Intel is ready to begin trials of their new platform for remote patient care with Aetna and others. Their platform encompasses a touchscreen unit, the Health Guide PHS6000, that has a touchscreen, built in webcam and licensed content from the Mayo clinic and others.

Read more about Intel’s endeavor.

A new version of the National Library of Medicine (NLM) Drug Information Portal was released in October.  The portal now covers over 16,000 drugs.

http://druginfo.nlm.nih.gov

The update includes:

1. Direct searching of drug categories, which are derived from the Medical Subject Heading (MeSH®) Pharmacological Action field
2. Name and category suggestions, to eliminate common spelling errors.
3. Phrase parser that assists users in finding drug names within phrases
4. The addition of the MeSH notes, when available, to spell checker results to make selection of a possible answer easier
5. Searches retrieving multiple results now sorted by frequency of citation in PubMed®, from highest to lowest. This tends to show the most commonly used drugs first.

The Drug Information Portal is a free Web resource from the NLM that provides an informative, user friendly entry-way to current drug information for over 16,000 drugs. Links to sources span the breadth of NLM, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies. Current information regarding consumer health, clinical trials, AIDS–related drug information, MeSH pharmacological actions, PubMed biomedical literature, and physical properties and structure is easily retrieved by searching on a drug name. A varied selection of focused topics in medicine and drug–related information is also available from displayed subject headings.

The September issue of NIH News in Health, the monthly newsletter bringing you practical health news and tips based on the latest NIH research, is now online at http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/.  In this issue of NIH News in Health:

Good Health to Go
Eating Smart at School
Even in the chaotic world of the school cafeteria, children can make smart food choices. You can play a key role in helping children learn the fundamentals of healthy living—eating well and staying active—whatever pressures they face outside home.
full story

Back to School with Diabetes
Plan Ahead for a Smooth Start to School
Notebooks, erasers, pencil sets and backpacks are on most kids’ back-to-school lists. But if your child has diabetes, you should add a few extra tasks to the list. Planning ahead, and getting help from others, will help pave the way for a successful year.
full story

Health Capsules:

• Children’s Physical Activity Drops
• Diabetes and a Healthy Pregnancy
• Featured Web Site: NIDA Goes Back to School

Click here to download a PDF version for printing.

Subscribe to receive email alerts when new issues of NIH News in Health are posted by going to https://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=nihnewsinhealth-l&A=1.

A new study finds that in 2007, 56 percent of American adults—more than 122 million people—sought information about a personal health concern, up from 38 percent in 2001. Use of all information sources rose substantially, with the Internet leading the way. Consumers who actively researched health concerns widely reported positive impacts: More than half said the information changed their overall approach to maintaining their health, and four in five said that the information helped them to better understand how to treat an illness or condition.

The report, “Striking Jump in Consumers Seeking Health Care Information” (Tracking Report No. 20) is authored by Ha T. Tu and Genna Cohen. It was published in August 2008 by Center for Studying Health System Change.

The August 2008 issue of NIH News in Health is now online at http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/.  The monthly NIH News in Health newsletter brings you practical health news and tips based on the latest NIH research.  In this issue:

Arm Yourself for Good Health
Stay Up-to-Date on Vaccines
As summer winds down, students from kindergarten to college are heading off to new schools, with lots of new people to meet—and new germs to catch. One of the best ways to guard you and your family against infectious disease is to stay up-to-date with your vaccines.
Full story: http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/newversion/2008/August/feature1.htm

Matching Genes and Vitamins
A Personalized Plan May Be in Your Future
You may be one of the many people who take vitamin and mineral supplements as a kind of insurance plan, to make sure your body’s getting enough of all the nutrients you need. New research suggests that doctors may one day be able to design a personalized supplement plan that’s best for your particular body.
Full story: http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/newversion/2008/August/feature2.htm

Health Capsules

• Wide Waists Boost Risk of Death
• Online Care Helps Control Blood Pressure
• Featured Web Site: Findings

Click here to download a PDF version for printing.

