Insulin Nation

MAY 10, 2016

Medicare doesn’t typically provide coverage for continuous glucose monitors (CGMs), as insurors who oversee Medicare coverage have long argued that CGMs are a “precautionary” device rather than a “medically necessary” one. Now, that argument’s premise is facing serious questions in federal court and in the Medicare appeals process. The first case that successfully pushed back against the policy involved Wisconsin resident Jill Whitcomb, who has had Type 1 diabetes for 40 years.

Medicare 75

Medicare Nursing 75

Healthcare Exchange Standards

MAY 18, 2016

Grahame challenged us all to think about a realistic use-case for blockchain technology in Healthcare. Blockchain is a hugely hyped technology, because of the excitement of bitcoin. The technology is really not new, it is just a special mixture of crypto technologies, not unlike Digital Certificates; except rather than proof through decoupled proofs, blockchain has a public ledger where transactions must be recorded with proof that the transaction happened.

FHIR 60

FHIR Health Information 60

Chilmark Research

MAY 16, 2016

In a recent fit of insomnia, I downloaded a free Electronic Arts version of Scrabble onto my Android phone. I made my decision based on four things: The name of the app, the name of the developer, its star rating in Google Play, and the user reviews, which offered a warning about annoying ads that I chose to ignore. However, the ads proved to be too much – as was the fact that the app didn’t work in airplane mode, which meant I couldn’t play while flying or otherwise trying to conserve my batter

Mobile Health 60

Mobile Health mHealth 60

American Well

MAY 26, 2016

Heading into 2015, Avera wanted to introduce a direct-to-consumer telehealth offering to complement its already established business-to-business telemedicine network. Avera aimed to offer video visits to a population of more than 1 million people, within an expansive 72,000 square miles. Here’s a recap of the recently released case study that highlights Avera’s goals and roadmap for its direct-to-consumer telehealth launch.

Telehealth 48

Telehealth Primary Care Telemedicine 48

Advertisement

Healthcare communication has evolved from handwritten notes and paper charts to digital tools like EHRs, telemedicine, and AI-powered platforms. This blog explores how these advancements improve patient outcomes, streamline care delivery, and enhance provider collaboration. Learn about the role of mobile health (mHealth) apps, secure messaging, and social media in bridging communication gaps.

mHealth

ACA Times

MAY 31, 2016

It should come as no surprise that the Affordable Care Act has produced a myriad of opinions from consumers to their employers to those in government. But what would happen if one day the ACA was no more? While only six years old, should the ACA be repealed one day, employers have their own actions in mind for employee health care should that day arrive.

40

40

Insulin Nation

MAY 19, 2016

A new study on life expectancy and Type 1 diabetes has brought results that can be seen as glass half-empty or glass half-full. The bad news is that life expectancy for people with Type 1 is still shorter than that of the average population; the good news is that people with Type 1 are living longer than ever before. For the study, Australian researchers used government data to measure the life expectancy of people with Type 1 from 1997 to 2010, according to a report in Diabetes in Control.

73

73

Healthcare Exchange Standards

MAY 29, 2016

Much discussion around consent (Privacy) in HL7 FHIR. It seems that much of the seamingly endless circular arguments come down to getting everyone on the same page. 1. HL7 can only produce Interoperability standards. It can't define Policy, Architecture, or Implementations. 2. We thus can't just pick one architecture (e.g. OAuth+UMA) and stop. We must build to fit a reasonable set of architectures. 3.

FHIR 40

FHIR Interoperability Nursing 40

Consumer eHealth Engagement

MAY 19, 2016

WELLBE PLATFORM FOR PATIENT ENGAGEMENT With an aging population and increase in chronic conditions including obesity, the demand for hip and knee operation is increasing dramatically. A study in the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery estimates by 2030 “demand for total hip arthroplasties to grow by 174% to 572,000 and demand for primary total knee arthroplasties by 673% to 3.48 million procedures” Responding to this strong demand and high procedure expense, CMS launched the Comprehe

Nursing 39

Nursing Patient Experience EMR eHealth 39

American Well

MAY 26, 2016

Heading into 2015, Avera wanted to introduce a direct-to-consumer telehealth offering to complement its already established business-to-business telemedicine network. Avera aimed to offer video visits to a population of more than 1 million people, within an expansive 72,000 square miles. Here’s a recap of the recently released case study that highlights Avera’s goals and roadmap for its direct-to-consumer telehealth launch.

Telehealth 48

Telehealth Primary Care Telemedicine 48

Speaker: Duke Heninger, Partner and Fractional CFO at Ampleo & Creator of CFO System

Are you ready to elevate your accounting processes for 2025? 🚀 Join us for an exclusive webinar led by Duke Heninger, a seasoned fractional CFO and CPA passionate about transforming back-office operations for finance teams. This session will cover critical best practices and process improvements tailored specifically for accounting professionals.

