Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida Annual Report: 2010

Annual company report for 2010 detailing Blue Cross of Florida\u27s business operations, financial assets and expenditures, and executive leadership

Usability and feasibility of consumer-facing technology to reduce unsafe medication use by older adults

Background Mobile health technology can improve medication safety for older adults, for instance, by educating patients about the risks associated with anticholinergic medication use. Objective This study's objective was to test the usability and feasibility of Brain Buddy, a consumer-facing mobile health technology designed to inform and empower older adults to consider the risks and benefits of anticholinergics. Methods Twenty-three primary care patients aged ≥60 years and using anticholinergic medications participated in summative, task-based usability testing of Brain Buddy. Self-report usability was assessed by the System Usability Scale and performance-based usability data were collected for each task through observation. A subset of 17 participants contributed data on feasibility, assessed by self-reported attitudes (feeling informed) and behaviors (speaking to a physician), with confirmation following a physician visit. Results Overall usability was acceptable or better, with 100% of participants completing each Brain Buddy task and a mean System Usability Scale score of 78.8, corresponding to “Good” to “Excellent” usability. Observed usability issues included higher rates of errors, hesitations, and need for assistance on three tasks, particularly those requiring data entry. Among participants contributing to feasibility data, 100% felt better informed after using Brain Buddy and 94% planned to speak to their physician about their anticholinergic related risk. On follow-up, 82% reported having spoken to their physician, a rate independently confirmed by physicians. Conclusion Consumer-facing technology can be a low-cost, scalable intervention to improve older adults’ medication safety, by informing and empowering patients. User-centered design and evaluation with demographically heterogeneous clinical samples uncovers correctable usability issues and confirms the value of interventions targeting consumers as agents in shared decision making and behavior change

"Medical + internet" concept stock investment analysis

The rapid development of China's medical industry and information technology promote the development of internet medical industry. The concept of "Healthy China" emphasizes "prevention first" and gradually transforms the traditional medical industry. It is easy to find BAT’s (Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent) investment and relevant emerging concept stocks in Ashare market. The internet medical industry is evaluated according to five category profiting models including wearable devices, medical e-commerce, medical information, Hospital and medical insurance. Around 32 selected stocks representing these industries are analysed by gathering extensive qualitative and quantitative data. By applying the forecasting analysis, the study provides the main financial strategy for the selected stocks in order to wisely select the real strategically planning internet medical companies for better investment.O rápido desenvolvimento da indústria de saúde médica da China e a tecnologia da informação têm promovido o desenvolvimento da indústria médica através da Internet. O conceito de "China Saudável" enfatiza a "prevenção em primeiro lugar" e gradualmente reverte a transformação da indústria médica tradicional. É fácil encontrar o maior investimento dos BAT (Baidu, Alibaba e Tencent) nesta área e de títulos emergentes relevantes no mercado de ações. A indústria médica interna é avaliada de acordo com cinco categorias de modelos de lucro, incluindo dispositivos vestíveis, comércio eletrónico médico, informações médicas, seguro hospitalar e médico. Cerca de 32 ações selecionadas representando essas indústrias são analisadas pela recolha de dados quantitativos e qualitativos extensivos. Ao aplicar a análise de previsão, o estudo fornece a principal estratégia financeira para as ações selecionadas, a fim de selecionar os melhores investimento nas empresas médicas assentes na Internet

E-PHARMACY IMPACTS ON SOCIETY AND PHARMA SECTOR IN ECONOMICAL PANDEMIC SITUATION: A REVIEW

Four month ago, nobody knows about covid-19 but now this virus has spread to almost every country, infecting at least 3,062515 people and death approx 211449 people with badly impact on economies of the most countries and also broken their health-care systems. At this time covid-19 disease is almost spreading all over the world and society. Majorly Pharmacy services act as a pillar at this pandemic situation for the public health. China is the first country where covid-19 outbreak started and some current data of consumer behavior and their habits are showed that society take some safe and preventive measures during lockdown and social distancing time which increase growth of ecommerce demand is inevitable. Now a day’s e-pharmacy is being adapted because medications can be ordered in a one click and conveniently delivered to customer door step with some risk like misuse of drugs and self-medication especially for those drugs which comes under the schedule H and X. This review paper focus on the basic issues and challenges related to online pharmacy and how can it be beneficial to society and pharma sectors in the pandemic situation.  Keywords:  Online Pharmacy, Internet, Corona virus, Pandemic situation, Pharmaceutical sector

Chipped Pharmaceuticals from Production to in VIVO (in body) Drug Delivery Becoming Reality

