Monthly Archives: May 2012

Two Penn Medicine Innovation Tournament Winners Selected for Interactive Improvements to Patient Scheduling and …

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PHILADELPHIA Two teams of employees were selected as winners in Penn Medicine's first employee "Your Big Idea" Innovation Tournament for projects aimed at improving the patient and caregiver experience at Penn Medicine. The winning projects include an online appointment scheduling program as well as kiosks to help patients and visitors navigate their way to appointments and through the hospital. Throughout the five-month long tournament, teams of employees crafted business plans and pitches, working with experts from the Wharton School, culminating with presentations in front of Penn Medicine Leadership last week. The winning ideas will be funded by Penn Medicine and piloted by an implementation team which includes the employees who submitted the winning ideas and other subject matter experts from throughout the organization.

The 2012 "Your Big Idea" Penn Medicine Innovation Tournament winning ideas include:

"The Innovation Tournament engaged nearly a third of our nearly 16,000 person workforce," said Judy L. Schueler, vice president of Organization Development & Chief Human Resource Officer for the University of Pennsylvania Health System. "Faculty and staff either submitted or rated an idea. The level of engagement is a tribute to the men and women of Penn Medicine who dedicate their talents each and every day to improve the patient experience."

"In our outpatient practices, we see that delays at the front desk cause unnecessary frustration and that interactions prior to seeing the physician/provider can set the tone for the outpatient appointment," said Leslie A. Allen, leader of the Patient Service Kiosk team and senior practice administrator in the Department of Medicine's divisions of Renal, Electrolyte and Hypertension, and Infectious Disease. "I submitted the idea one afternoon in between tasks and never thought submitting an idea would develop into all of this."

"The quantity and the quality of the ideas we received exceeded our most optimistic forecasts," said Christian Terwiesch, PhD, professor of Operations and Information Management in the Wharton School. "The tournament ended up being more than just an idea management process it released an enormous amount of creative energy and enthusiasm which left a true mark on the organization"

"The rapid mobilization of Penn Medicine resources to test the winning ideas is one of the great outcomes of the Innovation Tournament," said Kevin Mahoney, senior vice president and Chief Administrative Officer. "The future will require us to be nimble, take risks and continuously adapt our processes. The pilot testing of the winning ideas will engage campus resources from Information Technology, Organization Development, Clinical Practices, Patient and Family Advisory Councils and Program Evaluation, as well as the Innovation Tournament winning teams to ensure a successful implementation."

The first Penn Medicine "Your Big Idea" Innovation Tournament is part of an ongoing effort to share ideas across the University of Pennsylvania Health System. An online social network, called The Square, was recently launched and is currently in beta mode at Penn Medicine. The Square will help faculty and staff of Penn Medicine connect, collaborate, and share ideas beyond unit and departmental borders.

In addition to the two winners, a runner up team, "Their Big Idea," was also selected, to have another Penn Medicine Innovation Tournament in the future, where Penn Medicine patients are the contestants.

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Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $4.3 billion enterprise.

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Two Penn Medicine Innovation Tournament Winners Selected for Interactive Improvements to Patient Scheduling and ...

Macaw Health and Fitness App from U.S. Preventive Medicine Wins CTIA E-Tech Award

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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. and DALLAS, May 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --U.S. Preventive Medicine's Macaw, enabled by Qualcomm Life Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, was named the winner in the Mobile Applications: Health, Wellness and Fitness category of CTIA's Emerging Technology (E-Tech) Awards. In its seventh year, the CTIA E-Tech Awards honor the industry's most innovative wireless products and services in the areas of mobile apps, consumer electronics, enterprise and vertical markets and infrastructure. Winners were announced at International CTIA WIRELESS 2012 taking place earlier this month in New Orleans.

Unlike other available health and fitness apps, Macaw is based on the clinical science of preventive medicine and is universally designed for people who exercise regularly as well as those who are novices when it comes to physical activity. By leveraging Qualcomm Life's expertise in wireless technology, Macaw will transform a smartphone into the ultimate personal health monitor, connecting an individual's health apps and wireless devices for tracking weight, fitness, overall activity and biometrics including pedometers, glucose meters, activity armbands, scales, labs, sleep managers, mobile weight loss apps and blood pressure cuffs into a single app for complete tracking.

