By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA A Candid Interview with Bernard Tyson “It’s something our members wanted, they have it and they love it,” said Kaiser Permanente’s President and CEO Bernard J. Tyson, in a recent telephone interview. The “it” Mr. Tyson is referring to is the digital technology that allows Kaiser Permanente members to email their physicians. To date, there are “14 million e-visits,” he said, and members gain access via a free Smartphone…
Read More...8 Ways to Avoid Ethical Pitfalls in Social Media – Part One
By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Do the ethical rules of law apply to medicine? Ethical issues in social media are a concern for attorneys, and health care professionals can learn from attorneys on how to avoid ethical blowups. In a recent article in the New York State Bar Association State Bar News, it states that attorneys face a minefield of potential ethical problems when it comes to using social media to boost business…
Read More...Delirium? Now what?
By Derek S. Mongold, MD My father is in the hospital and they say that he has delirium. What exactly is delirium? Delirium is a state of severe confusion that is usually brought on by a medical condition. It’s thought to be due to the brain producing too much dopamine and to little acetylcholine. Dopamine and acetylcholine are neurotransmitters (chemicals) that neurons (the main cells of the brain) use to communicate with each other. Nobody…
Read More...Technology: Robot Power Suit – Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) to Help Nurses and Patients
By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA “A robot suit that can help the elderly or disabled get around was given its global safety certificate in Japan on Wednesday, paving the way for its worldwide roll-out,” according to Discovery News. The Hybrid Assistive Limb®, or HAL, is a power-assisted pair of legs developed by Japanese robot maker, Yoshiyuki Sankai, CEO Cyberdyne Inc. The following text is an excerpt from the YouTube video below. …
Read More...Doctors and Social Media: Legal Aspects and Bottom Line
By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA The health care social media legal series continues here on Healthin30, and legal expert, David Harlow, Esq, Health Care Attorney and Consultant at The Harlow Group, LLC in Boston, answers a series of questions focusing on the legal aspects of physicians engaging in social media. Health Care Social Media – Legal Aspects Q: Barbara – According to the American Medical Association, it states: “When physicians see content posted by…
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