Ushering in the era of consumer #healthcare, #Philips has proposed personal #health programs that could move health monitoring from hospitals into our homes. - http://clapway.com/2015/09/06/philips-personal-heath-devices123/

Ushering in the era of consumer healthcare, Philips has proposed personal health programs that could move health monitoring from hospitals into our homes.

Personal health devices on the rise

The uptick in smartphone-based healthcare has given consumers better control over their wellbeing. From heart rate and blood glucose monitors, to smartphones detecting depressive behavior in users, the convenience and diverse applicability of these devices have grabbed the attention of technology giants like Google, Samsung, and now, Philips. Philips’s latest entry into consumer healthcare represents the perfect marriage of its expertise in both healthcare and consumer goods.

Philips’s line of personal health devices

Slated to be unveiled at the Internationale Funkausstellung (IFA) this week, the personal health programs are built using the Philips HealthSuite Digital Platform, which is a cloud-based portal that procures, stores and analyzes health data from many devices. They are all Bluetooth enabled, connecting wirelessly to the HealthSuite Health app, and offering constant tracking of health measurements. The products include:

(a) The Philips health watch: A connected watch with proprietary optical sensors and accelerometer for lifestyle tracking. It tracks parameters like heart rate, physical activity and sleep patterns and supplies personalized heath regimens based on the results. This is uniquely suited to help prevent chronic conditions that result from lifestyle habits.

(b) The Philips blood pressure monitor: A combination of two devices, one for the wrist, and another for the upper arm. This rechargeable monitor measures heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

(c) The Philips body analysis scale: Measures weight, calculates BMI, and estimates body fat using bio-impedance analysis.

(d) The Philips ear thermometer: Provides body temperature readout within 2 seconds; built for adults, children, and newborns.

Your personal health data is secure

The data generated by these devices is subject to stringent security and privacy standards in accordance with the EU Privacy Directive and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). Philips believes that these devices will empower consumers to track their health, recognize areas for improvement, and track their progress, all at the touch of a smartphone button.

This Samsung app monitors sleep and switches off the TV

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The R10 Smartwatch can also help you track and prevent illness:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xizCTm2uyFg

Philips Health Devices Track And Prevent Illness

Much remains unclear about #prostatecancer, but raising awareness and scheduling a screening for this #cancer is #commonsense. - http://clapway.com/2015/09/03/prostate-cancer-the-things-to-know-110/

September is prostate cancer awareness month. While there’s a lot that still remains unclear about the second most common form of cancer for men, gaining awareness and getting screened for this disease is a no-brainer.

WHAT IS PROSTATE CANCER, AND HOW DOES IT AFFECT MEN?

Prostate cancer is caused by the abnormal growth of cells in the prostate gland, and is most commonly called an adenocarcinoma. It is the second largest type of cancer seen in men, after skin cancer. About 1 in every 7 men is diagnosed with prostate cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that 2015 will see 220,800 new cases of this disease. Prostate cancer is mostly seen in older men, with an average diagnosis age of 66. Though, it is the second leading cause of cancer death in men (first is lung cancer), the survival rates for men with prostate cancer is quite high. The 5-year survival rate for this cancer is 100%, and the 15-year rate is still 94%, which are relatively good odds.

LESS THAN ONE-THIRD OF PROSTATE CANCER DIAGNOSES REQUIRE TREATMENT

A longitudinal study conducted among older men with low-risk prostate cancer revealed that most cases do not require treatment. The study followed up with 1298 men diagnosed with prostate cancer for a period ranging from less than a year to 18 years. They found that men diagnosed with low-risk prostate cancer had a low chance of dying due to cancer; death in such men is far more likely due to other causes, like heart disease. Thus monitoring, rather than treatment, is the best option for most men diagnosed with this cancer.

MONITORING REQUIRES HEALTH SCREENINGS

Prostate cancer isn’t always a death sentence, and there’s plenty that can be done to better deal with a positive diagnosis. Other than a general awareness of risk factors and symptoms, health care professionals urge men to get the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test. It is a simple blood test that gives an indication of the risk for prostate cancer. Though it isn’t definitive, it could be meaningful when combined with risk factors like age, family and medical history.

Compared to women, men are less likely to seek medical consultation. It is therefore important to spread the word about prostate cancer, especially because it is fairly manageable once detected soon enough.

CAN YOU TURN OFF THE CANCER SWITCH?

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PERHAPS NOT, BUT HERE’S SOMETHING YOU’LL ENJOY TOO MUCH TO BOTHER

https://youtu.be/oyhBhu7aq5U

Prostate Cancer: The Things We Ought To Know

Hacking the Hospira Pump is Real, FDA says - http://clapway.com/2015/08/01/hacking-the-hospira-pump-is-real-fda-says456/

Catching Up With Some Small talk

Medical care has always been a serious topic and an area of concern. Many court cases arise from the lack of professional courtesy, or due to operations that were unnecessary. With that being said, we cannot argue that the advancements in the medical field are astounding and ingenious at times, especially when thinking back to a century when penicillin, a heart monitor, or even the Hospira Pump didn’t exist.