Macaw currently allows integration with the Fitlinxx Actiped+ all-day activity monitor, WorkSmart Labs' weight loss and fitness app Noom Weight Loss and Withings WiFi Body Scale. Macaw users are able to track their physical activity, nutrition, progress and health knowledge while engaging in games that unlock prizes.

Macaw is available for download on the iPhone App Store and Android Market. You can also stay up-to-date by following Macaw on Facebook (Facebook.com/ThePreventionPlan), Twitter (@MacawApp) and YouTube (YouTube.com/MacawApp). View the video at http://www.youtube.com/macawapp.

"CTIA is pleased to congratulate U.S. Preventive Medicine and Qualcomm Life on winning the CTIA E-Tech Award for representing the best in wireless innovation for mobile applications in health, wellness and fitness," said Robert Mesirow, vice president and show director for CTIA.

Nearly 250 entries across 15 awards categories were judged by a panel of media and industry analysts and scored on innovation, functionality, technological importance, implementation and overall "wow" factor.

"This award helps to validate our mission of utilizing technology to transform the way people think about and manage their health," said Christopher Fey, founder, CEO and chairman of U.S. Preventive Medicine. "Through Macaw, U.S. Preventive Medicine is making it easier for people to engage in actions to improve their health while on the go. Macaw enables people to take control, improve their own health status, and possibly reduce their health care costs along the way."

For more information on the CTIA E-Tech Awards, visit http://www.ctiashows.com/awards.

To learn more about International CTIA WIRELESS 2012, visit http://www.ctiawireless.com.

Follow CTIA Shows:Facebook: http://www.ctiashows.com/facebook LinkedIn: http://www.ctiashows.com/linkedin Twitter: http://www.ctiashows.com/twitter(#CTIAW12)

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Macaw Health and Fitness App from U.S. Preventive Medicine Wins CTIA E-Tech Award

Who pays for personalized medicine?

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Public release date: 23-May-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Kim Menard kim.menard@uphs.upenn.edu 215-662-6183 University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine

PHILADELPHIA - While researchers are busy identifying new biomarkers to detect disease and tailor treatments to individual needs, legal battles have been waged all the way up to the Supreme Court, trying to sort out whether a private company can own the rights to a particular biomarker.

In a new Perspective piece published today in the New England Journal of Medicine, Jason Karlawish, MD, professor of Medicine, Medical Ethics and Health Policy in the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, and co-author Aaron S. Kesselheim, MD, JD, MPH, from Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, delve into a series of high profile court cases testing the limits of patent protection.

In the months since a US Supreme Court ruling unanimously "rendered invalid two patents covering a method for determining proper drug dosage," as Nature reports, discussions have swirled about how to pay for personalized medicine. The NEJM co-authors report that "a patentable process now needs to involve an inventive and novel application of a law of nature beyond well-understood, routine, conventional activity, previously engaged in by those in the field."

Without patents protecting such medical discoveries, some have argued that there is no way to recoup the costs of biomarker innovation. To that end, Supreme Court Justice Breyer suggested whether special market-exclusivity protection was warranted.

Instead, the authors suggest that enhanced public funding, public-private partnerships, and open-source consortia may improve biomarker discovery and development, more than a private model. According to the NEJM piece, "the Supreme Court's move to free the fundamental processes of medical diagnosis from private ownershipcould ultimately enhance the public health."

As biomarkers become more and more prevalent -- helping diagnose diseases, and pairing with treatments targeted to individual needs -- there will need to be solutions to balance the needs of ensuring access to this useful information and paying for personalized medicine.

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Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $4.3 billion enterprise.

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Who pays for personalized medicine?

Research and Markets: Plasma Medicine. Applications of Low-Temperature Gas Plasmas in Medicine and Biology

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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/xf5djc/plasma_medicine_a) has announced the addition of the "Plasma Medicine. Applications of Low-Temperature Gas Plasmas in Medicine and Biology" report to their offering.

