Mike Miliard
A new white paper from HIMSS Analytics, sponsored by Lantronix, surveyed 825 healthcare organizations to explore the progress of interfacing medical devices with the EMR. Recording and charting changes in vital signs has been identified as one of the core areas that will be measured for meaningful use incentives.The white paper details progress on these efforts, and finds that just one-third of the hospitals surveyed indicated they had an active interface between medical devices at their organization and their electronic medical record (EMR).
3M Health Information Systems and IQMax have expanded their strategic agreement to develop new mobile solutions that improve physician workflow, streamline revenue cycle processes, and provide instant access to critical information to support patient care. The agreement will bring increased value to physicians with advanced mobile applications that help them capture more accurate and complete charges, and meet complex documentation requirements under ICD-10.
Royal Philips Electronics has announced a new service that provides Web-based remote monitoring follow-up services for patients with pacemakers. The new service, which was made available to cardiology practices in beta in August, is the first large-scale service of its kind in the United States.Pacemakers are a critical part of treatment for patients with a wide range of heart conditions, and they must be checked frequently to ensure proper function. Philips has offered transtelephonic - data transmission via phone - follow-up services for 35 years.
Microsoft has announced a new suite of apps in the Windows Phone 7 marketplace. There are more than 50 applications listed in the health and fitness section of the marketplace, including OptumizeMe, a health challenge application from OptumHealth, a business unit of UnitedHealth Group that it blends healthier living with fun, entertainment and social networks; users can set up health and fitness challenges, track their progress, post results to Facebook, and compete or collaborate to reach their health goals.
The U.S. Army has given a five-year contract to Diversinet, the mobile-healthcare communications company, to support expansion of the Army's mCare telehealth outreach program for members of the military recovering from mild traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and other wounds.
AT&T on Thursday announced a new practice area and portfolio of specialized services that seek to harness IT to help improve patient care and reduce medical costs nationwide. Called AT&T ForHealth, it will accelerate delivery of innovative wireless, networked and cloud-based solutions specifically for the healthcare industry.
Zynx Health, maker of evidence-based and experience-based clinical decision support solutions, announced the kick-off of a pilot program addressing a new focus on healthcare reform and preparing for accountable care organizations (ACOs).
With its investment in CardioNexus Corporation, a portfolio company of Houston's Fairway Medical Technologies, Panasonic Corporation of North America has signaled its plans to become a player in the increasingly important field of personalized preventive medicine.The investment follows an earlier Panasonic initiative to establish a presence in the world's largest medical complex, Houston's Texas Medical Center - with which Fairway Medical Technologies is a close partner.
"Is HITECH working" That was the question posed by Vince Kuraitis, principal of Better Health Technologies, at the Mobile Health Expo in Las Vegas on Wednesday.Specifically, Kuraitis, who runs the e-CareManagement blog (e-caremanagement.com), sought to explore how the stipulations of the stimulus might alter the healthcare IT business model - changing how the technology is developed and put to use.
"Wireless devices are the number one means of communication today," said Kelley Carr, president of the Custom Solutions Group of Manchester, N.H.-based CSI, which specializes in the design and implementation of in-building wireless solutions. Carr spoke at a workshop at the Mobile Health Expo at Caesar's Palace Tuesday.Nonetheless, Carr cited a recent survey that had asked hospitals: "Do you have a problem with cell phone coverage in your building"Eighty-seven percent of respondents said yes.