October 18, 2009
You can read some more of my blogs at www.hospitalimpact.org.
I was recently reading about the Healthcare 2.0 Conference (http://www.health2blog.com/) held in San Franscisco. Some of the major themes were EMRs as platforms for running applications and social networking. There were many interesting innovations and insights. As I read about them, I wondered how these new ideas will integrate with meaningful use. Will the final regulation make room for these innovations and more importantly will the expense and compliance involved with meaningful use deter providers from going beyond what is required? Will larger developers be able to influence future iterations of Meaningful Use into making their applications requirements. On the positive side, will providers who offer some of these new applications gain a market advantage against those who move strictly with meaningful use?
We probably do not know the answer to any of these questions. However, I think these are ideas that we need to think about as move forward in the regulation of EMRs and Meaningful Use.
Leave a Comment » | 
meaningful use | Tagged: healthcare 2.0, meaningful use, regulation | 
Permalink
Posted by healthitpolitics
September 12, 2009
I have attempted to not get involved in the Healthcare Reform debate on this blog. My reasoning was that Health IT was dealt with in the Stimulus. However, I think that it may be time to begin tracking the reform since it will have an effect on Health IT. So what should those of us in the Health IT community be monitoring in the bills moving through Congress?
-Reimbursement Policies: Will the government mandate reimbursement for “virtual” care or medical homes? This will obviously faciliate technology for telemedicine and records sharing.
- Tort Reform: President Obama mentioned this in his joint address. The key to reducing tort will be reducing errors. Health IT can help with that reduction along with the creation of “safe harbors” for reporting errors.
-Pay for Performance: Should we begin a pay for performance model, Health IT could facilitate this through the sharing of best practices.
No doubt the final healthcare reform bill will effect us in the Health IT community.
Leave a Comment » | 
Congress, Funding, Healthcare Reform, Obama Administration, Telemedicine | Tagged: best practices, Healthcare Reform, Medical Homes, Pay-for-Performance, Reimbursement, safe harbor, Stimulus, Telemedicine, tort reform, virtual care | 
Permalink
Posted by healthitpolitics
September 5, 2009
I recently read an article at Telemedicine and E-Health (http://www.liebertonline.com/doi/pdfplus/10.1089/tmj.2009.9955) about the many ways that providers are using Twitter (www.twitter.com). While not actually practicing medicine nor doing consults, providers are sharing information, advertising, putting out general health information and connecting services with patients. As I thought about this applications, I began to think about Meaningful Use.
One the proposals for Meaningful Use is recording percentages of patients that are being consulted on healthy lifestyle choices such as smoking cessation. Theortetically, assuming privacy could be protected, a provider could use twitter to promote smoking cessation. If twitter is integrated with the EMR or a PHR like MS Healthvault. Then, in this instance, meaningful use could be satisfied.
Social media and Web 2.0 may create inexpensive ways to fulfill meaningful use requirements.
Leave a Comment » | 
Mobile, Telemedicine, Web 2.0, meaningful use | Tagged: EMR, PHR, meaningful use, Social Media, Web 2.0, Microsoft Healthvault, Telemedicine and E-Health, Twitter, Smoking cessation, Telemedicine | 
Permalink
Posted by healthitpolitics
August 29, 2009
After taking the month of July off, I have returned to comment on the what is happening in the world of Health IT. I encourage everyone to check out www.hhs.gov. Some major events are happening.
First, the Office of the National Coordinator and its various committees are developing meaningful use standards. Initial drafts indicate that “performance” is being integrated into them such as evidence of encouraging healthy behaviors. So this bodes well for wellness organizations as well as IT companies that deal with metadata.
It seems that provider reimbursement is not the only funding that hinges on meaningful use. HHS has announced funding for state HIE programs and Health IT Research Extension Centers. State HIE programs also must promote meaningful use. And the research centers will develop best practices and guidance to providers for meaningful use. I think that the research centers will ultimately become clearing-houses for project managers, IT support contractors and consultants.
So these are the major happenings in the Health IT world. Ironically, these measures have gone unnoticed because of the Healthcare Reform debate’s dominance.
