News 08/22/06

From Orlando Portale: "A well-known industry consultant asked me what I thought Google was up to in the healthcare space. They have been pretty tight lipped about their efforts. I predict they are considering the following: (a) a search appliance that plugs into the network that can capture HL7 messages and store them in a way that the envelope data can be readily indexed and searched; (b) the ability to index, search and retrieve all manner of genomics data; (c) a tool for designing customizable portals that aggregate patient-centric data from disparate information sources, along with 'mash-ups' to stitch together other private and public information sources; (d) access to healthcare quality, performance and benchmarking indicators by way of license or acquisition deals with companies such as Ingenix or Solucient; (e) A way of finally dealing with the semantic interoperability issue -- terminology and vocabulary mapping." Link. Well done. Option (a) is entirely feasible, particularly since Google just improved their existing search appliance and is marketing it to businesses again, that being one of few less-successful endeavors. Option (b) makes good sense given Google's proprietary technologies to turn cheap servers into a massive MIPS grid. Option (c) takes advantage of their existing indexing and healthcare's need for a portal that crosses organizational boundaries. The others sound plausible as well, just less familiar to me. Nice bit of thinking. I challenge HIStalk readers to think as though you were Google's healthcare expert. What should they do?

From Siemens Watcher: "Re: Linda Reino's leaving UHS for MedQuist. Not only was she close to Frank Lavelle, but she was also one of Siemens' biggest Soarian supporters -- she committed UHS to Siemens for every application (bought into Soarian years ago.) I wonder if this is coming back to bite her? Greg Walton, big Soarian supporter at Carilion is gone (as previously discussed on HIStalk). Now Linda Reino. Who's next? I can think of a few names that should be nervous." I sure haven't known any CIOs whose career benefitted from their bet on Soarian. Too bad -- some good ideas got buried in poor execution.

From Anonymous: "Re: your new feature poll. How about adding a section that showcases something positive at the end of each week? For example, the item from KUMED showcasing the videoconferencing is great. I like your site the best, but the negativity is too much. Set aside a time or update that showcases what health systems are doing right." I like the idea, despite my tendency toward cynicism and that narrow strip of land between horrific project failure and rosy press releases. If anyone has good stuff, send it my way.

From Krystal: "Re: rent-a-CIO. Since you're so connected, do you have a good list of companies or contacts that provide interim or contract CIOs for hospitals?" Certainly there are many. If anyone wants their company's name forwarded to Krystal or listed here, let me know. Or, you could sponsor here and impress her more ...

Got some nice e-mails from some of those investment guys whom I accused of lurking here ungratefully. Well, they're more grateful than I gave them credit for. Some snips: "I know a lot of us on 'The Street' appreciate your efforts. So lest you feel that your work go unheralded, know that it does not. Thank you from us ... It's too bad that lots of others are coming here, but I guess it was only a matter of time before word got out, as the info here has turned out to be very timely, useful, and accurate ... we have a better understanding of the happenings and dynamics in HCIT thanks to your site, and that's important." I appreciate the comments, even if I did shame you into making them. Let's celebrate with some words from my imaginary Wall Street hero, Gordon Gekko, who in my fantasy I call GG just like Bud Fox: "Greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind. And greed, you mark my words, will not only save Teldar Paper, but that other malfunctioning corporation called the USA." GG, I've got gooseflesh here.

Iatric Systems announces IatraConnect, which provides MEDITECH data to RHIOs without requiring direct queries from outside.

Ohio's attorney general backs off plans to regulate nonprofit hospitals after complaints from special interests (mostly hospitals.) He had planned to require hospitals to publish their plan for treating poor patients and to cap and publicly disclose their executive salaries.

Listening to now: Jem, Welsh pop songstress recommended by one of the investment guys. Pretty good stuff. Also The Love, a fine, underrated, fresh-sounding 60s band that happened to be Jim Morrison's favorite and whose founder Arthur Lee died two weeks ago.

A UK hospital will send automatic text messages reminding patients of their scheduled appointments.

Kentucky's newly rebuilt Frazier Rehab Insitute implements high-end video solutions from EnovateIT, including 42" Hitachi monitors interfaced to the nurse call system in each patient room.

iSoft may release its delayed fiscal year results this week. I'm expecting a disaster, but you never know.

Jonathan Bush, CEO of athenahealth, will be live on CNBC's Squak Box Wednesday morning from 7:00 to 8:00 Eastern. He'll be leading a discussion on HIT that features HHS secretary Mike Leavitt, Louis Burns from Intel, and some stock guys.

Medical Center of Central Georgia lists an unspecified computer system as one of the reasons it's struggling financially. They used to complain loudly about Cerner, so I'm guessing it's them referred to here: "Portions of the $11.5 million computer system purchased in 1996 did not work properly for years, Faulk acknowledged, and the hospital spent $6.7 million more adding new elements to it. About $1.8 million went toward systems that the hospital never implemented. Faulk said the vendor promised more than it could deliver and has provided more than $1 million in financial concessions." If I guessed wrong, let me know.

Interesting: Picis says one of the uses of its proposed $86 million IPO will be to buy other companies.

Worried about a fashion faux pas with your dorky-looking medical ID bracelet? Jewels et Jim has a luxury jewelry collection featureing 18K gold and precious and semi-precious stones, linking to the PHR software of partner TouchNetworks.

Another Merge Healthcare executive bites the dust. Co-CEO Brian Pedlar, previously of their Cedara division, left last week with one day's notice to the company. The stock would have lost a lot except that it was only worth a little anyway (down 7% today to $7.15, but with a still-lofty PE of 199 and market cap of $246 million.) August 29th is the apparently deadline for filing delayed financial reports, after which Nasdaq is likely to de-list the company's stock.