Online prescription

Shopping Medical Guide

2006-06-14T18:29:00.000-07:00

Consumer Reports Medical Guide Informs Consumers Shopping for ...
U.S. Newswire (press release) - Washington,DC,USA
... herbs, vitamins and nutritional supplements, and other ingredients that are widely available to consumers without a prescription in stores and online. ...

To provide consumers with the critical information they need when considering natural supplements in a marketplace with little consumer protection, Consumer Reports Medical Guide (http://www.consumerreportsmedicalguide.org) has prepared answers to frequently asked questions about nutritional supplements. With over 50,000 supplements currently on the market and close to 1,000 new supplements introduced each year (1), it can be difficult for consumers to differentiate which products are safe and effective from those that either don't work at all –- or can cause serious harm. These are available free to non-subscribers at consumer reports

Health editors and researchers at Consumer Reports broke down the need-to-know facts on the regulation, ingredients and possible side effects of natural supplements, as well as proven safe and unsafe supplements. Plus consumers will find tips for finding trustworthy brands and easy-to-understand objective answers, helping them face the health-food aisle informed and with confidence. Some take-away tips to keep in mind:

-- Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, most supplements get less scrutiny from the FDA than a pack of cough drops;

-- Some supplements are anything but 'all natural', with contaminants such as heavy metals, pesticides and bacteria; a few have even been found to contain prescription drugs;

-- No supplement has consistently demonstrated through clinical studies that it can help people lose weight;

-- Many supplements can interfere with prescription or over- the-counter medications or cause dangerous side effects –- be sure to let your doctor know what supplements you're taking -– even if you think they're harmless;

-- Certain supplements may prolong the effects of anesthesia, cause excessive bleeding or raise blood pressure; patients undergoing surgery should discontinue use at least two weeks before a procedure;

-- With the exception of prenatal vitamins, there's simply not enough evidence to predict how dietary supplements could affect a pregnancy. The same kind of logic follows for children. Unless there's a good reason for a pregnant woman or child to take a supplement –- then don't;

-- Consumers may benefit from choosing supplements from a well-known manufacturer or a product with a quality control seal from an organization such as the U.S. Pharmacopeia.

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lack of insurance difficults access to prescriptions

2006-06-16T09:08:00.000-07:00

Children in Large Families May Get Smaller Share of Health Care
Health Behavior News Service - USA
... Effects of family structure on children’s use of ambulatory visits and prescription medications. Health Services Research (online), 2006.

Children living with many siblings or with adults in addition to their parents visit the doctor less often and use fewer prescriptions than children in more typical families, according to a new analysis.

The findings are not due to demographic or socioeconomic factors, parental education, child-rearing experience or children’s health status, say authors Alex Chen, M.D., at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and José Escarce, M.D., at the University of California, Los Angeles.

The authors attribute the results to finite parental resources. “As there are more demands on a parent’s time and money … each child may receive less,” said Chen.

“Policies that provide support for working parents … may enable them to take their children for care,” concludes the study in the current issue of Health Services Research.

The authors analyzed data from a nationally representative survey on the use of medical care. The survey included 26,401 American youngsters under 18 living in two-parent families or single-mother families. There were not enough single-father families to include in the study.

The data indicate that children of single mothers receive less care than those in two-parent families; however, these differences can be explained by other family traits such as poverty and lack of health insurance.

In contrast, children in families with four or more other children make only about four-fifths as many visits to doctor’s offices or emergency rooms as otherwise similar single-parent families. The effect of a large family on a child’s prescription drug use rivaled the effect of being uninsured and was larger than that of poverty.

The presence of nonparental adults — such as grandparents or a single-mother’s boyfriend — is also linked to less health care for children in the household.

The study notes that the data did not shed light on the health consequences of the difficult choices that many parents face. Nevertheless, said Chen, it’s clear that “today’s health care is very complicated, and it takes a lot of time and energy to get what you need.”

More family leave days may enable working parents to take their children for needed care, suggest the authors. They also say that health care providers should also monitor children with many siblings and those in cohabiting households more closely.

Simplified application and income certification processes for Medicaid would also go a long way toward helping overloaded parents, says Matthew Davis, M.D., a University of Michigan pediatrician and internist with additional expertise in public policy. “That’s an arena in which some states have really innovated with regard to online applications and other means of keeping children enrolled,” he said.

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online bird flu remedies

2006-06-16T09:03:00.000-07:00

Beware of online bird-flu remedies
Consumer Reports (subscription) - USA
Online sellers of prescription drugs and supplements are trying to cash in on bird-flu fears by promoting treatments that are unnecessary, ineffective, or ...

