04/17/2013
A contest launched by HHS, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT and the Health Resources and Services Administration is seeking programmers to develop applications based on a children's health text message database. Modern Healthcare.
04/17/2013
A study by researchers from the United Kingdom finds that a mobile health application might be a more effective weight loss intervention than a paper or online food diary. According to the study, app users lost an average of 10 pounds over six months. Time's "Healthland" et al.
04/16/2013
After Myriad Genetics stopped providing access to its massive database of gene mutations, a team of researchers launched a grassroots project to gather the information by asking geneticists and clinics to share de-identified data from Myriad's gene test reports. New York Times.
04/16/2013
In the aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings on Monday, emergency response teams used social media channels to disseminate information to the public. In addition, organizations like the American Red Cross, Google and the Boston Globe provided online resources to help friends and family locate each other and to help displaced individuals find a place to stay. FierceHealthIT et al.
04/15/2013
For a new study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers used data from Google Trends to track how online searches for mental health-related terms increased and decreased during certain seasons. MedPage Today's "The Gupta Guide," InformationWeek.
04/09/2013
A review article finds that electronic media-based health interventions are associated with improved health outcomes for teenagers. Some of the digital interventions rely on computer games, simulations or Web-based programs. MedPage Today's "The Gupta Guide."
04/08/2013
A report from McKinsey & Company finds that the health care industry could save up to $450 billion annually by using "big data." However, the report notes that the health care industry will need to make changes to realize such savings. Wall Street Journal's "CIO Journal" et al.
04/05/2013
A Pennsylvania State University study finds that negative views on vaccinations spread more easily on Twitter than positive views. It also finds that intense exposure to pro-vaccination tweets boosted users' likelihood of expressing anti-vaccination views. Toronto Star, Everyday Health.
04/03/2013
In a Journal of the American Medical Association viewpoint, experts write that electronic health record systems currently are not able to handle the storage of "big data," such as an individual's complete genome. United Press International, Feinberg School of Medicine release.
04/03/2013
President Obama has announced a brain mapping initiative to discover new ways to treat Alzheimer's disease, stroke and other neurological conditions. The project is expected to require the use of new and not-yet-invented data processing and imaging tools. InformationWeek et al.
04/02/2013
According to a study published in the journal Science, Stanford University researchers have developed a biological computer that fits inside a living cell and could detect disease, count cells or eliminate bad cells. Such internal computers potentially could communicate by engineering certain cells to change their color or other characteristics. FierceHealthIT, Contra Costa Times.
04/02/2013
Health information exchanges and health care providers increasingly are using image-sharing tools to facilitate the exchange of test results. The federally funded Image Share project allows patients to share results via email on a password-protected website. Wall Street Journal.
04/02/2013
A study finds that text message reminders did not increase influenza vaccination rates among pregnant women. However, most study participants said that they enjoyed receiving the text messages and that their prenatal care was more satisfying with the reminders. Reuters.
03/29/2013
CMS has launched an online dashboard to provide researchers with access to federal data on Medicare beneficiaries who have multiple chronic illnesses. CMS officials say the tool will help support efforts to cut costs and improve patient outcomes. Modern Healthcare.
03/28/2013
For a study, researchers used computer models to study how cancer spreads in the body. They adapted their models from Google's PageRank algorithm and the Viterbi algorithm, which helps predicts the path of a cellphone signal through a wireless network. U-T San Diego.