Baylor Healthcare System launches enterprise Health Information Exchange

Baylor Health System is one of the first hospitals in Texas to start using Health Information Exchange. What's Health information exchange u may ask? Well, its basically a cloud based platform that can integrate patient records and data from multiple sources into one single patient view. This makes accessing patient information records a lot easier and physicians can access it across multiple connected hospitals. Baylor who access this system will be able to:

1)Exchange patient profiles, medical history and prescriptions
2) Improve workflow efficiency associated with physician orders, referrals, lab orders, medications and discharge planning
3)Locate millions of patient records
4) Analyze patient information and bring evidence-based information to the point of care
5) Integrate existing practice management systems in their offices.
6) Send clinical messages among healthcare providers


By promoting this type of health information exchange it will be easier accessing patient information and physicians will have a better idea about the patient's history when he/she is admitted through this information exchange and doesn't have to rely on the patient's family members to remember everything. Once this system is implemented throughout the U.S. it will make things a lot easier for the healthcare providers and the patient and treatment can be started right away instead of waiting for the extensive patient interview.

Health Information Exchange

Cancer Coach..Let's Fight that Cancer!

Cancer coach is an app available on iTunes and the Android market that helps with personalizing treatment options in patients that have breast and colon cancer. So what does this app include?

Based on the screenshot above, it has 5 different options on the interface:
-Cancer coach: helps patients learn about their treatment options
-Questions: Any questions they may have for their doctor
-Journal: Keeps record of treatment plan history
-Glossary: cancer terminology
-Resources: Cancer-realted information

The company Genomic Health assays individualized tumor information for patients and based on this individualizes different treatment options for the patient and physician. This app seems like it will help keep all the information in one place for the patient as he/she goes through treatment. It's very convenient that there is also a calendar feature available to mark appointments and there is an audio notepad function that can be used to take notes or ask any questions. I know I always say I'm going to remember certain questions when I go visit my doctor and when I go I forget. So, I know many people will find this audio notepad very useful in remembering to write down their questions. Patients don't have to go looking for resources available on the web to look up information about their disease, since it may not be very reliable, all they would need to do is go to this app and it will have it for them. Overall, I think this app is a start into better patient involvement and I look forward to seeing it for other types of cancers.

Cancer Coach

Video Games to the Rescue!

Everyone loves playing video games! I know I sure do! It's fun playing and competing with your family and friends and brings upon great laughter and memories. A recent study from the UCSF School of Nursing and Red Hill Studios (a California gaming software) say that they have seen a positive impact on the gait and balance of patients with Parkinson's disease who have played these computer based physical therapy games. Parkinson's is a progressive neuromuscular disease characterized by shaking, slowness in movement, limb, and trunk rigidity.  So, the clinical team members designed 9 'clinically inspired' games that are designed to improve coordination in those patients that have Parkinson's Disease. These games are similar to the motion controlled systems such as Nintendo Wii, Playstation Move and Microsoft Kinect that incorporate motion and gesture sensing technology that mimics the movements from the user. 

The trial consisted of 20 participants with moderate levels of Parkinson's disease and after playing the games for 12 weeks, 65% of the players demonstrated longer stride length and 55% increased gait velocity and balance. The games have multiple difficulty levels so once the patient passes a certain level it engages them to perform other abilities with different ranges of movement. 

As these programs are implemented into various physical therapy programs and other disease states that deteriorate balance and movement, it shows a great promise by implementing these video game programs. While the patients may think that they are just playing a game, they are in fact improving their coordination and movement. Read the article here: Video Games

Hospital scans palms to pull up medical records

New York University Langone Medical Center has been one of the first to start scanning palms to access the patient's medical health records. This new strategy prevents identity theft and reduces the amount of paperwork that needs to be involved. The device uses infrared light to scan palms and will use patient's veins on the palm for proper identification.

That's right folks, no more digging through your purse or wallet for the insurance card. With your next visit to the hospital, all you will need to do is scan your palm. Hope with this new technology is that there can be more patient interaction and less paperwork. Don't worry, this isn't a mandatory so those of you that feel uncomfortable, can opt of the process.

Check out the video here:

Patient Secure

The Little Blue Book

Isn’t it amazing the things you find when you’re just surfing the Internet? Well, as I was browsing, I came across this amazing app for the iPhone. It’s called The Little Blue Book. It’s like the Yellow Pages for doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, and health plans in your area. More than one region can be added just in case you have a holiday destination spot. All listings will show up in alphabetical order along with their addresses and phone numbers. A plus point is that it will also show what type of insurance the doctor accepts. It’s very easy to navigate through but the only downside is that it won’t give any reviews. But other than that, no more looking through MapQuest or Google maps for the nearest doctor or pharmacy. This nifty app is available at your fingertips. It’s free to try out in the App store and if you plan on upgrading to the pro version, it will provide you access to the detailed listings of specialists in your selected area. Check out more screenshots here: The Little Blue Book

Diabetes Training via Smartphones

Technology has evolved so rapidly within the past few years...actually evolved exponentially. It still amazes everyday with all the new innovations that are released. If you look in a crowd of people, every other person has a smartphone...it's like having your own personal computer at your own fingertips. Of course, most people use it for texting, browsing the internet, checking their facebooks, etc. What most people don't realize is how educational these smartphones can actually be. One such way is receiving diabetes training via smartphones!! I know, exciting isn't it?

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of Minority Health, American Association of Diabetes Educators (AADE), and AT&T have all come together and announced a first to its kind Diabetes Self Management Training (DSMT). It is used for those patients who are at high risk or have diabetes and will used as a collaborative process within in underserved minority community in Dallas, Texas. It's hoped that by using mobile health programming, patients can gain knowledge and skills to manage their disease. Diabetes educators will deliver video to an application located on the mobile devices.

The study will be over an 8 month period and the AADE will monitor patient self care and behavior over time, as well as looking at lab values to confirm these results as well. Based on these results, it will change the way how diabetes education can be implemented by providing various resources that can be most beneficial to the patient.


Check out the link here: Diabetes Training Via Smartphones

High risk OB monitoring...Telemedicine to the rescue!

The IT team at Memorial Hospital & Health Systems in South Bend, Ind. came up with an innovative remote monitoring system for high risk Obstetrics (OB) patients. The patients take home a Health Guide monitoring device that can perform a health status assessment of vital signs, survey questions, and has an interactive visual observation through two-way video calling. The nurses monitor the patients weekly through web conferencing to ensure that the patient is doing well, following recommended guidelines, or have any questions. The beauty of this monitoring system is that it is all done outside of of their weekly OB visits.

The only downside is that there can only be 10 patients in the OB telemedicine program. The devices are given to patients who are diagnosed around 20 weeks with gestational diabetes and/or are at a high risk for pre-eclampsia (high blood pressure). The patient will make weekly logs in a logbook with their blood sugar levels and blood pressure readings and report them in their weekly OB visits via video conferencing. It's still to early to tell about the specific metrics of improvement but one thing's for sure is that is has lowered the cost of treatment. With this remote monitoring system, patient irregularities can easily be detected and the doctor can intervene without the patient coming in to visit. In a November  2006 study, the Annals of Internal Medicine outlined a total of $5,439 cost of savings with the benefit of having a high-risk OB monitoring system from home.

With the success of this technology for patients, CIO Steve Huffman is looking to make further use of this technology by incorporating a bigger population of disease states, such as those patient who have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Check out the success stories here: High risk OB Monitoring