Having Basal-cell Ca Removed

July 16th, 2009

I went in to the clinic today to have my basal-cell carcinoma removed.

It was what seemed a fairly trivial affair, where the staff assured me that this type of cancer was the most harmless kind.  Having the cancer cut off with a curved cutting instrument called a curette, it felt like this procedure was so done-a-thousand-times, that it was to be regarded as no big deal.

And that’s what it was.  No big deal.  Stephanie gave it a shot of anesthetic, Corey came in a few minutes later and carved it out.  Both were very professional and friendly. 

It was at the Vancouver Clinic in Vancouver WA, and it’s a very professional organization.  I do wish they would provide us patients with online tools to make appointments ect, and they assure me it’s coming.  I’m not holding my breadth.

But Corey and Stephanie did a wonderful job and now my skin in cancer-free.  I’m glad they treated me professionally and like a person.  For which I’m grateful, aside from recognizing my skin cancer in the first place (which I think I inherited from my dad) and made no big deal about getting rid of it.  It was no big deal.  Of which I’m happy.

Healthcare IT Feeling ARRA’s Effects

July 15th, 2009

A lot of healthcare IT professionals I talk to these days bring up how money coming down from the ARRA is effecting organization policies.

Money in the Obama administration’s push to bring HIT up to speed with today’s need is so welcome.  Many HIT professionals are working to pull the various HIT precepts together into a cohesive, share-friendly system, and much of that is mandated in the ARRA.

As we embark further down the Health 2.0 road, this is welcome.  We look forward to having a more robust patient-oriented hc system.  ARRA money to help HIT policies don’t guarantee that, but at least it’s starting to get the resources to make it happen.