The introduction of low temperature plasma technology to medical research and to the healthcare arena in general is set to revolutionise the way we cure diseases. This innovative medium offers a valid and advantageous replacement of traditional chemical-based medications. Its application in the inactivation of pathogens in particular, avoids the recurrent problem of drug resistant microorganisms. This is the first book dedicated exclusively to the emerging interdisciplinary field of plasma medicine. The opening chapters discuss plasmas and plasma chemistry, the fundamentals of non-equilibrium plasmas and cell biology. The rest of the book is dedicated to current applications, illustrating a plasma-based approach to wound healing, electrosurgery, cancer treatment and even dentistry. The text provides a clear and integrated introduction to plasma technology and has been devised to answer the needs of researchers from different communities. It will appeal to graduate students and physicists, engineers, biologists, medical doctors and biochemists.

Key Topics Covered:

Foreword

Part I. Introduction to Non-equilibrium Plasma, Cell Biology, and Contamination:

1. Introduction

2. Fundamentals of non-equilibrium plasmas

3. Non-equilibrium plasma sources

4. Basic cell biology

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Research and Markets: Plasma Medicine. Applications of Low-Temperature Gas Plasmas in Medicine and Biology

The Center for Connected Medicine Welcomes GE Healthcare as Founding Partner

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PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

The Center for Connected Medicine, a global thought leader defining the transformation of health care, today announced that GE Healthcare has joined the organization as a founding partner. A provider of transformational medical technologies and services shaping a new age of patient care, GE Healthcare joins four other founding organizations and nine strategic partners to advance the Centers mission of developing a blueprint for overcoming the fragmented state of health care today.

Connected medicine is vital to creating a sustainable health care system in the United States, says Marcelo Mosci, president and CEO of GE Healthcare for the US and Canada. GE has long been committed to offering innovative and integrated health care technology and solutions that can help improve patient care. The Center for Connected Medicines efforts align closely with GEs own healthymagination vision of better healthcare for more people at lower cost and we welcome this opportunity to join the Center in driving much needed change.

In the past two years, the Center for Connected Medicine has hosted more than 10,000 visitors, representing 57 countries. Those touring the Center engage in discussions about how best to overcome barriers to achieve a more cohesive approach to medicine, and experience ways technology developed by each of the Centers partners can be integrated to transform and enhance care delivery.

GEs commitment to continuously develop innovations focused on reducing costs, increasing access and improving quality is a perfect fit with the Centers ideals, notes Angela Pantelas, Executive Director at the Center for Connected Medicine. We believe that, together, we can showcase the value of a connected medicine environment to GEs customers, prospects and the industry at large.

GE Healthcare is a leader and innovator, says Andrew Watson, MD, MLitt, FACS, Medical Director at the Center for Connected Medicine. The companys broad experience across many sectors of the health care industry is invaluable, and its holistic viewpoint no doubt will help us further define solutions for health care. We are excited to leverage the contributions GE will make to the Centers vision and activities.

ABOUT THE CENTER FOR CONNECTED MEDICINE

The Center for Connected Medicine is defining the transformation of health care by serving as a global thought leader. It is developing the blueprint for innovative patient-centered and population health models using strategically integrated health information technology solutions. Based in Pittsburgh, the Center was established in 2009 by four founding partnersAlcatel-Lucent, IBM, UPMC and Verizonand eight strategic partners representing multiple facets of the HIT community. By engaging health care stakeholderspolicy-makers, providers, payers, vendorsthe Center promotes cultural change, coordinated care delivery, and greater patient accountability to improve access, cost and quality on a societal level. To learn more about connected medicine, as well as the Centers vision and initiatives, please visit http://www.connectedmed.com.

ABOUT GE HEALTHCARE

GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services that are shaping a new age of patient care. Our broad expertise in medical imaging and information technologies, medical diagnostics, patient monitoring systems, drug discovery, biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies, performance improvement and performance solutions services help our customers to deliver better care to more people around the world at a lower cost. In addition, we partner with healthcare leaders, striving to leverage the global policy change necessary to implement a successful shift to sustainable healthcare systems.

