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Patient Centred Medical Home or PCMH

admin — Wed, 22 May 2013 01:57:56 +0000

Medical Home for Patients

With the inception of convergence through technology and easy of virtual presence has resulted in providing care delivery models through new and innovative approaches. One of these new approach, gaining fast acceptance and more organizations are looking at is Patient Centered Medical Homes or PCMH. PCMH distinctly differs from traditional model of care in couple of ways, like: in PCMH, patients can pick and choose their provider at any level, i.e. primary to tertiary based on the needs and requirements as the system provides enough well developed information and patient can use that to get access to a provider of his choice. The costs in this system are more regulated for both payer and provider and technology has more augmented role to play in this model of care, enhancing more quality care for dollar value than traditional system of care provision.

The PCMH is more of framework of care through a team based model led by physician taking full control of the needs and requirements of patient, ranging from routine checkups and referring for more complex medical needs like heart problems or cancer related help. The idea of this approach is that the care is provided in more coordinated fashion through the inclusion of the patient’s own input, family members, nurses, health workers and doctors all working on the same set of information in more coordinated fashion to provide comprehensive care.
The key elements or attributes of care are well monitored and the framework approach ensure the best outcomes.
1- Comprehensive Care: PCMH is developed for providing the care as required by patient ranging from, basic needs to more complex requirements, in a more organized manner through a team approach. This team comprises of all levels of care providers, i.e. nurses, doctors, family members, pharmacists, nutritionists, social workers etc etc. Large team members may be required or more virtualized computer driven care providers may help the patients.
2- Patient Centred Care: In this model of care educating patients and family members is highly emphasized to to ensure improved outcomes through knowledge, thus patients can manage and organize their care. Enabling more organized care through patient focused approach helped by systems and framework.
3- Coordinated Care: PCMH is spread over a vast continuum of care model, ranging from primary health clinics to tertiary care, centres of excellence. This important aspect is very well developed through help of technology and a robust care control mechanism based on open and clear communication among patients and providers.
4- Accessible Services: PCMH ensure access to the services at shorter waiting times and easier to approach. This is done through help of phones, personal health records, remote access to patients and doctors. The model very much provides care according to the preference of patients.
5- Quality and Safety: The overall framework of care is developed to ensure robust delivery of care, through better engagement of patients and family members, connecting them with a multi modality team of care providers at all levels of care. This is further enhanced through tools and measures on evidence based systems. The system heavily relies on measuring outcomes and performances of providers and thus adding it back into system to enhance the care to the next level of patient satisfaction and better health.

Workplace revolution in healthcare

Dr — Sun, 19 May 2013 10:59:32 +0000

Necessity is the mother of invention and rightly said, it has brought changes to every aspect of out life through technological advances. These technologies in the filed of information and communication has almost changed the way a doctor responds and a nurses reacts to the need of a patient from many angles. This is due to shift in patients pattern according to their needs and requirements as does healthcare has become more of an international and global phenomena rather than a more traditional funnel shaped healthcare provision in the past.
For patients it is very much common to go to a website and book an appointment, request a medication topup and also send cards to their loves ones, admitted in hospitals. For administrators and hospital/ clinic managers these are very basic things to be managed during their routine day to day work. But technology has changed and now these simple tasks can be easily moderated by hospital staff while working from a remote desk.
Day to day routine jobs in hospitals are fast changing from on premise to remote access jobs. Just imagine processing of bills and letters of guarantees are no more a work of a hospital admin staff but very much managed off premise. We have started to realize that more and more doctors in radiology are turning to reporting online rather off line, it may be same hospital these doctors are working but at times of need in wee hours they may want to report from home. This is also true for cardiologists / surgeons reporting on ECGs/ CTS scans respectively while at home or away from hospital.
We have found more and more evidence of technology helping in many ways, just that the users either patients or doctors have to start making use of these. This will over all reduce the waiting times and also improve the outcomes due to quicker better response and more appropriate staffing and right staffing for a particular need and requirement at hospital.
Good Luck to Technology and a wish come true for patients and health consumers.

Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration

admin — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 05:46:51 +0000

Due to increasing demand for digitized patient records management, Peirce College has introduced a bachelor’s degree in Health Information Administration (HIA). The HIA credential will help equip those aspiring to management and leadership positions within the booming non-patient healthcare field.

“This is an exciting development. Health Information Administration is a necessary degree program for such a growing field. It is another extension of Peirce’s mission to offer highly relevant, career-related degrees for working adult students in the region,” said Stephanie Donovan, Assistant Professor and Program Manager, Health Information Technology/Health Information Administration for Peirce College.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, of the 20 fastest growing occupations in the economy, half are related to healthcare. Employment among healthcare practitioners and technical occupations is expected to increase by 21 percent by 2018. Healthcare is one of the primary industries in the greater Philadelphia region.

