tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6179429831842647442023-11-15T10:33:35.851-08:00Melissa Le Furge: Healthcare ITMelissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-78953586007602382942013-01-31T06:00:00.000-08:002013-01-31T06:00:17.330-08:00Winners of White House’s Health Design Challenge Create Mobile EMR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IFaYMJt7He4/UQnG2zN3B6I/AAAAAAAAAyg/mnQc8XBLri0/s1600/Mobile+EMR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="100" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IFaYMJt7He4/UQnG2zN3B6I/AAAAAAAAAyg/mnQc8XBLri0/s200/Mobile+EMR.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
With the firm belief that the look and feel of electronic medical records needed a major overhaul, the White House launched the Health Design Challenge to make <a href="http://www.emrexperts.com/" title="EMR">EMR</a> more mobile and user-friendly, whether that user is a physician or patient. Collaborating with the White House Administration, a community of web design mentors and investors collectively known as Designer Fund organized the contest. The winners have been announced and their designs will be open sourced and used as the EMR format for Veterans Affairs.
The contest was targeted at startup designers with a prize $25,000 for the winner and have their creation used in the largest EMR network in the country.<br />
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Health Design Challenge Objectives:<br />
1. Improve the visual layout and style of medical data<br />
2. Create a people-friendly design, making it easier for patients to manage their own health<br />
3. Make information easier to understand and use by healthcare providers<br />
4. Find a way to include family members and friends in the care of the patient<br />
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Best Overall Design - Nightingale<br />
Best Medication Design - M.ed by Josh Hemsley<br />
Best Problem/Medical History - Grouping by Time by Matthew Sanders<br />
Best Lab Summaries - Health Summary by Health Ed<br />
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A combination of the winning designs will be put together for the VA to help their patients understand their medical records. The EMR designs will also be open-sourced on Github, allowing them to be integrated with other EMRs as well as accept continuous contributions to the project from physicians and other designers.
Click <a href="http://healthdesignchallenge.com/">here</a> to see the winners’ showcase.Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-884280389053805362013-01-28T06:00:00.000-08:002013-01-28T15:08:24.283-08:00Snoring More of a Heart Disease Risk than ObesityWho would think that something as benign (and annoying) as
snoring could have life-threatening repercussions? A new study from Henry Ford Hospital warns
that snoring puts patients at more risk of heart disease than obesity, high
cholesterol and smoking. The underline message of the study for
physicians was to take note in their <a href="http://www.emrexperts.com/specialty/cardiology-emr.php" title="Cardiology EMR">cardiology EMR</a> and ask patients (or their
significant others) about their sleep habits.<br />
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Conducted by Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, the research
studied the medical records of 913 patients on their snoring habits who were
evaluated by the hospital’s sleep center from December, 2006 to January, 2012. Out of the 913, 54 patients completed the
researchers’ snoring study and underwent a carotid artery duplex ultrasound,
measuring the intima-media thickness of the arteries to detect and monitor the
progression of atherosclerosis. Since
none of the patients had obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), research results led
the study authors, Drs. Robert Deeb, M.D. and Kathleen Yeremchuk, M.D., to
believe that the risk of cardiovascular disease caused by snoring is a prelude
to OSA, contrary to previous belief that OSA leads to the risk of
cardiovascular disease. <o:p></o:p></div>
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When given the carotid artery ultrasound, snoring patients
were found to have greater intima-media thickness than non-snorers. The swelling in artery wall thickness,
theorized the researchers, was most likely caused by trauma from the vibration
in the throat from snoring. As a message
to cardiologists to annotate the occurrence of snoring in their cardiology EMR,
the authors of the study warn that the noisy sleep habit should no longer be
shrugged off. <span style="background: white;">“Snoring is
generally regarded as a cosmetic issue by health insurance, requiring
significant out-of-pocket expenses by patients. We’re hoping to change that
thinking so patients can get the early treatment they need, before more serious
health issues arise,”</span> says Dr. Deeb.<o:p></o:p></div>
Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-581781608541424852013-01-23T14:09:00.001-08:002013-01-23T14:09:55.746-08:00Alarming Number of Doctors Copy EMR Progress Notes<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ymMDweQ1fbc/UQBfTHm8hLI/AAAAAAAAAyQ/GejcoCw0SVk/s1600/Cheating.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="EMR" border="0" height="132" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ymMDweQ1fbc/UQBfTHm8hLI/AAAAAAAAAyQ/GejcoCw0SVk/s200/Cheating.jpg" title="" width="200" /></a>Starting from the first day of kindergarten, schools teach
children that copying is a definite no-no.
However, according to a new study, doctors seem to have forgotten this
rule somewhere along the way as over half of intensive care unit physicians
were shown to copy and paste information in patient progress notes in the
hospital’s <a href="http://www.emrexperts.com/" title="EMR">EMR</a> system.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Society of Critical Care Medicine conducted a study that
analyzed 2,068 progress notes for 135 patients in an ICU, written by 62
residents and 11 attending physicians.
The study showed a disturbingly high occurrence of copied material in
the notes, ranging from 20 to 61 percent.
82 percent of resident physicians copied information from previous
progress notes and pasted it into a new one, all in the name of cutting corners
to save time. The attending physicians
studied didn’t fare much better, as 74 percent of them were guilty of copying
information. Following at least one day
off work, the percentage of attending physicians who copied information from
their own prior notes increased to 94 percent.
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Not only is the copying
of EMR progress notes (information cloning) seen as immoral from a societal
standpoint, but more importantly, this practice can also be very detrimental to
the patient’s health and treatment. Cutting
and pasting medical data that’s a day old, or even a few hours old, can skip
over and disregard pertinent information about the patient’s condition that occurred
between the time when the physician saw them last, such as an event or changes
in medication. Information cloning can also lead hospitals
and physicians to be investigated for insurance fraud if found to have
consistent repeated diagnosis billing codes.
