Friday, June 25, 2010

Health Informatics News

Health Informatics News

BCBS of Michigan Designates 1,800 Physicians in Patient Centered Medical Home Program

Posted: 25 Jun 2010 08:04 AM PDT

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan  has designated more than 1,800 physicians in approximately 500 practices across the state as Patient-Centered Medical Homes (PCMH), creating the largest PCMH effort in the nation. The number of designated physicians grew from 1,200 designated PCMH physicians in 2009. In the Patient-Centered Medical Home, primary care physicians (pediatricians, internists and family practice doctors) lead care teams that bring focus to their patients' individual health goals and needs. PCMH teams coordinate patients' health care using registries to track patients' conditions, offering extended access to the care team, coordinating complementary care — such as nutrition counseling — and helping patients learn to self manage conditions such as asthma and diabetes. Preliminary data shows that PCMH-designated doctors are succeeding in managing their patients' care to keep them healthy and prevent complications that require expensive medical services to treat. For example, a review of data shows that PCMH practices have a 2 percent lower rate of adult radiology usage than non-PCMH practices, and PCMH practices have a 2.6 percent lower rate of adult inpatient admissions than non-PCMH practices. About 5,000 primary care doctors in Michigan are working toward designation as PCMH practices by transforming how their practices deliver health care services to patients.

Emdeon Acquires Chapin

Posted: 24 Jun 2010 10:33 AM PDT

Nashville, Tenn.-based Emdeon Inc. , a provider of healthcare revenue and payment cycle management solutions, today announced the acquisition of Chapin Revenue Cycle Management, LLC . Based in Tampa, Fla., Chapin is a technology-enabled provider of hospital-based revenue cycle services including accounts receivable management, medical denials, appeals and collection improvement initiatives. Chapin utilizes a proprietary contract management system built for rapid and precise calculations of reimbursement amounts from all types of healthcare payers and contract arrangements. By leveraging this technology and Chapin's experience in outsourced hospital revenue cycle management services, Emdeon plans to offer an added service layer designed to enhance the financial performance of institutional healthcare providers across its network. Consideration for the transaction was $18.9 million paid at closing, comprised of $16.2 million in cash and $2.7 million in restricted shares of Emdeon Class A common stock, plus additional contingent payments totaling up to $8.1 million to be paid in additional restricted shares of Emdeon Class A common stock. The contingent payments will be paid based upon the attainment of financial performance objectives of the acquired business from the closing through the end of 2012.

Study Finds Electronic Pill Bottle Promising

Posted: 24 Jun 2010 07:37 AM PDT

The Boston-based Center for Connect Health , a division of Partners Healthcare , have announced initial findings of a medication adherence study which used a wireless electronic pill bottle to remind patients with high blood pressure to take their medication. The ongoing study measured a 27% higher rate of medication adherence in patients using Internet connected medication packaging and feedback services compared to controls. The randomized controlled study assessed the impact of the wireless GlowCap developed by Vitality, Inc . GlowCaps fit popular pill bottles and signal patients with light and sound when it is time to take the medication inside. An embedded wireless connection enables the GlowCap to respond to the patient with automated calls for any missed dose, weekly progress reports, and refill reminders. GlowCaps also share adherence with physicians and a social network if the patient chooses. In total, one hundred and thirty nine patients diagnosed with hypertension and taking an antihypertensive medication were enrolled in a six month study starting in August 2009. Each participant was randomized into one of three groups: those in the control group did not receive any communication or GlowCap services; the intervention group received visual and audio reminders from the GlowCap as well as missed dose reminder phone calls, medication refill reminders and progress reports emailed to the patient, family member and /or their primary care provider. Participants in an intervention-plus group additionally received a financial incentive if they exceeded a monthly adherence goal of 80%. Three month interim analysis shows study participants in the intervention and intervention-plus group achieved adherence rates of 98% and 99%, respectively. This was significantly higher than the control group, which had an adherence rate of 71%. The study is also measuring blood pressure control and subject satisfaction. Final analysis of the study is anticipated this fall.