When Peirce’s Health Information Administration program was presented to the Pennsylvania Department of Education, it was considered it to be relatively unique in the way the program is structured, Donovan pointed out. “They were bowled over by our proposal. Plus, there are not many of Peirce’s type of program out there,” she said.

“Our Health Information Technology associate degree and Health Information Administration bachelor’s degree make up what we call a 2+2 model,” Donovan said. “This model, which is not offered by all institutions, enables students to earn an associate degree, secure credentials to begin working in the field, and then continue on to earn a bachelor’s degree.”

Dominic Adams, Risk Manager at Temple University Hospital, says healthcare education curricular models are changing, so the jobs associated with healthcare are changing. One example he points to is the similarity a few years ago of positions associated with medical records. “Now there are more models based on the different complexities of healthcare,” Adams said. “The Peirce 2+2 program is definitely a rare model. The programs offered by most institutions are traditional four-year programs. Plus, the flexibility of selecting online or classroom study formats at Peirce is definitely a benefit.”

Another Peirce program advantage is that students are exposed to Health Information Management (HIM) specific courses in every year of study. It gives the Peirce program and students continuity. From day one students are learning about Health Information Management principles. “It is a plus because during the first two years of studies, students at most schools, especially those in four-year degree programs, are exposed to general studies courses, not the root of the degree, until later in the program,” Adams said.

The Health Information Administration degree is a natural extension—and the bachelor’s component—of Peirce’s Health Information Technology program. It represents more opportunities for those who are already in the patient records managementhealthcare field and who want a bachelor’s degree that is current to industry demands, Donovan added. (Peirce’s Health Information Technology program is a two-year degree that prepares students with the technical skills needed to manage electronic healthcare data and protect the integrity of patients’ records.)

Health information professionals serve as the link between care providers, payers and patients. They play a critical role in managing patient health information and medical records, administering computer information systems, collecting and analyzing patient data, and using classification systems that healthcare providers rely on to deliver quality care.

“The need for sharing fast and accurate medical information has never been greater. We want to help our students get on the fast track to a career centered on supporting the delivery of healthcare and the management of patient health information with one of Peirce College’s healthcare degree programs,” added Patricia Rucker, Senior Vice President, Academic Advancement and Provost for Peirce College. With medical information management and healthcare administration career opportunities projected to grow much faster than the average, Peirce’s Health Information Technology, Health Information Administration and Healthcare Administration programs give students the skills and credentials needed to enter or advance in this important sector, Rucker emphasized.

The Peirce Health Information Administration program also provides students with access to the AHIMA Virtual Lab, which includes a number of software applications currently used in the healthcare industry. Hands-on access to the Lab helps ensure students are better prepared to enter healthcare information careers.

The Lab provides students a competitive advantage when they apply for positions because they will be able to demonstrate a level of experience with the software. For example, in Peirce’s Coding course, students will utilize the QuadraMed and 3M Encoders. “Our graduates will have an elevated degree of proficiency because of their experience using these encoders in the classroom,” Donovan emphasized.

The Health Information Administration degree prepares students to advance in a career as a health information administrator in a number of professional settings. Students who already have a Registered Health Information Technology (RHIT) credential may be able to earn their bachelor’s degree in two years. The Health Information Administration (HIA) program is especially designed for professionals in the field who already have an RHIT credential and wish to earn a baccalaureate degree and secure a Registered Health Information Administrator (RHIA) credential.

After completion of the RHIA exam, graduates can seek employment in hospitals, multispecialty clinics and physician practices, long-term care, mental health and other ambulatory care settings, and/or non-patient care settings, with careers in managed care and insurance companies, software services, consulting services, government agencies, education and pharmaceutical companies.

Peirce also offers a bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration, which provides a solid foundation of business concepts integrated with industry knowledge for future leadership in the sector.

http://www.bioportfolio.com(Source)

What’s the difference between healthcare IT professionals and their peers in other industries?

admin — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 05:39:09 +0000

What’s the difference between healthcare IT professionals and their peers in other industries? Well, the answer might depend on how the healthcare IT professional answers that classic cocktail party question: “So, what do you do for a living?”

“What makes the great individuals in IT great? The answer is they don’t see themselves in IT,” said Craig Schiefelbein on the closing day of the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives fall forum in San Antonio last week. “They’re in healthcare.”

So, what do you do? Are you in IT (or finance, quality, or marketing, or any other department within a provider organization)? Or are you in healthcare?