Medicare has vowed to crack down on record copying saying, “<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Identification
of this type of documentation will lead to denial of services for lack of
medical necessity and the recoupment of all overpayments made.”</span> <o:p></o:p></div>
Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-60453230386154303072013-01-11T17:52:00.000-08:002013-01-11T17:52:38.811-08:00AMA Urges CMS to Find an Alternative to ICD-9<div class="MsoNormal">
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In a letter to the acting administrator of Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services, Marilyn Travenner, the American Medical
Association acknowledged the Obama administration’s decision to delay the
implementation of ICD-10 by one year to October 1, 2014. Despite their appreciation for the decision,
the AMA requested that a more appropriate replacement for ICD-9 be found
instead of ICD-10. Updating <a href="http://www.bizmaticsinc.com/practice-management-software.php" title="Medical Practice Management Softwware">medical
practice management software</a> for the implementation of ICD-10, says the AMA, will
create only problems for small practices with no benefit to patient care.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The International Classification of Diseases 10<sup>th</sup>
Revision, or ICD-10, stands as the standardized coding system for outpatient
diagnostic codes used in HIPAA transactions, replacing ICD-9. The letter to Travenner was signed by not
only the American Medical Association, but by a multitude of medical
organizations such as the American Academy of Family Physicians, the Endocrine
Society and the Medical Group Management Association. AMA’s
reason for asking CMS to halt the implementation of ICD-10 is that it competes financially
with EMR implementation and upgrade projects that practices are taking care of
to comply with other CMS HIT reporting programs. They fear that the financial stresses of
complying with both ICD-10 and the HITECH Act - and the financial penalties physicians
face if they face if they don’t - could be enough to put many smaller practices
out of business. <o:p></o:p></div>
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One argument for the cessation of the implementation was that
between training staff to learn the 55,000 additional codes and upgrading
practice management software will prove to be too costly, ranging from $83,290
to $2.7 million, depending on the practice’s size. The AMA also feels that for physicians to learn
from and correct errors to avoid penalties before the implementation date would
be an impossible feat. “Stopping the
implementation of ICD-10 is a critical, necessary step for removing regulatory
burdens on physicians and ensuring that small physician practices are able to
keep their doors open.” The AMA
suggested that instead of implementing ICD-10, Travenner and CMS find an
appropriate alternative replacement for ICD-9 that will keep physician
participation in Medicare programs on track and will greatly reduce the costly
financial burdens they face. <o:p></o:p></div>
<br />Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-81082374328347049032013-01-04T18:00:00.002-08:002013-01-04T18:00:45.423-08:00Shared Psychiatric Electronic Medical Records Decreases Hospital Readmission <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4d9waHbQTVk/UOeJNkRzS5I/AAAAAAAAAxk/SVmBmEhjWSY/s1600/Patient+Privacy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4d9waHbQTVk/UOeJNkRzS5I/AAAAAAAAAxk/SVmBmEhjWSY/s200/Patient+Privacy.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
Maintaining patient privacy remains priority number one when
handling information-sensitive medical records.
HIPAA aims to protect the confidentiality of identifiable clinical
information in found in charts; however, a new study finds that too much
privacy may hamper the quality of care patients receive. Allowing non-psychiatric physicians access
to the <a href="http://www.bizmaticsinc.com/emr-software.php" title="Electronic Medical Records">electronic medical records</a> that include mental health information was
shown to decrease the likelihood of patient readmission.<br />
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A study by a research team at Johns Hopkins University found
that keeping a patient’s mental health records separate from that of their
physical health in an electronic medical record in the name of privacy can
actually hinder the care they receive. After
surveying the psychiatric departments of 18 of the highest ranked hospitals by
U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals of 2007, the team found that less
than 25 percent of the hospitals gave non-psychiatric physicians full access to
patients’ mental health EMR charts. Of
those who allow non-psychiatric access to mental health records, patients were
40 percent less likely to be readmitted within a week of discharge, whereas the
patients of hospitals who did not allow access were 27 percent less likely to
be readmitted. <o:p></o:p></div>
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When hospitals choose to exclude mental health data in EMRs,
it leaves a gap in information surrounding diagnoses and medications prescribed. This only keeps primary care physicians and
other specialists in the dark about the patient’s overall condition. Depression and other mental illnesses
sometimes make it difficult for patients to follow physicians’ instructions
after a heart attack or stroke and are less likely to take proper care of themselves. The real danger of not sharing psychiatric
medical records lies in drug interactions.
Being uninformed about medications prescribed by a psychiatrist can
cause the primary care physician to prescribe medications that create adverse
reactions. For instance, when mixed with
Klonopin for seizures, SSRIs can depress the central nervous system activity
and respiration in patients. <o:p></o:p></div>
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As an indicator of poor quality of care, hospitals now
receive financial penalties by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
for patient readmissions. Physicians
cannot provide patients with top notch holistic care if they remain uninformed
on the patient’s whole condition. Hiding
mental health information in electronic medical records only feeds the stigma
and shame surrounding mental illness instead of treating it as one would any
other illness. <o:p></o:p></div>
Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-85200387959568983542012-11-30T17:01:00.000-08:002013-01-04T18:01:14.974-08:00Electronic Medical Record Use Increases Repetitive Stress Injuries<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sJtuNG-Qgio/ULlWjY6Z1JI/AAAAAAAAApM/Vsx8TH6Qvis/s1600/Computer_Workstation_Variables.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sJtuNG-Qgio/ULlWjY6Z1JI/AAAAAAAAApM/Vsx8TH6Qvis/s200/Computer_Workstation_Variables.jpg" width="132" /></a></div>
The implementation of <a href="http://www.emrexperts.com/electronic-medical-record-software/index.php" title="Electronic Medical Record">electronic medical record</a> technology
certainly helps patients, but may end up hurting health care providers. Many doctors and nurses report muscle and
joint pain due to increased computer and tablet use after the implementation of
an EMR in their clinic. Professors at
Duke University advise health care providers to stay mindful of posture and
office layouts when adopting new technology.<br />
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Professors Alan Hedge and Tamara James conducted an ergonomics
survey study in the clinics at Duke University Medical Center. The questionnaire asked physicians about
their musculoskeletal discomfort, computer use, knowledge of ergonomics and the
level of typing skills they exercised while at work. Out of the 179 physician responses, the
majority reported experiencing pain in their neck, shoulders, thoracic and
lumbar spine at least once on a weekly basis.
Weekly repetitive stress injuries and pain in the right wrist were also
reported by 40 percent of women and 30 percent of men. Hedge and James explain that the women spent
an hour longer per day on the computer than their male colleagues. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The survey results concerned the Duke researchers; repetitive
stress injuries could pull doctors and nurses away from their jobs, reducing
their availability to their patients. To
reverse and prevent repetitive stress injuries from the increased use of
electronic medical record technology, OSHA recommends keeping the workstation
monitor at or just below eye level, maintain the head and neck in line with the
torso, pull elbows close to body, and use a lumbar support while sitting. Tablet use increases to popularize as
well. Using a separate keyboard and a
tablet arm can help avoid neck and shoulder strain. <o:p></o:p></div>
Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com1Oakland, CA 37.8043637 -122.271113737.7039972 -122.4290422 37.9047302 -122.1131852tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-42716571714424240782012-11-29T14:13:00.001-08:002012-11-29T14:13:47.829-08:00NFL Implements Electronic Medical Record Software Technology<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FcGz6Yc7qVw/ULfeA2RNXhI/AAAAAAAAAo8/BGYvn7orh-E/s1600/750px--WIN-_football.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FcGz6Yc7qVw/ULfeA2RNXhI/AAAAAAAAAo8/BGYvn7orh-E/s200/750px--WIN-_football.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
First the Olympics, now the NFL: <a href="http://www.bizmaticsinc.com/electronic-medical-record-software.php" title="Electronic Medical Record Software">electronic medical record
software</a> swiftly makes its way into the world of athletics. The number of players over 300lbs has
increased from only one in 1970 to 394 in 2000, which translates to harder body
slams and more severe brain and spine concussions. Officials announced the implementation as a
means of treating on the field concussions more seriously and effectively.<br />
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The National Football League will be adopting EMR technology
for all 32 teams over a two-season period.
