Health Management Technology articles from March 2007

Health Management Technology archives from March 2007

A season of change.(From the Editor)(Editorial)
March 1, 2007... Life is funny sometimes. Just when things seem to be working out, a wrench lands in your lap and everything goes awry. Such was the case mid-year 2006. After Associate Editor Kathleen Waton's departure, we set about to find a qualified...

Hudson Valley RHIO makes national health database presentation.(Briefly)(Taconic Health Information Network and Communities Regional Health Information Organization)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... The Taconic Health Information Network and Communities Regional Health Information Organization (THINC RHIO), a Fishkill N.Y.-based non-profit, was one of four consortia presenting a national health database prototype at the American Health...

New medical information eNewsletter.(Briefly)(MedTrackAlert)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... MedTrackAlert compiles medical development news gleaned from the online press and distributes it as an electronic newsletter to a half million subscribers. The service is currently up to 36 newsletters focusing on current data on major...

MedAZ EHR software receives CCHIT certification.(Briefly)(Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... MedAZ V60721.001 software has been certified as meeting Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT) criteria for ambulatory electronic health records (EHR). The Clinical Context Object Workgroup-compliant software...

Physician practice Web tools for patient safety.(Physician Practices)(Pathways for Patient Safety)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... A grant from The Commonwealth Fund will help three national healthcare groups develop Web-based educational tools to enhance patient safety. The Health Research and Educational Trust (HRET), The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP)...

Deputy HHS secretary resigns.(Healthcare and Government)(Health and Human Services)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... The resignation of Deputy Health and Human Services Director Alex M. Azar II became official recently. Deputy Secretary Azar served as the HHS department's general counsel from 2001 to 2005, with his original Senate confirmation to the...

Large grants for community EHR development.(Regional Health Information Networks)(electronic health record)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... New Haven Connecticut has just received a $3 million grant of electronic health record (EHR) software to help establish a communitywide network of medical organizations. The funding comes from The Center for Health Leadership, an initiative...

Grant encourages health information exchange.(Blue Shield of California Foundation)(California Regional Health Information Organization)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Underserved populations in California will move closer to the development of a secure statewide electronic healthcare information exchange (HIE) with help from a Blue Shield of California Foundation grant. This $670,000 second phase grant was...

Measurement tool for P4P implementation.(Regional Health Information Networks)(pay for performance program)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Employers and health plans can now us the ROI Estimator for the estimation of cost and financial benefits derived from implementation of the Leapfrog Hospital Rewards Program (LHRP). The estimator shows the return on investment in saved lives...

EHR pilot program unites Medical Banking Project and AIAG.(Electronic Health Records)(Automotive Industry Action Group)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... A joint work group including members of the Medical Banking Project and The Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) has initiated a pilot program designed to deliver personal health information over the Internet using banks' Web portals. The...

Sticking the quantum leap: modernizing older networks poses formidable IT challenges. Fifty year-old Sharp Memorial hospital needed an ultramodern solution to stave off impending obsolescence.(Network Management)(Cover story)
March 1, 2007... Ranked in the top 100 "Most Wired" hospital systems in the country for seven consecutive years--an IT technology honor bestowed on just eight other hospitals in the country--Sharp Healthcare of San Diego is on a mission to revamp its Sharp...

Out with the old, in with the new: virtual item files can streamline ordering, lower costs and afford caregivers more time with patients than current supply data management technology. Should healthcare providers embrace them?(Supply Chain/Materials Management)(Column)
March 1, 2007... After working in the healthcare supply chain IT field for the past 17 years, I've observed that improvement in supply data management is a measure that can yield substantial savings in operating costs. There's a broad disparity in the currency...

Remote control training: a bicoastal senior living enterprise reduces training and help desk costs and time with old and new software.(Remote Management: Case History)(Kisco Senior Living)
March 1, 2007... When an enterprise is spread from coast to coast, the last thing that IT directors want to do is literally go the distance for training, troubleshooting and help desk answers. Not only can this potentially hamper the growth of an enterprise,...

Business continuity by design: don't let a disaster impair your facility's performance.(Business Continuity Management)
March 1, 2007... In recent history, catastrophic disasters have dramatically highlighted the need for business continuity planning. Modern statistics indicate that if an organization is prohibited from accessing mission-critical data for more than 48 hours, it...

Signed, sealed and indelible: electronic lab notebooks help a worldwide biopharmaceutical research firm protect intellectual property while reducing paperwork.(Laboratory Information Systems)
March 1, 2007... For any company competing in the healthcare, biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, the ability to bring products to market more quickly increases opportunity for revenue and company growth. However, streamlining processes means...