CaroMont Health to Collaborate with Sg2 and GE Healthcare on Health Delivery Initiatives

Posted: 23 Jun 2010 08:14 AM PDT

Gastonia, N.C.-based CaroMont Health ,  Sg2 and  GE Healthcare have announced plans to develop and launch several new health delivery initiatives aimed at creating new innovative, and value-based care delivery models. CaroMont's first initiative will begin by the end of 2010 and will be a bundled payment pilot designed to provide quality care at competitive pricing, improve care coordination, and align hospitals and physicians on cost savings incentives. To ensure a value-based approach, CaroMont Health will partner with local employers and payers to institute cost-effective payments that cover both hospital and physician fees for a full episode of care. The current system of fee for service, fragmented care and complex billing will be replaced with a population-focused and transparent model. The pilot will cover a range of CaroMont Health's most recognized services, and outcomes will be regularly tracked to measure program success. In order to successfully implement this pilot and future initiatives, CaroMont Health has teamed up with Sg2, a Chicago-based health care information company, and GE Healthcare Performance Solutions, GE's team focused on helping enable healthcare providers to deliver safer, more efficient patient care. Through reform-ready analytics, the Sg2 INSIGHT Clinical Performance Management System will track key metrics -- including potentially avoidable admissions and 30-day readmissions -- and identify specific areas of improvement to help CaroMont Health enhance clinical integration and physician alignment across the care continuum. GE Healthcare's team will then help implement these performance recommendations through process optimization, work flow and quality improvement.

CareGroup Selects InterSystems Ensemble

Posted: 23 Jun 2010 07:31 AM PDT

InterSystems Corporation , a provider of software for connected healthcare headquartered in Cambridge, Mass., has announced that CareGroup Healthcare System , a Boston-based integrated delivery network comprised of four hospitals, has selected the InterSystems Ensemble rapid integration and development platform to replace its legacy eGate platform for strategic integration throughout the organization. CareGroup chose to implement the software after outlining the requirements and expected deliverables and designing a test environment where Ensemble was used to replicate and build the interfaces used on a production basis. Currently in test mode, CareGroup plans to put the application into production in October.

Accelarad Announces Six New Cloud Computing Customers

Posted: 22 Jun 2010 08:47 AM PDT

Accelarad’s online medical image cloud computing service, SeeMyRadiology.com today announced the following organizations will use it for medical image exchange with outside facilities, physician, and patients:   - Washington Open MRI, Md. - OMI of Gadsden, Ala. - Radiology Associates of Atlanta, Ga. - Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates, Ga. - Ambulatory Vascular Care, N.Y. - On-Site Imaging Solutions, Ark.   From online image distribution and reading workflow for radiologists, to sharing images and reports with referring physicians and patients, Accelarad’s SeeMyRadiology.com, based in Atlanta, Ga., automates and streamlines the medical imaging lifecycle, and enables radiologists to view images from virtually any location and generate diagnostic reports using advanced speech recognition technology. For referring physicians and patients,  this technology eliminates the cost inefficiencies associated with using often incompatible CDs, and safeguards patient data; all medical images and related records are permanently archived in a secure HIPAA compliant cloud computing system.

Keane Partners with Ormed to Provide Full-Spectrum ERP Solution

Posted: 22 Jun 2010 07:53 AM PDT

Boston, Mass.-based healthcare technology firm, Keane Inc. announced a recent partnership between its Healthcare Solutions Division (HSD) and MIS software provider Ormed Information Systems Ltd., based in Edmonton, Canada. By combining the ORMED MIS (Management Information Systems) offering with the Keane Optimum solution, clients and prospects will receive an expanded IT suite to enable comprehensive and cohesive financial management. With healthcare facilities across the nation migrating toward electronic record keeping, the process of utilizing multiple systems to manage finances and reconcile patient information is becoming more onerous than ever before.  The Keane-Ormed partnership gives acute care hospitals access to a solution that claims to improve efficiency and financial control. Ormed is a supplier of human resources, supply chain, E-commerce, and accounting management software, and is entering their 21st year in supporting the healthcare industry. Keane Optimum provides clients a suite of software designed for the healthcare environment to eliminate the expense associated with managing discrete IT solutions. 

Chance of seeing Medicaid $ dims

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By Jim Saunders 6/25/2010 © Health News Florida Florida's chances of receiving up to $1 billion in additional Medicaid money appeared to be in deep trouble Thursday; in other action, the Medicare doctors' pay cut was put off for six months.

Drs: Protect oil spill workers

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6/25/2010 © McClatchy Newspapers Doctors who tracked 9/11 rescue workers' illnesses urged that oil spill workers be protected from toxic exposure; at least 74 have fallen ill. And in the wake of a suicide by a fishing-boat captain, mental-health experts predict more trouble.

Sick babies' families cling to hope

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6/25/2010 © Miami Herald Ryan Cooper Bonsett, 15 months, can't move most of his muscles and probably will die by age 2, doctors say. But then, Joseph Parthemore was expected to live only three days, and he's made it to 6 months.

Health dept. stymied by mystery illness

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6/24/2010 © Palm Beach Post Loxahatchee mom Amber Dycus endured six days of intensive care, multiple blood transfusions, 196 bags of plasma and was in acute kidney failure. Doctors suspected food poisoning, but was it?
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