While few practices and hospitals currently use aggregated patient data, the number is expected to increase, and a new study touts the information’s benefits.

By Pamela Lewis Dolan, amednews staff.

One of the biggest untapped benefits of electronic medical record adoption is the secondary uses of the data that are being collected, concludes a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The study, “Transforming Healthcare through Secondary Use of Health Data,” found that practices and hospitals have seen aggregated data from their electronic medical records identify patterns that have allowed them to improve outcomes, reduce errors and increase revenue opportunities.

But the number of institutions using the aggregated, or secondary, data in this way is very small, though it is expected to grow in the next two years.

“Almost every constituent in the [health care] industry that has to make a decision around what type of health care to deliver and when could use this kind of data and the information that aggregating it can produce,” said Dan Garrett, health IT practice leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

The report found that among those organizations already using some form of secondary data, 59% have seen quality improvements, 42% have achieved cost savings, 36% have seen patient/member satisfaction improve, and 29% have increased revenue. The biggest users of secondary data are hospitals and physicians, while health plans are the farthest behind.

The survey found that although 95% of physicians are not opposed to using secondary data, many are sensitive to how it should be used. Patients also are concerned.

“We all know we need to use this data, but they also know we can’t risk security,” Garrett said.

The PricewaterhouseCoopers report came from an e-mail survey conducted in June of 732 health care executives, 482 physicians, 136 payers and 114 pharmacy/life sciences organizations.

Above article published on http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2009/10/19/bise1023.htm

Ready or not, electronic medical records (EMRs) are coming. President Barack Obama has devoted $20 billion to healthcare IT in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and in February 2009, he announced his aspirations to have an electronic health record for each person in the U.S. by 2014. Dr. James Pierce, chair of the Bioinformatics and Computer Science Department at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, notes that a nation-wide implementation of EMRs comes with considerable challenges, as well as tremendous advantages.

“Digitization of the healthcare system will be much more efficient and cost-effective, and will enable easier communication among different parts of the system, simpler manageability, and less storage compared to paper records,” explained Dr. Pierce. “EMRs allow healthcare providers to send queries electronically, which is expected to decrease the errors that are made on paper and ultimately, save lives.”

Despite the clear benefits of EMRs, there are important issues that need to be addressed before implementing the system, Dr. Pierce cautioned.

• Storage: While EMRs will likely be stored in internal hospital systems or external servers, each patient’s file could generate a colossal amount of data. “In the near future, terabytes of information may be generated during a doctor visit,” said Dr. Pierce. “It’s very difficult to transfer files of that magnitude, and the software must be able to store and send every x-ray, cat scan, genomic analysis data, MRI, prescription, and test that a patient gets.”

• Compatibility: Because most EMR programs are developed and sold by private companies, different hospital systems may not be interoperable with each other, making the transfer of electronic files complicated or impossible. Rapidly changing technology also poses a financial strain. “When a hospital or physician’s office invests millions of dollars into purchasing a system today, it may be outdated in five years, at which point, it can be very expensive to update and get a new program.”

• Privacy and Security: Given the infinite shelf-life of electronic files, EMRs incite debate about serious privacy, security, and ownership concerns, as well as the potential for past medical information to be used against a person. Dr. Pierce hypothetically notes a person who was prescribed antidepressants in college, and years later, the individual may not want this information available to potential employers. However, if the patient’s history is catalogued in an EMR, it will not only live-on forever, it is also highly accessible.

• Training: EMRs are still a relatively new system, and as such, require a form of interdisciplinary training that is not yet widely available. “Traditionally, hospitals staff an IT person who has little or no training in healthcare, and doctors and nurses who aren’t familiar with IT,” said Dr. Pierce. “A nation-wide move to EMRs prompts the need for trained individuals who are well-versed in both IT and medical technology.”

Above article published on

http://www.chiroeco.com/chiropractic/news/7885/675/Challenges-to-the-Presidents-plan-to-digitize-healthcare/

A recent report published by San Jose, CA-based Global Industry Analysts, Inc., providing off-the-shelf market research publications, predicts the global hospital information systems (HIS) market to reach more than $35 billion by 2015.

The HIS helps manage and consolidate clinical, financial and operational data, supporting interoperability and connectivity across the continuum of care. In attempts to reduce medical errors, minimize expenditure and enhance care delivery services, the healthcare industry has witnessed a great demand for healthcare information technology, with many hospitals and healthcare organizations investing in robust HIS and other information systems like electronic health records (EHR), picture archiving and communication systems (PACS), revenue cycle management solutions, etc. With efforts to improve care delivery and patient safety HIS adoption is also being increasingly promoted by the Governments worldwide, through various initiatives and incentives as seen by the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and the recent $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act signed into law by President Barack Obama, which earmarks $19 billion for health IT.

According to Global Industry Analysts’ current report, some of the worldwide HIS market and adoption trends include:

HIS trends in the healthcare IT global market

• From an international standpoint, the United States was found to have the biggest market for hospital information systems. The healthcare industry has witnessed a surge in the adoption of custom-made radiology information systems (RIS) and laboratory information systems (LIS), with potential market for the electronic medical record (EMR) solutions.

• Considered next in line, is Asia-Pacific, which in spite of having a smaller market with regard to revenue, holds wider opportunities for HIS. With an estimated 11.5% compounded annual rate of growth (CAGR) over the coming years, Asia-Pacific (apart from Japan) has become one of the fastest growing markets for HIS solutions, and also forebodes well for the prospective HIS market, worldwide.

• Additionally, the analysts predict increased growth in the emerging Health Informatics market in China, Australia, India, Malaysia, Thailand, and the Philippines.