The implementation goal makes the players’ medical records completely
portable from handheld devices on the field to the workstation in the hospital
or doctor’s office. Portable records
allow team and personal physicians to track the players’ injury and general
medical history. This is particularly
helpful should a player happen to get traded to another team. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The NFL’s use of electronic medical record software should
greatly improve the quality of medical care in the event of a concussion; wireless
technology will prove to be helpful if a player gets injured on the road. Off-field physicians can view submitted a video
clips of the game or practice that illustrate exactly how injury occurred, enabling
them to provide the appropriate care needed to treat the specific injury. The NFL currently uses a manual-entry electronic
injury reporting system which they plan to synch with the new EMR
technology. Tracking head and spine
injuries through electronic medical records will help neurologists better
understand the effects and consequences of repeated concussions in professional
athletes. <o:p></o:p></div>
Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-86054395758892527182012-11-23T21:21:00.000-08:002012-11-24T00:03:08.153-08:00Few Pediatricians Use Specialty Pediatric EMR Software SolutionsOnly a tiny percentage of pediatricians use a specialized
<a href="http://www.emrexperts.com/specialty/pediatric-emr.php" title="Pediatric EMR">pediatric EMR</a>, says the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. EMR and EHR use, according to the results, depends
largely on the practice’s size and the gender of the pediatrician. The results were found to be troubling by
experts in the pediatric field, as it means that important exams and procedures
essential in pediatrics could be unsafely documented.<br />
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368 pediatricians out of 646 responded to the National
Ambulatory Medical Care Survey . The
physicians were nonresident pediatricians belonging to the American Academy of
Pediatrics in either offices or clinics.
In 2009, only 3 percent of survey respondents had implemented an EMR or EHR
tailored to the pediatric specialty. 54
percent reported to use a general EMR and this number continues to rise because
of the Meaningful Use reimbursement incentives.
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Pediatricians appear to be one to two years behind the
national average in implementing fully functional EMRs, says the survey report’s
author. The biggest barrier to
implementing a pediatric EMR is the cost, reported the responding
pediatricians. Along with cost, finding
a software solution that meets their practice’s specific needs was the other
reason. Surprisingly, Meaningful Use isn’t
a big motivator for upgrading to specialty software; growth charts are the only
thing close enough to meeting actual incentive criteria. However, using a general internal medicine
EMR lacks commonly used pediatric templates such growth charts, immunization
records and weight-based drug dose prescribing, leaving the pediatrician to complete
them with paper charts or create a new template from scratch. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The survey also revealed that certain factors contribute to
who implements and who doesn’t. Single
and two-physician practices were 5.1 times less likely to implement a basic EMR
than a larger multispecialty group practice or hospital. General pediatric clinics were more likely to
have an EMR than specialty pediatric clinics. And curiously, the pediatrician’s
gender shown to play a role in implementation as well - males were twice as
likely to have an EMR software solution in their clinic than females.<o:p></o:p></div>
Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com3Oakland, CA 37.8043637 -122.271113737.7039782 -122.4290422 37.904749200000005 -122.1131852tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-22889886966346804052012-10-30T17:32:00.000-07:002012-10-30T17:32:09.902-07:00Regular Exercise Keeps Both Body and Mind Strong<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2ip8Hxle6o4/UJBxNDCuIoI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/JtsVEQPhUAI/s1600/Elderly_exercise.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2ip8Hxle6o4/UJBxNDCuIoI/AAAAAAAAAiQ/JtsVEQPhUAI/s1600/Elderly_exercise.jpg" title="Neurology EMR" /></a></div>
Exercise is good for you.
Regular physical activity in adults helps maintain a healthy body
weight, reduces symptoms of depression and staves off heart disease and Type II
diabetes. Ok, this is not really news to
anyone, but according to the researchers at the University of California Irvine’s
Department of Neurology, physical exercise during the golden years could also reduce
the odds of dementia.<br />
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Dementia is the loss of brain function that affects memory,
judgment, behavior, perception and the ability to understand language. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form
of dementia in the elderly, affecting one in eight in the United States. Vascular dementia is another form caused by
multiple small strokes. Recording the
amount and type of physical exercise in the <a href="http://www.bizmaticsinc.com/neurology-emr-software.php" title="Neurology EMR">neurology EMR</a> charts of elderly
patients could determine their risk for dementia or the progression of it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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UC Irvine’s study examined the relationship between physical
strength and performance and dementia in participants 90 years and older. The tests consisted of a point system based
on physical performance that included a 4 meter walk, 5 chair stands (standing
up with arms crossed), balance while standing and grip strength; the average
age of the 629 participants was 94. The
study found that those who scored lower in the performance tests (especially
walking) were almost 30 times more likely to have dementia than those who
scored well. The Department of Neurology’s
team suggested that further research be conducted to fully understand the why there
is a correlation between poor physical performance and cognitive function, but
concludes that there is indeed a relationship between the two and the neurodegenerative
process may have a direct effect on one’s ability to perform basic physical
activities. <o:p></o:p></div>
Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com0Sacramento, CA 38.5815719 -121.494399638.3829744 -121.81025659999999 38.7801694 -121.1785426tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-50292712445333268922012-10-26T18:13:00.000-07:002012-10-26T18:13:20.121-07:00Psychiatry EMR Reporting Prevents Future Psychosis in Adolescents<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UeKKG2PpgUI/UIs05gCd59I/AAAAAAAAAiA/2Zyh1PTZnlE/s1600/800px-Cloth_embroidered_by_a_schizophrenia_sufferer_edit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-UeKKG2PpgUI/UIs05gCd59I/AAAAAAAAAiA/2Zyh1PTZnlE/s200/800px-Cloth_embroidered_by_a_schizophrenia_sufferer_edit.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Schizophrenia and bi-polar-caused psychosis can be
debilitating for those living with it.
