Biobanks for Population Health
As millions of consumers and providers add data to patient EHRs, a multitude of data will become available for the greater good. Researchers can anonymize the data and combine it with a large database containing vast amounts of information about the health of the population at a community level, nationally, or globally. In order to […]
Big Changes Coming to Healthcare
Last week, the new Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, Alex Azar, said, “Change is possible, change is necessary, and change is coming.” I hope so. Change is desperately needed. It remains to be seen if the federal government can make the changes needed and make them fast enough. The biggest barrier is Congress. HHS […]
Healthcare Cost
We hear a lot about high health insurance premiums. Some of the high premiums have to do with the inefficiency of the health insurance industry, as written here last week. The basic reason for high premiums, however, is the high cost of healthcare. If you have a Ferrari, your insurance will be higher than if […]
Electronic Payment and Healthcare Coupon Books
The way we pay for things is changing rapidly. Apple Pay can be used in millions of stores including at ACE Hardware, Best Buy, Crate and Barrel, Dunkin’ Donuts, KFC, Kohl’s, Macy’s, McDonald’s, PetsMart, Pizza Hut, Staples, Starbucks, Walgreen’s, and Whole Foods. Simply place your Apple Watch or iPhone near the payment terminal and payment is […]
Robots At Home
Robots will take on a much wider and more significant role in home healthcare than in surgery. Giraff Plus is a European healthcare project aiming to combine social interaction and long-term monitoring to help people live independently. The Giraff is a home-resident robot specifically designed to take care of the elderly. The robot looks like […]