New Tool Shows Promise in Helping Surgical Teams Predict Home Discharge for Their Patients

Frequently predicted surgical outcomes primarily focus on adverse outcomes such as complications and death, but most patients also want to know about good outcomes, including whether they will return home after a surgical procedure, or, conversely, if they will need to prepare for a lengthy rehabilitation process at a care facility.  Now, research published in the February issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons shows that a new type of surgical risk calculator can accurately predict postoperative home discharge.

Read More »

Innovative System Ensures Reliable Care for Patients at Risk of Pressure Ulcers

Despite known and effective methods for identifying risk and preventing hospital-acquired pressure ulcers, pressure ulcers remain the most prevalent preventable hospital-acquired condition. Turning patients at certain intervals is a proven approach to preventing HAPUs, but this routine task is often delayed or skipped when nurses are drawn unexpectedly into demanding or emergent situations.

Read More »

Press Ganey Acquires Technology Firm to Enable Real-Time, Point-of-Care Patient Feedback

Press Ganey, the leading patient experience improvement firm, has acquired On The Spot Systems®, a point-of-care survey technology firm that enables organizations to capture real-time patient feedback. The acquisition advances Press Ganey’s Patient Voice™ portfolio for health care organizations by adding Point of Care to existing modes of mail, phone, and eSurvey.

Read More »

Welltok Taps IBM Watson to Create Novel Health Optimization Service for Consumers

Welltok, Inc., the leading Social Health Management company, is partnering with IBM to bring a unique collaborative solution called CaféWell Concierge powered by IBM Watson to market. The new, easy-to-use solution will offer healthcare consumers the ability to identify personalized activities, health content and condition management programs to optimize their health and get rewarded for positive behavior change.

Read More »

System Secures, Tracks Medication Deliveries Sent Through Existing Pneumatic Tube Delivery Systems

Aethon Inc. has unveiled a patent-pending system that secures and tracks medication deliveries sent through a hospital’s existing pneumatic tube system and guarantees medication is delivered to authorized personnel. Pneumatic tube systems are used extensively to deliver medications through hospitals. Yet, missing or delayed doses cost the hospital millions of dollars in lost productivity, inventory, and safety concerns.

Read More »