CTS - Mediracer Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Ulnar Nerve Function

2012-01-05T20:00:00.003+02:00

Join Me for Success in 2012?

Hello Helge!!

A few days ago, I wrote you about a group I am starting on the Medical Writing Network. The purpose is to share 2012 goals, and then track our progress against them, and actually reach them this year.

I'll be your coach with some guidelines, reminders, and gentle nudges once in awhile. No cost. Complementary coaching.

I've just posted New Year's Resolutions for our company,
InQuill Medical Communications on the Medical Writing Network. <- Click.

Some Members wrote back saying they wanted to keep their goals private.
That's fine. Their goals are between them and me, confidentially, and I'll be coaching.

You can share your goals publicly, the way I did for InQuill, or you can share them privately with me by responding to this email.

It's good to get our resolutions in front of us. Even in front of others (if you wish.) That reminds us and motivates us to achieve our desires. Others help us stay accountable.

Would you like to share your 2012 resolutions and plans with me or others?
Would you like some help sticking to them, with some coaching a couple of times a year? (No cost?)

Click here - Share my 2012 goals, and get me some no cost coaching.

There's no catch here. We're being honest and trustworthy.
We'd love to see your business or career grow. And when yours does, we think we will grow along with you.
This is a WIN-WIN.

This complementary coaching offer expires January 15, 2012. Set your resolutions. Post them on MWN, or email them to me. Let's work together to achieve them.

Hope you are enjoying your first week of 2012, Helge.

Cheers!!

Jonathan Marx
Senior Vice President
InQuill Medical Communications, LLC

Medical Writing Network, International

Medical Writing Training.com

2012-01-05T13:40:00.004+02:00

Finnair is flying to these destinations. We can combine our networking efforts with easy to access real-world target areas:

Bangkok
Chongqing
Delhi
Hongkong
Nagoya
Osaka
Peking
Shanghai
Singapore
Soul
Tokio
Sydney

Happy New Year 2012

2011-12-31T15:57:00.001+02:00

Happy New Year 2012
Originally uploaded by Helge V. Keitel

Happy New Year 2012.

We're looking forward: new ideas and concepts will be taken from reality to the cyber space.

Our goal is to look east and west, south and north.

Wishing you all a very happy new year 2012!

Predicting Social Media 2012

2011-12-29T17:52:00.001+02:00

On the one hand, it’s easy to predict where social media’s going over the next 12 months: more of the same, with the sublime, ridiculous and mundane occurring in equal amounts, both reaffirming and quashing our faith in humanity and technology. But a social media roadmap for 2012? I’m not sure anyone knows what that looks like at this point.

Before the end of this year, try to figure out what we can and can’t do with social media Year 2012.

2011-12-23T12:09:00.000+02:00

Irja Kallio
Helge V. Keitel

Happy Christmas to all of you

2011-12-23T10:07:00.001+02:00

Happy Christmas to all of you
Originally uploaded by Helge V. Keitel

Happy Christmas to all of you

Ulnar nerve according to Wikipedia

2010-11-10T14:08:00.000+02:00

Wikipedia: In human anatomy, the ulnar nerve is a nerve which runs near the ulna bone. The ulnar nerve is the largest unprotected nerve in the human body (meaning, unprotected by muscle or bone).

This nerve is directly connected to the little finger, and the adjacent half of the ring finger, supplying the palmar side of these fingers, including both front and back of the tips, perhaps as far back as the fingernail beds.

Mediracer UK Ltd. Oxford

2010-11-08T12:30:00.004+02:00

Näytä suurempi kartta

The location.

New CTS Testing Poster Published by Mediracer user at SICOT

2010-11-04T13:49:00.001+02:00

Dear reader, please find the new SICOT presentation poster by clicking the picture to the left.

“THE DIAGNOSTIC UTILITY AND COST EFFECTIVNESS OF USING A
HANDHELD CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME TESTING DEVICE AT A
DISTRICT GENERAL HOSPITAL”

Writers: DAMJANA DERHAM , D. HARLE, R. BASSI, J. FISCHER, M. WASEEM, MACCLESFIELD DISTRICT GENERAL HOSPITAL (MDGH), EAST CHESHIRE, UK

- Savings about 120£/patient compared to traditional system, says Veijo Lesonen, CEO of Mediracer UK Ltd.

The interpretations in the poster were given by nurse DAMJANA DERHAM very familiar to the Mediracer System.

- In this year Damjana Derham has made about 170 Mediracer Examinations at MACCLESFIELD DISTRICT GENERAL HOSPITAL, reports Mr. Lesonen from Oxford.

- It’s a small hospital. (Nick knows it better), Mr. Lesonen continues.

Helge: Thanks, Veijo, I’ll write about it when the product specialist Nick Hamar comes with details. It’s my understanding that Mediracer is approaching the general hospitals and smaller units to get closer to the patients in need for CTS testing.

SICOT= http://www.sicot.org/?id_page=257

Mediracer UK Ltd. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Ulnar Nerve Testing

2010-11-03T18:10:00.001+02:00

Mediracer UK Ltd. specializes in CTS = Carpal Tunnel Syndrome testing. The company recently opened a new office in Oxford, United Kingdom.

UK has been an important market for the medical technology company that started 2002. The CEO Veijo Lesonen told that their new UK operation now employs three experts.

- In addition to myself we have Product Manager Pasi Karsikas and Product Specialist Nick Hamer on board since August 16, 2010.

Mediracer is prospecting for an expanding market in the general health care segment. Mr. Lesonen says that the Mediracer Carpal Tunnel Syndrome testing system has already been adapted by fifty organizations in the field of special health care.

- The British health care system is going through fundamental changes and Mediracer wants to take part in this transformation with its point of care testing systems. We’re also launching a new option to test the ulnaris nerve, Veijo Lesonen explains.

The Ulnar Nerve

The ulnar nerve is one of the three main nerves in the arm. It travels from under the collarbone and along the inside of the upper arm. It passes through a tunnel of tissue (the cubital tunnel) behind the inside of the elbow.

- You can feel the nerve through the skin. It is commonly called the "funny bone”, says Mr. Veijo Lesonen.

This new measurement means that the Mediracer’s point of care device can be used to test eighty per cent of the nerve functions in the human hand.

The nerve travels under muscles on the inside of the arm and into the hand on the side of the palm with the little finger. As the nerve enters the hand, it travels through another tunnel (Guyon's canal).

According to the website “Your Orthopaedic Connection”, the nerve entrapment occurs when the ulnar nerve in the arm becomes compressed.

- When this happens, the nerve does not function normally, explains Veijo Lesonen.

The ulnar nerve functions to give sensation to the little finger and the half of the ring finger that is near the little finger. It also controls most of the little muscles in the hand that help with fine movements, and some of the bigger muscles in the forearm that help to make a strong grip.

UK is important

CEO Veijo Lesonen concludes that the UK market is an important testing ground for Mediracer UK Ltd.

- Finland and the Scandinavian countries combined are less than half of this single market. This is why we are investing in a customer support centre in Oxford, UK.

For more information, please contact:

www.mediracer.co.uk

Mediracer UK Ltd.
Clarendon House
52 Cornmarket Street
Oxford, OX1 3HJ

Tel.: +44 844 800 2617
Fax: +44 844 800 2618
Email: info (at) mediracer.co.uk

Macclesfiel District General Hospital (MDGH), East Cheshire, UK

2010-11-02T12:47:00.000+02:00

Näytä suurempi kartta

MACCLESFIELD DISTRICT GENERAL HOSPITAL (MDGH), EAST CHESHIRE, UK

The Carpal Tunnel Treatment Organization

2010-10-29T11:21:00.002+03:00

www.CarpalTunnelTreatement.org promotes non-invasive method of treating chronic pains in the hands or wrist. Below is a statement from Dr. Peter Lin, Vascular Surgeon. Also take a look at the video and additional information on their website.

“The Julstro system of techniques is recognized by medical authorities as a powerful, non-invasive way to treat chronic pain due to repetitive stress injuries of all types. Here is one endorsement by a leading surgeon, Dr. Peter Lin, Chief of Vascular Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas.Specialty.”
Dr. Peter Lin
Vascular Surgeon
Houston, TX

There are also several testimonials on the website.

"For two years I suffered from pain so severe I couldn't pick up a coffee cup. I thought I'd need a disability leave from my job. Then, I found the Julstro Self-Treatment Kit. With each short treatment, the pain decreased until it disappeared completely. Now, whenever I feel a twinge in my arms, I nip the pain right away with a treatment."
Marcia Berry
Writer
New York, NY

Online shopping

2010-08-22T00:05:00.001+03:00

The future of eHealth isn't all clear to me. But things might change. Folks have web cams and broadband access. Why don't we make doctors calls from our homes?

Interesting reading. The tech and gadgets are here but our minds are not ready for long distance problem solving.

In Turku, they use sms to send messages to patients that they don't forget to take their medicine.

Surgery on Twitter - Go where the people are

2010-06-03T20:30:00.001+03:00

Tweeting while performing surgery.

Medical Writing Goes Digital

2010-05-13T11:52:00.001+03:00

I’ve been doing Digital Storytelling for more than a decade. What new could be done in the field of medical electronics writing?

Digital has been growing exponentially for 15 years now. But where’s the education that supports further development? How many medical writers are there in the Finnish blogosphere blogging about the healthcare industry?

We could create a team blogging about a medical startups. In three months, the project team has to come up with an idea for a Web-based business support operation, pitch it to a venture capitalist and design a site.

Along with technology and creative skills, the program also needs to emphasize entrepreneurship. The digital platform is ubiquitous. Today, it’s just a part of everyone’s way of thinking and communicating and sharing, connecting, buying, doing business.

It’s probably the fastest-paced industry almost anybody could be in right now.

we can help to create digital marketing strategies for the medical industry
we want to transform a technology-focused approach to a practical, easy to handle working model
learning the newest technologies on the job takes time while digital content development is time-consuming
copywriters and art directors will help the teams to churn out portfolios of creative concepts

We’ve to ensure that the clients are getting what they needed to grow and develop, especially in areas that combine creative approaches and technology.

50 Incredible Open Lectures on Global Health | Online Nursing Programs.net

2009-11-11T11:55:00.002+02:00

I got this note from Amer Johnson today and decided to post the link.
Hi,
We just posted an article, "50 Incredible Open Lectures on Global Health" (http://www.onlinenursingprograms.net/2009/50-incredible-open-lectures-on-global-health/). I thought I'd drop a quick line and let you know in case you thought it was something you're audience would be interested in reading. Thanks!
Amber Johnson

50 Incredible Open Lectures on Global Health | Online Nursing Programs.net: "50 Incredible Open Lectures on Global Health Nov 10th, 2009

Many believe that technology has made the world feel smaller, with a greater sense of community. While this is likely true, there are areas in which the global community is struggling to find solutions for problems. Health care in countries around the world is one such issue. Poverty, lack of education, environmental issues, natural disasters, and terrorism are just a few of the reasons why there are many global health concerns that need addressing. These lectures promise to open your eyes, impart wisdom, and perhaps even inspire you to become involved in creating solutions to global health concerns.

Infectious Diseases

Infectious diseases create a huge impact on the health of people around the world. Find out what is and can be done to help prevent these diseases."

Electronic medical records draw frequent criticisms - washingtonpost.com

2009-10-25T11:24:00.001+02:00

Electronic medical records draw frequent criticisms - washingtonpost.com: "Under the stimulus program, hospitals and physicians can claim millions of dollars for IT purchases, and will be penalized if they do not go digital by 2015. Obama has said the changes will save billions and will minimize medication errors.

Helge: Need to follow this.

But health IT's effectiveness is unclear. Researchers at the University of Minnesota found in March that electronic records prevented only two infections a year. A 2005 report in the journal Pediatrics found that deaths at the children's hospital at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center more than doubled in the five months after a computerized order-entry system went online. UPMC said the study had not found that technology caused the rise in mortality and maintained that medication errors were down 60 percent since computers were introduced in 2002.

Helge: More effective health care with IT? That's the question.

Others studies have concluded that health IT saves time and reduces errors. It has been used successfully in organizations such as the Department of Veterans Affairs and Kaiser Permanente."

Health sector about to embrace Web 2.0

2009-10-13T20:20:00.002+03:00

A year ago, the health sector in U.S. Was sneaking at the possibility of embracing Web 2.0 tactics like social media and networking.

The future of sharing your health information may become an everyday occurrence.

How much information are we ready to share?

What is the value of information distributed to hundreds of silos?

How about all the stuff that hasn't been digitized yet?

IMESO GmbH Medizinische Online-Dokumentation

2009-10-02T08:28:00.001+03:00

I decided to blog about this company in relation to my previous post about OLGA. I'm not sure if this is the company, but I'll continue to search for more background information.

IMESO GmbH Medizinische Online-Dokumentation: "ICUData collects all administrative, medical and custodial data at the intenive care unit. Substantial import mechanisms from various data sources of the clinic, like laboratory, microbiology, X-Ray findings, operation documentation, admission- and discharge-diagnosis, online-anaesthesia logging etc., via HL7, relieves the documentation for the intensive care staff. Statistics can be generated for clinical, administrative and scientific questions."

OLGA Online Guideline Assist

2009-10-02T06:59:00.004+03:00

OLGA computer optimized patient care has been in use at the Uniklinik Giessen, Germany, since 2007. The development started at the Frauenhofer Institute and is intended to support the therapy (standard operating procedures) of patients in intensive care units.

One of the objectives is to decrease the bed-time of patients.

I've to look for more information about OLGA and the idea of the program installed into digital assistants.

One hour later: here is more information about OLGA:

Rising cost pressure due to the implementation of the DRG-System and quality assurance lead to an increased use of therapy standards and standard operating procedures (SOPs) in intensive care medicine. The intention of the German Scientific Society supported project "OLGA" (Online Guideline Assist) is to develop a prototype of a knowledge based system supporting physicians of an intensive care unit in recognizing the indication for and selecting a specific guideline or SOP. While the response of the prototype on user entries can be displayed as a signal on the used workstation itself, the location and time for a reminder of scheduled or missed procedures or reactions to imported information is a difficult issue. One possible approach to this task is the display of non acknowledged reminders or recommendations while logging on to a system. The objective of this study is to analyse user behaviour of the physicians working on the surgical intensive care unit to decide whether the login authentication is a sufficient trigger for clinical reminding.

Here is another reference.

Objective While developing the patient data management system ICUData in close cooperation with the software company (IMESO GmbH, Hüttenberg, Germany), a therapeutic guideline assistance system for empiric antimicrobial therapy in ICU (called “Antibiotic Wizard”) could be introduced and integrated into the existing software. After its introduction into clinical routine, the first version was to be tested, checked for usability and compared to other software products with the help of the IsoMetrics^s inventory (based on the EN ISO 9241-10 for computer-assisted workflows).

I'm not sure if they refer to the same thing: OLGA. Need to continue checking.

mPRO - Mobile Patient Reported Outcomes - Gather high quality patient reported data in a timely and efficient manner with tools from Vodafone Global Enterprise

2009-10-01T08:38:00.000+03:00

I search for Mobile Patient Data collection examples. I think there could be a multitude of applications where mobile devices could help the collection of data and sure that the updating of patient records are almost real-time.

mPRO - Mobile Patient Reported Outcomes - Gather high quality patient reported data in a timely and efficient manner with tools from Vodafone Global Enterprise: "Many drugs, biologics and medical devices in the pharmaceutical discovery and development pipeline hold the promise of reducing the impact of health problems in everyday life. The development process, however, is a complex and challenging one.

To introduce new treatments, regulators, sponsors, payors and patients need to fully understand their safety and value. The collection of accurate patient reported data in the development process is essential.

Missing and invented data has a significant impact on the study’s ability to detect treatment related differences. Estimates suggest it can be necessary to recruit four times as many people for a study where you have 50 per cent of data missing, to achieve the same statistical power as a study with no missing data.

Vodafone mobile Patient Reported Outcomes (mPRO) uses web and mobile technology to improve the collection and management of patient reported data."

SpringerLink - Book Chapter - Mobile Medical Data

2009-09-29T09:25:00.002+03:00

Here is about "adding and editing patient demographical data, medical prescription, medical images and graphs". Getting closer to what I'm looking for.

SpringerLink - Book Chapter: "The primary aim of this study is to look into the feasibility of developing a mobile patient data management system using ASP .Net technology. It was envisioned that medical personnel, by using any WAP-enabled devices, will not be restricted to a specified location in order to retrieve, add, or edit patient data. The current system has achieved its main objectives of adding and editing patient demographical data, medical prescription, medical images and graphs. The system has been designed to be backward and forward compatible; ensuring unlimited module expansion in the future."

