Physician blogger Bob Wachter, MD, disusses the way doctors analyze and use clinical IT. Wachter says that while he has no doubts that IT systems have improved patient care, it is vital to understand some of the unexpected consequences of using the technology.
Marriott has joined a growing legion of companies providing electronic personal health records to their employees. But unlike some of the personal health records offerings being rolled out by other employers, Marriott's system also taps into a sophisticated clinical rules engine that looks to avert potential medical mistakes or gaps in care that could lead to serious complications and costs.
Three years of state grants totaling $750,000 will come to an end in June 2008 for the Tampa Bay Regional Health Information Exchage. The RHIO is now actively seeking additional sources of funding and developing a business plan as it tries to avoid the fate of dozens of RHIOs around the country that are defunct because they lacked sustainable business models.
Just like with do-it-yourself taxes, a growing software industry lets patients create their own "personal health records." No more answering 10-page questionnaires every time you visit a new doctor--just hit the print button before leaving home to arrive armed with your life's medical history. But can using personal health records actually make patients healthier? The government is spending millions on the first studies to find out--and if so, the findings would give doctors a big push to get on board.
Since the dawn of e-mail, patients have been pleading for more doctors to offer medical advice online. No traffic jams, no long waits, no germ-infested offices with outdated magazines and bad elevator music. But most health insurers wouldn't pay for it. In recent weeks, Aetna Inc., the nation's largest insurer, and Cigna Corp. have agreed to reimburse doctors for online visits. Other large insurers are expected to follow, experts say.
A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine says patients with abdominal aortic aneurysms--a deadly weakening in the blood vessel that fuels the lower half of the body--are most likely to live and quickly recover if they are treated with stents instead of surgery. That's good news for Medtronic Inc., which is one of the leading makers of aortic stents.