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The Center for Connected Medicine Welcomes GE Healthcare as Founding Partner

Dr. John P. Naughton, UB medical school dean

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May 20, 1933May 21, 2012

Dr. John P. Naughton, the longest-serving dean in the history of the University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, died Monday in his Cheektowaga home.

The internationally known cardiologist, who served as dean for 21 years and was UBs vice president for clinical affairs for the last 12 of those years, was 79.

A native of Nanticoke, Pa., he graduated from St. Louis University and earned his medical degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine.

Dr. Naughton never forgot the lessons he learned while observing a family doctor in a small Oklahoma town during a rotation in medical school.

He tried to create a medical school that would train students to provide the kind of patient- centered care he saw there, said his longtime colleague, Dr. Thomas C. Rosenthal, chairman of UBs department of family medicine.

Dr. Naughton joined the UB faculty in 1975 as dean and professor of medicine, according to a biography provided by the university.

He previously had served as professor of medicine and dean for academic affairs at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Dr. Naughton was considered an expert in the field of exercise and physical activity and in the prevention of coronary heart disease.

He developed the Naughton Treadmill Protocol, the first protocol used for exercise stress tests.

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Dr. John P. Naughton, UB medical school dean

Once unknown Blacksburg medical school celebrates its 10th anniversary, success

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BLACKSBURG, Va.

The Osteopathic Medical School in Blacksburg now has two campuses and a record number of graduates, and some of them are about to head to a small town near you.

Your future doctor could be in a Blacksburg classroom, but it won't be without some blood, sweat, and tears.

"At first I came in really excited. I'm still very excited but it has been overwhelming. They told me it was like drinking out of a fire hose and it really is," student Jazma Phelps said.

The Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, or VCOM for short, was the 20th. It's located in the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center and it was founded a decade ago.

"Ten years ago, some people in the state of Virginia said what is osteopathic medicine? And now they realize it's the full practice of medicine," said Dixie Tooke-Rawlins, the school's executive vice president.

Osteopathic physicians can choose any specialty, prescribe drugs, perform surgeries, and practice medicine anywhere in the United States.

The school in Blacksburg is about to graduate its 933rd physician, and VCOM has had one main mission since day one.

"Our mission is to recruit from and train in and hopefully come back to southwest Virginia and Western North Carolina," said Jan Wilcox, the school's vice dean.

The school's first graduating class is just completing their residencies.

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Once unknown Blacksburg medical school celebrates its 10th anniversary, success

Aghababian leads Mass. Medical Society

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Dr. Richard V. Aghababian, a Southboro resident and the founding chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, has been elected president of the Massachusetts Medical Society.

Dr. Aghababian has a long record of distinguished service with the state medical society. He served as president-elect and vice president, respectively, for the last two years, and was secretary-treasurer for two years before that. He has also been a member of its District Leadership Council and House of Delegates and was a member of the committees on Finance, Nominations, Physician Preparedness, Global Medicine and Medical Education.

He served as chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Massachusetts Medical School from 1994-2007. A Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians, he is still active in education in disaster response and international development of emergency medical systems.

Dr. Aghababian has also held a number of key leadership posts in local and national groups. He has served as president of the Worcester District Medical Society, the Massachusetts College of Emergency Physicians, American College of Emergency Physicians and the Society for Airway Management. He is the secretary-treasurer of the Society for Chest Pain Centers, a national group that helps hospitals improve management of cardiac patients in an observation setting.

An editor-in-chief, associate editor, and contributing author for several textbooks and a widely-published author and lecturer on topics in emergency medicine, disaster response and preparedness, Dr. Aghababian has received honors and awards for his contributions to medicine and the community from the American Red Cross, the Worcester District Medical Society, Massachusetts College of Emergency Physicians and the University of Massachusetts. In 2007, he was a recipient of the Annual Health Care Heroes Award from the Worcester Business Journal.

Harrington HealthCare System is one of the top performers in the state for vaccinating employees against influenza, according to the state Department of Public Health.

