Membership-based Practices: Does It Have It’s Privileges or is it just for The Privileged?
Membership (mĕm’bər-shĭp) The state of being a member The total number of members in a group I have watched the meteoric rise of popular term “Medical Home”. While I personally dislike this phrase, it has caught on in the popular vernacular and looks like it is here to stay. In conjunction with the rise of […]
Balloon Mania: Happy Birthday Health 2.0
Balloon Mania (bə-lūn mā’nē-ə) n. An excessively intense enthusiasm, interest, or desire over balloons; a craze of interest of the same; A focus on all aspects of balloons that inspires lively interest. Having been around for the beginning of the Health 2.0 movement, it is good to see the conference continuing into its sophomore year. […]
Speaking Circuit: Coming to a Conference Near You
Circuit (sûr’kĭt) n. A path or route the complete traversal of which without local change of direction requires returning to the starting point. An association of theaters in which plays, acts, or films move from theater to theater for presentation. A group of nightclubs, show halls, or resorts at which entertainers appear in turn. We […]
Dude! The $100M VistA Open Source Opportunity
Dude (dyūd) n. Used to express approval, satisfaction, or congratulations. In informal speech, many young people use the word “dude” freely. “Dude” may also be used alone in a sentence, serving as an exclamation; denoting a feeling of surprise, happiness, disappointment, amazement or anger, among other emotions.[1] The word might als
Microcapitation: A Case Study
Case Study (kās stŭd’ē) n. A detailed analysis of a person or group, especially as a model of medical, psychiatric, psychological, or social phenomena. An exemplary or cautionary model; an instructive example I have received a couple of off-line questions regarding the concept of micro-capitation, and having responding publicly to one, I sought perm
The Future of VistA: Community versus Congressionally Mandated Leadership
Future (fyū’chər) n. The indefinite time yet to come Something that will happen in time to come A prospective or expected condition, especially one considered with regard to growth, advancement, or development I appreciate Fred’s comments regarding my recent posting. Fred appropriately challenged me for describing some of the problems but not more
Statewide Telemedicine Network: A Modern Anachronism
Anachronism (ə-năk’rə-nĭz‘əm) n. The representation of someone as existing or something as happening in other than chronological, proper, or historical order. One that is out of its proper or chronological order, especially a person or practice that belongs to an earlier time: I continue to read with interest articles describing new telemedi
Cease and Desist? How about Understand and Resist!
Desist (dĭ-sĭst‘) v. 1. To cease doing something; forbear. 2. To abandon, break off, discontinue, give up, leave off, quit, relinquish, remit, or stop. I have been following health care consumerism for several years now. Particularly, the “Direct Access” or “Direct To Consumer” laboratory testing market. While analytic lab tes
Whatcha Want? Consumerism in Healthcare
Want (wŏnt) v. 1. To desire greatly; wish for; have an inclination towards 2. To request the presence or assistance of 3. To seek with intent to capture An interesting study was released today in the McKinsey Quarterly under the moniker, “What Consumers Want in Health Care“. The central theme of the publication was the […]
Taking a bite of the Apple: OK, I finally get it . . .
Grok (grŏk) To understand profoundly through intuition or empathy. To have a thorough understanding of a subject. To take something in so thoroughly that it becomes a part of you. I finally took the plunge. After dropping my laptop at the airport and having my screen die, I finally determined to get a Mac. I […]