P.S. It will be nice to see every health care organizations follow this excellent example in the future by augmenting their website data with integrated disclosure information.

Internet surveillence and reporting may represent another invasion of indiviual privacy rights. Is this practice for the greater good - does it have a normative value for our society? If you would like more information about what privacy rights exist in your state, visit the Patient Rrivacy Rights website at http://www.patientprivacyrights.org/site/PageServer?pagename=StateLaws_Landing. At this site, you can also sign a petition to “take your health care data off the market” under the Consumer Tab or directly via http://www.patientprivacyrights.org/site/PageServer?pagename=Campaign_for_Prescription_Privacy.

For the story announcing the Wyden letter visit http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/three-dem-sens-three-different-healthcare-plans-2008-11-21.html. The end of this article includes the list of the 14 senators who have signed the letter to President-elect Obama.

Read the senate bill (S. 334) and comments posted about it by visiting http://www.washingtonwatch.com/bills/show/110_SN_334.html.

Get a quick overview including pros and cons of the HAA as well as other reform initiatives when buying the consumer-oriented health care book at http://www.personalizingyourhealthcare.com/.

Gilda’s Club is a non-profit organization that facilitates a positive philosophy as an approach to cancer and provides a safe environment for various programs. Membership is free for those touched by a cancer as well as for their family members. The psychological aspect of health care is often not fully addressed by the traditional health care system process. Gilda’s Club is a wonderful resource. There are currently 24 Club houses open in the United States and Canada with several more under development. The website link is: http://www.gildasclub.org/.

In the real world, one physician commented confidentially to me that self-employed radiation oncologists would lose income based upon this shortened protocol and might be less apt to endorse it as a treatment recommendation if money were a consideration. But the main benefit (besides saving health care dollars) is the patient impact perspective.

The context of one patient example yielded a reduction from 33 to 16 treatments - meaning that the patient was in radiation therapy for approximately 3 weeks versus the traditional 6 weeks. The net total amount of radiation was nearly equivalent however the reduced number of treatments helped the patient avoid common skin irritations and some fatigue. Treatment decisions need to be made before starting any treatment as the course is essentially set once it begins.

http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/ASTRO/11005

10/31/08 Reader feedback: Here is the original post: http://catalystoncology.com/2008/10/breast-cancer-alternative-treatment-protocol/

Policy analysis URL:  http://www.cahi.org/cahi_contents/resources/pdf/ObamaVMccainAugust2008.pdf

PatientPrivacyRights.org is an excellent site that further stresses the point of not posting your health information on Internet sites, etc. and the need to pass laws so this information will not be sold or accessed but people other than your care providers. This site also offers easy links to communicate with your legislatures regarding discussions around The Wired Act. Electronic records security and privacy are very important topics; please read chapter 8 and look at the site so you can be informed about the benefits and hazards of health care information technology-and what it might mean for your personally.

http://www.patientprivacyrights.org/site/PageServer?pagename=shopping_for_phr

• 29% did not understanding the actual care,
• 22% did not understand the follow up instructions, and
• 15% did not understand their diagnosis and the cause for it.

Hmmm, the numbers suggest that maybe the problem is not only the patients. Hospitals, like the University of Michigan, are taking steps to address the need for better communication. If you have questions, ask them so you can fully understand what has happened and what you need to do about it. You are paying for the care and deserve to understand; the providers need to communicate in a way that you can understand, so let them know if you don’t. As you can see, this is a common problem and only by slowing down the process, can communication get better. Note: if your health issue is not a true emergency, please go to your doctor or an urgent care center instead of the emergency room. It’s cheaper and you might get more time with the providers.
Source: Charles Bankhead, reviewed by Zalman S. Agnus, MD, MedPage Today
http://www.medpagetoday.com/EmergencyMedicine/EmergencyMedicine/tb/10178