Latest News from Camille Schenkel

What Makes a Good Online Health Insurance Exchange?

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 19:43:03 EST

Health Insurance Exchanges (HIEs) have garnered support on both sides of the political aisle during the health reform debate. If the final reform bill includes a public option or non-profit co-ops and a mandate for coverage, the principal method by which non-insureds will be purchasing insurance will likely be through HIEs. Health insurance, unlike an airline ticket, is not a commodity purchase and there are a number of factors that will affect a consumer's decision in addition to price.

North Shore launches $400 million E-records Effort

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:59:22 EDT

North Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System plans to offer incentives of up to $40,000 to its 7,000 affiliated doctors to migrate to digital patient records. The size of the program is significant and, along with federal subsidies, provides a competitive edge to the NY regional hospital system.

Can Health Social Media Learn from Online Dating?

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 06:45:00 EDT

One of the frustrations cropping up on health social media sites is centered around the mechanism that caused their popularity at the outset, the message board. Perhaps health social networking sites can learn from online dating sites, Match and eHarmony, about linking mechanisms. They can also take a lesson from these websites regarding charging users.

Time for Geothermal

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 18:30:00 EDT

Much of the media and investment community has been focused on the potential for electric cars and solar in the last few years. The cleantech community invested about 60% of venture capital in the second quarter of 2009 in the transportation/fuel and solar energy sectors. One source of energy that hasn't gotten the research dollars in recent years but could provide a source of reliable, relatively cheap energy is geothermal. While generating a significant amount of geothermal energy is years away, Geothermal Heat Pumps are a proven technology and could provide immediate benefits to energy conservation, especially for campus settings like hospitals and long-term care facilities.

Golden Age of Healthcare Innovation

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:59:54 EDT

On the day when President Obama is getting ready to have a primetime news conference that will likely feature healthcare reform efforts in Congress, it is difficult to divine the final form that reform legislation will take. It is easy to get mired in the politics of reform and overlook that the healthcare industry is at the beginning of what may be an extended period of innovation.

Google's Health Kitchen Sink

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EDT

Google's announcement about ChromeOS last week caused some technology pundits to hyperventilate about impending doom for Microsoft and put another notch in Google's product launch belt.While speculation runs rampant about the two giants as they battle it out for dominance in the OS and office productivity suite space, Google's latest announcement provides an interesting new twist to Google's Health platform. Because what ChromeOs will clearly provide once the operating system is released next year is a faster on-ramp for consumer-controlled, web-based patient health records (PHR).

Google's Health Kitchen Sink: Throwing Chrome OS in the Mix

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:35:00 EDT

Google's announcement about ChromeOS last week caused some technology pundits to hyperventilate about impending doom for Microsoft and put another notch in Google's product launch belt. While speculation runs rampant about the two giants as they battle it out for dominance in the OS and office productivity suite space, Google's latest announcement provides an interesting new twist to Google's Health platform. Because what ChromeOs will clearly provide once the operating system is released next year is a faster on-ramp for consumer-controlled, web-based patient health records (PHR).

Google's Health Kitchen Sink: Throwing Chrome OS in the Mix

Sun, 12 Jul 2009 19:35:00 EDT

Google's announcement about ChromeOS last week caused some technology pundits to hyperventilate about impending doom for Microsoft and put another notch in Google's product launch belt. While speculation runs rampant about the two giants as they battle it out for dominance in the OS and office productivity suite space, Google's latest announcement provides an interesting new twist to Google's Health platform. Because what ChromeOs will clearly provide once the operating system is released next year is a faster on-ramp for consumer-controlled, web-based patient health records (PHR).

Video Games Meet Surgical Training in Las Vegas

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:00:08 EDT

With all the bad economic news coming out of Nevada, it is easy to miss a healthcare bright spot -- the emergence of virtual simulation training of future surgeons. The Virtual Skills Laboratory at University Medical Center (UMC) has been training residents since December 2008 with advanced simulators, allowing them to get hands-on training before operating on humans.

Video Games Meet Surgical Training in Las Vegas

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:00:08 EDT

Video Games Meets Surgical Training in Las Vegas

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 23:00:00 EDT

USGBC to Require Buildings Seeking LEED Certification to Provide Performance Data

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:30:36 EDT

The US Green Building Council sent a press release out today announcing that all buildings seeking LEED certification will be required to provide energy and water usage data on a recurring basis as a precondition to certification. The new requirements will be part of LEED v.3, which all registered projects will be required to follow starting June 27.

