Fostering Health and Wellness while lowering human and financial costs of healthcare
July 12, 2010
We travel constantly at a speed of 30 km/s (180,000 km/hr), it takes 365.24 days for us to orbit the sun. Our distance traveled in a year is significant in such astronomical terms; over 150,000,000 km or more depending on the orbit and earth’s tilt. Compared to this journey through space our travels on the surface of the earth are minuscule.
Travel around the sun
April 26, 2010 1 Comment
In previous postings I’ve speculated on the role of nature in our lifestyle. There have been debates on climate change; if we humans are the cause of the global warming; contributing to the increase polar ice melt, etc. Now in the midst of the increased climate change an Icelandic volcano erupts and shuts down air travel to and from Europe for two weeks.
Travel disruption due to Volcano
March 30, 2010 1 Comment
Attending HIMSS10 in Atlanta afforded us the opportunity to speak with Medicexchange.
HIMSS10 Video of Clarity Healthcare Solutions CEO, Saverio Rinaldi.
February 25, 2010 1 Comment
If its spring it must be HIMSS. This annual event gathers the world health IT experts together in one place for the preeminent health information management trade show. This year the host city is Atlanta, the jewel of the south, hot-lanta. I can’t wait to experience this city and all it has to offer.
Sav and Whale Shark in Galapagos
On Sunday, I’ll be presenting at the Health IT Venture Fair. While not officially part of HIMSS it takes please as a precursor to the show. Sponsored and organized by Blank-Rome of Philadelphia and Howard Burke this event showcases innovative companies that are seeking venture capital, partners and growth opportunities. Over 30 venture capital firms participate to get a jump start on the trade show exhibitors.
Sunday evening the Canadian Trade Commissionaires are hosting a dinner for Canadian companies to meet with US companies. This match making helps Canadian companies doing business or planning to do business in the US to find partnerships.
Come visit Us at HIMSS Booth 1407
The Consulate General breakfast on Tuesday is another excellent networking and educational event. With trade commissionaires from across the US doing their best to promote the Canadian companies at HIMSS.
From 10:30 am to 5:30 we can be found on the exhibition floor at Booth 1407.
After the HIMSS reception on Tuesday night, it’s off to the Woodfire Grill an Atlanta hotspot for dinner prepared by award winning Top Chef Kevin Gillespie.
co-Owner and Executive Chef Kevin Gillespie
That leaves the last day of HIMSS with the exhibit floor going from 10:30 to 5:30. In the evening a spirited HIMSS reception bringing us full circle as we return to our starting point at the Georgia Aquarium. Unfortunately, this time they wouldn’t let us go for a swim, I asked.
December 26, 2009 1 Comment
When traveling we don’t normally take all of our health information with us. You may have some recent details on your prescriptions, but not much more. A friend told me that when he travels he usually runs for exercise, on his shoes he has a tag that contains his doctor’s name and phone number as well as the doctor’s cell phone. If my friend were to drop unconscious someone could contact his doctor and get help immediately…hopefully. While this medical emergency contact information is a start it doesn’t suffice for most people with serious health conditions.
It makes perfect sense for a healthy person to carry emergency contact information. Perhaps, it would be worthwhile to have more immediate info accessible to the emergency response person wherever you may be. Yet a simple slip of paper with information on it is not enough. How does someone know you have such a document in your pocket? Some solutions such as medic-alert have been used for individuals. A simple call to a toll-free number provides access to medical information using a call center services. Is there a better way?
Personal Healthcard can be used to access info during emergency
One solution to this issue is USB key technology. Why not use a USB Key? How many USB Keys do you own and how many have you misplaced or lost? Compare that with your credit card. You carry one or more of them in you wallet, purse or pocket. Even when lost you can easily get them replaced or reissued. Devices like a USB need a computer, credit cards just need card readers or scanners. And even without the computer or internet a smartcard can have information on it and in it that can still provide information when needed.
