The AHRQ Innovations Exchange site at www.innovations.ahrq.gov summarizes how San Diego’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) was able to implement and use their “Resource Access Program” (RAP). The RAP program funded by the Office of the National Coordinator for HIT and the Alliance Healthcare Foundation identifies individuals who frequently call 911 to arrange for relevant medical, social services, and other interventions. (more…)
Brazil’s Health Tech Market
NIH Director Dr. Francis S. Collins recently visited Brazil to tour top research sites and to discuss the exceptional opportunities to expand scientific collaborations between the two countries. Brazil’s scientific leaders desire to establish partnerships with NIH to implement personalized medicine and to better integrate EMRs along with mobile technologies into the research enterprise. (more…)
Robotic System Prepares Medications
The Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt University is using an automated robotic system to prepare IVs and single-use syringe medications for inpatients. This makes the hospital the first children’s hospital in Tennessee to implement the technology. (more…)
IHS and VA Partnering
The Veterans Administration’s Office of Rural Health “Rural Connection” newsletter reports that the VA and the Indian Health Service (IHS) are partnering, communicating, and encouraging the sharing of best pharmacy practices across their pharmacy programs. (more…)
State ORH Increases Assess to Care
The Oregon Office of Rural Health (ORH) administers two programs to increase access to care in Oregon’s rural and underserved communities. It is expected that more than 250,000 additional Oregonians will join the Oregon Health Plan (OHP) by 2016 so the State is working with two Oregon Education Loan Programs to help bring more primary care providers to rural and underserved communities. (more…)
Illinois Passes Medicaid Legislation
On June 16, the Governor of Illinois Pat Quinn signed legislation to reform the State’s Medicaid system. The legislation will modernize the outdated Medicaid system, restore dental and podiatry care, and establish new protections for clients and healthcare providers. The law will benefit the State’s three million residents who currently receive Medicaid as well as benefit the state’s 141 hospitals and 1,200 nursing homes. (more…)
Awards for Healthcare Innovation
CMS is providing up to $1 billion in Health Innovation Awards to support compelling new ideas on how to deliver better health, improve care, and lower costs to consumers. In May, the CMS Innovation Center announced the first batch of Health Care Innovation Awards. (more…)