ATI Releases LifeView Telehealth Patient Station with a 3G WWAN Router
ATI’s inLife system features compact patient stations that gather and send information from health status questions answered by patients as well as objective clinical data from integrated medical peripherals (including blood pressure monitors and blood glucose meters). Narrated instructions with answer verification complement multi-media instructions to guide patients through their telehealth tasks.

Individualized patient education and self-care instruction are integrated within the flow of patients’ tasks. A dashboard display presented on the system’s provider stations color-codes summaries of each patient’s current health risk status. Clinicians can set specific thresholds for each patient to red flag significant changes, and they can also access the details of monitored physiological data and patient-reported information. In addition to remote patient monitoring via supported communications technologies (now including cellular), ATI’s LifeView system offers electronic stethoscope options and interactive video. With LifeView, providers can conduct televisits to further assess patients at home and intervene with timely medical care.

Radicom Introduces Dial-Up Modems Specially Designed for Medical Applications
Radicom Research, Inc., a designer and manufacturer of dial-up and wireless modems for commercial and industrial systems has announced a complete family of external and embedded modems specifically designed to meet the stringent requirements for the medical services industry.
 
These small, versatile modems are available in both Serial TTL and the popular USB interfaces, capable of operating under Windows, Linux or Mac environments. The Radicom Research Medical Modem family is safety, emissions, and telco compliant to meet most medical device requirements.

As well as compliance with IEC60601-1 for medical applications, 3KV breakdown is also available in both the USB and Serial versions. The certifications are transferable to allow easy integration into almost any platform.

All Medical Modem versions are CCITT and Bell compliant for complete compatibility to existing and future installations. The family is also compliant to domestic and international Telco standards. Versions include 300 bps (V.21/Bell103), 1,200/2,400 bps (Bell212/V.22/V.22bis), 14.4 kbps (V.32bis), 33.6 kbps (V.34) and 56 kbps (V.90/V.92).

All platforms are available with FAX, voice playback and record, as well as DTMF (SP) tone generation and detection. These versatile products can be provisioned for applications ranging from system monitoring and reporting to answering inbound calls with voice responses.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Expected to Stimulate More Than $100 Billion in Technology Spend in Energy, Healthcare, and Government, According to New IDC Study
IDC's Industry Insights has released a study in which a series of industry-specific research and advisory business units examined the implications of the US economic stimulus plan, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), and quantified the technology spending that may be stimulated from initiatives to be deployed in the three vertical markets of energy, government and healthcare.

The company estimates approximately $101.2 billion in technology spend will be generated over the next five years. The estimate includes both information technology (IT) spend, traditionally the focus of IDC's market research, as well as non-IT technology in these sectors, such as smart meters, in-home display devices, energy management systems and renewable energy technologies surrounding wind and solar power. The ARRA will fund some of this spend directly, but additional technology spending will be stimulated as the legislation provides incentives and tax rebates for the projects it promotes. Data on Industry Insights' analysis of the ARRA can be found in the report, “Business Strategy: Capturing Your Share of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” (Doc #217404), currently available at www.idc.com.

"While the ARRA does not provide detailed information about the exact amount of technology spending that will be allocated, the Industry Insights companies performed an extensive review of the legislation and held discussions with industry technology buyers, to estimate the amount of technology spending that is likely to be generated as a result of the ARRA's key initiatives in energy, healthcare and government," said Meredith Whalen, group vice president and general manager, Vertical Market Business Units at IDC.
IDC's Industry Insights anticipates that the more than $40 billion investment the ARRA targets for the energy industry will stimulate approximately $77.6 billion in technology spending. The energy initiatives that will experience the most growth will be related to intelligent grid, renewable energy, and energy efficiency.

The healthcare industry is expected to see $21.1 billion in technology spending, with the largest portion concentrated on promoting deployment and usage of electronic medical and electronic health records, including incentive payments to physicians who implement and use these tools. Additional funds will be steered to technology solutions that measure the comparative effectiveness of programs and clinical intelligence solutions.
Within the government sector, the ARRA will provide approximately $2.5 billion in technology funding to Federal agencies for new and existing programs, including allocations for the Social Security Administration, the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security. Industry Insights' research identifies 12 different government technology opportunities that are anticipated to be supported by the new legislation.

In addition to spending for improving the infrastructures necessary to support the management of the ARRA funds, the Government also plays a second role in the ARRA scenario – that of the gatekeeper of funds. Industry Insights provides guidance on how technology suppliers can best engage with the Government and plan the best business strategies to pursue new revenues from this significant opportunity. One key strategy will be the ability to demonstrate results that are achieved in line with the ARRA's promise of economic recovery.