UpCode - Ignite Your Imagination - UpCode Ltd.

2009-08-14T16:08:00.003+03:00

I received and email fromUpCode today and plan to learn more about this company active in the fields of:

- Mobile technology
- RFID = Radio Frequency Identification
- NFC = Near Field Communication
- Mobile software solutions
- Upcode is a NFC in itself

Their video explains all about it. Upcode, yes!

UpCode - Ignite Your Imagination - UpCode Ltd.: "UpCode Ltd.

Advanced mobile solutions for professional and personal needs, consumer applications and enterprise solutions.

UpCode Ltd. is developing the system technology (MAI)™, Mobile Access & Interaction, in all its aspects including multi-functionality and different reading/scanning technologies, including RFID type of NFC technology.

All rights (international copyright) belong to UpCode Ltd/ UPC Consulting Ltd. IPR on request. All mobile software and solutions are developed inhouse by UpCode ltd.

Helge: I hope to be able to present the company!

We operate on international scale from our headquarters in Finland (Vaasa and Helsinki) Shanghai, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, Los Angeles, Rwanda and London. UpCode has official representatives also around the world."

They seem to be active in the following countries:

o Africa
o The Netherlands
o Hungary
o Iran
o Korea
o Argentina
o Asia
o Austria
o Brazil
o China
o Finland
o Germany
o Latin America
o Middle East
o Sweden
o Switzerland
o Turkey
o UK
o USA
o Russia

That's an impressive list for a company I didn't know about before.

The power of Twitter – brain surgeons and students tweeting real time during operation | Healthy Conversations

2009-07-20T18:23:00.002+03:00

I got this information through Eric Brody's Twitter message.

"We've been ahead of time with some tweets concerning CTS, but never got down to the actucal surgical procedure.

The power of Twitter – brain surgeons and students tweeting real time during operation | Healthy Conversations: "Healthy Conversations: Creating New Energy For Health + Healthy Lifestyle Brands | The power of Twitter – brain surgeons and students tweeting real time during operation

Tremendous example of the power of Twitter. Watch this abc news report of surgeons tweeting real time with medical students and residents as they perform brain surgery at Henry Ford Hospital."

Eric Brody, the President of Trajectory: "We re-energize businesses by helping clients see and create new opportunities to accelerate growth. Before Trajectory, I was EVP Management Board member at Interbrand, the world's most influential brand consultancy. I've also held senior level marketing positions at Faberge, L'Oreal and Beiersdorf."

Hospitals Reach Deal With Administration - washingtonpost.com

2009-07-07T14:27:00.001+03:00

Hospitals Reach Deal With Administration - washingtonpost.com: "Tuesday, July 7, 2009

The nation's hospitals agreed last night to contribute $155 billion over 10 years toward the cost of insuring the 47 million Americans without health coverage, according to two industry sources.

The agreement that three hospital associations reached with White House officials and leaders of the Senate Finance Committee is the latest in a series of side deals that aim to reduce the cost of revamping the nation's health-care system and to neutralize influential industries that have historically opposed such reforms.

With President Obama out of the country, a formal announcement is expected tomorrow from Vice President Biden.

'Getting health-care reform is absolutely critical,' said one hospital negotiator, who was not authorized to speak for attribution about the deal before the official announcement. 'This is our attempt to act in good faith.'"

Healthcare Economics

2009-06-03T18:13:00.005+03:00

I'm consulting wikipedia about health care economics. It says:

"Health economics is a branch of economics concerned with issues related to scarcity in the allocation of health and health care. Broadly, health economists study the functioning of the health care system and the private and social causes of health-affecting behaviors such as smoking."

Helge: I think that spirometry could be considered as a tool that can distinguish some of the effects of smoking.

A seminal 1963 article by Kenneth Arrow, often credited with giving rise to the health economics as a discipline, drew conceptual distinctions between health and other goals.

Helge: We've discussed health care economics in relationship to Carpal Tunnel Diagnostics for several years. There is a resistance to change in the system. New technologies are adapted slowly if they are threatening existing money making practices.

Factors that distinguish health economics from other areas include extensive government intervention, intractable uncertainty in several dimensions, asymmetric information, and externalities.

Helge: Government intervention could be a possibility, but there is much more lip-service and talk than real action in this field.

Governments tend to regulate the health care industry heavily and also tend to be the largest payer within the market. Uncertainty is intrinsic to health, both in patient outcomes and financial concerns.

Helge: It takes a long time for policy makers to learn and understand what could be good and cheaper in the long run.

The knowledge gap that exists between a physician and a patient creates a situation of distinct advantage for the physician, which is called asymmetric information. Externalities arise frequently when considering health and health care, notably in the context of infectious disease. For example, making an effort to avoid catching a cold, or practicing safer sex, affects people other than the decision maker.

Helge: The medical experts do have an advantage, they are trusted and they do have a strong voice. New ideas don't grow in a top-down and authoritarian environment.

The scope of health economics is neatly encapsulated by Alan Williams' "plumbing diagram"[3] dividing the discipline into eight distinct topics:

What influences health? (other than health care)
What is health and what is its value
The demand for health care
The supply of health care
Micro-economic evaluation at treatment level
Market equilibrium
Evaluation at whole system level; and,
Planning, budgeting and monitoring mechanisms.

Bronte Nursery - Intelligent Daycare

2009-06-03T14:30:00.004+03:00

We're looking into social care, health care, education and daycare of children with new eyes. New solutions are needed in Finland and globally to handle both cost and quality of care. In addition to what is said below, we think that technology, architecture, and new communication methods can be applied to handle the rising cost burden and challenge.

Bronte Nursery - Intelligent Daycare: "Bronte Nursery is founded not upon systems, business plans or marketing but upon a concept we call 'Intelligent Daycare'.

'Intelligent Daycare' means observing and responding to children with intelligence, kindness, insight and affection.

Irja commented: They focus on the emotional. There isn't much mention about how to combine technology, architecture, and communication tools the way we've been talking about.

To give an example, very young children have clear needs and strong emotions but they are unable to express them in a way that can be understood. This must be very frustrating – and it is the frustration that makes itself heard, not the need.

To try and soothe frustration without seeing to the need can simply lead to more frustration. Recognising the need and understanding how best to deal with it requires intelligence and care.

Our staff will observe your child's needs – whether these be play, sleep, food, drink, soothing, a clean nappy or a cuddle – and respond sensitively and kindly.

Like adults, children do not want to be stimulated all the time. Sometimes they want to gaze into space, play with their toes, go off into their own world or drift gently into sleep. This is good for their sense of calm, their imagination and their feeling of security.

Helge: A very good observation!

At other times, children feel lively and bright – and then is the time to offer them opportunities for exploration and interaction.

People develop more quickly in their first four years than at any other time in their life.

At any stage, it takes intelligence to respond to the child's mood and character sensitively, lovingly, and appropriately."

Suunto's Extreme Measures

2009-05-13T08:57:00.001+03:00

Suunto is a leading manufacturer of sports instruments for a variety of sports, including

outdoor,
diving,
endurance training,
and golf.

Suunto has been emphasizing a consumer driven product definition process, very much like Nokia has done.

Focusing on marketing and R&D
They prioritized problem areas
How to create demand with limited resources.

Suunto was born in 1936
Located in Vantaa
Wrist computers

Innovating well-being

2009-05-12T20:19:00.001+03:00

Looking at a health care program focusing on identifying new solutions for improving the health care provision in Finland.

Loviisa
Kotka
Porvoo
Helsinki
All over the country

The demand for new services is now growing very rapidly, as the population get older.

Growing demand
Limited resources
Need to use capacity more efficiently
How to meet peoples needs
We need to bring together all the key players
Expanding the offerings of the private sector
Implementing research, training, and pilot projects
Promoting a rethink about how health care services are provided and managed

Las Vegas

2009-04-26T00:22:00.001+03:00

I'm watching Las Vegas. It's not a program about medical innovations, even though some pretty nasty things happen in an environment where Money has a central role.

President Barack Obama is planning to improve Medicare and transfer USA to a Green society. Both these objectives sound great and Obama is an excellent motivator.

But, is he also a gambler? Experts say that it's not going to be easy. Talk is cheap and execution is difficult.

Both these moves are also going to cost a lot of money. Innovations don't happen, they are made. Bold visions are needed to get the US economy on a new track.

We might need to do some Las Vegas gambling in Finland as well to replace the stagnating Forestry industry.

Finland has numerous small medical innovation manufacturers who might think that Obama's move is a good thing for our medical companies as well.

The problem: how to get there in time.

Robert J. Samuelson - Obama's 'Post-Material' Economy - washingtonpost.com

2009-04-13T15:01:00.002+03:00

Robert J. Samuelson - Obama's 'Post-Material' Economy - washingtonpost.com: "President Obama has made no secret of his vision for America's 21st-century economy. We will lead the world in 'green' technologies to stop global warming.

Advancing medical breakthroughs will improve our well-being, control health spending and enable us to expand insurance coverage. These investments in energy and health care, as well as education, will revive the economy and create millions of well-paying new jobs for middle-class Americans.

It's a dazzling rhetorical vista that excites the young and fits the country's mood, which blames 'capitalist greed' for the economic crisis. Obama promises communal goals and a more widely shared prosperity. The trouble is that it may not work as well in practice as it does in Obama's speeches. Still, congressional Democrats press ahead to curb global warming and achieve near-universal health insurance. We should not be stampeded into far-reaching changes that have little to do with today's crisis.

What Obama proposes is a 'post-material economy.' He would de-emphasize the production of ever-more private goods and services, harnessing the economy to achieve broad social goals. In the process, he sets aside the standard logic of economic progress. "

Healthcare Future

2009-03-31T19:19:00.002+03:00

29032009251
Originally uploaded by Helge V. Keitel

Soon, a medical device manufacturer can build a blood pressure gauge accessory and associated software application that plugs into your iPhone or iPod touch and tracks your blood pressure over time, comparing it to a network of people with similar age/body/health types to give you a relative Wellness Score and underlying data in real time.

Could it be fashioned into an enabling engine for a Healthy Living Movement or a National Health Monitoring Service (ANALOG: Nielsen for Health)?" - Anand Sharma via Bookmarklet

Medical Technology Distribution

2009-03-29T18:16:00.008+03:00

29032009259
Originally uploaded by Helge V. Keitel

WHEN Facebook signed up its 100 millionth member August 2009, its employees spread out in two parks in Palo Alto, Calif., for a huge barbecue. Sometime this week, this five-year-old start-up, born in a dorm room at Harvard, expects to register its 200 millionth user.

It's a pretty much different story to introduce medical technology innovations to the healthcare community. Highly specialized technology users and buyers don't yet gather on Facebook or use Social Media.

That's still the way traditional wisdom goes. However, the scene is changing quicker than we think. Facebook is a very young phenomenon and so is Ning and many other social media meeting places.

Traditional selling and distribution is very expensive for start-ups and technology innovators. They could benefit from a faster adaption and gathering around social media.

That staggering growth rate — doubling in size in just eight months — suggests Facebook is rapidly becoming the Web’s dominant social ecosystem and an essential personal and business networking tool in much of the wired world.

Sutter Medical Center Castro Valley

2009-03-13T08:24:00.001+02:00

I got this link from Facebook today. President Obama says, "There is a need to extend health care coverage to millions of uninsured people across the country, while reducing cost and improving quality."

Sutter Medical Center Castro Valley: "By George Bischalaney, President & CEO, Eden Medical Center

Last week, the Obama Administration kicked off its efforts to address one the President’s stated priorities, health care reform. What does that mean, and what will be the result? I wish I really knew.

According to the President’s advisers—and Obama himself during the campaign—there is a need to extend health care coverage to millions of uninsured people across the country, while reducing cost and improving quality. Truly admirable goals with which very few could disagree.

Early discussion of President Obama’s plan calls for creating a savings of $634 billion over the next ten years to help fund reform. A recent article referred to this as a “down payment” on the overall expected costs. About half of this amount is targeted to come from reduced payments to Medicare and Medicaid (known as Medi-Cal in California) providers. On the surface, this is a disquieting concept.

Not too long ago, Eden Medical Center was recognized as one of lowest cost hospital providers in California. It should be no surprise that our costs have risen over the past few years. We have invested heavily in new equipment, both in medical technology and information technology, in order to continue to bring state-of-the-art services to our communities, and to provide our physic...

Read more in the blog.

There is anohter thing that I need to take a look at.

We have launched a Social Media outreach program, using the Web to keep you informed about our progress in building the new Sutter Medical Center Castro Valley, a Sutter Health affiliate, which will eventually replace Eden Medical Center. We want to provide you with a forum to interact with us so we can address your questions and concerns.

Our blog will serve as your Internet "headquarters," where you can find updated information, plus you'll find links to other popular online social networks (see below), where we have started groups and online communities for further discussion about the new medical center.

We hope you'll subscribe by email or RSS feed. Please go to the "Subscribe by Email" box or the orange RSS icon above. The blog will be updated frequently.

We look forward to hearing from you and starting a conversation! Please feel free to comment at the bottom of any of the posts. We will respond.

Electronic Medical Record Systems

2009-02-21T13:02:00.004+02:00

Electronic medical record systems are being touted as the wave of the future in health care and communication, but only 17 percent of U.S. doctors have embraced the technology, a new survey finds, according to Business Week. When you use a good definition of what a record system is, very few physicians appear to have one.

The definition of a fully functional electronic medical record system includes a patient's

complete medical records,
medication lists,
problems, and clinical notes from past visits.

The doctor can also order prescriptions, laboratory tests and radiology tests electronically. In addition, the doctor can review

lab results and view X-rays,
MRIs or other scans on the computer

There are also warnings about inappropriate prescriptions or abnormal lab results. And the systems remind the doctor when lab or screening tests are needed.

For the survey, DesRoches and her colleagues surveyed 2,758 doctors nationwide about their use of electronic medical record systems. The researchers found that 4 percent reported having a fully functional system. An additional 13 percent said they had a basic system.

The survey also found that primary care doctors and doctors with large practices or those in hospitals or medical centers were more likely to have electronic medical record systems. In addition, doctors in the western region of the United States were more likely to have such systems.

Both Medicare and private insurance companies are pushing doctors to adopt electronic medical record systems as a way of monitoring quality of care, which will be a basis for reimbursement levels, DesRoches noted.

Source: Business Week

Read more about the topic at American Medical News.

Innokas Medical - company

2009-02-15T17:57:00.001+02:00

There was a coincidence today that took me from Medanets Oy to Innokas Medical. I'll explain this thread in more detail during the coming weeks. Below is official information about the company from their webpage.

Innokas Medical - company: "Company profile. Innokas Medical is a Finnish contract R&D and manufacturing company that specialises in healthcare technology. The company was established in 1994 by Mr. Jouni Ihme. Innokas Medical's business idea is to provide Contract Design and Manufacturing services for medical and in-vitro customers.

Innokas Medical's headquarters are located in Kempele, near the technology city Oulu. Innokas also has a site in Helsinki and an office in Kuusamo.

Innokas Medical has a stable owner base that gives the company a good financial position in this period of robust growth. As a contract partner of significant international companies, Innokas Medical has established a strong position in the field of medical technology in Finland. The company's customers include renowned world-class companies in medical technology, which operate in the global markets and whose products make them market leaders in their field.

The most important cornerstone of Innokas Medical's operation is the unconditional quality of our products and services and our commitment to the industry and to fulfilling its special requirements."

Global Health and Healthcare Innovtions

2009-02-14T18:29:00.003+02:00

There is an amazing body of work out there about global health. Books, websites, blogs, podcasts, videos – you can learn about any global health topic if you do a little digging. I write about health, wellness and welfare issues in English, Swedish and English.

I'm start to write a new collection of blog posts about global health and medical technology success stories. Hoping this becomes a blog you choose tom come back to when changing the world and adoption of innovation seems hopeless or fruitless.

Innovation doesn't come easy
It takes time to get acceptance
Disruptive innovations are a threat to outdated methods
Cost-saving and better quality are possible with innovative methods

I need to teach myself about health topics, or brush up on something I haven’t thought about in a while.

Any topic I need to know more about is here on the Internet. I can spend hours browsing, checking out about, pulmonary function measurement, carpal tunnel syndrome diagnostic methods, epidemiology, or the future of global health.

Industry News | Healthcare Finance News

2009-01-30T09:13:00.000+02:00

How will the economic downturn affect the healthcare and wellness sector? Here is an article from USA. I got the information through Twitter and Jonena Relth.

