You can use any number of creative gadgets to monitor your health, remind you to engage in healthy behaviors, and helping you know when to adjust your habits. Some of these gadgets are even quite affordable, making it possible for someone with almost any salary to use high technology to improve health. Here are 25 healthcare gadgets that can change the world — and your health.

Overall Health Gadgets

Personalized health is becoming a major part of our lives. With technology, it’s possible to track your overall health and wellness.

1. Zeo Personal Sleep Coach: Looking for help getting a good night’s rest? With the Zeo Personal Sleep Coach, you wear a head band that tracks your sleep and uses bedside tools to help you evaluate it. Figure out total sleep and REM sleep and other important sleep functions. Then you receive personalized assessments and tips for better, healthier sleep via email. $249 for the basic version, $349 with guided coaching that can help you increase the efficiency of your sleep even more.
2. Mouse Health Monitor: Your wireless mouse could be your health monitor. This wireless mouse is designed to monitor your heart rate and other vitals. The pulse sensor sends information to your computer wirelessly while you work. This gadget isn’t quite ready for the market yet, but it does show promise. It works with software you install on your computer. The information can be used to determine whether or not you need medical attention. For those with health risks, it can be a good way for others to keep tabs, and offer more healthcare options.
3. Omron Blood Pressure Monitor: If you are concerned about your blood pressure, you can get a blood pressure monitor that is small and discreet. Keep track of your blood pressure, and adjust your habits with the Omron Blood Pressure Monitor. It is simple to use, and considered quite reliable a good way to keep track of your blood pressure wherever you go. Available for between $40 and $100, depending on the model that you get, and the types of extra bells and whistles come with it.
4. Human Recorder: You can wear this cool health monitor under your clothes. This recorder checks your temperature, electrocariographic signals and your movements. The information is wirelessly sent to a base and you can access the information. The battery life is good for three days. The monitor costs $331, but the monitoring costs $110. It’s a little pricier than some gadgets, but it is a good way to keep track of your vitals, if you want detailed information about how your body is performing.
5. GlowCap SOLO: If you need help remembering to take your medication, the GlowCap SOLO can be a good choice. This is because this gadget allows you to set a timer on your medication. It plays melody to catch your attention, and also pulses. Until you take your medication, opening the cap, you will find that cap still pulses. This is a good way to make sure you get your medication as needed. It’s pne way to get your attention at medication time. However, you have to remember to take it with you when you travel. GlowCap SOLO is available for right around $20 to $30.
6. Why Cry Baby Analyzer: If you are interested in getting a little more sleep with a baby in the house, you can use the Why Cry Baby Analyzer. This gadget is designed to help analyze the cries that babies make. Most experienced parents will tell you that babies have different cries when they want different things. The analyzer uses an LCD screen to display whether the problem is hunger, stress, tiredness, boredom or annoyance. It’s great for your sleep health and your baby’s health. If you want to figure out whether your baby really needs something, you can use this monitor. It is available for about $100.
7. Breathalyzer Keychain: If you are looking for a way to monitor your level of inebriation from alcohol, you can use this Breathalyzer Keychain to check your alcohol level. You do need to wait five seconds. The indicators are green, yellow and red, and can help you determine whether or not you are safe to drive. It is important to note, though, that such a breathalyzer should not be completely relied upon. You can find it for between $4.00 and $12.00, depending on where you buy it, and what kind of extras come with it.

Nutrition

If you want to check your nutrition, and make sure you are eating right, and as healthy as possible, you can use gadgets to monitor your calorie intake, and the sort of nutrition you are getting. This includes a number of gadgets that can help eat healthier. Learn to keep track of your food, and watch what you eat. These nutritional gadgets give everyone access to better nutrition.

8. Digital Kitchen Scale: One of the best things you can get to monitor your nutrition is a digital kitchen scale. You can get a good model for right around $40. These scales help you figure out weight, portion sizes, and more. Some of the best features of some scales include removable trays that can be washed for hygiene. Get a small scale, and you can travel with it, making it possible to weigh out your food wherever you go. Just realize that some scales are more accurate than others.
9. Lose It!: This is a great gadget that goes with your iPhone or iPod Touch. This application can come in handy no matter where you are. You can keep track of your calories, and you can also keep track of whether you are eating fats, carbs, and proteins. One of the best ways to have a balanced diet is to know what you are eating. Lose It! offers calorie counts for thousands of foods, including popular restaurant means. Available for free as an application for iPhone or iPod Touch.
10. Don’t Eat That: Another iPhone app, Don’t Eat That is designed to help you keep track of what not to eat. Indeed, it can be a great way to learn what is in different foods. It allows you to know which foods have preservatives, and which are the least healthy. It lets you know which foods are high in calories and fat, and clues you in on the foods that are most hazardous to your health, at the store or at the restaurant. This app isn’t free, though; it costs $1.99.
11. Perfect Portions: One of the most difficult thins is figuring out how much food you need to prepare. This is helpful, since you can get amounts of what makes a portion size of different foods. Perfect Portions helps you know how much of each ingredient you need. And it can even help you figure out what’s healthy for one person. This is a free gadget.
12. MyNetDiary Calorie Counter: If you are looking for a gadget that works with the BlackBerry, this calorie counter can help you. It helps you keep track of the food you consumed, as well as keeping track of exercises, so you know whether or not you are offsetting your caloric intake. There are tens of thousands of food from databases in Canada, U.S. and the U.K. A great tool to take with you so that you can access the information even in restaurants.
13. Water Your Body: Water is essential to your proper health and nutrition. You want to make sure that you are properly hydrated in order to have good health. Water Your Body will help you make sure that you are getting the proper amount of water. Make sure that you replace other, less healthy beverages, with water. This application is available for your iPhone or iPod Touch, and costs $0.99. It’s a small price to pay if you are looking to use water to help you lose weight and increase your health.

Fitness

Some of the best gadgets on the market right now are related to fitness. If you want to increase your health, consider some fitness gadgets that can improve your health.

14. Fitbit: This healthcare gadget is aimed at helping track every aspect of your fitness. It monitors your exercise and fitness, as well as keeps track of important heart rate information. On top of that, it can also help monitor your sleep so that you are better able to obtain the optimal level of sleep for your fitness level. You can even sync up the Fitbit with your PC, helping you get instant access to your health information. It is quite portable and non-cumbersome. You can where it on your pockets, or clip it some article of clothing. A great way to monitor your personal fitness. Cost: $99.
15. BodyMedia Fit: You can wrap the BodyMedia Fit around your arm and it will keep track of your vital information. The sensors will check your cadence and respiration, as well as heart rate, to figure out how many calories you are getting and the kind of exercise you are getting. This costs around $200, and the accessories that go with it can cost more, if you want them. The information is sent to a web site that you can access to monitor your health. The subscription for this starts at $6.95 per month and goes up to $12.95, depending on the type of detail you want, and what sort of analysis you get.
16. DirectLife: If you are interested in monitoring your health and fitness, you can get regular updates, and help adjusting your goals and lifestyle from a fitness coach. The fitness coaches get information from the device you have, and make personalized suggestions, helping you get into better shape. It works using a USB that you can plug into a PC or Mac. It costs about $100 to get the device, and then $12.50 a month in order to get fitness analysis and tips.
17. Nike Triax Elite: Increase your fitness level with help of the Nike Triax Elite. This heart monitor helps you as you run, providing good information that is especially helpful if you are training for a marathon. Keeps track of average pace, distance traveled, and other information. Allows you to create training programs to help your fitness, as well as track your progress. This is a great device for those serious about using running as a way to improve fitness.
18. Talking Dumbbells: You can increase your fitness level with the help of talking dumbbells. These dumbbells will count your reps and help you figure out how many calories are being burned. It will also help you figure out how long of a workout you need. Dumbbells can be adjusted by adding water, and get up to four pounds. Great for sculpting and lean muscle. A good way to add a little strength training to your fitness routine.
19. RoadRunnerGPS: If you want to keep track of how much exercise you are doing, including how far you are going, and how many calories you are burning, the RoadRunnerGPS can help. This is a BlackBerry app available for $4.99. You can load up the information for viewing on your computer. It comes with mapping application that can help you plan your route, or create new programs on based on your current you route.
20. FitSense: This speedometer is a great way to get a total picture of your workout. It is a multipart system that attaches to your shoe, and sends information to a wristwatch display. It offers a heart rate monitor as well. The display offers an overview of distance, time and speed, and allows you to set up multiple workouts that can be used later.
21. Wii Fit: You can actually use video games to get better. Wii Fit can monitor your workout and help you keep track of your fitness progress. A number of programs can be run to set up an exercise program with this video game system. Available for between $100 and $350, depending on whatever else you are buying with it, and whether you need to buy a Wii.

Diabetes & Disease

One of the most common health conditions right now is diabetes. With the increase in obesity, it is no surprise that diabetes is more of a problem. Additionally, there are other diseases. Here are some gadgets that can help you keep control of your health.

22. Didget: This is a game for kids, to be played on the DS, aimed at helping them develop good blood glucose testing habits. The idea is to encourage kids with Type I diabetes to develop good habits early on. Kids can accrue points for doing what they should and they can unlock new levels and buy items in the game. Cost: $75 for the and meter.
23. Seven Plus: You can wear the Seven Plus for up to a week, approved by the FDA. It alerts you to how quickly your blood glucose level is changing, and helps you manage diabetes more effectively.
24. GlucoPhone: You can actually monitor blood glucose with your phone. This GlucoPhone allows you to monitor your blood glucose level from anywhere. It automatically records the information so you don’t have to manually. Additionally, it can be accessed by your health care provider, as well as send text messages.
25. Re-mission: The game Re-mission is designed to encourage kids with cancer to learn habits that can help them go into remission. The game is fun one for children with cancer, and can education them and take their minds off the cancer. Studies have even shown that Re-mission helps.