The surprise announcement about hacking the hospira pump

It is very surprising to hear that the US Department of Homeland Security issued a warning to the public, revealing that Hospira’s Symbiq medication pumps, or computerized pumps used to deliver drugs, can be hacked remotely. The concerning news was discovered by a white hat (or ethical) hacker while checking the system out. According to the Food and Drug Administration, this is the first instance it has warned health care providers and caregivers to stop using a product due to a cybersecurity risk.

Inevitable Results

But what exactly is the main concern regarding the Hospira hack? The biggest worry is that the security breach gives someone the opportunity to manipulate the system. Because the device can be potentially remotely controlled, an intruder essentially has the power to change the amount of medication a patient receives. Although, newer pumps have additional protection against these potential hacks, the FDA suggests that health care providers disconnect them and update drug libraries manually. However, this method also has its drawbacks, as it is prone to human errors. The process is also much more labor intensive and may not be entirely feasible.

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If health is a concern, check out the review for Thin Ice weight loss apparel, which can help you lose weight quickly and effectively.

Hacking the Hospira Pump is Real, FDA says

Overpriced Cancer Drugs a Hot Topic in Medical Community - http://clapway.com/2015/07/26/overpriced-cancer-drugs-a-hot-topic-in-medical-community425/

The concern about overpriced cancer drugs

Since cancer was discovered by humans, the search for suitable ways of treatments has been a hard one. Even more hard sought is a possible cure.

However, for now, many are focused on the topic of overpriced cancer drugs. The questions of affordability come to mind in the face of rising prices, especially for those who could barely afford the cancer treatments in the first place.

The journal article on the concern

In response to the continually overpriced cancer drugs in the medical practice, a group of doctors came together to publish a piece in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings recently. In the piece, the doctors expressed their concern that the high costs for the drug treatments affect patient care, in helping them to battle cancer or treat it.

Among the one hundred and eighteen doctors that made up the group of people that expressed concern over the overpriced cancer drugs was Dr. Ayalew Tefferi of the Mayo Clinic. His work consists of working with leukemia patients, among other things.

To get a better idea of the issue on the high costs of the cancer drugs, picture that you made an income around the fifty thousand-dollar mark; and the cost of some of the drugs even with health insurance is nearly twice that much. This is not taking into consideration how much you would have to pay yourself, if health insurance cannot cover it.

The other side of the spectrum

For the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturing Association, they did not agree with what the doctors wrote in the article. They argued that it failed to take into consideration how much cancer drug cost figures into the demographic of the total spending on cancer treatments.

They also mentioned that to follow through with the suggestions mentioned in the article would inhibit rather encourage the positive changes the article hopes to achieve. To put it simply, it would render much of the progress made thus far in cancer treatment in vain.

In the end, both sides continue to make arguments for their sides and the future of cancer drug treatment costs. Neither are relenting in their arguments.

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Overpriced Cancer Drugs a Hot Topic in Medical Community

As if we needed more reasons to quit smoking. - http://clapway.com/2015/07/12/need-another-reason-why-smoking-is-harmful-heres-one-235/

Another Reason Why Smoking is Harmful

There may be a new reason why smoking is harmful for your health — it may hinder your ability to receive an education.

A recent study conducted by three universities — University of Colorado, New York University, and University of North Carolina — estimates that “approximately 145,000 deaths” could be avoided each year with higher retention rates for high school students, and better push for these same students to earn an advanced degree after high school.

This number is suggested to be the same amount that suffers from smoking-related illnesses each year, inspiring the possibility of the link between education and smoking to be hypothesized.

What Were the Study’s Findings?

The study also suggests that those who acquire a higher degree have a higher likelihood of earning more comfortable incomes and are numerically less likely to become smokers; they also tend to have access to better health care, including jobs with health insurance. This result suggests a reactionary effect: those with better educations have a higher social status, which allows for access to better healthcare and income. Interestingly enough, the study doesn’t actually find direct correlations between smoking and education in its findings, though there is plenty of information to support this hypothesis.

So why focus on education in this kind of study? Co-author and associate professor of public health Vanessa Chang says, “In public health policy, we often focus on changing health behaviors such as diet, smoking and drinking. Education —which is a more fundamental, upstream driver of health behaviors and disparities — should also be a key element of U.S. health policy”. Indeed, many may question how education directly impacts health care problems, though it is clear that it plays an important role in the impact of the importance placed on these health care factors. Apparently, smoking is harmful in multi-faceted ways other than physical health.

How Can This Help?

By using education as the bridge between the influences of poor decision-making when it comes to other health care choices — like smoking, diet, and exercise — we can allow for a better analysis of how to combat these issues and work towards making it easier for adolescents and young adults to steer clear of these influences.

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Smoking is harmful — end this vice with Pavlok:

Need Another Reason Why Smoking is Harmful? Here"s One