Health Data Management articles from September 2003

Health Data Management archives from September 2003

The Customer is King.(healtcare customer service)
September 1, 2003... Every once in a while, personal experience with the health care system motivates me to climb up on my soapbox to preach about the merits of automation. The theme of today's sermon? Improved customer service. Here's my story. I recently...

Industry to HHS: HIPAA Guidance is Incomplete.(Department of Health and Human Services, Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996)
September 1, 2003... A government release in July of guidance on compliance with HIPAA's final transactions and code sets rule helped clear some confusion about how the industry will operate if many providers and payers are not fully ready by the Oct. 16, 2003,...

Weighing the Pros and Cons of Offshore Outsourcing.
September 1, 2003... When Blue Cross of Northeastern Pennsylvania in Wilkes-Barre put in a new claims processing system, it outsourced a significant amount of its programming work. Nothing unusual there, except that instead of shipping the work across town, the...

Why Allina Decided to Roll the Dice with Epic.(Company Profile)
September 1, 2003... Earlier this year, Epic Computer Systems scored a huge win when Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, Calif., selected a suite of the vendor's financial and clinical software for enterprisewide installation. Kaiser's contract with Epic-part of an...

Allina Hospitals & Clinics Minneapolis.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Hospitals: 11 Clinics: 42 Total beds: 1,734 Employees: 22,347 2002 Revenue: $1.8 billion Source: Allina Hospitals & Clinics Copyright 2003 Thomson Media Inc. All Rights Reserved....

Take the Quick Poll...
September 1, 2003... Visit the Health Data Management Web site and express your opinion on one of health care I.T.'s hot topics. Your comments may appear in a future Readers' Perspectives department. Copyright 2003 Thomson Media Inc. All Rights Reserved....

Bill Calls for National I.T. Officer.(information technology, The National Health Information Infrastructure Act of 2003)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-Conn.) has introduced legislation to create the position of national health information officer for the Department of Health and Human Services. The officer would oversee development of a strategy for a national health...

Report Predicts Strong I.T. Spending.(information technology)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... U.S. provider organizations will gradually increase their information technology investments over the next five years, going from $15.1 billion in 2002 to $17.3 billion in 2007, according to a forecast from International Data Corp., a...

Medicare Rejects HIPAA Claim.(Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996)
September 1, 2003... The HIPAA-mandated implementation guide for the X12 837 professional claim standard does not support certain data elements the Medicare program needs to adjudicate an obscure claim type: a secondary claim with more than one primary payer. ...

Newsline Digest.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Newsline Digest presents highlights of the latest health care I.T. news as reported on the Health Data Management Web site. For extended versions of these and many other original news stories, visit www.healthdatamanagement.com. Copyright...

Boot Camp to Teach CIO Skills.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives, Ann Arbor, Mich., will host a Healthcare CIO Boot Camp, Oct. 19-21 in Scottsdale, Ariz. The boot camp is designed for health care information technology professionals who are trying...

First Consulting Sees Profit Coming.(First Consulting Group Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Despite continued losses during the second quarter of 2003, First Consulting Group Inc. expects to return to profitability in early 2004. The Long Beach, Calif.-based firm in the second quarter lost $3.5 million, compared with a $2.9 million...

Profit Rises for Per-Se.(Per-Se Technologies Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Net income increased significantly for Per-Se Technologies Inc. in the second quarter of 2003. The Atlanta-based vendor earned $2.9 million in the quarter, a 46% increase compared with the same period last year. Revenue increased 4% to $85.4...

SureScripts Launches Rx Network.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Two years after its formation, Sure-Scripts has launched a national rollout of its electronic prescription network. Participating pharmacies in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Ohio and the District of Columbia metropolitan region will be the...

Millennium Getting PDA Facelift.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Cerner Corp. in early 2004 will introduce a product to enable wireless connectivity to its Millennium clinical suite and medical devices via PDAs at the point of care. The Kansas City, Mo.-based vendor is working with a number of device...

Study: Wi-Fi Hardware Soaring.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Worldwide business sales of Wi-Fi hardware are expected to reach 60 million shipments by 2007; further, health care will account for 30% of those shipments, according to a recent study by In-Stat/MDR, a Scottsdale, Ariz.-based research firm....