The following list is categorized and the links are alphabetized within those categories by article title.

Healthcare Cost Comparisons

1. Global Health-Care Snapshot: Three common measures of health-care quality show how well various countries stack up, by expenditure, life expectancy and infant mortality. The U.S. spends more, lives a shorter life, and has the largest infant mortality rate.
2. Growth of Healthcare Costs 1990-2007: This chart shows the increase in healthcare costs across the globe, with the U.S. at 5.8 percent, about halfway along the scale. Note that the scale is along PPP (Purchasing Power Parity).
3. Health Care Expenditures: An International Comparison: The countries are stacked in order of their World Health Organizations overall health ranking (a combination of population health and health system efficiency). Japan ranks first, with the U.S. coming almost last, before Turkey and after Finland.
4. Health Care Expenditure on Health by Percentage of GDP: This chart shows the overall world health expenditures by percentage of the Country’s Gross Domestic Product as of 2005. The U.S. wins this one by a huge margin over thirty other countries.
5. National Health Care Spending Levels: A Global Comparison: This article provides several graphs as well as a link to the OEDC data and reports. One report, hospital beds per 1000 population shows the U.S. at the low end.
6. Per Capita Total Current Health Care Expenditures, U.S. and Selected Countries 2007: These amounts are in U.S. dollars PPP (Purchasing Power Parity) as well, and includes only countries over $2,500. Original source is OECD Health Data 2009.
7. The Cost of Care: The United States spends more on medical care per person than any country, yet life expectancy is shorter than in most other developed nations and many developing ones, according to this National Geographic infographic.
8. U.S. Health Spending Breaks From the Pack: This New York Times article from 2009 points to the U.S. as the only industrialized nation spending “a (much) higher percentage of its gross domestic product on health care than its peers. It also spends (much) more per person on health care than its peers.”
9. Why Does U.S. Health Care Cost So Much? Another New York Times article with a graph that shows the 2006 health spending per capita. The U.S. is off the chart.

Other Issues and Comparisons

10. Among OECD Nations, U.S. Lags in Personal Health: Among the residents of all 30 Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries Gallup surveyed between 2006 and 2008, Americans’ satisfaction with their personal health falls near the group median.
11. An International Update on the Comparative Performance of American Health Care: Despite having the most costly health system in the world, the U.S. consistently underperforms on most dimensions of performance.
12. Comparative Quantification of Mortality and Burden of Disease Attributable to Selected Risk Factors: The graphs and information within this article supply a variety of information. One notable point: Individuals in high-income countries suffer more from high blood pressure.
13. Global Distribution of Poverty: These data sets, presented in ZIP files, provide information for countries to help reduce poverty and related health factors involved with poverty.
14. Global Focus On Personal Health Records: According to this AARP report, electronic health records, despite the cost to the supplier, may lead to better health. France leads the way.
15. Not “Socialized Medicine” — An Israeli View of Health Care Reform: In 2007, the United States spent about 15 percentage of its gross domestic product (GDP) on health care, whereas Israel’s health care spending was about 8 percentage of its GDP, yet life in Israel is longer than life in the U.S.
16. Number of Health Workers: Working on the assumption that more doctors and more health workers per capita means better health care and better health care means better health, the US rates high along with other industrialized nations.
17. World Health Report 2008 [PDF]: This report focuses on primary health care and emphasizes that people are increasingly impatient with the inability of health services to deliver levels of coverage that meet demands.

Women’s, Infant and Maternal Health

18. A Global Look At Women’s Attitudes Toward Domestic Abuse: For some reason, a large percentage of women aged 15-49 feel that it is acceptable for a husband to hit his wife. The U.S. is not included in this survey.
19. Bans ‘do not cut abortion rate’: Restricting the availability of legal abortion does not appear to reduce the number of women trying to end unwanted pregnancies, a major report suggests.
20. Behind International Rankings of Infant Mortality: How the United States Compares with Europe: This graph shows that the U.S. infant mortality rates for infants born at 37 weeks of gestation or more are higher than in most European countries.
21. Evidence-based Interventions for Major Causes of Maternal Mortality: This graph shows that severe bleeding and “indirect causes” are the main culprits behind maternal mortality globally.
22. GLOBAL poverty distribution — infant mortality as poverty indicator: This map shows that poverty levels may be an indicator of infant mortality rates.
23. HIV/AIDS and Women’s Health: Information about HIV/AIDS and women across the globe, including a graph that shows the percentage of pregnant women who received an HIV test in low- and -middle income countries by region.
24. Maternal and Perinatal Conditions: When two out of eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are exclusively targeted at mothers and children, this is testament to the significant proportion of the global burden of disease they suffer. Learn more at this site, which includes various statistics.
25. Maternal Mortality: Across the developing world, maternal mortality levels remain too high, with more than 500,000 women dying every year as a result of complications during pregnancy and childbirth.

1. • Myth — Healthcare reform costs in Massachusetts are causing significant damage to an already fragile state budget.
   • Fact — While reform certainly isn’t free, the increased costs to the state budget aren’t so significant that the state budget has been utterly decimated. Additionally, because Massachusetts already had $700 million set aside for the Uncompensated Care Pool, this budget has been applied to the universal healthcare initiatives in order to offset costs.
2. • Myth — Since it is more cost-effective, many businesses have decided to drop healthcare coverage for employees, opting to simply pay the fines.
   • Fact — The fines now levied upon businesses that don’t offer enough employees healthcare coverage are actually substantial enough to encourage some businesses to continue to offer their employees options. Since Massachusetts reform, 72% of businesses offer their employees some type of health insurance, which is significantly above the national number, which is only around 60%. To be fair, however, because of the recent economic downturn, there will certainly be companies who stop offering as great a number of employees insurance.
3. • Myth — Since reform, Massachusetts has had an extreme shortage of primary care physicians (PCPs).
   • Fact — One of the biggest worries about healthcare reform is a lack of incentives for persons to become doctors because of potential lower wages and no financial rewards for being the best at an area of health. However, Massachusetts has maintained one of the highest ratios of PCPs to population in the entire United States. Recent data shows that there are more than 125 PCPs per 100,000 people.
4. • Myth — Most of the burden for healthcare reform is being borne by businesses, which hurts the economy.
   • Fact — The goal of healthcare reform in Massachusetts was to share the financial responsibility amongst employers, the government, and individuals. Thus far, this has actually been the case, according to a study by the Center for Health Law and Economics at The University of Massachusetts. The study showed that each sector has had the same amount of financial responsibility post-reform as they did before.
5. • Myth — There are still many uninsured Massachusetts residents, too many to justify calling reform a, “success.”
   • Fact — Since reform was implemented, well over 430,000 Massachusetts residents have been newly insured. A staggering 44% of those newly insured have received private health plans. In fact, 97% of Massachusetts residents are now insured, which is well above percentages in other states. Ostensibly, this would certainly indicate that reform has been somewhat successful in achieving its goal of helping those without coverage.
6. • Myth — Despite so-called successes, there is still a significant amount of opposition to healthcare reform in Massachusetts.
   • Fact — Despite Scott Brown’s “universal healthcare killing” victory, support for the healthcare system within Massachusetts still remains substantially high. Statistically speaking, seven out of 10 Massachusetts residents have a favorable view of healthcare reform.
7. • Myth — With public options available, a “crowd out” will occur, shifting insurance from the private to the public sector.
   • Fact — This has not occurred even slightly. The goal of the Massachusetts Healthcare Model is to make sure that employers are encouraged to offer private insurance options, while persons who are unemployed, or have difficulty finding private coverage, can use a public option. As mentioned before, almost half of the newly insured under this plan have gotten coverage through a private insurer, proving that the “crowd out” is indeed a myth.
8. • Myth — The current reformed healthcare system is not financially sustainable and will result in increased defecits over time.
   • Fact — With federal assistance, and current offsets in full swing, the plan has thus-far proven to be quite sustainable over the long term. So far, healthcare reform has only comprised 1% of Massachusetts’ yearly budget. As efficiencies are improved, it is reasonable to conclude that this shouldn’t increase significantly, perhaps even declining.
9. • Myth — The primary care workforce will be unable to keep pace with increased demand, which will lead to a labor shortage crisis.
   • Fact — While it is certainly true that there have been well-documented reports of extremely busy clinics with significant wait times, leaders have been working tirelessly to increase the primary care workforce numbers. With new federal grants and scholarships becoming available to students interested in entering the healthcare career field, as well as increased incentives for persons to advance their careers, shortages could conceivably decline rather significantly in the long run. A recent study showed that Massachusetts residents have better access to primary care physicians than residents of most other states; with 91% responding they have a physician they are able to see regularly, as opposed to only 86% nationally.
10. • Myth — Massachusetts Healthcare Reform is not a practical model to consider when debating nationalized universal healthcare.
    • Fact — As the results show, Massachusetts has had overwhelming success lowering the amount of uninsured in the state to below 2.6%. Private insurance companies have still been able to function and insure persons, while businesses haven’t been bankrupt, or driven out, by what they must pay in terms of health care costs. While the model certainly still needs tweaks, implementation should continue to improve over time.

The health care debate is extremely important to society for a variety of reasons. The health of future generations, the rising medical costs in the country, and the quality of life of Americans hangs in the balance. Massachusetts has set a standard with its healthcare policies, making sure that almost all of its residents are covered with some type of health insurance. There are many challenges that Massachusetts still faces, and challenges for a Federal universal healthcare bill are even greater. The fact remains, however, that it is certainly possible to implement.

