If you are not familiar with Hacker News, check it out:http://news.ycombinator.com/
It is a pretty cool site where people post news stories, comment on them and upvote or downvote them. It is a good place to post content relative to startups and technology and get them picked up by interested people and media. Someone created a site that helps you determine when is the best time to place a story on the site. Check it out:
http://hnpickup.appspot.com/

I have a new post up on DiagnosticImaging.com about three exhibits that you don't want to miss. I went through all the the radiology exhibits and pick 3 that you want to see. Check it out here:
http://www.diagnosticimaging.com/radblog/display/article/113619/1992364

This is an excerpt from a post by Mark Suster, that appears on his blog here:
That’s why I’m proud to announce today that HealthDataInsights (founded by Victor Chaltiel), where GRP Partners was a 30% owner, has been acquired for $400 million.
1. Solving bigger problems
HealthDataInsights (HDI) is a company that helps to recover money for the government or private insurers who have been incorrectly billed or fraudulently charged. This is important because at the US federal level Medicare is billed about $500 billion (yes, that’s half a trillion!) / year and it estimates that up to 9% of its billings are over-billed or fraud. That’s $45 billion just in federal billings. HDI also focused on state Medicaid programs as well as private insurers.

Just how effective has HDI been at recoveries? At the federal level HDI is responsible for auditing 22% of the US territory yet has been responsible for 41% of all US refunds or a whopping $658 million between the original pilot program and the current program.

So when I talk about solving big problems – 2/3rd of a billion dollars to taxpayers is high on my list. The longer-term potential of this is enormous, which is why the company was acquired by HMS Holdings. They are excellent at what they do.

The science of finding recoveries is based on computer-based algorithms that flag high-potential errors and trained technicians that then review these claims. My partner & mentor Yves Sisteron (You can get to know Yves in this YouTube video) has been active at HDI for years (as has our CFO, Dana Kibler).

I downloaded the RSNA mobile app in preparation for the Annual Meeting in Chicago. Here is my quick review.

Search Program: Well, the 'Text' doesn't allow me to actually enter text on my Android touch screen phone. This means I can only filter by date and session type. FAIL.

What's Happening Now. Seems like a great feature while I am there to know where to go and what is going on right now.WIN (TBD)

Search Exhibitors: Same problem with all searches, apparently not able to actually search by typing key words. So as long as you know in which state Toshiba is, and what category to search you are good :(. FAIL.

While You're Here: This may be the most helpful piece of the app. Giving some helpful hints about where to go and what eating options etc... Missing some important components, such as a map of the McCormick Plaza. WIN (ish)

Map:
What good is the google map in the app if you can't zoom in, find directions? Basically just tells you that McCormick is in Chicago. FAIL.

Feels like RSNA was so proud of having a mobile app that they didn't stop to think about how they could use the app to enhance the experience at RSNA. They just replicated the online content. How about a map of McCormick Plaza and GPS of where you are- type in a booth or other location and get directions to where you want to go. 

I recommend downloading it, but don't have too high expectations.

A week ago I attended the WNRS.org annual meeting in Palm Springs. First of all, a beautiful place (next year is in Sedona Arizona- definitely going to that- if you go- make sure you go to Grand Canyon and take a helicopter ride- it is amazing in the air) 

I was impressed by the space and the great people I met there. I went to go check out the space for an exhibit. I should have just exhibited, but wanted to make sure it was worth the time and what events would be the best to sponsor. I think the golf would be the better event to sponsor- so this gives me a year to get ready and work on m swing. I enjoy playing golf, but I am not very good at it. I think there are a dozen golf courses within 10 miles of where I live, so there is not really an excuse to get out and get better.

In October I attended the Start-Up Weekend #3 here in San Diego. It is a 54 hour event where people come together to build a product ro a company over a weekend. It is a fun time to network and to meet some very talented people. The project that I worked on was hen health (henleath.com) There is a Medicare Challenge to create an online/digital solution for the discharge process. Right now the majority of checklists upon discharge are done on printed copies. Medicare believes that having an online version that can be shared with subsequent care providers and family can reduce the number of readmissions.

Over one weekend the hen health team pulled together the site and the software. I was surprised and amazed at the amount of progress in such a short time. Medicare will close the contest later this month.

Log-on and check out what can be done with an amazing team in such a short time. Check out the site- and get super secret access: Use the user name 'provider' and 'patient' (no passwords for both) and check out what the respective users would see. 

Last week I bought my tickets and booked travel arrangements for RSNA in Chicago later this month. (I still don't know why Chicago during the last week in November- oh well at least I come home to San Diego) In preparation for the week in Chicago I reviewed all of the 714 technical exhibits' websites so that I would be prepared on what is there. 

It did take more time than I expected- but I realized in doing so how many exhibits there will be there. I don't think that there is any way to be able to go and visit all of them. 714 exhibits * 5 minutes each exhibit = 3,570 minutes = 60 Hours. I categorized each of them according to service/product. This way I can prioritize my time in Chicago to the exhibits and companies that will have the largest impact on Bern. Of course in sales terms everyone at RSNA for Bern is either a prospect or a referrer. What we do is in a way generic and can be applied to any imaging process- since the data set and flow are similar from any one company to the next. 

There were some truly stand out companies that I came across and I reached out to them to be able to set something up before the annual meeting. I will be sure to document the RSNA trip and ideally would write a blog post daily on the trip.