HealthContentAdvisors

Archive for June, 2008

PHR Standards Big Step Forward

• Posted June 26th 2008
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• by Janice

While privacy concerns remain a deterrent to the adoption of personal healthcare records (PHRs), a lack of standards may be an even stronger one. Consumers don’t like to expend time and money on new technology that can’t easily synch up with other devices or content (certainly you remember “Betamax”?).

To help overcome both concerns, the Markle Foundation has just published a set of practices for handling PHR information in Connecting for Health Common Framework for Networked Personal Health Information.  The framework was developed with a workgroup that included payers, providers, health IT vendors, healthcare publishers and advocates, physician organizations and policy analysts.  The group includes Google Health, Microsoft, Intuit, WebMD, Revolution Health, Aetna, AARP, Kaiser Permanente, BCBS, Consumers Union, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Dossia, Ingenix, Cisco, and others.  (See the complete list in the press release: www.connectingforhealth.org/news/pressrealease_062508.html.)

The publishing industry has a dismal record of developing standards that facilitate data exchange. That’s why it is important to note that the complete report includes seven sections on technology standards and requirements along with nine sections on policy issues.  In consumer health care publishing, policymakers and technology companies play important roles, so perhaps they will push content providers to create and adopt standards. In the section of the report titled, An Architecture for Consumer Participation, the importance of portability and interoperability of the PHR is emphasized:

For PHRs to become more universally useful to consumers, they must provide a convenient and secure means of connecting to personal data and interactive services from multiple sources, and they must provide a convenient and secure means of moving the data out of the PHR as well, in whole or in part.[1]

At last year’s Health Content07 conference, there was a wide divergence of opinion about how long it will take before PHRs become mainstream. The Technology Overview section of the Markle report depicts how “health care entities and consumer technology innovators operate under different cultures that can clash without basic rules of the road“.  The technology standards and policy principles laid out in the Connecting for Health framework are a first step towards overcoming the hurdles on the road to adoption of PHRs.  However, according to recent research also reported by the Markle Foundation, only about 2.7 percent of the population they surveyed are using PHRs. The question of how quickly consumers will adopt PHRs is clearly still open for debate. 

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[1] Connecting for Health Common Framework for Networked Personal Health Information, The Markle Foundation, www.connectingforhealth.org/license.html, section CT7, An Architecture for Consumer Participation, page 4, June 2008. 

 

Zynx Health Partners with National Comprehensive Cancer Network

• Posted June 26th 2008
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• by Marji

Zynx Health, which provides evidence-based clinical decision support to the medical community, has partnered with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) to provide NCCN chemotherapy templates to users of the Zynx OncologyCare product. (Zynx is a subsidiary of Hearst Corp.)

 

The NCCN is an alliance of 21 of the nation’s leading cancer centers and it provides information to both patients and healthcare professionals regarding cancer care. The development of NCCN information is based on the independent evaluation of available scientific evidence integrated with the judgment of leading clinicians. The chemotherapy templates that will be available through Zynx OncologyCare will be based on the Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology, a widely used oncology information source in the U.S.

 

Zynx OncologyCare users will also gain access to AuthorSpace, Zynx’s online tool that can customize, manage and integrate clinical content. The NCCN templates will be pre-built and updated in AuthorSpace, enabling users one online location in which to review, edit and maintain local templates. Newly customized templates can then be integrated into the clinician’s workflow on paper, as HTML files or by exporting them into a clinical information system.

 

Zynx Health should be an ideal partner for the NCCN as the alliance continues its goal to the quality of care patients with cancer receive as it helps increase the profile and use of the chemotherapy templates. Improving patient care is, and should be, top-of-mind for such organizations. This alliance serves to emphasize the commitment both entities have to achieve that goal.

