Comments on: Adieu, LifeCOMM http://e-CareManagement.com/adieu-lifecomm/ Chronic Disease Management • Technology • Strategy • Issues and Trends Fri, 11 May 2012 15:46:50 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Devon Devine, JD http://e-CareManagement.com/adieu-lifecomm/comment-page-1/#comment-12082 Devon Devine, JD Tue, 28 Jul 2009 18:25:08 +0000 http://e-CareManagement.com/?p=966#comment-12082 If there is some alternative to carrying an additional piece of gadgetry around, most people will opt for the alternative. But if it replaces something they already have to carry, like a glucose meter, maybe it would work. They are doing amazing things with red LEDs these days, and could power an LED glucose meter off the phone's battery. What better way to deploy context-sensitive information? Context-sensitivity makes all the difference in the world when dealing with technical terms. As HL7 points out, “cervical”, means something much different coming from an OB/GYN than from a chiropractor. If a GPS-enabled mobile device knows where the individual lives, whether he takes the elevator or stairs, and what restaurants he visits, it can provide much more helpful information to the individual. When my iPhone asks me if it is okay to “use current location” to narrow searches, it is already a step in this direction. Privacy questions abound. For starters, take the fact that 1 in 3 Americans in some is obese in some populations, and that obesity is an even greater health risk than smoking. For obese persons, then, the government could impose a higher sales tax on fatty foods. This is likely an unacceptable form of discrimination, but it is technologically possible, using the same methods that insurance carriers use for realtime repricing of medical services today. Call it realtime repricing of health incentives. Clearly there would have to be some overall financial incentive, such as funds parked in a health savings account, to incent an individual to agree to such a program. Can existing cafeteria plan (IRC Sec 125) regulations be modified or interpreted to permit this? If there is some alternative to carrying an additional piece of gadgetry around, most people will opt for the alternative. But if it replaces something they already have to carry, like a glucose meter, maybe it would work. They are doing amazing things with red LEDs these days, and could power an LED glucose meter off the phone’s battery. What better way to deploy context-sensitive information?

Context-sensitivity makes all the difference in the world when dealing with technical terms. As HL7 points out, “cervical”, means something much different coming from an OB/GYN than from a chiropractor. If a GPS-enabled mobile device knows where the individual lives, whether he takes the elevator or stairs, and what restaurants he visits, it can provide much more helpful information to the individual. When my iPhone asks me if it is okay to “use current location” to narrow searches, it is already a step in this direction.

Privacy questions abound. For starters, take the fact that 1 in 3 Americans in some is obese in some populations, and that obesity is an even greater health risk than smoking. For obese persons, then, the government could impose a higher sales tax on fatty foods. This is likely an unacceptable form of discrimination, but it is technologically possible, using the same methods that insurance carriers use for realtime repricing of medical services today. Call it realtime repricing of health incentives. Clearly there would have to be some overall financial incentive, such as funds parked in a health savings account, to incent an individual to agree to such a program. Can existing cafeteria plan (IRC Sec 125) regulations be modified or interpreted to permit this?

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