July 18th 2025
Even administrative use of artificial intelligence lowers perceived empathy, trust and competence, according to new research.
Government to release IT toolkit for medical practices
December 23rd 2010If you have a small or medium-sized practice, look for a toolkit in January from the federal agency for Healthcare Research and Quality designed to help you analyze workflow and redesign your practice before, during, and after you implement healthcare information technology (IT).
Social networking sites have pros, cons for patients with chronic disease
December 23rd 2010Be aware of the strengths and limitations of social networking sites such as Facebook when discussing sources of medical information with patients who have chronic diseases. That?s the advice from researchers at Harvard University and Brigham and Women?s Hospital who studied online communities related to diabetes and reported their findings recently in the Journal of General Internal Medicine.
Electronic alerts reduce unneeded test in elderly
December 23rd 2010An electronic message sent to doctors the moment they order a blood test for elderly patients reduces the unnecessary use of a test for which results often are false-positive for the elderly, according to research published in the November edition of American Journal of Managed Care.
Gaps exist in broadband use, government report finds
December 9th 2010Socioeconomic factors such as income and education levels, although strongly associated with broadband Internet use, are not the sole determinants of use, according to ?Digital Nation II,? a new report issued by the Department of Commerce?s Economics and Statistics Administration and National Telecommunications and Information Administration.
Medical practices lag behind hospitals in electronic security efforts
December 9th 2010Medical practices lag behind hospitals in their past efforts and future plans to address security issues related to electronic health records, according to responses to the 2010 HIMSS Security Survey, sponsored by Intel and supported by the Medical Group Management Association.
Patients more likely to abandon e-prescriptions than paper ones
December 9th 2010Patients are significantly more likely to abandon at the pharmacy prescriptions submitted electronically than those dropped off in person, according to the results of a study appearing in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Getting patients to 'Like' your practice
December 3rd 2010By day, Michael Sevilla, MD, is a family physician in the small northeastern Ohio town of Salem, about 20 miles west of the Pennsylvania border. But at night, between visits, and during his lunch break, he's "Dr. Anonymous," posting updates to his blog of the same name, checking his Facebook page and Twitter feed, or recording his latest Web-based radio show.
Medical Group Management Association: Profits better in electronic practices
November 19th 2010Medicare practices that have implemented an electronic health record system report better financial performance than those that have not, according to a survey from the Medical Group Management Association.
Health IT chief: EHRs worth the effort
November 19th 2010The transition from paper to electronic health records may be a challenge, but it is worth the effort, says David Blumenthal, MD, national coordinator for Health Information Technology, who spoke during the annual conference of the Medical Group Management Association in October.
Report: Physicians' role in technology development in flux
October 28th 2010The traditional model of innovation in the medical technology industry, which includes iterative product improvements driven by physician collaboration and interaction, is being affected by new restrictions on products eligible for 510(k) marketing clearance, according to Pulse of the Industry: Medical Technology Report 2010, Ernst & Young?s annual report on the industry?s performance.
CDC provides social media advice for health professionals
October 28th 2010If you?d like your health-related messages to reach more people, improve access to your online content, and increase interaction with your patients and others, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention?s new guide, Health Communicator?s Social Media Toolkit may be useful to you.
MGMA report: EHRs boost practices' financial performance
October 28th 2010Medical practices that have implemented an electronic health record system report better financial performance than those that have not, according to the Medical Group Management Association?s newly released Electronic Health Records Impacts on Revenue, Costs, and Staffing: 2010 Report Based on 2009 Data.
Healthcare providers generally satisfied with IT
October 28th 2010Healthcare providers responding to CompTIA?s Second Annual Healthcare IT Insights and Opportunities survey said that they generally are satisfied with the information technology solutions they now use in their practices, but they?re also interested in improved reliability and performance as well as lower costs for future purchases.
First certified round of electronic health records named
October 22nd 2010The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology announced that it has tested and certified 33 electronic health record products under the government program that certifies the EHRs as being capable of meeting the 2011/2012 criteria supporting Stage 1 meaningful use as approved by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Real-time information biggest mobile perk
October 8th 2010Nearly 9 out of 10 physicians would like their patients to be able to track and/or monitor their health, particularly their weight, blood sugar levels and vital signs, at home but worry that too much information actually could slow down care according to a survey.