Will Consumers Be Able to Perform Kidney Dialysis at Home?
Hemodialysis is the most common way to treat advanced kidney failure. The procedure can help one carry on an active life despite a failure of these important organs. Hemodialysis requires a strict and precise treatment schedule. The process uses a man-made membrane (dialyzer) which remove wastes from the blood and restores the proper balance of electrolytes. Patients typically go to a […]
We All Need Health Insurance
I watched a panel discussion on CNBC this morning. It was introduced as the Future of Healthcare. The participants were CEOs of health insurance companies. There was no mention of patient safety and quality, clinical procedures, patient care, mobile health, telehealth, robotic surgery, accountable care, or affordable care. Another missing topic concerns the 30-40 million […]
Is Remote Robotic Surgery Practical?
Last summer, I experienced a robot assisted radical prostatectomy. I wrote about the experience and follow-on treatment in Health Attitude. I was on the operating room table, and the surgeon was across the room, sitting at the console of the da Vinci robotic surgical system console. Another surgeon, an anesthesiologist, and nurses were at the operating […]
Is Bitcoin Going Anywhere?
Skeptics about bitcoin abound. I remain bullish. One theory catching on is the underlaying technology infrastructure which makes bitcoin work, called the blockchain, is a breakthrough. Financial firms have gotten quite interested because the blockchain can enable money (or any kind of asset) to move around the world instantly and at very low cost. It […]
Can Paramedics Reduce Hospital Readmissions?
Most of us may think of a paramedic as a healthcare professional who works primarily in a pre-hospital environment, usually as part of an emergency medical services (EMS) team. That is changing. Hospital executives are laser focused on readmissions, especially for congestive heart failure (CHF) patients. CHF is the number one reason for hospital admissions. Typically, CHF […]