July 31, 2007
Implanted Stimulator to Prevent Seizures
Researchers at the Thomas Jefferson University Hospital Comprehensive Epilepsy Center are enrolling patients in a study of the Responsive Neurostimulator System (RNS) made by Neuropace to determine if it is effective in stemming seizures. The system contains a computer chip that detects seizures and then delivers electric current to the brain to stop them.
The goal is to be able to predict and prevent seizures before they start. The device would be targeted at people with uncontrolled epilepsy.
Details
The RNS neurostimulator is a programmable, battery powered, microprocessor-controlled device that delivers a short train of electrical pulses to the brain through implanted leads. In treating epilepsy, the RNS neurostimulator is designed to detect abnormal electrical activity in the brain and respond by delivering electrical stimulation to normalize brain activity before the patient experiences seizure symptoms. The neurostimulator is implanted in the cranium and connected to one or two leads that are implanted near the patient's seizure focus.
Thomas Jefferson University Hospital Press Release
July 19, 2007
EMR for iPhone
Life Record has announced the release of Life Record EMR v3.1.0, a new version of the company’s Electronic Medical Records system for Mac OS X. This release adds support for the Apple iPhone.
Life Record EMR is a Web-based electronic medical records system designed for all types of medical practices. Among its numerous features are prescription tracking, patient interactivity that enables them to schedule appointments, enroll as a new patient and engage in telemedicine consultation; demographic tracking; MySQL-based database access; advanced imaging and more.
July 13, 2007
Free, Unlimited Access to Two Thousand Years of Mankind and Medicine in Pictures
Launched this past June, 'Wellcome Images' is the world's leading source of images on the history of medicine, modern biomedical science and clinical medicine. 
All content has been made available under a Creative Commons Licence, which allows users to copy, distribute and display the image, provided the source is fully attributed and it is used for non-commercial purposes.
Everything from an oil painting of Florence Nightingale and a picture depicting Charles Darwin as an ape, to a photograph of Alexander Fleming in his laboratory are part of this unique collection. The images illustrate themes from medical and social history through to contemporary healthcare and biomedical science and bring complex biomedical concepts to life.
Welcome Collection Press Release
July 11, 2007
Computer Model Maps Complex Diseases
By using epidemiological data from 1.5 million patients, researchers at Columbia University have mapped the overlap between 161 different diseases. Among their findings is a strong overlap between schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism. The data suggests that these three diseases may have a shared group of genes.
Using health records from the Columbia University Medical Center, the researchers examined the likelihood that a patient with one genetically complex disease--for example, diabetes--also had one of the 160 other diseases under study, such as an autoimmune disorder. The researchers concluded that certain groups of genes can predispose a person to multiple diseases, while others can predispose a person to one disease while protecting against another.
They did not look at gene expression or DNA sequence data in any of the patients, so the study provides no specific evidence that diseases with a tendency to occur together share common genetic risk factors. (A person with a psychiatric illness might develop diabetes because of poor eating habits, not because the same genes cause both diseases.) But in general, inferences can me made that the disease correlations are caused by shared genes rather than environmental effects, because their sample size was so large and the correlations were so strong.
This project is one of only a few that combine bioinformatics with medical informatics to discover new possible disease correlations. The researchers have encouraged other scientists to use their map to further investigate the genetic bases of the diseases they studied.
Article from PNAS
Probing genetic overlap among complex human phenotypes
July 05, 2007
The Downside of Email With Patients
Patients who consult with their physicians via e-mail are less likely to visit their physician and less likely to call their doctor's office, according to data from the Kaiser Permanente Clinical Systems Planning and Consulting Group. The Kaiser study found a decline of between 7% and 10% in primary care office visits for patients who e-mail their physicians and a 14% decrease in patient phone calls to doctors' offices.
Kaiser Northwest began using email several years ago as part of a pilot project, and according to the Portland Business Journal, approximately 113,000 Kaiser members in Oregon and Washington state use the Internet and e-mail services as part of their health plan. The increase in secure email services apparently has translated into reduced income for physicians whose revenue is generated by direct face-to-face contact.
As patients become increasingly interested in the use of e-mail to connect with their physicians, health systems will need to develop a new business model to pay for this mode of communication.
Portland Business Journal Article
Interesting article from the Permanente Journal
Managing E-mail Interactions with Patients: A Discussion with Clinicians in Evaluating the Personal Health Link Project
More recent article from the Permanente Journal
MyChart--A New Mode of Care Delivery: 2005 Personal Health Link Research Report
Article from The American Journal of Managed Care
Patient Access to an Electronic Health Record With Secure Messaging: Impact on Primary Care Utilization
July 03, 2007
Open-source Virtual Reality Software Platform
NeuroVR, an open-source virtual reality software platform for clinical and neuroscience applications was recently presented to the Congressional Modeling & Simulation Caucus. The caucus was founded by Congressman J. Randy Forbes and serves as a venue to discuss issues pertaining to modeling and simulation (M&S). Historically, the caucus has been focused on M&S as it relates to the defense industry, but has broadened its focus to include M&S applications across all fields.
NeuroVR was selected as an example of worldwide excellence in the area, combining ease of use with clinical efficacy. It was the only European simulation project presented in the event. NeuroVR is a virtual reality application that can be used either with a standard computer monitor or with an immersive visual device. The software was developed by Italian researchers Prof. G. Riva and Dr. Andrea Gaggioli.
NeuroVR was also presented this year at the annual Medicine Meets Virtual Reality (MMVR) conference.
It is available as a free download from the NeuroVR website