Symptoms like delusions and hallucinations make sustaining a job or
attending school very difficult, if not near impossible. New research has proven that if addressed early
enough, intervention can prevent the deterioration of educational, occupational
and social abilities from psychosis in teenagers and young adults.<br />
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By recording young patients’ primary psychotic episodes in a
<a href="http://www.emrexperts.com/specialty/psychiatry-emr.php" title="Psychiatry EMR">psychiatry EMR</a>, mental health professionals and pediatricians can detect those who
might be at risk for developing a debilitating psychosis and create in
intervention plan to prevent the condition from progressing. According to a study by Columbia University
in New York, early intervention during the critical period for teens and young
adults (within two to five years of the initial psychotic episode) can decrease
the chances of longer-term psychosis into adulthood. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Columbia’s study included 20 participants aged 12-20 years
of age and included 16 males and 4 females, all diagnosed with their first
psychotic episode within the past five years.
Participants were evaluated using a scale based on levels of substance
abuse, depression, disability and depression.
The study’s representative, Dr. Michael Birnbaum, defined psychosis as a
process that starts in utero and progresses into the patient’s 20’s and 30’s
until a psychotic episode occurs. The
research team took an approach by addressing mental illness as a progressive
pathologic process; they believe there are stages of mental illness and
different methods of intervention for each stage.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Using their PEER program (Prevention, Education, Evaluation,
Rehabilitation), symptoms were managed through medication, individual and group
intervention, help patients plan goals, provide education about their illness
and prevent exacerbation. Initially,
participants reported baseline high levels of anxiety and depression and 70
percent were considered a suicide risk.
After 3 months of the intervention program, the participants reported a
significant decline in their anxiety and depression. Reported disruptions in work and school also
declined – from a 75 percent baseline to 55 percent three months later. The Columbia researchers plan on following
the participants throughout their lives and monitoring their progress, building
a model for the field of adolescent psychiatry. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-30973698170557850182012-10-01T11:17:00.001-07:002012-10-01T11:38:32.965-07:00Praise All That is Techie: EMR Jobs Are In DemandIt pleases me to report that growth is occurring in the
health information technology sector of the job market. More EMR technicians are needed to meet the
demand of doctors and hospitals implementing EMR systems in order to meet
eligibility requirements to receive CMS reimbursements.<br />
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EMR Implementation Technicians serve as liaison with
clinical staff regarding training and product related needs. The technician’s job is to take the EMR
templates to fit them practice’s specific needs. Say the client is a cardiologist, the tech will
design the patient encounter and exam templates using to build a specialty <a href="http://www.emrexperts.com/specialty/cardiology-emr.php" title="Cardiology EMR">cardiology
EMR</a> using cardiopulmonary-related vocabulary and diagrams.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Consultants take the working knowledge they learned as a
technician and step it up a notch. It is
imperative that they know the EMR software product inside and out and with
their experience, they can confidently identify the implementation needs of
practices and hospitals. Consultants
provide the guidance needed to meet Meaningful Use criteria and suggest
software solutions packages that would work best for them. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Desired Qualifications:
Background in medicine and a desire to learn EMR software*<o:p></o:p></div>
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Compensation: $50,000-$60,000
(entry level) and $70,000 and upward (with previous experience)*<o:p></o:p></div>
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*Source: <a href="http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2012/09/18/jobs-electronic-medical-records-professional/">CNN Money</a><o:p></o:p></div>
Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-44656735747238199492012-09-25T18:52:00.000-07:002012-09-25T18:52:27.183-07:00Taking the (Sinus) Pressure Off with Allergy EMRUnfortunately, for many people, allergies aren’t just a springtime occurrence and pollen and mold continue to bother them throughout the year. Most folks know the feeling of a fall sinus infection brought on by allergies all too well. The good thing is that allergies are treatable, especially when assessed by an ENT specialist. <a href="http://www.bizmaticsinc.com/allergy-emr.php" title="Allergy EMR">Allergy EMRs</a> help otolaryngologists properly diagnose allergies and sensitivities as well treat the common conditions and complaints that accompany them.<br />
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Besides the most commonly known irritants, many people have allergies and intolerances to more unassuming things like pet dander, food, latex and medication. To find out exactly what bothers the patient, the physician will perform sensitivity tests on either the skin, with a blood test or by changing the patient’s diet. By using an allergy EMR, the ENT specialist can follow the testing procedure templates for scratch, patch and intradermal skin testing and enter the data and outcomes requested in each step of the procedure. Most EMRs also interface with major labs, making it easy to request blood tests and receive results in a short period of time. If food intolerance is in question, the doctor may ask the patient to keep a food diary, eliminate the foods in question (such as wheat, dairy, eggs or soy), log their results over a period of time and submit to them via patient portal. <br />
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Allergies also come with many other uncomfortable symptoms, so allergy EMRs come with exam templates to diagnose and manage them. With a document management feature, image, video and audio files can be uploaded into the patient’s chart, enabling the physician to describe rashes, hives and eczema in full detail. Chronic sinus infections commonly plague allergy sufferers, so EMRs come equipped with a customizable template to document which sinuses are being affected (frontal, ethmoidal, sphenoidal or maxillary) and allow the doctor to view X-Rays and previous surgeries and procedures to treat the condition. Allergens also trigger asthma; the clinical decision support feature assists with the assessment of the severity of the asthma and come up with a management plan that works best for each specific patient. <br />
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Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-46324209647962458952012-08-29T23:47:00.001-07:002012-08-29T23:57:30.295-07:00CMS Releases Final Stage 2 Meaningful Use RulesWell folks, it’s final.
HHS Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released the final rule
for Stage 2 Meaningful Use last Thursday. In fact there were two final rules released;
along with Stage 2 Meaningful Use criteria for eligible physicians and
hospitals, a companion final rule was released for <a href="http://www.bizmaticsinc.com/" title="Medical Software">medical software</a> developers
by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology as
a guide to the design and certification of electronic health record
systems.<br />
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A <a href="http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2012pres/08/20120823b.html">press release</a> confirmed that Stage 2 will begin in 2014, assuring
eligible professionals that no one would be required to meet Stage 2 criteria
until 2014, regardless of when they attested Stage 1. The release of Stage 1 focused teaching
eligible professionals how to capture data electronically. Stage 2 emphasizes more on the exchange of
captured data between other healthcare providers and allowing patients to access
their medical records online. Two new
core objectives were added: eligible
providers must use secure electronic messaging to communicate with patients and
eligible hospitals must track medications from order to administration
automatically via assisting technologies with an eMAR. <o:p></o:p></div>
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ONC’s final rule regarding EHR medical software focused on
Certified EHR Technology definitions, interoperability and
security. According to the press
release, eligible providers will be able to use their 2011 edition Certified EHR
Technology until 2014. Certified EHRs
will need focus on encryption of data if it is stored in an end-user device and
allow patients the ability to securely view their medical information and
communicate with their physician. Standards for transitions of care and referral
summaries for the transmission to be viewed and downloaded by other healthcare
providers must be met. A common
interface standard for the exchange of test results between the lab, providers
and hospitals was also a new certification criterion adopted for 2014. <o:p></o:p></div>
Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-73402486779330225392012-08-28T00:53:00.003-07:002012-08-28T00:53:49.201-07:00The Cutting Edge of Pediatric EHR and CircumcisionAccording to an article published yesterday on NPR.org, a
new report by The American Academy of Pediatrics claims that circumcision of
newborn males proves to be beneficial to the infant as well as the grown man’s
health later in life. The beauty of
electronic health records is the fact that they are mobile and follow the
patient through all stages of their life.