Online sellers of prescription drugs and supplements are trying to cash in on bird-flu fears by promoting treatments that are unnecessary, ineffective, or potentially harmful. Beware of the following types of sales pitches:

"Stock up on antivirals before supplies run out!" Hoarding supplies of the prescription flu drugs oseltamivir (Tamiflu) or zanamivir (Relenza) is a bad idea. Private hoarding could worsen current worldwide shortages and hamper efforts to make emergency supplies available to those who need them the most in case of an emerging pandemic. And having a private supply at home could tempt you or your family to take the medicine when it's not needed--when you merely have a bad cold, for example. That exposes you to possible side effects and may help increase resistance to the drug.

"Best Tamiflu prices online, no prescription required!" The chance of buying counterfeit drugs is another reason to avoid Internet pharmacies promoting flu prescriptions. The Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency have intercepted shipments of "generic" Tamiflu containing just vitamin C and other ineffective substances.

"Natural virus shield prevents bird flu!" We could not find any published scientific evidence to support claims that herbs or supplements prevent bird flu. The FDA has taken action to stop the manufacturers of more than a dozen products from making misleading and unsubstantiated claims about bird-flu protection. One substance heavily marketed for flu, colloidal silver, has no proven use against any illness, and even low doses can eventually build up to toxic levels in the body. Scanty evidence suggests that black elderberry syrup may ease the symptoms of seasonal flu. Whether it would help with bird flu is not known. And there's no guarantee that herbs or supplements contain what their label says, since these products are virtually unregulated by the government.

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online pharmacies

2006-06-14T18:42:00.000-07:00

Schumer pushes bill to crack down on illegal online pharmacies ...
Mid-Hudson News - Newburgh,NY,USA
... a new three-point plan that he says will crack down on illegal online pharmacies and combat the growing epidemic of teenagers using prescription drugs to get ...

In light of new reports of rampant prescription drug abuse by teenagers, U.S. Senator Charles Schumer Wednesday announced a new three-point plan that he says will crack down on illegal online pharmacies and combat the growing epidemic of teenagers using prescription drugs to get high. While overall drug use is down, abuse of prescription drugs among kids between the ages of 12 and 19 remains more common than regular use of cocaine, methamphetamine, or ecstasy. Schumer released a report estimating that more than 150,000 upstate New York teenagers have abused prescription drugs.
Of the 236,172 teens living in the Hudson Valley, an estimated 44,873 have used prescription drugs to get high.
According to the Partnership for a Drug Free America, one in five teenagers between the ages of 12 and 19 have used prescription drugs to get high. The prescription drugs most frequently abused by teenagers include stimulants such as Ritalin and Adderall, and painkillers like Vicodin and OxyContin. Vicodin use in particular is up, with 10 percent of 12th-graders reporting they had used the drug within the last year. While prescription drugs can be very helpful under the care and monitoring of a doctor, non-medical use of these substances can lead to serious health risks, addiction, or death.
In response to this growing epidemic, Schumer announced a three-point plan to crack down on these online pharmacies and improve government drug awareness programs. He is co-sponsoring the Internet Pharmacy Consumer Protection Act (S.399) which counters the growing sale of prescription drugs over the Internet without a valid prescription.
He urged the Office of National Drug Control Policy to launch a new media campaign that would be specifically targeted toward informing teens and adults about the dangers of prescription drug abuse. And he called for $50 million in additional funding for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

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prescription drug costs

2006-06-14T18:24:00.000-07:00

Aetna, CIGNA Telling Their Members More About Doctors Hartford Courant - United States
... and some other states will be able to find information online about doctors ... consumers to pay a percentage of the doctor's charges or prescription drug costs. ...

Aetna's members in Connecticut and some other states will be able to find information online about doctors' prices and quality, starting this summer, as the company expands a program it piloted in Cincinnati.
Aetna and other health insurers, including CIGNA, are moving to get more data to consumers as newer health plans put more decision-making responsibility - and sometimes more of the costs - in their hands.
Effective Aug. 18, Hartford-based Aetna will provide the prices that primary care and specialist physicians in Connecticut have agreed to charge for Aetna members' care. Prices will be given for as many as 30 of the most widely used services by specialty.
Aetna will also give some basic information about care by physicians to help members compare them.
Aetna, which has about 293,000 Connecticut members, said it will have price information here on 8,700 physicians, and clinical quality and efficiency information on 2,400 doctors in the state.
Knowing prices is important because many health plans require consumers to pay a percentage of the doctor's charges or prescription drug costs. The data are especially key for "consumer-directed" plans, which often combine an employer-funded account for the employee with a high-deductible insurance plan.
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vending machine for prescription medicines

2006-06-14T18:16:00.000-07:00

Vic town to trial medicine vending machine ABC Online - Australia
The small south-east Victorian town of Minyip will be the first site in Australia to have a remote dispensing machine for prescription medicines. ...