The answer, says Schiefelbein, who is the co-founder and CEO of Paragon Development Systems and author of the book “Get Out of IT While You Can,” can make a difference in how happy you are. It also impacts a lot of other areas that are important to any organization, but critical in healthcare, from patient experience to quality to long-term sustainable growth.

It’s so easy to bend your head down and get lost in the day-to-day to-do list. And there are a lot of things to do on the IT department’s list these days—little things like implementing electronic medical records and preparing for ICD-10 coding changes, for example.

When you have a chance to look up, chances are you’re sitting in yet another meeting room looking at yet another PowerPoint presentation.

In fact, as Schiefelbein pointed out (and a show of hands from the audience confirmed) IT is often housed away from patients. Although it has moved up from the basement, it has also moved out to administrative buildings or wings.

IT needs to get back into the hospital, he said, shadowing clinicians and workers in a variety of departments. In some organizations I’ve talked to, workers from IT and other departments participate in rounds in order to bring those non-patient facing departments face-to-face with the sole reason the healthcare organization exists.

Schiefelbein also encouraged IT leaders—even those who consider themselves over-achievers—to reach beyond their comfort zone. Both the IT team and the department as a whole must be much more strategic, and focused on business, mission, and customers—especially patients.

Long-term sustainable growth comes from physician and patient loyalty, he added, and those are most impacted by experience.

“If you want to move to the next level, you can’t just be the best you can be; you have to be the best in your industry,” he said.

For example, he said, many IT departments are focused on coming up with programs that help reduce costs, which is critical. But to truly be strategic, they must also think about how to apply those cost-reductions in strategic ways.

People can go through their entire careers without ever contributing a strategic idea, he said.

Here’s a quick litmus test to see if you and your staff are strategic: Imagine that the CEO has a meeting with key stakeholders and asks someone from the department to step in and explain the organization’s objectives and strategies for long-term growth, talk about how it will ensure the best possible patient experience, and describe its core competencies.

Could you? Could your IT staff?

And what do you do for a living? I’d like to hear from you: Join our discussion on LinkedIn to answer the question and let us know if you think the answer makes a difference in your organization.

“http://linkd.in/vgFjj3″

http://www.healthleadersmedia.com(Source)

Health IT Executive Jobs

Health Information Through Social Media Is It Patient Centered?

admin — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 05:27:20 +0000

Social networking sites like Facebook and YouTube can be powerful platforms to deliver and receive healthcare information, especially for patients and caregivers who are increasingly going online to connect and share experiences with others with similar medical issues or concerns. However, these sites may lack patient-centered information and can also be sources of misleading information that could potentially do more harm than good, according to the results of two separate social media-related studies unveiled today at the American College of Gastroenterology’s ACG) 76th Annual Scientific meeting in Washington, DC.

In the first study, “Social Media for Esophageal Cancer Survivors,” researchers from the Mayo Clinic in Florida found that social media is an important resource for patients and their caregivers who are facing important treatment decisions after being diagnosed with esophageal cancer and managing difficult nutritional and lifestyle issues after esophageal surgery. “We have successfully worked with a highly motivated group of 65 patients who have been diagnosed with and treated for esophageal cancer and Barrett’s high grade dysplasia,” said researcher Herbert Wolfsen, MD.

Few patient-centered resources are available for families and caregivers facing important treatment decisions after being diagnosed with esophageal cancer, according to Dr. Wolfsen. He said that the project goal was to establish an online community through a Facebook group to assist patients and families anticipate—and cope with—surgical and post-operative challenges after being diagnosed with
esophageal cancer. The group also helps promote disease awareness and esophageal cancer research advocacy in the community.

“Connections facilitated through this group have often lead to more contact offline to share their personal experiences and information regarding diagnosis and treatment from the perspective of the patient and their family.”

Since 2008 Dr. Wolfsen and his team recruited patients and their families to join and participate in the Mayo Clinic’s interactive Facebook group, which was created to bring together a geographically diverse group of esophageal cancer survivors. “Many of these patients do not live close enough to attend the quarterly support group meetings held at Mayo in Jacksonville, so the online group has allowed patients who may otherwise not have the support they need to connect with others who share their medical concerns,” said Dr. Wolfsen.

Much of the discussion and support revolves around strategies for coping with post-operative changes, especially with daily activities such as diet, nutrition, and swallowing and regurgitation problems, according to the study’s findings. The group also provides members with many resources including access to new medical information via text postings and links to video content on the Mayo Clinic YouTube channel, schedules of group meetings, treatment options and advice and support for patients, family and caregivers during recovery.

