This article is about a VC (Venture Capital) fair at the ATA meeting.
Though it is in context of telemedicine and mHealth, the points and comments are generally applicable to any start-up.
Healthcare IT
Article – The 8 RIS innovations you need now
Here is a summary (note: may need to register with site to access) of some RIS (Radiology Information System) innovations that providers should be looking for.
Sneak peek…
- Digital dashboards
- Electronic medical record aggregation
- Clinical decision support
- Critical results reporting
- Customer service
- Technologist feedback
- Peer review
- Data mining, surveillance, and outcomes
I am working on an article on how (and why) RIS and PACS will be deconstructed and will not exist (as we know them today) in the future. Stay tuned for that.
Article – EHR part of MaineHealth’s financial woes
This article describes a “perfect storm” of factors that lead to the health system’s financial loss…
…”the operating loss is due to declines in inpatient and outpatient volumes because of the hospital’s efforts to reduce readmissions and infections; “unintended financial consequences” due to the roll out of the health system’s Epic electronic health record and problems associated with being unable to accurately charge for services provided; an increase in free care and bad debt cases; and continued declining reimbursement from Medicare and MaineCare, the state’s Medicaid program”
Article – ONC chief: Regulation fuels innovation
This article debates the impact regulation has on innovation.
My 2 cents: Regulation provides consumer protection; standards provide access to data, which often leads to innovation.
More thoughts and notes…
- Mobile “apps” seem to always be cited as examples of innovation, but I believe the Web services (based on REST) that enable mobile and Web access are the key to innovation—the client will change over time (browser, smartphone, downloaded app, HTML5 app, tablet, etc.), but a secure, flexible and reliable API makes the change less painful. Thankfully, standards bodies (DICOM, HL7) are focusing efforts in this area. The Web services and the clients don’t need to be from the same vendor, or even use the same technology—that is the beauty of REST.
- I like how people that issue regulations make statements about the benefits of these rules, such as driving innovation (they claim). Shouldn’t we ask the people that have to operate (and attempt to innovate) within the interpretation of these guidelines? I intentionally used the word “interpretation”, as different regulatory professionals seem to have different opinions on what burden of process needs to be met for medical devices.
- The FDA’s eagerly-anticipated guidance on mobile apps and devices “should be out by October.”
Article – ARRS: Facial photos curb wrong patient errors
This is an interesting study.
Providing patient pictures were found to significantly improve the Radiologist’s ability to detect that images had been associated with the incorrect patient.
I have heard of the idea of using pictures to ensure the correct patient is involved in a procedure or treatment (when the patient is actually in front of you), but not in the diagnostic image review process. It would probably make sense to ensure that the patient picture was available in the EMR, and that the EMR was available (in context of the patient) at the PACS client—that way, even non-PACS users would benefit.
Article – CHIME presses HHS for HIE certification
This makes sense.
If we are going to certify EMR technology, HIE should be held to the same standard. Especially as more physicians turn to their HIE to provide basic EMR-like access to patient records (mostly because the HIE interface is better than their own EMR’s, the collaboration tools are better, and there is more of their patient’s data from more sources in the HIE).
Article – When HIT “Progress” Lacks Compassion, Is It Really Progress?
A story of how computers fail to solve the problem when ineffective design and change management are used.
Don K Dennison 