The health care system, which includes Harrington Hospital, Harrington HealthCare at Hubbard in Webster and Harrington HealthCare at Charlton, vaccinated 90.4 percent of its employees this flu season, according to state records. That puts it in the top 20 acute care hospitals in the state.

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health challenged all acute care hospitals in Massachusetts to improve their rate of vaccination for the 2011-2012 flu season. Harringtons vaccination rate improved almost 40 percent this year, to 90.4 percent, compared to 65.2 percent last year.

The Couples Project for Women offers free treatment for women with prescription and other drug problems who are either married or live with a male partner. This is 13 weeks of one-on-one outpatient therapy to help people achieve and maintain sobriety. Some women and their male partners will also receive couples counseling to help improve their relationship and to build support for recovery. This study is conducted by researchers at Harvard Medical School and AdCare Hospital. For more information, call AdCare Hospital of Worcester at (800) 345-3552, ext. 4043.

UMass Memorial Health Cares Ronald McDonald Care Mobile provides medical and dental services to people without health or dental insurance. The Care Mobile will be providing services on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Worcester Department of Public Health at 25 Meade St. in Worcester. For more information or to make an appointment, call (508) 334-6073. People who need medical or dental insurance can call (508) 334-9300.

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Aghababian leads Mass. Medical Society

KMC proposes $35 million deal with Caribbean medical school

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In an unusual arrangement that was described as benefiting both institutions, a for-profit Caribbean medical school has offered Kern Medical Center $35 million over 10 years for nearly exclusive rights to have its students rotate through the county facility.

For the financially struggling country hospital, the money would help improve its medical student program and overall academic mission, said CEO Paul Hensler.

The students, most of whom will be U.S. born, will come from Ross University, located on the Caribbean island of Dominica. Only 29 miles wide and 16 miles long, Dominica lies at the top of the Windward Islands in the West Indies.

The move benefits Ross by securing coveted medical school rotation spots in California, a region that has not offered as many opportunities for offshore schools.

The arrangement needs the approval of the Kern County Board of Supervisors, which will consider the matter on Tuesday. It may raise questions because Caribbean schools have a reputation for attracting Americans who can't get into U.S. medical schools.

Medical students typically spend their first two years on basic science coursework and the last two years in clinical rotations. U.S. schools often have affiliated hospitals where students can do those rotations, without having to pay additional costs.

Most Caribbean schools have no nearby associated hospitals, so they must seek out U.S. teaching hospitals willing to host their students.

KMC already receives about $750,000 per year from a variety of Caribbean schools in exchange for hosting about 100 rotation slots for med students. They also get a handful of students from UCLA, which, like other American medical schools, does not pay for the opportunity.

Medical students observe and participate in clinical care under the supervision of a faculty member or resident. Residents, on the other hand, already are licensed doctors, and are in the process of training in a particular speciality, such as family medicine.

If the KMC proposal is approved, Ross will be given priority for those slots. UCLA students will still be allowed to come, as well as students from other offshore schools with Kern County connections.

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KMC proposes $35 million deal with Caribbean medical school

Religious liberty at stake in battle over contraception rule

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Groups protest in March in New York over a rule that most employers provide health care insurance coverage for contraception.

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

Editor's note: Mary Matalin, a founding member of the board of Conscience Cause, a coalition opposing the Department of Health and Human Services' mandate, has worked for Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush and was counselor to Vice President Dick Cheney. Matalin is a CNN political contributor, author and host of a weekly nationally syndicated radio program.

(CNN) -- "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." This is the first line of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Apparently, this now only applies to the certain instances for which President Barack Obama sees fit.

In recent months, a far-reaching regulation emanating from "Obamacare" and imposed by the Department of Health and Human Services requires church-affiliated hospitals, agencies and universities to pay for services that violate their faith (such as contraception, sterilization, and abortion-inducing drugs) in the health insurance they provide employees.

Mary Matalin

For the first time in our nation's history, the government has launched a full-fledged assault on our religious institutions to force them to pay for services that go against their religious convictions. The compromise offered by the administration allowing religious institutions a year to transition to the new system is no compromise. They are still forced to pay for services in direct conflict with their faith or incur severe penalties that could effectively drive them out of business.