Name: Jonena Relth
Location: Southern CA
Web: Jonena L. Relth
Bio: CEO, Leadership Evangelist, Performance Consultant, Employee Engagement & Empowerment, Health 2.0

I've been askin Twitter for some times, how many persons are representing the medical, wellness, andhealthcare sector. There seems to be more than I initially expected.

Read more from the Industry News | Healthcare Finance News: "CHICAGO – Despite announcements by hospitals and clinics across the country of budget and job cuts, the overall healthcare employment outlook is still promising, according to an industry forecast.

Seventeen percent of large healthcare employers who responded to CareerBuilder.com's annual healthcare hiring survey indicated that they plan to increase the number of full-time employees in 2009.

Last year, the industry grew by 372,000 jobs.

'Our survey shows that the industry is adding headcount with a steady hiring pace,' said Allison Nawoj, spokeswoman for CareerBuilder.com, an online job site.

Half of those surveyed reported having positions that have remained open because of the inability to find qualified skilled workers, she said.

An upcoming CareerBuilder.com survey will show that nearly 30 percent of survey respondents across all industries will be hiring for information technology positions.

With healthcare poised for growth in 2009 in many nonclinical departments, jobseekers in other industries should consider how they can transfer their skills in management, accounting and other areas, Nawoj said."

Global Collaboration with CTS specialists

2009-01-20T10:07:00.005+02:00

Finding the right people to talk with isn't an easy task. We're already 6,7 billion inhabitants on the globe. What should I do to find, country by country, all the specialists that are interested about:

Carpal tunnel syndrome diagnostic methods
Occupational health specialists with special interest in CTS
Doctors and General Practitioners specialized in CTS diagnosis
Enterprises and Insurance companies with special interest in CTS

I've been working with a new strategy where the blog has the role of giving background and personal branding. My goal is to get into a dialog with healthcare specialists around the globe that can advice me about how to penetrate new national and regional markets.

I can assure you, this isn't easy but it's not impossible. It takes a lot of networking and collaboration in forums, networks and communities.

The world population is the total number of living humans on Earth at a given time. As of January 2009, the world's population is estimated to be about 6.7 billion.^[1] According to population projections, this figure continues to grow; the 2008 rate of growth has almost halved since its peak of 2.2% per year, which was reached in 1963. World births have levelled off at about 134 million per year since the mid 1990's, and are expected to remain constant. However, deaths are only around 56 million per year, and are expected to increase to 90 million by the year 2050. Since births outnumber deaths, the world's population is expected to reach nearly 9 billion by the year 2042.^[2]^[3] Please see World population estimates for more figures.

More direct contacts every day

2009-01-19T21:31:00.002+02:00

Hello, I'm getting more direct contacts with doctors and healthcare professionals every day. Blogs are great for "one to many" communication but the interaction takes place in medical communities. Nevertheless, I need to have a blog or home page to tell about what I'm doing on a daily basis.

According to international epidemiological studies, the incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome is 3%in men and 5% in women. We also know that up to 15% of the population suffer from CTS-like symptoms such as numbness, tingling, pain, weakness or clumsiness in the hand!

Over 80,000 people suffer from these symptoms in Helsinki region alone. Every year, 190 women and 90 men / 100,000 inhabitants are diagnosed with CTS which is which is 3 ‰ (per mille) of the population. The numbers for London are 10 to 15 times the Helsinki figure!

Early Years of Surgical Training | Supporting and Encouraging Surgical training

2009-01-18T15:41:00.001+02:00

I've started a search for communities where we want to be a part of the discussion.

Early Years of Surgical Training | Supporting and Encouraging Surgical training: "The British Orthopaedic Research Society (BORS) is a multidisciplinary association founded in 1961 and devoted to pursuing research relevant to orthopaedic and musculoskeletal surgery. The research interests include Biological Science, Biomechanics, Osteo-articular Pathology, Biotribology, Molecular Biology, Bio engineering, Medical Imaging, and Patient Management."

Close to Customers and Healthcare Professionals

2009-01-18T10:44:00.004+02:00

I work with a major strategy change. Blogging from "one to many" does only a part of the work. It's very important to get into a dialog with healthcare professionals around the world. We need more specific information about the national and regional differences.

Welcome to Talk Medical, a new service from News-Medical.Net. This is one of the networks were we've the possibility to interact with global healthcare professionals. I also joined The Medical Writers Network.

What can we do or learn from these networks? There are plenty of them. First, it's important to find relevant forums that are in line with our goals. Second, we've to create content in these groups and forums that is relevant for the readers. Blogs can be used as input tools.

Talk Medical says, "Please feel free to use this service to post relevant news from your organization or company, post events you are involved in or feel would be of interest to the wider community, blog to your heart's content on current health issues, whether they be mainstream news or the latest journal articles or simply just health stories you'd like to share with the world."

Ultimately the more we all use Talk Medical, the more useful it will become for all.

Redesigning Strategy

2009-01-17T11:51:00.010+02:00

Hi guys,

Since long, 2004 or something like that, I decided to enter the blogosphere and start penning down my thoughts. What started as a random and sporadic writing, has lead to a systematic use of Web 2.0 applications for business purposes. I have been since 2006 a medical blogger.

Believe me, anonymity has got its own advantages, but that's not the case for companies with great products and or services. They need to get out their message. Many companies are anonymous or very little known on Internet.

Nevertheless, blogs and social media doesn't solve all the business 2.0 and enterprise 2.0 communication problems. The big issue is, however, how to reach the decision makers, potential buyers, thought leaders, early adopters, innovative change agents.

What are your thoughts?

This blog started with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome as the main topic. We're now redesigning the outlook and focusing on aspects that we think are of interest for the medical and healthcare community.

We want to talk with doctors, nurses, specialists and administrators
We are looking for new partners to sell diagnostic devices and methods
We're going to start a Medical Network for collaboration

The goal is to get into talking terms with global players in the field of medical technology and innovations. More about this in the coming weeks.

It's important to learn more about the differences in national and regional markets
Getting closer to people and decision makers eager to make changes and improvements
Finding people and organizations who are ready for change and innovation

Change management and bridge building are not easy tasks, but we learn by doing.

IngentaConnect Table Of Contents: The Royal College of Surgeons of England

2009-01-08T07:15:00.002+02:00

IngentaConnect: Bulletin of The Royal College of Surgeons of England: "The Bulletin of The Royal College of Surgeons of England is published monthly, with the exceptions of August and December. The primary aims of the Bulletin are to keep fellows, members and affiliates of the College informed of all College activities and to provide a forum for the debate of current issues of interest and/or contention within the profession."

Healthcare innovations don't come easy. Below is a link to No incentives, no innovation pp. 10-12(3) article written by Hackett, Jon. The complete story is available in pdf-format. I quote parts of the story where Mediracer, the nerve conductivity measurement device for carpal tunnel syndrome diagnosis, is mentioned.

Jon Hacket writes: In addition to Mr Petri I spoke to Tim Green, one of a team of orthopaedic surgeons from Leicester, whom Mr Goldberg cites as another example of innovation and best practice on the ground. Mr Green told me about the carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) service that the team set up 3 and which now does 98% of such procedures in Leicestershire:

‘We’ve done 6,500 carpal tunnels now in the last 11 years, all audited; all have pre and post-op Boston hand scores, patient evaluation measures, etc.’

It was in fact their theatre manager, Malcolm Clarke, a nurse, who overcame the orthopaedic team’s scepticism that there was a need for change: ‘it turned out to be about 10% of our waiting lists plus plastic surgery, sports medicine, neurosurgery and everybody else was doing them too,’ says Mr Green.

120-week waiting list reduced to 6 weeks

Before setting up the Before setting up the service, there was a 120-week waiting list for CTS operations in the area: approximately 40 weeks to see a consultant, 40 weeks for a nerve conduction study and 40 weeks to wait for an operation.

This has now been reduced to 6 weeks from referral to operation to discharge, with most patients even having one hand done at a time to prevent both hands being immobilised.

Part of this is facilitated by the use of a Mediracer® CTS Test Device, a Finnish invention that carries out nerve conduction tests.

The team were at one stage involved in the clinical trials and marketing of the device. When the local primary care trust shifted services to the local community and sought providers for CTS procedures, the five-man team set up a company and moved assessment and surgery to three GP clinics in the area.

Much interest has been generated by the practice-based clinic from other surgeons, nurses and physiotherapists, GPs with a special interest and most of all, GPs wanting to replicate the service in their own surgeries.

The clinic initially faced opposition: ‘Just about every aspect of the service has been under attack at some point.

The nerve conduction machines have been attacked; the concept of nurse operator has been attacked; and the fact that it’s in GP surgeries isn’t terribly popular either with other people, although the patients are very keen on it,’ says Mr Green.

As with Mr Petri, the Leicestershire CTS service has been criticised for possible detriment to surgical training opportunities.

Again, Mr Green says that the converse is true. ‘Chris Kershaw and I are both intercollegiate examiners so we’re very aware of training needs and training issues. This way SHOs can come in, they can see it done properly and they can do several, one after the other, in a nice quiet environment.

The juniors love it: we get very good feedback.’ Mr Green says that opposition or scepticism to the system is soon overcome when people see the service in action: ‘It would be nice if people actually came to see it because when they do they are usually convinced.

When they see it on the ground suddenly it all makes sense. Now we’re doing it in the community, the GPs are happy too because their health centres are being used for things they think it should be used for.’

Thankfully, the service has now been recognised as an example of excellence by the Department of Health, partly due to the care closer to home initiative.

Malcolm Clarke, the nurse who leads the service, says: ‘Every six months I go down to the Department and audit hospital figures against GP practice figures, from viewpoint of patient satisfaction and a clinical point of view.

We’re keeping the quality as high in the GP practice as in the hospitals. The only difference is that it allows the patient to have his or her treatment quicker and it frees up space and time in the hospital because we don’t use beds, we don’t use theatres.

The patients walk in, they have their operation and they walk out about 20 minutes later.’ In fact, Mr Clarke adds that in his experience delays in implementation mostly occur at the primary care trust level, rather than higher up.

"It is beyond the scope of this article to discuss the pros and cons of the specific practices introduced by Messrs Petri and the Leicester group," Writes Jon Hacket. "But though they are the first to acknowledge that their own solutions may not work everywhere, they indisputably worked well in their own respective trusts."

By implication, there would be at least some other trusts in the country in which the same systems could be replicated with demonstrable benefit.

In each case an innovation on the ground radically cut waiting lists with an obvious benefit to patients and the health service.

There will always be a debate around the safety or desirability of new ways of working – this discussion must be had – but these two cases show some of the challenges and obstacles faced in disseminating innovative practices.

Helge: I'll write more about this in the near future.

Surgical Innovations in UK

2009-01-07T06:25:00.001+02:00

Press the picture to read the whole story in pdf-format.

Inspire Year 2009

2009-01-05T08:07:00.000+02:00

AlEwan Medical in Middle East

2009-01-01T15:53:00.001+02:00

Mediracer is expanding. Here is a short presentation of Al-Ewan Medical servicing customers in the Middle East.

AlEwan Medical: "Al-Ewan Medical Company was established in 1993 as a limited liability company to provide state of art medical services to the population of Saudi Arabia and neighboring countries, by focusing its activities in healthcare and related fields such as

Hospital operations and maintenance
Private healthcare services
Spinal, neurosurgery and orthopedic products
Rehabilitation products
Pharmaceuticals and healthcare products
Diagnostic equipments, Kits and reagents
Disposable products
Medical equipment
Ambulances

AI-Ewan Medical Company's managed by highly qualified, skilled and experienced healthcare professionals manage AI-Ewan Medical Company. Company head office is based in Riyadh and has branches and site offices in Jeddah, Taif, Qaseem and Jizan.

The Company employs staff of about 2,000. During the year 2003 the Company forecasts a turnover of approx. $ 50 million.

The Company has seen tremendous growth in its activities and turnover over the years and has established itself as one of the leading companies in healthcare sector."

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2009

2008-12-21T15:21:00.003+02:00

First of all, we want to thank you for a great year 2008. Mediracer is now known by hundreds, maybe thousand new people around the globe. It's time to reflect about what happened this year but now:

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

DB’s Medical Rants » but patients cannot find a doctor

2008-12-15T08:03:00.002+02:00

This blogger writes about medicare in United States. There is some similarities in the language. There are problems in some areas here on the old continent as well. Smaller cities with health care units have difficulties to attract doctors. I learned about Dr. Robert M. Centor through Twitter - a microblogging service: "Any attempt to make health care more accessible will fail without improving primary care http://twurl.nl/htt1my 5:40 PM Dec 12th from Tweetburner."

db is the nickname for Dr. Robert M. Centor. db stand both for Dr. Bob and da boss. Thus, my golfing buddies nicknamed me db (for Dr. Bob) and my colleagues also nicknamed me db (for da boss).
I am an academic general internist at the University of Alabama School of Medicine. I serve as the Division Director of General Internal Medicine in Birmingham and as the Associate Dean for the Huntsville Regional Medical Campus of UASOM. I also serve as a frequent ward attending at the Birmingham VA Hospital.

This blog represents my thoughts and in no way represents any of my employers.

DB’s Medical Rants » but patients cannot find a doctor: "Where Have All the Doctors Gone? The primary care crisis raises questions not just about future access but about current morale.

“There was a tremendous amount of disenchantment, frustration, all bordering around one thing,” Tim Norbeck, the executive director of the Physicians’ Foundation, said of the survey. 'Doctors feel they can’t spend enough time with their patients because of the paperwork and red tape hassles.”

Mr. Norbeck added: “Physicians went into medicine to spend more time with their patients, and that time has just been eroding. There’s serious reason to believe that there won’t be enough doctors to cover people sooner than we thought.”

Regular readers of this blog will recall how often I emphasize time. As a physician our only currency is time. Whenever we are not seeing patients, we are not making money.

We have the confluence of many undesirable problems. Unfortunately, we can trace many problems back to the creation of a government bureaucracy - Medicare.

Please follow my argument before you start your commentary. Medicare provides a wonderful benefit to patients. Health care is expensive. The price of health care has increased much faster than income. (Please note that I chose the word price her than cost.)

Because prices are increasing, Medicare has tried classic bureaucratic techniques to minimize expenses. Our billing system requires extensive documentation. If we do not document well, then we are not paid appropriately. "

Here is the Twitter source focusing on Big Government Health:

Name: BigGovHealth
Web: http://www.biggov...
Bio: Government-controlled health care systems promote longer wait times, reduced quality of care and denials of coverage.

Let's get back to DB's blog. Dr. Robert M. Centor writes about his blog that has been around for quite some time. Since 2002. It would be interesting to know how many blogging doctors we have in the Nordic Countries. I know that a few do it UK, Germany, all around Europe but the numbers aren't big. Medicare is an information intensive activity or industry. It would be nice to know more medical bloggers.

On May 19th, 2002 I started this blog. I had become fascinated with the concept of blogging. Prior to starting this blog, I played with a non-medical blog.

One day I stumbled upon Medpundit, and immediately thought that I would enjoy creating my own medical blog - hence db’s Medical Rants.

The tenor of the blog has changed over time. Originally, I did much more linking and less philosophizing. Over the years I seem to enjoy writing short essays.

My opinions are my own. I hope that I make readers think. Many readers write comments either when they agree or disagree. I find that interaction healthy.

Thanks for visiting my personal place to rant and pontificate.

Listen to db's thoughts in a brief podcast about his blog by going to the hyperlinked page.

Here is a short quote from a CNN web page.

A U.S. shortage of 35,000 to 40,000 primary care physicians by 2025 was predicted at last week's American Medical Association annual meeting.

In the survey, the foundation sent questionnaires to more than 270,000 primary care doctors and more than 50,000 specialists nationwide.

Of the 12,000 respondents, 49 percent said they'd consider leaving medicine. Many said they are overwhelmed with their practices, not because they have too many patients, but because there's too much red tape generated from insurance companies and government agencies.

And if that many physicians stopped practicing, that could be devastating to the health care industry. Dr. Gupta: Watch more on the looming doctor dearth »

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome As an Occupational Disease

2008-12-13T19:40:00.002+02:00

I was talking with India today. There was a mention about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome as an occupational disease. I still can't figure out why the testing hasn't been taken to the very heart of the problem. Big manufacturing units and office complexes could have a Mediracer field team visiting them. This would even be a functional business model for private service providers. We need to work more on this subject.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome As an Occupational Disease: "Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most well known nerve entrapment syndrome. Involving the median nerve, it is often described as an occupational disease and claimed as a basis for worker's compensation. To provide a perspective helpful in understanding the issues central to occupational CTS, this review will focus on the history of and aspects of epidemiologic research relating to occupational CTS. Armed with such knowledge, physicians will be better prepared to establish guidelines useful in determining whether CTS is directly and solely attributable to a patient's occupation."