]]> http://mastersinhealthcare.org/2010/10-myths-facts-about-the-massachusetts-healthcare-model/feed/ 0 http://mastersinhealthcare.org/2010/top-50-healthcare-it-blogs/ http://mastersinhealthcare.org/2010/top-50-healthcare-it-blogs/#comments Tue, 02 Feb 2010 01:18:42 +0000 The Health Sensei http://mastersinhealthcare.org/?p=147 So many great blogs about healthcare IT exist, but — unfortunately — many of them are not updated on a regular basis. This point is important for blogs that deal with an ever-changing field. This is one point we considered in the following list of top fifty healthcare IT blogs…the other points we considered were relevant information along with a good following and a well-written and easy-to-comprehend blog.

The blogs below are divided into categories, and each blog is list alphabetically within those categories by the blog title.

CIO and IT Technician Blogs

1. Candid CIO: Will Weider, CIO of Ministry Health Care and Affinity Health System, shares what he has learned through his mistakes and “other crazy things in the life of a healthcare CIO.”
2. Christina’s Considerations: This hospital and healthcare administrator talks about information exchange, technology and more on her blog (heavy on the RHIO).
3. eHealth: John Sharp is an IT Manager for a major medical center in Northeast Ohio. Areas of expertise include: ehealth, personal health records, Web 2.0 technologies, social media and project management.
4. HealthBlog: Microsoft’s worldwide health senior director, Bill Crounse, MD, offers his thoughts on how information technology can improve healthcare delivery and services around the world.
5. Healthcare IT Consultant Blog: This blog was designed specifically with the healthcare IT professional in mind. You can find current news, trends, events and informative specialty topics that directly impact your everyday functions here.
6. Healthcare IT Weblog: Learn about healthcare IT issues and other “stuff” from Dr. Adrian Fawlinson, director of medical informatics at Brown & Toland Physicians in San Francisco.
7. HealthTech: This blog is run by a small group of technically-minded people working in the informatics division of RemedyMD – an Electronic Health Record company in Salt Lake City, UT.
8. Life as a Healthcare CIO: John D. Halamka MD writes about his life as a healthcare CIO who supports 3000 doctors, 18000 faculty and over three million patients.
9. The Healthcare IT Guy: Shahid is CEO of Netspective, a consultancy that specializes in healthcare IT. He covers IT, EMR, EHR, PHR, medical content and document management.

HIT News & Opinion Blogs

10. Chilmark Research: Chilmark Research is a healthcare industry analyst firm performing market research and analysis on healthcare information technology (HIT) adoption and use.
11. EMR Daily News: More than news, this blog offers insight from techs who have been at the periphery of the Electronic Medical Records for several years.
12. Health IT Buzz: Straight from the government’s computer to your eyes. This blog provides updates for citizens, healthcare consumers, health providers, and any organizations supporting healthcare and health IT, including federal agencies and others.
13. Healthcare Collaboration: Dr. Cohn is a board-certified general surgeon who focuses on collaboration both physically and electronically between physicians and between hospitals and patients.
14. Healthcare Technology News: This blog has convinced many readers that health information technology is going to play a major role in shaping the American healthcare experience in coming years.
15. HISTalk: This is a valuable resource, filled with blog entries, articles, news, discussion, job opportunities and more, all focused solely on HIT.
16. Informaticopia: Rod Ward & colleagues offer a UK perspective on worldwide coverage of news and views on health informatics and elearning.
17. Lab Soft News: Bruce Friedman is a pathology professor and the found of a yearly clinical lab software conference. He also is credited with having named the field of pathology informatics in 1990.
18. Medical Connectivity: You will find news and opinion at this blog, which focuses on health care, medical device connectivity and related issues.
19. Neil Versel’s Healthcare IT Blog: A healthcare journalist’s views on the major segment of the industry he covers — HIT. He also has a podcast.

HIT, HIPAA and Law

20. Blawg Review: What better way to catch up on all the health care law blogs (Blawgs) out there than through a carnival site that features top stories from various providers? Go for it.
21. EMR and HIPAA: This blog provides an open forum for EMR, EHR, HIT and HIPAA-related information.
22. Health Care Law Blog: Bob Coffield practices health care law and is interested specifically in the application of technology to the practice of law and medicine.
23. HealthBlawg: If you aren’t familiar with this blog by now, then you might check it out…David Harlow has over twenty years of experience on legal, policy and business issues facing the health care community.
24. HIPAA Blog: You may already have this blog bookmarked; but, we’re including it just in case you haven’t noticed this addition to the EMR and HIPAA information flow.
25. HIPAA, HITECH & HIT: If other attorneys are linking to this blog (and they do), then perhaps you might take a look. Offered by Fox Rothschild, LLP, Attorneys at Law.

Specific Medical Technology:

26. Curing Healthcare: This blog, presented by the President/CEO of National Health Data Systems, Inc., offers a wide variety of medical tech news. You might notice the wiki work…you can get involved.
27. e-Care Management Blog: Vince Kuraitis, a healthcare business consultant, provides insights into the network economy, including strategy and business models for technological advances in the industry.
28. GNUmed for the Masses: This blog deals with the free and open source software, GNUmed, a software package for medical professionals who are seeking a patient management solution.
29. HealthNex: Learn more about EHR, health information exchange, clinical transformation and biobanking from an IBM perspective.
30. HL7 Blog: HL-7 is an interface standard for exchanging and transferring health data between computer systems, and that’s the entire focus of this blog, offered by Corepoint Health. This company also offers the Corepoint Health IT Blog.
31. LinuxMedNews: Medical IT news straight from the Linux workhorse’s mouth. The focus is on revolutionizing medical education and practice.
32. RHIOs, Health Information Exchange & Telemedicine: This blog, written by a practicing physician, provides a discussion of all topics in health care IT with an emphasis in RHIOs, Health Information Exchange (HIR), EHR and telemedicine.

General Medical Technology:

33. Australian Health Information Technology: Although this blog originates from Down Under, the focus is on the world-flattening perspective wrought by eHealth and HIT management systems globally.
34. Constructive Medicine 2.0: This blog is intended to serve as a educational tool to anyone who is interested in empowering their health through information technologies.
35. Change Doctor: Dr. Lyle Berkowitz is a practicing internal medicine physician and healthcare informatics expert with a passion for creating innovative solutions that improve the quality and efficiency of the healthcare system for physicians and for patients.
36. Dispatches from the hi-blogs.info krew: This ‘krew’ has been blogging about healthcare informatics since 2004.
37. Future Health IT: This blog focuses on how you can create future healthcare now through electronic methods.
38. Healthcare & Technology: This blog covers health IT, HITECH/HIPAA, EHR, EMR and offers a wide range of Internet resources.
39. Ivor Kovic’s Blog: Can’t stop staring at the visual ‘logo’ on this blog…but it would be nice to do so, as this blog is filled with information about the intersections among medicine, science, the Internet, music for robots and more.
40. Positive Technology Journal: Dr. Gaggioli, psychologist, offers a blog on ‘mind, brain and emerging technologies.’ Worth a look on this interesting perspective about working with technology.
41. Project HealthDesign: Rethinking the power and potential of personal health records.
42. Tech Medicine: Dr. Schwimmer offers a column on healthcare and IT in general through HealthLine.
43. The Patient’s Doctor: Dr Aniruddha Malpani, MD, is an IVF specialist who believes in information therapy. In other words, he is all about connectivity for health benefits on both sides of the fence.

Gadgets and Software

44. Bob on Medical Device Software: Robert Nadler is a Biomedical Engineer who has been involved in the development of software for medical and scientific devices for “many (many)” years.
45. Dr. Greiver’s EMR: Follow along as this family physician implements an EMR into her practice.
46. Fred Trotter: This ‘hacktivist’ provides information on topics that range from CCHIT to EHR to Wikis and everything else between.
47. Joel on Software: Not all blog entries focus on medicine or health, but you may find that Joel is a great read and informative to boot. You can trust his advice and information, which has little to nothing to do with blogging.
48. Krafty Librarian: you may not be a medical librarian, but you may like what this medical librarian offers in the way of technology and gadgets for all-around use and for the healthcare field.
49. MedGadget: No medical professional can do without this gadget toy store that showcases emerging medical technologies. Go forth and drool.
50. Medical Devices, Biotechnology, Bioengineering and the like: The title of this blog says it all…except for the part where you can learn about regulations, FDA, policies, law and much more.
]]> http://mastersinhealthcare.org/2010/top-50-healthcare-it-blogs/feed/ 1 http://mastersinhealthcare.org/2010/25-free-iphone-applications-to-help-you-stay-healthy/ http://mastersinhealthcare.org/2010/25-free-iphone-applications-to-help-you-stay-healthy/#comments Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:20:49 +0000 admin http://mastersinhealthcare.org/?p=150 The iPhone is a marvelous piece of technology for a wide variety of reasons. Chief among them is the prevalence of iPhone applications. In today’s busy society, having access to applications that can help you stay healthy while on-the-go is extremely helpful. I’ve come up with a list of 25 free iPhone applications that can help you maintain health by providing you with tools that do everything from counting calories to helping monitor your progress on your daily workout.

Weight Loss

Losing weight is never easy. However, with the plethora of tools that have been developed for the iPhone, your path to weight loss can be made significantly easier. These applications serve to help users do everything from monitoring their progress, to counting calories. Instead of spending loads of money on weight loss programs, many of these free applications can provide much of the same information and utility to help you meet your personal weight loss goals.

