In an era when individuals are bearing more of, if literally not all, the financial burden for their health care coverage, we are seeing a much more heightened selection process in regards to where these consumers go for medical treatment and how they are willing…
Anyone familiar with the Hippocratic oath understands the undeniable bond between medical care and ethics—ideally, physicians are driven by the desire to help patients, not hurt them. Yet, harm does sometimes occur, and patients have the right to hold such doctors accountable in a court…
According to a recently released study by Washington, D.C.-based Smart Growth America—the only national organization dedicated to better developed communities across the U.S.—those who choose to travel on foot could routinely be taking their life into their own hands. The nationwide study, entitled
Last February, a small Southern California Hospital in a sleepy art deco neighborhood found itself under a full-scale attack that brought all semblances of health care to a standstill. While the Los Angeles Police Department and the FBI were sought to render aid, they were…
According to the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics, there are currently more than 165,000 health apps out there for Android and iOS smartphones and tablets. While some are simply either a coach or a convenience—think fitness trackers, runner’s logs or even a primer on yoga…
Earlier this month the Leapfrog Group, a leading advocate for hospital transparency, released its Fall 2016 safety grades on 2,633 hospitals across the Nation. For some, the results were surprising, as the rankings didn’t necessarily correspond with regions known, or not known, for quality patient…
We’ve all seen the magazine cover lines, those teasers that tempt us while in line at the supermarket—the top health risks and how we can avoid them. Well, unlike some other “Top 10” lists that are based on little more than public opinion, the list…
Starwood Hotels has announced a data breach of its hotel chains which appears to be a “point of sales” malware attack, and it appears personal and sensitive information including credit card numbers has been lost. Based on the investigation, we discovered that the point of…
Consumers are finding that some of the “health apps” and other technologies that have become so readily available may be lacking the privacy protections consumers are accustomed to. The Washington Post has a story on the privacy loopholes that these apps squeeze through: Jacqueline Stokes…
The Federal Communications Commission continues to crack down on hotels and convention centers that are blocking Wi-Fi hot spots and forcing consumers onto privately monitored pay networks. Forbes has compiled a list of recent FCC enforcement actions regarding hot spot blocking: In October 2014, Ma
It’s become a maxim that you “can’t control what’s on the internet.” But, why should we accept this in the US when Europe demand and have implemented the “Right to be Forgotten.” The non-profit organization Consumer Watchdog has written an op-ed in the Washington Post through…
You have probably heard about Windows 10 since it was first offered free of charge to consumers who already have Windows 7 or 8. You may have also heard about questionable privacy practices embedded into Windows 10. Are they a real concern? We think so.…