Below is additional information from a web page relating to conditions in USA.

Methods: The English medical literature was reviewed on the relationship between CTS and occupational ergonomic risk factors. Recent legislative initiatives are discussed. Guidelines of diagnosing and managing occupational CTS are outlined.

Helge: Mediracer provides a reliable diagnostic method that features mobility and telemedical options. Screening and testing could be made at a big manufacturing unit for maximal flexibility and speed.

Results: Many studies are divided regarding whether CTS is associated with highly repetitive/forceful/vibration work. However, a subset of patients presenting with symptoms related to CTS probably has occupational CTS. These patients can be objectively diagnosed and successfully treated and are able to return to work.

Helge: This subset of patients could be screened and tested at an early stage.

Conclusions: By being armed with knowledge regarding the background of CTS and by following simple diagnosis and treatment guidelines, the family practitioner should be able to manage many patients presenting with work-related CTS.

Helge: Field tests and CTS-diagnosis could even be made by an occupational health nurse trained in the use of Mediracer. Read also about Santa Clara.

Allan Cox's video and Your Inner CEO

2008-12-08T20:45:00.002+02:00

We've an idea to expand the blogging into podcasting and videoblogging. There are easy to use tools and Mediracer certainly has many stories to tell. We just need to get started. Here is a long video; it's a lecture. We could start with interviews that are 3 to 15 minutes long. What do you think?

Your Inner CEO from Allan Cox on Vimeo.

I know Allan over Internet. We've never met in person. The video above is from his blog and there is a sharing mode on the video. Mr. Allan Cox has written a book "The Inner CEO" and here is the place where we started our dialog.

A couple of weeks ago I addressed the University of Chicago Booth School of Business Entrepreneurial Round table and covered this topic. A video of that presentation appears above. Of course, I’d be delighted if you find it useful.

Allan

Tomorrow, I'll be blogging about Surgery from an American point of view and how they use Twitter to monitor what the world talks about breasts. There is something new to this approach. The road ahead takes me to Carpal Tunnel Surgery at Cure Hand.

OsteoTec Ltd. Mediracer's partner in UK

2008-12-05T08:16:00.006+02:00

Good Morning UK, I write about the company in Dorset, United Kingdom, taking care about the Mediracer Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Diagnostic tools and services in UK.

OsteoTec Ltd
9 Silver Business Park
Airfield Way
Christchurch
Dorset BH23 3TA
Phone: 01202 487885
Fax: 01202 487886
e-mail: sales@osteotec.co.uk

The OsteoTech home page says, "Welcome to OsteoTec - Suppliers of Hand, foot and Cranio Maxillofacial Surgery implants, Medical Instruments and Surgical Packs."

OsteoTec is an independently owned company, based in Christchurch, Dorset. Formed in 1993, OsteoTec has become a leading supplier of innovative, medical devices and implants to the UK surgical community.

"Over the years we have become a leading company for hand and foot surgery products, offering an unrivalled choice of options for the hand and foot surgeon," the homepage informs.

Mediracer news from UK

2008-12-01T08:25:00.001+02:00

In the Ostoetec News section you can find the following note about Mediracer.

Mediracer finally here. The long awaited Mediracer is finally here for all clients to purchase.

An efficient and reliable tool for general practices, occupational health care, hand surgeons, orthopaedic surgeons, etc.

Please have a look at our brochure, for all the information you require on the Mediracer, or call one of the Osteotec team for more details on 01202 487885.

To learn more about Mediracer, click the picture to the right or look for the brochure here.

Tools for bones is Mediracer's Swiss partner

2008-11-30T08:36:00.000+02:00

Let me introduce Mediracer's partner in Switzerland, the federal republic consisting of 26 states called cantons. Berne is the seat of the federal authorities, while the country's economic centres are while the country's economic centres are its three global cities, Geneva, Basel and especially Zürich.

enter

tools for bones GmbH
CH-8636 Wald ZH
Tel +41 55 266 20 77
info@t4b.ch

Schön, dass Sie uns auf unserer
(provisorischen) Web-Seite besuchen ;-))

Switzerland is a landlocked alpine country of roughly 7.6 million people in Western Europe with an area of 41,285 km². Switzerland is one of the richest countries in the world by per capita gross domestic product. Zürich and Geneva have respectively been ranked as having the first and second highest quality of life in the world.

New contacts from Medica 2008

2008-11-28T11:02:00.002+02:00

Mediracer was looking for distributors in EU (especially in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Austria, Denmark and Poland countries) and outside EU Switzerland, Norway and Middle East and Canada.

I try to figure out in coming blogs about the results. Waiting for comments from Veijo Lesonen, Seppo Nevalainen and Pasi Karsikas.

Veijo Lesonen wrote a short note over Skype about Medica 2008 and asked me to talk more about the results with Seppo Nevalainen. Veijo was on a work trip to Rovaniemi, Finland. That's at the Polar Circle.

"We had contacts with new partners in above countries, but it takes some time to evaluate the results," Sales Director Seppo Nevalainen told me in Skype chat November 24, 2008.

I've a plan to make a podcast interview with Seppo Nevalainen in December. It would be nice to have a 10 to 20 minute audio about Mediracer 2008 that could be published as a Christmas Greeting.

Mediracer Medica 2008 Düsseldorf, Germany

2008-11-19T11:55:00.004+02:00

Today is the start of Medica 2008 in Düsseldorf, Germany. More reports to come. I'll publish some new Mediracer pictures as well.

Mediracer Ltd proudly presents a new generation nerve conduction study (NCS) device for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome using Bluetooth technology (Mediracer CTS Test Device).

You can find us In Medica 2008 in the Hall 9 Stand B73, 19th-22th November.

We are looking for distributors in EU (especially in Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Austria, Denmark and Poland countries) and outside EU Switzerland, Norway and Middle East and Canada.

To organize an appointment with us, please contact info@mediracer.com

Hall 9 Stand B73

Mediracer Nerve Conductivity Study

2008-11-18T12:44:00.000+02:00

The CTS test process!

Mediracer Veijo Lesonen viewing CTS test results

2008-11-17T12:47:00.000+02:00

The benefits of Mediracer CTS Test Device

2008-11-16T12:49:00.000+02:00

The Mediracer Handshake

2008-11-14T12:51:00.000+02:00

Looking for global partners at Medica 2008

2008-11-13T12:53:00.000+02:00

Alternative Medicine News | Alternative medicine news stories, Alternative Medicine information, Alternative medicine doctor directory. Breaking alternative medicine news stories

2008-11-12T07:04:00.000+02:00

I got a comment promoting this page and there is a very informative video about CTS.

Alternative Medicine News | Alternative medicine news stories, Alternative Medicine information, Alternative medicine doctor directory. Breaking alternative medicine news stories: "Carpal Tunnel

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome also called repetitive strain syndrome results when a nerve that supplies that hand called the median nerve becomes repeatedly compressed.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome happens in a place in the wrist called the carpal tunnel. The bottom of this carpal tunnel is made up of wrist bones and the top is hemmed in by a transverse ligament. Fatigue, tingling and cramping along with stiffness of the hand are among the symptoms. The problem happens because the carpal tunnel is so tightly bound that it has no place to expand if overuse and inflammation occur. The resulting pressure begins to crush the median nerve supplying the hand. At first, anti-inflammatory drugs and splints can help. More advanced cases may require surgery. This will involve cutting the tendon although now some new, non-surgical techniques can stretch the tendon giving more room for the nerve itself. If untreated, permanent disability may happen. If untreated, permanent disability may happen."

U.S. Army HOOAH 4 HEALTH.com - Occupational Health: Safety in the Work Area Environment - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

2008-11-10T21:24:00.004+02:00

I've been writing about work related carpal tunnel syndrome for over a year. With time I find more areas where we're most probably facing this common health problem. It leads me to think that we should test people working in fields where the possibilities for CTS are high. Mediracer is a mobile diagnostic tool. It is a perfect, practical, and low cost solution while connected to a telemetric diagnostic service.

U.S. Army HOOAH 4 HEALTH.com - Occupational Health: Safety in the Work Area Environment - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: "Carpal Tunnel Syndrome | Hand Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is damage to the median nerve caused by a sustained increase in pressure from awkward posture, direct compression, or inflammation. CTS is commonly diagnosed as an upper extremity work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSD). It can lead to permanent disability if not detected early and treated properly.

What is the Carpal Tunnel?

When you perform a task using your hand, muscles in your forearm flex your wrist and fingers. Those muscles are connected to the wrist and fingers by tendons (bands of tough, nonstretchable, flexible fibers that connect the muscles to the bone)."

HOOAH 4 for Health continues...

CTS Symptoms

Burning pain.

Numbness.

Tingling in the thumb and first two or three fingers.

These symptoms may:

Radiate to the forearm.

Frequently occur at night.

Make simple tasks, such as tying shoelaces, difficult because of weakness or numbness.

Workplace Risk Factors Associated with CTS

Hands held in fixed positions with steady pressure over prolonged periods (e.g., gripping a drill).

Repeated wrist and finger flexion (e.g., using a trigger-operated hand tool) or alternating flexion and extension (e.g., painting).

Light, highly repetitive wrist and finger movements (e.g., typing or data entry).

Prolonged strenuous use of the hands (e.g., molding materials).

Repeated pinching or grasping (e.g., stapling).

Vibration, particularly associated with power tools.

Bending the wrist toward the little finger while working (e.g., typing).

Quick, repetitive dynamic activities (e.g., scanning items in a checkout line).

There is an additional comment...

This fact sheet is presented as guidance and should not be substituted for a professional medical examination and proper treatment of CTS.

What is the evidence that vibratory hand tools cause carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS)?

2008-11-08T21:37:00.001+02:00

What is the evidence that vibratory hand tools cause carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS)?: "We found a 2007 systematic review that assessed occupational risk factors for carpal tunnel syndrome, they concluded that there was “reasonable evidence that regular and prolonged use of hand-held vibratory tools increases the risk of CTS is > 2-fold”. We have reproduced below the reviews discussion on the use of vibratory tools," says ATTRACT on its homepage. Read also what is written in italic below:

This document is presented for information purposes only. The document cannot and should not be used as a basis for diagnosis or choice of treatment, and is in no way intended to replace professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner. ATTRACT is not responsible or liable for, directly or indirectly, ANY form of damage whatsoever resulting from the use/misuse of information contained in or implied by these documents.

“In the United Kingdom, the current prescription of CTS as an occupational disease for social security purposes is limited to occupational use of hand-held vibratory tools. We found seven reports that support a substantially elevated risk from work of this kind. Four studies related to specific occupations (quarry/rock drillers, stonemasons, forestry workers and aircraft engine workers—mainly grinders, polishers and buffers), while two case–control studies and one household community survey suggested an association with hand-held vibratory tools in general. Among these investigations, one confirmed the diagnosis of CTS in cases by measuring nerve conduction, two focused on cases identified through hospital and surgical records, one involved self-reported but ‘medically called’ CTS and the remainder relied on clinical history and examination. Two other papers reported a high prevalence of CTS (20–26%) in male forestry workers, but without providing comparative data on controls," informs ATTRACT.

ATTRACT was created in 1997 in response to a large needs assessment exercise carried out with members of the primary care team in Gwent, South Wales. Clinicians were keen to practice 'evidence-based medicine' but found that they didn't have the time and/or expertise in which to keep 'up to date'. What the clinicians wanted was rapid access to the literature via a mechanism that meant that they had minimum resource implication for them. Our findings were broadly in line with those published by McColl et al (click here for full text article).

US Presidential Election Map 2008

2008-11-04T22:10:00.000+02:00

Proinflammation and antiapoptosis related gene expression in carpal tunnel syndrome -- Kim et al. 48 (1002): 465P -- Society of Nuclear Medicine Annual Meeting Abstracts

2008-11-03T10:10:00.004+02:00

I decided to concentrate on Carpal Tunnel Syndrome reports from South Korea. The reason for my curiosity is based on improved flight connections between Helsinki-Vantaa and Seoul. I wrote about that in my previous post yesterday.

Susan K.N. is also checking to find out for potential connections with ties to CTS diagnostics. South Korea has a population of 49 million people. It's one of the major economic powers and one wealthiest countries in Asia.

I need to find more background information and will bee looking for articles and research papers from places like Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Samsung Medical Centre, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea and Eulji University School of Medicine, Daejeon, South Korea.

Here is a CTS study made in South Korea.

Proinflammation and antiapoptosis related gene expression in carpal tunnel syndrome -- Kim et al. 48 (1002): 465P -- Society of Nuclear Medicine Annual Meeting Abstracts: "Objectives: Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is one of the most common disorders by under pressure of the median nerve at the wrist in these days.

However, pathological mechanism of CTS is unknown. We carried out this study to identify the changes of gene expression and to evaluate possible mechanism in CTS.

Methods: 120 CTS patients and 30 control patients were included in this study. Patients with a history of:

diabetes,
hypertension,
thyroid diseases, and
arthritis were excluded.

CTS patients were divided to three experimental groups-Mild, Moderate, and Severe group-according to elecrodiagnosis.

Helge: I guess electrodiagnosis means ENMG and / or nerve conductivity measuring (e.g. made possible by the Mediracer hand-held device.)

Radioactive cDNA microarrays (Nylon membrane including 1,152 genes) were used to examine the difference of gene expression profile in CTS..."

Helge: Here is information about the researchers involved.

Research Support (if any): We thank Dr. Yoon S. Cho-Chung (CellularBiochemistry Section, BasicResearch Laboratory, CCR, NCI, NIH,Bethesda, MD) and Dr Kevin G Becker (DNA Array Unit, NIA, NIH,Baltimore, MD) for valuable advices on cDNA microarray. Thisstudy was partially supported by grant of the Korea Health 21R&D Project, Ministry of Health and Welfare, R. O. K (Hmp-00-GN-01-0002& 03-PJ10-PG13-GD01-0002). This work was partially supportedby the Korea Science and Engineering Foundation (KOSEF) grantfunded by the Korea Government (MOST) (No. R13-2003-016-03002-0& No. M20502240001-06L0224-00111).

Information about South Korea from Wikipedia

South Korea is a major economic power and one of the wealthiest countries in Asia. It is a developed country with a high standard of living, having a trillion dollar economy that is the third largest in Asia and 13th largest in the world.

Forming the G20 industrial nations and the world's top ten exporters, it has the world's sixth largest foreign exchange reserves and is defined as a High-income economy by the World Bank, a Developed market by the FTSE Group and an Advanced economy by the IMF and CIA. South Korea and Japan are the only two OECD members in Asia.

Today, the Asian Tiger is leading the Next Eleven nations and is one of the world's fastest growing developed economies. South Korea has a very high-tech and modern infrastructure, and is a world leader in technologically advanced goods such as electronics, automobiles, ships, machinery, petrochemicals and robotics, headed by Samsung, Hyundai and LG.

Korean Teenagers To Develop Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Due To Text Messaging

2008-11-02T23:16:00.002+02:00

Today I got an idea that we should be taking a closer look at the South Korean market. Mediracer has an office close to the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport and Finland opened a direct flight to Seoul in June 2008. We've

Korean Teenagers To Develop Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Due To Text Messaging: "Korean Teenagers To Develop Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Due To Text Messaging. Published 05/4/2007.

Tomi Charity

"Personally, I send no more than five messages a month. This is because I either chat on my laptop with people online or I ring them up for a voice call. I've never really found a need to send text messages, unless I know that the person on the other end won't be able to pick up the phone. And this is why I would never fit in if I were to move to Seoul," writes Tom Charity in Mobile Phones.

Sixty Text Messages a Day

According to a recent study, Korean teenagers aged between 15 and 19 send an average of 60.1 text messages a day. That works out to nearly 2000 text messages a month. What's more, the trend appears to be increasing, because when they got information about 2005, the average was just 59.5 messages per day. Young adults aged between 20 and 24 are less inclined to send text messages, but they still send quite a few, average 30.9 per day (22.6/day in 2005). Text messaging has become such a rampant problem in Korea that "it's not uncommon for people to develop carpal tunnel" syndrome.

Written by Tom Charity
Published in Mobile Phones

Helge: I came to this conclusion a few days ago when I visited the Helsinki-Vantaa airport. Olli arrived from Mexico City via Paris. The flight was a few minutes late and I'd the time to read some of the brochures and corporate magazines at the airport. Suddenly an idea struck me. Seoul isn't that far away from us. South Korea is a very industrialized nation. We import cars, electronics, mobile phones, gadgets, large screen tv-displays, components, and materials for Finnish production for 1,1 billion euros. The Finnish export to South Korea is only 600 million euros. What could we do to improve the import-export ratio? Why not export more mediracers!