In a second study, “YouTube: A Friend or Foe When You Are Taking Care of IBD Patients,” researchers at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation analyzed the top 100 most viewed IBD-related videos for content, popularity and as a source of patient education information. They found that while YouTube can be a powerful tool for patient education and support, overall Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) content posted on YouTube was poor. “Clinicians and their patients need to be aware of misleading information posted by patients or particularly by pharmaceutical companies who often post videos to make it seem like they are coming from a patient when in actuality it is a company advertisement,” said researcher Saurabh Mukewar, MD. “These sources are not transparent.”

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are the most common forms of IBD, which affect more than 1.4 million Americans. Both conditions inflame the intestines, leading to bouts of watery diarrhea, rectal bleeding, abdominal cramps and pain, fever, and weight loss. Crohn’s disease can occur anywhere in the digestive tract, often spreading deep into the layers of the affected bowel wall. Ulcerative colitis usually affects only the innermost lining of the large intestine and rectum.

Patients with IBD respond differently to various treatments and inflammatory bowel diseases are life-long disorders, so from a healthcare standpoint, disease management is often challenging, according to Dr. Mukewar, who says many patients are constantly searching for new information and seek out the support of others with IBD—and want the kind of first-hand patient experience information that their doctors cannot provide.

“Recent reports state that 55 percent of IBD patients are not satisfied with the information provided at time of their disease diagnosis and more than 50 percent of IBD patients turn to the Internet as a source of information for IBD,” said Dr. Mukewar.

Both Dr. Wolfsen and Dr. Mukewar agree that Internet and social media can benefit patients and enhance their care. But Dr. Mukewar said his findings are concerning to him since IBD patients may get misleading information via YouTube® that could be harmful to their health.

“The success of Mayo’s Esophageal Cancer Survivor Facebook group clearly demonstrates how social media can assist healthcare providers in providing patients with a way to connect and get the support they need that physicians cannot provide because we have not experienced the disease first hand,” said Dr. Wolfsen. “We are also able to provide the latest Barrett’s disease and esophageal cancer research information and emphasize high quality sources of online information such as the Mayo Clinic YouTube channel.”

According to Dr. Mukewar, “one of the best resources for patients ideally would be physicians who also have health conditions and who can post a personal experience video on YouTube®, for instance, that would not only be medically correct, credible and trustful but would also contain that first-hand experience that patients with a disease like IBD really crave and search for online.”

“The Internet and social media are not going way—YouTube is a powerful platform to deliver and receive healthcare information,” said Dr. Mukewar. “But healthcare providers and professional societies need to provide more educational and efficient materials using this powerful tool to counteract misleading information.”

More…Social Media Making Its way into healthcare

http://www.jpost.com/(Source)

Robots that provide support in nursing and healthcare

admin — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 05:15:56 +0000

Four New Types of Robots Aimed for Commercialization from 2013

Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) held an event today here at its vehicle display space and theme park Mega Web to display a number of new robots developed to provide support in nursing and healthcare. The robots form part of the Toyota Partner Robot series, which is being developed to assist humans in their everyday activities.

TMC considers Partner Robots to be useful in four fields: nursing and healthcare, short-distance personal transport, manufacturing and domestic duties. TMC is developing technology that cooperates with humans, including devices that assist in the loading and moving of heavy components in factories, in addition to automated technology that enables autonomous tool operation.

TMC endeavors to provide the freedom of mobility to all people, and understands from its tie-ups with the Toyota Memorial Hospital and other medical facilities that there is a strong need for robots in the field of nursing and healthcare. TMC aims to support independent living for people incapacitated through sickness or injury, while also assisting in their return to health and reducing the physical burden on caregivers.

Each robot incorporates the latest in advanced technologies developed by TMC, including high-speed, high-precision motor control technology, highly stable walking-control technology advanced through development of two-legged robots, and sensor technology that detects the user’s posture as well as their grasping and holding strength.

Since the announcement of its Partner Robot development vision in 2007, TMC has pursued the development of robots that support human activities, thereby enabling new lifestyles.

Main Features of Toyota Partner Robots

- Independent Walk Assist

Developed with the aim of supporting independent walking for people whose ability to walk has been impaired by leg paralysis or other causes. Mounted onto the paralyzed leg, it helps the knee to bend to facilitate natural walking.

- Walk Training Assist

Developed as a device for walking training, this robot incorporates Independent Walk Assist technology and assists in the development of natural walking from the early training stage for people whose walking is impaired.

- Balance Training Assist

This robot was developed to support balance function training for people with impaired balance. The combination of two-wheeled self-balancing (inverted-pendulum) technology and game elements is aimed at making training enjoyable.

