AdvaMed report focuses on benefit for people with diabetes, congestive heart failure, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Telehomecare and remote monitoring technologies can play a vital role in managing costly and debilitating chronic diseases, according to a new report by AdvaMed, the Advanced Medical Technology Association. The report describes how such technologies — which convey real-time, physiological information on a patient's condition over the Internet or phone lines — enable physicians to adjust and tailor therapy to meet a patient's changing needs in between visits to a health care provider.
"Telehomecare and remote monitoring are increasingly recognized as valuable tools for enhancing care quality in chronic disease management," says lead researcher Max E. Stachura, M.D., director of the Center for Telehealth at the Medical College of Georgia. "For patients, these technologies mean fewer office and emergency room visits, fewer and reduced duration of hospitalizations, less travel time and expense, and increased access — especially for the elderly, the physically challenged, the homebound, and rural patients. For clinicians, they mean more informed decision-making, enhanced patient compliance, and more efficient case management."
"It is essential that public and private sector leaders who can influence healthcare payment policy recognize the potential for remote monitoring and telehomecare to improve care and efficiently manage resources for an aging population, as well as for patients living with chronic diseases," says Stephen J. Ubl, president and CEO of AdvaMed. "Compelling evidence suggests that remote monitoring and telehomecare are economically viable, proven ways to help alleviate some of the growing pressures on health care spending."
The report, which is based on a review of published studies on telehomecare and remote monitoring, as well as several current case studies, focused primarily on how these technologies have impacted the care of patients with diabetes, congestive heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Among the findings in the report:
A study of 281 congestive heart failure patients who received telehomecare found that they experienced a 60% reduction in hospital admissions, a 66% decline in emergency room visits, and a 59% reduction in pharmacy utilization. In contrast, the control group experienced increases in all of these areas.
When patients with severe respiratory illness requiring long-term oxygen therapy were remotely monitored, hospital admissions decreased by 50%, acute clinical problems decreased 55%, and hospitalization costs went down by 17%.
A study of 400 diabetes patients found that those monitored by in-home glucose meters and video conferencing showed significantly greater improvement in reducing average blood sugar levels than those who did not receive such monitoring.
Access a copy of the full report, which is also available with a , in the News Room section of AdvaMed's Web site at www.advamed.org.
Source: Advanced Medical Technology Association
MGH Expands Use of LiveData Integration Technology, Further Deploying OR-Dashboard
LiveData, Inc., leader in real-time integration and display technology, has announced that Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) has expanded its deployment of LiveData OR-Dashboard, and incorporated its functionality into plans for future OR design, construction and renovation.
Initially installed in the MGH Operating Room of the Future, LiveData OR-Dashboard is now being used in general purpose operating rooms. Implementation of the "template" OR, which meets enterprise IT infrastructure requirements, has opened the door to widespread installation. LiveData OR-Dashboard is live in two operating rooms now, with three more scheduled this fall, and has been implemented in one Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), a recovery room.
"Going forward, it is our plan that LiveData OR-Dashboard will be an integral part of our design for new and renovated operating rooms," stated Bethany Daily, administrative director, OR Business and Information Services. "Over the past three years, Massachusetts General Hospital and LiveData have developed an ongoing technology and clinical application partnership, and we see that relationship continuing to grow."
LiveData OR-Dashboard presents essential information about the patient and surgical case to the entire OR team in real-time, integrating data from patient records, administrative systems, physiological monitors, and medical devices. Presented on a large, flat-panel display in the OR, the dashboard is visible from anywhere in the OR, and is updated automatically throughout the perioperative process.
One of the latest innovations being used at MGH is a novel Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) dashboard. The PACU dashboard, envisioned by OR staff at MGH and developed in concert with LiveData, displays information relevant to the recovery team preparing to receive OR patients, including OR location, scheduled procedure, physiologic data, and staff present in the OR. The MGH Best Practice Pod Project is an appropriate trial for such a dashboard, as there is a clustering of three operating rooms with a dedicated mini-PACU. Each OR will be equipped with LiveData OR-Dashboard and stream information directly to the PACU. Prepared to meet incoming requirements, the PACU team can offer each patient a smooth transition from operating to recovery room.