This study could be the perfect opportunity for pediatric as well as
<a href="http://www.bizmaticsinc.com/urology-emr.php" title="Urology EMR">urology EMR</a> to shine by proving or dispelling the study’s accuracy over
time.<br />
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<a href="http://www.emrexperts.com/specialty/pediatric-emr.php" title="Pediatric EHR">Pediatric EHRs</a> provide a detailed step-by-step circumcision
guide for pediatric urologists to follow during the procedure with the specific
templates for exams and procedures on infants and will properly document the
procedure in the child’s medical record. If the child moves and sees a different
pediatrician, they will be able to quickly pull up the patient’s complete
medical history where the circumcision will be noted. The author of the report claims that the
benefits of circumcision are immediate by the reduction of the risk of urinary
tract infections in babies. Customized urinary
tract infection templates allow pediatricians to indicate whether the baby is
circumcised or not and keep record of which patients appear to be having a higher
occurrence infection.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The EHR will continue to record clinical data throughout the
boy’s childhood and adolescence. In
another study, teens were shown to be more honest about their sex lives when
given the opportunity to answer questions via tablet/kiosk instead of verbally
in person. The responses are then added
to the rest of the exam data from that encounter and doctors will order tests
for STDs if the teen is considered to be at-risk. Through the EHR, higher-risk patients can
also be flagged as needing a reminder to get tested more frequently as well. Following the patient from infancy, through adolescence
and well into adulthood, their medical data can be easily incorporated into the
urologist’s EMR later in the event that the man develops more complicated
sexually transmitted infections or penile cancer. A lifetime of data from electronic health
records will provide unbiased evidence-based information that can either prove
or debunk the findings of the recent report. <o:p></o:p></div>
Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-59753499177615748272012-08-01T14:21:00.000-07:002012-08-01T14:21:50.760-07:00Internal Medicine EMR: Providing Premier Care<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WUFVJeaENwk/UBmdbaiO1wI/AAAAAAAAARA/dap0T8FI5zk/s1600/Internal+Medicine+EMR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WUFVJeaENwk/UBmdbaiO1wI/AAAAAAAAARA/dap0T8FI5zk/s200/Internal+Medicine+EMR.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Primary care is where a patient’s health journey begins. As the first point of contact, internal medicine specialists generally maintain the longest relationship with patient and have more in-depth knowledge of the patient’s medical history. They also hold more power to prevent illnesses by addressing the patient’s risk factors before disease can materialize. An <a href="http://www.emrexperts.com/specialty/internal-medicine-emr.php" title="Internal Medicine EMR">EMR for internal medicine</a> should be equipped to detect warning signs as well as provide appropriate decision support to aid doctors in diagnosis and treatment. <br />
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Internal medicine is starting to put more emphasis on disease prevention and education as patients’ concern and involvement with their own health grows. Disease prevention can be addressed by looking at age, sex and race demographic as well as lifestyle choices. How old is the patient? Are they male or female? Do they smoke? Are they overweight? Does cancer or diabetes run in their family? A good EMR will have built-in health maintenance protocols and based on the patient data entered, it will prompt the doctor to recommend scheduling preventative tests like a colonoscopy or a mammogram.<br />
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A good internal medicine EMR also has the ability to help prevent life-threatening and costly mistakes in diagnosis. Decision support will take patient information like allergies, medications, surgeries and previous illness and use it to determine how it contributes to the symptoms and the probability of one disease versus another. In addition to analyzing the symptoms, the EMR should be on constant alert for the possibility of drug allergies and interactions and explain why the combination is harmful and the severity of the consequences.Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com4Oakland, CA 37.8043637 -122.271113737.7039972 -122.4290422 37.9047302 -122.1131852tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-696861627876182862012-07-26T20:15:00.000-07:002012-07-26T20:15:22.448-07:00Alleviating Allergy Ailments with ENT EMR<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HJSAKsmRHKs/UBIHOVVNRDI/AAAAAAAAAQw/PxbC_uXkr_k/s1600/ENT+EMR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HJSAKsmRHKs/UBIHOVVNRDI/AAAAAAAAAQw/PxbC_uXkr_k/s200/ENT+EMR.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white;">Otolaryngology is probably my favorite specialty. To me, the senses of hearing, smell and taste
as well as verbal expression are what make life worth living. These senses can be dulled as the result of
seasonal allergies and I fully appreciate the relief that an allergy shot
provides. Also referred to as ear, nose
and throat (ENT) specialists, otolaryngologists treat conditions ranging from nasal
polyps and chronic ear infections to cleft palates and laryngeal cancer. </span><a href="http://www.emrexperts.com/specialty/ENT-emr.php" style="background-color: white;" title="ENT EMR">ENT EMRs</a><span style="background-color: white;"> promote the optimum practices in
allergy management with templates tailored specifically to otolaryngologists. </span><br />
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Many people suffer from allergic rhinitis caused by pollen,
dust and pet dander. Otolaryngologists confirm
the sensitivity to suspected allergens by exposing the patient’s skin to
diluted allergens. An ENT EMR allows otolaryngologists
to accurately enter test results via voice recognition or keyboard from scratch
tests and skin end-point titration. Doctors
can create customized allergen panels from the template for each patient and
can compare them to past tests. <o:p></o:p></div>
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ENT EMR allergy templates manage skin test vial
concentrations and can submit replenishment orders to the lab. EMRs make creating immunotherapy treatment
recipes more exact, which yields more effective treatment results. Variations of the same recipe based off of a
single test can also be calculated for increasing levels of allergens or in the
case that the shots aren’t working for the patient after a year of treatment. Keeping patient safety a number one priority,
printed and barcoded bottle labels created by the EMR software ensure that
patients receive their correct, prescribed dosages. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Schedule templates in the ENT software help
otolaryngologists create an allergy shot care plan for the patient. Set alerts inform the doctor of a missed shot
and the patient can then be rescheduled.
