by medicaltechont | Dec 13, 2015 | Cloud, eHealth, EHR, Technology, United States
In 1986, a person with lung cancer would be linked to approximately two types of disease. After the genome sequencing was completed in 2003, the medical community was able to find seven other molecular diseases associated to lung cancer and there are more to be discovered.
The access to new molecular data meant people had an increased chance of surviving lung cancer, whereas before the disease was considered a death sentence.
The original human genome project took 13 years to complete the sequence of chemical base pairs which make up human DNA at a cost of $3 billion. Today, this same process takes two days at cost roughly $15.
At the SAP Spotlight Tour earlier this week, healthcare professionals from CancerLinq, the Stanford University department of medicine and SAP’s own chief medical officer made a plea for more patient data to be made available in an effort to gain new insights for healthcare. The ultimate goal of this effort is to provide personalized medicine and treatment.
Read more: http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/why-big-data-means-big-changes-for-personalized-healthcare/379274#ixzz3u8EWcEkv
or visit http://www.itworldcanada.com for more Canadian IT News
Read more: http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/why-big-data-means-big-changes-for-personalized-healthcare/379274#ixzz3u8EJUI00
or visit http://www.itworldcanada.com for more Canadian IT News
by medicaltechont | Dec 12, 2015 | e-Health, Electronic Medical Records, Technology
While the impact of digital in health care is not new nor limited to a week, this is a chance to reflect upon the changes and new opportunities coming our way.
Over the last few years, entire hospitals have gone paperless and large swaths of digital imaging is filmless. Electronic medical records (EMRs) are increasingly commonplace in primary care, and telemedicine is growing in rural and urban settings. Even the stethoscope has gone digital.
Outside of the health system, we have handheld apps and wearables that can chart and log various aspects of our personal health — some promising to help diagnosis or suggest treatments.
This steady shift holds a strong potential to improve the quality of health care. Like most people, I support new technologies — although I can’t always claim to be an early adopter. However, I think we should temper enthusiasm with a degree of caution and be open to learning from some of the challenges to date.
Read more at http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/dr-joshua-tepper/digital-health-care-how-t_b_8576200.html.
by medicaltechont | Nov 14, 2015 | Canada, e-Health, OHIP Billing, private clinics
The dispute between Ontario doctors and the province over billing rates is threatening access to methadone treatment, with two private Toronto clinics closing their doors and patients in some rural communities facing an uncertain future.
The threat to service follows a 1.3-per-cent rate reduction imposed by the province last month on all fee-for-service billings. The money-saving measures also included targeted reductions, among them a 50-per-cent cut to rates paid to doctors for urine tests that are done once a week or more frequently as part of methadone therapy used to treat heroin and other opioid addictions.
Now at least one Toronto doctor says the fee cut amounts to roughly 25 per cent of his total revenue and means his smaller clinics are losing money. First Nations leaders also are warning access in rural and Northern communities is in danger because private clinics – where most methadone treatment is given – are not as financially attractive. Others say this latest battle over money points to deeper problems with how methadone treatment is delivered in Ontario that go beyond the current billing battle.
Click here to read more.
by medicaltechont | Oct 25, 2015 | OHIP Billing, Ontario
Toronto dermatologist Ben Barankin is adamant that the cuts by Kathleen Wynne’s government to doctors’ service fees will create a huge impact on patients in the coming months.
Barankin, who has been in practice for 10 years, said staff will have to be let go, there will be longer wait times for OHIP-funded treatments and insisted the government’s moves are “pushing” specialists — like him — who also operate private clinics, closer towards a two-tiered system.
http://www.torontosun.com/2015/10/18/doc-warns-of-longer-waits-for-ohip-funded-procedures
by medicaltechont | Jun 13, 2015 | OntarioMD
Previously we mentioned that Jonoke was no longer listed as a certified OntarioMD vendor. It seems that there was a bit more to their story. As recently reported, their assets have been purchased by QHR in another EMR acquisition.
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(RTTNews.com) – QHR Corp. (QHR.V), engaged in the healthcare information technology sector, said its wholly owned subsidiary QHR Technologies Inc. has entered into a binding agreement to purchase all of the healthcare assets of Jonoke Software Development Inc., including its proprietary Electronic Medical Record or EMR software and its clients.
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We are now down to 9 vendors in Ontario, under the current certification offerings (not including Bell who will no longer offer an EMR after December 2015). If you are looking for information on the remaining offerings
click here. Hopefully more companies will get on board, giving medical professionals more choice in Ontario.
The dispute between Ontario doctors and the province over billing rates is threatening access to methadone treatment, with two private Toronto clinics closing their doors and patients in some rural communities facing an uncertain future.