Susan KN might have some ideas about how to penetrate the South Korean market. I'll write to her and ask what she thinks. We're still in the beginning. There is a need to do much more background research but the industrial structure of Korea clearly indicates that there must be a market for Mediracer.

Green Light from professor Mennen

2008-10-27T13:45:00.002+02:00

I got e-mail today. There will be one addition to the blog that is quoted below. I'll also copy paste it to the orignial post. It would be nice to get comments to this posting.

Dear Helge,

Professor Mennen is happy for you to use the article on your blog – and would like to add this paragraph to it

“Nerve conduction studies may be helpful only in certain cases of nerve compression syndromes eg. Carpal tunnel syndromes. This is because it has been shown that this type of special investigation unfortunately is not very sensitive and can result in false positive or false negative values. We rely more on high definition sonar , which shows the exact area of compression and it can measure the exact diameter of the nerve as well . Furthermore, sonar can be done ‘dynamically’ ie. by flexing muscles through which a nerve passes, or flexing joints eg. the wrist, kinking of the nerve can be observed accurately.”

Kind regards

Marita

I spoke with Pasi Karsikas about Medica 2008 in Düsseldorf

2008-10-26T15:22:00.004+02:00

I was searching for companies present at the Medica 2008 in Düsseldorf and learned from
Exhibitors & Products 2008 about the Company Profile of Contex:

Number of employees 1-19
Sales volume <>
Year of foundation 1999
Area of business Physiotherapy / Orthopaedic Technology / Occupational Therapy

Under the Company Profile is a short explanation of CTS.

What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)?

"Carpal tunnel syndrome is a painful progressive condition caused by Compression of a key nerve in the wrist. It occurs when the median nerve, which runs from the forearm into the hand becomes pressed or squeezed at the wrist. The Carpal tunnel is named for the area of your wrist containing thecarpal bones, the transverse carpal ligament (connecting two outside carpals together), the median nerve and the tendons controlling finger and hand movement. Pressure on the median nerve may occur due to an injury (for example, a sudden bending back of the wrist), or sustained pressure from activities like typing/keypunching, chopping, hammering or pushing," informs the Medica 2008 web page.

More information to find here. I'll write more about the exhibition in the coming weeks.

Professor Ulrich Mennen, South Africa, about hand and related injuries

2008-10-24T06:23:00.007+03:00

I got an interesting email from Editorial Director Marita Kritzinger. I'll send this posting to her and she can forward it to Professor Ulrich Mennen for approval.

Dear Helge,

Since we last spoke about carpal tunnel syndrome and dentists, I interviewed a South African hand surgeon, Prof Ulrich Mennen, who had some interesting points about the definition of CTS and brings a South African perspective to diagnosis and treatment of it. I’ve attached the article for your interest. If you’d like to publish any of it on your blog, I’ll check with him if he’s ok with that – but I don’t think he would mind.

Kind regards

Marita

In your hands

The ability to practice dentistry is reliant on a number of factors, not least the physical presence of your hands. In line with the approach of dental ergonomics, which encourages a deeper awareness and respect for your hands and spine, renowned hand surgeon, Professor Ulrich Mennen (South Africa), talks about the hand and related injuries.

Question: What makes the human hand unique, compared with other animals such as primates?

Ulrich Mennen: The human hand is by far the most developed prehensile organ among all living creatures. The sense of touch in all modalities (light touch, deep touch, pain awareness, proprioception, temperature appreciation, two-point discrimination, stereognosis, vibration) is better developed in the human than in any other mammal. Touch, combined with the highly developed extrinsic and especially the intrinsic muscle function, enables the human hand to perform a wide spectrum of highly sophisticated activities.

This highly developed effector, and at the same time affector, organ further serves to communicate with the surrounding world. Hand language, as part of body language, is a powerful tool for interacting in various ways: it ‘speaks’, it ‘sees’, it ‘hears’, it ‘expresses’, it ‘conveys’ and it ‘receives’. The hand also has a significant emotional dimension which reflects much of ‘me’.

The opposable thumb, unique to humans, preceded the development of the cognitive brain by a few million years. It allows precision and power grips. The combination of the dexterous hand and the brain with its ability of conceptual thought inaugurated modern technology.

Question: What are the most common workplace-related injuries of the hand that you see in your practice?

Ulrich Mennen: It is difficult to single out one or two most common injuries. One sees and deals with all types. Injury, by definition, refers to tissue damage. The cause of an injury may be mechanical, thermal, chemical, electrical, an auto-immune reaction, degenerative lesions, overuse, etc. The body’s response to these insults is always the same: inflammation. Inflammation is the first step towards healing. The aim of wound/tissue healing is to restore structural and functional integrity to damaged tissues. Tissue healing may be divided into three phases: the inflammatory phase, the fibroblastic (proliferative) phase and the scar maturation (remodeling) phase. Treatment should always match the phase of tissue healing as this ensures the most beneficial treatment outcome.

The most severe injuries are caused by a failure to adhere to safety measures as well as (in South Africa) unskilled or untrained workers who handle sophisticated and dangerous equipment e.g. presses, angle grinders.

Question: Do you have any general advice you could give to a person whose profession can make him/her prone to repetitive strain injury, particularly in the arm and hand?

Ulrich Mennen: The concept ‘Repetitive Strain Injury’ should be clarified first.

An article which I published in the South African Orthopaedic Journal in November 2000 setting out the viewpoint of the South African Society for Surgery of the Hand, lists some of the terminology that is used for this so-called condition. The debate about the usage of the term has been raging in industrialized countries, especially Britain, USA and Australia for quite some time.

Our stance in South Africa is:

Work related injuries naturally do happen. The clearest form is an injury on duty. These conditions should obviously be prevented and compensated.

Certain work activities aggravate symptoms. Any type of activity such as sport, home activities and work could aggravate an underlying condition or disease, which is not necessarily related to the work situation.

Most of the aggravated symptoms could be relieved by conservative management, hand therapy and custom-made splints, as well as improvement in the ergonomics of workstations and the work environment. [Helge: I agree]

The emphasis should therefore be to prevent the aggravation of symptoms, rather than the compensation of symptoms, which is based on a vague diagnosis.

Since prevention involves inspection of workstations and work environment, occupational therapists and especially hand therapists with an occupational therapy background, could do the necessary changes and recommendations. [Helge: I've spoken about this with physiotherapists and they agree based on practical experience]

As an example let us look at the common carpal tunnel syndrome. If the propensity exists for the carpal tunnel to be restricted in size (and there may be many causes for this e.g. gout , previous injury , hormonal changes , rheumatoid arthritis , normal age related wear-and-tear), then any repetitive activity such as typing may cause some swelling , which will result in median nerve compression , in turn causing ischemia (reduced blood flow) which then produces the typical symptomatology. Add to this the unphysiological functional position of wrist flexion while typing, and you have the perfect recipe for median nerve ischemia.
The same person will also develop Carpal Tunnel Syndrome if she were to knit or sleep with her wrists in flexion. Her work has only aggravated the condition. Surely the employer cannot be held responsible for the narrow carpal tunnel. Unfortunately, many interest groups (such as lawyers, trade unions etc) insist that the employers compensate these diseases. In South Africa fortunately we have resisted the demand by these interest groups to label our patients with unscientific diagnoses and subsequently force employers to pay compensation.

Question: What advances in hand surgery and hand therapy make it possible for people suffering from RSI to recover from their injuries and rehabilitate fully.

Ulrich Mennen: It is most important that a firm diagnosis is not made on vague symptoms or signs. Once the patient has been labeled with a diagnosis, it is virtually impossible to get rid of this diagnosis. The diagnosis should be based on firm clear scientific evidence. Furthermore, it is also important not to blame the work situation for an ailment if a direct link cannot be proven, for example such as an acute injury. Having said this, it is well recognized that certain conditions can be aggravated by inappropriate working conditions, and for this reason it is important that a survey should be done of the work situation and ergonomic recommendations be made by a qualified hand therapist with an occupation therapy background. Hand therapy has made huge strides in managing the symptoms and signs of work related disorders. The biomechanical understanding, as well as physiological basis of the tissue response to injury, is much better understood nowadays. Many effective modalities are available to address these conditions. Patients should be referred only to qualified hand therapists and not indiscriminately to ‘physiotherapy’.

Professor Ulrich Mennen has a private hand surgery practice in Pretoria, South Africa. He is head of departments of orthopaedic surgery and hand and micro-surgery at the Medical University of South Africa, MEDUNSA. He is a member of the SA Society for Surgery of the Hand, SA Orthopaedic Association, SA Society for Hand Therapy, SA Assocaition for Occupational Therapy and executive council member of the International Federation of Societies for Surgery of the Hand. His research areas of interest include bone healing and internal fixation, nerve suture (end-to-side-technique), moist wound management and tendon transfer.
Added this by the request of professor Ulrich Mennen:
“Nerve conduction studies may be helpful only in certain cases of nerve compression syndromes eg. Carpal tunnel syndromes. This is because it has been shown that this type of special investigation unfortunately is not very sensitive and can result in false positive or false negative values. We rely more on high definition sonar , which shows the exact area of compression and it can measure the exact diameter of the nerve as well . Furthermore, sonar can be done ‘dynamically’ ie. by flexing muscles through which a nerve passes, or flexing joints eg. the wrist, kinking of the nerve can be observed accurately.”

HELGE: Very interesting! I'd like to add all necessary links and references to this blog posting. What could we at Mediracer do to provide a focused occupational health service to dentists. My understanding is that the high-frequency vibration is one of the causes to "Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome" (HAVS) and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). I'd also like to suggest that someone from Mediracer vists you, Marita Kritzinger, to provide an hands-on demonstration of how easy to use the Mediracer is.

Background about Dental Learning Hub: Editorial Director Marita Kritzinger wrote me an email about a group of "crafts people" that have the potential to develop RSI and or CTS. I'd not written about dentists and carpal tunnel syndrome a single time before her email. Now there are several postings about this subject.

Please, send your comments. I'd like to see you folks discussing this posting.

Hand and Arm Vibration Safety

2008-10-21T11:38:00.001+03:00

I've been writing about different occupations that have the potential to produce Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Too much exposure to and hand arm vibration can cause "Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome" (HAVS) and carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS).

Help your employer to stop HAVS and carpal tunnel syndrome before they become a problem for you. A-Plant has implemented an identification system called the Traffic Light System. Read more about the traffic light system at the bottom of A-Plants web page.

When Are You at Risk?

You are at risk if you regularly use hand-held or hand guided power tools and machines such as:

Concrete breakers, concrete pokers.
Sanders, grinders, disc cutters.
Hammer drills.
Chipping hammers.
Chainsaws, brush cutters, hedge trimmers, powered mowers.
Scabblers or needle guns.

You are also at risk if you hold workpieces which vibrate while being processed by powered machinery such as pedestal grinders.

More information to be found through the link below.

HAND ARM VIBRATION SAFETY: "What is Hand Arm Vibration? Hand Arm Vibration is vibration transmitted into your hands and arms when you use hand-held powered work equipment.

What is Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome?

HAVS affects the nerves, blood vessels, muscles and joints of the hand, wrist and arm.
It can become severely disabling if ignored.
It includes vibration white finger, which can cause severe pain in the affected fingers.

What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a nerve disorder which may involve pain, tingling, numbness and weakness in parts of the hand, and can be caused by, among other things, exposure to vibration.

What Are the Early Signs and Symptoms to Look Out For?

Tingling and numbness in the fingers (which can cause sleep disturbance).
Not being able to feel things with your fingers.
Loss of strength in your hands (you may be less able to pick up or hold heavy objects).
In the cold and wet, the tips of your fingers going white then red and being painful on recovery.
(Vibration white finger). If you continue to use high-vibration tools these symptoms will probably get worse, for example:
The numbness in your hands could become permanent and you won’t be able to feel things at all.
You will have difficulty picking up small objects such as screws or nails.
The vibration white finger could happen more frequently and affect more of your fingers.

Companies could use the mobile Mediracer to check employees under risk of having CTS or HAVS. Potential users could be mining companies, civil engineering enterprises, construction companies, and numerous industrial enterprises.

HealthCampWv

2008-10-20T15:37:00.001+03:00

I've an idea about a HealthCamp about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome but have to learn how this example works out.

HealthCamp

An un-conference addressing the Transformation of Health Care through Social Networks, Open Standards and Web 2.0 Technology. This is part of the Health 2.0 movement towards participatory health care inspired the definition that Ted Eytan and others (including patients) evolved for Health 2.0:

Health 2.0 is participatory Healthcare
Enabled by information, software, and community that we collect or create, we the patients can be effective partners in our own healthcare, and we the people can participate in reshaping the health system itself.

You can even buy the T-Shirt for the event!

Date

March, 2009 (Provisional)

Location

TBD (To be determined)

Getting there

TBD

Budget

Incoming donations (cash, in-kind)

Interviewing people at Kalastajatorppa

2008-10-17T18:10:00.006+03:00

I visited the Scandinavian hand surgery days and had the opportunity to meet with hand surgeons and therapists from several countries.

Sweden
Finland
Estonia

We discussed the features, benefits, and advantages of Mediracer.

There is still a lot to do before we get decisionmakers from various countries and cultures to understand the FAB's of Mediracer, the distributed CTS-services and not last and least the advantages of the One Stop Clinic model.

We could save money and provide better services to patients, the society, and to corporations. Nevertheless, there is a long way to go before we get the message to all those who need to know.

The hand surgery days at Kalastajatorppa, Helsinki, Finland was one of the those days where we had the opportunity to spread the word the hand surgeons in leading positions in Scandinavian countries.

The Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Blog

2008-10-17T15:39:00.002+03:00

There is a movie "I got email." Now this is true for our CTS-blog as well. We've 20 to 40 readers a day for the original blog and the mirror blog in Wellsphere has also readers but I have no statistics for that.

Take a look at the email I received yesterday. I'd actually like to profile The One Stop Clinic in Leicester. Does anyone have video material or could we ask the OSC people to make one. It would be better to tell about those who use Mediracer and the people who have innovated the Blue Sky Orthopaedic One Stop Clinic model for CTS-diagnostics and Hand Surgery.

During the writing process I learn that we're running out of time for this featured video presentation. However, this is a reminder that we've to create stuff that can be sent immediately.

Any ideas? How could we get a video from the BSO people in Leicester for an upcoming request?

Hi Helge,

We are excited to recognize you in our new YES, WE CARE! Campaign that honors everyday heroes, like you, who put themselves on the front lines in the quest for a healthier, happier world by spending their time and putting their hearts and souls into helping others in need. We’re particularly excited to have this chance to honor you, for dedicating your time and writing to help people improve their health and well-being. We've nominated YOU as one of our Everyday Heroes!

As part of the YES, WE CARE! Campaign, we are creating a special video to highlight some of the amazing stories we’ve heard that demonstrate that caring for others is alive and well today all over the world. We would love to include YOUR story in the video! If you would like to send us a short video (cell phone or webcams are just fine!) about what moved you to start your blog, or to share a moving story of caring that you were involved in or heard about, we’d be happy to include it in the video.

You can also interview someone you think is an Everyday Hero, or tell their story. Please keep the length of your video between 20 seconds and 2 minutes. The video can be very casual and definitely does NOT need to be professional or polished - just be yourself!
Please send us the video ASAP, and no later than Sunday, October 19th.

We can't wait to see your videos and are looking forward to recognizing you and other Everyday Heroes you know for your extraordinary contribution to the world!

To submit your video, send us your video as an attachment via email to wecare at wellsphere.com. If you would like to send a video directly from your cell phone, just email me at Dr.Rutledge at wellsphere.com and I'll send you the cell phone number you can send a video-text message to.

Good health!
Geoff

--

Geoffrey Rutledge MD, PhD

Chief Medical Information Officer

Wellsphere

About Kim « Sunshine and Moonlight — A Journey with Multiple Sclerosis

2008-10-14T11:25:00.003+03:00

I learned about Kim through the Wellsphere portal. She is writing there just like myself. I sent her a "friend" invitation. Kim also has a personal blog where she has written about Carpal Tunnel and Multiple Sclerosis. My intention is to build a dialog with people suffering from CTS and to interview them online with Skype or using chat forums. I'd like to do the same with health care personnel from various parts of the word.

About Kim « Sunshine and Moonlight — A Journey with Multiple Sclerosis: "Somewhere around November 18th or 19th of 2007, I started feeling what I thought were Carpal Tunnel symptoms in my right hand. The symptoms included: tingling of my fingers, numbness, and I was having trouble typing. I went out and bought wrist guards, and things designed to help CT patients. The symptoms continued for about two weeks and I promised I’d visit the doctor after Thanksgiving.