The IDC Industry Insights companies that focus on the vertical markets highlighted by this research have conducted in-depth analysis on many of the technology initiatives that are expected to see the greatest opportunities from the ARRA. Health Industry Insights provides perspectives on the healthcare provider, healthcare payer, and drug discovery markets. Government Insights research will cover both the IT spending that government will make for its own internal operations and well as the best approaches for navigating through the buying cycle.

REACH Call Expands Web-Based Telestroke Service to Alaska
REACH Call, provider of 100 percent Web-based services for the remote treatment of medical conditions such as stroke, will expand to Providence Health & Services in Alaska, which will use its telestroke service in five facilities within the state.

“The citizens of Alaska now have a much greater chance of surviving and recovering from a stroke,” said Sandeep Agate, REACH Call president and CEO. “The service eliminates geographical barriers and brings time-critical stroke care close to home—where it belongs.”

Alaska is one of the most sparsely populated states in the nation with just one person per square mile compared to the national average of 80, according to FedStats.

The REACH telestroke service enables neurologists to deliver urgent, specialized stroke consultations to physicians and nurses caring for acute stroke patients in rural emergency departments near a stroke specialty center known as a hub.

These rural sites or spokes often receive patients, but don’t have neurologists or sufficient coverage to create a stroke team capable of 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week rapid evaluation of patients for an intravenous drug called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). TPA can dissolve clots and reverse the symptoms if given within three hours after stroke symptoms begin.

Providence Health & Services will install the REACH service at Providence Alaska Medical Center in Anchorage, the hub. Spoke hospitals include: Central Peninsula Hospital in Soldotna; Providence Kodiak Medical Center in Kodiak; Providence Seward Medical and Care Center in Seward; Providence Valdez Medical Center in Valdez; and Bartlett Regional Hospital in Juneau.

Proxim’s WiMAX Product Family Receives FIPS 140-2 Level 2 Certification
Proxim Wireless Corp., a provider of end-to-end broadband wireless systems that deliver the quadruple play, has received federal certification for one of its products.

The Proxim Tsunami MP.11 HS (High Security) line of base stations and subscriber units are the first point-to-multipoint wireless broadband products to be certified with Federal Information Processing Standards Publications (FIPS) 140-2 Level 2 validation, meeting security requirements for cryptographic modules. FIPS 140-2 Level 2 validation is a requirement for any cryptographic product that will be used in a US government agency network and meets the stringent security requirements of healthcare organizations, financial institutions and other highly secure enterprises.

The Tsunami MP.11 HS product family provides governments, utilities, financial services, healthcare and ultra-secure enterprises with the industry’s first FIPS 140-2 level 2 compliant point-to-multipoint products in the 5.1-5.95 GHz, 4.9 GHz, 2.4 GHz, and 1.8 GHz frequency bands. Combining FIPS 140-2 level 2 compliance, advanced AES-256 encryption, and secure management to meet strict US Federal Government standards as well as HIPAA requirements, the MP.11 HS is Proxim’s ultra-secure broadband wireless solution for wireless video, data connectivity, VoIP and mobility. Whereas competitors’ approaches to high security wireless broadband require multiple products to be bolted together to achieve FIPS 140-2 compliance and AES-256 encryption, Proxim is a solution that offers these security features, as well as secure management, in one box.

By combining this high security with the high throughput required for bandwidth-intensive video, the Tsunami MP.11 HS solution is appropriate for use in security video surveillance in ports, cities and along transportation infrastructures. In addition, the products are designed to handle the specific challenges of delivering bandwidth-intensive video to mobile law enforcement vehicles, enabling mobile security patrol units to view wireless video surveillance in real-time. The Tsunami MP.11 HS enables this via new support of the governmental 1.8 GHz frequency while also enabling mobile roaming with seamless handoffs at speeds of up to 120 mph (200 km/hour).

Though the Tsunami MP.11 HS supports the 1.8 GHz governmental frequency and meets or exceeds FIPS standards with the performance needed for real-time wireless video, the Tsunami MP.11 HS is effective for much more than governments. The Tsunami MP.11 HS is also well suited for any and all non-governmental organizations in need of highly-secure broadband wireless solutions. All enterprises and organizations concerned with deploying ultra-secure point-to-multipoint wireless systems now have access to Proxim’s MP.11 HS solution.