USGBC to Require Building’s Performance Data for LEED Certification

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 22:30:00 EDT

Public Health Insurance Plan: Scenarios and Possibilities

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:05:28 EDT

The Democrats in the House unveiled the outlines of their healthcare reform bill on June 9 that includes a government-backed health plan option to increase coverage. Already powerful lobbies are lining up against this possibility, including the AMA and the health insurance industry, claiming an end to the employer-provided health coverage system if this plan is adopted. Lessons from Massachusetts and projections from studies conducted by the insurance industry itself tell us that the likeliest scenario will depend on the plan details.

Public Health Insurance Plan: Scenarios and Possibilities

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 12:05:28 EDT

Google Wave: The Possibilities for Patient-Centered Communication

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:00:00 EDT

Google introduced Google Wave last week to much acclaim. Several aspects of the product have tremendous potential for patient-centered communication online. The question becomes will the developer community respond during the developer period by building applications that takes advantage of the live collaboration tool or will HIPAA considerations nip the potential of Google Wave in the bud for the Health IT community?

Google Wave: The Possibilities for Patient-Centered Communication

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 10:08:42 EDT

Examining the Link between Cost and Quality

Thu, 28 May 2009 11:05:02 EDT

The conundrum is now well-known -- how can the U.S. spend over $6,714 per capita a year on healthcare, the highest among OECD countries, and still lag on so many health indicators like infant mortality? While Americans enjoy access to the latest treatments and medical technologies, more and more Americans are unable to pay for such treatments due to the cost. As lawmakers and lobbyists are hashing out solutions in D.C., information that emerged in the past week indicates that there is a path for finding the solution of increasing coverage while also increasing quality of care.

Examining the Link between Cost and Quality

Thu, 28 May 2009 11:05:02 EDT

Recession hits Healthcare -- Cuts Across the Sector

Wed, 20 May 2009 10:46:39 EDT

There has been a widely-held belief that the healthcare sector of the U.S. economy is recession-proof. A recent spate of studies indicate that the economic downturn is having an adverse effect on the industry and the impact is hitting all parts of the healthcare sector, from hospitals and providers to the pharmaceutical industry. Health professionals worry that the burden to the system will increase as uninsured Americans put off preventive care.

Recession hits Healthcare -- Cuts Across the Sector

Wed, 20 May 2009 10:46:39 EDT

Electronic Health Records: Challenges Around Meeting 2014 Goal

Tue, 12 May 2009 11:39:50 EDT

As the push for broader adoption of electronic health records (EHR) is underway, several issues have come up as deterrents to adoption. The Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association (JAMIA) published a study in its current issue that predicted less than half of small physician practices will adopt EHR by the government target date of 2014 at the current rate of adoption. Barriers cited in new studies, like training and privacy issues, are tied closely to larger concerns like the cost of implementation and setting standards. But the full promise of EHR will not be realized unless these issues are considered in the implementation.

Electronic Health Records: Challenges Around Meeting 2014 Goal

Tue, 12 May 2009 11:39:50 EDT

Can Health Social Media Learn from Online Dating?

Tue, 05 May 2009 16:08:21 EDT

LEED for Healthcare: Editorial on Cleantech Group's site

Mon, 04 May 2009 16:44:26 EDT

A posting that I published originally on GreenSpacesRx on April 23 called "LEED for Healthcare: Worth It?" has been edited and is now published on the Cleantech Group's website. The essence of the posting has stayed the same, however, the lead in may be more definitive than what I meant in the editorial. To summarize, I think there are some issues with the LEED certification process because it is a predictive model and the lack of tracking and performance after the LEED certification is granted is a problem in the long run. There are other reasons for pursuing the LEED certification, such as using non-toxic materials, indoor quality, etc. These are not small considerations in the healthcare industry. Since LEED is becoming a de facto standard, however, the building performance issues should be discussed and addressed.

LEED for Healthcare: Editorial on Cleantech Group's Site

Mon, 04 May 2009 16:44:00 EDT

A posting that I published originally on GreenSpacesRx called "LEED for Healthcare: Worth It?" has been edited and is now published on the Cleantech Group's website. The essence of the posting has stayed the same, however, the lead in may be more definitive than what I meant in the editorial. In essence, I think there are some issues with the LEED certification process because it is a predictive model and the lack of tracking and performance after the LEED certification is granted is a problem in the long run. There are other reasons for pursuing the LEED certification, such as using non-toxic materials, indoor quality, etc. These are not small considerations in the healthcare industry. Since LEED is becoming a de facto standard, however, the building performance issues should be discussed and addressed.