 

At the same time, enabling users of Zynx OncologyCare access to AuthorSpace is also a very important development as it makes the content added into the templates more usable and accessible. Allowing them to be integrated into the clinician’s workflow is a vital function. It’s already a popular one. According to the company, most of Zynx’s more than 1,400 hospital clients already use AuthorSpace to customize and maintain evidence-based order sets and interdisciplinary plans of care.

 

APCToday.com Launches New Search Tool

• Posted June 24th 2008
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• by Marji

APCToday.com, which provides clinical information to Advance Practice Clinicians (APCs, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurse midwives and clinical nurse specialists) launched a new search engine tool, APCFindit.com.

 

APCToday partnered with Convera Corp., a provider of vertical search services for trade publishers, to create this new offering.

 

APCFindit.com presents editorially selected website searches to the clinician user. When they conduct searches, only relevant sites that will appeal to their specific interests will appear in their search results.

 

Searches conducted through the new tool will focus on association activities and publications, peer-reviewed medical research, surgical procedures, diagnostic techniques, standards of care, medicolegal, and other industry-specific content.

 

This new tool is a great idea. While medical professionals are utilizing technology more than ever before to meet their research needs, they still don’t have a lot of time to search. Providing them with a tool like this that will streamline (and quicken) their search efforts will undoubtedly be welcomed in the marketplace.

 

Launching such a tool will also help APCToday.com solidify is place in this market as a go-to source for the content needs of its users. It’s one thing to have the content for users. It’s another to make it easily accessible for them. APCToday.com has both.

 

Ingenix to Launch New Search Tool to Connect Physicians and Patients

• Posted June 20th 2008
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• by Marji

This Monday, Ingenix will launch new data aggregation and analytics software for the consumer market. The software will assist consumers in their quest to find physicians based on their characteristics and preferences.

 

According to a report in Health Data Management, Ingenix (a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group) is planning to market Best Match Search to insurers and other organizations to use on their Web portals. The new service includes aggregate claims data from 27 million episodes of care, making it easier for a consumer to find a physician who matches all of the criteria he or she needs in a healthcare professional.

 

Consumers will be able to view search results in side-by-side comparisons that will illustrate how the physicians match specified criteria (such as pricing and drugs most frequently prescribed).

 

Ingenix will also offer the service to emergency departments so they can offer lists of physicians to discharged patients, as well as to primary care physicians who could use the service to refer patients to specialists.

 

Using online services to help consumers find appropriate physicians isn’t new. Many hospital websites have offered “physician referral” services for quite some time. But many organizations may still be tempted to give this one a try, since it seems like it can truly match consumers with the physicians that can provide the exact care they need.

 

Overall, such services are a great idea since consumers (thanks in large part to the Internet) are continuously taking a more active more in their healthcare. For any of the organizations that sign on with Ingenix to offer Best Match Search on their sites, it will undoubtedly become a well-used feature.  

 

BridgeHealth Launches New Site, Blog

• Posted June 18th 2008
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• by Marji

BridgeHealth International, a medical travel industry service provider, has launched a new web site (www.bridgehealthinternational.com) and a blog, The Bridge, (www.bridgehealthinternational.com/blog), to help business professionals and consumers find relevant medical travel information.

 

BridgeHealth helps users make connections with appropriate sources to help plan a medical trip and the new site (and blog) will further assist the company in achieving its goals.

 

The medical travel and tourism blog is edited and moderated by Jeff Schult, a medical tourism expert and author of Beauty from Afar: A Medical Tourist’s Guide to Affordable and Quality Cosmetic Care Outside the U.S. The blog is expected to serve as a forum for medical professionals and patients who can share their experiences with medical travel.

 

BridgeHealth has connections with a variety of segments within the medical profession. The company serves health plans, insurance carriers, employers, third party administrators and individual consumers interested in medical travel.

 

There is certainly an increased interest in medical travel today; and as a result, there is a wealth of general information about it available online. BridgeHealth, through its new site, has the opportunity to become a main source of such content. But it really needs to distinguish itself from the others to avoid becoming just another medical information site.