The small south-east Victorian town of Minyip will be the first site in Australia to have a remote dispensing machine for prescription medicines.
The vending-style machine accepts a script and links the patient with a pharmacist in Warracknabeal, via videolink.
When a script is ready the patient can collect the medicine from the machine, which is activated by the pharmacist 30 kilometres away.
Warracknabeal pharmacist John Aitken says the system's trial is due to begin in August.
"We see the most significant advantage is providing the prescription in real time," he said.
"The main problem with the depot is the turn-around time is usually about two to three to four hours depending on the schedule we're working on and the time of day, and sometimes people have travelled perhaps into Minyip 30 or 40 kilometres already and they have to then wait around."
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comparison shop for health savings

2006-06-13T18:33:00.000-07:00

Patients get new tools to price health care
Pittsburgh Post Gazette - Pittsburgh,PA,USA
... That information was posted online in early June, at hospitalpricing.sd.gov ... prices at individual pharmacies for the 50 most-commonly used prescription drugs in ...

Consumers are finally getting some of the tools they need to comparison-shop for health care the way they do for cars or personal computers, though it's too early to tell whether people will use these new services.

Aetna Inc., which last year in the Cincinnati area became the first major insurer to reveal rates it negotiates with local physicians, is expanding that program to eight more areas. Other major insurers, including Cigna Corp., Humana Inc. and UnitedHealth Group Inc., are adding or expanding their own online pricing tools. And Medicare early this month posted online the ranges of what it pays hospitals for 30 common procedures and treatments, the first in a series of disclosures the agency says it will make. Several state governments and hospital associations, including in Florida, New Hampshire, Utah and New Mexico, are launching Web services that list hospital charges.

The information provided by these new tools comes with caveats, but the services do show that, in principle at least, comparison shopping can make a difference: While prices of simple services in doctors' offices are fairly consistent according to some online data, hospital costs often vary widely. For example, a Web-based pricing tool offered by Humana shows that at hospitals in a Humana network in southeast Wisconsin, a knee replacement ranges from a minimum of $16,900 at one hospital to a maximum of $34,050 at another, reflecting in part discounted rates that the insurer has negotiated with health-care providers.
The new pricing services are popping up as consumers are being asked to shoulder an ever-greater proportion of their health-care costs. Employer-sponsored and other health plans are shifting more of the cost of health care to consumers by raising co-payments and cutting benefits. That dovetails with efforts by the Bush administration to promote so-called consumer-driven health care, mainly through high-deductible insurance policies paired with health savings accounts that offer financial incentives to shop wisely for care.
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Pharm parties pharming

2006-06-13T18:28:00.000-07:00

'Pharm parties' rising among teensUnited Press International - USA
... They also have started sharing "recipes" online, causing more young adults ... of US teenagers or about 4.5 million, reported taking prescription painkillers or ...

Drug counselors across the United States warn the so-called pharm parties among youngsters are on the rise, creating a new culture of pill-popping.
Counselors say the trend is part of a rapidly developing underground movement for abusing prescription drugs by teens and young adults, reports USA Today.

"When you start to see a pattern, you know it's becoming pretty widespread," one counselor told the newspaper. "I expect it to get worse before it gets better."
The drug abusers in the new culture have created their own terminology on Internet sites, such as "pharming" to mean collecting pills from the family medicine chest. They also have started sharing "recipes" online, causing more young adults showing up in hospital emergency rooms overdosed on bizarre and potentially lethal combinations of pills.

A survey last year by the Partnership for a Drug-Free America showed 19 percent of U.S. teenagers or about 4.5 million, reported taking prescription painkillers or stimulants to get high, the newspaper reported.
One expert said pharm parties are "simply everyone pooling whatever pills they have together and having a good time on a Saturday night. Kids ... don't think about the consequences." link

low carb diet no link to bone loss

2006-06-12T22:24:00.000-07:00

Small study on bone loss finds no link to low-carb diet
Arizona Republic - Phoenix,AZ,USA
... study was funded by Procter & Gamble, which produces a prescription drug to treat the bone loss of osteoporosis. Find this study in the May 23 online issue of ...

The question: Following a diet that's low in carbohydrates and high in protein and animal fats tends to make people excrete more calcium and absorb less of it, leading some to surmise that the bones will suffer. Does this contention hold true?
This study assigned 30 overweight adults, mostly women, to adhere to a strict low-carb diet or a normal American diet that had no food restrictions. The low-carb group consumed fewer than 20 grams of carbohydrates a day for a month and then no more than 40 grams daily. After three months, the low-carb group lost an average of 14 pounds, and the others lost two pounds. Based on blood tests that revealed biochemical indicators of bone makeup, the participants had, in essence, the same rate of bone turnover, meaning their bodies continued to lose and replace bone at a normal pace.
Who may be affected by these findings? People who opt to follow a low-carb diet, such as Atkins, South Beach or Sugar Busters.Caveats: The study involved a small number of participants and was of short duration; whether a low-carb diet would affect bones differently over a longer period remains unclear. The study was funded by Procter & Gamble, which produces a prescription drug to treat the bone loss of osteoporosis. link

prescription drug plan

2006-06-12T21:44:00.000-07:00

Online prescription Rx.
Online prescription Rx: No prior prescription needed, FedEx Next day delivery and 24/7 live help and toll free customer service.
onlineprescriptionrx.us/

Some Can Still Enroll in New Prescription Drug Program without ...
ParamusPost.com - Pampus,NJ,USA
... you might qualify for the extra help, you can complete an online application at ... For more information about the prescription drug program itself, you can go to ...

