Friday, April 9, 2010

Health Informatics News

Health Informatics News

Survey: Privacy compliance has declined

Posted: 14 May 2006 01:56 AM PDT

Three years after federal rules governing the privacy of patients' medical records went into effect, compliance seems to have declined for 6 percent, according to an annual survey conducted by the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA). Read more about this at here.

E-book: Making E-Health Work

Posted: 14 May 2006 01:53 AM PDT

E-Health has become an integral part of present-day healthcare delivery. With healthcare consumers, increasingly the focus of most health systems, the widespread implementation of health information and communications technologies offers cost-effective opportunities to meet their increasingly sophisticated healthcare needs.Bankix Systems Ltd has released its latest e-book. It is a 200-page in-depth analysis of the issues involved in "Making E-Health Work," the e-book's title. Read more about this e-book at here.

Consumer tools: UCompareHealthCare Offers Free Reports on Hospitals, Nursing Homes and Physicians

Posted: 11 Mar 2006 01:01 AM PST

"UCompareHealthCare has just unveiled its Web site, ucomparehealthcare.com, which features free reports on the nation's nursing homes, hospitals and physicians to help consumers make informed healthcare decisions. I checked the web site and found it very informative for health consumers to help them make informed decision about their choices of doctors, hospitals and others." Read more about this at UCompareHealthCare

Articles: Direct to Consumer: Women are a powerful, but untapped, audience

Posted: 03 Feb 2006 12:04 AM PST

"Women influence many family decisions—from choosing what's for dinner to selecting the medications their children take. In fact, nearly two-thirds of women are responsible for family healthcare decisions, according to a 2004 national survey conducted by Plan for Your Health. Many women also assume the care-giving role outside their nuclear families. Today's middle-aged woman may also look after her parents and in-laws too, often determining how long they can live on their own and how to best care for them. In addition, she often influences the important health decisions of grandchildren, co-workers, and friends." Read more at PharmExec.

Consumer tools: Really Personal PHRs

Posted: 27 Jan 2006 01:05 AM PST

"If we're committed to fostering the adoption of personal health records, we should take a page out of the consumer marketing textbooks — not the primers of health IT marketers. This was my conclusion after attending a recent meeting in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the Markle Foundation, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Agency for Healthcare Quality Research and Quality. " Read more about this at iHealthBeat .

Consumer trends: Manhattan Predicts Online Health Trends

Posted: 27 Jan 2006 12:06 AM PST

"US healthcare specialist Manhattan Research has published a summary of the major trends for health and pharmaceutical marketers to consider in 2006. The trends chart the increased use of the web and other new technologies as a health information and communication tool for both patients and physicians." Read more at Daily Research News Online.

News: Wall Street Journal Looks at Tools That Identify Low-Cost Care Options

Posted: 26 Jan 2006 01:07 AM PST

"The Wall Street Journal on Thursday looked at efforts by insurers to provide patients with tools - including a cell phone Web browsing service - to help them find low-cost treatment options. Lumenos, a unit of WellPoint, in February will launch the cell phone service, which lets patients type drug names into their cell phones' Web browsers and get lists of lower-cost alternatives. The program is designed so that patients can ask their physicians about cost-effective alternatives while they still are at their appointments." Read more at iHealthBeat.

Consumer tools: Consumer Health Complete Now Available from EBSCO Publishing

Posted: 25 Jan 2006 12:09 AM PST

"In continuing with the company's goal of providing the most comprehensive collection of online health and wellness resources, EBSCO Publishing has announced the release of Consumer Health Complete (CHC). This full text database is designed to support consumer and patients' information needs as well as foster an overall
understanding of health-related topics." Read more at Managing Information News.

Study: Relaxing Meaningful Use Key to EMR Industry Growth

Posted: 09 Apr 2010 08:37 AM PDT

Relaxing meaningful use standards, as some industry leaders are urging HHS to do, would be a boon to the EMR industry, according to the New York-based research firm, Kalorama Information . In its latest report — EMR 2010 (Market Analysis, ARRA Incentives, Key Players, and Important Trends) — the firm predicts a $13.8 billion market that could grow in double digits if properly driven by incentives and encouragement of health systems.  While the authors of the report believe some requirements of CPOE adoption are needed to bolster EMR usage, they also believe that requiring 80 percent of orders via CPOE by 2011, or that half of patients get auto-reminders through an EMR system, is a possible barrier to the sales of EMR systems. The report also the largest obstacle to EMR use in the U.S. is physician compliance, noting that for EMR to grow in the way the federal government envisions, healthcare systems will have to develop incentives of their own, something that might be in jeopardy if standards are not easier to follow. For more information or to purchase the report, please click here .  