Many have compared eHealth with eCommerce and ATM banking. We can take a page from this domain and use the smartcard. This is used for credit and debit cards. A personal healthcard based on smartcard technology can store encrypted data about the individual and also have access to family members’ health details if needed. The card would have a photo for identification and a number and name to identify the person quickly. Yes, it would be required that the emergency response would have to have a card-reader to access the stored data on the card. The technology can even have information printed on the card, along with a Name, Health card number there can be an emergency phone number to a central agency.
The card can also have a 2-d barcode that can be scanned to reveal more details that may be needed by EMS and that the user would want to keep private form someone visually inspecting the card. Scanning the 2-D barcode could also direct the user to a website. With added security questions and login the site can provide access to a full health record. Add RFID and a biometric such as a fingerprint, retinal scan or DNA and you have a very secure mobile device for health information. This would eliminate individual hospital cards and allow global access to health details wherever you are.
Clarity Health Journal 2-D barcode
Such a solution could be used by anyone. The scanner and card-reader technology is readily available and easily deployed by EMS and hospital ER departments. It would reduce the stress related to remembering passwords and also make it easier in case of emergencies.
November 2, 2009
Have you got your H1N1 vaccine? Are you planning to? or are you one of these individuals that “don’t believe” in vaccines? Yes, its your body and your choice, yet what is your social responsibility if you do get sick?
With the flu you are contagious 24 hours before showing any symptoms. Just staying home when you become sick means that you have likely been spreading the virus for 24 hours already. You continue to be contagious even after you feel fine. If you decide not to get the vaccine you are also exposing your friends and family to the increased risk of the virus.
Without the vaccine this year what can you do to be socially responsible and reduce the spread of the flu? Well if you have children and they also don’t get the vaccine, keep them home if they start feeling sick. You may find that schools will send your child home if they suspect any possibility that they are sick or showing signs of the flu. You should also stay home from work, don’t go to public gatherings. One that is often missed, don’t go to the grocery store or drug store, you could infect a lot of people there when you touch items in the store, the shopping cart or deal with the cashier. Send someone else to the store who isn’t sick or use a home delivery service.
Travel will be interesting this year. Without the vaccine, could the airline stop you from boarding? If you show signs of the flu it will likely restrict your travel plans.
Some feel that the H1N1 scare is overblown, and it may be. Yet, I will error on the side of caution and do what I feel is the socially responsible thing.
October 25, 2009 3 Comments
Since the time of Louis Pasteur there have been detractors of vaccines. Misinformation from seemingly reliable sources against vaccination has cost countless lives. Science is not often definitive and this ambiguity is used to raise doubt in some individuals predisposed to disbelieve.
Should you take the H1N1 vaccine? Many people who don’t get the annual flu shot are already saying they won’t. Otherwise normally intelligent parents who have failed to vaccinate their children will also avoid the H1N1 flu shot. We leave many such decisions to individuals, and for minors to their parents.
H1N1 Vaccine
What has been reported is the older people born before 1950 are more likely to have antibodies that will help protect them from H1N1. The consensus of health professionals is that this virus is more likely to infect young adults. Women and more specifically pregnant women are most at risk of infection. The reported mortality rate of H1N1 varies from 1% to 4%; and while it is still young people who are at risk, children with preexisting conditions; diabetes and neurological conditions have higher mortality. Again consider that this high risk is both in the catching the virus and in mortality; once a person has the virus, as with any flu, how you deal with it and how your body reacts will determine the outcome.
My personal fear of H1N1 is how closely it seems to resemble the Spanish flu pandemic of 1918. This flu killed millions over several years. This virus mutated and became less viral over the years; it is likely one of the reasons why people born before 1950 have antibodies that may help fend off the current mutation; H1N1 previously called swine flu.
This week Ontario begins Flu shots for citizens. The US has been vaccinating people for several weeks now and has already seen shortages. I expect governments will do all they can to get vaccines for everyone who wants one. Individuals will have to make up their own minds on if they will get this years flu shot. I will.