If you qualify for extra help with Medicare prescription drug costs, you can still sign up for a Medicare Prescription Drug plan and pay no penalty for 2006. The special enrollment period for beneficiaries who are also eligible for extra help runs through December 31 of this year. Medicare beneficiaries are eligible for the extra help if they have limited income and resources. The extra help can pay for part of the monthly premiums, annual deductibles and prescription co-payments under the new prescription drug program, and it could be worth an average of $3,700 per year.

You may qualify for the extra help if your annual income is below $14,700 for an individual ($19,800 for a married couple living together), and you have resources totaling no more than $10,000 ($20,000 for a married couple living together). Resources include such things as bank accounts, stocks and bonds, but do not include your house and car. And resources can be slightly higher (an additional $1,500 per person) if you will use some of your money for burial expenses.
If you think that you might qualify for the extra help, you can complete an online application at www.socialsecurity.gov or call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) and a representative will assist you in filing an application over the phone. For more information about the prescription drug program itself, you can go to www.medicare.gov. link

contact physician and track health

2006-06-12T21:22:00.000-07:00

Online prescription Rx.
Online prescription Rx: No prior prescription needed, FedEx Next day delivery and 24/7 live help and toll free customer service.
www.onlineprescriptionrx.us/

Convenient Online Health Care Now Offered to Kaiser Permanente ...
Yahoo! News (press release) - USA
... These services are in addition to those already offered online, including appointment scheduling, prescription refills, health encyclopedias, and healthy ...

Kaiser Permanente patients now are able to e-mail their doctor and look up portions of their medical record online. By launching these new features, Kaiser Permanente extends online convenience to one in seven insured people in the Denver/Boulder area.

"Everyone is accustomed to shopping and banking online. It's only natural that we be able to contact our physician and track our health online," said Jack Cochran, MD, executive medical director for Kaiser Permanente. "Our patients now can see parts of their medical record and send a message to their physician's team when they want."

Through Your Health Record on kp.org, members will be able to e-mail their physician's office and get a response within one business day. They also will have 24/7 access to portions of their personal medical record including:

* Lab results

* Allergies

* Immunizations

* Past office visit information

These services are in addition to those already offered online, including appointment scheduling, prescription refills, health encyclopedias, and healthy lifestyle programs.

To access many of these features, Kaiser Permanente members first must establish a secure log-in at kp.org. This ensures that only the patient has access to his or her personal health information. To establish the secure log-in, members should go to members.kp.org, and click on "sign in" on the top navigation bar. Because it takes a few days to confirm this secure access, members are urged to establish their log-in right away, so they will be able to use the new online features when they need them.
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Drug Savings

2006-06-12T21:15:00.000-07:00

Online prescription Rx.
Online prescription Rx: No prior prescription needed, FedEx Next day delivery and 24/7 live help and toll free customer service.
www.onlineprescriptionrx.us

Personalized Drug Savings Just a Click Away with Savings Advisor ...
Yahoo! News (press release) - USA ... PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In just a few clicks, a new online resource from ... searching for cost savings opportunities covered under their prescription drug program ...

In just a few clicks, a new online resource from Medco Health Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: MHS - News) cuts through the confusing clutter for patients searching for cost savings opportunities covered under their prescription drug program.

One in five Americans now have access to Savings Advisor, the newest advancement offered by Medco, the nation's leading pharmacy benefit manager. Available through http://www.medco.com, this tool provides users with a simplified and personalized menu of medication choices starting with the lowest-cost medication alternative including generics and preferred brand-name drugs, based upon their personal drug benefit coverage.

"We believe a wise consumer is an informed consumer, and the Savings Advisor tool allows our employees and retirees to become more informed and involved in the management of their prescription medications," said Steve Hoffman, human resources/multi-media, Campbell Soup Company, a Medco client. "Knowing and understanding the alternatives available can result in substantial savings for our employees and for Campbell's."

Savings Advisor joins the suite of industry-leading resources available to Medco members - including Medicare Part D customers and members with a consumer-directed pharmacy plan - through medco.com®. In 2005, medco.com processed approximately 19 million prescription orders, and currently has more than 4 million active registered users.

"Medco helped define online pharmacy with our thorough understanding of member goals - and we are bringing that knowledge to bear," said Tom Feitel, Medco's chief web officer. "While many online pharmacies require a lengthy process for customers to compare drug prices that are often only estimates, Savings Advisor has simplified and personalized the system to the point where, quite simply, there is no better tool on the Web for obtaining accurate and actionable results."

