Pricing confidentiality clause and its cost to us.

Many of the hospitals,Insurers and suppliers connected with healthcare delivery have Pricing confidentiality clauses in their sales agreements. These clauses are simply ways to have unfair pricing in the market place.Many times large insurers feel that they have advantage in the marketplace as they get better pricing from the large companies for the size and scope benefits.In reality many times winners and loosers are picked up in devices on the cost and connection basis.

In the public interest while sixty percent of health care dollars are being spent by tax dollars .It is important in order to protect the week and to keep the costs in control all charges be made public and scrutinsed.

Many Doctors and other health care providers are very dedicated people and serve the community well.To reduce the cost of health care In america we will have to do the following
1.Use technology only when it improves the outcome of the healthcare.
2. Use IT and its processes for communication, data sharing and prescription and compliances help.
3.Combine ER and primary care to reduce costs for ER by providing primary care at the ER.This as pre thought not after thought.
4.Giving each patient a usb stick with healthcare data .to save time and costs in ER.
5.

Patient specific Education and diversity

Most of the EMR's are starting to recognise Diversity in creating patient Demographics.

One of the fastest growing demographic groups in our society are bi/multi racial category.Traditionally language defines us more than the ethnicity.It is true even in America for the new immigrants.As the immigrants become more English language proficient. Ethnicity start taking priority over language, suddenly Colombians who themselves identify as the people of that nation start seeing themselves as black ,white or native people.In a strange way we find that as Moroccans and french speaking Quebec people loose their french they are lumped away from each other with Germans and may be with blacks.

The main reason for this strange mix of data is US Census which has been taken every ten years from the inception of our nation.This flawed census ethnic data is least useful for Meaningful use in creation of EMR and its mandate.We recognise that Irish whites from Boston may have least in common with Hasidic Jew from southern Spain. This need to collect a detailed ancestry record is an effort to find our unique health traits and help the patient(us).

I was told by a very reputed heart Surgeon of Indian descent that natives of India in US should lower their Cholesterol below 160 as we have narrower arteries .This type of information while not currently available could be norm if we collected ethnicity specific data for the patients.

An anomaly has been found the Hispanics Live five years longer than Whites in America even while the health care availability and Obesity is worse in their population.It is also an opportunity for us to study what factors make it possible for them to live longer and could we duplicate those conditions.It has been speculated that diet though high in meat and fat content may play some role as well as involvement in the society.

For Diversity organizations it is a challenge as well as opportunity to be part of the Discussion of EMR software for better outcome.

LET US NOT MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY.

Can Polio Be Eradicated? A Skeptic Now Thinks So.NYT,

Donald Mcneil writes in NYT article that now Octogenarian Donald Henderson who is believed to be the strongest force in elimination of Small Pox. He at times is very skeptical that Polio can be eradicated in a short time.

Polio has a strange history now it is eliminated from 99 percent of the population. Yet polio Occurs in India ,Pakistan and Nigeria.Other reason is it is very difficult and arduous process to identify patients with it.To immune patients you have to use oral drops three times.

Dr. de Quadros, a former director of the Pan American Health Organization, has his own mantle: “The Man Who Found the Last Case of Smallpox in Ethiopia and Chased Polio and Measles Out of the Western Hemisphere.” It was the conversation with Dr Quadros which changed the mind of Dr Donald Henderson. With commitment of Bill Gates and his foundation ,WHO and help of group of eminent scholars and scientist it is time and Dr Henderson believes that stars have lined up for elimination of Polio.

FROM BILL GATES TALKING ON CHARLIE ROSE ONE FEELS THAT THERE IS NO FEATHER HE RATHER HAVE THAN ELIMINATION OF POLIO, SECOND DISEASE TO BE ELIMINATED .
for HUMANITY SAKE I HOPE HE GETS IT.

First in Asia. Transexuals along with others to be flight attendants,The Tribune , Chandigarh.

I thought i would like to share this news in Tribune a daily English language News paper from Chandigarh.

Transsexuals flight attendants
KUALA LUMPUR: A newly formed Thai airline is employing transsexuals as flight attendants, in a bid to provide them equal opportunity. "Ketoeys" or ladyboys, who are highly visible in mainstream jobs in Thailand, will work as flight attendants on the Asian routes of a charter airline "PC Air", starting April this year. PC Air earlier decided to hire males and females for the job but later changed its plan after it received more than 100 applications of transgenders, media reports said. — PTI