- Patient Transfer Assist

Developed to reduce the heavy physical burden required of caretakers when transferring patients. With the combination of weight-supporting arms and a mobile platform, this robot helps the caregiver throughout the patient transfer process from bed to toilet and back.

These nursing and healthcare Partner Robots were developed in collaboration with Fujita Health University Hospital in Aichi Prefecture, Japan, which provided TMC feedback on the needs of specialized medical facilities, to use in the design of the robots.

TMC, in cooperation with a wide range of nursing and medical facilities, will accelerate further development of the robots while taking into consideration feedback of medical staff, with an eye for commercialization from 2013.

Outside the nursing and healthcare field, verification tests on short-distance personal transport assistance robots are being performed at commercial centers and active use is being made of manufacturing assistance robots in automobile production. Development in the field of domestic duty assistance is also progressing.

For photographs and details on how Toyota Partner Robots assist in the nursing and healthcare fields please see.

Four New Types of Robots Aimed for Commercialization from 2013

Since the announcement of its Partner Robot development vision in 2007, TMC has pursued the development of robots that support human activities, thereby enabling new lifestyles.

Main Features of Toyota Partner Robots

- Independent Walk Assist

- Walk Training Assist

- Balance Training Assist

- Patient Transfer Assist

For photographs and details on how Toyota Partner Robots assist in the nursing and healthcare fields please see http://www2.toyota.co.jp/en/news/11/11/1101.html

http://www.marketwatch.com(Source)

Health Information Technology.

Healthcare ICT Task Force

Jordan’s first Healthcare ICT Task Force

admin — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:56:56 +0000

His Majesty King Abdullah II of Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and John Chambers, Cisco’s Chairman and CEO, formally inaugurated Jordan’s first Healthcare ICT Task Force, at a session, held alongside the World Economic Forum 2011 at the Dead Sea, Jordan. A joint effort by Cisco, King Abdullah II Fund for Development (KAFD), and Jordan’s Information and Communications Technology Association (int@j), the Jordan Healthcare ICT Task Force is an open forum of Jordanian Health Information Communications Technology (ICT) companies under the umbrella of int@
The Task Force’s main objective is to advance Jordan’s healthcare ICT cluster capacity and promote Jordanian healthcare ICT technologies and companies on a local, regional, and international level. Cisco’s role will be to help in provisioning guidance, mentorship, and support to the Task Force’s programs.
The Task Force was launched at a special roundtable session on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum Jordan 2011 at the Dead Sea, with the participation of Cisco healthcare solution executives and Jordanian healthcare ICT technology companies executives.
Discussions focused on the potential and future opportunities in healthcare ICT in the region and globally, including high level future plans.
The session also included an exchange on the progress made in Jordan’s “Hakeem” program, run by Electronic Health Solutions (EHS) a non-profit company aiming to computerize the public health sector in Jordan.
The inauguration roundtable session also witnessed the presentation of “Al Hussein Decoration for Distinguished Contribution of the First Degree” to Cisco’s Chairman and CEO, John Chambers by His Majesty King Abdullah II, in recognition of his continuous efforts and commitment to strengthen Jordan’s education and ICT sectors.

Highlights:

