Percentage of U.S. Adults Are Interested in Various Types of Appointment Reminders?

Sixty-five percent of U.S. adults said they are interested or very interested in receiving email reminders about upcoming medical appointments, while 28% said they are interested or very interested in receiving such reminders via postal mail, according to a recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive for the Optum Institute.

New CMS Quality Measure Specifications for Meaningful Use

Last week, CMS released technical specifications outlining how health care providers participating in the meaningful use program can report their performance on certain clinical quality measures. CMS also made available several resources to help health care providers and electronic health record vendors better understand the process for reporting clinical quality measures. AHA News et al.  More

Readmission programs could violate anti-fraud laws

Although Medicare penalties for high rates of readmissions offer an opportunity for hospitals to improve quality and lower cost, efforts to reduce readmissions could violate fraud and abuse laws, Report on Medicare Compliance reported.

Lawyers warn that discharge planning and transitional care programs could cross the line from care improvements to potentially fraudulent practices if hospitals can't prove that such services are part of inpatient care.  More

Medication reminders

Remembering to take daily doses of medicine is a nuisance, especially multiple medications on an irregular schedule.
Actually, nuisance is too weak a word. When your health and potentially your life are on the line, it's vitally important to adhere to a strict daily regimen.  Fortunately, these apps can keep you on top of your medication regimen.  More

Google Crisis Response Map Tracking Hurricane Sandy

eWeek: Google's Crisis Maps come from the company's philanthropic division, which last January began a Public Alerts Website to offer important emergency information on storms, hurricanes, earthquakes and other natural disasters and crises. The alerts will tell users what's happening and when, the severity of the disaster and where to go for help.  More

CMS Clarifies Medicaid Hospital Meaningful Use Payment Formula

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has posted a new frequently asked question concerning the counting of inpatient-bed-days in determining the payment formula under the Medicaid electronic health records meaningful use program....More

Web based intervention to decrease back pain

A web-based intervention to improve and prevent low back pain among office workers: a randomized controlled trial.
J Orthop Sports Phys Ther
This is a good discussion of a unique and very modern approach to an age old problem. This could generate many similar trials.

Nurses' Satisfaction With CPOE Increases Over Time

A study finds that nurses initially were less satisfied than physicians with computerized provider order entry systems. However, nurses' satisfaction with CPOE systems increased over the course of one year, while physicians' satisfaction levels remained steady. FierceHealthIT. 

Free screen reader for blind people

For the blind, sight-based technology can sometimes be a stumbling block. Most computers, phones and gadgets are built around a visual interface.  But these things can be huge assets to blind people as well. You just need the right software. NVDA is one example. It's a free, open source screen reader.  It stands for NonVisual Desktop Access, and it reads aloud text and visual clues in a synthetic voice. It was created by two blind software programmers to help them use their computers.

Cost: Free
Link: nvda-project.org
System: Windows XP, Vista, 7

Learning First Aid from the Red Cross through a Health Gamification app

www.imedicalapps.com

Gamification integration into health education has the benefit of increasing utilization by patients. The American Red Cross App has created an app to help users learn first aid and then practice their knowledge through games. Completion of these Q&A games leads to awards that can then be posted to the Apple Game Center.  Click for more

How Many U.S. Adults Used Mobile Phones and Tablet Computers for Health-Related Activities?

The number of U.S. adults using mobile phones for health-related activities increased from 61 million in 2011 to 75 million in 2012, while the number of U.S. adults using tablet computers for health-related activities grew from 15 million in 2011 to 29 million in 2012, according to a recent report by Manhattan Research.  More

U.K. Website Leverages Crowdsourcing To Help Identify Cancer Trends

A website launched by Cancer Research U.K. is seeking volunteers to help identify trends in breast cancer tumors. Researchers say such crowdsourcing-based analyses could lead to faster development of personalized cancer treatments. AP/San Francisco Chronicle, Wired U.K.

