News From Around the Web
> Using a computerized physician order entry overlay with an existing electronic health record is a viable option for hospitals not happy with their EHR's CPOE function or that are thinking of replacing their legacy EHRs, according to a new report from Orem, Utah-based KLAS Research. The report interviewed six different hospitals using an overlay system; all six would buy the same system again and use an overlay in their long term plans. Announcement
> The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT) has certified Massachusetts' eHealth Collaborative's Quality Data Center EHR v.3.0 for Stages 1 and 2 of Meaningful Use, Healthcare Informatics reports. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT's certified product list shows fewer EHR products certified for Stage 2 than those certified for Stage 1. Article
Health Finance News
> The number of individual providers offering lines of credit to Medicare-eligible patients to pay for care is mushrooming and possibly altering the relationships between the two parties. Some of these credit lines have interest rates of 20 percent or more per year, with penalties above 30 percent for a missed payment. They're often offered to patients whose Medicare or private insurance does not cover specific procedures or costs. And despite the onerous terms, some of the credit companies, like iCare Financial in Atlanta, have seen their enrollment more than triple over the past three years, while the number of providers offering their credit cards have quadrupled. Article
> Patients who were more self-aware of their medical conditions and highly motivated to care for themselves were far less likely to be readmitted after a hospital stay than patients with low self-awareness, according to a new study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. Those patients with low self-awareness of their medical condition were more than twice as likely as the high self-aware group to be readmitted, driving up costs. The study's authors suggested that hospitals ramp up patient education efforts as a way to drive down readmissions and save money. Article
Mobile Healthcare News
> The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a patented continuous non-invasive blood pressure (cNIBP) technology from San Diego-based Sotera Wireless, according to a company announcement. A new feature of Sotera's ViSi Mobile wireless patient monitoring system, cNIBP measurements enable doctors to better manage patients with high blood pressure. The company claims that the ViSi Mobile System is the first wrist-worn monitor to measure all core patient vital signs--cNIBP, heart rate or pulse rate, electrocardiogram, blood oxygenation level, respiration rate and skin temperature--with the accuracy of systems used in hospital intensive care units. And, for the first time, physicians can now continuously monitor all patient vital signs, including beat-to-beat blood pressure, without the use of a catheter or blood pressure cuff. Article
> One fast-growing telehealth service is embracing mobile devices as a platform for consumers to access healthcare. Boston-based doctor-on-demand provider American Well has announced that consumers can now connect with a physician using their iPad, iPhone or Android smartphones and tablets. Doctors accessed via the app provide users with live video consults 24 hours a day, seven days a week in 44 states and the District of Columbia. Article
And Finally... Someone should get them cell phones as a wedding gift. Article