Opinion
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0 Mobile Health
Feb 3, 2012. Health Information Technology, Implementation, Insight, News, Opinion, Spotlight, Today.Mobile health or m-health is referred to the use of latest mobile technology to support and improve medical services. Mobile devices such as PDAs and mobile phones are used for collecting patient information, monitoring of health services, delivering of health care information to doctors, patients, and research analysts and providing patient care about the basis of the data collected. Mobile health is a part of e-health, which is the utilization of information and communication technology in the form of computers, satellites, mobile phones, etc. in health care. Mobile health and e-health are linked to each other as a project of mobile health, which is used to collect data on any illness, requires the use of e-health system to store and manage the data.
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0 Healthcare Data Trends for 2012
Jan 17, 2012. EHR Profiles, Health Information Technology, Implementation, Insight, News, Opinion, Politics and HIT.With the growing popularity of exchanging information over mobile devices, 2011 saw data breaches in the healthcare industry like never before. The Department of Health and Human resources had to step in with rigorous investigations and hefty fines for organizations that did not meet the patient privacy requirements. And now that industry experts are projecting the continued rise in the use of mobile devices and social media, healthcare data breach could reach epidemic proportions unless the safety of patient protected health information (PHI) is given some serious thought.
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1 Where will it all end? A commentary on the EHR industry.
Jul 24, 2011. Health Information Technology, Implementation, News, Opinion, Spotlight, Today.So, I’ve been following the EHR industry for a couple decades, and have been very intimately involved for 7 of them. In 2004 I started the process of cataloging all of the then commercially viable EMRs. Yes, you’ll recall that they were called EMRs, or Electronic Medical Records back at that time.
Then, along comes the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or ARRA, and with it the tens of billions of dollars of Stimulus Funds (yes – I’m pretty good at math, but every time I see an official dollar value it is different, but why don’t we call it $29,000,000,000 for now) and the rather rapid consolidation in the industry and with that the corresponding diminished number of products from which to choose, comes to a screeching halt.
As of today there are 625 products listed in the ONC-ATCB database, including 405 which are listed as complete. That is an incredible increase in just the last few weeks, let alone since the ONC-ATCB system was enacted.
Needless to say, more than a couple of these newly minted EHRs will struggle along, gaining little traction, and ruining medical practices along the way as they adopt new technology at a tremendous cost in cash and effort, only to lost the ability to continue with that software program.
Will these technological orphans be able to course correct in real time, importing their existing data into a more substantial program over a weekend? Well, I’m inclined to think no, but only time will tell how much of a debacle that will be.
So, some gentle advice: Be sure that no matter which EHR you utilize, that you have an appropriate exit strategy, which should include an exported set of records which can easily be imported into the successor program of your choice.
I’d be very interested in hearing your thoughts on this subject, as well as your experiences migrating from one system to another.
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0 ONC Committee Work-groups and Tiger Team Want Your Input
Oct 29, 2010. Government Initiatives, Implementation, Opinion.Most viewers of EHR Scope are physicians and medical office managers, many of whom are becoming educated about the necessity of EHR implementation, and may not be completely up to date with some of the technical progress of the National Health Information Network (NHIN) since HITECH. While the meaningful use final rules are shaping elements of incentive qualifications and penalty enforcement; when all is said and done, HIT work roles and workflows will be significantly changed as well. Defined roles and qualifications for those required to handle personal health information (PHI) will be formed by the security requirements embedded in the National Health Information Network. While these issues are more technical in nature, perhaps there are some of you out there with the ability to contribute to the public discussion while the ONC is listening.
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0 EHR/ EMR workflow and peripherals; different solutions for different practices
Sep 30, 2010. Dragon Medical, Health Information Technology, Implementation, Insight, News, Opinion, PHR.We all know about the conflict that is being played up about individuals and practices having to “adopt” or “learn new technology” for implementation of an EHR. Perhaps as an industry we are looking at the issue from the wrong direction. While Doctors and practices research the various options for EMRs, PHRs, digital data transmission and maintenance solutions; it is easy to get overwhelmed by the myriad of negative opinion. The focus should be on what different technologies should be added to the current workflow; not on how technologies will change the current workflow. In this light, transitions into cost saving technologies stand a better chance to be fluid and functional.
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0 Justin Barnes Meaningful Use Statement
Jul 14, 2010. Government Initiatives, News, Opinion.Statement by Justin Barnes, chairman emeritus of the Electronic Health Record Association and vice president of marketing, corporate development and government affairs at Greenway Medical Technologies, on the issuance of the CMS/ONC Meaningful Use Final Rules.
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0 Would an EHR motivate you to hide medical information from your doctor?
Apr 14, 2010. Opinion.This is an interesting question, and one that seems to spark debate. According to the results of a survey by the California HealthCare Foundation, 15% of people would hold back medical information if the medical record system shared anonymous data with other organizations. An astonishing 33% of respondents were not certain, but would consider hiding information.
