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Editor's Picks
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Outlay vs. benefit of expensive medical devices questioned
A
particle accelerator, which employs protons to bombard cancerous
tumors, has a total price tag well in excess of $100 million and is the
latest example of technology's role in rising healthcare costs. To
some, the particle accelerator is an example of the tendency by
hospitals and doctors to adopt costly, and potentially profitable,
technologies that may be no more effective than existing treatments. I
covered this topic in an earlier column,
suggesting that technology may certainly drive up costs as much as
contain them. To me, it seems like our love affair with technology is
on a long-run collision course with our ability to pay for it. This
article lays out the issues as they are playing out in the Midwest. [Read More]
Robot now makes tracks through Children's Hospital of Wisconsin
Children's
Hospital of Wisconsin now uses a robotic cart called TUG to move
equipment and supplies throughout the hospital. Doing so allows staff
to concentrate on transporting patients more quickly, say hospital
officials. In all, there are about 100 TUG units at institutions
throughout the nation, say representatives from Aethon Corp., which
manufactures the machine. After reading this article, I'd say this
technology is a real crowd pleaser among the youngsters being treated
at Children's. It can also do double duty, as an asset tracking system,
as we reported in our January edition of HealthLeaders magazine. [Read More]
Telemedicine links Africans to Indian expertise
Lest
we forget, the push for clinical IT is international in scope. This
story details how a $2.13 million telemedicine project links hospitals
in Ethiopia with the Hyderabad-based Care Group of Hospitals, India's
leading cardiac institute. The project is part of the joint initiative
between the African Union and India which was launched in Ethiopia last
year to improve Internet links and communication. There is just one
doctor for every 37,000 people in Ethiopia, and the project aims to
alleviate some of the country's healthcare burdens. [Read More]
Combining Internet with office visits cut heart attack risks
Good doctor-patient communication helps reduce the risk of heart
disease, according to a Temple University School of Medicine study. The
four-year study included patients who were at risk for cardiovascular
disease but were otherwise healthy. The patients were divided into two
groups, a control group and a telemedicine group. As the story notes,
the telemedicine system results in fewer office visits, thus freeing up
physician time. I'm sure that home-based clinical reporting devices
will play an increasing role in the future.
[Read More]
Automating the Revenue Cycle
My colleague Phil Betbeze filed this article, which highlights the integral role IT plays throughout the hospital.
[Read More] |
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Tech Headlines
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Sound monitors protect premature babies
AP/Yahoo News - March 31, 2008
Hybrid imaging and women's health
Molecular Imaging Insight - April 7, 2008
Insurers look at virtual visits to doctor
Philadelphia Inquirer - March 31, 2008 |
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Events & Product News
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Healthcare Web site contest opens
Book tackles identity theft |
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Sponsored Headlines
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HIPAA Security Compliance: News, analysis, and training advice that you need in one dependable resource. Qualify for a free, 1-year subscription.
Healthcare 2015: Win-win or lose-lose?
The current paths of many healthcare systems around the world will
become unsustainable by 2015. Healthcare systems that fail to transform
will likely require immediate and major forced restructuring. There is
a more positive scenario that will require new levels of
accountability, tough decisions and hard work. Sponsored by IBM.
Healthcare 2015 and U.S. health plans: New roles, new competencies:
The U.S. healthcare system is on an unsustainable path. Health plan
providers must help shape and lead the healthcare transformation or
risk being marginalized. Sponsored by IBM.
In the interest of the patient:
This paper explores how by collaborating and sharing data, the
pharmaceutical and healthcare industries can realize the full value of
the information they collect--and improve patient treatments. Sponsored by IBM. |
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| From HealthLeaders Magazine |
Your Hospital, the Entrepreneur
Forget
those fixed-income investments. Many organizations are funding
early-stage healthcare ventures that can yield not only healthy
financial returns, but also improved efficiencies and better quality
care. [Read More]
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Audio Feature
Listen: Mississippi Data Exchange: Chuck Clark, chief information officer of the Coastal Family Health Center in Biloxi, MS, shares what he has learned from a statewide initiative to implement electronic health records across seven community health centers. [Listen Now] |
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