An editorial published in the Washington Times recently urges adoption of health IT. The editorial cites the Rand study, which claims the industry can save $81 billion in healthcare costs by implementing clinical IT. The federal government can help support IT by establishing standards for the technology so systems can communicate with each other, providing incentives for health IT use, and using advanced technologies in its own health programs, the editorial states.
A community hospital in Colorado deploys a robot to simulate childbirth and train staff in delivering babies. The birth training using "Noelle" is videotaped so participants can later analyze their performance and discuss improvements. The robot is especially helpful to prepare for more rare problems that hospital staff won't often see in real life, and the simulation can also help promote teamwork, hospital officials said.
Scientists at the University of Pittsburgh have trained a group of monkeys to feed themselves marshmallows using a robot arm controlled by sensors implanted in their brains. The feat could one day help paralyzed people operate prosthetic limbs on their own, researchers said. Researchers added that they believe it won’t be long before the technology is tested in humans, but they predict it will be longer before the devices are used in actual patients with disabilities.
A new e-mail system will let patients at Rochester, NH-based Frisbie Memorial Hospital schedule appointments, renew prescriptions and communicate directly with doctors online. Called "MyHealth E-Team," the new Web portal could help alleviate the more than 1,500 calls that come in daily with questions on appointments, prescriptions, directions and other topics, officials said.
Medical identity theft has far more serious implications beyond patients getting stuck with a medical bill. Changes made to victims' medical files and histories can remain for years and may not ever be corrected, or even discovered, which can have deadly consequences.
The chancellor at the University of California-San Francisco has formed a task force to review and improve security practices following two recent security breaches involving patient medical information. The group will review security practices nationally and develop a "rapid-response" plan to ensure that patients, physicians and others are given timely notice about breaches. In one breach, information about 6,300 patients was exposed on the Internet for several months.