The July issue of NIH News in Health, the monthly newsletter bringing you practical health news and tips based on the latest NIH research, is now online at http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/.  In this issue of NIH News in Health:

Medical Imaging
Changing Health Care, Saving Lives
If you or someone you know has had a mammogram to check for breast cancer, an X-ray to detect a broken bone, or an ultrasound to examine an internal organ, then you’ve seen the benefits of medical imaging firsthand.
full story

Are Your Wrists at Risk?
Learn About Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
You’re working at your desk, but you’re distracted by a tingling or numbness in your hand and wrist. Then a sharp, piercing pain shoots from your palm through your arm. If you’ve had symptoms like these for several days—or worse, weeks—or if they keep you up at night, you may have carpal tunnel syndrome.
full story

Health Capsules:

·   Social Ties Affect Smoking Behavior

·   Eating Well as You Get Older

·   Featured Web Site: Time to Talk

Click here to download a PDF version for printing.

Subscribe to receive email alerts when new issues of NIH News in Health are posted by going to https://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=nihnewsinhealth-l&A=1.

The Center on Democracy and Technology has published a Policy Paper on the issues surrounding electronic health records. The paper, entitled “Privacy and Security Principles for Health Information Technology,” is broken down into three areas:

1. CDT Calls for the Adoption of a Comprehensive Privacy and Security Framework for Health Information Technology
2. Basics Required in any Health Information Technology Policy
3. CDT’s Suggested Implementation

As electronic health records continue to develop, expect to see more Think Tanks and organizations developing thoughts and positions as to how they should be handled.  ArsTechnica also has a good analysis of the paper.

MedlinePlus has released a multilingual feature, providing access to high quality health information in languages other than English and Spanish. This new service, linked from the MedlinePlus homepage and available directly at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/languages.html, benefits people who prefer to read consumer health information in their native language. It also helps the information professionals and health care providers who serve them.

The new collection contains over 2,500 links to information in more than 40 languages and covers nearly 250 Health Topics.

Users can navigate the new collection of health information in multiple languages either by language or by topic. In addition, a languages box with a list of language names displays on the English Health Topic pages. The language names link to information on MedlinePlus in multiple languages for that topic

You can also use the MedlinePlus search tool to find these pages. A new collection called Multiple Languages appears in the MedlinePlus search results.  Look for an update to the MedlinePlus Search Tips in the near future.

In addition, an interactive world map teaches users about the number of people who speak nine of the languages in the MedlinePlus collection.

The MedlinePlus collection of health information in multiple languages is not meant to be comprehensive. Instead, as with our English and Spanish collections, MedlinePlus staff selects materials according to our quality guidelines. We also follow quality guidelines that are specific to the new collection.

NLM welcomes your comments and suggestions about MedlinePlus. A “Contact Us” link appears at the top of every MedlinePlus page.

The May issue of NIH News in Health, the monthly newsletter bringing you practical health news and tips based on the latest NIH research, is now online at http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/. In this issue of NIH News in Health:

Frightened of Food
Living with Food Allergies
Imagine what life would be like if you had to constantly check out the ingredients in your favorite foods to make sure your life wasn’t in danger after eating even a tiny bit. For some people with severe food allergies, that’s become their way of life.

Of Air and Asthma
Air Pollution’s Effects
A growing number of Americans are sniffling and suffering with allergies and asthma. If you’re 1 of the 23 million Americans who suffer from asthma, you might get some relief by taking steps to reduce indoor allergen levels and modifying your lifestyle to avoid the ill effects of air pollution.

Health Capsules:

• Keeping Off Lost Weight
• Older Corneas Can Make Good Transplants
• Featured Web Site: Gear Up!

Click here to download a PDF version for printing.

Subscribe to receive email alerts when new issues of NIH News in Health are posted by going to https://list.nih.gov/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=nihnewsinhealth-l&A=1. 

HRSA’s free online course: Unified Health Communication 101:

Addressing Health Literacy, Cultural Competency, and Limited English Proficiency has now been approved for 5 MLA Continuing Education Contact Hours.

Additional information about the course can be found at:
http://www.hrsa.gov/healthliteracy/training.htm