1. TheCarrot – This application is fantastic for tracking a variety of important weight loss metrics. You can use it to track your calorie intake, heart rate, blood pressure, how much weight you’ve lost, and more. Being able to cross reference many of these metrics gives this application an added boost in usefulness.
2. Lose It! – Losing weight is all about setting and achieving your personal goals. Lose It! provides users with a simple way to do this. This weight management application will allow you to track your weight loss progress, and even includes an easy-to-use calorie counter. If you set a certain number of calories you are allowed to have per day, you can input how much each item you consume will cost you. This is one way to ensure you never go over your pre-determined amount.
3. WeightDate Weight Tracker – If you’re looking for measurable results, then this is the app for you. People’s weights often fluctuate from day to day. This application utilizes Google Charts to present detailed graphs of your weight loss. Even if your weight is fluctuating, but you can see that your overall trend is moving towards your goal; this can do wonders for your confidence.
4. Lose the Belly (Weight Loss for Men) – One area of looks that causes many men to feel less confident is the belly. If you find you’d like to have less of a gut, than this app is right up your alley. This app offers users information and videos on several different ab workouts, as well as suggestions for diets that can help reduce any unwanted pudge you may have in your midsection.
5. 2Fat – Statistics are a great way to measure how your weight loss goals are coming along. This simple, free iPhone application gives you tools to calculate your body mass index (BMI). Additionally, it provides you with a solid estimation of your body fat percentage.

Fitness

Staying fit is integral to staying healthy in both body and mind. Effective fitness routines, however, require a significant amount of organization that some people find difficult to maintain. The following iPhone applications serve to ease the burden of the fitness buff by providing users with information on exercises, progress tracking, and much more. Why pay loads of cash for a personal trainer to tell you about some exercises, when you can download a free application to your phone that shows you how to do those same exercises?

6. SixPack App FREE – One huge area of focus for fitness buffs is abdominal strength. More specifically, everybody wants to achieve the coveted six-pack abs. This awesome app can put you one step closer to achieving that goal. Boasting an impressive catalog of more than 100 exercises, including information and pictures on yoga stretches and poses, makes this application a great resource.
7. iSpinning – If you like to mountain bike, road bike, or just like being able to monitor key metrics during your workout, then you may love this iPhone app. iSpinning allows users to keep track of important information like heart rate (current, average, and max), the amount of calories burned, total bike time, and more. A fitness program becomes significantly more effective if you are able to track important statistics.
8. EveryTrail – Another application for those who love biking, EveryTrail boasts a huge catalog of unique trail rides and paths for the avid biker. The iPhone application allows you to share your special route with the world, while being able to upload pictures of interesting landmarks along the way. If you are in a new place, and feel like going for a bike ride, bring this application along and you’ll be sure to find some of the best paths that place has to offer.
9. RunKeeper – If you’re into running, then RunKeeper is your holy grail of applications. This great app utilizes the iPhone’s GPS features to track running distance, time, speed, pace, calories burned, and much more. Utilizing this app, you can even view data from past workouts, which will give you an idea of your overall progress. Another great feature is the ability to share your results with other users. What’s more motivating than trying to run farther, faster, than your friends?
10. FitView Lite – If you want a solid, and more importantly, free app to help you with your workout routine, then look no further than FitView Lite. This application allows users to track up to 10 strength exercises, 10 aerobic activities, and 10 vital statistics at once. As users input data over time, they can view detailed graphs so they can see their progress. Fitness is as much about metrics as it is about commitment. FitView Lite takes this into account.

Nutrition

Nutrition is quintessential to a healthy lifestyle. Eating right can do wonders for your weight, energy, and overall well-being. Instead of shelling out tons of cash for a fancy dietician, these apps can help you monitor the types of foods you eat every day. Some of these applications can even help you plan meals that are good for you.

11. MyNetDiary – Meal planning is central to any nutritional diet. MyNetDiary provides users with a way to track the kinds of foods they eat, taking calories and other nutritional elements into account. This app offers a robust search feature that can give you the calorie amounts of many foods. MyNetDiary also has an active user community that trades recipes, weight loss tips, and other nutritional advice. The app is free for download, but if you want to take advantage of the many other benefits, you need to pay a nominal $5 monthly subscription fee.
12. Eight Glasses a Day – Did you know that humans should be drinking about eight glasses of water every day? The makers of this application certainly knew this, and their app is perfect for helping you achieve that water intake goal. This simple app helps you keep track of how many glasses of water you’ve had in a given day. It automatically resets at the end of each day, and offers encouraging words for you once you’ve consumed your eighth and final glass for the day. Hydration management has never been easier with this application.
13. 40-30-30 – Carbohydrates, protein, and fat…oh my! This app is based on the frequently cited nutrition rule that you should have a ratio of 40% carbs, 30% protein, and 30% fat every day. Calculating this from looking at nutrition facts can be time consuming. This application allows users to make sure they are keeping up with the ratios on their diet, without too much hassle.
14. Dietician – Having trouble coming up with a healthy meal for the evening? You don’t have to worry about it if you have the Dietician application on your iPhone. This app functions as both a diet and meal plan generator. Unlike other dieting software, instead of just telling you what you can and cannot eat, this app gives you access to detailed recipes. You can take your meal planning to the next level with Dietician.
15. OneTrip – Have you ever come home from the store, only to realize you forgot something important and you have to go back out again? It’s a horrible experience, and one that this app hopes to eliminate altogether. OneTrip can help you catalog your grocery purchases, so you’ll never forget anything on your list. If there’s ever an item that you want that isn’t already listed, you can add it, and OneTrip will remember it for the next time.

Medical

With rising health care costs and insurance worries, consumers need all the help they can get when it comes to medicine. Luckily, there are several iPhone apps available for free that provide users with much needed medical information. Having apps that cover everything from symptom identification, to pharmaceutical drug information can do wonders for your medical budget and overall health.

16. iRx – With the huge amount of pharmaceutical drugs that are on the market today, it can be challenging to get the right information about each drug. iRx allows users to directly access the FDA’s information for a specific drug. You can view side-effects, warnings, and many other useful facts about a drug. This app is useful for both patients and doctors alike.
17. Vaccines – Ever go to the doctor expecting a nice easy visit, only to get bombarded with a bunch of vaccines? This application provides you with a regular immunization schedule that is good for children and adults. Doctors and nurses will find this tremendously helpful, but anyone can benefit from knowing beforehand when their next shot will be.
18. iFirstAid Lite – This is a fantastic application that could potentially help you save someone’s life. This app functions as a pocket first aid guide, containing information on everything from how to treat burns, to how to administer CPR. Additionally, if it’s a situation that requires immediate professional help, iFirstAid has a storage of a large number of emergency phone numbers from all around the world. You could potentially be in a different country and find the number to the closest fire station on your very own iPhone. Now that’s safety!
19. WebMD Mobile – Everyone has heard of the online medical information juggernaut that is WebMD, but did you know they have an iPhone application as well? Thousands of articles and facts about a variety of health-related topics are always at your fingertips with this great app. You can rest assured that you’re getting trusted medical information if you need to look up symptoms, treatments, or any other medical advice with this app.
20. Natural Cures – For those who may be skeptical of medical professions, or those who simply hate dealing with health insurance companies, this app may be useful. This application provides users with a wide variety of natural treatments for many common medical illnesses. Of course, you should use this at your own risk, and I’d still recommend seeing a doctor if something seems terribly serious. However, it’s nice to know you have alternatives.

Miscellaneous

There are many areas of health that are less well-known, yet equally important. There are iPhone applications that can help you with everything from your sleep cycle to monitoring how you brush your teeth. Once again, these are all free, which makes them even better.

21. Brush Timer – Everyone knows you’re supposed to brush twice a day. That being said, too many people don’t spend enough time brushing, or don’t brush thoroughly enough. It’s almost as bad as not brushing at all if you miss important spots. This application provides users with a brush timer that will ensure you spend the right amount of time on every section of your teeth. Using this app should help to increase the cleanliness of your smile.
22. BioDictionary – Not everyone is able to go to school for all the years required to become a doctor. Yet, there are still a wide variety of confusing medical terms out there that average Joe’s and Jane’s have to know. This application functions as a large dictionary of medical terms. With this app, next time your doctor is explaining something to you, and you have no idea what he’s talking about, you can excuse yourself to check your iPhone, and then return with full knowledge of the subject. Your doctor might just be impressed.
23. Bob’s Sheep Counter – Sleep is an integral part of human health. Too many people function on too little sleep, and therefore have compromised immune systems. Bob’s Sheep Counter is exactly what it sounds like. This iPhone app features sheep jumping over fences. Spend some time counting the jumps while you try to fall asleep, and you just might find that dozing off is easier than ever.
24. R-U-Buzzed? – Drinking can be fun, but drunk driving can take away that fun all-too quickly. This app works to give users an estimate of their BAC (Blood Alcohol Content). If your BAC is too high, then the app will rightly recommend you get a designated driver, or at the very least a taxi. Having this handy when you’re out having a good time with friends could be a great way to make sure everyone gets home safely. One large disclaimer is that it only provides an estimate, and therefore cannot be used to legally determine if you’re over the limit.
25. Meditation Timer – Meditation is a healthy practice that many people enjoy. This application allows you to time your meditation, so you can fit it into your busy schedule. It works for an iPhone, iPod, and can even be burned to a CD.

So there you have 25 free iPhone applications that can help you stay healthy. There are many more, and if you find your needs aren’t met by something on this list, I encourage you to continue your search. We are all living in a fantastic age where scores of information is always available at our fingertips. Who knows, one of these apps could end up saving your life, or at the very least, help you to live a little healthier.

]]> http://mastersinhealthcare.org/2010/25-free-iphone-applications-to-help-you-stay-healthy/feed/ 0 http://mastersinhealthcare.org/2010/17-healthcare-trends-that-are-actually-bad-for-us/ http://mastersinhealthcare.org/2010/17-healthcare-trends-that-are-actually-bad-for-us/#comments Fri, 22 Jan 2010 23:17:30 +0000 The Health Sensei http://mastersinhealthcare.org/?p=123 Change is a hassle for many people, and the changes in this nation’s healthcare are continuous. Computerization, recession issues, the digital divide and even the price of gas all affect people and their health care. This list of seventeen healthcare trends and why they might be bad for us shows that some issues might be debatable, depending upon where you stand on the issues and how much money you have — the less wealthy you are, the more you may hurt from rising gas costs and computerization, for instance.