From a distance: saving lives through remote care: a combination of eICU technology, intensivists and in-house staffing delivers significant improvements in ICU patient care.(Telemedicine/ Telehealth: Case History)(St. Mary's Health Center)
March 1, 2007... Studies show that care by intensivists, physicians specially trained in treating critically ill patients, greatly improves the quality of care in the ICU. But demand far outweighs supply. Today, just one in five ICUs has intensivists on staff....

Better patient care through video interpretation: a New Jersey hospital uses teleconferencing tools and interpreters to break down patient language and hearing barriers.(Telemedicine/Telehealth: Case History)(Holy Name Hospital)
March 1, 2007... Clear verbal and visual communications between physician and patient is the first step in compassionate and effective healthcare. With the ever-increasing percentage of non-English speaking patients as well as patients who are deaf or hard of...

Safeguarding and monitoring data transmission: a Honolulu-based healthcare enterprise safeguards against confidential data leaks.(Patient Identification)
March 1, 2007... For most healthcare institutions, navigating the path to HIPAA compliance regarding data security can be like navigating your living room without the lights on. You generally know where your furniture is located, but it still doesn't stop you...

The keys to the kingdom: how can healthcare organizations grant access to clinical data and applications, while protecting a patient's privacy? For one integrated health system, automated provisioning held the key.(Identity Management/Provisioning)(WellSpan Health)
March 1, 2007... WellSpan is an integrated health system serving south central Pennsylvania and Northern Maryland. With more than 70 locations, operations include more than 8,000 physicians, employees, volunteers, board members, two hospitals, six retail...

Server room cooling.(New Products & Services)
March 1, 2007... The InfrastruXure InRow SC cooling unit from APC is intended for wiring closet and server room cooling, providing up to 7kW of cooling capacity in a 12-inch wide (half rack space) self-contained unit. The InRow SC plug-and-play design...

Web-based drug reference guide.(New Products & Services)
March 1, 2007... The Epocrates Web-based drug and formulary reference guide has been expanded to include pill pictures for correct patient identification, Patient Education Handouts to address common patient concerns and questions on new prescriptions and drug...

Document management software.(New Products & Services)
March 1, 2007... The updated ImageNow 6.0 Sunflower software suite from Perceptive Software Inc. allows healthcare administrators to create electronic medical records and organize patient information by grouping related documents for instant access and routing....

Information management solution.(New Products & Services)
March 1, 2007... SurgiSource version 4.4 from SourceMedical provides ASC customers with enhanced billing, scheduling and inventory management processes, in addition to other improvements. Primary payer adjustment amounts can be captured to facilitate electronic...

Medical grade power strip.(New Products & Services)
March 1, 2007... The PS-415-HGULTRA from Tripp Lite is a medical grade power strip with full UL 60601-1/60950-1 compliance. A patent pending internal site wiring fault protection circuit prevents power to outlets in the event of a missing ground, reversed...

Remittance Manager.(New Products & Services)
March 1, 2007... Remittance Manager from Companion Technologies is a function of the company's EnterprisEDI revenue cycle management software that provides a secure Web-based application for physician practice and hospital billing staff to search and sort...

Medical Present Value.(NewsMakers)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... In San Diego, Sharp HealthCare has selected Medical Present Value Inc. (MPV) to help the organization manage payer contracts for more than 300 providers at the Sharp Rees-Stealy and Mission Park Medical Groups, using the MPV Phynance system.

GE Healthcare.(NewsMakers)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Fairview Hospital, a 478-bed acute care hospital and a Cleveland Clinic Health System partner, will implement GE Healthcare's Centricity's Perinatal with MrStrip OB. The AirStrip OB technology, offered through GE's partnership with MP4...

Eclipsys Corp.(NewsMakers)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Methodist Hospital in Arcadia, Calif., will implement Sunrise Clinical Manager from Eclipsys Corp., Boca Raton, Fla., including the suite's integrated modules Sunrise Critical Care, Sunrise Emergency Care and Knowledge-based Charting, to...

Agfa HealthCare.(NewsMakers)(Pinnacle Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Specialists contract with Agfa IMPAX )(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Pinnacle Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Specialists in Atlanta has selected the Agfa IMPAX for Orthopaedics system for its eight office locations, supporting its creation of a completely digital work environment that includes image acquisition,...

MEDHOST.(NewsMakers)(University of California Los Angeles Healthcare)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... UCLA Healthcare has selected MEDHOST for emergency department automation in its Westwood and Santa Monica hospital EDs. Both hospitals will use the full suite of EDIS technology from the vendor.

Dynamic Healthcare Systems.(NewsMakers)(Inland Empire Health Plan)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... In San Bernardino, Calif., Inland Empire Health Plan has purchased the complete Voyager suite of products from Dynamic Healthcare Systems, Irvine, Calif. Voyager will provide full automation for Medicare Advantage capabilities including...