Savings Advisor leverages the popularity of the Internet to answer consumers' need for simple, easy-to-use, plan-specific cost information - a need driven by the growing trend in health care consumerism. According to a 2005 Harris Interactive survey, the number of U.S. adults who have gone online to research health or medical information increased to approximately 117 million from 111 million the prior year.

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dry mouth mydrymouth.com

2006-06-12T21:08:00.000-07:00

New Online Resource Now Available to the Millions of Women ...
Yahoo! News (press release) - USA
... treatment option. EVOXAC is a prescription product that works to help your salivary glands secrete more saliva in the mouth. EVOXAC ...

Dry mouth and dry eye are common complaints expressed by patients diagnosed with Sjogren's syndrome. Up to four million people, 90 percent of them women, may suffer from these unexplained symptoms for up to 10 years before finding out that they have Sjogren's syndrome. Now, there is a new web site, http://www.mydrymouth.com, designed to educate about the dryness associated with Sjogren's syndrome, including dry mouth and dry eyes. This web site offers tools to help those that may be suffering from the disease recognize symptoms and speak with their doctors. The web site is sponsored by Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.

"Sjogren's syndrome is one of the most common autoimmune diseases; however, it remains unknown and misunderstood to many," explains Robert Lahita, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and Chairman of Medicine, Vice President and Senior Attending Physician, Jersey City Medical Center. "For most people, receiving a proper diagnosis and treatment is a difficult and lengthy process, often taking up to 10 years. A resource like mydrymouth.com will help shed light on this mysterious disease and encourage people to speak with their doctors if they are experiencing symptoms."

Mydrymouth.com features easy-to-read sections, including:

-- Living with Dry Mouth Symptoms of Sjogren's Syndrome, a section
offering tips for relief and information on how to recognize signs and
symptoms of the disease.

-- Is Dryness a Problem for You?, which includes a brief questionnaire
that can be completed and shared with your healthcare provider.

-- Resources, a section that provides additional outlets to visit to
learn more about Sjogren's syndrome.

-- Join the Moisture Network, which allows visitors to sign up to receive
supplementary information about Sjogren's syndrome.

Sjogren's syndrome is a chronic autoimmune disease that prevents the body's exocrine (moisture-producing) glands from creating enough moisture. Sjogren's syndrome sufferers most often experience painfully dry eyes and dry mouth, and diminished salivary function which can affect basic daily activities such as eating, swallowing, sleeping and speaking. Patients with Sjogren's syndrome may also experience fatigue and joint pain, as well as problems involving the lungs, kidneys, and gastrointestinal tract. The majority of patients are women in their 40s and 50s. Symptoms of the disease may overlap or mimic other conditions, such as other autoimmune diseases or the dryness symptoms of menopause, and therefore may go undiagnosed and untreated for years.
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online consultation RelayHealth

2006-06-12T21:02:00.000-07:00

McKesson Acquires RelayHealth, Launches Personal Health Solutions ... Business Wire (press release) - San Francisco,CA,USA ... pioneered the webVisit(R), a secure, insurer-reimbursed online consultation between ... own personal health records at home, view prescription medication lists and ...

McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) today announced the acquisition of RelayHealth Corporation, a leading provider of online physician-patient communication services. McKesson is the world's largest healthcare IT and automation supplier, with products in 65 percent of U.S. health systems. McKesson also provides solutions to payor organizations reaching more than 80 percent of U.S. covered lives. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. The acquisition of RelayHealth follows a strategic investment made in 2005 by McKesson with the goal of expanding its commitment in the personal health management space.

McKesson also announced a new Personal Health Solutions group within its Provider Technologies segment. Personal Health Solutions will serve the growing market for interactive technologies that empower consumers and patients through secure electronic access to healthcare providers, personal health records, healthcare financial management systems and other tools. The group will leverage McKesson's broad-based strengths in disease management services across the entire continuum of care, from hospitals and outpatient facilities to physician offices and into the home. In addition to RelayHealth, McKesson's personal health solutions include in-home patient monitoring, Web portal technology, triage software and personal emergency response systems, to name a few. The full solution suite will include products and services from recently acquired HealthCom Partners, LLC, which provides patient billing solutions designed to simplify and enhance financial interactions between healthcare providers and their patients.

"Changes in healthcare insurance models and unmet needs in chronic condition management have placed a greater burden than ever on consumers and providers," said John Hammergren, McKesson chairman and chief executive officer. "Consumers are expected, and want, to play a more active role in decisions related to their health. However, until now many of the tools to equip them have simply been unavailable. McKesson will become the standard-bearer in solutions that empower consumers, patients and their providers to be active players in a safer, more convenient and more connected system of care."