Would you wear a bullet-proof vest as a policemen entering potential dangerous situation? Would you wear a gas mask as a firemen entering a smoking building? Wear gloves, put a hard hat on when entering a construction site? The flu shot, in my opinion is the same. If you are offered protect why would your refuse it? Of course the choice is your own.
August 28, 2009 1 Comment
Sailing Maxi into arlie
Now only one month after the start of the Island Caretaker job was awarded, Tourism Queensland is looking for 4 mates; Island caretaker helpers for Ben Southall. It seems the job was just too much for this “bloke” from UK. Perhaps experience should have been the choice over blond beach hair? Or its just that after the fanfare of the “best job” competition the PR drive was not able to be sustained and a new way to grab attention and capitalize on those million of internet hits was needed.
Personally I would love to win a 7 week trip to Queensland for me and 3 of my friends. It is just my type of trip. My wife and I have done much of this trek already. In 2004 and 2005 we travelled from Perth to Ayers Rock to Cairns, Australia, doing several weeks in Queensland. Flying down to Rockhampton and then driving up the sunshine coast to Townsville, MacKay, Arlie Beach, Tully, Mission Beach and up to Port Douglas, Cooktown and Kuranda. Along “Bruce” the only highway I know with a proper name (Where else but Queensland?), We experienced the people and places of Queensland and blogged about it on http://Mytripjournal.com/Queensland2005.
Queensland Vacation
August 9, 2009
When you go on vacation you give a key to your home to someone. You may even have a neighbour that keeps an emergency key for you. And you trust them not to go through your stuff; just water the plants and bring in the mail. Who does this for your health information?
When you are travelling do you have enough information with you about your health? Can you get your health information? What if you are unconscious, perhaps your spouse or travel partner can convey the information needed.
Of course your family doctor has your health information, right? So is your doctor your keeper? Can they provide this info when you are out of town? When you are in the waiting room of a hospital in another city or country, when you can’t speak for yourself, who is your keeper?
Medic Alert has a great message; “we speak for you”. Their service includes more then allergy alerts it includes health information. Other services provided phone support for medical emergencies.
As a Scuba Diver my wife and I belong to Divers Alert Network(DAN), along with travel insurance DAN provides a 24-7-365 phone services in case of medical emergency. But they don’t have my medical record.
Perhaps all you need is a sheet of paper folded up in you pocket, with a list of numbers, perhaps drug prescriptions and contact details. Is this enough?
With my bank card I can go to any ATM almost anywhere in the world and withdraw money. I may not be able to deposit a physical cheque but with ATM access and internet access I can do almost all of my banking anywhere I go.
Clarity Health Journal
Yes the same is possible with my health information. A smartcard with PIN access, that can be read in any computer in a hospital of doctors’ office. And you can use the internet to access what you need. Of course you will still need a neighbour to water you plants and feed the cat.
Manage your diabetes
August 4, 2009
Ancient cities and civilizations are fascinating to me. What we humans have created are structures that always seem grand and beyond the imaged scale of ancient cultures. 
From the Great Wall of China, the Pyramids of Egypt, the ancient African city of Zimbabwe, Inca and Mayan temples of the Americas and countless other ruins in England, India, and Asia show us the tremendous labours of the ancients.
Architecture for the most part reflects our interpretation of nature. The columns of the Acropolis are the Greek representation of the towering trees of ancient forests that were lacking in the peninsula.
Giza
In the pacific, Easter Island artifacts became sculptures of human forms larger than any human. Some believe that this civilization used up all their resources to make these stoic busts and caused the demise of the island culture.
While ancient ruins are incredible, I am more intrigued at two civilizations that seem to have left no permanent structures. In Australia there is evidence that the aboriginals lived there for over 60,000 years. Yet, there are no ancient structures, pyramids, or city dwellings. The other similar civilization to have left no permanent markings on the land in which they live is the American native cultures of Northern Canada. While it can be argued that the “Inukshuk” used by the Inuit were permanent structures, for most the part from the Arctic Circle to the Great Lakes the First Nations of Canada had little to no permanent.
