Saturday, April 10, 2010
Emergence of the E-Patient
The emergence of the e-patient 04/10/2010. The National Library of Medicine wants to be part of the conversation on “e-patients.” So it made sense to Dr. Donald Lindberg, director of the library, to co-sponsor an e-patient conference on April 6 and April 7 on the National Institutes of Health campus in Bethesda. The event brought in experts and patients who are using social media tools and other health IT applications to help manage their care. “I was struck by the patients going after the information on the Internet. They deem themselves e-patients,” Lindberg told me. “Call if chat groups or whatever, the patients get helpful information from each other.” Federal Computer Week
VA Reaching Out to Veterans via Online Social Media
Department of Veterans Affairs reaching out to vets via blogs and social media 04/10/2010. A little before 8 every morning, Brandon Friedman steps into his cubicle, turns on his computer and tries to single-handedly revolutionize the way the Department of Veterans Affairs talks to vets. Friedman, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, arrived at VA eight months ago with a mandate: to reach veterans using new media -- and little else. It's no easy mission at a department known for its communication failures and cumbersome bureaucracy. Friedman has helped overhaul the department's Web site, created a dozen Facebook pages and launched a Twitter account. The goal, he said, is to improve communication between veterans and the department. Washington Post
inTransition Podcast
PODCAST: inTransition Program 04/10/2010. Lt. Col. Hans Ritschard discusses the inTransition program, a program that will offer service members currently receiving mental health treatment access to support coaches and other assistance during their transition between providers for those who are transferred, deployed, re-assigned or separated. Health.mil
VAOIG Review of Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital Columbia, Missouri
Combined Assessment Program Review of the Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital Columbia, Missouri 04/10/2010. The purpose of the review was to evaluate selected operations, focusing on patient care administration and quality management (QM). During the review, we provided fraud and integrity awareness training to 254 employees. The review covered seven operational activities. The medical center complied with selected standards in the following two activities (1) physician credentialing and privileging and (2) suicide prevention safety plans. We made recommendations for improvement in the following five activities: Environment of care. Reusable medical equipment. QM. Medication management. Coordination of care. VAOIG
New Drug Disposal Program for Veterans
VA, USPS to test new drug disposal idea 04/10/2010. The Veterans Affairs Department and U.S. Postal Service are testing a program to allow veterans to mail back expired and unused prescription drugs for safe disposal. Federal Times
New PubMed Articles 10 April 2010
1.
Otte C, Wüst S, Zhao S, Pawlikowska L, Kwok PY, Whooley MA.
J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2010 Apr 6. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20371666 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related citations
2.
Hysong SJ, Sawhney MK, Wilson L, Sittig DF, Espadas D, Davis T, Singh H.
J Am Med Inform Assoc. 2010 Jan-Feb;17(1):71-7.PMID: 20064805 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related citations
Thursday, April 8, 2010
VA and DoD Working to Prevent Long Term Mental Health Casualties
Shinseki Emphasizes Addressing Mental Health Issues Early 04/08/2010. Close collaboration between the Defense and Veterans Affairs departments, plus proactive military screening policies, are helping to identify and treat mental-health issues in returning combat veterans before they escalate into more serious, long-term problems, Veteran Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki told American Forces Press Service. Shinseki credited Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates’ leadership in addressing mental-health concerns early, before they spill over into the VA health care system. Defense.gov
Institute of Medicine Study Looking for Veteran Input
Veterans Input Needed on Environmental Breast Cancer Study 04/08/2010. The Institute of Medicine will study the relationship between the environment and breast cancer. Because of the multiple environmental hazards faced by veterans, many may be at risk for breast cancer and other serious disease. Veterans are encouraged to submit written comments and/or oral testimony to the Institute of Medicine. Veterans Today
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
New PubMed Articles 07 April 2010
1.
Harris AH, Kivlahan DR, Bowe T, Humphreys KN.
2.
Lemke SP, Schaefer JA.
3.
Iyer CP, Robertson BD, Lenkovsky F, Huerta S, Livingston E, Thurmon JJ.
Surg Obes Relat Dis. 2010 Mar 4;6(2):181-4. Epub 2009 Aug 31.PMID: 20359670 [PubMed - in process]Related citations
4.
Amin MM, Parisi JA, Gold MS, Gold AR.
5.
Okrah K, Vaughan-Sarrazin M, Cram P.
6.
McInnes DK, Hyun JK, Trafton JA, Asch SM, Gifford AL.
7.
Spoont MR, Murdoch M, Hodges J, Nugent S.
8.
Kilbourne AM, Greenwald DE, Hermann RC, Charns MP, McCarthy JF, Yano EM.
9.
French DD, Margo CE.