The FIPS 140-2 standard is a joint effort by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in the US and the Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSEC). Already mandated by law in the US and very strictly enforced in Canada, FIPS 140-2 is also currently being reviewed by ISO to become an international standard. The standard provides stringent third-party assurance of security claims on any product containing cryptography that may be purchased by a government agency. 

States Set the Agenda for Health Information Technology
As Congress and the Obama administration hammer out a sweeping economic recovery package, states are poised to lead the way in many of the health initiatives. Aggressive growth in using health information technology or health IT is among the priorities in the stimulus package. In recent remarks, President Barack Obama mentioned the goal of having all medical records computerized within five years.

Many states already have legislation that will advance this goal and other activity on electronic health information exchange. States have embraced health information technology as a way to reduce medical errors, improve health care quality and streamline health care.

“This economic recovery plan not only makes health information technology a priority for all states with its incentives to improve quality and contain costs, but it also creates much-needed jobs in this emerging sector of health care,” said Sen. Richard T. Moore, NCSL Vice President. “Should it pass as currently written, states would receive funds to offer low-interest loans to finance implementation of health IT as well as money to distribute grants to regional health information exchanges that will enable better coordination of care.” 

Senator Moore, a principal architect of the landmark Massachusetts health care reform effort, is co-chair of NCSL’s Health Information Technology Champions (HITCh) Project and a member of the National Governor’s Association’s State e-Health Alliance.
A preliminary summary of the House version of the stimulus package identified four health IT priorities: 

• Invest $20 billion in health information technology infrastructure, including Medicaid and Medicare incentives and state grants to encourage providers to use health IT.
• Develop standards that allow for the nationwide electronic exchange of health information.
• Generate savings through improvements in quality, care coordination, and reductions in medical errors.
• Strengthen privacy and security laws assuring that state laws are retained.
• The National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) has developed a cadre of health IT policy experts from among its members. In this rapidly evolving arena, legislative expertise in health IT policy is essential to identify best practices for the use of state and federal money.

States have addressed three major policy concerns regarding electronic medical information:   

• Privacy and Security: Many consumers fear that an electronic system will make their medical histories more vulnerable to unauthorized exposure.
• Health Information Exchange: Systems used by providers must be interoperable and consumers, payers and providers need to develop new ways to work together to share information.
• Health IT adoption issues: A significant factor in the snail's paced adoption of health IT arises from the misalignment of costs and benefits across health care stakeholders. Providers may hesitate to purchase systems because cost savings accrue mainly to others.  

Vermont created a dedicated funding stream, through a fee on all health care claims, to help fund the adoption of electronic health records by small providers. Minnesota, Nevada and Rhode Island have updated their health data privacy laws to allow for electronic exchange of health information.

In 2007, the Minnesota Legislature created a first-in-the-nation requirement for all hospitals and health care providers to have interoperable electronic health records by 2015. In 2008, Massachusetts enacted a requirement that all hospitals and community health centers have electronic health records by October 2015. 

Other states have put Medicaid at the center of their efforts. At least nine state Medicaid agencies have created electronic records using Medicaid claims data, and 27 other programs have plans underway. The State Alliance for e-Health is a high-level state policy council that is looking at the entire range of financing, privacy and governance issues states are facing.

Telehealth’s Role in Health Care Reform Webinar
March 26 at 12-1 p.m. Mountain Standard Time
It is universally accepted that the US health care systems is in dire need of reform. Telehealth can make a variety of positive contributions to improving the delivery of heath care today, like making medical care more readily available in rural areas, controlling costs for employers and employees and empowering patients with choice and convenience. Now more than ever before, policy makers and legislators at the federal, state and local levels have the opportunity to implement technologies and systems that will address the many of facets of the systems failures. This panel will explore the role that telehealth can and should play in health care reform and the areas where it can make the most impact for doctors and patients alike.  
Panelists: Dr. Elliot Justin, President & CEO SwiftMD, Tom Keefe, Senior Director, State Government Relations, HIMSS and Diana Newhart, Senior Health Policy Analyst, Net New Growth, LLC.
If you are a telehealth providers and or have technologies that enable telehealth services, this is a must-attend event. 
Attendees Will Learn

• What trends are emerging in the health care reform debate and what that means for telehealth
• What obstacles exist to the further adoption of telehealth from a policy perspective
• How the market is responding to the crisis with innovative programs and services, and what positive contributions have already been made
• The areas of most promise for telehealth providers

Click here to register today!