The people who are hurt from these trends are on both sides of the fence in many cases. Healthcare workers might be affected by downsizing; but, patients may be affected by this change as well. Computerize health records may be lauded as the next best thing to living next door to your doctor, but both the healthcare system and patients may suffer from issues in this area as well. Take a look at the list below to see how you feel about some of the most pressing health care trends today…

1. Uninsured and Underinsured: With political infighting and rising insurance costs, the insured and the healthcare system will continue to shoulder the burden of the uninsured and underinsured. According to this CNNMoney report, “The problem, according to health care industry experts, is that the government and those with employer-based plans will have to pick up the tab as more Americans are unable to pay their entire medical bill.” Many of the uninsured are the working poor or are unemployed. Others are healthy and choose to go without it. Some have been rejected by insurance companies and are considered “uninsurable”. Some are without health insurance only temporarily. Some choose faith-based alternatives to health insurance.
2. Health Care Worker Shortage: Health care workers at all levels are in short supply. While this is good news for those seeking a health care job (in those instances when the health care facility is not downsizing — see below), the bad news for citizens is that medical help may be in short supply. While this is a national issue, it also is a global problem. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that, “There is a direct relationship between the ratio of health workers to population and survival of women during childbirth and children in early infancy. As the number of health workers declines, survival declines proportionately.”
3. Downsizing: Despite the need for health care workers in some areas, the trend among healthcare facilities often reflects the “do more with less” attitude because of rising expenses. While this frugality is good in many instances, when it comes to healthcare, the patient might wonder whether this ‘do more with less’ is affecting personal health care. Additionally, the effects of downsizing, no matter the industry, costs the U.S. more than $300 billion each year in health care, missed work and stress reduction efforts.
4. Unions and Healthcare: In December three large RN unions merged to form the 150,000-member National Nurses United and a recent deal made with the White House and union leaders leads to supposedly help drive down health care costs, largely by encouraging companies to seek out less expensive plans. While this trend toward middle-class working class solutions may help workers, anti-union advocates state that 90 percent of Americans do not belong to unions and won’t benifit from this trend.
5. Mandatory Staffing Ratios: This debate is ongoing, and mainly affects the nursing community. While some believe that mandatory ratios are the only way to ensure consistent, high-quality care, the opposition believes that mandating ratios goes too far and stifles the flexibility that makes this nation’s healthcare system work. Additionally, many believe that mandatory ratios, if imposed nationally, may result in increased overall costs of care with no guarantees for improvement in quality or positive outcomes of hospitalization
6. Insurance Consolidations: A growing trend is for insurance companies to try consolidation, which — as shown by the story that is linked here — may be disapproved or may not, depending upon the situation. Mergers among insurance companies, it is believed, would further restrict — if not completely eliminate — smaller competitors and could drive up consumer insurance costs. The Federal Trade Commission and the Justice Dept. announced Sept. 22, 2009, that they will solicit public comments and hold joint public workshops to explore the possible update of the horizontal merger guidelines, which cover acquisitions between firms operating in the same market.
7. Telemedicine on Rise: Telemedicine is a rapidly developing application of clinical medicine where medical information is transferred via telephone, the Internet or other networks, and legal issues continue to generate regarding this practice. While consumers benefit from long-distance prescriptions and medical help and advice, telemedicine also raises a number of legal concerns regarding licensure and professional accountability — especially related to cross-state practice. The purpose of licensing health care professionals is to protect the public from incompetent or impaired practitioners.
8. Electronic Health Records: Electronic medical records (EMR or EHR) are becoming realities, and the upside is that it may help to smooth the work flow in healthcare facilities. But, some patient issues can be problematic and bad for healthy reputations when it comes to obtaining insurance. This linked story shows just one example, where a patient discovered false diagnoses when his records began to reflect imprecise information plugged into codes required by insurers.
9. “Hold Harmless” Clauses: As Health Care Information Technology (HIT) increases, more and more vendors are pushing for a contractual and legal structure that renders the vendors liability-free when it comes to patient mistakes in billing or in electronic health records, even if their proprietary products might be implicated in adverse effects. This “hold harmless” clause shifts liability and remedial burdens to physicians, nurses and health care facilities, even when those users follow vendor instructions. These costs may be passed on to patients. You can read more about this issue in this Wall Street Journal Health Blog article.
10. Digital Divide: While the health care industry is trending toward online records and accounting, many U.S. citizens still cannot gain access to the Internet. Slow connections or no connections or the inability to pay for broadband or even for dial-up, let alone the cost of a computer. The problem here is that the individuals who are in the lower-income levels may miss out on some health developments with a trend toward online health care upkeep.
11. Cost Accounting: Cost accounting is essential to many businesses, but health care industries are lagging behind. The trend is toward cost accounting in health care, because this approach would allow a quantitative component to be added to reviews of new and existing programs and services as managed care trends upward. As health care facilities seek to adopt cost accounting systems, the patient may watch his or her billing, as shortening collection times may affect the accuracy of record keeping.
12. Reimbursement Rates: Medicaid is the issue here, as these programs cut reimbursement rates and benefits in 2009, putting pressure on health care providers nationwide. Additionally, state Medicaid directors worry about what will happen when federal stimulus dollars end in 2011. As healthcare costs continue to increase, driven by medical inflation and volume growth, policymakers may consider limits on reimbursement rates for doctors and hospitals as well as technologies to reduce costs in the long term. Administrators will again be asked to do “more with less.” In this case, see #3 above.
13. Pay for Performance: The increasing trend in health care is to consider “pay for performance” models. This action is an incentive to reward physicians and hospitals for care, modeled after the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ voluntary quality-indicator reporting system. While some advocates for the ‘pay for performance’ believe that health care quality will increase, others have shown that pay for performance produces no financial incentives and “in some cases, produces disincentives for quality. Increasing numbers of programs link payment to performance.”
14. Corporate Compliance: While the pressure is on for more corporate cooperation with government authorities, the habit of non-transparency remains strong. In a recent incident, Johnson and Johnson neglected to inform the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about its delay in recalling Tylenol this year. It appears that the company sat on its products as complaints continued to pour into the Johnson and Johnson offices. Consumers may depend upon the FDA to notify them about problem foods, drugs and medical devices (see below), but the FDA only is as good as the corporations that inform it.
15. Food, Drug and Medical Device Recalls: The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists recalls, but their list depends upon corporate compliance (see above). Additionally, while this list is available, many people do not know it exists, and many news publishers may not have room or incentive to print this information for their readers. Add the digital divide issue (see #10 above), and some citizens may not have access to this information. The consumer can only hope that retailers will know this information and remove products from the shelves before more people can purchase recalled items. Stay on top of recalls and more through the link for this listing and at Recall.gov.
16. Buying Medications Online: While the digital divide does exist, more computer owners are seeking medical supplies — including drugs — online. While this trend toward online medical purchases is increasing, problems exist such as the legitimacy of the druggist or pharmacist, the increased possibility of medical errors and another possibility of tainted medicines. Many physicians may not recommend purchasing medicines online, so the consumer is left responsible for any online purchases. If you follow the link for this listing, you’ll learn more about online medicine purchases, including information about medication errors.
17. Rising Gas Costs: While rising gas costs are not a healthcare trend, it is a trend that does affect many patients. According to this linked article, patients in need of frequent care are canceling appointments or prolonging the time between appointments because these patients cannot afford the gasoline. Fortunately, some agencies have offered help for these individuals in the form of grants to help patients continue their care.
]]> http://mastersinhealthcare.org/2010/17-healthcare-trends-that-are-actually-bad-for-us/feed/ 1 http://mastersinhealthcare.org/2009/25-most-influential-people-in-healthcare/ http://mastersinhealthcare.org/2009/25-most-influential-people-in-healthcare/#comments Mon, 07 Dec 2009 23:19:44 +0000 admin http://mastersinhealthcare.org/?p=41 Every year, Modern Healthcare puts out a list of the most influential people in healthcare. It really speaks to the state of our healthcare when you read the list and see how many of those who are considered powerful in healthcare are Washington insiders and politicians. However, they are the ones who make the rules and set policy. Here is a list of the top 25 most influential people in healthcare today, according to Modern Healthcare:
1. Barack Obama: The President of the United States has a huge role in influencing healthcare policies, and proposing ideas for new healthcare innovations. Barack Obama brought attention to the issue of healthcare during his presidential campaign. He also has a big role when it comes to influencing the public. Obama is a very visible figure whose speeches on healthcare have been broadcast. He is one of the most powerful people when it comes to setting healthcare policy, and probably will be as long as he is in office. As one of the most influential leaders in the world, Barack Obama is expected to take the lead in one of the most important issues of our time.
2. Kathleen Sebelius: As Health and Human Services secretary, Kathleen Sebelius has a great deal of clout when it comes to healthcare. Her cabinet level position means that she has the ear of President Barack Obama, as well as the ears of other policy makers and influence brokers. She is responsible for overseeing health services in this country, as well as suggesting policy ideas and working with members of Congress when it comes to suggesting different courses of action with regard to healthcare reform. Kathleen Sebelius is considered the “go-to” person for the U.S. health system for as long as she holds a position on the president’s cabinet.
3. Nancy-Ann DeParle: This might be one of the most influential people in healthcare that you have never herad of. Nancy-Ann DeParle is the director of the White House Office of Health Reform. Healthcare reform is such an important subject that Barack Obama made an office dedicated to the process. DeParle’s job is to coordinate White House policy on health reform. She works closely with Kathleen Sebelius, as well as reports to the President about her ideas and the progress being made on health reform. She helps set policy and encourages compromise in working out reforms that are likely to make it through. She also hosts forums on health reform.
4. Max Baucus: One of the committees that is influential in Congress in terms of deciding the outcome of health reform is the Senate Finance Committee. And the chair of the Senate Finance Committee is Max Baucus, a Democrat from Montana. As the chairman of this committee, Baucus decides on how expensive healthcare measures should be, as well as helps craft bills for health care reform. He can also decide which bills make it through the committee, and which never make it to the Senate floor for consideration. Max Baucus had a hand in creating one of the versions of the health reform bill that is under consideration right now, and he is very visible in terms of sharing his views about healthcare.