The use of a patient portal with an EMR is a great way to send reminders
to patients to stay on track with their immunotherapy shot schedule treatment
plan. <o:p></o:p></div>Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com0Oakland, CA 37.8043637 -122.271113737.7039637 -122.4290422 37.904763700000004 -122.1131852tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-65748083342702129642012-07-19T20:31:00.000-07:002012-07-19T21:24:59.700-07:00Cardiologists Less Likely to Embrace Use of Medical Software<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">HealthDay
via U.S. News released a survey, reporting the rate of electronic health record
adoption among U.S. physicians. While
the study showed that a little over half of the doctor population have
implemented an EHR or EMR, EHR in the cardiology specialty remains low. According to PrognoCIS sales rep Ian Daniels,
only 25 percent of the cardiologist population has a <a href="http://www.bizmaticsinc.com/" title="Medical Software">medical software</a> solution
in use in their practice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">The survey,
conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, is based on mail-in
responses by 3,200 physicians nationwide that started in 2011 and expected to
continue until 2013. The survey was set
up to study the opinions and practices surrounding EHR software. According to Daniels, cardiologists’
implementation hesitation stems from the belief that an EHR will only slow the
practice down. 75 percent of physicians
out of the 55 percent that use an electronic system feel that the system they
purchased meets their needs in playing a “meaningful” role in their
practice. Are we listening, cardiology
docs?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Not surprisingly,
47 percent of those with an EHR claim to be “somewhat” happy “very” happy with
the day-to-day operations of their EHR medical software and 38 percent say they
are “very” happy. 3 out of 4 also
responded that they have seen an improvement in patient care since implementation. What the fearful cardiologists don’t realize
is that an EHR is equipped with circulatory system specific templates to follow
when performing exams and procedures.
Data entry and record retrieval is quick and easy and less likely to
contain errors if the templates are followed correctly</span>. <span style="background-color: #f4f2f3; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">“By using specialty-specific templates that are customized
for the practice, as well as accommodating a compound note that can include
dictation, we successfully strive to provide a workflow that the physician can use
that will not slow him down,”</span> says Daniels.<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com1Oakland, CA 37.8043637 -122.271113737.7039972 -122.4290422 37.9047302 -122.1131852tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-19790631304917343812012-07-15T12:16:00.002-07:002012-07-15T12:16:50.529-07:00Urology EHR: A Patient’s Contribution to Their Community<br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">In providing the most comprehensive
and quality patient care, keeping up with technology is as important as keeping
up with the trends in medicine. <a href="http://www.bizmaticsinc.com/urology-emr.php" title="Urology EHR">Urology EHRs</a>
(electronic health records) build a complete patient profile from the
urological exams and combine it with the existing data entered by all the
patient’s primary care provider and specialty physicians, which can then be
used to accurately measure community health statistics. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Urology EHRs come with ready to use
exam and procedure templates that apply exclusively to the specialty. The templates for procedures and exams are
easily adjustable and customizable to fit the variations among patient and
doctor’s needs. EHRs improve the quality
of data collected through their compatibility with urology medical devices. Results from prostate ultrasounds, urinalysis
machines and bladder volume scanners can be directly uploaded from the device,
eliminating the need to enter values manually, creating the potential for human
error. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">The integrated clinical decision
support feature of the EHR helps urologists better utilize the data collected
from the medical devices and effectively apply it, turning symptoms into a
solution. Combining data, diagnoses and treatment
decisions contribute the missing pieces to the human body puzzle to paint a
complete picture of the patient’s overall health and wellbeing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Slices of the population demographic
can be examined from the clinical patient data provided by the EHR and compared
with the data from other local area hospitals and physicians. By comparing and combining data gathered,
the community or region can report and track trends in urological conditions
like prostate cancer and urinary tract infections (UTIs), as well as report any
communicable infection outbreaks to the CDC.
Determining the prevalence and path of a condition makes way for new designs
in treatment methodology and approach, the most recent example being UCSF’s
emergency room check-in and screening kiosk for UTIs that aim to expedite
patient care. <o:p></o:p></span></div>Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-66217388510668476372012-06-30T14:05:00.000-07:002012-06-30T14:05:15.215-07:00The Amazing Flexible and Customizable EMR<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kygZu2SrbUQ/T-9pxMBMeoI/AAAAAAAAAQU/Zco3rU6FS6A/s1600/Best+EMR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="134" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kygZu2SrbUQ/T-9pxMBMeoI/AAAAAAAAAQU/Zco3rU6FS6A/s200/Best+EMR.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
Think of purchasing an <a href="http://www.emrexperts.com/emr-software/index.php" title="EMR Software">EMR software</a> solution as buying a new
car. Pick your preferred manufacturer
and know that whatever you choose, you’ll at least end up with an engine, a chassis,
a body and four wheels automatically.
EMR software works in a similar fashion - it automatically comes with a
means of retrieving, documenting and processing patient history and encounters,
no matter what. Like buying a car, there
are many add-ons and customizations that create the best EMR to suit each
physician’s individual needs. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Flexibility in an EMR solution is an important function to
maximize the usability and value to the physician or practice. A urologist might be able to use only bits
and pieces of a family practice EMR. Urologists
do see both males and females, young and old, like a family practitioner, but
the exam templates for the whole body won’t do them much good – they need
in-depth templates focused on mainly just the uro-genital area. “Our format is so easy, that we have
preloaded specific templates ready to use,” says Bizmatics sales rep, Anthony
Bates, regarding their PrognoCIS EMR solution.
Choosing the right templates for the specialty allows physicians to
utilize all of the features and get their money’s worth.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Customizations within the specialty templates personalize an
EMR to the individual physician or procedure.
EMRs serve as a check list when documenting a procedure. Understandably, the same procedure may
slightly differ depending on the patient; the physician can easily change the
value of a field in that check list through dropdown boxes either before the
encounter or during. For instance, in
<a href="http://www.bizmaticsinc.com/pain-management-emr-software.php" title="Pain Management EMR">pain management</a>, a cervical spine injection may generally use a specific gauge
of needle, but for whatever reason, a larger size may be required for this particular
patient. “They can check off variations
of the procedure, such as needle size or probe electricity strength for nerve
stimulation,” explains Kemp Stephens, another Bizmatics sales rep. Customization of the interface and templates increases
user comfort and workflow productivity as well as increase the accuracy of
captured data. <o:p></o:p></div>Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com2Oakland, CA 37.8043637 -122.271113737.7039972 -122.4290422 37.9047302 -122.1131852tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-61419379644584743732012-05-30T22:22:00.000-07:002012-05-30T22:22:02.202-07:00School Nurses Access Pediatric EMR in Delaware<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U4_D165AV0M/T8b_iA0V1bI/AAAAAAAAAQI/jHJSdS1nAXo/s1600/Pediatric+EMR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="Pediatric EMR" border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U4_D165AV0M/T8b_iA0V1bI/AAAAAAAAAQI/jHJSdS1nAXo/s200/Pediatric+EMR.jpg" title="Pediatric EMR" width="141" /></a></div>
Delaware, the First State, has become the first state to
connect a health system with public schools.
