I think this is a first to have a prosthetic hand being operated with an IPhone app and if you watch the video you kind of get the idea on how this works.  The company devices have been around for a while and have connected to computers for adjusting settings, etc. but this makes is a little more convenient with the phone to actually program the phone to do some specific movements.  This is the bionic hand and allows people to use the device like a hand that connects to a computer chip to allow the hand to move and function, so now we add on the app for more settings and programming the hand.  Touch bionics makes a number of devices and you can read more here.  BD

According to Touch Bionics, the i-limb ultra revolution is the “first upper limb prosthesis that can be controlled via a mobile application.” The individually articulated fingers have variable digit-by-digit grip strength and the powered rotating thumb is controlled directly by means of skin electrodes attached to the wearer’s stump that pick up muscle impulses. These electrodes use one of four muscle impulses or triggers, which can be assigned to a particular grip or gesture – much like programming the speed dial on a phone.

What’s novel about the i-limb ultra revolution is its Quick Grips biosim application. Compatible with iPad or iPhone, Quick Grips uses Bluetooth to link the hand to a smartphone app, which can activate 24 grip options at the tap of the screen, including standard precision pinch open, pinch closed, thumb precision pinch open, grasp and handshake. It can also be programmed by the wearer for custom grips.

Other functions of the Quick Grips app include; a collection of favorite grips that fit the wearer’s daily needs, such as typing, holding papers, or using a mouse; the Hand Health Check that activates the prosthesis diagnostic; and Training, which includes activities and games as well as providing graphical feedback of muscle control signals. There’s also a Don or Doff setting that positions the hand for putting on or removing the covering glove.

http://www.gizmag.com/i-limb-ultra-revolution/27150/

Here we have part two of the story it seems as Humana already is doing their own investigation and add the Grassley inquiry now as Wellpoint is looking at their affiliation with Greenberg Traurig.  CMS is now also looking into the situation and this goes back a a potential tip on the CMS change on the Medicare Advantage plans cuts being changed by HHS.  Sounds like the firm may lose another account, and guess we will have to see how all this plays out relative to insider trading and tips.  BD 

Humana Fires It’s Lobbying Firm Over Possible Insider Trading Violation

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The law firm being questioned by a U.S. senator over whether one of its lobbyists obtained and shared confidential government information on Medicare rates will no longer work with so-called political intelligence firms.

Greenberg Traurig LLP has “concluded that providing government relations services to an entity in the ‘political intelligence’ area may lead to misunderstanding and unintended use of those services, even when compliant with legal and ethical standards,” Jill Perry, a firm spokeswoman, wrote in an e-mail. “We will not represent such firms in the future.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-04-21/law-firm-quits-political-intelligence-work-after-senator-s-query.html

In order to survive the current economy we keep seeing hospital affiliations and ownerships in the news and today we have one more in Phoenix.  I grew up like next door to John C. Lincoln and watch it grow from a single small hospital to the large medical center they have today.  With their system affiliating with Scottsdale they will have a total of 5 hospitals in the new network.  Smaller hospitals all over the US are competing with the large for profit hospital chains across the US. 

According to the article this has been discussed several times and it comes back to working to keep costs down through accountable care organizations.  In other words they are doing everything they can to keep costs down while consumers accessing healthcare continues to dwindle down as it is becoming non affordable for many.  No word yet on which CEO will remain at the top.  Take a look at Texas in a related story with St. Luke’s hospital affiliating with Catholic Health Initiatives in Denver.  More history at the links below with details on the Private Equity portions of some of the consolidation and purchases with Catholic Hospitals.  Ascension if you remember renewed their contract with Accretive, the 3rd party analytics company what was banned from practicing in Minnesota due to their collection and other practices which were deemed not ethical as the company was working to create models to finance some non profit hospitals who were having some extreme dollar issues.  When looking for money and trying to stay open had an impact on how actual patient records ended up on Wall Street with trying to secure additional investors…a bad side effect of folks trying “anything” and “everything” to model a reason to gain investors. 

Catholic Health Initiatives To Invest $200 Million in Various Areas of Healthcare Via Newly Created VC Group–Non-Profit Portfolio Algorithms

Ascension Health and Private Equity Firm Oak Hill Capital Form Joint Venture To Buy Catholic Hospitals and Health Systems

Catholic Healthcare groups are growing and again some of the competition that smaller hospitals such as Lincoln and Scottsdale face with competition.  It’s all about money and I’m sure there will be even more stories as such as hospitals wrangle and figure out how to try to keep costs down and keep doors open.  BD

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Scottsdale Healthcare and John C. Lincoln Health Network on Thursday said they plan to join forces in a combined health-care system that will include five hospitals and facilities across Phoenix and Scottsdale.

The boards of both non-profit health-care organizations this week approved a letter of intent that will trigger exclusive negotiations through July 31 to hash out details of the affiliation agreement.

The combined entity would be called Scottsdale Lincoln Health Network, with about 10,500 employees, more than 3,500 physicians and five hospitals from Sunnyslope to north Scottsdale

http://www.azcentral.com/business/consumer/articles/20130418scottsdale-healthcare-john-c-lincoln-health-network-combine.html

Many of those in prison probably get the best healthcare that they have every received in their lives.  Now when a prisoner is released they too will have Medicaid in states to where the expansion has been applied to both federal and state prisons.   Five million ex-offenders on parole or probation will be eligible.  Those who do make too much money to qualify may still be able to purchase insurance via the exchanges as well and gain tax credits.  We have heard the stories of folks that have committed a crime to get healthcare for sure with those needing surgery or some other type of treatment.  They fall into the same rules as everyone else next year that will require all to have insurance.   BD

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Newly freed prisoners traditionally walk away from the penitentiary with a bus ticket and a few dollars in their pockets. Starting in January, many of the 650,000 inmates released from prison each year will be eligible for something else: health care by way of Medicaid, thanks to the Affordable Care Act.  A sizable portion of the nearly 5 million ex-offenders who are on parole or probation at any given time will also be covered.

The expansion of Medicaid, a key provision of the health care reform law, is the main vehicle for delivering health insurance to former prisoners.

Since most recently released prisoners are not pregnant or disabled, the vast majority of them do not have Medicaid or health insurance of any kind. As a result, studies show, many do not receive treatment for chronic conditions or continue on medications prescribed in prison. They also do not generally see primary care doctors, relying instead on emergency rooms, an expensive way of delivering medical care.

Ex-cons with jobs who make too much money to be eligible for Medicaid could still qualify for federal tax credits to purchase health insurance through the new state exchanges. Under the ACA, like everyone else, they will be required to have health insurance of some kind starting next January.

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/national/ex-felons-to-get-health-coverage-via-affordable-ca/nXRW9/