The VA awarded Systems Made Simple www.systemsmadesimple.com, a Lockheed Martin www.lockheedmartin.com company, a contract to update and improve the VA system to manage veteran’s medical appointments. The Medical Appointment Scheduling System (MASS) provides scheduling, workflow management, and analytics capabilities to veterans and caregivers. (more…)
Securing the Emerging IOT
With cyber and the physical merging in new exciting ways, hybrid forms often called Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) are giving rise to the new Internet of Things (IOT). These systems have unique characteristics and vulnerabilities that must be studied to make sure that they are reliable, secure, and maintain individuals’ privacy. (more…)
UT System Improving Diabetes Care
The University of Texas System www.utsystem.edu is building an ecosystem to fight diabetes with technology to provide better medical care and change lifestyles. The Diabetes and Obesity Control (Project DOC), the flagship project of the UT System’s Institute for Health Transformation, has been approved for $15 million to continue funding the project. (more…)
NIH Issues Funding Announcement
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) www.niddk.nih.gov within NIH issued a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) on September 2, 2015 titled “Advanced Clinical Trials to Test Artificial Pancreas Device Systems in Type 1 Diabetes” (RFA-DK-16-008). NIDDK intends to commit up to $20 million in FY 2016 to fund 1-3 awards. (more…)
Partnership Announced at Summit
Prodea Systems www.prodea.com at the Connected Health Summit held in San Diego and hosted by Parks Associates www.connectedhealthsummit.com announced that the company has entered into a strategic partnership with Eocene Systems www.eocenehealth.com. This will enable Prodea’s Residential Operating System (ROS®) to be distributed to healthcare organizations across the U.S. (more…)
Combating Prescription Drug Overdoses
CDC www.cdc.gov recently launched a new program to help states end the ongoing prescription drug overdose epidemic. The new “Prevention for States” program is going to invest in 16 states to make the resources and the expertise needed to help prevent overdose deaths related to prescription opioids. (more…)
SPECIAL to Federal Telemedicine News
CMS Redefines Telemedicine with its Chronic Care Management Service Guidelines
By Donald Voltz, MD, Aultman Hospital, Department of Anesthesiology, Medical Director of the Main Operating Room, Assistant Professor of Anesthesiology, Case Western Reserve University and Northeast Ohio Medical University.
Board-certified in anesthesiology and clinical informatics, Dr. Voltz is a researcher, medical educator, and entrepreneur. With more than 15 years of experience in healthcare, Dr. Voltz has been involved with many facets of medicine. He has performed basic science and clinical research and has experience in the translation of ideas into viable medical systems and devices.
Thanh Tran, CEO of Zoeticx, also contributed.
Telemedicine is about reaching out to patients in remote locations, but is limited to videoconferencing between patients and health providers. It is similar to a face-to-face service with the exception that the patient and primary care provider are not physically together. Such efficiency is limited in term of scope and only addresses the geographical challenge and scarcity of physician availability. This is a far cry from what CMS wanted for its Chronic Care Management Services (CMS) which would fundamentally change telemedicine as it is practiced. (more…)