- Globally, there are key trends that individually and collectively are redefining the world of healthcare – aging population; shortage in key specialties; affordability crisis; new uses of IT; privacy and security concerns; focus on wellness. Key participants in the healthcare ecosystem will need to adapt to the changes driven by these trends.
- The Task Force aims to to promote knowledge-sharing and marketing for companies under the umbrella of the Jordan Healthcare ICT Task Force Cluster, as well as help to accelerate the growth of Jordan’s healthcare ICT companies by providing a forum for joint collaboration and cooperation. It also aims to create a point of reference for global and regional leaders wishing to partner with Jordan’s Healthcare ICT cluster.
- Task Force activities will include, amongst other initiatives, assessing Jordan’s healthcare delivery system position regionally and globally. It will also develop mentorship programs to link Jordanian companies with innovative and leading global healthcare ICT brands, and a forum to enable cluster companies to advance and innovate through current opportunities and future trends in Healthcare ICT Technologies globally. Regular healthcare ICT boot camps for cluster members will be hosted by leading healthcare ICT companies from around the globe.
- Cisco’s goal in this partnership is to provide support and thought leadership that helps accelerate the growth of technology firms in Jordan that are designing and deploying solutions to enhance the quality of healthcare service providers, whether focused on improved access to care, better quality of care, increased productivity and workflow efficiency, or better access to information.
- Industry experts predict that three technology ‘big bets’ will transform the healthcare industry:-Healthcare cloud – the growth of cloud computing and the ability to deliver intelligence at scale will enable disruptive business models through healthcare exchange. -Mobility – explosive mobile device and data growth will change healthcare delivery and drive new behaviors for clinicians and patients .-Collaboration – collaborative technology in areas such as clinical workflow, tele-health, and knowledge sharing, will improve access to healthcare, increase the efficiency of care delivery, and make healthcare more affordable.
Mohammad Tahboub, Chairman of the Information and Communications Technology Association of Jordan, Int@j said: “The taskforce will be focused on achieving multiple objectives, including rapidly replicating the Hakeem programme nationwide and positioning Jordan as a regional hub for ICT solutions in the healthcare sector. The taskforce, a joint effort by Cisco, King Abdullah II Fund for Development (KAFD), and Jordan’s Information and Communications Technology Association (int@j), is an open forum of Jordanian Health Information Communications Technology (ICT) companies under the umbrella of int@j. The Task Force’s main objective is to advance Jordan’s healthcare ICT cluster capacity and promote Jordanian healthcare ICT technologies and companies on a local, regional, and international level.”
John Chambers, Chairman and CEO, Cisco”As a worldwide leader in networking, Cisco is well positioned to improve the future of healthcare through networked technologies that transform how people connect, access information, and collaborate. Our goal is for Cisco to lead the transformation in the healthcare industry’s complex transition. Our strategy is to be an essential partner and enabler for the entire healthcare ecosystem by working with customers and innovators to enhance the patient experience, streamline processes, and provide innovative technologies that empower care team collaboration and business efficiency from end-to-end. We strongly believe that through our collaboration with int@j the Jordan Healthcare ICT Task Force will enable accelerated growth of healthcare technology firms in Jordan.”

Current Healthcare ICT Taskforce companies include:

- Altibbi.com: Online Arabic Portal of Health related information on diseases and medical information.- In4ma:Implementing Doctors and e-prescription online and mobile application- Adaptive Tech Soft: Hospital management application implemented in majority of hospitals in Jordan and a good number in the region- Optimiza: Hospital management application implemented in hospitals in the region- Nat Health: Health insurance claim processing platform in a number of countries in the region- SSS Process: Health network focusing on medical records sharing- KeySoft: Health insurance claim processing platform implemented in Germany and expanding- Electronic Health Solutions (EHS)is a non-profit leader in the field of health technology aiming to computerize the public health sector in Jordan, in order to increase the effectiveness of medical management and the achievement of radical development in the health care provided to patients.
It also aims to reach the best international standards and to ensure economic efficiency. The company was founded to work on the employment of the latest technology and the application of concepts and best health practices to improve the quality of health services in Jordan and to increase its efficiency.
“Hakeem” is one of the Electronic Health Solutions programs and the first national initiative to computerize the health sector in Jordan, where the program was launched late 2009 under the patronage of His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein and aims to provide the effective and developed health care for patients.
- Eskadenia: Health Insurance management platform and developing a portal to connect the health pyramid stakeholders together- Savvytek: Developing a comprehensive health-services portal, based on a national databank that lays out the foundation of the smart-card system in Jordan. A health record information management system is planned to evolve into a knowledge-based health component, too.- IV Holding: Early stage investment arm of Accelerator Technology Holdings, brings on-the-ground experience in deal flow and investment management expertise. - Y-Consult: Developed a full mapping of processes for hospital operations including full supply chain.- SEDCO Systems: Provides Patient Management System (Queuing) and integrates with the hospital system to provide better service for the patients.- E-Tech Systems: Provides content management solutions especially targeted and customized for health system providers- Esense Software: Researching the potential for healthcare in the region and looking for partners.- SigmaSoft: Focuses on Health automation solutions in Medical Records Management Systems and real-time patient monitoring systems.- Tibna: Developing a web based application that facilitates the integration between the healthcare providers and the health insurance companies by automating the process of claims acceptance.

More About….Health Information Technology

Inconsistent data and a lack of forward-thinking pose obstacles to meeting the demand for healthcare professionals

admin — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 04:45:28 +0000

Health care policymakers’ ability to plan future work force needs is hindered by incomplete and inconsistent data on certain health professions, as well as a lack of training in new care delivery models, according to an analysis by a Washington think tank.

The Bipartisan Policy Center on Oct. 18 released a preliminary report, “The Complexities of National Health Care Workforce Planning,” a review of existing work force employment and training.

The center, founded in 2007 by four former Senate majority leaders, plans to release a full version of the 28-page initial report in November.