 

However, adding the blog is a nice touch and it might be what helps separate BridgeHealth from the competition. The promise of engaging conversation could be enough to get users to visit the site more often and eventually rely on it for all of their medical travel information needs. When faced with medical decisions, it usually helps to “talk” with others and share experiences. For this reason alone, the new blog could make a big difference for BridgeHealth in the amount of traffic its new site will attract.

    

 

A.D.A.M. Launches Symptom Application for iPhones

• Posted June 18th 2008
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• by Marji

Health information provider A.D.A.M. Inc. has launched the A.D.A.M. symptom navigator web application for the iPhone. Symptom navigator is an interactive tool that can help consumers match their symptoms to actually medical conditions and help them determine if they need to seek medical attention.

 

To begin using the symptom navigator, users need to visit http://iphone.adam.com on their mobile device and identify their symptom. The tool will suggest causes of the symptom and medical condition, how to treat it, when to contact a physician, and how to prevent it from occurring again.

 

Consumers are presented with an image of the human body and they can click on an affected part of the body to view a menu of related symptoms. Once a symptom is chosen, users are presenting information about possible causes, home car and when to consult a doctor. A.D.A.M’s data is medically reviewed, evidence-based and RACT accredited Health Encyclopedia.

 

Consumers will most likely be very excited about this. They already seem to enjoy conducting Internet searches about their health issues. Plus, more and more people use PDAs regularly, and demand more content “on the go.” A.D.A.M’s solution is much more interactive and engaging for users than a general search. Having the content come from A.D.A.M. resources only improves the credibility of the service.

 

The HealthCentral Network Acquires MedTrackAlert

• Posted June 10th 2008
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• by Marji

The HealthCentral Network Inc. today announced its acquisition of MedTrackAlert LLC, a consumer health information company. This is the first acquisition for HealthCentral since receiving a minority investment from IAC/InteractiveCorp. The company’s network consists of more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health web sites.

 

Terms of the deal to acquire MedTrackAlert, which more than doubles the size of HealthCentral’s email newsletter reach, were not disclosed. MedTrackAlert’s email newsletters are received by opt-in audiences who are interested in a particular health topic and they provide timely alerts to help users manage their health conditions.

 

The acquisition is expected to provide these users with more relevant alerts about their conditions. MedTrackAlert’s news alerts will be offered along with HealthCentral’s existing email newsletters, which contain healthcare management tools and tips.

 

HealthCentral expects marketers to also benefit from the collaborative email newsletter effort through an expanded reach that enable them to reach patients through more than 2.4 million permission-based subscriptions and patient education programs. Before the acquisition, marketers could reach consumers through HealthCentral’s network of web site. Now they can reach their desired audience through condition-specific sites and newsletters; targeted permission-based email education programs; and CareCentral, HealthCentral’s private communities for those organizing caregiving activities.

 

This acquisition certainly is a smart move by The HealthCentral Network. Ownership of MedTrackAlert will enable the company to immediately make a stronger impact on both segments it serves–consumers seeking valuable and reliable health content and the advertisers who want to reach them with equally targeted messages.

 

Both of these segments will undoubtedly benefit from the robust information source that the combination of these two organizations has created.

 

Look for the network to become an even more powerful presence in the health information market. In a press release announcing this deal, The HealthCentral Network also announced intentions to further develop its portfolio by acquiring additional companies as well as building its own new offerings.

 

LegitScript Search Engine Provides Backbone for Online Pharmacy Verification Program

• Posted June 10th 2008
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• by Marji

LegitScript LLC has launched LegitScript.com, an Internet pharmacy verification and information service. It is free to consumers and pharmacies and consists of a search engine that enables users to determine the legitimacy of online pharmacies.

 

According to a press release announcing the deal, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, which represents all state boards of pharmacy in the U.S., recognizes LegitScript’s Internet pharmacy verification standards.