On a recent blog post at The Consumerist, this question was presented and brought in over 100 comments. As you can imagine, these comments varied from people expressing support for full disclosure and sharing of their medical information to those who convey great fear that their digital medical information could be used maliciously. This comment particularly struck me:
“What if you have a wrong or misdiagnosis which turns into a pre existing condition which in
turn [leads] to higher premiums. Or turns into a procedure that you did not need.”
This comment was so striking because it brings up an issue that contradicts the basic case for adopting EHRs: increased quality care and decreased healthcare costs. It also brings up ethical concerns and conflicts of interest between the use of medical information by healthcare delivery systems and insurance companies, as each are motivated by very different – and often conflicting- goals.
Patients/consumers are concerned they will be the people who are negatively affected in some way by this conflict between different parties or organizations that utilize medical information. To gain trust, I think the medical community must carefully and thoughtfully develop standards for how information is shared, and how much autonomy patients will have in deciding who has access to their medical information. If they do not include patients, fear will perpetuate and we will have more and more patients hiding health and medical information. This will certainly impede the success of making improvements in healthcare quality and cost reduction with widespread EHR adoption and medical information sharing.
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0 What Does the Death of 20 Polo Ponies Have to do With EHRs?
May 7, 2009. Opinion.A few weeks ago 21 horses of the Venezuelan Polo Team mysteriously died at the US Open Polo Champion Tournament in Florida. In the time since the tragic events unfolded, a Florida pharmacy admitted it created the wrong dosage of a mineral supplement for the animals. It’s unclear if the dosage mistake was due to a pharmacy error, or if the incorrect amount was specified in a prescription from the team’s veterinarian.
So what does any of this have to do with Electronic Medical Records? More than you might think. Medical errors whether veterinary or human, do happen- often with tragic consequences. What are the most common such medical errors? Improper dosages of medication, or problems with drug interactions. Ironically, these are the types of errors that can be most easily prevented through the use of EHRs.
Back in March during an emotionally charged segment on the Oprah Winfrey show actor Dennis Quaid said how having a comprehensive nationwide electronic medical record system in place could have prevented the dosage error that nearly killed his infant twins. Quaid also delivered a Keynote speech on the matter at the recent HIMSS09 show in Chicago. On the Oprah appearance Quaid tearfully described how his babies were given nearly 1000 times the required dose of a blood thinning medication, due to an illegible paper prescription. It is stories like Quaid’s that have likely lead to the only known firm criterion for “meaningful use” of EHRs as defined by the HITECH Act – ePrescribing.
Hospitals nationwide are hearing Quaid’s message. For example, all of the hospitals of the Detroit Medical Center have gone paperless. In fact they have had the kind of EHRs Quaid is advocating running in all of their facilities since 2007.
The EHR, which should be held up as an example for the nation, requires that physician’s orders, test results, and other patient records all be collected and processed online. The Medical Center claims that the technology reduces the risk of potentially dangerous medication errors by up to 90 percent, since it strictly prohibits all handwriting in the prescribing and dispensing of drugs.
The Chief Medical Information Officer at DMC said there is also a great deal of evidence to show that EHR systems reduce medical errors. He pointed to recent national studies that show that at least 7 percent of hospital patients are affected by medical errors, but effectively managed EHR systems can eliminate most of them.
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0 EHRs and Going Green
Apr 17, 2009. Opinion.Between iPhones, iPods, Blackberries, et al, it may seem America is growing more “wireless” everyday, and yet we are far from a “paperless” society. Even with all of the advances in digital technology, the average office worker in a typical business, still consumes nearly 50 sheets of paper everyday.
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0 Indianapolis Citywide Health Information Exchange Improves Health Care
Oct 31, 2008. Opinion.Indianapolis boasts the Regenstrief Medical Record System and the Indiana Network for Patient Care, the nation’s only citywide health information exchange. The system contains data on about 9.6 million patients. The system provides emergency department physicians rapid access to a patient’s information at any one of the 25 participating hospitals.
Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) play a large role in improving health care and reducing costs. Both candidates in the upcoming presidential election are stressing the importance of EMR systems. Indianapolis’s system will act as an example, and hopefully motivate physicians to adopt EMRs once they see the benefits.
EMRs allow doctors and staff instant access to medical records. They do not have to waste time trying to find a misplaced paper chart, or spend precious minutes trying to decipher poor handwriting. These efficiencies help decrease errors and improve the quality of care. EMRs also can help you generate additional revenue by decreasing costs, reducing data entry errors, and helping you code at higher levels through improved documentation.
EMRs encourage preventative care. Many systems include alerts or other reminders that notify physicians when a patient is due for a checkup, test, or other procedure. Such practices can drastically reduce health care costs by vaccinating for preventable diseases, or diagnosing cancer in the early stages.
While the benefits of EMRs are clear, it is important to choose the right product. You want an EMR that provides all the functionally you need now, but can also be easily changed and adapted for future requirements, whether they result from changes in your practice, regulatory requirements, or the need to interface a citywide or regional health information exchange.
Ryan Ricks
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Security Officer
www.xlemr.com