ACA Times

MAY 26, 2016

This tax year, employers may notice an uptick in documents mailed, due largely to the Affordable Care Act. From tax forms to other notices, much of this paperwork is difficult to decipher, since for many organizations this is the first time they’re reporting on health care coverage for their employees. One notice in particular may come from the Health Insurance Marketplace disclosing that an employee has obtained health insurance from the Marketplace but also received an advanced premium subsidy

40

40

Medicine and Technology

MAY 12, 2016

OK, maybe not quite a Transformer. But, researchers at MIT, the University of Sheffield, and the Tokyo Institute of Technology have demonstrated how a tiny origami robot can unfold itself from a swallowed capsule and crawl across the stomach wall to remove a swallowed button battery or patch a wound. The robot is steered by external magnetic fields.

36

36

Insulin Nation

MAY 9, 2016

Opinion By now, many of you have heard that UnitedHealthcare, one of the nation’s largest health insurers, has opted to restrict choice of insulin pumps for its members to one brand. Because they were able to negotiate a more favorable price, UHC has designated Medtronic as their “preferred provider.” This will make it more difficult and more costly for adults covered by UHC to obtain an insulin pump other than one made by Medtronic.

70

70

Healthcare Exchange Standards

MAY 29, 2016

The most simple Privacy Consent Directive would really just be a YES/NO flag, so I don't actually mean that simple. What I mean is more simple than the last update I made, yet still functional. With the previous version I learned a few more things to be simplified. The most shocking that I forgot is that the most prevalent exception is to exclude data published duing a date/time range.

FHIR 40

FHIR 40

Speaker: Simran Kaur, Founder & CEO at Tattva Health Inc.

The healthcare landscape is being revolutionized by AI and cutting-edge digital technologies, reshaping how patients receive care and interact with providers. In this webinar led by Simran Kaur, we will explore how AI-driven solutions are enhancing patient communication, improving care quality, and empowering preventive and predictive medicine. You'll also learn how AI is streamlining healthcare processes, helping providers offer more efficient, personalized care and enabling faster, data-driven

Patient Experience

Kaiser Permanente Center for Total Health

MAY 9, 2016

Patti Harvey, senior VP, Medicare Clinical Operations and Population Care, and executive director, Care Management Institute, has been a nurse for years, but nothing in her training prepared her for her role as her mother’s caregiver. On Mother’s Day, I will be thinking about the enormous influence my mother had on my life and work. Over the past 10 years, I have felt a strong personal connection to my work as a leader in care delivery at Kaiser Permanente.

Nursing 32

Nursing Medicare 32

American Well

MAY 25, 2016

Telemedicine Today: May 2016. Welcome to the May 2016 edition of Avizia’s Telemedicine Today! Each month we re-visit some of the most exciting news and influential events from the month. From success stories, to legislative updates, research findings and product updates, we’ll share the latest hypes, trends and news you can’t miss. Improving stroke outcomes, keeping kids in school, saving lives.

Telemedicine 48

Telemedicine Medicare Telehealth Health IT 48

ACA Times

MAY 25, 2016

Of all the good the Affordable Care Act has done in the way of widespread health care, a recent report shows that our children have benefitted more than most. United Press International reports that close to one million children now have health care thanks to the Affordable Care Act. A study conducted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation shows that the ACA’s first full year of functioning, in 2014, displayed major strides in health coverage for kids.

40

40

Insulin Nation

MAY 13, 2016

Integrated Diabetes Services (IDS) provides detailed advice and coaching on diabetes management from certified diabetes educators and dieticians. Insulin Nation hosts a regular Q&A column from IDS that answers questions submitted from the Type 1 diabetes community. Q – How do I treat a low without over-correcting for it? A – Everyone with Type 1 diabetes at one time or another has had a bad low, the kind when all you want to do is eat everything in sight.

67

67

Advertisement

Managing HR tasks like payroll, compliance, and employee data can overwhelm small businesses. That’s where a Human Capital Management (HCM) solution comes in. Our eBook, Why Every Small Business Needs an HCM Solution: A Comprehensive Guide , shows how an HCM system automates tedious processes, ensuring your business stays compliant and efficient. You’ll learn how to simplify payroll, eliminate costly errors, and empower your employees with self-service tools.

Insulin Nation

MAY 6, 2016

“BS More pharma empire lies.” This comment, posted in response to a Type 1 research effort, is not uncommon in diabetes forums on Facebook. The pharmaceutical industry may provide the medicine that keeps people with Type 1 diabetes alive, and sponsor many conferences and diabetes-related websites (including, through advertising, this one), but it is also the biggest villain of the diabetes community.

