Massachusetts Health Insurance Premium Drops Again
After years of big increases, the premium for my business’s HMO from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts flattened for our September 1, 2012 renewal. The premium actually declined 0.2…
Improving Patient Experience with Communication Information Technologies
Around the world, hospitals are changing the way they do business. While in the past most hospitals organized services around the convenience of medical staff, today’s progressive organizations are turning…
Screening for Dementia: A Cautionary Tale Yet to Begin
Posted in Clinical EducationHealthcare Policy & The MediaScience & Research Posted in Clinical EducationHealthcare Policy & The MediaScience & ResearchFirst a disclaimer from the principal investigators: …he and other researchers…
Can Big Data Spot Suicidal Attempts in the Military?
Every day 22 U.S. veterans take their own lives. In 2012, suicides among active members of the military reached 349, exceeding those killed on duty. Many experts say the military…
Person-Centered HealthCare: Empowered Patients, Empowered Care
(Editor's note: Excellent interview of Dr Angelo Volandes by Sarah Sonies, Associate Editor for the Wing of Zock health care innovations blog and an Innovation Fellow at the Association of…
Choosing a Provider, Ethics, and Playing Darts Blindfolded
Many of the estimated 27-30 million more people who will gain health insurance coverage in January under the Affordable Care Act will go through a process similar to what I…
Giving Smokers a Pass on Health Premiums
The Affordable Care Act lets the new health insurance exchanges charge smokers 50% higher premiums. The policy is justified by the fact that smokers are less healthy and tend to…
Synthetic Cartilage Implant Designed to Restore Natural Joint Mechanics
(First Published in MedCityNews)With an ongoing clinical trial and a new investment, startup Cartiva Inc. is well on its way to bringing a less invasive, motion-preserving alternative to joint fusion…
Doctors Tell Patients “Call Me Maybe” – Or Maybe Not
Several data points in the form of articles or news updates crossed my desk today. They resonated with the theme of my most recent HealthBlog post “Patientnado—the storm that’s about…
Study: Removal of Employer Mandate Under ACA Not as Problematic as Individual Mandate
Earlier this month, the Obama administration decided to delay the employer mandate provision of the ACA. Earlier this month, the Obama administration decided to delay the employer mandate provision of…