5. Charles Grassley: Even though he is not the chair of the Senate Finance Committee, Charles Grassley is still quite influential in terms of healthcare policy and law. He is a ranking member of the Senate Finance Committee, and represents Republican interests on bills, include those relating to health, that come before the committee. Grassley is from Iowa, and is also considered to represent a “Heartland” view of healthcare. He has a history of compromise, and working with others, and is one of those who proposed changes to health bills in an effort to make them more broadly acceptable.
6. David Blumenthal: One of the issues that is prominent in healthcare is the need for information technology. Electronic medical records and other technologically related issues affecting healthcare are overseen by David Blumenthal. He is the national coordinator for health information technology. The idea is to bring healthcare up to speed with the rest of technology, and use technology as a way to help improve healthcare. As a reuslt, Blumenthal — and his ideas — are quite influential in health circles. Even better: He has a background in healthcare policy as a professor at Harvard Medical School.
7. Carolyn Clancy: As the director fort eh Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality, Carolyn Clancy has direct insight into the workings of healthcare. Her position allows her to do research into the quality of healthcare in the U.S. Additionally, she authors papers on healthcare issues, and helps direct policy. Clancy is also visible and influential as she prepares statements and information for the general public. She is a medical doctor with firsthand experience in the health industry, and her position provides her access to policymakers and the chance to be a policymaker herself.
8. Barry Straube: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is very important in terms of providing policy ideas and items related to the government run healthcare programs. Barry Straube is currently the director and chief clinical officer of CMS, and is influential in setting policy and providing ideas and information about health care reform and other health related issues. His insights are valued by Kathleen Sebelius, since CMS is part of the Health and Human Services department in the U.S. government. Straube helps coordinate policy and oversees what is happening with Medicaid and Medicare, as well as makes recommendations on topics related to healthcare, reform and government programs.
9. Peter Orszag: Instead of being a healthcare wonk, Peter Orszag is actually an economist. But because healthcare is so entwined with money decisions, and because health related issues take up a large portion of U.S. resources, it is little surprise that someone who runs the Office of Management Budget is so influential in healthcare. As former director of the Congressional Budget Office, Orszag is intimately familiar with the federal budget, and how money moves through the system. He recommends health policy moves — and analyzes suggestions for how they can be funded, or whether they even can be funded, based on the realities of government finances.
10. Andy Stern: The fastest growing union in the Americas is the Service Employees International Union, and its president is Andy Stern. Stern is influential because of the number of people he represents — both in the U.S. and internationally. He is influential in healthcare because he is an outspoken advocate of universal coverage. With access to two million members of his union, and the ability to be persuasive, it is little surprise that this man is a major influence in healthcare. While he can’t seem to sway lawmakers into providing health system overhaul that includes truly universal healthcare, he has been keeping a public option and the idea of healthcare for all in the spotlight.
11. James Guest: One of the biggest pushes behind healthcare reform has been Consumers Union, which publishes the popular Consumer Reports line of magazines. One of the publications is even called On Health, and it looks at different issues related to the health industry and what consumers can do to be healthier. The president and CEO of Consumers Union is James Guest. He is regularly outspoken about the need for reform and transparency in healthcare. He often takes members of the government to task for putting the interests of their health industry contributors ahead of the consumers that elect them. Guest is seen as an advocate for the people, and he is well-known for providing helpful information on healthcare to ordinary consumers.
12. George Halvorson: One of the biggest managed care organizations out there is Kaiser Permanente. And the president of this integrated managed care giant is George Halvorson. As the head of a healthcare industry player, it is no surprise that Halvorson is one of the most influential people in healthcare. He has millions at his disposal to help lend his word and insights weight. Kaiser Permanente has 8.6 million health plan members, and more than 160,000 employees. It’s no wonder that Halvorson has a pretty god amount of clout when it comes to healthcare in the United States.
13. Bill Gates: Huh? It may seem strange that Bill Gates is on the list of the 25 most influential people in healthcare. After all, he’s the tech guru and multi-billionaire behind Microsoft. It seems a little strange that he would influence healthcare. However, one must remember that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which he founded along with his wife, offers a great deal of money to health causes. Additionally, someone with the amount of money that Gates controls — not to mention the business interests he is involved with — can be influential in just about whatever sphere he enters.
14. Arnold Schwarzenegger: At first, it may seem a little odd that the actor and body builder turned politician would have such a huge influence on health care. However, when one stops to consider that Arnold Schwarzenegger is the governor of the most populous state in the U.S., it starts to make a little more sense. Additionally, Schwarzenegger has been pushing for healthcare reform in California. His thoughts on healthcare, reform and the government’s involvement in providing healthcare are listened to because he is the leader of a very important state.
15. Nancy Pelosi: As the first female Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi has a lot of influence in a lot of ways. She holds a very high profile position, and when she speaks, even those who do not agree with her have to listen to watch she says. Pelosi is a Democrat from California. She has made healthcare legislation a priority, and has spoken of support for a public option for health insurance. Pelosi has a lot of say with regard to which bills are considered in the House, and has influence over what health care reform legislation might finally look like.
16. Richard Bracken: The Hospital Corporation of America, as you might guess, is an organization with a vested interest in healthcare issues. The Hospital Corporation of America lobbies for its positions, and influences healthcare policy decisions, as well as representing different hospitals. The president and CEO of HCA is Richard Bracken. His background in healthcare administration is one that allows him intimate knowledge of how the healthcare system works, as well as insight into different ways the policies would affect hospitals. He regularly meets with policy makers to share his views and can help shape the direction of healthcare in America.
17. Steve Burd: The CEO of Safeway, Steve Burd, is well known as a healthcare reform advocate. He is known for motivating his employees to live healthier lifestyles, and for introducing an incentive program that paid them for healthier habits. Lower insurance premiums are offered to those who live healthy lifestyles, or change unhealthy habits. Burd has been advocating for reform that rewards good behaviors, rather than just punishing everyone for a society that has collectively poor health behaviors. He is outspoken about this concept, and his example is one that could influence other companies to follow suit.
18. Sister Carol Keehan: As the president of the Catholic Health Association, the nun Sister Carol Keehan has a lot of influence in terms of healthcare policy. She strongly advocates quick healthcare reform, and is willing to anger even some in her own religion to achieve. She recently came under fire from prolife advocates in the Catholic church for her willingness to work with prochoice advocates to advance the cause of healthcare reform. Her views and willingness to compromise also make her someone who is to be reckoned with — and listened to — in the realm of health care.
19. Paul Diaz: It is not surprising that CEOs of powerful healthcare companies are on this list of influential people in healthcare. Paul Diaz is the President and CEO of Kindred Healthcare, and is well known as the leader of a major healthcare company. Kindred Healthcare is known for running hospitals in the south and midwest, and for giving contributions to lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, even though Diaz himself is a Democrat. As expected, Kindred has the ears of a number of lawmakers, and works hard to get its voice heard in the healthcare debate and make sure that the company has a place at the table when it comes to healthcare reform.
20. Donald Berwick: One of the foremost thinkers in healthcare reform is Donald Berwick. He is a pediatrician, and also a professor in health policy at Harvard’s School of Public Health. He is also the President and CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. This organization aims at improving the state of healthcare in the United States. Berwick has long been a voice for reform and interested in healthcare policy. He has written several papers on the subject, and he is considered a thought leader in healthcare. It is no surprise that he is considered one of the 25 most influential people in healthcare.
21. Henry Waxman: As the chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Democrat Henry Waxman has influence over legislation related to healthcare. The Energy and Commerce Committee has much to do with what is related to healthcare policy, since healthcare is so intertwined with money. Waxman helps decide which bills make out of his committee and see debate in the U.S. House of Representatives. He also works with Speaker Nancy Pelosi on other issues related to law and policy in healthcare, as well as meets with members of the Senate and others.
22. Drew Altman: One of the 25 most influential people in healthcare is Drew Altman, the President and CEO of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Altman is the head of an organization that provides health information and research, as well as helps craft healthcare policy. It is important to note that the Kaiser Family Foundation is not related in anyway to Kaiser Permanente. This can be a point of confusion to many. However, the two organizations are not related, and sometimes have different goals with relation to healthcare. Altman offers policy ideas, and offers insight into healthcare reform, and often speaks with political leaders and others.
23. Pamela Thompson: As the CEO of the American Organization of Nurse Executives, it is little surprise that Pamela Thompson is a powerful person in healthcare. She heads up an organization that is interested in research to improve patient care and offers help to improve nursing practice. It is an organization that encourages nurse leadership. It is no surprise that she is invited to share her thoughts on healthcare with policy makers, and voices her opinions to influence the direction of healthcare in the U.S. As a leader of a strong organization, she has power and interest in the healthcare debate.
24. Newt Gingrich: Many people remember the days when Newt Gingrich was the Speaker of the House of Representatives and helped end the Clinton Administration’s proposed overhaul of the healthcare system. The prominent Republican, though no longer a lawmaker, is still influential in the healthcare debate. He still has useful contacts on Capitol Hill, and he founded the Center for Health Transformation, through which he develops policy ideas and suggestions with regard to healthcare policy in the United States. He is good at networking, and he continues to wield power and influence in healthcare circles.
25. Bruce Yarwood: The American Health Care Association is a powerful lobbying group with influence over healthcare policy. It is therefore no surprise that the President and CEO, Bruce Yarwood, is one of the 25 most influential people in healthcare. He is able to marshall the resources of an entire organization — the largest nursing home association in the United States. He is consulted by lawmakers and other policymakers with regard to healthcare, especially Medicare, and is able to share his opinions freely with leaders.
]]> http://mastersinhealthcare.org/2009/25-most-influential-people-in-healthcare/feed/ 0 http://mastersinhealthcare.org/2009/40-essential-open-courseware-classes-to-learn-about-healthcare-reform/ http://mastersinhealthcare.org/2009/40-essential-open-courseware-classes-to-learn-about-healthcare-reform/#comments Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:11:59 +0000 The Health Sensei http://mastersinhealthcare.org/?p=34 How vested are you in the current healthcare debate? The more involved you become – either for or against government involvement in healthcare – the more you may need to know about terminology, immunology, research, disease management and current trends toward a global health care system. Overarching topics include preventative measures, the environment and health, issues about how policies are developed and disease management.