Helge: CT wasn't her only problem. Her post continues.

"On the day after Thanksgiving, I woke up with blurry vision. I wear glasses, so I thought maybe I was in need of a new prescription. I could see, just not clearly. By Sunday, I started to notice that I was tripping over my words (and my feet); I felt like I couldn’t think of what to say when trying to talk, and the vision was worsening. (In retrospect, we think I may have been experiencing some other more silent symptoms for more than a decade without knowing what was going on. Falling down outside of a friend’s house for no-reason, vertigo, having difficulty seeing — getting dizzy — in rooms with bright, fluorescent light, swearing that I bought Diet Snapple and getting home and realizing I bought something totally different and not understanding how the wrong drink jumped into my cart at Wal-Mart. Those who know me know that those might have just been normal-Kim..."

Helge: Kim's Bio tells more about her. But there is more on her blog and in her Wellsphere blog. I've stumbled upon her personal blog earlier but didn't read about the CTS and MS problems she has written about. There was another blogger that caught my attention. Paul Brown is writing on Wellsphere and has a blog with the name "Healing Hands". His post about CTS caught my attention. I want to talk with him as well. Paul has an extensive IT background.

Repetitive motion of the hands, arms, and shoulders can lead over time to numbness, tingling, pain, and weakness in the arms and hands. These injuries are known by a collection of terms: Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI), Collective Trauma Syndromes, and by the most common term: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. While Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a specific diagnosis, the term is sometimes inaccurately used to describe any RSI that affects the hands.

Helge: Below is a kompressed version of Kim's BIO.

BIO:

Kimberly A. Fabrizio is the executive assistant to the President of Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. In her role, Fabrizio has liaison duties to virtually every division of the University and serves on the President’s Cabinet. Previously, Kim served as Education Director for WQLN Public Broadcasting of Northwest Pennsylvania (PBS/NPR); Newspaper in Education Coordinator for the Erie Times-News; and Manager of Career Advising for Triangle Tech. Kim holds a Master of Science degree in Counseling Psychology from Gannon University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech and Communication Studies from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania. She is currently pursuing her doctoral degree with the Fielding Graduate University, focusing on Educational Leadership and Change, with a specialization in media studies. Additionally, Kim is a former Advisory Board Member and Research Fellow of the Society for New Communications Research, and a graduate of the Grantsmanship Training Center, Los Angeles, California. She also serves as a high school writing coach for WriteAtHome, Inc. She has served as an adjunct lecturer at Gannon University’s Dahlkemper School of Business where she taught undergraduate courses in Marketing and Organizational Behavior. She also trains local organizations in the strategic planning and team-building processes.

McCain Plans Federal Health Cuts - WSJ.com

2008-10-07T20:47:00.001+03:00

I just arrived from Helsinki and while waiting for Irja at Café Kafka (Svenska Teatern) I was reading about the expensive medicare in USA. There are many citizens that don't take care about their chronic health problems. The article in Huvudstadsbladet mentioned diabetes and high blood pressure.

How about Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? Are people visiting their medical doctors at the right time? There are much more theraphies offered than in the Nordic countries.

John McCains wife had to visit a hospital while shaking hands with too many supporters a few months ago. But what about the less wealthy citizens? Are they looking for CTS diagnosis and a hand operation in time?

McCain Plans Federal Health Cuts - WSJ.com: "John McCain would pay for his health plan with major reductions to Medicare and Medicaid, a top aide said, in a move that independent analysts estimate could result in cuts of $1.3 trillion over 10 years to the government programs," writes New York Times.

The Republican presidential nominee has said little about the proposed cuts, but they are needed to keep his health-care plan 'budget neutral,' as he has promised. The McCain campaign hasn't given a specific figure for the cuts, but didn't dispute the analysts' estimate.

John McCain spoke about a town-hall meeting Friday at Colorado State University. "In the months since Sen. McCain introduced his health plan, statements made by his campaign have implied that the new tax credits he is proposing to help Americans buy health insurance would be paid for with other tax increases."

I'll also write about Barack Obama.

Ning Social Networking and Healthcare collaboration

2008-10-04T15:13:00.003+03:00

Ning provides the freedom to create your own worlds. I decided to write about a new social media platform that is a great way to attract people interested about "healthcare, medical, carpal tunnel syndrome,etc."

I've a KK-Net Ning where knowledge workers meet, share, interact, and learn from each other.

It would be nice to see you folks there interacting.

Welcome to KK-Net and this group to talk "Diagnostics Healthcare Wellness."

Diagnostics Healthcare Wellness

2 members

This group is still very small. I'd be glad to see more people talking about CTS, Mediracer, and hand surgery.

http://kknetwork.ning.com/

Prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome and median mononeuropathy among dentists -- HAMANN et al. 132 (2): 163 -- The Journal of the American Dental Association

2008-09-27T23:59:00.001+03:00

My interest for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome among dentists was motivated by an email I received a September 1, 2008 from Marita Kritzinger, Editorial Director, Dental Learning HUB.

We're now looking into this field while the "cross-sectional study, quoted below, demonstrates that a relatively highnumber of dentists have a prolonged median-ulnar latency, yettwo-thirds of the dentists affected are asymptomatic."

Mediracer could, in my view, be used as a device to do the occupational health testing for dentists. A mobile clinic focusing on crafts people might be a solution for many other occupations as well.

Therealso is a higher rate of hand and finger pain symptoms amongdentists than among the general population. This higher rateof pain is associated with dentists who reportedly work longerhours, says the report.

However, there appears to be no significant differencebetween the prevalence of clinically and electrodiagnosticallydefinite CTS among dentists and the rate among the general population.

I have to talk with Veijo Lesonen how such a service could be arranged and how the service could be distributed to reach those who should be diagnosed.

As in the general population, there are many dentists with slowingof the median nerve who are asymptomatic but may be at an increasedrisk of experiencing CTS in the future.

Prevalence of carpal tunnel syndrome and median mononeuropathy among dentists -- HAMANN et al. 132 (2): 163 -- The Journal of the American Dental Association: "Background. The authors undertook a study to determine the prevalence in dentists of abnormal sensory nerve conduction and/or symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, or CTS, the most common nerve entrapment syndrome.

Methods. In a cross-sectional study, dentists (n = 1,079) were screened during the American Dental Association’s Annual Health Screening Program in 1997 and 1998 by means of standard electrodiagnostic measures in the dominant hand and a self-reported symptom questionnaire. The authors diagnosed a median mononeuropathy from a 0.5- or 0.8-millisecond, or ms, prolongation of the median sensory-evoked peak latency compared to the ulnar latency. They diagnosed CTS if the subject also had accompanying symptoms of numbness, tingling or pain.

Results. Thirteen percent of screened dentists were diagnosed with a median mononeuropathy (using a 0.5-ms prolongation as the criterion), but only 32 percent of these had symptoms consistent with CTS (4.8 percent overall). When the 0.8-ms prolongation was used as the electrodiagnostic criterion, only 2.9 percent (overall) were diagnosed with CTS. People with diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and obesity were more likely to have a median mononeuropathy.

Conclusions. The prevalence of symptoms consistent with CTSin the dominant hand among dentists was higher than the prevalencein the general population. However, when electrodiagnostic confirmationis added, the prevalence of CTS was nearly the same as thatamong the general population.

Clinical Implications. Early recognition of CTS can lead tomore effective management. Education regarding ergonomic riskfactors can be an effective preventive measure."

A video about networking

2008-09-25T08:52:00.002+03:00

Find more videos like this on RecruitingBlogs.com

Peggy McKee - recruiter at PHC Consulting gives candidates great information and tips on how to network.

www.phcconsulting.com
peggy@phcconsulting.com

- how to network
- networking with Peggy

Dentists, ergonomics, RSI, and CTS

2008-09-22T13:46:00.001+03:00

Editorial Director Marita Kritzinger wrote me an email about a group of "crafts people" that have the potential to develop RSI and or CTS. I've not written about dentists and carpal tunnel syndrome a single time.

"Dear Helge, I recently came across your CTS blog – it’s a wonderful resource!! I am the editorial director of a new global information portal for dentists called Dental Learning Hub www.dental-learninghub.com. One of our projects for DLHub is a digital supplement for dentists and one of the sections focuses on ergonomics. Since dentists are quite prone to developing RSIs and CTS in particular and was wondering if you’d be interested to contribute a short article on the latest medical information on CTS and how dentists can seek treatment and look after their hands better."

Helge: Veijo Lesonen, Mediracer is a natural starting point for having a testing for those who are vulnerable. This could also be a theme for a lecture at some meetings were dentists are participating.

I’d be happy to include a link to your blog or any websites you are affiliated with on this topic. The other articles we already have for this section are all written by members of the European Society for Dental Ergonomics and I think your input would make a very good combination of content for our readers.

Helge: We'll dig into practical examples and write more about this subject within a few days.

Should you be interested to take part, I’d be happy to discuss this with you further. I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards

Marita

Helge: Sure, we are willing to take part in this.

CTS = Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
RSI = Repetitive Stress Injury
Dental Learning Hub

Global Health Partner - Quality through specialisation

2008-09-20T12:18:00.001+03:00

Global Health Partner - Quality through specialisation: I learned from the Swedish business journal Dagens Industri that Global Health Partner will be introduced on the Stockholm stock exchange in the beginning of october. Here is detailed information in Swedish.

About GHP

Global Health Partner is a second generation health care provider specialising in selected treatment areas, Service Lines, with unmet capacity or quality needs.

Our Service Lines

Global Health Partner aims to become a qualitative leader with strong local and regional market positions by building multi clinic networks within the selected service line areas.

Here is more details quoted from GHP web pages:

Orthopaedics

Background

Orthopaedic surgery is traditionally delivered throughout Europe in general hospitals, which offer a wide range of acute and elective specialties. It is our view that more effective and patient friendly treatment can be provided in specialised, high quality, holistically oriented centres, where the complete range of orthopaedic procedures can be provided alongside dedicated diagnostic services and comprehensive post operative therapies.

This service provision is also underpinned by models of care based upon defined, benchmarked and measured clinical pathways, giving opportunities for continuous clinical assessment and development

Strategy

The orthopaedics service line offers diagnoses, soft tissue & orthopaedic treatment and rehabilitation. The treatment is performed by a team of specialists in sports medicine who are in control over the entire process. The patients receive the best possible treatment by a team of internationally recognised specialists using evidence based techniques and modern equipment.

The other part of our orthopaedic Service Line offers prosthetic surgery, performed at both clinics.

Clinics

Partnership Opportunities

We invite leading specialists to become partners and co-owners of our clinics to secure aligned interests and co-owners of our clinics to secure aligned interests and full engagement."

Helge: We could start talking about the One Stop Clinic model for hand surgery. More information about Blue Sky Orthopaedic services here.

The Doctor Everyone blog

2008-09-15T07:57:00.001+03:00

I did find this blogger from Canada that we could cooperate with. I'll write to Doctor Everyone and discuss cooperation concerning CTS diagnostics and the potential for One Stop Clinics in Canada and North America.

Doctor Everyone: "Most people have to search long and hard to find real success ... solving serious and everyday health problems. Wouldn't you like to know every possible medical and holistic health option available to you?

Everyone has important health knowledge to share. People share health tips and stories with friends and family all the time. There is no better way to get the facts than from other real people who have had similar health conditions ... and found solutions. These health stories can give hope to fellow sufferers as well as helping other people look for the early signs of an illness. What Dr. Everyone.com is trying to do is to get all of this collective knowledge available and easy for others to find.

Dr. Everyone will be a place where you can get answers to your most important health questions and a place to share your health successes."

Here's your chance!

Share your health experience. Take our survey today and become a Charter Member of Dr. Everyone, when we go live in mid October... and help make a difference.

tw i tterbo

Name Bo
Location Toronto, Can. & Stuart, FL Web http://www.dreveryone.com

Bio Internet Entrepeneur - interested in health issues

Recently Reviewed another article for DrEveryone.com... Can Eating Organic Lower My Risk of Cancer?... can't wait to go 'LIVE' with site...

Veijo Lesonen supports the one stop clinic model

2008-09-10T20:46:00.005+03:00

Neurophysilogist Veijo Lesonen is the brain behind the mobile mediracer nerve conductivity measuring device for carpal tunnel diagnosis.

We had the opportunity talk at the Scandinavian Hand Surgery Days in Helsinki about future strategies of Mediracer Oy and the possibilities of One Stop Clinics for carpal tunnel diagnosis and hand surgery.

Hand surgeons agree that these mobile devices should or could be distributed to local hospitals or general practitioners.

Activity Based Costing calculations certainly support the benefits of the one stop concept but Mediracer still has a lot to do to get the message to decision makers.

I spoke with several hand surgeons during my visit to Helsinki. The message was quite clear: continue to inform and educate the decision makers. The one stop clinic idea is very good, hand surgeons understand the benefits, but more collaboration between university hospitals and the local hospitals (Terveyskeskus in Finnish) is needed.

Reporting from Scandinavian Hand Surgery Congress

2008-09-06T11:47:00.000+03:00

I’ve the pleasure to blog about to the Biennial Meeting of the Scandinavian Hand Society in Helsinki, Finland that took place last week 3.- 5.9.2009.

I had the opportunity to meet with hand surgeons, therapists, exhibitors, and of course the Mediracer team. We had a full day of informative and insightful discussions. One of the themes was the future prospect of One Stop Clinics for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome diagnosis and surgery.

The meeting organized by the Finnish Society for Surgery of the Hand and the Finnish Society of Hand Therapists took place at the comfortable seaside congress hotel Kalastajatorppa just five kilometres from the city centre.

I will write comments from hand surgeons and neurophysiologists:

Sahlgrenska sjukhuset, Gothenburg, Finland
Kuopio University hospital, Kuopio, Finland
Oulu University hospital, Oulu, Finland

The guest speakers represented the most innovative hand surgeons, scientists and hand therapists of recent years in Europe.

The main topics selected from the themes did show the most advancement and innovations or controversy.

The One Stop Clinic is an innovative concept that has to be considered from an Activity Based Costing point of view. Shortening the process from initial carpal tunnel diagnosis by a general practitioner (GP) and rapid advancement through the system for either treatment or hand operation would save both patient suffering, corporate and society health care money.

However, we still have to fight an uphill battle to get out the message of how important it is to have a distributed “nerve conductivity diagnosis” infrastructure.

Mediracer has an important message to those who are responsible for health care cost reductions, but we still struggle with how to get the right people to read and / or listen to the benefits of One Stop Clinics and distributed diagnosis.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A general practitioner, or GP is a medical practitioner who provides primary care and specializes in family medicine. A general practitioner treats acute and chronic illnesses and provides preventive care and health education for all ages and both sexes. They have particular skills in treating people with multiple health issues and comorbidities.

The term general practitioner is common in Ireland, the United Kingdom, some other Commonwealth countries, and Bulgaria. In the English-speaking countries the word medical practitioner is largely reserved for certain other types of medical specialists, notably in internal medicine.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome compared to visiting a dentist

2008-08-30T16:10:00.002+03:00

This time I'm writing about something that can be compared to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome diagnostic and hand surgery. Think about the way dentists are operating. They have the diagnostic tools in house and the provide the operational services at the same spot.

What about CTS? First patients go to General Practitioners, their personal doctor, and in case of a problem in their hand, the GP sends the patient to an EMG-laboratory. There is a long waiting time before the CTS-problem is diagnosed. Next in line is to wait for the hand surgery. Why don't we do this like the dentists do? All at one spot, YES. That's the way hand problems should be taken care off.

Mediracer has been a partner in this innovative project where Blue Sky Orthopedics is already doing it the right way. BSO is an One Stop Clinic. That's the way CTS should be treated on a global scale.

When are we ready to produce the video Future of CTS?

Future Dentistry and Health Care - keynote to dentists and dental profession on imaging, diagnostics, treatment, prevention, manufacturing, motivation, leadership, change management, dental practice. Conference keynote speaker Dr Patrick Dixon for 3M.

http://www.globalchange.com Future of dentistry, dentists and dental practice. Lessons from health care trends and the digital revolution. Future dental technology, diagnostics and three 3 dimensional...

Biennial Meeting of the Scandinavian Hand Society in Helsinki, Finland

2008-08-27T15:04:00.003+03:00

Welcome - Congreszon: "Welcome. The organizing committee has a pleasure to invite you to the Biennial Meeting of the Scandinavian Hand Society in Helsinki, Finland. The meeting is organized by the Finnish Society for Surgery of the Hand and the Finnish Society of Hand Therapists.