Docs to Receive Trials Data Via PDAs.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... The National Institutes of Health Clinical Center will make its research information available to physicians using hand-held messaging applications from San Mateo, Calif.-based ePocrates Inc. The Bethesda, Md.-based hospital will send clinical...

Allscripts Makes Two Buys.(Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Allscripts Healthcare Solutions has announced two proposed acquisitions designed to boost its existing business lines. The Libertyville, Ill.-based company will acquire RxCentric Inc., a New York-based vendor of "e-detailing"-or online...

Survey: Security Issues Hinder WLANs.(wireless local area networks)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Security concerns are the primary obstacle hindering greater use of enterprisewide wireless local area networks, according to a survey by the Meta Group, a Stamford, Conn.-based I.T. consulting and research firm. The firm surveyed 100...

Mobile Health News.
September 1, 2003... Mobile Health News presents highlights of the latest mobile health care stories reported on Mobile Health Data, the sister site to Health Data Management online. For extended versions of these and many other original news stories on mobile...

Hand-held App Links Patients, Docs.(Universal Tracking System Blood Pressure software)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... E-mail functionality has been added to the latest version of an application that offers PDA users mobile blood pressure information. Version 1.4 of the Universal Tracking System Blood Pressure software enables users to e-mail blood pressure...

Zix Corp. Buys PocketScript.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Zix Corp., which sells secure messaging software, has acquired the assets of PocketScript LLC, a vendor of electronic prescription software. Dallas-based Zix Corp. paid $1.5 million for Mason, Ohio-based PocketScript, including $1.35 million in...

Physicians Get 'Star Trek' Communicators.(at St. Agnes HealthCare, Baltimore)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Straight from the fictional realm of TV's Star Trek, clinicians at St. Agnes HealthCare, Baltimore, are using voice-activated badges to communicate over a wireless local area network. The badges are part of a wireless communications system from...

Practice Chooses Tablet PCs.(Associated Physicians for Women PLLC from G.E. Medical Systems Information Technologies)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Richland, Wash.-based Associated Physicians for Women PLLC has incorporated Tablet PCs into routine care delivery. Caregivers now use the tablet computers to access electronic medical records and practice management systems from Waukesha,...

AirDefense Steps Up Mobile Security.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Atlanta-based AirDefense Inc. has released an updated version of its wireless LAN security and monitoring system. Version 3.5 uses "smart" sensors that include dual radios designed to simultaneously monitor three wireless LAN standards-802.11b...

Palm Debuts T2, Sequel to Tungsten T.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Milpitas, Calif.-based Palm Inc. has introduced an enhanced version of its Tungsten T hand-held computer. The new PDA, dubbed T2, offers 32 MB RAM storage capacity, double that of its predecessor. It also runs the latest version of the Palm OS...

R2-D2 Rolls into Retirement.(InTouch Health Companion mobile robot system used at Otterbein Retirement Living Communities)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Residents and their family members at Otterbein Retirement Living Communities are now receiving health care from a wireless robot. The InTouch Health Companion mobile robot system from Santa Barbara, Calif.-based InTouch Health Inc. is being...

Hand-held Device Aims to Reduce Errors.(BD.id system from BD Medical Systems)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... BD Medical Systems, Franklin Lakes, N.J., has released a hand-held patient identification system designed to help reduce medical errors that can occur while collecting, transporting and storing blood, urine and other specimens. The BD.id system...

Vendor Brings Tablet PCs Under $1,000.(TDV Vison Inc.,)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... In September, TDV Vison Inc., City of Industry, Calif., will introduce two Tablet PCs priced at less than $1,000. This is a potentially significant development for health care organizations, many of which have noted cost as one obstacle to...

Thaon Changes Name To PracticeXpert.(Thaon Communications Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Toluca Lake, Calif.-based Thaon Communications Inc., a vendor of administrative software for health care organizations, has changed its name to PracticeXpert Inc. The name change aligns with the company's goal to build a core business around...

System Monitors Patients, Links PDAs.(personal digital assistants)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Pleasanton, Calif.-based Nellcor has released the Oxinet III Central Station and Paging System, which delivers information on patient oxygen saturation rates to physicians' PDAs. The remote monitoring system is designed to observe the oxygen...

