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poikonen: Diamonds 4 bfast @sugarloaf, yum, yum

HIMSS12 HIE Symposium Reflects on Recent Success and Plots the Future of HIE Sustainability HIE: The Year of Implementation, Collaboration & Beyond, will be held at HIMSS12 in Las Vegas on Monday, Feb. 20, as part of the pre-conference symposia lineup. The symposia will focus on implementation, collaboration and ways of leveraging innovation to advance HIE organizations at the local, state and regional levels. The HIE landscape is in transition as state and regional HIE organizations seek innovative sustainability, enterprise HIE organizations advance and ACO models develop across the country. Now is the time for these organizations to build a solid foundation for a sustainable business platform, look to their stakeholders for collaboration opportunities and explore new innovations that will propel them forward. These successes will support HIE organizations to truly become the core enabler that facilitates effective and efficient quality patient care delivery. This Symposium focuses on what today’s HIE o...

STUDY: E-PRESCRIBING SHOWN TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES AND SAVE U.S. HEALTHCARE SYSTEM BILLIONS OF DOLLARS Study Quantifies Relationship between E-Prescribing and Medication Adherence, With Potential Savings of $140 Billion over the Next 10 Years ARLINGTON, Va. - Feb. 1, 2012 - Surescripts, the nation's e-prescription network, today announced study findings from de-identified data that link e-prescribing to a significant increase in first-fill medication adherence. Poor adherence to medication therapy is a large and costly problem in the U.S. The World Health Organization estimates that as many as 50 percent of patients do not adhere fully to their medication treatment[1], leading to 125,000 premature deaths and billions in preventable health care costs[2]. The Surescripts analysis suggests that the increase in first-fill medication adherence combined with other e-prescribing benefits could, over the next 10 years, lead to between $140 billion and $240 billion in health care savings and improved health outcomes....

Dr. Farzad Mostashari, the national health IT coordinator, expects health information exchange to ramp up significantly in 2012 because the necessary elements of interoperability will be in place. The health information exchange strategy means finally bringing together the standards, identity authentication certificates, governance for rules of the road, and the availability of directories or digital provider phone books. [Commentary: 3 reasons to let customers define HIE services.] These will enable providers to exchange information whether through a simple transaction for a referral or sharing a test with another provider or a more complex query for patient data. More work will need to be done, “but I think we really do have the pieces coming together for a big win on interoperability in exchange in 2012,” he told the Feb. 1 meeting of the advisory Health IT Policy Committee. Health information exchange will be a critical part of the meaningful use of electronic health records (EHRs) as it moves to stage 2...

poikonen: Virtual Pharmacist Helps Shop for OTC Drugs http://t.co/pNO0PBCL via @berci

Imagine having the assistance of a pharmacist when shopping for over-the-counter meds. Scandinavian Outcomes AB, a Swedish consulting firm, has released the Medicinera.se app for iOS and Android that promises to ease drug shopping through the help of a ‘virtual pharmacist’. Currently it is only available in Swedish and works with European drugs and drug names. But, if you’ve got hemorrojder and are visiting Sweden, you might just have a way to buy the right cream without having to explain yourself to a real person behind the counter that may not speak your language. The Virtual pharmacist service is integrated in the app Medicinera.se and consists of a robot with artificial intelligence specialized in pharmacy. The service supports consumers in chosing the right over-the-counter drug for more than a hundred of everyday ailments that can be self treated. The Virtual pharmacist answers users questions in Swedish in real time, and provides answers that are up-todate, impartial and quality assured by licensed Swe...

poikonen: RT @carpejam: Profile of Virginia Tech high jumper and future pharmacist Ronnie Black: http://t.co/SRSQp8Ir

poikonen: #meaningfuluse Phase II out in next couple of weeks

poikonen: RT @dirkstanley: #CMIO#MassHIE Great discussion on workflow and #Informatics strategy by @jhalamka ! Clinician governance will play big ...

See sections 36 and 37 on CPOE and HIE Whereas, The deferred operation of this act would tend to defeat its purposes, which is to expand forthwith access to health care for residents of the commonwealth, therefore it is hereby declared to be an emergency law, necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same as follows: SECTION 1. Subsection (d) of section 38C of chapter 3 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the third sentence and inserting in place thereof the following sentence:- The division shall enter into interagency agreements as necessary with the office of Medicaid, the group insurance commission, the department of public health, the division of insurance, the health care quality and cost council, and other state agencies holding utilization, cost or claims data relevant to the division’s review under this sect...