The report concludes that work force planning does not sufficiently account for new technology, regional differences and potential consumer engagement in health care delivery. Nor does current training adequately emphasize team-based care models expected to become more prevalent through the health system reform law.

Greater care coordination will be a key to tackling chronic disease, said Donald M. Berwick, MD, administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, who spoke at the report’s release. “The new health care work force can deliver what we need. But we’ll have to invest in them, train them, support them.”

Extensive research exists on the supply of and demand for physicians and nurses, but not for chiropractors, home health aides, psychologists and others with less demanding licensing requirements, the report found. Information on certain health professionals is “limited, inconsistent, profession-specific and noncomparable,” in part because states have different methods of collecting data.

The Health Resources and Services Administration is collecting more data. By late 2012, the agency plans to release statistics on the number of individuals practicing in 30 health professions, said HRSA spokeswoman Michelle Daniels.

HRSA Administrator Mary Wakefield, PhD, RN, said the report complements other ongoing health care work force research. “I can guarantee we’ll be using it to inform our thinking,” she said at the Oct. 18 event.

Projected demand for professionals tends to be based on past experiences and not on how financing and demographics could affect future demand, according to the report.

Health care leaders should agree on a common objective and define demand based on where the health system is going, not where it’s been, said Paul Keckley, PhD, lead author of the report and executive director of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions.

Demand for many health professionals is expected to continue to grow in part because more than 30 million Americans will gain coverage under the health reform law beginning in 2014. Health care employment was 10.5% of the total work force in 2008 and is projected to increase to 11.9% by 2018.

But demand for physicians and other highly trained health professionals could be lessened by giving greater roles to allied health professionals and less-credentialed health care workers, speakers at the center’s event suggested.

Dr. Berwick said telemedicine in Alaska, for instance, has greatly reduced the need for patients living in remote towns to fly to cities to see physicians.

Other issue experts agreed that the U.S. needs better work force data. But health care leaders should not hesitate to ramp up health professional training whenever possible, said Atul Grover, MD, PhD, chief advocacy officer for the Assn. of American Medical Colleges. “Whatever we have now, it’s not enough.” Even if allied health professionals and others help relieve physicians’ workloads, the nation still faces a significant shortage of doctors, he said.

Physician supply is on track to increase slightly, according to statistics AAMC released on Oct. 24. First-time medical school applicants reached an all-time high of 32,654 in 2011, a 2.6% increase from 2010. Total medical school applicants increased by 2.8% to 43,919.

But interprofessional education is lacking, said Michael Bleich, PhD, RN, dean and professor of nursing at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland. Physicians and nurses rarely interact with each other during their training, he said.

Medical schools are paying more attention to interprofessional education, said Sheldon Retchin, MD, MSPH, CEO of Virginia Commonwealth University Health System in Richmond. However, these models must be careful not to provide incentives to deliver more care, he said.

Health care payment reforms, such as pay bundling, will play a huge role in demand for health professionals, said Nicholas Wolter, MD, CEO of the nonprofit Billings (Mont.) Clinic.

“These payment policies are extremely important in terms of how they can drive changes in the delivery system,” said Dr. Wolter, a former member of the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission. “The details of how those payment systems are built, however, are incredibly difficult.”

Dr. Retchin noted that health care prices could be driven higher by shortages of health professionals.

http://www.ama-assn.org(Source)