The following list of forty essential open courseware classes can teach you more about all those issues and more in topics that cover current and historic health care reform. The courses were chosen among colleges and universities, they are free of charge (although you cannot earn credits with these courses) and they are listed in categories for your convenience with the name of the college listed after each link description. Each course is listed alphabetically within those categories to show that we do not value one course over another.

Epidemiology

1. Disease and Society in America: This course examines the growing importance of medicine in culture, economics and politics with an historical approach to examine changing patterns of disease, mortality and more [MIT].
2. Epidemiology and Biostatistics: This is a basic course that helps readers understand and critique medical literature [Tufts].
3. Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases: Learn the basic methods of infectioius disease epidemiology with lessons and case studies [Johns Hopkins].
4. Epidemiological Thinking For Non-Specialists: Learn more about how to use data to reconstruct possible pathways of development of behaviors and diseases [UMass Boston].
5. Medical Ecology: Environmental Disturbance and Disease: How can individuals predict new major threats to human health, when major ecosystems are constantly changing from acid deposition to industrial emissions [Columbia]?
6. Public Hygiene and Epidemiology: Human pathology related to water and sanitation is dealt with, as well as the relation between health and society and environment [TUDelft].

Immunization and Pharmaceuticals

7. Evolution of the Immune System: This course offers information on the evolutionary pathways that have led to development of innate and adaptive immunity [MIT].
8. Fundamentals of Clinical Trials: Learn more about clinical trials regulated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) [UCIrvine].
9. Immunization Hesitancy: A Rising Tide that Challenges the Public Health: Learn about growing societal hesitancy in the use of immunizations and the potentical consequences for disease prevention [UCIrvine].
10. Problem Solving for Immunization Programs: This material covers immunization basics and surveys literature and common problems using a standard problem-solving approach [Johns Hopkins].
11. Regulatory Requirements for Pharmaceutical Products: Get a detailed overview of the regulatory requirements for the development and manufacture of pharmaceutical products [UCIrvine].

Preventative Measures

12. A Love-Hate Relationship: Cholesterol in Health and Disease: Learn about cholesterol’s role in the cell and in the body as a whole [MIT].
13. Food and Nutrition Policy: The purpose of this course is to familiarize and engage the student in the steps and dynamics of policy making processes that address nutrition problems and issues [Johns Hopkins].
14. Global Tobacco Control: This course presents the health and economic burden of tobacco use worldwide and highlights practical approaches to tobacco prevention, control, surveillance, and evaluation [Johns Hopkins].
15. Health and Safety in the Laboratory and Field: Learn more about the concepts of health and safety within a science laboratory or in the field [The Open University].
16. Health Assessment and Promotion: Learn more about complete health assessment, the nursing process, and its relationship to the prevention and early detection of disease in clients across the life span [UMass Boston].
17. Health is Everywhere: Unraveling the Mystery of Health: Learn more about the notion of health that pervades both public and private lives on a global basis [The Open University].
18. The Principles of Incident Management: Learn more about how food companies can protect consumers from unsafe foods. This presentation also focuses on the legislative requirements in relation to the effective control of unsafe food [MSUglobal].
19. Nutrition and Medicine: Only 25 percent of U.S. medical schools address nutrition. This course addresses the use of nutrition in medical care [Tufts].
20. Population Medicine: This course is directed at physicians, but provides the layman with insight into how medical practice is changing from individual-centered practice to community health perspectives [Tufts].
21. Public Health Preparedness & Emergency Response: Learn more about public health preparedness and emergency response through these lectures [Webcast Berkeley].

Research

22. Health Differences Between Women and Men: Explore some of the health issues unique to men and to women [Columbia].
23. Issues in Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Learn more about complementary and alternative resources to traditional Western medicine through this short course [The Open University].
24. Measuring Health Disparities: This is a basic course for healthcare practitioners that focuses on how to understand, define, and measure health disparity [Open.Michigan].
25. The History of Public Health: Learn ah historical interpretation of how the theory and practice of public health in today’s world has come to be what it is today [Johns Hopkins].
26. The Politics of Pollution: Learn more about the impact of industrial production on the well-being of workers and consumers [Columbia].

Policy Issues

27. Changing the Face of American Healthcare: Learn more about the strengths and weaknesses in the current American health care system [Notre Dame].
28. Comparative Health Policy: This course examines health care policy problems facing the U.S. [MIT].
29. Coping with Mental Illness and Crafting Public Policy: This symposium was held in 2002, but the papers, links of interest, written summaries, slide presentations and more are offered at this site for perusal [UC Berkeley].
30. Ethical Issues in Public Health: This course focuses on ethical theory and current ethical issues in public health and health policy [Johns Hopkins].
31. Fundamentals of Public Policy: This introductory course explores policy-making in general and serves as an underlying course that can preface any medical or health policy issues [MIT].
32. Introduction to Health Policy: This course serves as an introduction to material covered in the Department of Health Policy and Management [Johns Hopkins].
33. Medical Terminology: Don’t stumble over medical terminology, especially when you can learn more about this topic through this course [College of Eastern Utah].
34. Moral and Ethical Principles in End of Life Care: This course asks participants to explore beliefs, feelings and attitudes about ethical decision-making processes involved in areas such as palliative care [The Open University].
35. Public Opinion and American Democracy: Examine public opinion and learn about its place in the American political system [MIT].
36. The Politics of Health Care: How does the lack of health insurance affect over 40 million Americans and their families [Columbia]?
37. U.S. Social Policy: This course covers the historical development and contemporary politics of U.S. social policy [MIT].
38. Values, Ethics, and Public Policy: Learn more about the ways in which moral and political values come into play in the American policy process, particularly as they affect non-elected public officials who work in a world shaped by politics [Open.Michigan].

Collections

39. Harvard Medical School: Open courseware programs at this site range from health care policy issues to preventative measures and immunology. Use the search engine to find a course or view the entire list through tabs at the top of the page [Harvard].
40. Health/Medicine: These podcasts offer a wide variety of perspectives on health, policy issues, preventative measures and global issues [University of Virginia].
]]> http://mastersinhealthcare.org/2009/40-essential-open-courseware-classes-to-learn-about-healthcare-reform/feed/ 0 http://mastersinhealthcare.org/2009/top-50-healthy-living-blogs/ http://mastersinhealthcare.org/2009/top-50-healthy-living-blogs/#comments Wed, 11 Nov 2009 00:02:50 +0000 The Health Sensei http://mastersinhealthcare.org/?p=29 Are you seeking ways to develop a healthier lifestyle? If you want to learn how to live healthier through food, fitness and self-sufficiency, then the following list of the top fifty healthy living blogs may inspire you. These blogs are written by experts, and they’re also written by individuals who are walking the walk, not just talking the talk.

This list is divided into categories that cover every life aspect, including a few online communities where you can find support for your lifestyle changes. The links within each category are listed in alphabetical order. This method shows readers that we do not favor one blog over another.

Overall Lifestyle

1. Abundance Tapestry: This life coach, mother, wife, ex-banker, Singaporean, Intuitive Consultant and Internet entrepreneur offers various insights into living an abundant life as opposed to one that my be damaged by traditional thinking and living.
2. Healthy Green Lifestyle: For those who agree that living “green” also means living “healthy,” then visit this site to learn more about healthy diet and nutrition information, natural health and wellness and tips on a healthy green living lifestyle.
3. Healthy Living: Will Taft has a bachelor’s degree in life sciences and agriculture, and he also worked on a farm. He later worked in a high-tech startup, but has continued to garden sustainably and organically. This penchant for “simple” living has spread into his writing about lifestyle choices.
4. Healthy Living Today: Mark Salinas and his family provide insights on how physical, mental and emotional growth can lead to a happier and healthier lifestyle that is more fulfilling.
5. Ideal Bite: This site offers bite-size ideas on how to change your life, from one that is toxic to one that is healthy and that makes a difference. Topics range from fashion to food and from health to home.
6. Live Lighter: A woman who has lived an unhealthy lifestyle shares her experiences in turning that life around.
7. My Super-Charged Life: If you want to find success and meaning in life, then meet Jeff Nickles. He is a corporate IT director at a large insurance agency, is an experienced entrepreneur, consultant, training instructor and military officer who provides advice on living life to its fullest.
8. Nature Moms: Tiffany is a freelance writer and newspaper journalist from Ohio, and a natural mom to three kids under age seven. She shares her world with others who want to live a healthy, natural and green family lifestyle. She also is a cancer survivor, a status that lends credence to her thoughts on how to live healthy.
9. The Jungle of Life: Use the thoughts provided by this blog’s writers to fight the “animals” that can consume you (debt, busy-ness, work, family, disease and poor health).
10. The Positivity Blog: This blog is focused on positivity and opening up new possibilities through motivating and practical articles on how to improve your life through better habits and increased self-discipline.
11. The Self Improvement Blog: Irene Conlan has a masters degree in nursing and a doctoral degree in metaphysics. She is a certified hypnotherapist and an ordained minister. Her mission is to help others find the tools they need to find happiness and health.
12. Think Simple Now: Living a healthier lifestyle also means time for introspection. Tina explains some ways to help this process along as she also exemplifies her “think simple” lifestyle.
13. Urban Monk: Learn how disadvantages can become advantages in developing a healthy, happy and productive life.
14. Whole Health Source: Stephan Guyenet has his Ph.D. in neurobiology, and his goal in life is to live well and to help others do the same. His passion is to learn about and convey time-tested strategies for achieving and maintaining health and well-being.
15. World of Psychology: This site does more than address various psychological illnesses – it also focuses on how unhealthy lifestyles can contribute to emotional and mental problems.

