Health IT Now Coalition www.healthitnow.org,, a diverse group supporting incentives to deploy health IT and the Center for Data Innovation http://datainnovation.org a leading think tank, sponsored the event “Data-Driven Medicine in the Age of Genomics” on December 11th. Joel White Executive Director of Health IT Now told the attendees that genomic medicine holds a key to unlocking the future in medicine and personalized health. (more…)
State of Illinois Publishes SCIP
The state of Illinois has identified interoperable communications as their highest priority to be able to respond to large-scale emergencies. In September 2014, the state published their Illinois Statewide Communication Interoperability Plan http://iema.illinois.gov/iema/scrip/scip.pdf, (SCIP), a three to five year statewide plan to improve interoperable and emergency communications. (more…)
Improving Patient Safety in Pakistan
The World Health Organization estimates that millions of people suffer disabling injuries or death directly attributable to poor medical care in developing countries although it is difficult to estimate exactly how many patients are affected. The problem is particularly relevant for patients being treated in Intensive Care Units (ICU). (more…)
VA to Pilot Technology
The Veterans Administration www.va.gov is piloting IBM technology to assist physicians in caring for patients. The two year pilot will emphasize Evidence-based Critical Decisions. The plan is to study innovative approaches to quickly search EMRs and medical literature for relevant published studies. The IBM Corporation www.ibm.com was awarded the contract for $6,782,693 to provide a system using Watson technology made famous on Jeopardy in 2011. (more…)
AFRL Teams Up with Ohio State
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center http://wexnermedical.osu.edu and the Ohio State Department of Athletics www.ohiostatebuckeyes.com are working on a research project with the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) at Wright-Patterson AFB to improve the physical and mental performance of military personnel, athletes, and patients. (more…)
MHS Shifting to More PCMHs
The Military Health System (MHS) www.health.mil is implementing more cost-effective coordinated care using the Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) model www.tricare.mil/tma/ocmo/PatientCenteredMedicalHome.aspx. According to a report submitted to Congress last March evaluating the Tricare program for FY 2014. MHS is working to reduce the unnecessary use of urgent care, emergency rooms, and shifting more of the enrollee primary care workload to PCMHs. (more…)
Health Plans Developing Data-Sharing Tool
Seven health plans in Colorado are collaborating to develop a multi-payer data sharing online tool to enhance and improve care delivery for state residents. The idea emerged from the Comprehensive Primary Care (CPC) initiative launched in 2012, a national collaboration among public and private health plans to strengthen primary care. (more…)