We Have Moved
In Japan, Mini RFID Charm Offers Instant Access to Medical Data
For consumers with serious health conditions, getting key medical information into the right hands at the right time can mean the difference between life and death. That was the inspiration for the Press Don’t Panic device we featured late last year, and it has also led to the creation of a new RFID-enabled charm from Japanese Asahi Kasei. When trouble befalls someone possessing one of Asahi Kasei’s charms, medical personnel can easily use the device to view critical medical information about its owner. (Spring Wise)
Electronic Medical Records: A Silicon Valley Gold Rush
Patients at Dr. Surinder Saini’s Newport Beach (Calif.) office are no longer given a clipboard upon arrival. Instead, they’re handed an iPad, where they tick off symptoms and allergies with the touch of a finger. A nurse uses her own iPad to plug in vital signs. In the exam room, Saini summons the data by tapping on his tablet and is aided by a list of likely diagnoses for, say, abdominal pain. “Most patients are amazed,” says the gastroenterologist. After the visit, Saini dictates his notes about the patient straight into the iPad, where they’re instantly transcribed and stored with other records. (Bloomberg)
Will Digital Technology Reduce Gap in Health Between Rich and Poor?
Two years ago, the Ethio American Health Center opened its doors in the nation’s capital, promising the country’s largest community of Ethiopian immigrants a place where doctors spoke their language and understood their culture.
Many of the community’s poorest quickly flocked to the center. But for all the specialized services the center offers patients, there’s one area where it’s fallen short: moving from paper files to electronic health records. They don’t even have a website. “It would be great, but we can’t afford it,” said Dawit Gizaw, the center’s administrator. (The Cutting Edge)
Digital Health Information in the Doctor's Office
How do you use digital information to better your health? What is digital health? What are ePatients? Do you want or need doctors to join me in the digital health world?
Each of these questions has the power to conjure copious amounts of discussion, debate, and documentation. So I will be tackling the topic in a series of posts. (Health Central)
Does the Internet Make Us Happier?
Lo and behold, the results came back positive: “Using Luxemburgish data from a European social survey, we find evidence that non users are less satisfied in their life than Internet users. This result holds when we control for socio-demographic characteristics, social capital, values and beliefs, and health and income. Moreover, the positive influence of Internet use is stronger for low income and young individuals.” (Washington Post)
Seeing as how people are spending more and more time online, it’d be nice to know if all this web surfing was making us happier, wouldn’t it? A recent paper from the Centre on Economic Policy Studies in Brussels, via Eric Barker, tried to figure out if the benefits from Internet use (higher productivity, endless amusement) outweighed the potential downsides (addiction, social isolation).
Scientists Reconstruct Brains’ Visions Into Digital Video In Historic Experiment
UC Berkeley scientists have developed a system to capture visual activity in human brains and reconstruct it as digital video clips. Eventually, this process will allow you to record and reconstruct your own dreams on a computer screen. (Gizmodo)
What Percentage of U.S. Adults Use the Internet To Find Health Care Treatment Information?