AbstractAdvances in medical technology rely heavily on the collection and analysis of measured data to facilitate patient diagnosis and business decisions. The healthcare industry, particularly pharmaceuticals and diagnostic processes, has an ongoing need to improve item tracking and data collection to improve the quality of care while reducing cost. The remote, non-invasive characteristics of RFID can facilitate the information needs of healthcare without imposing additional burden onto the patient or staff. Properly deployed RFID enabled devices can provide convenient and accurate data for disease diagnosis, evaluation of prescription non-compliance and identification of medication dosage errors. This paper describes an all-encompassing RFID tracking system that begins with compliance documentation from the drug manufacturer through confirmation of patient compliance by capsule extraction from the bottle, into a pill case and ultimately ingested or inserted into the body. This RFID system can provide data for decision-making and facilitate compliance with FDA proposed e-pedigree requirements. This transcript provides an introduction to healthcare trends in order to motivate the need for a biocompatible RFID system. An approach to research as well as an in vitro tabletop test method is presented in light of pending research. The overall goal of the pending research is to develop biocompatible RFID tag components for use with systems beginning with the manufacturer and continuing through distribution to the point of interest within the patients body. Keywords RFID; e-pedigree; pharmaceuticals; trackin

American Well: A Viral Solution

The case presents an overall look at American Well, its position within the telehealth market, and a look at the market and market affecting factors. The following analysis will be conducted using the information presented in the case and will identify strengths, weakness, strategies and provide discussions of special topics

The role of health kiosks: a scoping review

Background: Health kiosks are publicly accessible computing devices that provide access to services including health information provision, clinical measurement collection, patient self-check-in, telemonitoring and teleconsultation. While the increase in internet access and ownership of smart personal devices could make kiosks redundant, recent reports have predicted that the market will continue to grow. Objectives: We sought to clarify the current and future roles of health kiosks by investigating: (a) the setting, role, and clinical domains in which kiosks are used; (b) whether usability evaluations of health kiosks are being reported and if so, what methods are being utilized; and (c) what the barriers and facilitators are for the deployment of kiosks. Methods: We conducted a scoping review by a bibliographic search of the Google Scholar, PubMed and Web of Science databases for studies and other publications between January 2009 and June 2020. Eligible papers describe the implementation, either as primary studies, systematic reviews, or news and feature articles. Additional reports were obtained by manual searching and through querying key informants. For each article we abstracted settings, purposes, health domains, whether the kiosk was opportunistic or integrated with a clinical pathway, and inclusion of usability testing. We then summarized the data in frequency tables. Results: A total of 141 articles were included, 134 primary studies and seven reviews. 47% of the primary studies described kiosks in secondary care settings, other settings included community (23.9%), primary care (17.9%), and pharmacies (6.0%). The most common roles of health kiosks were providing health information (35.1%), taking clinical measurements (20.9%), screening (12.7%), telehealth (8.2%), and patient registration (6.0%). The five most frequent health domains were multiple conditions (24.6%), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (7.5%), hypertension (7.5%), pediatric injuries (5.2%), health and wellbeing (4.5%) and drug monitoring (4.5%). Kiosks were integrated in the clinical pathway in 70.1%, opportunistic kiosks accounted for 23.9% and 6.0% were being used in both. Usability evaluations of the kiosk were reported in 20.1% of the papers. Barriers (use of expensive proprietary software) and enablers (handling on-demand consultations) to deploying health kiosks were identified. Conclusions: Health kiosks still play a vital role in the healthcare system, including collecting clinical measurements and providing access to online health services and information to those with little or no digital literacy skills, and others without personal internet access. We identified research gaps, such as training needs for teleconsultations, and scant reporting on usability evaluation methods

A New Clinical Model for Primary Care: A Critical Component of Healthcare Innovation Zones

The overall aim of this research and design project is to develop a primary care setting that responds to the current changes in the healthcare system and accommodates predicted developments in the future. It takes advantage of opportunities created by the Affordable Care Act and initiatives started under the new Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. One of these includes the creation of Healthcare Innovation Zones as a way to bring integrative, comprehensive health services to a wider population through the network of a teaching hospital, physicians, and other clinical entities. The proposed ambulatory care setting is a model for this clinical entity conceived to reconsider critical components of a Healthcare Innovation Zone. Through the process of literature review and case study analysis, existing problems and evolving trends in both the healthcare and architectural contexts were identified. Following this process, guidelines were developed that outline architectural design criteria fundamental to this proposed type of primary care clinical entity; these include gradient zones, transparency, simplified circulation, modular planning, pod groupings, open team hubs, standardized care rooms, and transformable space. A model program and site selection criteria are also developed that incorporate elements critical to defining a Healthcare Innovation Zone and completing one within the specific context of downtown Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The new model will represent an innovative but attainable design that places the patient at the center of a collaborative network of care providers affiliated with Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center. The spirit of collaboration is intended to bring together the public, patients, providers, and medical students as all users of the space take part in educational experiences. Unlike traditional outpatient clinics, this new setting is conceived as a highly accessible, integrated part of people\u27s overall lifestyle, merging public, educational, and medical spheres. The facility will function as a support center to informed, active patients and caring, proactive providers who are concerned with preventive measures and comprehensive management, rather than merely reactive treatment. It will be engaged and complimented by forward-thinking individuals who stand at the forefront of developing new practices and technologies to improve the individual\u27s lifestyle. The center has the potential to become a replicable model that other communities could adopt to further a primary care revolution and ensure higher-quality healthcare to the greater society