 

LegitScript’s search engine contains information about 500 Internet pharmacies–325 don’t meet the company’s verification standards, 15 are approved, and the remaining companies are under review. The site’s online verification is free for pharmacies that comply with LegitScript.com’s standards.

 

Consumers can use LegitScript.com’s interactive feature to report offenders that target children, participate in fraudulent activity or send out spam email messages.

 

LegitScript.com already has plans for future growth. Later in 2008, the company will launch a prescription drug price comparison tool, as well as information about insurance and health plans from approved Internet pharmacies.

 

If successful, LegitScript.com will provide an invaluable service by protecting consumers from conducting business with online pharmacies that lack the proper credentials. With 500 online pharmacies already in its search engine, the company is on track to become a valuable resource for consumers. And the fact that it has received a nod from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy just adds credibility to the LegitScript.com service.

 

The new service really empowers consumers to take control of their medical needs; and providing them with the tools necessary to report any negative behavior further makes consumers a major part of the information gathering process. Giving consumers such an active role in this site will certainly garner their interest in participating. Knowing they are part of the solution will inspire consumers to contribute their feedback. As long as LegitScript.com’s search engine continues to grow and produce accurate results, this service should have true staying power.

 

Verispan and Solara Launch Customizable Sales Tool for Pharmaceutical Industry

• Posted June 9th 2008
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• by Marji

Healthcare industry information provider Verispan and CommonHealth’s Solara, a managed care strategic marketing services provider, announced that they will jointly offer the Account Targeting Tool (AcTT). AcTT will enable sales and marketing professionals to identify, evaluate and prioritize managed care accounts using criteria specific to their sales goals.

 

Verispan brings a wealth of information to AcTT, such as commercial and Medicare D segments; member demographics; co-pay and benefit design information by plan; formulary controls; and prescriptions filled by individual payers.

 

AcTT is a customizable solution that combines client-specific sales, territory and formulary data and it is programmed to for the evaluation criteria of each client. It also includes decision rules that Solara designed within a Verispan-designed interface.

 

This new tool combines the strengths of both Verispan and Solara to create a product that should have a very promising future. All sales and marketing professionals need tools to help them gain a better understanding of their customers and marketplace overall. Because this is a customizable product, there should be no guesswork in the results. Sales and marketing professionals should receive the most relevant information possible through insights and information specific to their needs in the competitive pharmaceutical space.

 

Healthline’s Semantic Ad Network for Health Content

• Posted June 9th 2008
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• by Janice

Healthline, announced today its entry into the vertical ad network business with its healthcare-focused media network called HealthSTAT™ On-Demand.  HealthSTAT is a welcome addition for medical and healthcare publishers that need new options for revenue generation beyond AdSense and the other general search engine ad networks.  HealthSTAT joins other recent entries in the healthcare ad network space, including IAC/The Health Central Network and Glam Media. Healthline’s initial group of publishing partners includes some trusted traditional brand names and some new entrants (AARP, USNews.com, Time Inc.’s new Health.com, PracticeFusion, Elder.com, HealthPricer, and JustAnswer), as well as its own Healthline.com portal and a new consumer health portal to be launched by United Health later this year, MyOptumHealth. 

We’ve noted before that online health sites that rely primarily on pharma advertising revenue are showing slow and disappointing results. It’s time to think beyond the pharma companies as the only source of ad dollars for consumer health sites.  What impresses me about Healthline (an InfoCommerce 2006 winner), is its understanding of sponsorship opportunities. Its recent deal with Aetna and the signing of United Health in this new ad network show that Healthline recognizes insurers are good publishing partners.  It is important to note that these same insurers should be good prospects as advertisers on the HealthSTAT ad network, too. 

There will undoubtedly be more entrants in the healthcare vertical ad network market. Healthline, with its much-touted medical taxonomy, has built a good technical foundation on which to build its ad network.  But it’s Healthline’s demonstrated ability to form partnerships with important stakeholders that puts it ahead of competitors.