May 05, 2010 HIT incentives in Massachusetts: Less carrot, more stick Health care providers all over the country are all worked up because they say that the federales' regulations on meaningful use of certified EHRs go too far, too fast. They should be glad they're not in Massachusetts, where EHR use will soon be required as a condition of licensure of physicians, hospitals and community health centers. The word got out, thanks to Secretary of Health and Human Services JudyAnn Bigby, who spoke at last week's HIT conference hosted by Governor Deval Patrick and the MA Health Data Consortium. This seemed to be news to some folks out there, but these requirements are deep in the heart of Part II of the Massachusetts health reform law (Chapter 305 of the Acts of 2008). Much of the coverage in August 2008 didn't mention the EHR-for-licensure provisions, but the HealthBlawg post at the time highlighted the EHR requirement as a condition of licensure as one of the important bits enacted in Chapter...

Abstract and Introduction Abstract Background Rashes are a frequent conundrum in clinical practice as they may be reactive, drug induced or disease specific. Identification of the culprit drug is important as re-exposure may be harmful or even life-threatening and unnecessary avoidance of 'innocent' drugs leads to limitations of treatment options. Objective To objectify the cause of suspected cutaneous drug reactions in a large patient population. Method Over 5 years (2006–10), 612 patients with suspected cutaneous drug reactions were evaluated. Histology was assessed. About 200 patients were invited for complete work-up with skin tests (prick/intracutaneous testing and scratch/patch as indicated) and, if necessary, lymphocyte transformation tests (LTT). In special cases, drug provocation tests were conducted. Results A total numb...

This week: A new model for heading off disease before it starts; the mindset one needs to conquer a grueling endurance challenge; the team approach to ending maternal mortality, and the debut of TEDMED’s very own theme song. Enjoy - and be sure to join the discussion on Facebook and Twitter (@TEDMED). FOUR NEW VIDEOS FROM TEDMED2011 DAVID AGUS Agus, author of the new book The End of Illness, talks about how preventive and personalized medicine, spurred by genetic testing, can help individuals ward off disease altogether. Is this medicine’s blueprint for the future? View Video DIANA NYAD “Do you have it?” Nyad asked herself as she set out to swim from Cuba to Florida. What did it take to try such a feat? And for what? Hint: It had little to do with setting a record. See what determination looks like. View Video MICHAEL ROSENBLATT During the few minutes Merck’s CMO spoke, about 20 women died in childbirth – largely preventable tragedies, and with far-rangi...

poikonen: RT @DrJeffCain: Supreme Court refuses to hear student internet speech cases. Still no clear ruling, but schools should be wary. http:// ...

poikonen: Nice Surgeon General Report: Improving Patient and Health System Outcomes through Advanced Pharmacy Practice http://t.co/MvGo25ZR

Improving Patient and Health System Outcomes through Advanced Pharmacy Practice A Report to the US Surgeon General, 2011 Click Image to View the Report / Letter This comprehensive Report to the U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Regina Benjamin on current pharmacy practice has been reviewed and discussed collaboratively between U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) Pharmacy leadership, the Office of the Surgeon General, and Dr. Benjamin throughout the past year. For the first time in our history, the U.S. Surgeon General was presented with a comprehensive evidence-based report on pharmacy practice. After reviewing the Report, Dr. Benjamin issued a signed letter of support. The Report utilizes objective data to advance the discussion of how models of innovative care involving pharmacists can ultimately help alleviate demands on the health care system (acce...

PharmMD Applauds Report From The Office Of The Chief Pharmacist, U.S. Public Health Service By: PharmMD via Business Wire News Releases Posted on January 12, 2012 at 10:27 AM EST PharmMD, the nation’s leader in quality Medication Therapy Management (MTM) services, applauds the January 9th report, Improving Patient and Health System Outcomes through Advanced Pharmacy Practice, from the Office of the Chief Pharmacist, U.S. Public Health Service. With an official endorsement letter from Regina Benjamin, MD, MBA, U.S. Surgeon General, this report outlines four focus points that confirm the value and present the roadmap for integration of pharmacists more fully into the patient care process. “On behalf of PharmMD and our pharmacist network, we are thankful to the U.S. Surgeon General’s letter and bringing this report to policy makers’ attention. As a pharmacist w...

poikonen: RT @Informatics_Doc: PharmMD Applauds Report from Office Of The Chief Pharmacist US Public Hlth Srvc http://t.co/SYFNrrh5

poikonen: @missMedSafety Bro is Fire Chief. Last nights discussion: Why isn't Healthcare provided by gov? Similar missions as Fire Fighting.