RelayHealth is a fundamental building block in McKesson's physician connectivity strategy, as well as its consumer and personal health management strategies. Founded in 1999, RelayHealth pioneered the webVisit(R), a secure, insurer-reimbursed online consultation between physicians and patients. Today, RelayHealth's network includes more than 18,000 health professionals, 600,000 patients and more than a dozen reimbursing health plans, including many of the largest national and regional insurers in the United States. In addition to the webVisit, RelayHealth services enable patients to maintain their own personal health records at home, view prescription medication lists and request renewals, set appointments, receive test results and securely communicate with their healthcare providers. link

no prescription drug shortage

2006-06-12T20:47:00.000-07:00

Online prescription Rx.
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www.onlineprescriptionrx.us/

Drug shortages common, adding to patients’ misery
Columbus Dispatch - Columbus,OH,USA
... from pharmacy to pharmacy, or back to their doctor to seek a new prescription. ... Several online lists, including one posted by the US Food and Drug Administration ...

The last thing patients think about when their doctors hand them a prescription is that the pharmacy might not have the drug.
But on any given day, about 30 drugs are in limited supply across the country.
When people think about a drug shortage, they remember the lack of flu shots in 2004. But this year alone, there have been shortages of the antidepressant drug Paxil, the diabetes drug Avadamet and the motion-sickness patch Transderm Scop.
Shortages can send patients from pharmacy to pharmacy, or back to their doctor to seek a new prescription. They might have to switch to a generic drug.
The reasons vary: production problems at a plant, quality issues raised by the government, a drug that is too old or a limited supply of materi- als to make it.
"Sometimes the companies actually make a decision to switch production from one product to another product based on demand," said Don Bennett, past president of the Ohio Pharmacists Association.
Fewer drugs are in short supply than a decade ago, but experts say shortages tend to last longer now.
"Like two to three months that they’re out instead of two, three weeks," said Lesley Maloney, director of public health and quality for American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, which maintains a list of drugs in short supply. link

fast, affordable and convenient

2006-06-12T20:39:00.000-07:00

Online prescription Rx.
Online prescription Rx: No prior prescription needed, FedEx Next day delivery and 24/7 live help and toll free customer service.
www.onlineprescriptionrx.us/

'McClinics' serve up fast health care
Austin American-Statesman (subscription) - Austin,TX,USA
... When the nurse writes a prescription, many patients walk only a few steps to the HEB pharmacy ... Those who go online and fill out a questionnaire get a $10 coupon ...

More Americans want their health care delivered fast, like their burgers, and clinics that promise quick care are popping up across the country, including one inside Round Rock's H-E-B plus that has been operating for more than three months.
Retail clinics in grocery stores, pharmacies and Wal-Marts tap into the "big box" phenomenon that many consumers can't resist: one-stop shopping at a chain store that's fast, affordable and convenient. No appointment is necessary. There's no insurance paperwork and, often, no waiting. link

prescription drug benefit

2006-06-12T20:35:00.000-07:00

SSA Launches Push To Enroll More Low-Income, Hard-to-Reach ... Kaiser network.org - Washington,DC,USA ... claims that payments from pharmacy benefit managers under the Medicare prescription drug benefit are ... The complete segment is available online in RealPlayer.

The Bush administration is undertaking a new effort to locate and enroll many of the estimated four million Medicare beneficiaries who have not yet signed up for the Medicare prescription drug benefit, USA Today reports. Beneficiaries with annual incomes below about $15,000 and assets below $11,500, not including homes, qualify for government-subsidized premiums and copayments under the drug benefit.

About 38.7 million of the 42.5 million Medicare beneficiaries have some form of prescription drug coverage, but the majority of those without coverage -- about three million beneficiaries -- are eligible for the low-income subsidy, according to the Bush administration.

As part of the new enrollment effort, the Social Security Administration will mail 500,000 applications to several different groups of seniors ages 79 and older, including low-income seniors, beneficiaries with disabilities, those in low-income neighborhoods, Hispanics and those who do not handle their own financial affairs.

The enrollment deadline for most beneficiaries was May 15, but the government is allowing low-income beneficiaries to sign up for the drug benefit at any time. The new enrollment drive is "the latest in a series of attempts by the government and private groups to lure those seniors who stand to benefit the most" from the program, "but who are most likely to have missed out on the coverage," USA Today reports. link

Boston new web site

2006-06-11T13:19:00.000-07:00

Web site would let consumers compare costs of operations
Boston Globe - United States
... A search for the cost of the same prescription for Flonase allergy nasal spray ... Lischko said she hopes to have the additional information online as soon as the ...

Internet shoppers in Massachusetts could soon add chest X-rays, ultrasounds and tonsillectomies to their virtual shopping carts under a key provision of the state's ambitious new health care reform law.
One of the goals of the new law is to drive down the cost of health care in part by arming consumers with the ability to compare prices on everything from asthma inhalers to Caesarean sections.

The law requires the state to set up a Web site that not only allows consumers to compare the quality of hospitals and clinics, but would also include the average payment each charges for a range of services, including office visits, diagnostic tests, surgeries and other therapies.

