Joseph Kvedar, the VP of Partners' Connected Health Program was on to "The Internet of Healthy Things" way before any of the rest of us. Now he's collected his thoughts -- aimed a "business executives" -- in a new book. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pv_gRJw5bXQ More video from this year's connected health conference here.
Partners Health Care
Health care in Massachusetts: Affordable or not?
Not affordable: From this week's paper Rising health care costs have outpaced the incomes of Massachusetts families over the past decade, despite efforts by the state to control medical expenses, according to a report released Wednesday. Affordable: Two weeks ago. Despite concerns about rising health care costs, the head of the state’s largest and most … Continue reading Health care in Massachusetts: Affordable or not?
Boston voices in stories on telemedicine and hotels as hospital step-down units
Some Boston links in these story from Health Leaders Media. In a story about telemedicine, Joseph Kvedar, MD, vice president of the Partners' Center for Connected Health in Boston, says that at two recent health industry meetings "every panel and every conversation had something on telemedicine and virtual visits." Telemedicine is taking off, but there … Continue reading Boston voices in stories on telemedicine and hotels as hospital step-down units
If you can’t join them, beat them: BIDMC in takes over Milton hospital
When the Harvard hospitals decided to join forces as Partners, they cut BIDMC out of the deal. So, this story from the Globe - on Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital-Milton --is worth noting: Consolidation in the health care industry has been viewed with suspicion, leaving critics worried that the state’s biggest health care networks want to leverage increased … Continue reading If you can’t join them, beat them: BIDMC in takes over Milton hospital
Hospitals consolidation: Brill says yes, new Massachusetts AG says no
From Shirley Leung's Monday column in the Globe: No judge or jury delivered a verdict on the Partners HealthCare settlement Monday, but we didn’t need either after Attorney General Maura Healey’s three-page court filing. She thinks the deal stinks, and if given the chance, she would bring an antitrust suit to block Partners’ efforts to … Continue reading Hospitals consolidation: Brill says yes, new Massachusetts AG says no
Does advertising from Partners taint Boston health reporting and advocacy?
Former BIDMC hospital chief Paul Levy thinks "so many people in town receive financial support from Partners that the public commentary on such issues (Partners' acquisition of two suburban hospitals) is biased by that financial power. " "Take WBUR and its Commonhealth blog. Yes, they do cover the Partners issues and do so as fairly and comprehensively as anyone … Continue reading Does advertising from Partners taint Boston health reporting and advocacy?
Globe: For-profit hospitals in low-income communities want a cut of high fees paid to competitors #healthcarecosts
It is well documented that some Massachusetts hospitals -- read Partners -- have the bargaining power to extract higher pay rates from the feds and private payers. Today's Globe offers two takes on the ongoing battles. This one is behind the paywall: A new coalition led by the state’s biggest health care company and its … Continue reading Globe: For-profit hospitals in low-income communities want a cut of high fees paid to competitors #healthcarecosts
Tweets from Boston meeting on health, the Internet and mobile communication
Check out #chs11 f for tweet from the Connected Health Symposium in Boston. Each year, Partners sponsors this meeting to look at how the Internet and mobile communication are changing the health care system. Here's a link to the Tweetstream and a few samples below from a session on social networking and health. “ RT … Continue reading Tweets from Boston meeting on health, the Internet and mobile communication
Flood of gadgets slows the push for health connectivity
The flood of gadgets that don't interact is slowing the push for health connectivity, says Rob Havasy of the Center for Connected Health. The Partner's program aims "to move care from the hospital or doctor's office into the day-to-day lives of patients." "I have become even more convinced that this increasing complexity, driven by the proliferation of communication services available … Continue reading Flood of gadgets slows the push for health connectivity
All that money you pay into Medicare? Not enough for Partners
The state held hearings this week to explore the possibility of setting up a global payments system, which the Globe describes this way: ...(Plans) that put doctors and hospitals on an annual budget for each patient’s care. Another is to create a regulatory framework for how health care providers can form partnerships, called accountable care … Continue reading All that money you pay into Medicare? Not enough for Partners
Boston Health News 