Growth in various HIS segments

• Although Non-Clinical Information Systems, pertaining to the financial and administrative departments of a hospital, initially set the ball rolling for HIS adoption, according to the report, clinical information systems (CIS) have taken over in terms of adoption and revenues in the healthcare market.

• Among the various HIS offerings, clinical information systems hold the largest share in the product segment. The US represents the largest market for CIS solutions, which is estimated to increase by about 7.2% CAGR over the coming few years.

• The primary driving force for the CIS segment could be attributed to the healthcare industry’s growing demand for CIS as a decision-making tool to help reduce costs, optimize on workflow and enhance quality of care delivery.

Above article published on

http://www.healthnewsdirect.com/?p=509

20th Annual HIMSS Leadership Survey Findings Show Commitment to Healthcare IT, Cite EMR, CPOE, Security, Financial Concerns as Top Issues

CHICAGO — Implementing clinical systems – including an electronic medical record (EMR) and computerized provider order entry systems (CPOE) – was cited as the top priority for healthcare information technology (IT) professionals who responded to the 20th Annual Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) Leadership Survey.

Of the 304 respondents, 31 percent said the primary focus would be ensuring their organization has a full EMR. Another 17 percent said the primary focus would be the installation of a CPOE. Complete results of the Leadership Survey will be presented today at the 2009 Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition, one of the largest conferences in the IT industry.

Survey respondents’ answers also suggested the weakened economy has slowed the breakneck pace of growth but also that they and their organizations remain committed to healthcare IT. More than half of respondents (55 percent) said their IT budgets would increase, compared to 78 percent last year, and 42 percent said their staffing levels would increase, compared to 68 percent last year.

Many respondents completed the research prior to the Feb. 17 signing of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA), which aims to prompt the widespread adoption of healthcare IT and enable electronic exchange of health information through financial incentives. To assess the impact that the ARRA will have on IT spending, HIMSS is gathering additional information from survey respondents.

“The economy is affecting all sectors, healthcare IT included, but the good news is healthcare IT still continues to grow,” said Charles E. Christian, HIMSS board chair. “With the passage of the ARRA, the resulting billions of dollars intended to stimulate healthcare IT should certainly impact how respondents view their budget options.”

As in past years, security issues remain a top concern and 84 percent of respondents said their organization actively assesses security risks. One in four (25 percent) said they’d had a security breach in the past year. To address the risks, nearly half (49 percent) said they plan to purchase single sign-on technology in the next year. Currently, 31 percent said they have single sign-on technology. Other security technologies a third or more respondents said they plan to purchase include e-mail encryption; biometric technologies, intrusion prevention/detection service and data encryption. Currently, 62 percent use e-mail encryption, 18 percent use biometric technologies, 75 percent use intrusion prevention/detection service and 56 percent use data encryption.

Other findings of the 20th Leadership Survey include:

• Respondents were most likely to indicate that IT can have an impact by reducing medical errors (38 percent) and improving quality outcomes (24 percent).
• While 29 percent said sustaining financial viability was the key business objective at their organization, 24 percent identified patient safety and quality of care as the single key business objective.
• More than half (54 percent) said financial considerations was the business issue that would most impact on healthcare.
• Lack of adequate financial resources was identified by 28 percent of respondents as the top barrier to successful implementation of IT. Although this has been named as the top barrier for nine years straight, the percentage continues to climb – last year it was cited by 26 percent of respondents and the year before by 20 percent.
• An overwhelming majority (84 percent) said there is a strong level of integration between IT strategies and overall organizational strategy: 37 percent said their IT strategic plan is a component of the organization’s strategic plan and 47 percent said the plans were separate, but integrated.

Twenty years of HIMSS Leadership Surveys have tracked the shifts in healthcare IT implementation and mindset. Steady progress has been documented. For instance, the 1995 survey asked respondents about their plans for implementing an EMR – what was then called a computer-based patient record system – and just 26 percent of respondents said they had invested in software and equipment (although not necessarily implemented it), while 74 percent of respondents essentially hadn’t even begun. Perhaps not fully understanding the complexities of the issue, 87 percent of survey respondents thought physicians would be able to share computerized patient information in a nationwide system by 2005. This year 41 percent said they have a fully operational EMR in at least one facility in their organization, up from 32 percent two years ago. Seventeen percent said they have a fully operational EMR throughout their entire organization. More than a third (37 percent) said they’d begun to install EMR in at least one facility.

Above article published on www.himss.org.

I have been learning about the Web 2.0 for more than a year. Since February I have been writing about it in this blog. The purpose is to share with others what I know, to get more and more people involved with it. Not all my colleagues I have talked to about it really understand the concept or why it is so important to learn about it though.

That is why I have been thinking how to teach my colleagues in the health care community about the importance of Web 2.0 and Medicine . But without complicated terms or definitions. Why is important to learn about it? For me it is really clear that these concepts and technologies of the web 2.0 applied to medicine are going to change how the flow of medical information is created. With the use of these “new” tools we are going to go back to basics, and we will have the chance to learn medicine in a Socratic way again. We will have more time to spend with our peers to talk about the humanistic side of medicine. Learning about Web 2.0 and Medicine is as important as to learn about writing . All of us recognize the importance of knowing how to write. I think all of us can recognize the importance of writing in the mankind history.

I going to quote The British Library Board . Why to write: “For thousands of years human beings have used marks, symbols, drawings and signs to communicate with one another. In order to share knowledge, we need to be able to store information and pass it on to future generations. Memory is our first resource, but, over the centuries, we have developed many other ways to store and transmit information.”

You know how to write in paper format and you know all the advantages it has. But do you know how to write on internet ? How much do you know ? Can you imagine all the opportunities the learning of these technologies can generate? That is why to learn about Web 2.0 and Medicine is important.