This is the most despicable violation of religious liberty that this nation has ever seen. Cardinal-designate Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York and president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, outlined it best when he said, "In effect, the president is saying we have a year to figure out how to violate our consciences." A year is a pitiful concession to make when they are essentially telling people that if they do not violate their conscience, the government will put them out of business.

Catholic institutions, however, are not taking this assault lying down. This week, 43 of them have filed lawsuits across the nation challenging the mandate's intrusion on religious liberty.

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Religious liberty at stake in battle over contraception rule

Liberty Mutual Appoints Chief Actuary for Group Benefits Operation

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Boston-headquartered Liberty Mutual Insurance has appointed Brian Dunham as senior vice president and chief actuary of its group benefits operation.

Prior to joining Liberty Mutual, Dunham was responsible for the pricing and financial management of Unums large case group life and disability business. He is a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries and a member of the American Academy of Actuaries.

Brian Dunham

Liberty Mutual said Dunham brings a wealth of experience in large-case life and disability insurance. He has both the actuarial and management skills to help continue Liberty Mutuals strong growth in the group life and disability, the insurer said.

Liberty Mutual Insurance is a diversified global insurer and the third-largest property/casualty insurer in the U.S. based on net written premium. At the end of 2011, Liberty Mutual had $117.1 billion in consolidated assets, $99.3 billion in consolidated liabilities, and $34.7 billion in annual consolidated revenue.

Liberty Mutual offers a wide range of insurance products and services, including personal automobile, homeowners, workers compensation, property, commercial automobile, general liability, global specialty, group disability, reinsurance and surety. Liberty Mutual Insurance employs over 45,000 people in more than 900 offices throughout the world.

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Liberty Mutual Appoints Chief Actuary for Group Benefits Operation

Liberty-Dream Preview

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The Atlanta Dream are hoping this is the second consecutive season that their first win comes against the New York Liberty.

That wish may come true with the way the Liberty have played so far.

Atlanta opens its home schedule Friday night when the Liberty try to avoid their first 0-4 start in six years.

After opening with three losses in 2011, the Dream began their run to a second straight WNBA finals appearance with a 79-58 road victory over the Liberty on June 14.

Atlanta, which plays eight of its next 10 at home, will try to get into the win column for the first time in 2012 following Saturday's season-opening 92-84 loss at Indiana. The Dream never led and trailed by 17 in the fourth quarter.

"In the gym. Gotta get better," forward Angel McCoughtry, who had 26 points and seven rebounds, wrote on her official Twitter account Tuesday.

The same is true for the Liberty, who lost 80-62 to defending WNBA champion Minnesota on Tuesday.

New York, which last opened 0-3 in 2009, will try to avoid its first 0-4 start since 2006 when it finished a franchise-worst 11-23.

"We are figuring it all out," said point guard Cappie Pondexter, averaging a team-high 17.3 points with 2.3 assists. "... I think going into Atlanta we have to pound the ball inside. We have a lot of key big players. We need to make an impact inside. That way we can get an open shot and not make it hard for the perimeter."

While Plenette Pierson, Essence Carson, Kara Braxton and Kia Vaughn - combining to average 21.0 rebounds - could give McCoughtry and Sancho Lyttle headaches in the post, Pondexter and the Liberty will be attempting to shoot better.

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Liberty-Dream Preview

Liberty Global Passes This Key Test

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There's no foolproof way to know the future for Liberty Global (Nasdaq: LBTY.A) or any other company. However, certain clues may help you see potential stumbles before they happen -- and before your stock craters as a result.

A cloudy crystal ballIn this series, we use accounts receivable and days sales outstanding to judge a company's current health and future prospects. It's an important step in separating the pretenders from the market's best stocks. Alone, AR -- the amount of money owed the company -- and DSO -- the number of days' worth of sales owed to the company -- don't tell you much. However, by considering the trends in AR and DSO, you can sometimes get a window onto the future.