Mobile Documentation: Optimizing Technology to Do More with Less

How the University of Missouri Health System adapted its barcode-scanning system for mobile bedside documentation to enhance the quality and safety of patient care. Click here

Recent Breaches: Providers and CMS Behaving Badly

Recent, and an update of huge breach last year. Plus a report on Medicare’s own problems complying with existing rules.  Click here

CMS Corrects Multiple Errors in Final Stage 2 Rule

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has published a 10-page document correcting technical and typographical errors in the Stage 2 electronic health records meaningful use final rule published on Sept. 4, 2012.  More 

Corrections

EHRs Help Cut Medication Errors Among HIV Patients

Three new studies presented at the IDWeek meeting in San Diego find that electronic health records can help reduce medication errors among hospitalized patients with HIV. One study from Michigan finds that EHRs helped cut errors by 93%. Medical News Today, MedPage Today. (Susman, MedPage Today, 10/20/2012).  More

Virtual Reality Neurorehabilitation and Its Interfaces on Upper Extremity Functional Recovery in Patients With Chronic Stroke

A journal of the American Heart Association / American Stroke Association: Rehabilitation Gaming Systems for the treatment of chronic stroke depend on the specific interface systems used. The results of this study have strong implications for the design of future Virtual  rehabilitation strategies that aim at maximizing functional outcomes and their retention.  More

Top Areas for Growth in Telehealth Market

A report from Frost & Sullivan states that the telehealth market is poised for growth. According to the report, the top areas for growth in the telehealth market include disease management monitoring, remote physician services and personal emergency response systems. Healthcare IT News.  More

Health Costs Higher for Hospital Workers

New research from Truven Health Analytics, formerly the health unit of Thomson Reuters, finds health care spending for hospital employees is 9 percent higher than the general workforce, and hospital employees and dependents are 5 percent more likely to be hospitalized.  More

Willingness To Use PHRs Not Linked to Age, Education, Income

Patients' willingness to use personal health records is not necessarily associated with their age, education level or income, according to University of Central Florida researchers. Out of nearly 600 surveyed patients, 74% said they were willing to use PHRs. FierceHealthIT.  More

Improving Medical Education to Focus on Delivering Value to Patients

RWJF Clinical Scholar Mitesh Patel writes about the “VALUE framework,” a simple and concise method that enables health care professionals to provide high quality, evidence-based care for their patients while stemming rising costs.

• Read Patel’s blog post.

Nursing Education Isn’t What It Used to Be

Today, nurses enjoy a variety of educational opportunities that differ from the old one-size-fits-all approach. Thanks to technological advances, hybrid formats enable nurses to experience new educational opportunities through online course work and flexible, asynchronous learning.  Online education encourages diversity and high levels of engagement, writes RWJF Executive Nurse Fellows program alumna Kate Driscoll Malliarakis.

• Read Malliarakis’ blog post.

Nurses Changing the World

'Nurses' Movie Highlights How Nurses Are Changing the World
NurseZone.com, Megan M. Krischke, 10/10/2012
The new documentary “Nurses: If Florence Could See Us Now” premiers in Los Angeles on Thursday, October 11, as part of the American Nurses Credentialing Center National Magnet Conference. The feature-length film, comprised of unscripted interviews with nurses, was conceived by Kathy Douglas, RN, MHA, chief nursing officer for API Healthcare and founder and president of On Nursing Excellence, the nonprofit organization that produced the film. Douglas says that if people understood nurses better they would consider the profession in a different way.

Health Messages on Social Media Could Help Curb STIs

A study finds that public health messages delivered via social media might help reduce the spread of sexually transmitted infections. According to the study, young adults who received sexual health news via Facebook were more likely to use condoms than a control group. Forbes et al. More

Use of EHR Systems Shows Link With Higher Care Quality Scores

A study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine finds that doctors who use electronic health record systems achieve higher care quality scores for certain conditions than doctors using paper records. For example, nearly 66% of physician EHR users met care quality measures for chlamydia screening, compared with 53% of physicians using paper records. Healthcare IT News et al. More

Small, Remote Hospitals Turning to Telehealth To Cut Costs, Improve Care

iHealthBeat: Many small and remote hospitals are using telehealth technology to improve patient access to specialists while reducing costs. However, widespread adoption of the technology is hindered by state licensing regulations, reimbursement issues and other challenges. New York Times.  More

Transforming Health Care Through Nursing

RWJF:  A New Website Helps Mark Two Years of Progress to Transform Health Care Through Nursing  More

Want to Know About the Quality of Care at a Hospital? Ask the Nurses Who Work There

RWJF: New Study Indicates Nurses' Assessments of Care Accurately Reflect Hospital Quality  More

Lawmakers Urge HHS To Halt Stage 2 EHR Incentive Payments

House Ways and Means Committee Chair Dave Camp and three other Republican House leaders sent a letter asking HHS to suspend incentive payments for Stage 2 of the meaningful use program. The letter claims that nearly $10 billion might have been wasted because the rules for Stage 2 are "weaker" than the rules for Stage 1 of the program. Cardiovascular Business et al.