According to an article on Newsworks.org, the Red Clay and Milford
school districts have teamed up with the Alfred I. DuPont Hospital for Children
and the Nemours Children’s Health System with the goal of improving the
continuity of care of young patients.
School nurses in these two districts can now access students’ medical
records via the health system’s <a href="http://www.bizmaticsinc.com/pediatric-emr.php" title="Pediatric EMR">pediatric EMR</a>.<br />
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Nurse access to students’ electronic medical records ensures
that children with chronic health conditions such as asthma, diabetes and
epilepsy that require multiple medication doses are attended to during school
hours. Children oftentimes forget to
take medication or feel embarrassed to take it in front of their classmates, so
they won’t take it at all. <span style="background-color: white;">"I think that if you had a chronic illness that
would give you a lot of security when you send your child to school. You're not
just putting the inhaler or insulin in their bag and hoping that everything
goes well,"</span> says pediatric pulmonologist Dr. Katherine King. Viewing electronic records in real time
allows the nurse to stay current with the students’ conditions, medications and
dosages. </div>
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Secure access to a pediatric EMR from the school informs
nurses and teachers about aftercare following a hospital stay, emergency room
visit or serious illness through customized pediatric SOAP note templates. Pediatricians can electronically capture
parents’ signatures on consent forms that can be sent directly to the school. With the adoption of EMR use, schools can also
automatically receive doctor’s notes for excused absences as well as sports
physical exams. <o:p></o:p></div>Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com3Oakland, CA 37.8043637 -122.271113737.7039972 -122.4290422 37.9047302 -122.1131852tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-49841534413757310262012-05-29T18:45:00.001-07:002012-05-29T18:52:20.331-07:00Diabetic Patients Greatly Benefit from Podiatry EMR<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D3XM4HF_4Uk/T8V7NxVjgJI/AAAAAAAAAP8/MLoCK0Om7CU/s1600/Podiatry+EMR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D3XM4HF_4Uk/T8V7NxVjgJI/AAAAAAAAAP8/MLoCK0Om7CU/s200/Podiatry+EMR.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
With more than 5,200 people diagnosed with diabetes each
day, the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) recommends those who have
it, and those at risk, get regular foot exams to avoid and prevent diabetes-related
complications. Podiatrists with an
implemented <a href="http://www.bizmaticsinc.com/podiatry-emr.php" title="Podiatry EMR">podiatry EMR</a> solution are able to provide more effective care for
their patients as electronic records keep both patients and providers on top of
exam schedules and facilitate easy communication between patients’ other
providers. <o:p></o:p></div>
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According to an article on APMA’s site, 60-70% of all
diabetics will deal with at least some form of nerve damage from the disease,
whether mild or severe. The conditions
they face range from impaired sensation, to foot ulcers to foot and leg amputation. With the high percentage of probability of
experiencing nerve damage, the APMA believes that routine foot care is
imperative for diabetics and those at risk for developing it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Luckily, the use of
electronic medical records greatly improves a diabetic patient’s care
experience. EMRs specifically tailored
for the podiatry specialty use templates that focus on the feet rather than the
whole body. Podiatry EMRs feature pre-loaded
exam templates to evaluate complaints common in diabetics such as calluses,
cracked skin, numbness and poor circulation along with other symptoms
associated with diabetes. A routine basic
foot exam template keeps tabs on the prevention or progression of nerve damage
in patients’ feet. Diagnosis and
treatment information from the exams can be automatically transferred to
referral letters sent to the patient’s primary care physician or
endocrinologist. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Implementing a patient portal with an EMR solution lets
patients access their medical records from their own computer. More importantly, a portal can remind
patients to stay on their preventative exam schedule. Patients can also request their appointments
and prescription refills over the portal as well as communicate with their
podiatrist. </div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com4Oakland, CA 37.8043637 -122.271113737.7039972 -122.4290422 37.9047302 -122.1131852tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-90679605599010745322012-03-31T12:35:00.000-07:002012-03-31T12:35:26.326-07:00EHR Rollout Reduces Number of Lab Tests<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RBmjQW_qLL0/T3dcPlsiMoI/AAAAAAAAAPs/VVWQNyrT0v4/s1600/EHR+Rollout+Lab+Testing.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RBmjQW_qLL0/T3dcPlsiMoI/AAAAAAAAAPs/VVWQNyrT0v4/s200/EHR+Rollout+Lab+Testing.jpeg" width="200" /></a></div>It’s not hard to imagine why patients would be happier if they didn’t need as many lab tests. This would mean less fighting to get an early morning appointment for a fasting blood draw before they get light-headed, less painful needle pokes and less nail-biting time waiting for the results. A recent study showed that since the <a href="http://www.emrapproved.com/emr-implementation.php" title="EHR Rollout">EHR rollout</a> in the Partners Healthcare system, the number of lab test orders had decreased greatly.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">The study included the electronic medical records of 117,606 outpatients between two hospitals that make up Partners Healthcare – Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. Co-written by Dr. Alexander Turchin of Harvard Medical School, the study provided data suggesting that lab tests decreased after their EHR and health information exchange (HIE) implementation in 2000. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Spanning from the beginning of 1999 to the end of 2004, lab tests per patient went from an average of seven in 1999 to four in 2004 after their EHR rollout. Patients who did not have prior lab tests done at the two hospitals actually had a slightly increased number of tests since implementation – from an average of five up to six. Despite this, the research concluded that since the introduction of EHRs and HIE, the number of lab tests decreased by 49%. According to the Reuter’s regarding the study, Turchin and his team plan on studying the potential savings of from fewer lab test orders. <o:p></o:p></div>Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com2Oakland, CA, USA37.8043637 -122.271113737.7115972 -122.3849842 37.897130200000007 -122.1572432tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-43199151072570504892012-03-28T21:05:00.000-07:002012-03-28T21:05:07.501-07:00Filling the Demand: Training for EMR Jobs In the Midwest<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IrCPF7_2geU/T3PfF89dubI/AAAAAAAAAPk/FpFhx-b1SUg/s1600/EMR+Project+Management.