"Most consumers who go in for a mammography or testing or radiology have no information on the quality or price," said Amy Lischko, commissioner of the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy. "If you have to pay a 20 percent co-payment you are going to be very interested in looking at those prices."

The state already runs a Web site that includes some information -- with major loopholes.
Instead of listing an actual average dollar amount for an operation or procedure, the site only lists whether a hospital is among the most expensive, middle or least expensive when compared to others.

The new Web site will have prices, not only for hospitals, but for the cost of prescriptions at individual pharmacies. That should be helpful those who want to compare prices, especially in non-emergency situations. link

online consultations

2006-06-11T13:08:00.000-07:00

Insurers, doctors starting to embrace online consultations
Columbus Dispatch - Columbus,OH,USA
... But seven months after he began offering Web-based communication to his patients, including prescription refills and online consultations, Batson is a believer ...

When Tamara McCartney’s chronic sinusitis flared up this year, she knew she needed a prescription antibiotic.

But instead of a long drive to the doctor’s office in St. Cloud, Fla., missing as much as a halfday of work, she spent less than 15 minutes at home completing an online questionnaire from her doctor. The next day, her Avelox prescription was waiting at a nearby pharmacy.
"When I get sinus infections, I don’t have to go to the doctor’s office. It’s a lot more convenient," said McCartney, a 32-year-old office manager in Orlando, Fla.

The online consultation with her physician cost her $40, an out-of-pocket fee she said was well worth it. Her next online consultation will cost far less, however: Her insurance company now reimburses doctors in Florida and California for online consultations with patients.
A growing number of health insurers are starting to pay doctors for the time they spend dealing with patients’ medical problems via the Internet.

McCartney’s company, Aetna, is one of the largest health insurers in the country. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida, the state’s largest health insurer, began such reimbursements in January 2005. Cigna, another big national company, will begin making payments in January.
"If you ask patients, the vast majority want to communicate with their doctors via the Internet," said Dr. Charles Cutler, Aetna’s national medical director for quality. "Once physicians become enthusiastic, there will be a tipping point."

Cutler said the encrypted, Web-based messaging system should give doctors confidence that their online communications with patients will be secure. Beyond that, "given the convenience and efficiency for both patient and physician, I think it will rapidly expand." link

Maine health care advisers tour

2006-06-10T13:30:00.000-07:00

For anyone convinced that federal policymakers don't listen to the people of Maine, the next few days may provide a welcome turnabout, when the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services convenes in Camden.

The three-day meeting, which runs from Sunday afternoon through Tuesday morning, will enable providers, researchers and others with expertise in meeting the health care and human service needs of Maine's rural population to communicate face to face with the national advisory group. Specific topics to be addressed will include substance abuse, Head Start and the Medicare Advantage plan. There also will be several opportunities for the general public to comment.

The 21-member committee is charged with making policy recommendations affecting rural populations to the federal Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees the Medicare and Medicaid programs. In Maine, which is one of the oldest and the poorest populations in the country, these two programs pay a huge portion of health care and human service costs.

Health care advisers to tour Maine
Bangor Daily News - Bangor,ME,USA
... increase in the number of young people addicted to prescription drugs and ... Beasley by phone on Friday were unsuccessful, but the online encyclopedia Wikipedia ...link

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana online services

2006-06-09T13:44:00.000-07:00

The technology revolution is certainly hitting Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana customers can now view their immunization, preventive screening and pharmacy records online at the company’s secure member self-service website.

The reports are the latest addition to the company’s popular online services, which also include claims-based health records for most customers. “These health records belong to our customers, and we’re determined to present it to them in an easy-to-use format,” said Ob Soonthornsima, senior vice president and chief information officer at Blue Cross. “It’s about the good health of our customers. The more information customers have and the easier it is to understand, the more they can take control of their health care.”

Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana is one of the first insurers in the nation to make claims-based health records available to its customers. The record is a three-year look back at all of the claims submitted to Blue Cross on a customer’s behalf. “Our claims-based health records are unique because they are organized by clinical episode,” said Soonthornsima. “What that means is that a customer can see for each illness what treatment was given and what prescriptions they filled.”

online pharmacy system

2006-06-09T13:39:00.000-07:00

Newfoundland and Labrador is investing millions of dollars to develop the country's first real-time online pharmacy network.
The Provincial Pharmacy Network, which will take four years to complete, will electronically track every prescription written by every physician and filled at every pharmacy.
The database will be updated continuously, and will be accessible to practitioners ranging from family doctors to staff at hospital emergency rooms.

The province will invest $8 million in the system, which Health Minister Tom Osborne said will improve patient health and aid health-care providers. It is also intended to end "double-doctoring," the illegal practice by which addicts obtain the same prescription from multiple physicians.

"It will bring all of that information together and ensure patient safety; it will reduce costs on the health-care system by reducing hospital visits as a result of negative drug interactions, [and] it will improve the health of individuals by eliminating negative interactions between different drugs," Osborne said.

