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Study: Hospitals using IT surveillance to track infections
A new survey by healthcare alliance Premier Inc. suggests that a growing number of hospitals are using automated surveillance systems to detect and manage hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). The... Read more...
Report: Health IT improves long-term care
Few healthcare administrators would argue that healthcare IT is a central part of their operations. But if they start to wonder whether IT actually helps improve care, it's nice to have research like... Read more...
Case Study: IT links mother, baby OB care
An Allentown, Pa.-based hospital has invested in technology designed to integrate medical data gathered on mothers and babies between labor and delivery. The system, developed by McKesson, allows... Read more...
Study: EMRs alone can't improve diabetes care
EMRs have long been held out as a key tool in the fight to better manage chronic disease. Given their capacity to review records automatically--and let physicians know when standard steps weren't taken--the idea seemed like a no-brainer. In reality, though, EMRs in and of themselves may not help much when it comes to improving diabetes care, a new study suggests. The study, which was published in the Annals of Family Medicine, looked the care diabetics got in 50 primary care …
... Read more...Mississippi plans statewide HIN
A statewide health information network is in the works for Mississippi, an effort prompted in part by the state's devastating experience with Hurricane Katrina. Last week, Gov. Haley Barbour (R) issued an executive order creating the Mississippi Health Information Task Force, a group whose goals are to develop an HIT infrastructure for the state and to improve care efficiency and quality. Among other objectives, the HIN would make sure "timely, secure and accessible health information" …
... Read more...Bush push may also advance healthcare IT
On Aug. 22, President Bush issued an executive order directing agencies that administer or support most health insurance programs to implement "interoperable" technology standards when acquiring or upgrading equipment. The presidential order also requires that agencies provide clear quality measurements and pricing information. Finally, agencies must create incentive programs to improve health care, such as providing financial rewards to doctors and patients …
... Read more...Wis. hospital leverages tablet PCs
St. Clare Hospital in Wisconsin has implemented tablet PCs to streamline access to clinical information and improve care quality. The hospital, which opened in October 2005, purchased 450 Fujitsu LifeBook T4000 Tablet PCs for clinicians and 50 for nonclinical staff. The device, which allows handwriting with a stylus or typing with a keyboard, lets users access and work on digitized forms online. Providers can use the tablet PCs to access electronic health records throughout the four …
... Read more...Research finds EMR benefits, savings unclear
Don't rush off to spend all that money you expect to save on EMRs or electronic health records just yet. The jury is still out on whether they'll significantly reduce costs or improve care. This is according to a new paper in Health Affairs that argues that a literature review of studies on EHRs show that the technology can lead to increased billing, make doctors less productive and does not change provider-to-patient ratios. "Absent other fundamental interventions that alter …
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