California hospitals embrace health IT

John Muir Medical Center in California likes health IT so much that it's installing a $1.2 million robot in its Walnut Creek pharmacy. The robot will carry about 400 types of medicine. The robot is the most visible part of a $40 million technology improvement project that includes physician remote access and a system that will be able to immediately notify physicians of abnormal test results via computer, cell or PDA. On tap: Computers for nurses to document patient care electronically at the bedside and voice-activated phones attached to their badges.

For more on John Muir's program
- read this Contra Costa Times article