Category Archives: Main Page

Signal & noise: simple but complex explanation of tinnitus

Posted on by

Tinnitus – signal leads to noise; signal leads to reduction of noise; different types of signal; a complexity model for understanding thereof:

  • Too much signal (emotional/physical) leads to aggravation/stress.
  • Body responds by producing noise (tinnatus) – except tinnatus is pre-existing noise within the system, now just being picked up as a result of too much ‘signal‘.
  • Treatment to reduce/remove tinnatus is to introduce signal to the subject (sound therapy). “Although there are no specific cures for tinnitus, anything that brings the person out of the “fight or flight” stress response helps symptoms recede over a period of time.” (see wikipedia).
  • Signal ‘leads’ to ‘loss’ of noise.

Web 2.0 comes to the NHS

Posted on by

News just in from Dr Mark Greenhalgh Clinical Networking Strategy Lead, NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement:

“A social network pilot for the UK renal community will be going live in March, all being well. This is internal to the NHS, but will utilize a full complement of social networking tools. This is among the very first of initiatives to bring the Web 2.0 philosophy to health in the UK – particularly within the NHS.


“The site will support two communities during its pilot phase – the Practice Partner Network – a network supporting early adoption and trial of the products and output from the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement and also the informal UK kidney community – clinicians and patients, plus other support staff involved with the care of patients with kidney disease. It may help to support the renal National Quality Improvement Initiative – a move to raise the standard of kidney services in the areas doing less well, towards the standards achieved by the best services – there are 53 services in England.

“If this goes well, it may influence the adoption of the approach across the NHS.” Another