Fitness

16. Cranky Fitness: You don’t need to be a doctor to help people overcome an unhealthy lifestyle. But, it helps to be a personal witness to your own growth. Hence, Crabby McSlacker and her blog about becoming healthy, despite her penchant for cupcakes over broccoli.
17. Fitness & Health with Dr. Gabe Mirkin: Dr. Mirkin has become popular in his perspectives on physical health, because he focuses on mental and emotional issues as well as the fitness aspect. His wife, Diana Mirkin, as a nutritionist, which helps to balance that perspective.
18. Fitness Destinations: Aaron Potts is a former personal trainer who has altered his lifestyle to help more people become passionate about fitness and to create “wonderful lives for themselves.”
19. Half-Fast: If you don’t think running is funny, visit this blog to learn how to find the humor behind the sweat.
20. Lift: You don’t need to be a regular gym member to enjoy a healthy life. According to this Webzine author, “Fitness isn’t about living at the gym, it’s about living at your peak.”
21. Old Man Running: If you are elderly (or young) and unfit, perhaps Allen can inspire you. This self-described “74-year-old geezer” shares his re-entry into distance running activities.
22. Premiere Personal Fitness: Fred Fornicola is a training innovator and writer who offers his perspectives on how to use your body in the most effective way possible to achieve health and well-being.
23. The Fat man Walking: This is another inspirational rather than instructional blog, written by a man who made a fateful decision to walk across America to lose weight and to regain control over his life.
24. Walking Blog: One simple exercise that can contribute to weight loss, fitness and a sense of well-being is walking. Let Wendy Bumgardner, certified marathon coach and avid walker, teach you how to walk for fitness.
25. Zen to Fitness: Despite a focus on healthy living, this blogger feels that it still seems abnormal to try to live a healthy life. Follow Chris’s journey as he offers his perspectives on his health and fitness progress.

Diet and Nutrition

26. Dr. Weil: Dr. Andrew Weil is all about integration of Eastern and Western remedies for existing conditions. However, he also is a well-known advocate for preventative health through eating well and through using natural resources to maintain that health.
27. Circle of Food: This blog focuses on a healthy lifestyle by focusing on food recall safety information, healthy recipes, diets and healthy lifestyle tips.
28. Eat Live Run: Jenna is a a 24-year-old food writer with a passion for nutrition. She also is certified by the American Fitness Professionals and Associates as a Nutritional and Wellness Consultant, so she can answer your questions regarding nutrition and exercise.
29. Healthy Food Journal: If you want to lose weight, do it with health. Learn how from a team of professional writers from various backgrounds and fields of expertise.
30. Joanna’s Food: Experience tales about family cooking from scratch on a daily basis, even if you don’t want to do it for yourself or your family.
31. Laurel on Health Food: This blog is about nutrition, healthy eating and health food. Laurel is a certified holistic health counselor, freelance writer and blogger.
32. The Ethicurean: If you want to find a site that focuses on sustainable, organic and local foods, then you’ve met it here. While this blog investigates policies on food, it also provides insights into the pleasures of food.
33. Vegetarian Foodie: “Mix great food, wine, family and friends and top it all off with leisure.” That’s Shelly’s philosophy, and she’s willing to share how to achieve it with this blog.

Self-Sufficiency

34. Bifurcated Carrots: Patrick and Steph, Chicago natives who now live in the Netherlands, provide their insights into community gardening below sea level without electricity and trash collection.
35. Cold Climate Gardening: If you live in a cold climate, you might appreciate this blog, which focuses on cold-climate plants. Although the major interest is flowers, this site contains a huge directory filled with resources for any type of gardening.
36. Compost Confidential: National television gardening host, Joe Lamp’l and his friends share the perspective on gardening and green living at this blog.
37. Elspeth Thompson’s Weblog: One brave woman’s attempt to build an eco-home from two rail carriages while living a self-sustainable life with her garden.
38. Frog Bottom Farm: If you’re too busy to garden, why not invest in a community-supported farm project like this one? Although this farm is located in Virginia, you can learn about CSA farming at this blog and find a CSA farm near you through information provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
39. Garden Fresh Living: Theresa Loe has worked as a garden and culinary writer since 1990, and she shares her knowledge about organic, edible gardens, children’s gardens, urban homesteads, herbs, canning and preserving and home entertaining at this blog.
40. Gardening Nude: Shawna operates an “irreverent blog that helps you get metaphorically naked.” She wants you to stop making excuses and get healthy, get green and get into community to make a difference for yourself and for this planet.
41. Life on the Balcony: Do you live in an apartment or condo? Don’t let restricted space stop you from growing your own food. Let Fern Richardson show you how.
42. Purple Podded Peas: This freelance illustrator, print-maker and book designer also grows fruits, vegetables, salad crops and herbs in the UK. Visit to enjoy her journey.
43. The Cottage Smallholder: Even if you live in a small space, you can stumble into self-sufficiency, from raising a few chickens or bees to a vegetable garden and homemade wines, with help from this blog.
44. The Garden Monkey: This garden monkey is mischevious, intelligent and – therefore – makes attempts at foraging as well as help you to appreciate food projects all over the globe.
45. Top Veg: If you want to grow fresh vegetables for your family and plan for a constant supply, then visit this site to learn more about how to accomplish those goals.

Online Communities

46. Health Diaries: the blogs at this site focus on those everyday things that happen between doctor visits. Things like worry, unanswered questions and continued illness. You can read other diaries or start your own at this health-driven community site.
47. Health.com: This Webzine also is a community-driven site that counts on your participation in polls, interaction and feedback. Topics include healthy eating and living, diet and weight loss and health news and information from “A to Z.”
48. Lime: This is healthy living “with a twist.” Join this community to learn about food, health, how to create a green home and living the change.
49. RealBuzz: Learn how to live a healthy, active life when you begin to share your lifestyle with others. This community addresses health and fitness, sports and leisure, food and diet, travel and more.
50. The Body Deli: Join this Ning network to connect with others who share a passion for natural beauty, healthy living, wellness and “everything that makes life more delicious.”
]]> http://mastersinhealthcare.org/2009/top-50-healthy-living-blogs/feed/ 0 http://mastersinhealthcare.org/2009/top-10-free-open-courseware-classes-about-health-care/ http://mastersinhealthcare.org/2009/top-10-free-open-courseware-classes-about-health-care/#comments Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:06:45 +0000 admin http://www.mastersinhealthcare.org/?p=17 Open Course Ware in digital format are offering plethora of courses in health care and medicine that  students in health care industry and medicine would found and get to be of great use and utility for them. Following are some of the open ware courses in health care that student would find of massive educational importance and perspective of learning despite being not enrolled into the courses.

Health Problem for Aging Population
This particular courseware emphasizes over study of aging, its implication on individuals and its overview from different angles consisting of demography, biology, and epidemiology of diseases, physical and mental disorders, functional capacity and disability.

An introduction to Biology
This course is offered by MIT Biology Department and includes course material including fundamental principles of biochemistry, genetics, molecular biology and cell biology. Its some other courses explore research on cell biology, immunology, neurobiology, genomics and molecular medicine. One interesting aspect of this courseware is Video lectures by Professor Eric Lander, Director of the Broad Institute at MIT and Professor Robert A. Weinberg, winner of the 1997 National Medal of Science.

Implant Dentistry
This open course ware projects necessary learning and knowledge related to simple surgical and prosthodontic methods for implant dentistry. The course ware combines exhaustive list of surgical and prosthodontic procedures for present implant dentistry with series of lectures and slide lectures.

Challenging ideals in Mental Health
This particular courseware helps in understanding the reasons and complexities of mental health and distress. After completing this course one would be able to understand importance of user survivor’s experiences and perspectives. How mental health affects each and everyone.

Substance Abuse and Family
This course ware was offered by UMass Boston Open Course Ware and is directed toward families whom family members are substance abusers and to understand functionality of these families. Course ware is provided with methods and resources to help such families.

Basic Human Pathology
This particular course offered by Tufts Universities on Basic Human Pathology involving teaching on general and systemic pathology and paves a basis for other Tufts Dental course like Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Oral Diagnosis, Medicine 2/3 and other clinical science courses.

Introduction To Human Nutrition
Courses introduced by Berkeley University in spring of 2007, gives an overview of digestion and metabolism of nutrients. Under course material foods are discussed as source of nutrients and effects of nutrients on health. The aim of the course is to cater the world wide problem of food and nutrition.

Understanding Cardiovascular Diseases
Courseware precisely is for describing different types of cardiovascular diseases and differentiating between learning of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and Coronary Heart Disease (CHD).

Impact on Human Health
This courseware offered by connexions is for studying impact of degraded environmental conditions on Human health generated from agents like huge dump of pollutants and toxics wastes into the earth’s biosphere.

Mental Health Practice
This course ware helps to define and understand mental health and illness and role of social work in bringing down the description met out by mental health.

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