Is Your Health System Ready for an Integrated Applications Platform?
While some specialty software solutions may offer more features and functionality than those of a single vendor, it often comes at a substantial internal cost. Purchasing and licensing expenses for multiple systems can easily stack up, not to mention staff time for managing vendor relationships and coordinating system implementation, training, and servicing.
Should You Conduct Allergy Testing for Asthma Patients in Primary Care?
Up to 60% of adults and 90% of children with asthma may have allergic triggers. That connection is part of why the Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Management of Asthma recommend specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) testing to look for allergic sensitizations that may be contributing to inflammation.
Anesthesiologists Play Critical Role in Identifying Undiagnosed Sleep Apnea
While sleep apnea affects 9%–24% of the general population—or 29.4 million American men and women, according to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM)—more than 90% of cases remain undiagnosed.
The Use of Mobile Devices in Healthcare
Between 2015 and 2018, the number of mHealth apps available for download doubled. Industry experts anticipate that this impressive growth rate will continue for many years and that the market will reach a whopping global value of $60 billion by 2020.
Touching Eyes: Disinfecting Ophthalmology Devices
Despite the infection dangers, The Joint Commission’s advisory says that healthcare workers are often unaware of disinfection requirements or misinterpret manufacturer instructions for cleaning. Many people use the wrong type of cleaners on ophthalmology devices.
Enterprise Analytics: Data, Insight, Process Change, Repeat
Donabedian’s model evolved over the past five decades as greater sources of data became available through the deployment of transactional systems such as electronic medical records (EMR). In addition, advances in computing power and data storage now allow analysis of these data-rich repositories by workers not necessarily trained in traditional IT.
Virtual Reality Could Improve Surgical Safety
Imagine a world where surgeons and their teams could practice a surgical procedure using VR software. It’s apparently here, and Osso claims to train approximately 1,000 surgeons a month using not much more than a headset that looks like a pair of goggles and two handheld controllers.
The Relationship Between Supply Chain and the Frontline Clinician
The intent of this paper is to begin filling the void in the literature as to the importance of the clinician and supply chain relationship and its impact on achievement of the Quadruple Aim, and to make recommendations for alignment between frontline clinicians and the supply chain. This paper will also contend that an “invisible” healthcare supply chain represents a high-functioning, efficient supply chain as clinician needs are being met, resulting in quality care administration among other areas of impact.
Published Review of Independent Double Checks Shouldn’t Dissuade Providers From Using Them Judiciously
ISMP respectfully concludes that little evidence was provided that should cause healthcare providers to abandon the use of judicious and well-placed independent double checks for selected high-alert medications. Instead, ISMP continues to believe that the selective and proper use of manual independent double checks plays an important role in medication safety.
Industry Focus: Evaluating Sources of Patient Experience Data
In addition to comments, there is plenty of quantitative data related to the patient experience. Most organizations, regardless of sector (long-term care, home health, emergency department, ambulatory surgery centers, clinics, hospitals) have some kind of survey related to their patients’ experiences.