Agfa HealthCare: Thomas Memorial Hospital, South Charlston, W. Va., has signed a contract.(NewsMakers)
March 1, 2007... Thomas Memorial Hospital, South Charlston, W. Va., has signed a contract with Agfa HealthCare for Agfa to provide a complete RIS/PACS/Reporting and Computed Radiology system.

Eclipsys Corp.: Children's Hospital of Omaha in October went live with Eclipsys Sunrise Pharmacy, as a first step in its new medication safety initiative, joining it with the Eclipsys electronic Medication Administration Record.(NewsMakers)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Children's Hospital of Omaha in October went live with Eclipsys Sunrise Pharmacy, as a first step in its new medication safety initiative, joining it with the Eclipsys electronic Medication Administration Record. The implementation includes...

CliniComp Intl.(NewsMakers)(CliniComp International)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Stewart and Lynda Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital at UCLA has purchased and installed the Essentris clinical information system from CliniComp Intl. The system has replaced paper charting in the organization's adolescent, adult and geriatric...

Eclipsys Corp.: Liberty Hospital in Liberty, Mo. has selected Sunrise Clinical Manager from Eclipsys Corp., Boca Raton, Fla.(NewsMakers)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Liberty Hospital in Liberty, Mo. has selected Sunrise Clinical Manager from Eclipsys Corp., Boca Raton, Fla. This includes implementation of the system's acute care, emergency care, critical care, pharmacy and knowledge-based charting modules.

Galvanon.(NewsMakers)(Lancaster General health system to use MediKiosk from Galvanon)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Lancaster General health system, with facilities throughout Lancaster County, Pa., has licensed the MediKiosk from Galvanon, an NCR Corporation. MediKiosk supports automated patient check-in and check-out; the patient can confirm demographic...

BidShift.(NewsMakers)(St. Joseph's/Candler to use Web-based workforce management system)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... In Savannah, Ga., St. Joseph's/Candler, a two-hospital healthcare system, has selected BidShift of San Diego for its Web-based workforce management system. The automated system allows nurses, clinicians, therapists, secretaries and other...

Misys Healthcare Systems.(NewsMakers)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Misys Healthcare Systems has won an InfoWorld 100 award for automating regression testing of its Electronic Medical Records (EMR) application, which ensures that software updates or modifications do not introduce new defects into an...

Magellan Health Services.(NewsMakers)(contract)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... CIGNA Healthcare has entered into a definitive agreement with Magellan Health Services to provide radiology network management and other services for 3 million CIGNA Healthcare members in 12 states. The $200 million estimated contract covers...

DrFirst.(NewsMakers)(partners with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Blue Cross Blue Shield of Delaware and DrFirst have partnered to provide 150 of the health insurer's physicians with personal digital assistants and DrFirst's Rcopia software as part of an electronic prescription management system pilot...

Continuum Performance Systems.(NewsMakers)(DST Health Solutions)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... DST Health Solutions will license, implement, integrate, implement and host Continuum Performance System's Market-Prominence Medicare administrative workflow solution for Clear Choice Health Plans. Clear Choice insured members are located...

Agfa HealthCare: Agfa Healthcare has installed its next generation IMPAX Picture Archiving and Communication System.(NewsMakers)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Agfa Healthcare has installed its next generation IMPAX Picture Archiving and Communication System as well as other solutions in several additional health care institutions located in Ohio, Arizona, Florida, Illinois and California.

IntraOp Medical Corporation.(NewsMakers)(Stanford Hospital & Clinics contract)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... California's Stanford Hospital & Clinics has ordered IntraOp Medical Corporation's Mobetron portable self-shielding electron-beam radiation unit. This was IntraOp's twenty-first order worldwide and the eighth in the U.S.

PatientKeeper Inc.(NewsMakers)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Louisville Kentucky's Norton Healthcare has selected the PatientKeeper physician information system for its more than 1,900 physicians. With more than 50 locations in the Louisville market, Norton Healthcare is Kentucky's largest healthcare...

Flo Healthcare.(NewsMakers)(Flo Healthcare systems )(H. Lee Moffitt Cancer & Research Institute)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Flo Healthcare systems has deployed 81 Flo 1750 and Flo 1800 mobile clinical workstations to the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer & Research Institute. After an 18-month trial of the workstations in the institute's infusion center, Moffitt deployed the...

When consumers drive, physicians don't have to get taken for a ride.(Thought Leaders)
March 1, 2007... With every advance of consumer-directed healthcare (CDH), health insurance more closely resembles another line of business--one that patients actually understand-auto insurance. As premiums rise, health plans are offering more variety. Some new...