Two New Veterans Health Twitters
VA Trying to End Homelessness Among Veterans
VA Tackles Root Causes of Homelessness 04/07/2010. No one who has ever served the United States in uniform should ever end up living on the street, Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki insists. So he’s committed to ending homelessness among America’s veterans within the next five years, and reports he’s already seeing signs of progress through a plan that provides not just beds, but also services to address the root causes. With increased funding in VA’s fiscal 2011 budget request, Shinseki told American Forces Press Service, he’s intent on expanding the homeless program to include more preventive services: education, jobs and health care. Defense.gov
VAOIG Reviews of Outpatient Clinics in Florida and Texas
Healthcare Inspection Community Based Outpatient Clinic Reviews Coral Springs and Key West, FL Boca Raton and Vero Beach, FL Denton and Fort Worth, TX 04/07/2010. The VA Office of Inspector General reviewed six Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) the week of January 19–22, 2010. The CBOCs reviewed in Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) 8 were Coral Springs and Key West, FL and Boca Raton and Vero Beach, FL; and, in VISN 17, Denton and Fort Worth, TX. The parent facilities of these CBOCs are Miami VA Healthcare System (HCS), West Palm Beach VA Medical Center (VAMC), and VA North Texas HCS, respectively. The purpose of the review was to assess whether CBOCs are operated in a manner that provides veterans with consistent, safe, high-quality health care. VAOIG
VA's IT Investments Paying Off
VA Health Information Technology Improves Quality of Health Care While Reducing Costs 04/07/2010. The Department of Veterans Affairs has shown that health information technology provides improved quality of health care and substantial cost savings, according to a study in the public health journal "Health Affairs." The use of technology lowered costs while producing improvements in quality, safety and patient satisfaction. VA
Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record Tests Being Conducted
VA, DOD will raise the bar in Hampton Roads HIE test 04/07/2010. The Veterans Affairs and Defense departments intend to test more complex health data sets and include more participants in its second “VLER Community” project, the latest in a planned series of live tests of a Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record for military community members and their families. Government Health IT
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Patients Should Be Consulted When Designing Health Information Technology
Want better health information technology? Ask patients how they want it. 04/06/2010. Hopes are high that health information technology will support care between office visits, boost efficiency and convenience, and help patients lead healthier lives. An evaluation in the April Health Affairs suggests how to make the most of this new approach: Routinely ask patients how they like it and what they want. "It's crucial to ask patients whether the health information technology they use is meeting their needs promptly and appropriately and honoring their values and preferences," said lead author James Ralston, MD, MPH, an associate investigator at Group Health Research Institute and an internist at Group Health Cooperative. Group Health Cooperative Center for Health Studies via Eurekalert!
EHR Alone Have Limited Ability to Improve Quality of Care and Costs
Electronic health record alone may have limited ability to improve quality, costs of care 04/06/2010. The implementation of electronic health record systems may not be enough to significantly improve health quality and reduce costs. In the April 2010 issue of Health Affairs, researchers from the Mongan Institute for Health Policy at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) report finding that currently implemented systems have little effect on measures such as patient mortality, surgical complications, length of stay and costs. The authors note that greater attention may need to be paid to how systems are being implemented and used, with the goal of identifying best practices. Massachusetts General Hospital via Eurekalert!
Monday, April 5, 2010
New PubMed Articles 04/05/2010
1.
Caplan L, Hines AE, Williams E, Prochazka AV, Saag KG, Cunningham F, Hutt E.
Osteoporos Int. 2010 Apr 1. [Epub ahead of print]PMID: 20358362 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]Related articles
2.
Costa DL, Kahn ME.
3.
Hubbard Winkler SL, Cowper Ripley DC, Wu S, Reker DM, Vogel B, Fitzgerald SG, Mann WC, Hoenig H.
Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2010 Mar;91(3):369-377.e1.PMID: 20298826 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related articles
4.
Nowlis E, Bilello JF, Venugopal C, Rich NM.
J Trauma. 2010 Feb;68(2):E32-4. No abstract available. PMID: 19704387 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related articles
5.
Smith LE.
6.
Ritchie E.
US Army Med Dep J. 2008 Jul-Sep:50-1. No abstract available. PMID: 20088063 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related articles
7.
Czerw RJ.
US Army Med Dep J. 2008 Jul-Sep:1-6. No abstract available. PMID: 20088059 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related articles
8.
Tucker MS.
US Army Med Dep J. 2008 Jan-Mar:5-7. No abstract available. PMID: 20091965 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related articles
9.
Czerw RJ.
US Army Med Dep J. 2008 Jan-Mar:1-4. No abstract available. PMID: 20091964 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]Related articles
10.
Dominguez MA.
Few Veterans Seek Review Of Disability Rating
Few Veterans Seek Review Of Disability Rating, Panel Finds 04/05/2010. "Only a small fraction of wounded veterans who could get better benefits have applied in the two years since Congress, acting on concerns the military was cutting costs by downplaying injuries, ordered the Pentagon to review disputed claims," The Associated Press reports. "As of mid-March, only 921 veterans have applied out of the 77,000 the Pentagon estimates are eligible, according to numbers provided by the Physical Disability Board of Review." Kaiser Health News
New Services to be Offered in MyHealtheVet
VA provides new services to vets 04/05/10. The VA has been offering My HealtheVet since 2003 and now features enhanced access with information for prescriptions and other health records.
Veterans can utilize the most from the Web site, www.myhealth.va.gov, by visiting their local VA health care facility and upgrading their account through a process known as the In-Person Authentication. The process only takes a little more than 10 minutes, according to Debbie Whisenant, veteran health education coordinator.
The highlight of the latest upgrade is that vets can now see the names of their prescriptions, not just the Rx numbers. They will also be able to access upcoming features such as making appointments online, which will be rolling out late summer or early fall. Sometime after that, patients will be able to communicate with staff to cancel or reschedule appointments through secure messaging. Down the road, appointment reminders and lab results will be available. BlueRidgeNow.com
Veterans can utilize the most from the Web site, www.myhealth.va.gov, by visiting their local VA health care facility and upgrading their account through a process known as the In-Person Authentication. The process only takes a little more than 10 minutes, according to Debbie Whisenant, veteran health education coordinator.
The highlight of the latest upgrade is that vets can now see the names of their prescriptions, not just the Rx numbers. They will also be able to access upcoming features such as making appointments online, which will be rolling out late summer or early fall. Sometime after that, patients will be able to communicate with staff to cancel or reschedule appointments through secure messaging. Down the road, appointment reminders and lab results will be available. BlueRidgeNow.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