Swine flu intelligence: Twitter v. Google

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 22:07:00 EDT

The media coverage of the Swine flu and its elevation to Phase 4 status by the WHO has caused a lot of discussion across TV and web chatrooms. It also renews interest in predictive tools such as Google's Flu trends project. The fascinating thing about Google's flu prediction system is its apparent accuracy and ability to predict flu activity one to two weeks ahead of CDC reports. This ability is clearly critical with potential pandemics.

Swine flu intelligence: Twitter v. Google

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 22:07:00 EDT

LEED for Healthcare: Worth it?

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 06:19:07 EDT

U.S. buildings consume about 40% of energy, of which about 18% are commercial structures. Since healthcare facilities have such intensive energy needs, especially hospitals which are 24-hour facilities, is getting a LEED certification worth the added expense and effort?

LEED for Healthcare: Worth It?

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 21:28:40 EDT

One of the biggest consumers of energy (about 40%) are buildings, of which about 18% are commercial structures. Since healthcare facilities have such intensive energy needs, especially hospitals which are 24-hour facilities, is getting a LEED certification worth the added expense and effort?

LEED for Healthcare: Worth It?

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 21:28:40 EDT

Health Social Media: The Good, Bad and Ugly

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 11:11:30 EDT

Numerous web-based activities such as social networking, blogging, etc. has fostered a patient-centered movement in the health industry, known as Health 2.0. Social networking in particular has empowered patients with chronic conditions to go online and find other patients to share their experiences and talk about their treatments. The availability of the technology has coincided with social trends of patients who are more open to alternative therapies like acupuncture and eastern medicine. Patients and even medical students have also grown somewhat cynical due to conflict of interest issues between some doctors and pharmaceutical companies. Just like the rest of the internet, the trend has good and bad implications for the future of healthcare.

Health Social Media: The Good, Bad and Ugly

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 11:11:30 EDT

Green Furniture

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:28:11 EDT

Perhaps you are considering renovating your medical office and one of the things you are evaluating is purchasing furniture. Healthcare furniture has to serve a specific function, such as storage for medical supplies or perhaps even a nurse's station. Unfortunately a lot of furniture these days is built poorly and with materials that are not earth-friendly. Thankfully, it is possible to find functional healthcare furniture that is sustainable by design.

Green Furniture

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:28:11 EDT

GreenSpacesRx

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:21:54 EDT

Today we are inaugurating a new section of the blog called GreenSpacesRx, which will cover the "greening" of the healthcare community.

GreenSpacesRx

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:21:54 EDT

Today we are inaugurating a new section of the blog called GreenSpacesRx, which will cover the "greening" of the healthcare community.

Healthy Spaces Means Green Spaces

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:00:29 EDT

Today we are inaugurating a new section of the blog called GreenSpacesRx. This section will be covering how the Green Movement is impacting the healthcare community. Hopefully, it will also become a resource for healthcare professionals who would like to explore greening their environments.

There are numerous areas where the healthcare community can adopt sustainable practices. From CFL bulbs to LEED-certified facilities, an industry that contributes 16% to the nation's GDP has ample opportunity to contribute to the Green movement. The healthcare industry has a special obligation to spearhead sustainable, non-toxic practices. We will look into issues, products and services that can help with this effort.

Healthy Spaces Means Green Spaces

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:00:29 EDT

Open Letter to YouTube (and Google)

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 10:15:00 EDT

YouTube's Health channel has several flaws from a user experience perspective. These flaws are contributing to the bleeding of cash at YouTube and fixing it can be one of the ways to turn around its profit picture.

Open Letter to YouTube (and Google): You Can Do Better with Health

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 12:29:09 EDT

Open Letter to YouTube (and Google): You Can Do Better with Health

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 12:29:09 EDT

Website Best Practices for Doctors

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST

With the popularity of directory services that provide online information on doctors (and even ratings) such as CitySearch and Yelp, it is becoming more important for doctors to actively market their practices online and having a good website is an important step in online marketing.

Website Best Practices for Doctors

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST

Website Best Practices for Doctors

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST

Website Best Practices for Doctors

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST

Website Best Practices for Doctors

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST

Website Best Practices for Doctors

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST

Website Best Practices for Doctors

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:18:26 EDT

Website Best Practices for Doctors

Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST