Health Management Technology articles from December 2006

Health Management Technology archives from December 2006

A tale of two attitudes.(From the Editor)(dedication of health care employees)(Editorial)
December 1, 2006... Late in the fall, HMT commissioned a case history for our early 2007 line-up. Nothing unusual about that; we do it all the time. About two weeks before we expected the text in our office, the vendor's PR person called to tell me that the...

Drug events regularly populate EDs.(EDs and Adverse Drug Events)(emergency departments )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... A two-year study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has indicated that about 700,000 patients a year may visit hospital emergency departments (EDs)...

EHRs not yet close to routine.(Electronic Health Records)(electronic health record )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... It is the study of studies--literally--and it reaffirms that electronic health record (EHR) usage among U.S.-based physicians remains pretty low. Three industry giants--namely the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Massachusetts General Hospital...

Neurologists pinpoint the best EHRs.(Electronic Health Records)(American Academy of Neurology)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... In contrast to the "study of studies," the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) embarked on a year-long study to identify the EHRs that might work best for neurology practices, recognizing that many products are better suited to primary care...

Emergency response tested.(Disaster Planning)(Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center)(athenaNet platform for tracking and monitoring used by Hanover medical center )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Hanover, N.H. joined with athenahealth Inc., Watertown, Mass., and tested the Web-based athenaNet platform for tracking and monitoring of 100 patients over a wide geographic area in the event of pandemic or...

Medicare adds P4P for small practices.(Physician Practices)(Pay for performance program)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have added support for yet another pay-for-performance (P4P) initiative to their roster, this time for physicians in solo, small or medium-size practices that provide care to seniors and...

More EHR products certified.(EHR Certification)(Electronic Health Records)(Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... CCHIT (the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology), the collective that is stirring up nationwide dust by giving a "seal of approval" to ambulatory EHR products based on their meeting interoperability, security and...

Americans dissatisfied with healthcare costs.(Healthcare Costs)(Employee Benefit Research Institute)(Survey)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) in Washington, D.C. recently released results of its 2006 health confidence survey indicating that while most Americans are pleased with the quality of healthcare service they receive, less than 20...

Patient copays influence utilization.(Kaiser Family Foundation publishes a book dealing with issues on health care costs)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Something old, something new--that's one way to view a new analysis of an old study, and one that can shed new light on health plan design in the era of consumer-directed health (CDH) and high-deductible plans. The Kaiser Family Foundation...

Using data to drive performance improvement in hospitals: real improvements in patient care, financial performance and efficiency will stem from the use of evidence-based approaches.(Data Management)
December 1, 2006... Even with the best of intentions, hospital executives and clinicians often make decisions that are far from evidence-based or data-driven. They want to improve quality of care, efficiency and financial performance, but cannot always get to the...

An ounce of prevention for the healthcare IT network: bots and trojans and spyware, oh my! New threats arrive daily to exploit vulnerable healthcare networks. Here's how to protect yours.(Security)
December 1, 2006... Healthcare organizations, like most other IT-dependent groups, continue to be challenged by cyber threats that result from an Internet-connected IT infrastructure. While most healthcare IT professionals understand the importance of desktop...

The EHR solution to clinical trial recruitment in physician groups.(EMRs/EHRs)(electronic health record)
December 1, 2006... At Holston Medical Group (HMG) in Kingsport, Tenn., we have used an electronic health record (EHR) since 1996 to enhance the quality and efficiency of the care we provide. Over the years, as HMG has grown to include 102 providers in 26...

On track to improved workflow: an overburdened ED undergoes a complete redesign and EDIS implementation that improves workflow and reduces patient length-of-stay.(emergency department information system)
December 1, 2006... As populations grow, wait times to access medical care increase proportionally. One area of healthcare particularly burdened--emergency departments (EDs) and trauma centers--are finding their initial systems and designs inadequate. As the...

Accuracy in motion; a Calif.-based non-profit community clinic sets out to prevent repetitive-motion injuries and ends up dramatically reducing costs and increasing revenue.(Claims and Coding: Case History)
December 1, 2006... Today's computerized practice management (PM) and claims coding systems revolutionized healthcare. Though much of the claims process is electronic, the coding and input of patient data is still a highly manual process. For those occupying such...