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="EMR Project Management" border="0" height="72" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IrCPF7_2geU/T3PfF89dubI/AAAAAAAAAPk/FpFhx-b1SUg/s200/EMR+Project+Management.jpg" title="EMR Project Management" width="200" /></a></div>The Midwest is trying hard to dig their way out of the economic recession. With high unemployment rates still plaguing the state, many Michiganders still find themselves making the bi-weekly call to MARVIN, confirming their benefit eligibility. NPR’s Michigan Radio interviewed Wendy Whitmore of Chicago-based EMRApproved to discuss possibilities for job-seekers in the field of <a href="http://www.emrapproved.com/emr-project-management.php" title="EMR Project Management">EMR project management</a> and other healthcare IT-related jobs. <br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">Whitmore started EMRApproved four years ago to explore a new avenue while her other company was flailing. She decided to try her hand at healthcare information technology and trained her staff with a new skillset in electronic medical records. Acknowledging it was a bit of a gamble, it was a well-educated one. “<span style="color: #111111;">We do know that the baby boomer generation is aging, and we do know that health care is getting a lot of attention,”</span> says Whitmore in the NPR interview.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Michigan Works, the state’s workforce development program, follows EMRApproved’s model by encouraging job-seekers to make the most of budding industries by learning new and relevant skills. According to a recent study by Kalorama Information, the market for electronic medical records is currently at $17.9 billion, placing a growing demand for individuals trained in information technology implementation as an EMR project manager and healthcare IT certification as a consultant.<o:p></o:p></div>Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com4Oakland, CA, USA37.8043637 -122.271113737.7115972 -122.3849842 37.897130200000007 -122.1572432tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-24306543969570739252012-03-27T17:41:00.000-07:002012-03-27T17:41:02.444-07:00EMR Review Survey Reveals Top 6 Best Sellers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LuTfRqKrizA/T3JdjQ-UvXI/AAAAAAAAAPc/nzPGPqE-QzU/s1600/EMR+Reviews.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="EMR Reviews" border="0" height="126" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-LuTfRqKrizA/T3JdjQ-UvXI/AAAAAAAAAPc/nzPGPqE-QzU/s200/EMR+Reviews.jpg" title="" width="200" /></a></div><span style="background-color: white;">We may know which EMR vendors have the most followers on Twitter, as </span><a href="http://melissalefurge.blogspot.com/2012/01/best-emr-software-ranked-in-2012.html" style="background-color: white;">posted</a><span style="background-color: white;"> in the survey from January, but who actually leads the EMR market in sales? (Sorry, no cool infographic this time.) Late last week, Kalorama Information released an </span><a href="http://www.emrapproved.com/wizard/wizard/emr_software_list" style="background-color: white;" title="EMR Reviews">EMR review</a><span style="background-color: white;"> survey, revealing which companies raked in the most revenue in 2011. </span><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">In EMR 2012: The Market for Electronic Medical Records, the survey ranked the EMRs based on market share, covering EMRs for hospitals, independent doctors and web-based sales. The survey results showed that smaller, web-based EMR solutions are emerging as prominent players in the market as well. "Web-based is very appealing to small hospitals, rural hospitals and doctors' offices because of cost," observes publisher of Kalorama Information, Bruce Carlson in the press release. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">The 6 companies with the best-selling EMRs that topped the $17.9 billion dollar market are Cerner, McKesson, Siemens, GE Healthcare, Epic and Allscripts</span>, according to the EMR review survey. "I think the firms to watch among the six are Allscripts and Epic as they compete with each other for customers and seek to cement their position as top EMR choices," said Carlson. All six companies ranked highly in not only 2011 revenue, but consulting, training and the ability to customize their software solutions.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">Some of the smaller companies making a name for themselves in the market mentioned were AmazingCharts, ChartLogic, CureMD, eClinicalworks, Ingenix and Keane. Carlson advises smaller vendors to not be discouraged by bigger companies, as a smaller vendor can zero in on a niche audience of healthcare providers and improve their user interface to compete with big companies in that area of specialty. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">Kalorama Information’s survey highlighted the area vendors could improve upon: making more of a point to build stronger brand recognition among healthcare providers. Carlson believes they will find their way up the ranks, though. "Many vendors are rolling out new and innovative products and many more are in the works. As more installations occur, so do opportunities for additional revenues."</span><o:p></o:p></div>Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com1Oakland, CA, USA37.8043637 -122.271113737.7115972 -122.3849842 37.897130200000007 -122.1572432tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-617942983184264744.post-9936093425935688542012-03-23T16:00:00.000-07:002012-03-23T16:00:43.875-07:00e-Prescribing Reduces Prescription Drug Abuse Risk<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sTgQL6no5Hs/T20AVL31xzI/AAAAAAAAAPI/zAHwJiZkhqY/s1600/e-Prescribing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sTgQL6no5Hs/T20AVL31xzI/AAAAAAAAAPI/zAHwJiZkhqY/s200/e-Prescribing.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>At a hearing before the Senate Finance Subcommittee on health care in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, a group of experts testified in regards to prescription drug abuse issue in the Medicare and Medicaid systems. The occurrence of drug abuse is so high; the CDC declared it an epidemic. Through the use of electronic medical records and <a href="http://www.emrapproved.com/e-prescribing.php" title="e-Prescribing">e-Prescribing</a>, the committee agreed that the risk of prescription drug abuse could be significantly lowered.<br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">e-Prescribing is the electronic submission of prescriptions providers are now encouraged to use via EMR, replacing the paper prescription pad. The new electronic method works to minimize dosage errors and reduce the time it takes to go from the doctor’s entry and into the patient’s hands at the pharmacy. This increases the likelihood the patient will take their medication and improve their health. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As a core measure of Stage 2 Meaningful Use, doctors participating in the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Program need to submit 65 percent of their prescriptions electronically. Now as an integral part of the two public health coverage programs, e-Prescribing makes tracking prescription drug abuse patterns easier. Through e-Prescribing and EMR, doctors have access the patient’s past and present medication list. Before submitting a prescription for a certain drug, such as OxyContin or Vicodin, they can see if the patient has taken it before. If the medication list shows the patient has been prescribed the drug multiple times in the past, they can flag them as being a possible prescription drug abuser. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Health information exchange also compliments e-Prescribing in decreasing the risk of prescription drug abuse. “Doctor shopping” is a common behavior of prescription drug addicts where a patient has multiple health care providers to prescribe the same drug and uses different pharmacies to get it filled. Health information exchange shows providers which other doctors that patient has seen, when, and what drugs were submitted through e-Prescribing. If it appears that the patient has been seeing multiple doctors for the same drug, a treatment plan can then be implemented to address the patient’s possible addiction issues. <o:p></o:p></div>Melissa Le Furgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08722737522377144266noreply@blogger.com0Oakland, CA, USA37.8043637 -122.271113737.7115972 -122.3849842 37.897130200000007 -122.1572432