The congress venue is located at a comfortable seaside congress hotel just five kilometres from the city centre. The guest speakers represent the most innovative hand surgeons, scientists and hand therapists of recent years in Europe.

The main topics are selected from the themes that have shown the most advancement and innovations or controversy. Instructional courses will be prepared with special reference to our resident members.

A special afternoon for the workshops will be arranged on Wednesday afternoon before the get together party. We are sure that you will bring home lots of new ideas and warm memories from Helsinki."

I'll write more about this event. Mediracer is participating. Detailed information about Mediracer Ltd's role and participation is available through:

Seppo Nevalainen
Sales Director
Mediracer Ltd.
Teknologiabulevardi 3-5
01530 Vantaa
Mobile: +358 40 5018875
http://www.mediracer.com

Organizing committee

Jarkko Vasenius, chairman (jarkko.vasenius@kolumbus.fi)
Jouni Havulinna
Taneli Haapaniemi
Yrjänä Nietosvaara
Heidi Miettinen
Pasi Paavilainen
Tove Palmgren
Irmeli Parjo
Jorma Ryhänen
Hanna Uusitalo
Eero Waris
Anna Viinikainen

Scientific committee

Jouni Havulinna
Yrjänä Nietosvaara
Timo Raatikainen
Jarkko Vasenius
Martti Vastamäki
Simo Vilkki

Scientific committee (Therapists)

Kirsi Karjalainen
Riitta Keponen
Marisa Nikkonen
Pirjo Peurala
Tarja Rantala
Sanna Rautakorpi

Main Topics

Distal radius fractures

CMC I problems
CRPS
Microsurgery
Rheumatoid arthritis
Spastic hand
Surgery of the growing hand
Wrist instability

Guest speakers

Tim Davis, MD, UK
Jan Fridén, MD, Sweden
Marc Garcia-Elias, MD, Spain,
Maarit Gockel, MD, Finland
Lise-Lotte Hermansson, OT Sweden
Karin Holzer, OT, Austria
Rolf Habenicht, MD, Germany
Heli Lagus, MD, Finland
Marisa Nikkonen, OT, Finland
Tage Orenius, Psychologist, Finland
Margareta Persson, OT, Sweden
Francisco de Pinal, MD, Spain
John Stanley, MD, UK
Oili Tomminen, OT, Finland
Griet van Veldhoven, OT, OE, Norge
Simo Vilkki, MD, Finland

Näytä suurempi kartta

Dr. Geoff's MedBlog - Get Active, Connect, Live Well, Be Healthy

2008-08-26T08:26:00.003+03:00

Dr. Geoff's MedBlog - Get Active, Connect, Live Well, Be Healthy: "Welcome to Dr. Geoff's MedBlog.

Hi, and welcome to my new blog! My name is Geoff Rutledge, and I'm a physician, board certified in Emergency Medicine and Internal Medicine, who has practiced clinical medicine for over 20 years. I started my career in academia, where I carried out research to develop novel computer-based solutions in healthcare (I also have a PhD in medical computer science).

Helge: The CTS - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome blog is also a part of the Wellsphere where our message is "mirrorered" as a RSS feed. The same content can bee seen on Wellsphere and I think that can bring more readers from North America...and all over the globe.

Dr Geoff continues: "At Wellsphere, I am now working to build the next generation of online health. Simply stated, our mission is to help millions of people live healthier, happier lives. In this blog, I'm excited to discuss a variety of health and healthy-living topics from my perspective as a physician and a technologist. I'm delighted to tell you that we have created an amazing network of health professionals and prolific writers who will be publishing their very interesting articles and postings on Wellsphere as we launch our new health-focused topics and communities. To foster the spirit of the community, and to acknowledge the talent of my fellow healthcare professionals, I decided to use this blog to highlight some of the most interesting, informative, and timely articles from our network of medical experts.

Helge: We're a part of the community. You'll find my profile here >>

Dr Geoff says, "I hope you enjoy reading these features, and benefit from them -- please feel free to leave comments or suggestions to let us know what you think."

Helge: Id' be glad to have your comments as well.

Visit KK-Net

If you like to talk about how to use social media to advance medical innovations and new technologies in health care, please join this community. Please sign up and become a member and participate in the group discussions.

Sports Touch Article Musicians Nightmare

2008-08-21T09:39:00.001+03:00

Sports people, politicians, construction workers, barbers, rock stars, philharmonic musicians can have it. Below is an article about it. Mediracer could be used to make the diagnosis at the work site.

Sports Touch Article Musicians Nightmare: "A diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome or any repetitive strain injury of the arm and hand muscles is a musicians worst nightmare. No musician wants to think that their career may be over or limited. Without them, one can not hear or feel the rhythmic sounds and vibrations of a drum, strumming a guitar, touching the keys of a piano, playing the flute or hold the bow on the strings of a violin. The Hands are the most important instruments a musician has.

What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS)?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is the entrapment and compression of the medium nerve due to the over-use and over-strain of the muscles of the neck, shoulder, arm, forearm, wrist and hand. The median nerve, the nerve that goes through the carpal tunnel, originates in the neck, descends down through the shoulder joint, through the elbow joint and through the wrist joint (carpal tunnel) and ends in the hand. It is the constant repetitive use of the muscles that will cause a misalignment of the bones that in turn reduces the functional integrity of the nerves, causing a loss of muscle strength. I also must preface that other nerves, the ulnar and radial nerves eventually become involved. It is the total movement of the upper body and extremity that affects the wrist and hand."

constant repetitive use of muscles that can cause misalignment of the bones
over-use and over-strain of the muscles of the neck, shoulder, arm, forearm, wrist and hand

Cindy McCain Sustains Minor Hand Sprain - Politics News Story - WDIV Detroit

2008-08-14T18:40:00.001+03:00

Cindy McCain Sustains Minor Hand Sprain - Politics News Story - WDIV Detroit: "Cindy McCain Sustains Minor Hand Sprain."

Supporter Squeezed McCain's Hand Too Much, Spokeswoman Says. Politics is hard work.

[NEWSVINE: Cindy McCain Sustains Minor Hand Sprain]
[DELICIOUS: Cindy McCain Sustains Minor Hand Sprain]
[DIGG: Cindy McCain Sustains Minor Hand Sprain]
[FACEBOOK: Cindy McCain Sustains Minor Hand Sprain]
[REDDIT: Cindy McCain Sustains Minor Hand Sprain]
[RSS] [PRINT: Cindy McCain Sustains Minor Hand Sprain]
[EMAIL: Cindy McCain Sustains Minor Hand Sprain]

Republican Sen. John McCain's wife has been treated for a 'minor sprain' after someone at a campaign event in Michigan shook her hand firmly.

A campaign spokeswoman said Cindy McCain left the West Bloomfield, Mich., campaign event Wednesday for X-rays at a local hospital after an enthusiastic supporter squeezed too much.

McCain's wife has had previous surgeries for carpal tunnel syndrome and the handshake exacerbated the condition.

Cindy McCain was traveling with her husband as he planned to attend three Oakland County fundraising events Wednesday, reported WDIV-TV in Detroit. He'll also meet with reporters at the Townsend Hotel in Birmingham, a site of one of his fundraisers."

Helge: I've been writing about work ergonomics as a way to avoid hand sprain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and / or RSI (Repetetive Strain Injoury). The supporters should bow in front of the candidates like in Japan ;)

Wikipedia about RSI:

A repetitive strain injury (RSI), also called cumulative trauma disorder (CTD), occupational overuse syndrome, or work related upper limb disorder (WRULD), is any of a loose group of conditions resulting from overuse of a tool, eg. computer, guitar or knife, or other activity that requires repeated movements. It is a syndrome that affects muscles, tendons and nerves in the hands, arms and upper back. The medically accepted condition in which it occurs is when muscles in these areas are kept tense for very long periods of time, due to poor posture and/or repetitive motions.

It is most common among assembly line and computer workers. Good posture, ergonomics and limiting time in stressful working conditions can help prevent or halt the progress of the disorder. It is also a problem for guitarists who play with very tensed muscles.^{[citation needed]} Stretches, strengthening exercises, and biofeedback training to reduce neck and shoulder muscle tension can help heal existing disorders.

Mediracer is an alternative method for CTS diagnosis.

Hand Surgery Carpal Tunnel Release

2008-08-12T18:50:00.003+03:00

Here is a YouTube video about carpal tunnel surgery and comments from people and patients.

guthixclauus (3 months ago)
my hand is feeling number, and its hard to bend my fingers. My mom says its carpal tunnel. Will I get surgery? And can I stop it from happening before my hand gets bad? Msg me someone...

Helge: We should talk more about early diagnosis and also about alternative treatments.

swtgal125 (3 months ago)
Wow, my hand does feel numb at times, do you think i have this? Please reply...

Helge: Did you visit a doctor? How about nerve conductivity testing?

o2demand (3 months ago)
Excellent clinical audio and video lectures.

Helge: The video is good, yes!

BIGmuzza46 (3 months ago)
CTS does not need surgery in most cases - what is effective is deep tissue massage releasing inflammation from muscle and tendons of the forearm and hand.

Helge: A masseur told me that we should watch our working style. Take a look in the mirror what positions you're taking during your working day. It's not possible for everybody, but computer freaks, barbers, office workers, assembly line workers, welders, etc. can check and adjust accordingly.

Haseeb2 (3 months ago)
The surgery is waste of money and time. Once the surgeon goes in and slices and dices, you'll never be the same. Your hand will never be at 100%.

Helge: The diagnosis should be made before it's too late.

zatch10013 (4 months ago)
Speak for yourself , I'm an advanced guitar player & just had the surgery on my fretting hand. Mine fucking hurt real bad! its getting better but now that i got the green light to start playing again my pinky and ring finger are quite sore & the pain medicine doesn't help. No numbness anymore but its going to take awhile for those two fingers to get solid again, I'm still fast but but when i do legato runs, that pinky feels like it did when i first started playing. But yeah, the surgery hurt bad to me.

Helge: Hope you will be able to play.

nicthekoch (4 months ago)
is it easy to get carpal tunnel for a person who uses a computer a lot a day? (3-4+ hours) and also, does age or gender(im 13, male) affect the risk of getting carpal tunnel? Plz reply :)

Helge: Research doesn't support this, but take care of your work site ergonomics. Take a look in the mirror, how you're positioned in front of your computer. There is a lot of good advice on Internet.

ShunShunRikka6 (3 months ago)
Yes, you will get carpel tunnel if you use the computer a lot. Females are most likely to get it because their carpel tunnel is smaller. I don't know anything about age though. I'm around that same age and I have CTS in both hands. If you value your hands cut down on your computer time!

Helge: It's true what you say about women, but we shouldn't generalize the computer as a cause for carpal tunnel. But I welcome more arguments about this matter.

SpraxIAKS (3 months ago)
Yeah. Though daily exercise and such will help prevent it. As I haven't been doing that, have been getting the symptoms lately. Though just normal things help prevent it. So don't play WoW. You'll get it then. :D

Helge: Good point that "daily exercise and such will help prevent it!"

Wellsphere publishes a CTS mirror blog

2008-08-06T11:55:00.003+03:00

Hello, Wellsphere uses the RSS feed of this blog to publish a mirror blog at Wellsphere. I've agreed with the arrangement as a measure to get more readers for the original blog. Here is an example of how the mirroring works.

Take a look here >>

Helge K.

San Francisco, California

Helge's Videos

Website/Blog
carpal-tunnel-syndrome-cts....

Add to my Friends

Send a message

Write on Whiteboard

My profile still says, I'm from California. I'll make the changes during this day and add a photo. Below is a more detailed presentation of Wellsphere.

Wellsphere health blogger network update #4

Hope you’re having a great week! I just wanted to give you a quick update on what we are doing to increase the visibility of your blog posts, the status of the health bloggers network and the pending WS3 release. I’m also excited to announce that we’re busy creating new, personalized badges for you to show off your status as one of the web’s leading health bloggers!
Network Update

I'm delighted to tell you that your network has continued to grow at a remarkable pace, with over 900 of the top health bloggers on the Internet now signed up! Every day we are carefully admitting a few more medical experts, healthcare professionals, and expert health bloggers whom we have hand-selected to participate in the new health communities on Wellsphere.

This week, we welcome the Rudd Center at Yale University to our network. The Rudd Center is a leading health and health policy organization within Yale University that focuses on the problem of obesity, both at the individual and the societal (health policy) level. They’re excited to join the network and share their research with the millions of people that come to Wellsphere each month to learn more about health and healthy living.

What most moves us is the warm feedback we receive from each of you, so I wanted to share some recent quotes from your fellow Health Bloggers:

“I would love to be featured on your site and am really committed to getting awareness for Lupus and the life we lead with it.”

- Molly McCabe [molly@mollysfund.org] Lupus: http://blog.mollysfund.org/

“I took a look at wellsphere.com and am impressed! Yes, I am very interested in your community!

…So - thank you for what you are doing!!!”

- Lynne Eldridge MD, MPH, Cancer prevention http://blog.avoidcancernow.com/

We would like to invite you to recommend your blogger friends, or other bloggers whose postings you like. Though our team is highly selective about whom we offer admission to our network, we promise to give your recommendations a special consideration.
Traffic Report

The number of people reading all of your postings on Wellsphere is increasing at an even faster pace -- we are currently on a rate of more than 2 million people each month! This means that you are participating in one of the top 10 of health websites in the world!
WS3 Release

We are very excited about the upcoming release of the new Wellsphere site (code name WS3). There is a wide array of new functionality in this release, along with more than 100 new health communities. Immediately upon release, WS3 will include your posts in your new health community! We have simplified many navigation features of the site, and worked hard to make it easier for people navigating the site to find and read your postings. We haven't officially announced the release date, but you will be the first ones to see the site before it goes live -- you can expect to hear more details on this early next week.
A Personalized Badge Just for You!

To mark your achievement of helping millions of people improve their health and well being, and being chosen to participate in the health bloggers network, we are preparing a personalized badge for you. This badge highlights you as a top blogger within your community and will help us distinguish you and highlight your postings on Wellsphere . Here is the design for the badge:

In addition to having a badge on Wellsphere, we encourage you to add this badge to your blog, as a mark of achievement and distinction. We'll provide you with the code and very simple instructions for how to do so next week.

For the badge, we will use the photo that is on your profile if you have already uploaded one. If you would rather have a different photo on your badge, or if you haven't uploaded a photo yet, go ahead and upload your favorite photo to your profile. If you prefer, you can also just send us your photo, along with the URL of your logged in profile, and we'll use it to make a badge just for you. Of course, you don't have to have a photo on your badge if you would rather not post your photo online.
Contact Me

I am delighted with all the great feedback I am receiving every week. As always, feel free to continue and contact me any time at my email: Dr.Rutledge@wellsphere.com or by calling me at (650) 345-2100. Also, feel free to send me items of news or anything else that you think your blogging colleagues in the network might enjoy, and I'll include them in our blogger newsletter. Also, I'm always happy to hear any feedback and suggestions for improvement (don’t hold back!). I'll make every effort to get back to you as soon as I can (please accept my apologies if it takes me a few days to get back to you, because my mailbox is overflowing).

Good health!
Geoff

--

Geoffrey W. Rutledge MD, PhD

www.wellsphere.com

If you prefer not to receive our exclusive health blogger network updates, please just reply to this e-mail with “Unsubscribe"

Dr Davis' Back & Wrist Pain Blog: Severe Hand Pain Out Of Nowhere?

2008-08-02T15:25:00.001+03:00

I was looking tat the Wellsphere space to see if our CTS blog is already there. Need to go back for a more detailed search. There was a message last month that a new service would be established. But in the meantime, here is what Dr. Eben Davis is writing about the extensive use of their hands. Mediracer is an innovative and low-cost tool for rapid and distributed diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Dr Davis' Back & Wrist Pain Blog: Severe Hand Pain Out Of Nowhere?: "Hand pain, just like any other symptom can be the result of a long standing problem that has been building silently... especially with someone that uses their hands a lot...day in and day out. So, computer operators, hair cutters, meat packers, and yes...office workers, are prone to hand problems...especially if they also have hobbies that involve extensive use of the hands. Hobbies like tennis, gaming, photography, painting, motorcycle riding, etc."

Job safety in the fishing industry and CTS

2008-07-28T16:22:00.003+03:00

Fishing is fun when you are doing it for leisure. But like any work, when you have to do it for work and to earn money, then fishing and fish processing does have its vulnerabilities.