Increased performance.(Hardware: Servers)
December 1, 2006... Dell's PowerEdge 2950 servers have been designed to a behavioral specification that was developed by the computer manufacture to ensure consistency in the hardware's layout across the entire PowerEdge family. A master system image from a single...

DICOM server appliance.(Hardware: Servers)
December 1, 2006... The ImageGrid 1500 server appliance was specifically designed to support secure storage and exchange of patient images as an alternative to a PACS server, as a DICOM router for sending images to specific radiologists based on "rules," or as...

Maximum scalability.(Hardware: Servers)
December 1, 2006... Blade servers are a great solution for systems that must be scalable and reliable, while also providing maximum flexibility and availability to the user. Every IBM LS21 blade is an independent server with its own processors, memory, storage,...

Simplified management.(Hardware: Servers)
December 1, 2006... HP designed its rx3600 server with remote operations in mind, making it ideal for clustered, as well as distributed environments. It is compatible with several 64-bit operating systems, including HP-UX 11iv2 (June 2006 update); Linux (Red Hat...

Scheduling software supports cost-saving staffing alternative.(RES-Q Labor Resource Management software from Res-Q Healthcare Systems)
December 1, 2006... Some analysts of the nursing labor market suggest that the long-running nursing shortage may be moderating, in part because of significant increases in prevailing wages paid to registered nurses. But the reality on the front lines of hospital...

Kronos.(NewsMakers)
December 1, 2006... Catholic Health East has selected Kronos Inc. to provide workforce performance management technology, geared to helping managers meet monthly productivity and labor utilization goals.

Emdeon.(NewsMakers)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Emdeon Corp. subsidiaries ViPS and WebMD Health Corp. has been awarded a six-month contract from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to determine how claims data can be used to populate a personal health record.

GE Healthcare.(NewsMakers)
December 1, 2006... Tulane University School of Medicine selected Centricity Business Advantage from GE Healthcare. The contract is for a fully outsourced revenue cycle management service.

Portico Systems.(NewsMakers)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey has selected the Portico NPI Solution to assist with its compliance with the national provider identifier final rule, a HIPAA requirement.

ECIN.(NewsMakers)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... In Brooklyn, N.Y., Kingsbrook-Jewish Medical Center will deploy the Utilization Management and Discharge Planning case management technology from ECIN to try to reduce avoidable inpatient days, prevent claims denials and streamline the process...

Dynamic Imaging.(NewsMakers)(Orange Regional Medical Center installs IntegradWeb PACS)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The Orange Regional Medical Center in Middletown, N.Y. has implemented IntegradWeb PACS from Dynamic Imaging, Allendale, N.J. Orange Regional's facilities generate more than 200,000 imaging exams per year across a network that includes 450...

Navicure.(NewsMakers)(contracts of Holy Redeemer Health System and Mercy Health System with Navicure)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Two Pennsylvania-based healthcare organizations, Holy Redeemer Health System and Mercy Health System, have signed contracts with Navicure, Atlanta, for Web-based revenue cycle management services for physician practices. Holy Redeemer Physician...

Siemens.(NewsMakers)(Baptist Saint Anthony Health System)(contracts)(Siemens Medical Solutions)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Baptist Saint Anthony (BSA) Health System in Amarillo, Texas, has signed a multiyear agreement with Siemens Medical Solutions for outsourcing and consulting services, especially focused on its use of Siemens' INVISION. BSA employs more than 500...

IMCO Technologies.(NewsMakers)(Gothenburg Memorial Hospital)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Gothenburg Memorial Hospital, Gothenberg, Neb., has selected the IMCO Teleradiology System from IMCO Technologies, Pewaukee, Wis. The system will include bidirectional capability between the hospital and a remotely located radiology group.

The Haelan Group.(contracts)(One Care Street)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The State of Indiana has chosen One Care Street, a predictive modeling and health coaching system from The Haelan Group to improve the health of more than 32,000 state insured employees and spouses.