"This project is a logical extension of our work in the OR of the Future," said Dr. Wilton Levine, clinical director of the Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, and Anesthesia leader of the Best Practice Pod Project. "Clustering a small number of ORs with a dedicated PACU keeps the patient and surgical team in close proximity immediately following surgery. The physical proximity, together with the continuous flow of patient information from the OR to PACU, can significantly enhance the quality of hand offs and the patient's transition to recovery."
LiveData's software can be modified in collaboration with care teams to automate information delivery and reinforce critical safety and workflow practices.
"The LiveData system automatically presents key patient information to the entire team. Everyone sees the same information at the same time, and this enhances effective communication and helps the team adhere to essential safety protocols," stated Dawn Tenney, RN, MSN, associate chief nurse, Perioperative Nursing. "Patient safety is improved by the flow of information from the intraoperative phase into the PACU. Our next project will address the entire perioperative process, from pre-op through intra-op and post-op. We strive to significantly improve the quality of the patient's hand-off, not only from the pre-op area but especially from the OR to recovery."
LiveData CEO Jeff Robbins said, "This commitment takes the business partnership between MGH and LiveData to a new level, including more intimate cooperation that will lead to further product enhancements and improvement. We are proud of the way our relationship has evolved over these past years, and appreciate the confidence represented in this growing commitment."
Source: LiveData
DoubleCheckMD.com Offers Online Search for Drug Interactions and Reactions
Enhanced Medical Decisions, Inc., a health information technology (IT) innovator dedicated to creating solutions for U.S. healthcare issues has announced DoubleCheckMD.com (Beta) — a powerful, first-ever, online medical search technology that empowers users to quickly and easily find accessible, accurate information on drug interactions and side affects. Consumers and medical professionals will save vast amounts of time and eliminate irrelevant searches while using DoubleCheckMD.com's groundbreaking "natural language" search technology. This technology can determine whether any of the following may be causing adverse symptoms or reactions individually or together: prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, vitamin supplements, and herbal substances.
Current statistics (U.S. Food and Drug Administration ) on adverse drug reactions include:
- Adverse drug reactions are the fourth leading cause of death.
- There are over two million serious adverse drug reactions each year.
- Adverse drug reactions account for approximately 100,000 deaths each year.
- One out of five injuries or deaths to hospitalized patients each year is caused by adverse drug reactions.
"With the current state of the U.S. healthcare industry, the record numbers of prescriptions Americans are taking, and the vast potential for adverse drug interactions and reactions, we created DoubleCheckMD.com to help consumers and medical professionals quickly cut through overwhelming amounts of data to access important and sometimes critical, lifesaving information," says Marlene Beggelman, MD, founder, Enhanced Medical Decisions, Inc., and DoubleCheckMD.com. "With over two million serious adverse drug reactions each year in the U.S., we thought DoubleCheckMD.com was a much-needed technology solution that could empower consumers and improve lives."
DoubleCheckMD.com (Beta) helps consumers and medical professionals:
- Identify drug-related symptoms faster than any other system.
- Have access to and share information that was previously available only to medical professionals.
- Use proprietary "natural language" medical search technology to accurately understand what users are trying to say and provide them with clear, targeted results.
- Learn about the drug interactions and reactions for prescription drugs, over-the-counter, and many herbal preparations/medications.
- Identify drug-related symptoms that might otherwise have been missed.
- Potentially decrease unnecessary invasive testing when medications are the cause of symptoms.
Having previewed DoubleCheckMD.com (Beta) in September at the Health 2.0 Conference in San Francisco, Enhanced Medical Decisions, Inc. plans to continue finalizing DoubleCheckMD.com and launch in 2008.
Source: Enhanced Medical Decisions, Inc.
