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.    …

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mHealth: Valuable information in PwC report, but are the findings remarkable?

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA A recent report, (PDF link) “Emerging mHealth:  Paths for growth,” commissioned by PwC, (PriceWaterhouseCoopers) the Economist Intelligence Unit, is well executed, however it’s important to understand the research sample for this survey. Is it possible that the results of the survey would be different if the sample was broader in terms of the types of patients questioned and the doctors and executives from payer organizations that were selected were…

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Social Media and Technology in Health Care: ePharma Summit Goes Beyond Pharma

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Social media and mobile intersect at ePharma Summit Patients and health care consumers are engaged in their health and the internet has allowed them to be empowered in their health care. They are actively searching and accessing information online and they are using their Smartphones to stay connected and to manage their health.  Whether they engage online or with the click of an app, technology is transforming health care….

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How is Gaming Changing the Landscape in Health Care? Part 4 | Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Time to break the health care silos In Part 1, Fabio Gratton, Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Ignite Health, answered the question, “How is Gaming Changing the Landscape in Health Care?” In Part 2, Joseph C. Kvedar, MD, Founder and Director Center for Connected Health answered the question: “How is Gaming Changing the Landscape in Health Care?” In Part 3, Bill Crounse, MD, Senior Director, Worldwide Health Microsoft…

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How is Gaming Changing the Landscape in Health Care? Part 3 | Bill Crounse, MD, Microsoft

By Barbara Ficarra, RN, BSN, MPA Bill Crounse, MD, Senior Director, Worldwide Health Microsoft Corporation answers the question, “How is Gaming Changing the Landscape in Health Care?” In Part 1, Fabio Gratton, Co-Founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Ignite Health, answered the question, “How is Gaming Changing the Landscape in Health Care?” In Part 2, Joseph C. Kvedar, Founder and Director Center for Connected Health answered the question: “How is gaming changing the landscape in…

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