Sometimes, problems with AR or DSO simply indicate a change in the business (like an acquisition), or lax collections. However, AR that grows more quickly than revenue, or ballooning DSO, can also suggest a desperate company that's trying to boost sales by giving its customers overly generous payment terms. Alternately, it can indicate that the company sprinted to book a load of sales at the end of the quarter, like used-car dealers on the 29th of the month. (Sometimes, companies do both.)

Why might an upstanding firm like Liberty Global do this? For the same reason any other company might: to make the numbers. Investors don't like revenue shortfalls, and employees don't like reporting them to their superiors.

Is Liberty Global sending any potential warning signs? Take a look at the chart below, which plots revenue growth against AR growth, and DSO:

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Data is current as of last fully reported fiscal quarter. FQ = fiscal quarter.

The standard way to calculate DSO uses average accounts receivable. I prefer to look at end-of-quarter receivables, but I've plotted both above.

Watching the trendsWhen that red line (AR growth) crosses above the green line (revenue growth), I know I need to consult the filings. Similarly, a spike in the blue bars indicates a trend worth worrying about. Liberty Global's latest average DSO stands at 30.6 days, and the end-of-quarter figure is 28.6 days. Differences in business models can generate variations in DSO, and business needs can require occasional fluctuations, but all things being equal, I like to see this figure stay steady. So, let's get back to our original question: Based on DSO and sales, does Liberty Global look like it might miss its numbers in the next quarter or two?

I don't think so. AR and DSO look healthy. For the last fully reported fiscal quarter, Liberty Global's year-over-year revenue grew 12.4%, and its AR grew 4.7%. That looks OK. End-of-quarter DSO decreased 5.8% from the prior-year quarter. It was down 17.9% versus the prior quarter. Still, I'm no fortuneteller, and these are just numbers. Investors putting their money on the line always need to dig into the filings for the root causes and draw their own conclusions.

What now?I use this kind of analysis to figure out which investments I need to watch more closely as I hunt the market's best returns. However, some investors actively seek out companies on the wrong side of AR trends in order to sell them short, profiting when they eventually fall. Which way would you play this one? Let us know in the comments below, or keep up with the stocks mentioned in this article by tracking them in our free watchlist service, My Watchlist.

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Liberty Global Passes This Key Test

Dunkin’ Donuts in Greater Philadelphia Supports Liberty USO, Local Troops and Their Families

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PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Dunkin Donuts in Greater Philadelphia is partnering with Liberty USO to help support their mission of serving the needs of active duty, National Guard and reserve military personnel and their families throughout Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey. Dunkin Donuts is donating $1 (up to $2,000) for every new Like on the Dunkin Philly Facebook page (www.facebook.com/DunkinPhilly) through June 1. Additionally, Dunkin Donuts hosted 200 Liberty USO military members and their families at a special movie advance screening for Men In Black 3 on Thursday, May 24.

Dunkin Donuts has a strong commitment to the Greater Philadelphia Region and to the communities we are proud to keep running every day, says Lou Conte, Manager of Field Marketing, Greater Philadelphia Region, Dunkin Donuts. Were proud to support Liberty USO as they continue their mission to support local troops and their families in Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey.

To learn more about Dunkin Donuts, visit http://www.DunkinDonuts.com or follow Dunkin Donuts Greater Philadelphia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/DunkinPhilly) and Twitter (www.Twitter.com/DunkinPhilly). For more information about Liberty USO visit, http://www.LibertyUSO.org.

About Liberty USO

For nearly seven decades, the USO of Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey, Inc. (LibertyUSO) has served the needs of active duty, National Guard and reserve military personnel andtheir families throughout Pennsylvania and Southern New Jersey. Liberty USOs mission is toenhance the quality of life of the U.S. Armed Forces personnel and their families. In short,Liberty USO is the bridge between the civilian population and our service members. In times ofwar and peace, Liberty USO has delivered its special brand of support, comfort, moraleboosting, and recreational activities to service members and their families.

