new flu pandemic could kill millions

A top U.N. public health expert warned Thursday that a new influenza pandemic could come anytime and claim millions of lives unless officials to take action now to control an epidemic in Asia.

Dr. David Nabarro of the World Health Organization called on governments to take immediate steps to address the threat at a news conference following his appointment as the new U.N. coordinator to lead a global drive to counter a human flu pandemic.

asian flu

the value of health IT

Floodwaters destroyed the medical records of thousands of evacuees from New Orleans, washing away orders for cancer and diabetes treatment and medication information stored in physician offices and clinics.

The Health and Human Services Department is trying to recreate some of the medical data electronically that was destroyed by floodwaters, in what is proving to be a test case for the government’s efforts to develop health IT systems.

Most doctors have no idea how to implement an electronic health records system and have little trust that the federal government does either.

One California doctor, for example, met with 200 vendors over five years trying to figure out exactly what hardware and software his office needed, to no avail.

The problems most physicians face is that implementing health IT is both expensive—some estimate the cost between $15,000 to $30,000 per doctor—and intimidating because of the changes technology brings, said Chuck Parker, DOQ-IT team leader and the director of health care IT for MassPro, a doctors’ office quality program.

Health and Human Services secretary Mike Leavitt has taken rapid steps to bring the public and private sectors together to address the technical challenges. Efforts are being launched to agree on needed common standards, develop the capacity for certification, and examine legal and business practice barriers. This effort also will support prototype projects. A new advisory group, the American Health Information Community, is intended to bring together the many stakeholders who need to share in steering this effort. And when standards are developed, federal health programs will adopt them to provide leadership and a sound foundation.

IT

major hurricane likely in October forecasters say

Meteorologists examining the conditions that spawned hurricanes Rita and Katrina say there is a strong likelihood that another intense hurricane will occur in October. Researchers also warn that the country should brace for 10 to 40 more years of powerful storms because of a natural ocean cycle in the midst of the most active hurricane period on record.

hurricanes

Voice of the Caliphate

An Internet video newscast broadcast for the first time on Monday, purporting to be a production of al Qaeda and featuring an anchorman who wore a black ski mask and an ammunition belt. The anchorman, who said the report would appear once a week, presented news about the Gaza Strip and Iraq and expressed happiness about recent hurricanes in the United States.
The broadcast is called th VOICE OF CALIPHATE.

is there a media crisis?

There seems to have been stories of rape and murder that did not occur in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. Was there a bias attempt to give false impressions about President Bush, FEMA, and the state of things in general? Maybe.

How can the media sent to report on the happenings of such an historical event allow unconfirmed stories out on the airwaves or in print? Relief workers said that while the media hyped criminal activity, plenty of real suffering did occur at the Katrina relief centers. Rumors of death were greatly overblown and some criminal activities reported never happened.

track kenneth

Hurricane Kenneth has been tracked.

blogger handbook

Bloggers get people going... news, opinion, theory..... those are just three blog items or ideas. Blogs are good for freedoms of expression. There is a new handbook out to help get your blog noticed. You'll also find help in setting it up.

Blogging

Streisand says there is a global warming crisis

The summer's back to back superstorms are proof positive we have entered a new period of global warming emergency, according to Barbra Streisand. "There could be more droughts, dust bowls. You know it's amazing to hear these facts", said Streisand to ABC News Diane Sawyer.

global warming