... But every day the meetings seem just a little angrier, and people who are afraid—who have been made afraid, and left to be afraid—can get swept up. As this column is written, there comes word that John Sweeney of the AFL-CIO has announced he’ll be sending in union members to the meetings to counter health care’s [i.e., the reform plan's - ed.] critics.
Massive expansion of healthcare IT is one of the cornerstones of the healthcare reform initiative. I have expressed my concerns in an open letter to the President on this blog about the dangers of too rapidly pushing health IT in its present underdeveloped and experimental condition.
With that in mind, I've just noted several "hits" on my Drexel website on healthcare IT failure from the following IP number (internet digital address):
06 Aug, Thu, 16:22:42 12.4.17.250 Netscape 7 Windows XP
06 Aug, Thu, 16:45:53 12.4.17.250 Netscape 7 Windows XP
06 Aug, Thu, 17:03:07 12.4.17.250 Netscape 7 Windows XP
These occurred as a result of someone at IP 12.4.17.250 searching Google on the phrase "drexel university health information tech."
I cannot tell what they looked at besides the site's main page at 16:22, but at 16:45 and 17:03 the referring URL's were:
http://www.ischool.drexel.edu/faculty/ssilverstein/failurecases/?loc=about
In other words, my biographical information was being reviewed.
IP 12.4.17.250 translates as follows:
AFL-CIO AFLCIO-17-0 (NET-12-4-17-0-1)
12.4.17.0 - 12.4.17.255
Perhaps someone at AFL-CIO is interested in pursuing a graduate certificate in healthcare informatics at Drexel, or perhaps someone there is conducting background research on potential or perceived IT-related "impediments" to healthcare reform. (Such as my writings?)
I don't know which, but I thought the hits interesting.
-- SS
Aug. 11 update:
This "hit" just in on unknown referrer:
Aug, Tue, 08:13:39 12.32.3.194 Netscape 7 Windows XPIP 12.32.3.194 translates to:
UNITED STEELWORKERS OF AMERICA UNITED-S 21-3-192
(NET-12-32-3-192-1) 12.32.3.192 - 12.32.3.199
A lot of hits on my HIT failure site with union labels lately.
-- SS
We do not realize the level of misinformation and extremes being taken by those involved in the health care reform debate until confronted on a personal level. I received a phone call from my sister, odd in itself, with the purpose of discussing my position on health care reform.
ReplyDeleteShe had attended a meeting where she works and was informed by the company's insurance carrier that under the new system they would continue to pay ever increasing premiums, while illegal immigrants would receive the same care, paid for with increased taxes. This was followed by a talking head on a supposed "news" show stating that under any reform, people would be allowed to die on the streets, just like in Canada and the UK today.
We then spent the next hour taking apart all of the false claims and trying to deal with issue based on known facts. Since there is no completed bill being voted on, everything up to this point is a proposal.
What I found shocking was her firm belief that our 78 year old father, who uses the VA for his care, would be denied medical care. Her concern extended to me, as I will soon turn 55 and my wife will retire from a movement job. thus in her mind, leaving us with no medical coverage.
The medical system in this country appears to be so fragmented and fraught with conflicts of interest that it appears any meaningful reform may not take place as the various players jockey to protect their individual pieces of the pie. The battle cry of NO, NO, NO, appears to be drowning out any serious debate.
Steve Lucas
Typo, my wife has a government job.
ReplyDeleteSteve Lucas