Mind the Gap

49% The percentage of hospital and health system business leaders who say are more than halfway to completing full electronic health record (EHR) system deployment.

25% The number of executives who don’t think they will have enough money to see these Herculean EHR projects through.

FDA Turns Up Heat on Spray Tans

The message is finally getting through: The sun’s ultraviolet rays cause wrinkles, premature aging, and increases skin cancer risk, and indoor tanning beds may be worse. As a result, the spray tan’s popularity has surged in recent years.

But is it really safer or even safe?

Not necessarily, according to the FDA. Dihydroxyacetone (DHA), the active ingredient in most spray tans, may be hazardous to our health. “The use of DHA in ‘tanning’ booths as an all-over spray has not been approved by the FDA since safety data to support this use has not been submitted to the Agency for review and evaluation.” The agency also states that DHA should not be inhaled or ingested.

So is there really a thing as a safe tan? That’s the question that Plastic Surgery Practice asked visitors in a recent online poll. And 26.7% of you said that sunless tanning can be safe, 46.7% think moderate exposure to the sun can be safe, and another 26.7% of respondents said that there is no such thing as a safe tan.


Flying High

Your patients are talking about OpenSky, a new social shopping platform where virtual concierges or tour guides (including some top names in dermatology, skin care, not to mention new celebrities) tell you what they can’t live without. It’s like having an überhip personal shopper holding your hand as you shop the beauty aisle. Visitors follow their faves, and receive a Twitter-like feed of recommended products. Who wouldn’t want talk show host/reality TV star and entrepreneur Bethenny Frankel’s advice on a booty-boosting shapewear?

OpenSky was named one of the 50 most innovative companies of 2012, and boasts more than $1.5 million in monthly sales. The site also offers up expert recommendations on food, home, healthy living, and fashion. Check it out at opensky.com.


Labor Day Gender Bender

$12,194
That’s precisely how much more money male doctors rake in each year compared with their female counterparts, according to a study in the Journal of American Medical Association. After adjusting for such factors as specialty and academic rank, researchers found that women were paid about $12,000 less on average than their male counterparts per year.