mHealth a Booming Trend and Future of Healthcare

admin — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 05:30:17 +0000

Rising costs, scarce resources and lack of capacity, coupled with the rise in lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and hypertension are all contributing to a crisis in healthcare in the Arab World with a huge burden on the existing healthcare systems in the region.Mobile health technology allows medical professionals to manage many patients remotely. This technology can monitor their conditions in real time and pass on vital statistical information between the healthcare provider and the patient.
mHealth is a new and booming trend in the healthcare industry, and is set to become a trillion dollar industry allowing the delivery of better healthcare whilst positively impacting the bottom line across the range of stakeholders in the healthcare industry. The first mplushealth conference, brought to you by Arab Health and Ovum, will take place on 24 January 2012 at the Arab Health Exhibition & Congress in Dubai with a view to forge the future of mobile health in the Middle East.
Simon Page, Managing Director, Life Sciences, Informa Exhibitions, the organiser of Arab Health, says, “Research has indicated that the annual consumer market for mobile monitoring devices is projected to increase in 2011 from $7.7bn to $43bn. Currently, 94% of physicians are using mobile health consulting apps while on the job and 63% of physicians are using personal devices for mobile health solutions that aren’t connected to their practice.”
“It is an extremely innovative idea to bring together the healthcare community and technology vendors like us, to see what kind of solutions we can offer to the community in bringing mobile healthcare technology to the region,” says Santanu Biswas, Director of eHealth Services at Du, and Chairman of the mplushealth conference. “mHealth is becoming a buzz word and it is the opportunity to change the way healthcare is delivered in the region by making healthcare more patient-centric.”
According to Mr Biswas, “With higher bandwidth and faster networks being brought to smart phones in the region, mHealth is becoming an effective way to deliver healthcare. mplushealth differentiates itself from other mHealth conferences by including a vital stakeholder into the foray of discussion; the healthcare professional. Arab health is a great opportunity to host a seminar that drives content suited to these stakeholders.”
The mplushealth Conference is the only platform in the region where healthcare professionals, insurance providers, government regulators and telecommunications decision-makers come together to understand the future of mobile healthcare in the Middle East. The conference is planned around a group of key sessions that will address not only what healthcare providers or professionals want to hear, but also some of the key critical issues that healthcare in the region faces today. Another key aspect is about technology; the need to understand standards, interoperability and integration between systems and the role played by telecom operations.
Established 37 years ago, the Arab Health Exhibition and Congress provides a platform for the world’s leading manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors to meet the medical and scientific community in the Middle East and beyond. Arab Health is the world’s second largest medical exhibition and the world’s largest multi-track medical congress, making it the perfect place to launch the series of mplushealth conferences to a truly global audience.
Arab Health Exhibition and Congress will take place from 23 – 26 January, 2012, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibitions Centre.

Healthcare Apps

http://www.ameinfo.com(Source)

Healthcare Treatment In Old Age and Benefits of Innovative Healthcare Technologies

admin — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 05:10:09 +0000

By Sharon Johnson

Let’s say I’m 83 years old. I’m not that old — but let’s assume I am just for the purposes of this column. Let’s assume you’re in your 80s, too.

Where would we like to live? It’s a relatively easy question for both of us, I suspect. We’d like to be comfortably situated in our own homes. I know I’d like to be independently observing my personal morning rituals and managing my own activities of daily living.

If either of us were chronically ill or physically frail and had a need for constant medical attention, living independently might not be possible.

That’s what I used to think. An article in a recent issue of the Atlantic (www.theatlantic.com) altered my view.

Here’s the story. It’s about Ellen, who is an 82-year-old widow living in Anaheim, Calif. “One Wednesday morning last year she got on the scale, as she does every morning, and it read 146 pounds — wasn’t that a little high? Ellen felt vaguely troubled as she poured herself a bowl of oat bran.”

As Ellen ate her cereal, the phone rang, and a friendly voice from the health clinic where Ellen was a patient expressed concern about Ellen’s weight — which “had jumped 3 pounds from the previous day.”

The friendly voice knew about Ellen’s weight gain because Ellen’s scale had transmitted the information through a wireless connection.

Because Ellen had a history of congestive heart failure, a 3-pound weight gain in a 24-hour period was a potentially dangerous situation. There was likely to be fluid build-up that would complicate her already-existing medical issues. She needed treatment immediately.

So now you may be thinking that the friendly voice — not a mechanized one by the way, but a real person — probably told her to come into the clinic. Or maybe the voice said, “Call 911 and get to an emergency room.”

Nope.

The friendly voice said, ‘We’re sending a car to pick you up,” which they did. Ellen’s health provider gave her no-fee transportation from her home to the health clinic over the next few weeks, as well as appropriate medical treatment, until her health situation stabilized.

Had this not occurred, Ellen might have languished. Perhaps she would have eaten less because she was afraid she was gaining too much weight. She may have experienced a life-threatening cardiac event. She could have ended up in the hospital for days or weeks undergoing painful — and expensive — treatment.

The California-based clinic system that supported Ellen in this way is appropriately named CareMore (www.caremore.org) and it specializes in patient-centered approaches that also seem to avert huge medical costs.

This is impressive health care. According to the Atlantic article, CareMore has a hospitalization rate 24 percent below average and hospital stays are 38 percent shorter. Overall costs are 18 percent lower than average. And the surveyed satisfaction rate is well above 90 percent. (And remember, 80-year-olds can be hard to please.)

When I’m in my 80s, that’s the kind of health care I want: coordinated, integrated, tuned in to my personal needs and preferences. You too?

Whatever you may think about the Affordable Care Act President Obama signed into law in 2010, these are the kinds of innovative approaches included in it. These ideas effectively combine common sense with technology — or as some system-watchers put it, “It’s about improving the quality of our country’s health care, but at a reduced cost.

It’s really about you and me at 83.

Health Information Technology

http://www.mailtribune.com(Source)