Leave a Comment » | Funding, Obama Administration, meaningful use | Tagged: Extension Health IT Research Centers, HHS, HIE, meaningful use, ONCE | Permalink
Posted by healthitpolitics
June 27, 2009
Mobile Computing
Gigaom (www.gigaom.com) and Salon (www.salon.com) has this article about a new iphone application, Fitorbit (www.fitorbit.com). The application allows you to link up with a live fitness trainer. There is a lot of interesting potential here for Health IT.
First, this is an example of utilizing Health IT to promote a healthy lifestyle and thus, lower utilization rates. Second, this business model can be adapted to other areas of healthcare. Not only, can this increase patient choice but also could allow for a “virtual” medical home. Finally, this may become a disruptive technology. A fitness trainer as by extension, a healthcare worker is geography dependent. This may no longer be the case.
http://www.salon.com/tech/giga_om/tech_insider/2009/06/22/fitorbit_fitness_training_site_connects_you_to_a_personal_trainer_iphone_app_to_follow_draft/
Healthcare Reform
Time had this article about Healthcare Co-Ops, as proposed by Senator Conrad. I think this is something worth some thought. Co-Ops may also form the foundation of state-level HIEs.
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1906105,00.html
Leave a Comment » | Cloud computing, Mobile | Tagged: HIE, GigaOM, Salon, Healthcare Reform, Mobile Computing, iphone, Fitorbit, utilization rate, medical home, patient choice, Time, Co-Ops, Senator Conrad | Permalink
Posted by healthitpolitics
June 20, 2009
Leave a Comment » | Cloud computing, Healthcare Reform, Web 2.0 | Tagged: Cloud computing, GigaOM, Salon, benchmark, social networking, WT News, public health, Healthcare Reform, The New Yorker, utilization, Accountable Care Organizations, Mayo | Permalink
Posted by healthitpolitics
June 8, 2009
International Development
There was a relevant passage in President Obama’s Cairo speech on Fox News (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/elections/2009/06/04/transcript-remarks-president-obama-cairo). Effectively, the U.S. will build global markets for Health IT.
…On science and technology, we will launch a new fund to support technological development in Muslim-majority countries, and to help transfer ideas to the marketplace so they can create jobs. We will open centers of scientific excellence in Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia, and appoint new Science Envoys to collaborate on programs that develop new sources of energy, create green jobs, digitize records, clean water, and grow new crops. And today I am announcing a new global effort with the Organization of the Islamic Conference to eradicate polio. And we will also expand partnerships with Muslim communities to promote child and maternal health…
Leave a Comment » | International Development, Obama Administration | Tagged: Cairo, Foxnews, global markets, Health IT, Obama, speech | Permalink
Posted by healthitpolitics
May 16, 2009
I have become rather interested in the economics known as New Growth Theory and have been thinking of its application to Health IT. Please note that I am not an economist so I may have poor interpretations but this has become a worthwhile thought exercise. Here are my thoughts:
Early incarnations of New Growth Theory (NGT) as advocated by Solow state that technology is an investment much like physical capital. This investment will lead to growth. Therefore, technology is exogenous. So for us in the Health IT field, we would see investment such as Stimulus package’s subsidies for EMR purchase as an economic driver.
Paul Romer had a different perspective. He said that technology was endogenous, that is came up from variables such as human capital in terms of research and the ability to spread this technology. So in this case, we should be investing in a Health IT R&D workforce and create the infrastructure to spread new creations. Therefore, workforce development programs also found in the stimulus as well as Health IT research centers and the NHIN project are vital.
I am open to any thoughts on this subject as I continue to think about it.
Leave a Comment » | Free-Market | Tagged: Economics, Endogenous Growth, Exongenous Growth, Extension Health IT Research Centers, New Growth Theory, NHIN, Solow, Stimulus, Workforce Development | Permalink
Posted by healthitpolitics
May 9, 2009
Leave a Comment » | Congress, Free-Market, International Development | Tagged: Congress, Cross Platform, Diane DeGette, Federal Health Infrastructure, GE, Healthymagination, Howard Dean, HR 2552, Interoperability, low-cost technology solutions, mobile platform, Moblying, NY Times, PHR, quality improvement, The Politico, Venture Beat | Permalink
Posted by healthitpolitics