NL pioneering online pharmacy system
CBC News - Canada
... time online pharmacy network. The Provincial Pharmacy Network, which will take four years to complete, will electronically track every prescription written by ... link

Erectile dysfunction and high blood pressure

2006-06-09T13:28:00.000-07:00

A new national survey of U.S. men ages 35 and older showed that approximately 8 of every 10 men who have high blood pressure (hypertension or HTN) (82%) were not aware of its connection to ED, and many were unaware of the connection between ED and other medical conditions that commonly affect men, such as high cholesterol (86%) and diabetes (73%).

"These are important findings for the millions of men in the U.S. who suffer from hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes, as any of these medical conditions can lead to erectile dysfunction. In my clinical experience, men often feel more comfortable visiting the doctor for a condition like hypertension. If more men understood the link between these medical conditions, which are treatable, they might have an easier time talking to their doctor," said Dr. Matt Rosenberg, medical director at Mid- Michigan Health Centers in Jackson, MI.

The survey found that nearly half (44%) of men 35 and older said they would be more likely to talk to their doctors about erectile dysfunction if they were informed about its connection to other conditions such as hypertension, high cholesterol or diabetes. Results from the national survey further showed that men and physicians might not always be speaking the same language when discussing men's health. In fact, although a majority of physicians were aware that diabetes (100%), hypertension (88%) and high cholesterol (66%) may lead to ED, most men said they were unaware of the link at the time of diagnosis with the respective conditions.

Most US Men Unaware of Link Between Erectile Dysfunction and ...
Yahoo! News (press release) - USA
... These online samples are not probability samples. Schering-Plough is a global science-based health care company with leading prescription, consumer and animal ... link

buying prescription Viagra online

2006-06-08T17:40:00.000-07:00

Where to buy viagra ?
LiveArticles.org - Inglewood,CA,USA
... Prescription Viagra can now be purchased from online pharmacies, at significantly lower costs than what you’d get in regular pharmacies. ...

If you are someone using Viagra or planning to start using Viagra, you must be concerned about the rising prices of prescription drugs. You probably buy your Viagra from the same neighborhood pharmacy where you go for all your medical requirements. And, grimace at the bills every month. While it is completely true that all the money and savings in the world do not replace your health, it doesn’t hurt to look for a cheaper or cost saving option, without compromising on the quality of drugs you use.

One of the greatest landmarks in the world of computers is the Internet and its increased availability to the layperson. Over the years, the Internet has become a platform for education, entertainment, commerce, information, communication, and so on. No single medium has made such an impact on our lives. The proliferation of online commerce is an important change in the way we do business and make our purchases. There has never before been a way to compare prices of a single product from different sellers, read user review, make your purchase and have it home delivered, all from the comfort of your home. And, when you add the money you save to all these conveniences, it becomes an unbeatable deal.

You can buy your medications online, as well. Prescription Viagra can now be purchased from online pharmacies, at significantly lower costs than what you’d get in regular pharmacies. You could buy from purely online pharmacies, or online sites for regular pharmacies like CVS and Walgreen’s, or from the web sites of the drug in question or its manufacturer. Whichever you choose, the money you save will be significant. When you buy Viagra from online web sites, you may save as much as 10-15% of the price in regular pharmacies. It is not that these online pharmacies sell inferior drugs. The quality and the drugs remain unaltered. But, they do save a lot of money on overhead expenses and store space. And, they are only too happy to pass the savings on to their customers.

Canadian Pharmacies Prescription Drugs

2006-06-08T12:54:00.000-07:00

Canadian Pharmacies Receive 30 Calls Daily for Nevada Prescription ...
Kaiser network.org - Washington,DC,USAThe four Canadian online pharmacies licensed to sell prescription drugs to Nevada residents under a new state program each received an average of 30 telephone ...

The four Canadian online pharmacies licensed to sell prescription drugs to Nevada residents under a new state program each received an average of 30 telephone calls daily in the first month, and about one-third of the calls resulted in purchases, the Las Vegas Sun reports (Hansel, Las Vegas Sun, 6/6).

Under the program, which was established under a state law enacted last year, Canadian pharmacists licensed by the Nevada State Board of Pharmacy can mail to state residents prescription drugs that appear in the Orange Book and HC-DPD, which list medications approved in the U.S. and Canada, respectively.

Prescription drugs sold under the program must meet the manufacturing requirements of FDA and the Therapeutic Products Directorate of Health Canada; have a dosage that appears in the Orange Book and HC-DPD; and come from the onsite inventory systems of online Canadian pharmacies. In addition, Canadian pharmacists cannot mail prescription drugs in liquid, injectable or intravenous forms or medications that require refrigeration or other special handling during shipment.

The state pharmacy board has inspected and approved four Canadian online pharmacies to participate in the program, and a Web site established by the state includes links to those pharmacies (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 5/8). The Web site has received about 100,000 hits in the past month, the Sun reports.