News Bureau 11-13 through 11-18
11/18/09
PR Newswire
Registration in the Palm of Your Hand
When patients were admitted to the new El Camino Hospital in Mountain View for the first time on Monday, November 16, the registration process included something most people associate with sci-fi thrillers — a cutting edge biometric registration system that “reads” patients’ identities by scanning the unique vein structures in their palms… When someone else uses your medical identity, their medical records can be combined with yours, resulting in your physician having inaccurate information about you. This can lead to improper medical treatment. From allergies to pre-existing conditions, any misinformation contained in your medical record could be dangerous or life threatening.
11/17/09
AHIP
Continuance Health Solutions: Medicare Advantage and Part D plans prepare for additional CMS compliance reporting and external data validation requirements
The new rules require plans to gather, review and submit additional data from across their entire organization. Many of these requirements will need to be reported at the plan level thus increasing, exponentially, the number of reports to be gathered and submitted. In order to comply with increased monitoring and reporting, plans will benefit from utilizing formal workflow processes which are sustainable and easily transferable, and an ability to monitor every aspect of the reporting requirement workflow across all contracts and plans within the organization.
11/17/09
New York Times
A Genetics Company Fails, Its Research Too Complex
After the human genome sequence was achieved in 2003, Dr. Stefansson quickly realized that Iceland’s excellent medical records, combined with the genealogical information available on its close-knit population, provided a fine test bed for seeking the roots of genetically complex diseases like cancer, diabetes and schizophrenia.
11/16/09
BBC News
London medical records go online
Millions of patient records are to go online in London after long delays to an NHS IT upgrade in the city.
11/14/09
CBS4 Florida
Fla. Medicaid May Put Some Medical Records Online
The state of Florida is beginning to take steps that when completed will make the medical histories of one million Medicaid patients available to doctors, clinics, and hospitals around the state. The program was outlined by the director of the state Center for Health Information and Policy analysis during a Miami conference on Medicaid.
11/14/09
Wisconsin State Journal
Epic hopes to keep thriving in a crowded records market
In the past several years, as adoption of electronic medical records has become part of the national agenda, Epic’s revenues have ballooned from $370 million in 2005 to about $500 million in 2007 to $600 million last year….Earlier this year, Dell came out with its own software for physicians affiliated with hospitals, as well as a joint product with Sam’s Club and eClinicalWorks aimed at small physician practices.
11/14/09
MedCity News
A crucial cure for health care: Six steps to curb raging inflation
Create electronic personal medical records. Patients’ medical records must be digitized and consolidated around the patient, not the physician or hospital. These records should be delivered directly to physicians at the point of care to improve medical decision-making and eliminate redundant tests. This could produce savings of $500 billion over 10 years.
11/13/09
Washington Times-Herald
Destruction of Winona Memorial Hospital medical records
Former patients who want their records must request their medical records by 5:00 p.m., Tuesday, December 1, 2009, and must also pick them up from Iron Mountain in Indianapolis, Indiana, by 3:00 p.m., Tuesday, December 15, 2009. Copy and retrieval fees may apply.
11/12/09
Valley Central (TX)
Call 4 Action: Medical Records Locked Up
Delia from San Benito is not a happy patient at Valley Diagnostic Clinic in Harlingen.
The upset clinical patient says she only wants to be referred to as only Delia. You see the clinic closed down and her vital medical records have been locked away.