West Wireless Appoints Chief Medical and Science Officer

Posted: 09 Apr 2010 08:31 AM PDT

The San Diego-based West Wireless Health Institute (WWHI) has named Joseph Smith, M.D., as its chief medical and science officer. Effectively immediately, Smith will be responsible for leading the Institute’s medical research and clinical-focused activities. Previously, Smith served as vice president of emerging technologies for Johnson and Johnson. Prior to that, he was senior vice president and CMO of Guidant/Boston Scientific, Cardiac Rhythm Management. Smith has spent more than two decades evaluating emerging medical technologies as well as practicing cardiology and cardiac electrophysiology in both clinical and academic organizations, according to WWHI. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, the American Heart Association, and the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. Smith will work closely with Dr. Eric J. Topol, the Institute’s vice chairman of the board and chief innovation officer, to identify medical research opportunities and activities. Founded in 2009 through a $45 million gift from the Gary and Mary West Foundation, WWHI is one of the world’s first medical research organizations dedicated to cutting the cost of healthcare by innovating, incubating, validating and commercializing the use of wireless technologies to transform medicine.

Parkview Health Deploys EMR, RCM

Posted: 09 Apr 2010 08:29 AM PDT

Parkview Health System , a not-for-profit system based in Fort Wayne, Ind., is implementing Chicago-based Allscripts ’ E HR, Practice Management (PM) and Revenue Cycle Management (RCM) solutions to improve patient care and help manage costs for employed and affiliated physicians. According to the company, the EHR will be rolled out to all 170 Parkview group physicians throughout northeast Indiana. Each location also will replace its existing practice management system with the Allscripts Practice Management solution. In addition, Parkview is rolling out Allscripts’ Emergency Department Information System (EDIS) to automate administrative and patient care processes in six hospitals, says the company.  Parkview Health is a community-based health system serving 875,000 patients in northeast Indiana, western Ohio and southern Michigan. The system includes six hospitals, long-term care facilities, home health and hospice, and the physicians of Parkview Physicians’ Group.   

CHIME Fears Two-Stage Approach for Certification Will Lead to More Uncertainty

Posted: 09 Apr 2010 07:37 AM PDT

The Ann Arbor, Mich.-based College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) issued a statement saying that while it supports the general concept of moving to a two-stage approach for creating a certification process for EHRs, serious questions remain. According to comments filed in a letter to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology on April 7, CHIME noted that it is “very concerned that the introduction of a two-stage approach for certification will prolong the current instability in the health IT marketplace, which exists because of the unfinalized status of meaningful use and certification regulations.” The organization also said that the introduction of both a temporary and a permanent certification scheme “carries a risk of continuing the uncertainty and promoting needless product replacement in the marketplace.” CHIME is calling for the temporary process to be an interim one that builds on current certification strategies and is “harmonized” with the eventual permanent certification process, it said. The CIO-led organization asserts that the certification process should be the responsibility of the vendor, and that the purpose of certification should be to provide healthcare organizations and professionals with assurance that the product they are purchasing can help them achieve meaningful use. CHIME’s comments also recommended the following: Changes in certification requirements are made only when necessary to meet meaningful use evolution or advance interoperability, not just because a certain amount of time has passed; If CMS maintains the “adoption year” approach originally advanced in proposed regulations, providers should not be required to have products certified for capabilities not required in their current adoption year; Individual EHR modules are certified to ensure that they can communicate according to adopted standards, and that the interoperability of those modules as used by providers is deemed as certified; HIT vendors fully disclose functions for which their products are certified and fully disclose known compatibility issues; If a certification body loses its authority to certify products, vendors should have six months to recertify products, and providers should not be penalized for a change in a product’s certified status if they are still able to demonstrate meaningful use.

Main Line Health Awards Managed Services for Data Center

Posted: 08 Apr 2010 09:01 AM PDT

Main Line Health (MLH), a non-profit health system serving portions of Philadelphia and its western suburbs, has awarded a contract to SunGard Availability Services (Wayne, Pa.) to provide managed services for its primary data center. According to the company, SunGard will also deliver remote managed IT services across Main Line Health’s four acute care hospitals - Bryn Mawr, Lankenau, Paoli and Riddle, Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital and 21 other locations. Main Line Health is suburban Philadelphia’s most comprehensive healthcare resource, offering a full range of medical, surgical, obstetric, pediatric, psychiatric and emergency services. Recognized particularly for its cardiac, orthopedic, oncology, rehabilitation and women's clinical services, Main Line Health trains more than 100 interns, residents and fellows annually from medical schools throughout the country and is actively involved in significant research studies, many of which are funded by the National Institutes of Health.