Pharmaceuticals 66

Pharmaceuticals 66

Insulin Nation

MAY 2, 2016

Insulin Nation contributors Jennifer Smith and Ginger Vieira are collaborating on a book called Pregnancy with Type 1 Diabetes: Your Month-to-Month Guide for Diabetes Management. They have launched a Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign to help fund the book’s completion and publication. You can contribute here. Below this video about their campaign is an edited excerpt of this forthcoming book about how, after years of doubt, Ginger Vieira decided to become a mother.

56

56

Insulin Nation

MAY 20, 2016

Many people with Type 1 diabetes shy away from regular exercise out of fear of hypoglycemia, as exertion can change the rate that insulin is absorbed by the body. This is too bad, because regular exercise can help with overall blood sugar control. Besides, exercise is good for everyone. A group of French researchers set out to determine what insulin adjustments work best to lower the risk of hypoglycemia while working out.

54

54

Insulin Nation

MAY 23, 2016

Young people with Type 1 are finding social media a useful tool for managing their diabetes, so much so that it is now being recommended as part of a treatment plan by UK healthcare policy-makers. A report by National Health Services (NHS) England suggests that healthcare providers utilize social media tools to keep young people with diabetes engaged in self-care.

Mental health 53

Mental health 53

Speaker: Joe Sharpe and James Carlson

Payroll optimization can be one of the most time-consuming and complex factors of small business management. Yet, organizations that crack the code on streamlining employee compensation often discover innovative avenues for growth. With the right strategies in place, outsourcing and streamlining payroll processes can result in substantial time and resource savings.

Insulin Nation

MAY 23, 2016

Heard about some kind of trouble involving insulin pumps and health insurance, but can’t bring yourself to read up on it? We understand – health care policy is not the sexiest news topic. That’s why we decided to explain the recent UnitedHealthcare-Medtronic controversy in 10 memes. Have a quick read: 1. Health care costs are rising rapidly, especially for people with chronic conditions like diabetes.

51

51

Insulin Nation

MAY 27, 2016

An election cycle brings out a bevy of promises, as politicians attempt to win over small groups of key swing voters. When Australians head to the polls July 2nd, the ruling Liberal-National Coalition hopes to retain power partly by winning over 120,000 people with Type 1 diabetes and their families. The government of Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has proposed a subsidy of $56 million (AUD) for diabetes technology.

50

50

Insulin Nation

MAY 13, 2016

There are many in the Type 1 community who have created gear to help others with diabetes. From time to time, we will feature snapshots of Type 1-based businesses for our “Type 1 entrepreneurs” series. Erin Murray felt isolated after her diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes seven years ago, as people around her did not seem to understand the challenges that come with the condition.

48

48

American Well

MAY 2, 2016

So you’re considering telehealth, but you’re wondering where to start. Here are the top five considerations you should take into account for a successful telehealth strategy and implementation. #1: Start with the end in mind. When you first begin seriously considering telehealth for your organization—whether it be a health system, health plan, employer, retailer, etc.

Telehealth 48

Telehealth EMR Primary Care Telemedicine 48

Advertisement

Considering the growth of your clinic? It’s difficult to advance any business today without using technology — but what will truly enhance your daily operations? How successful are other urgent care centers with these solutions? This article offers a glimpse into real-world technology experiences from urgent care centers like yours. Discover how various solutions can boost your growth potential and see firsthand how effective they are.

American Well

MAY 2, 2016

So you’re considering telehealth, but you’re wondering where to start. Here are the top five considerations you should take into account for a successful telehealth strategy and implementation. #1: Start with the end in mind. When you first begin seriously considering telehealth for your organization—whether it be a health system, health plan, employer, retailer, etc.

Telehealth 48

Telehealth EMR Primary Care Telemedicine 48

Insulin Nation

MAY 2, 2016

Last November, JDRF officials announced that researchers had found biological markers for Type 1 diabetes long before symptoms appeared in children. Now another group of researchers hope to see if they can prevent Type 1 before children become symptomatic, and to do it they are planning to use a classic tool in diabetes management – metformin.

46

46

Insulin Nation

MAY 13, 2016

Until recently, I wouldn’t let my son, Branden, play soccer because of his Type 1 diabetes. Branden was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 2, and spent a week in intensive care at the time. When he was 6 years old, we decided to enroll him in a local soccer league, but I soon began to have doubts. I worried about what playing such a physically demanding sport would do to his blood sugar levels, and I envisioned him collapsing on the soccer field.

Nursing 46

Nursing 46