About Dunkin' Donuts

Founded in 1950, Dunkin' Donuts isAmerica's favorite all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods. Dunkin' Donuts is a market leader in the regular/decaf coffee, iced coffee, hot flavored coffee, donut,bagel and muffin categories. Dunkin' Donuts has earned the No. 1 ranking for customer loyalty in the coffee category by Brand Keys for six years running. The company has more than 10,000 restaurants in 32 countries worldwide. For the full-year 2011, Dunkin' Donuts' restaurants had global franchisee-reported sales of approximately $6.4 billion. Based inCanton,Mass., Dunkin' Donuts is part of the Dunkin' Brands Group, Inc. (DNKN) family of companies. For more information, visitwww.DunkinDonuts.com.

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Dunkin’ Donuts in Greater Philadelphia Supports Liberty USO, Local Troops and Their Families

Penn Jillette Revisits Obama Drugs Rant On Hannity

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video

Penn Jillette visited Hannity today to expand on comments he made earlier this week on his podcast about President Obama comments that got Sean Hannitys attention as Jillette made the point that, had President Obama been prosecuted under his own drug policies, he never could have been President.

RELATED: Its Not A God Damn Joke!: Penn Jillette Destroys Beyond Hypocritical Obama Over Marijuana Laws

Hannity began the interview asking out of curiosity why Jillette paints one of his fingernails red (an homage to his mother), but quickly turned to the Presidential election, in which Jillette has admitted to be leaning towards voting for Gary Johnson. I think Gary Johnson is pretty good, he confirmed, adding that their personal beliefs dont matter if they have a really strong theory of government, meaning that they know their opinions cant be imposed on others through the power of the state. He refused to vote for someone he disliked less than President Obama, however, based only on that: I think voting for the lesser of two evils in game theory always leads to more evil, he told Hannity. He added that he thought that those who supported Romney on his own merits should vote for him, but that he was on in that party. To me, they are much more similar than they are to you, he said of the two major candidates to Hannity.

Hannity noted he supported Romney but that he would be disappointed if he governed as a moderate: its not a time for half-measures. The conversation, as always, returned to libertarianism in theory, which Jillette described as as far right as you can go on money, as far left as you can go on sex, and which he attributed in part for him to the believe that the vast majority of people are good. Hannity disagreed on that latter point.

The segment via Fox News below:

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Penn Jillette Revisits Obama Drugs Rant On Hannity

UCLA graduate student and Libertarian Steve Collett runs for Congress

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Not many students can juggle five classes, a business and a congressional campaign.

But UCLA graduate student Steven Collett, 57, is currently studying public policy at the Luskin School of Public Affairs, running his own accounting firm and pursuing a bid for Congress.

Collett, the sole Libertarian in the race for Californias 33rd Congressional District, will square off in June against Democratic, Republican, Green and independent candidates, including longtime Democratic incumbent Henry Waxman.

Brad Rowe, who is Colletts colleague, said he met Collett early during their tenure in the public policy graduate program.

Rowe said he found it inspiring to see Collett take a pivot in his career while building on his previous experiences and time at UCLA to realize his political aspiration.

Its been a lot of fun to watch (Collett) progress and grow, Rowe said.

Collett said that although he sometimes draws different conclusions from course material presented in class, he has found his classes and professors very valuable.

It was at the school of public affairs that Collett said he hoped to find the tools to develop his political platforms and accrue the credentials for a congressional race.

Mark Kleiman, Colletts adviser and a professor of a public policy, acknowledged that Collett is a busy guy.

Im hoping he will have some time, if he doesnt get elected, to do research, Kleiman said.

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UCLA graduate student and Libertarian Steve Collett runs for Congress

Libertarian candidate to speak at Oaksterdam

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While President Obama rakes in the dough out in Palo Alto Thursday, the junior member of the Libertarian Party's presidential ticket will be making a stop in Oakland.

Jim Gray, the Libertarian Party's vice presidential nominee will be speaking from 3:30 to 5 p.m. at Oaksterdam University, 1600 Broadway. The event is free and open to the public.

Gray, a retired Orange County Superior Court Judge, supports legalizing marijuana, as does the Libertarian Party's presidential candidate, former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson.

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Libertarian candidate to speak at Oaksterdam