Wrist and hand pain are common in the Fishing industry. Processing jobs tend to be far less dangerous than fishing jobs.

A found a web page explaining that in Alaska the most common problems were:

cuts, fish and jellyfish poisoning,
machinery-related injuries,
exhaustion, flu and colds,
carpal tunnel syndrome,
and alcohol and drug-related problems

I guess, some of these the problems are similiar around the globe. There are lots of jobs in agriculture and the fishing industry where hand pains are a potential threat to the workers health.

Processing work often involves repetitive hand and wrist movements that can result in forearm and wrist pain. At its simplest, the processing industry involves gutting fish. Most industry employees use knives to do this; more than a few cut themselves. The best ways to avoid cuts are to pay close attention to what you're doing and to wear protective gloves.

If you do cut yourself, bring it to the attention of your supervisor immediately. The carpal tunnel syndrome is another matter. How well do employees and the management know about CTS? What could be done to avoid it? Are workers in the processing industry screened or tested to find hand and wrist problems at an early stage?

Diagnostics of CTS

There are no international golden standard criteria for diagnosing CTS. Typically, the diagnosis is made based on each patient’s typical symptoms, clinical findings, and neurophysiological tests.

In Finland, neurophysiological tests are always done before deciding on surgery. ENMG test for suspected CTS cases is the most common or the second most common single test in both public and private laboratories (20-40% of all EMG tests).

Agricultural Safety and Health Program

In United States, the Maine Agricultural Safety and Health Program performed a needs assessment to determine the health and safety concerns of Maine's fishing community.

Information for the assessment was obtained from clinicians, focus groups of wives of fishers, and government agencies. Recommendations include, in part,

increasing surveillance,
reducing barriers to access,
increasing clinicians' knowledge about the fishing industry, and
fostering collaboration between agencies providing health and safety information to fishers.

CTS

Hand and wrist problems and fatigues are common complaints among processing workers. For most people the discomfort is mild and only temporary, but for a few it can develop into a more persistent and painful malady called carpal tunnel syndrome.

The symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome are pain in the wrist, which may seem to shoot up into the forearm or the palm of the hand, and numbness or tingling in the fingers and hand.

The pain is caused by swelling of the tendons and other tissue surrounding the main nerve serving the hand. Left untreated, it can become a serious problem. If you experience excessive pain in your wrists notify your supervisor.

Often people can use wrist braces which alleviate the strain on your hands, or you can be shifted to a job requiring less stress on their limbs. If the problem persists the employee should seek medical treatment, since left untreated carpal tunnel syndrome can cause permanent damage.

I found a Journal of Agromedicine

The Journal of Agromedicine examines evolving trends in emerging biotechnology and the globalization of agriculture, and the resulting political/economic effects of these trends upon the agricultural workforce and rural communities. Topics of special interest examined in the journal include:

occupational health and safety issues in agriculture
zoonotic and emerging diseases
food safety
health education strategies
public health

The impact of these changes upon the health and safety of the agricultural workforce, rural communities, and consumers of agricultural products are discussed in this journal.

Don't Fish yourself a carpal tunnel during the vacation

2008-07-22T09:32:00.008+03:00

It's summer time, vacation time, just when the living is easy.

Found this video showcasing how to avoid carpal tunnel syndrome while fishing.

This video includes the Turboset arm support to support your hand.

The music is also fun. I don't know if this is a serious problem. But if fishers can get it, how about golfers and tennis players?

The nick "FertilityStar" comments the video.

"This Turboset thing looks great!As soon as I start fishing again,I will be ordering one for myself and get one for my Dad. The hook set and pulling up big fish will be easy. My Dad always wanted something like this, but up until now it did not exist. Saw the web site and there is lots of cool stuff there. This old school rap is cool too!!! Made in US is good too."

Any comments to fishers getting carpal tunnel?

Insight into mechanisms of diabetes-induced microvascular disease reveals new therapies

2008-07-17T16:22:00.002+03:00

erku Insight into mechanisms of diabetes-induced microvascular disease reveals new therapies http://tinyurl.com/6b7j7x | I got this information through Twitter. I guess "erku" is Finnish and he is also connected to Huliq. Need to have a chat with him.

Insight into mechanisms of diabetes-induced microvascular disease reveals new therapies: "New findings from Bristol scientists could lead to future treatments to prevent lower limb amputations in diabetes - which currently affect 100 people a week in the UK (source Diabetes UK). The research from the University of Bristol is published online in Circulation Research and was funded by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) and the European Vascular Genomic Network of Excellence (EVGN).

Diabetes can have serious complications like gangrene and skin ulcers due to a restriction of blood supply to and healing capacity of the affected areas and this causes the dysfunction of cells lining the blood vessels. Legs and feet are often severely affected, and, after blood supply is obstructed or injury, the tissue seems to be unable to heal itself by growing new blood vessels making the situation much worse. If gangrenous wounds fail to heal amputation may be the only option."

Helge: How about diabetes and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? Would anybody like to comment?

Policy Exchange Research Notes

2008-07-15T08:47:00.006+03:00

ALL CHANGE PLEASE

Professor James Barlow, Jamie Burn, Gavin Lockhart

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The NHS’ performance in taking up and spreading innovations and existing best practice is variable. All Change Please is an inquiry into what can be done to improve this position.

All Change Please has been my summer reading. NHS is taking a deep dive into innovations and how to set them into practice in British healthcare. Mediracer has a role in this project. For more information, please, read this posting.

DEFINING OUR TERMS – WHAT IS ‘INNOVATION’ AND ‘BEST PRACTICE’?

We follow Greenhalgh et al’s description of innovation as ‘a novel set of behaviours, routines, and ways of working that are directed at improving health outcomes, administrative efficiency, cost effectiveness, or user’s experience, and that are implemented by planned and coordinated actions’.

Within this umbrella definition there are different forms of innovation – some innovations may be technological (such as a new medical device) and others may be changes in care practices or the organisational arrangements for delivering care. The boundaries are often blurred, however, with new technologies commonly requiring new practices or organisational forms for their successful introduction. Different strategies to encourage adoption and manage implementation are therefore necessary, depending on the nature of the innovation.

Mediracer is a technical device for distributed diagnosis of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Professional diagnostic services can be taken closer to customers and patients.

‘Best practice’ can be defined as the most efficient and effective way of accomplishing a task, based on repeatable procedures that are proven to work in practice. Examples of best practice can be found in pockets of excellence within the NHS, but often fail to spread.

Take a look at the Mediracer Medical Futures Award Gallery 2007.

Spreading innovation and best practice in the NHS typically involves two forces: a ‘push’ from government and commissioning organisations, as well as manufacturers, and a ‘pull’ from health service delivery organisations.

Local organisations do not have the capacity to identify, collect and assess every new technology coming to market, meaning that efficient central mechanisms are required to ensure all NHS patients benefit from important advances. But to embed best practice in every area, and update it with every new innovation, would be a huge drain on resources and would negate local ‘incremental’ improvement by returning to bureaucratic governance. Therefore, incentives for self-improvement are also required.

WellWidgets for CTS blog

2008-07-15T08:07:00.000+03:00

I'll take a look at WellWidgets and it might be a good idea to add it to this CTS-blog. I've to study it in more detail.

I also thank you Geoff for the offer to blog on wellsphere. Need to think how to manage my time and how much it will require.

Hi,

As one of the top healthy living bloggers on the web, we are excited to offer you our new WellWidgets free of charge to help you enhance your readers' experience. Our newly launched WellWidgets enable you to provide your readers with daily motivational boosts, healthy living tips, nutrition information search results, and recommendations for better menu choices - right from your blog.

We invite you to add any or all of these widgets to your blog for free in just a few minutes (It's quick and easy!) We have posted very simple instructions on our widgets page at: http://www.wellsphere.com/wellWidgets.s . Please feel free to grab whichever widgets you want, and please let us know what you think. We are always striving to do better.

Here's an overview of the three widgets we're currently offering to our blogger friends:

1. Wellevation – daily quotes and tips to boost motivation to recover, exercise more, eat better, relax and live well *

2. WellTips – daily healthy living tips on topics of your choosing **

3. Wellternatives – Wellsphere’s healthy menu item lookup and healthy alternative recommendation engine ***

Hope you enjoy them!

Geoff

P.S.,

My invitation to join our WellBlogger network is still open to you. Please feel free to contact me at Dr.Geoff@wellsphere.com if you're interested in joining our fast growing network so we can help promote your blog on Wellsphere (more than 500 leading health and wellness bloggers have already signed up). There is no charge and no extra work for you; all you have to do is say yes!).

Here are some examples of each widget on a blog:

* Wellevation: http://horsenponyfriends.ning.com

** WellTips: http://healthandrelaxation.com

*** Wellternatives: http://blondesiview.blogspot.com

--

Geoffrey W. Rutledge, MD, PhD

www.wellsphere.com

World of Health IT 2008 Conference & Exhibiton

2008-07-14T08:57:00.001+03:00

World of Health IT 2008 Conference & Exhibiton: "About WoHIT. The World of Health IT Conference & Exhibition has been designed for and by the healthcare ICT community in the European region including: technology end users, vendors, providers and policy makers.

Addressing the perspectives of clinicians, directors and other healthcare professionals, The World of Health ICT Conference & Exhibition offers:

Educational sessions
Vendor exhibitions
Best practice exchange
IHE Interoperability Showcase
Networking sessions
Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits

Designated as one of Europe’s six “lead markets” for innovation, eHealth is a rising star in the growing EU Economy. WoHIT’08 will focus on shaping and developing the use, implementation, and evolution of this pillar of the new European marketplace.

How will European Healthcare IT professionals rise to this new challenge? Be part of the journey at the 2008 World of Health IT Conference & Exhibition.

Pre-Conference Symposia

Held a day before the general conference begins, the pre-conference symposia are highly targeted programmes that address the critical issues that nursing professionals and physicians face today. These sessions provide a forum for interactive dialogue between both groups around the current challenges affecting healthcare and IT professionals and potential solutions to those challenges."

Health Care Policy Questions in UK and Mediracer

2008-07-08T12:17:00.001+03:00

I got this information through Veijo Lesonen with a more specific reference to this PDF and page 7 that I'll be quoting below the NHS Policy Exchange Information

Health: "The traditional model of the NHS has been characterised by a highly centralised management structure; successive governments have failed to delegate responsibility to a local level. Policy Exchange believe that Healthcare providers need to become embedded in their local communities and that strong public involvement in decisions about health and social care priorities is critical. Our research, whether into improving healthcare innovation or the role of the private sector, is from patients’ perspectives."

The quote on page 7 starts here.

The artificial barrier between health and social care is a further division. Social care is not part of the NHS system; yet caring for those with long-term conditions requires effective communication and collaboration between different professional teams that span this divide. This often proves difficult.

Cultural silos

“There’s no question that one of the barriers to innovative medicine in the UK is the medical profession. And they’re very, very conservative … I would argue, exceptionally so, to the disadvantage and detriment of their patients.”

Managers naturally rely on the advice and ideas of senior clinicians, because they lack clinical
training, and the culture of the NHS old guard is often characterised as conservative, parochial, and territorial. Clinicians are justifiably protective of their autonomy over clinical matters, but in some circumstances this can be used to resist uncomfortable changes, such as innovations that disrupt their professions, or the push for greater transparency through clinical audit. It is very difficult for managers to lead service change in the health service, and thus to respond to pressures from commissioners and the centre to improve quality.

Case Study 1: Mediracer diagnostic device (link to pdf)

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) causes pain and tingling in the hands and is 3-5% prevalent in the
adult population. Currently, diagnosis requires referral to a neurophysiologist, which can add up to six months to the treatment pathway. A new hand held device for diagnosing CTS has now been developed, which can be used in outpatient and primary care settings. The technology has been taken up by a team in Leicester, who created a one-stop clinic for diagnosis and treatment of CTS.

In less than two years they had secured over 90% of referrals from the Strategic Health Authority (SHA) saving the NHS £1.7 million and earning an innovation award from Medical Futures. Since publicising their work, the team has encountered significant opposition from third parties. For example, neurophysiologists argue that the test is not as accurate as the gold standard (the new test is sensitive (94%) and specific (98%) compared to a conventional EMG test performed by a specialist).

Instead of looking for ways to incorporate the greatly improved pathway and make sure problem cases are referred for further tests, there has been a resistance to dialogue.

This technology could greatly reduce waiting times and Medical Futures estimates the potential national savings to be over £72 million.

There are also divisions between different professional groups, who can have diverging interests. Tightly-knit professional networks can operate as channels for new ideas to spread.

But they also serve to create cultural divisions between professions, reducing the spread of innovations that impact on multiple clinical areas and require close inter-professional collaboration.

The simple rule for adoption in the NHS is; the more parties that are involved, the less likely it is to happen.

Helge: It looks like the climate for innovation adoption isn't much different in many other countries. Medical innovations are suffering while the field is limited to very large organisations with deep pockets. Mediracer has stubbornly continued to fight against a likewise stubborn opposition. But what if we would have a more adaptive environment? What could it mean for patients? And how about health care costs?

CTS - Mediracer Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Ulnar Nerve Function

Happy New Year 2012

Predicting Social Media 2012

Happy Christmas to all of you

Ulnar nerve according to Wikipedia

Mediracer UK Ltd. Oxford

New CTS Testing Poster Published by Mediracer user at SICOT

Mediracer UK Ltd. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Ulnar Nerve Testing

The Ulnar Nerve

UK is important

Macclesfiel District General Hospital (MDGH), East Cheshire, UK

The Carpal Tunnel Treatment Organization

Online shopping

Surgery on Twitter - Go where the people are

Medical Writing Goes Digital

50 Incredible Open Lectures on Global Health | Online Nursing Programs.net

Electronic medical records draw frequent criticisms - washingtonpost.com

Health sector about to embrace Web 2.0

IMESO GmbH Medizinische Online-Dokumentation

OLGA Online Guideline Assist

mPRO - Mobile Patient Reported Outcomes - Gather high quality patient reported data in a timely and efficient manner with tools from Vodafone Global Enterprise

SpringerLink - Book Chapter - Mobile Medical Data

UpCode - Ignite Your Imagination - UpCode Ltd.

The power of Twitter – brain surgeons and students tweeting real time during operation | Healthy Conversations

Hospitals Reach Deal With Administration - washingtonpost.com

Healthcare Economics

Bronte Nursery - Intelligent Daycare

Suunto's Extreme Measures

Innovating well-being

Las Vegas

Robert J. Samuelson - Obama's 'Post-Material' Economy - washingtonpost.com

Healthcare Future

Medical Technology Distribution

Sutter Medical Center Castro Valley

Electronic Medical Record Systems

Innokas Medical - company

Global Health and Healthcare Innovtions

Industry News | Healthcare Finance News

Global Collaboration with CTS specialists

More direct contacts every day

Early Years of Surgical Training | Supporting and Encouraging Surgical training

Close to Customers and Healthcare Professionals

Redesigning Strategy

IngentaConnect Table Of Contents: The Royal College of Surgeons of England

Surgical Innovations in UK

Inspire Year 2009

AlEwan Medical in Middle East

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2009

DB’s Medical Rants » but patients cannot find a doctor

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome As an Occupational Disease

Allan Cox's video and Your Inner CEO

OsteoTec Ltd. Mediracer's partner in UK

Mediracer news from UK

Tools for bones is Mediracer's Swiss partner

New contacts from Medica 2008

Mediracer Medica 2008 Düsseldorf, Germany

Mediracer Nerve Conductivity Study

Mediracer Veijo Lesonen viewing CTS test results

The benefits of Mediracer CTS Test Device

The Mediracer Handshake

Looking for global partners at Medica 2008

Alternative Medicine News | Alternative medicine news stories, Alternative Medicine information, Alternative medicine doctor directory. Breaking alternative medicine news stories

U.S. Army HOOAH 4 HEALTH.com - Occupational Health: Safety in the Work Area Environment - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

What is the evidence that vibratory hand tools cause carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS)?

US Presidential Election Map 2008

Proinflammation and antiapoptosis related gene expression in carpal tunnel syndrome -- Kim et al. 48 (1002): 465P -- Society of Nuclear Medicine Annual Meeting Abstracts

Korean Teenagers To Develop Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Due To Text Messaging

Green Light from professor Mennen

I spoke with Pasi Karsikas about Medica 2008 in Düsseldorf

Professor Ulrich Mennen, South Africa, about hand and related injuries

Hand and Arm Vibration Safety

HealthCampWv

Date

Location

Getting there

Sponsors

Budget

Interviewing people at Kalastajatorppa

The Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Blog

About Kim « Sunshine and Moonlight — A Journey with Multiple Sclerosis