Survey Says:"Social Media Impacting Smoking Cessation"

There's an App for that! We've all heard that phrase and tend to think it's generally true, well now there is evidence social media applications may help smokers quit.  The University of Southern California's Institute for Communication Technology Management and USCs Center for Body Computing released information from smoking cessation studies, which show a correlation between social media applications and smoking cessation.  They surveyed 266 users of the MyQuit mobile application, which facilitates their goal of quitting by using a smart cigarette tracker and a supportive online community.  Some participants used just the application, while others used the application with other cessation techniques: acupuncture, nicotine replacement therapy, and prescription drugs.  The users who succeeded at quitting credited the being a part of a social network and having access to it at any time they needed it.  “More than 80 percent of successful users "received continuous positive feedback” and thought it ” was always there when they needed it."” (Healthcare Infromatics)  So, in conclusion, there is an “App” for just about everything, even helping smokers quit, mainly by allowing the user to access other experienced quitters for support.

Read the full article here: http://www.healthcare-informatics.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=news&mod=News&mid=9A02E3B96F2A415ABC72CB5F516B4C10&tier=3&nid=FB6EB22E409F42E190A2DEDFB386B695

The Doctor Can Now "See" You

In similar fashion of last weeks blog, this week I will be talking about a new way for patients to experience a doctors visit; however, this time the visit takes place at the pharmacy.  Rite Aid and OptumHealth are two pharmacies that are debuting these pilot programs. The service is called NowClinic Online services and allows the patient to see a nurse and/or a doctor virtually.  The service utilizes a private, face to face, conference over the internet, where the doctor can discuss symptoms and make diagnoses virtually.  The first visit with a nurse is complimentary and for a 10-minute visit with a doctor is only $45!  At the end of each virtual session, a record will be created which can be accessed and/or transferred to the patients primary care provider.
I have pondered the idea of starting my own independent pharmacy in a rural area of Pennsylvania and I absolutely see a use for this service, especially in my prospective situation.  Furthermore, this will give independents a tool to compete with the large chains, who can afford to pay for nurses on site.  Independent pharmacies would only need to pay the doctors and nurses for each teleconference instead of having to pay a professional, full time pay.

Here's a link to the article:
http://www.healthcare-informatics.com/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=news&mod=News&mid=9A02E3B96F2A415ABC72CB5F516B4C10&tier=3&nid=C5C3A0CF661C4C62B158CDF5351E414B

"Hello Health": 21st Century Concierge Services

With health care on everyones minds, a new venture created by a group of practitioners, called "Hello Health," should be welcomed with open arms.  This group has come up with a brilliant new platform for doctors to "see" their patients using a range of social media for cheap and still have the business remain profitable.  Each of the doctors have their own Facebook account and share their detailed information for patients.  Furthermore, the Brooklyn company has created a new conference technology, think Skype, to allow them to care for their patients virtually anywhere! If the patient wants to contact the doctor for something simple, they may do so by e-mail, for free!  If the patient is feeling ill or would just like to conference the doctor, he or she only has to pay a nominal fee of $100 or $150 for an in person visit, which can be booked within a 24 time period.  In order to gain these services, the patient must enroll into a monthly $35 payment program, which is not covered by insurance.  But, that's the point, all of these services are provided extremely cheap considering the monthly program includes free labs and some generic medications.  This will also fill in the cracks of current insurance programs.  For example, if a patient is out of state and feels ill, typically the patient will have to pay "an arm and a leg" or not be covered at all to see a doctor.  This technology will allow the patient to "see" the doctor virtually anywhere with a computer, internet access, and a camera for the same low price as if they were at their home town. 

I am also an entrepreneur and foresee this new platform becoming the new standard for seeing patients in the future.  I hope to see this model translated for the field of pharmacy and hopefully expand the role of the pharmacist.  If you want to see the full article, and it is long, check it out here:http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/28/2/361.full

AMIA's Important Role

So, I was meandering through the landfills that are the internet and came across an eye opening problem that I see as only going to get worse.  Most articles posted online are considered unofficial unless the work is published in a peer-reviewed journal of some sort; however, most clinician's are now using mobile media devices to gather medical information to disseminate to their patients. This, then begs the question of, "Who is to regulate this medium?"

AMIA, the association for infromatics professionals, met with the FDA to discuss this very topic.  At this meeting the AMIA directed the FDA's attention to the applications that provide direct CDS, clinical decision support, in an autonomous way that directly affects patients.  The AMIA cautioned the FDA that the time of applications and devices for clinicians versus for patients will begin to merge.  Furthermore, they see a need for these applications and software to be regulated.  They even went as far as naming a few software's and applications, some of which are on current smartphones.  The main talking points of the meeting were as follows:

• The need for the FDA to articulate how it characterizes and defines "CDS".
• The need to coordinate efforts among federal agencies and public- and private-sector research and practice communities.
• The potential limitations if FDA focuses too narrowly on CDS, and considers CDS on mobile devices as somehow separate from CDS based on other delivery methods or contexts.
• The importance of addressing rapidly emerging and converging technologies and devices along with new and evolving forms of patient care delivery (such as medical homes and accountable care organizations) and payment methods.

Here is a link to the article, which has a link for the full transcript of the event.  http://www.amia.org/news-and-publications/press-release/amia-advises-fda

Technology: Curse or Gift to Man?

Hey guys, this is my first blog so bare with me.  My posts will center around something current in my life and about the adventures of me making my way up the pharmacy ladder.

I am playing a new game, called "Deus Ex."  Which centers around a guy in world where technology has allowed man to augment their own DNA.  Of course huge companies are battling it out to be the best, a la CVS and Walgreens.  In the game there are people who believe humans shouldn't be allowed to augment themselves and are revolting against the companies, causing wars throughout the cities.  Through this game the user makes choices and learns in the end how those choices affected the outcome.  This got me thinking, is technology a curse or a gift?  My personal opinion, man is ment to invent and to adapt to our surroundings; thus, I think it is within our own god given rights to alter our own DNA for the evolution of man to take place at a quicker pace.  At the same time, I know this is a "pandora's box" situation, which is why no one will ever know if technology is a gift or a curse.  Maybe in the end, the technology we invent will answer such a "humanish" type question.