supervision of an Army physical therapist to help decrease risk factors. With the data, the medical team is able to track the soldier’s performance throughout their career.
As for the development of other devices, Lt. Col Eric Drynan, Division Chief the Medical Information Systems Directorate at the AMEDD Center and School, reports that the Army is examining the future of several hand-held devices. Lt. Col Drynan is working with the IT system and radio platform experts to develop the operational architecture to enable a commercial hand-held device to be used in the field which would greatly help medics and behavioral health providers.
According to Drynan, the Army’s work on the next generation device seems to be moving in the direction of Android-based phones perhaps similar to the Android EVO that’s already available in the commercial market. The Army is setting up its own 3G network with mobile antennas which are now being tested.
Another initiative being studied is the Electronic Casualty Report (ECR). If a soldier in a convoy is hit by an IED, another soldier can provide buddy aid and then document the information in the ECR, which is part of the mission command system in every Army vehicle. The ECR is an electronic version of the Tactical Combat Casualty Care Card which is used to document care provided by first responders.
To meet the needs of telemedicine, a telehealth Integrated Process Action Team (iPAT) is looking at telehealth requirements and capabilities in the AMEDD from the operational tactical level to the generating force. The iPAT team is going to conduct a capabilities-based assessment to identify gaps in current capabilities document where telemedicine could provide solutions.
A Virtual Behavioral Pilot program initiated in 2009 tried several methods to provide behavioral care. These methods included face-to-face care, high bandwidth Video Tele-Conferencing (VTC), and low bandwidth Defense Connect Online. It was discovered that service members were really helped with VTC encounters.
As a result in December 2011, the Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii opened their Pacific Regional Medical Command’s Tele-Behavioral Health Center. So today, Tripler is providing healthcare VTC not only in the Pacific islands but as far away as Alaska, Texas, and Kansas.
The MP3 research team with faculty and students from the Army-Baylor University Doctoral Program in Physical Therapy and researchers from the University of Evansville, and Duke University are conducting a study through the Army’s Medical Department of Advanced Medical Technology Initiative (AAMTI) with TATRC providing $239, 547 in funds.
The Army by using hand held devices (Motorala MC75) and netbooks are able to speed up the assessments and screen 35-40 soldiers in less than 90 minutes. The soldier’s data is translated into a score and then sent to a computer that uses an algorithm to determine whether the soldier is at risk for musculoskeletal injuries and to what degree. If a soldier is found to be at risk for injury, prescribed corrective steps are taken under the supervision of an Army physical therapist to help decrease risk factors. With the data, the medical team is able to track the soldier’s performance throughout their career.
As for the development of other devices, Lt. Col Eric Drynan, Division Chief the Medical Information Systems Directorate at the AMEDD Center and School, reports that the Army is examining the future of several hand-held devices. Lt. Col Drynan is working with the IT system and radio platform experts to develop the operational architecture to enable a commercial hand-held device to be used in the field which would greatly help medics and behavioral health providers.
According to Drynan, the Army’s work on the next generation device seems to be moving in the direction of Android-based phones perhaps similar to the Android EVO that’s already available in the commercial market. The Army is setting up its own 3G network with mobile antennas which are now being tested.
Another initiative being studied is the Electronic Casualty Report (ECR). If a soldier in a convoy is hit by an IED, another soldier can provide buddy aid and then document the information in the ECR, which is part of the mission command system in every Army vehicle. The ECR is an electronic version of the Tactical Combat Casualty Care Card which is used to document care provided by first responders.
To meet the needs of telemedicine, a telehealth Integrated Process Action Team (iPAT) is looking at telehealth requirements and capabilities in the AMEDD from the operational tactical level to the generating force. The iPAT team is going to conduct a capabilities-based assessment to identify gaps in current capabilities document where telemedicine could provide solutions.
A Virtual Behavioral Pilot program initiated in 2009 tried several methods to provide behavioral care. These methods included face-to-face care, high bandwidth Video Tele-Conferencing (VTC), and low bandwidth Defense Connect Online. It was discovered that service members were really helped with VTC encounters.
As a result in December 2011, the Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii opened their Pacific Regional Medical Command’s Tele-Behavioral Health Center. So today, Tripler is providing healthcare VTC not only in the Pacific islands but as far away as Alaska, Texas, and Kansas.
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