Disney Cancer Center Deploys Contracting Model

Posted: 08 Apr 2010 08:55 AM PDT

The new Roy and Patricia Disney Cancer Center in San Fernando Valley, Calif., is using Milwaukee-based Johnson Controls to design, install, and implement a technology contracting model to create a single converged network that supports clinical, business and building systems. The company says the model helped the center assess its technology needs and design one IP backbone   that can be used by all the building automation, security, clinical and administrative systems..In addition, it integrates systems such as building management, unified voice, and data network; heating and air conditioning; lighting; and fire and security systems to provide authorized staff with access to real-time monitoring and controls data. From the initial planning process to implementation, the IT infrastructure at the Disney Cancer Center was designed to work with the business and building systems, and clinical operations. Clinical systems, including radiology and telemetry, and a nurse call system operate on the network.   Opened in February 2010, the Disney Cancer Center provides diagnosis, treatment, professional counseling, support groups and educational resources from one 55,000-square-foot location. Its holistic design is intended to create a peaceful sanctuary for cancer patients, incorporating art, therapeutic music and soothing colors, supported by innovative planning and the design of the enabling IT and building infrastructure.

SunGard Debuts Advanced Crisis Communications Technology

Posted: 07 Apr 2010 09:57 AM PDT

SunGard Availability Services (Wayne, Pa,) introduced NōtiFind for Hospitals to enable hospitals to locate, inform and coordinate responses with doctors, nurses, support staff and public safety officials in disasters. According to the company, NōtiFind provides a comprehensive, automated approach that helps link hospital operations and IT staff through communications to boost operational resiliency and recover more quickly from business and IT disruptions. NōtiFind can be used as a standalone notification solution or as a complement to SunGard‘s LDRPS for Hospitals business continuity planning software – avoiding the need to maintain two separate data sources. When integrated, LDRPS data updates are automatically transferred to NōtiFind, keeping critical contact data up to date, says the company.

Blessing Hospital, University HS Achieve Magnet Recognition

Posted: 07 Apr 2010 09:56 AM PDT

Blessing Hospital of Quincy, Ill. and University Health Syste m of San Antonio, Texas were recently awarded Magnet Recognition by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). The Magnet Recognition Program was developed by the ANCC to recognize healthcare organizations that provide not only excellence in nursing, but also the highest quality of patient care at all levels throughout the hospital. Both hospitals are using Atlanta-based Eclipsys clinical information technology. Since 1875, Blessing Hospital has provided high-quality, accessible healthcare to residents in a 15-county area of northeast Missouri, western Illinois and southeast Iowa. A not-for-profit, not-tax-supported, independent hospital, Blessing is home to centers of excellence in the treatment of cancer, heart and cardiovascular ailments, wound care, and women's health issues. University Health System, the public hospital district for Bexar County Texas is the lead level I trauma center for South Texas. It is a 498-bed acute care hospital, and is the primary teaching hospital for the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio. University Health System also includes 16 community clinics focused on primary, specialty, preventive health services.

KLAS: Ambulatory Practices Considering More EMR Vendors

Posted: 07 Apr 2010 08:02 AM PDT

According to a new report from Orem, Utah-based KLAS , physician practices are considering an ever-increasing number of software vendors for EMRs. Well-established vendors Allscripts (Chicago), NextGen (Atlanta) and eClinicalWorks (Westborough, Mass.) still maintain the most mindshare in the ambulatory EMR market, however,   and are considered in one of every three purchase decisions, the study adds. For the new report, Ambulatory EMR Buying: A Roller Coaster Ride in 2010, KLAS interviewed more than 370 healthcare providers who plan to choose an EMR solution in the next two years, to discover which EMR vendors are making the short list. KLAS found that providers are increasing, not reducing, their pool of considered vendors, including lesser-known options. This is especially true for small practices with one to five physicians, where 72 percent are considering solutions outside the best-known vendors. In similar fashion, larger practices are also considering vendors that have traditionally serviced smaller organizations. The KLAS report also found that among providers planning an EMR purchase, nearly a third of them are actually replacing an existing solution. Further, half of the providers planning a switch are doing so because their current EMR lacks functionality or certification – in short, because they are not viable go-forward strategies in today’s ARRA-focused healthcare environment. Which ambulatory EMR vendors providers are considering varies significantly depending on practice size. For more information about the ambulatory EMR market, as well as in-depth provider perceptions of participating vendors, Ambulatory EMR Buying: A Roller Coaster Ride in 2010 is available at www.KLASresearch.com/reports .    

Mystery: overnight, from wheelchair to walking

Posted:

4/8/2010 © St. Petersburg Times Family, friends and doctors were baffled when Brittany Barrett became inexplicably paralyzed three years ago. Now they are baffled because suddenly she can walk again.
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