Stock Chart.(list of health care technology companies)
September 1, 2003... (part 1 of 2) Price Price as on a % of 52 Health care software companies 8/11/2003 ...

Are PDAs the FUTURE of Health Care I.T.?(personal digital assistants, information technology)
September 1, 2003... Information technology leaders and other executives at MedStar Health, a delivery system in Baltimore, have determined that personal digital assistants will play a significant role in the future of health care. They didn't reach this conclusion...

What impact will tablets have on PDA use in health care?(personal digital assistant)
September 1, 2003... PDAs' diminutive size is a key to their growing success, and an increasing number of caregivers are clamoring for PDA-enabled applications. However, others in health care seeking mobile hardware are turning instead to tablet computers,...

Some Peripherals Move into Spotlight: New computer accessories that add value-especially those that aid clinicians-are getting CIOs' attention.(corporate information officers)
September 1, 2003... When it comes to computer monitors, the world may indeed be flat. Flat screen LCD monitors are fast becoming one of the most sought-after computer peripheral devices. Falling prices and rising value are driving their popularity as they save...

Shopping for peripherals.
September 1, 2003... Whether its bar code scanners, flat panel monitors, wireless keyboards or CD burners, hospitals use a variety of methods to obtain peripheral devices. Some buy or lease them under preferred computer vendor contracts, says Don Michaels, a...

Printers: A fickle market.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... Laser and inkjet printers are fast becoming commodity purchases among hospitals, experts say. And hospitals often are negotiating preferred vendor contracts with manufacturers, resellers or local retailers. At MacNeal Health Network,...

CIOs Delegate Peripherals.(corporate information officers)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2003... CIOs often take a backseat when it comes to researching and buying computer peripherals, industry observers say. They play a key role in establishing purchasing procedures but don't often get involved in department-level or smaller...

Are VPNs Safe for the Wild Wild Web?: Health care organizations are turning to Web-based virtual private networks. But how much risk will CIOs accept?(virtual private network)
September 1, 2003... St. Barnabas Health Care System decided if it was going to talk the talk, it had to walk the walk. Two years ago, the Livingston, N.J.-based delivery system implemented a physician order entry system and pushed its physicians to use it to...

Wireless VPN use up in the air.(virtual private network)
September 1, 2003... Using virtual private network technology has become a standard way to securely link remote users with an internal network. But its role in the emerging world of wireless has yet to be defined. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center has...

Hotspots Get Cool Reception: Thus far, health care's use of the public and guest access wireless network technology is spotty, at best.
September 1, 2003... Wi-Fi hotspots, one of today's hottest wireless network technologies, have yet to generate much heat in health care. Hotspots are locations where network access points facilitate public wireless broadband network services for visitors whose...

Records Vendors Await Critical Mass: Few physician practices are using electronic records, but momentum is building, vendors say.
September 1, 2003... An electronic medical records system for physician practices is not new technology. Seattle's Physicians Micro Systems Inc., for example, shipped its first product in 1987. Sixteen years later, CEO Andrew Ury, M.D., still waits for industry...

New Recipe for Canning 'Spam': Hospital turns to e-mail security software to 'fry' spam, block viruses and save server space.(Mary Washington Hospital)
September 1, 2003... Mary Washington Hospital hates spam. Nothing against the canned delicacy produced in Austin, Minn. Rather, it's the unsolicited e-mail variety that has the 300-bed hospital up in arms. Until July 2002, the Fredericksburg, Va.-based hospital...

Contracts Update.
September 1, 2003... The Contracts Update Department features announcements of recent contracts that health care information technology companies have signed with provider and payer organization customers. Please send contract announcement news releases via...

Advertiser Index.
September 1, 2003... Advertiser Site Addresses Page # 3m Health Info Systems www.3Mhis.com/perspective 59 AdvancePCS www.advancepcs.com 61 AHIMA www.ahima.org/convention 79 Carstens (CRS) www.carstens.com 18, 19 ...

Q. "It is safe to transmit sensitive patient health care information over a virtual private network (VPN). Do you agree or disagree?".
September 1, 2003... AGREE Lydia Russell Registered Nurse Visiting Nurse Association of Inland Empire, Riverside, Calif. "I have been conducting teleconsultations for more than a year and have not had a problem with privacy. Safeguards are taken...