Digital Data Improvement Priorities for Continuous Learning in Health and Health Care

Digital health data are the lifeblood of a continuous learning health system. A steady flow of reliable data is necessary to coordinate and monitor patient care, analyze and improve systems of care, conduct research to develop new products and approaches,... [read more]

Patient-Generated Mobile Data Improves Clinical Care

Patient-Generated Mobile Data Improves Clinical Care -- InformationWeek informationweek.com

Studies show that patients who log their thoughts and behaviors--"observations of daily living"--via mobile apps or sensors so docs can monitor them between visits get better care.

Health IT Expert Warns That EHRs Can Capture Inaccurate Information

During a forum this week, Laura Roberts of Catholic Health East warned that electronic health record systems can capture inaccurate data. She suggested that health care providers audit EHRs and listen to patient concerns about inaccuracies. Modern Healthcare.

More Consumers Using Mobile Tools for Health Purposes

A new report from Manhattan Research finds the number of U.S. adults using mobile phones for health-related activities grew from 61 million in 2011 to 75 million this year. During that same time frame, the number of U.S. adults using tablet computers for health-related activities nearly doubled from 15 million to 29 million, according to the report. MobiHealthNews et al.

2011 Private Health Care Spending Grows Faster Than Expected

Health Care Cost Institute:  The report shows that after a two-year slowdown, U.S. health care spending on the privately-insured jumped 4.6 percent last year—well above the 3.8 percent growth rate observed in 2010. Average dollars spent on health care services for the privately-insured climbed to $4,547 per person. Rising prices drove spending growth. View our infographic about the results.

Doctors See Value in Sharing Visit Notes with Patients

RWJF: 
When patients have access to their doctors’ visit notes, they have a better understanding of their health care, according to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine this week.
The study shared findings from OpenNotes, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation-supported initiative in which, over the course of one year, 105 doctors shared their notes with more than 19,000 patients at three health centers around the country—Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston; Geisinger Health System in Danville, Pa.; and Harborview Medical Center in Seattle.
The study revealed that patients who participated in OpenNotes felt more in control of their health care, experienced improved recall of their care plan, and reported they were more likely to take their medications as prescribed. Doctors’ fears about the added time burden and offending or worrying patients did not materialize, and many doctors reported that note-sharing strengthened their relationships with patients, including enhancing trust, transparency, communication, and shared decision-making.

• Read the Annals of Internal Medicine study, accompanied by a patient editorial, as well as commentary from a doctor working in the Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Read RWJF Chief Technology and Information Officer Stephen Downs’ blog post on The Health Care Blog.
• See OpenNotes in action.

The Future of Health Care: Using the Internet to Deliver Health Interventions CBT, The Internet and Beyond...

The best Internet interventions are sophisticated, structured, tailored, behavior treatment programs that you can log onto and get the same kind of personalized expert care very few people around the country are currently able to receive.Read more

7 mobile apps for chronic condition management

FierceMobileHealthcare is highlighting seven mobile applications targeting chronic disease management. Check out our slideshow to learn more.
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Phone help for the hearing impaired

A voice carryover (VCO)  relay service can be ideal in this situation.

• VCO can be done over a landline with a VCO phone that displays text, or with a smartphone or computer and an IP (Internet) relay service to place or make the call.
• Either way, the deaf person can speak to the other party and read the person's response as text. The text is provided by a communications assistant.

Relay services are provided free by the FCC, telephone companies and other providers. Costs are covered by surcharges on local phone bills.

• Sprint offers an IP relay service with VCO capability and a mobile app for iPhones and select Android phones. Purple's IP-Relay for iPhone and Android works like an instant messaging chat.

Deaf persons who are proficient at sign language opt for video relay services. VRS allows a person to sign with a communications assistant, who then speaks to the other caller. Conversation flows faster and more naturally than with text-based relay services. With Purple VRS for iOS and Android, you can make VRS, voice-to-video and point-to-point calls over 3G, 4G and Wi-Fi. Sorenson Communications is another top provider of communications products, offering a suite of apps to facilitate VRS and IP relay on computers and smartphones.