Digitech Computer Inc.(contracts)(Digitech Computer Inc)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... ATS Medical Services, in Rockford, Ill., signed a contract with Digitech Computer Inc. for billing services on ambulance transports, including dispatch software and billing and collections services.

Carefx.(NewsMakers)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Allentown, Penn.'s Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network, one of the largest and oldest licensed teaching hospitals in Pennsylvania, has deployed Fusion from Carefx Corp. to provide physicians, coders and support staff with access to vital...

PHNS.(NewsMakers)(contracts of Tuolumne General Hospital with Provider Healthnet Services)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Tuolumne General Hospital in Sonora, Calif. signed an agreement with PHNS, a healthcare IT and business process services company in Dallas, to manage all aspects of the hospital's revenue cycle, including admissions, registration, medical...

Seneca Data.(NewsMakers)(contracts of VHA Empire State and Seneca Data )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... VHA Empire State has signed with Seneca Data to provide computer systems and IT products for the organization's membership. VHA Empire State is a regional alliance that provides supply chain management services for local healthcare members.

api Software.(NewsMakers)
December 1, 2006... OSF Healthcare System (OSF), Peoria, Ill. has selected the Payrollmation time and attendance system from api Software Inc., Hartford, Wis. OSF will use the software to streamline a complex time and attendance process for 13,000 employees at six...

HealthHelp.(NewsMakers)(partnerships of Thomas Jefferson University Hospital )(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... The Thomas Jefferson University Hospital (TJUH) of Philadelphia is partnering with Houston-based HealthHelp, a nationally known radiology benefit management company, to provide subspecialty-trained radiologist consultations with physicians on...

Owens & Minor.(NewsMakers)(contracts of Cleveland Clinic Health System)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... Under a three-year agreement with Owens & Minor, of Mechanicsville, Va., the Cleveland Clinic Health System will implement the company's Qsight clinical-inventory management tool throughout its hospitals in Cleveland, Ohio and Florida. Qsight...

Ultra-wide LCD monitor.(New Products & Services)
December 1, 2006... The SyncMaster 305T from Samsung is a 16:10 wide-screen 30-inch TFT LCD designed for professional applications, such as medical displays, engineering and CAD. It features a 2560x1600 resolution, 400cd/m2 brightness and 1000:1 contrast ratio....

Clinical documentation package.(New Products & Services)
December 1, 2006... Advantage Plus is MedQuist's new complete clinical documentation package. MedQuist created a new business model through which the company "partners" with its clients to provide technology, services and support for the entire documentation...

Real-time asset tracking.(New Products & Services)
December 1, 2006... PanGo's new 4.0 versions of PanOS and PanGo Locator, the company's standards-based location management and Web-based asset tracking applications, feature new capabilities to manage, locate and track company assets at a single location or...

Compact desktop printer.(New Products & Services)
December 1, 2006... Sharp's AR-C265P color desktop page printer offers flexible paper handling and advanced security features while sustaining document printing speeds of 26 ppm for color and 32 ppm for black and white. It features a 400-sheet paper capacity,...

Improved PACS.(New Products & Services )(NovaRad Corporation improves NovaPACS 6.5)(Picture Archiving and Communication System)(Brief article)
December 1, 2006... NovaRad has incorporated improved functionality into NovaPACS 6.5, based on customer feedback and requests from radiologists and referring physicians. New sorting, reporting, and information gathering and viewing features are part of the...

Web-based DM calculator.(New Products & Services)
December 1, 2006... DxCG's DM Estimator is a disease management calculator that uses the Diagnostic Cost Group methodology and benchmark data to predict the occurrence of diseases in specific populations. The Web-enabled calculator's "what if" scenarios enable...

Benefiting from European HIT initiatives.(Thought Leaders)(America needs to spend more on healthcare information technology)
December 1, 2006... The United States spends more on healthcare than any other country, but lags behind many European countries in deploying healthcare information technology (HIT) systems that improve the quality of care and enhance efficiency. In fact, we are at...