ICMCC

Health 2.0 Accelerator — The waiting is over….

“For several months there has been discussion amongst Health 2.0 companies about the concept of a Health 2.0 Accelerator. It started with Marty Tenenbaum’s introduction of the concept in September 2007. It continued with the discussion at the San Diego meeting in March 2008. Since then conversations and meetings among a small group have continued to define a first cut at what the Health 2.0 Accelerator should be.”
Article
Matthew Holt, Indu Subaiya,The Health Care Blog, 4 July 2008

La mayor parte de las aplicaciones de telemedicina que se realizan en Cataluña son entre médicos

“El 46,2 por ciento de las entidades sanitarias de Cataluña ya llevan a cabo aplicaciones de telemedicina, que se realizan principalmente entre médicos (21,2 por ciento), entre un paciente y su médico local con un médico de referencia (13,5) y entre un paciente y un médico local (11,5 por ciento). Esta es una de las principales conclusiones del Mapa de Tendencias 2008 de la Fundación Tic Salut, dependiente de la Administración sanitaria, que se ha presentado en la sede de CaixaForum en Barcelona. El informe se basa en encuestas realizadas a centros hospitalarios y de Atención Primaria y tiene el objetivo de conocer el nivel de desarrollo de las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (TIC) en las organizaciones sanitarias de Cataluña e identificar y presentar las tendencias mundiales.”
Article (Spanish)
El Médico interactivo, 5 July 2008

The Future of the Personal Health Record (PHR)

“I have posted a number of previous notes about personal health records (PHRs). John Moore over at the Chilmark Research blog recently posted on the web one of his lectures about PHRs: Evolving PHR Market: Analysis and Trends. John has been providing some of the most perceptive comments I have seen on the evolution of the PHR. Below is a short list of some of his ideas contained in this specific lecture that caught my attention.”
Article
Bruce Friedman, Lab Soft News, 4 July 2008

Who should enter the data (into the EHR)

“This is a Getting Started resources discussing Who should enter the data into the EHR.
I noted the following points from the discussion which might give you a feel for what the discussion gets into.”
Article
Nick Harrington, EMRUpdate, 4 July 2008

Israeli medical centre to roll out active RFID

“European RFID specialist Wavetrend Technologies has signed a deal with the newly built Ashdod Medical Centre in Southern Israel, to install active RFID ports across the building to monitor movements of patients and assets.
Working in partnership with Isreali system integration company, Ardan Control Tech, Wavetrend will install an infrastructure of active RFID for asset and personnel tracking software.”
Article
e-Health Europe, 4 July 2008

E-health Records take a Major Step

“Privacy is the major concern in E-health worldwide. Now two recent announcements are blazing a trail towards a solid E-health foundation.
NEHTA, the Australian E-health transition authority, has come up with a privacy blueprint, and on the global scale, a large proportion of America’s key players and global IT firms have also reached a consensus on a privacy framework.”
Article
Gabriel James, Australian Healthcare Analyst, 4 July 2008

HealthSpace site lets patients manage medical records online

“A website allowing patients to manage their health records is to be set up by the government in an attempt to give people more control over their care.
The website, HealthSpace, which is being piloted, will allow patients to record information about their health as well as what treatments they are receiving.”
Article
David Batty, The Guardian, 4 July 2008

Keys to a successful EHR rollout

“Maybe you’ve seen the ads in a computer magazine. Such-and-such software or hardware, they claim, works without a hitch right out of the box.
Getting started isn’t so simple when it comes to electronic health records, however. Close to 20 percent of healthcare organizations surveyed by the Medical Records Institute in 2007 either had uninstalled an EHR system or were in the process of doing so. The federal government estimates that the EHR failure rate tops 30 percent.”
Article
Robert Lowes, Medical Economics, 4 July 2008

Las nuevas tecnologías de la información en Medicina revolucionarán la formación

“Los profesionales de la Medicina aún no están explotando el potencial que ofrecen las nuevas tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC) tanto en la práctica clínica como en el campo de la formación, según José Luis Fresquet, profesor de historia de la ciencia de la Universidad de Valencia.”
Article (Spanish)
Karla Islas Pieck, Diario Médico, 3 July 2008

Profesionales: la tecnología no sólo beneficia a los pacientes siete uci digitales

“Menos burocracia, más tiempo, más comodidad y un sistema que se adapte a sus necesidades específicas: eso es lo que los profesionales sanitarios le piden a un proceso de informatización de un servicio o un centro, y muchas veces conseguirlo está en su mano.”
Article (Spanish)
Rosalía Sierra, Diario Médico, 3 July 2008

Computer Games Help People With Dementia

“Computer games offer an exciting and engaging way of helping older people with dementia keep their brain active and learn new skills.
This is the finding of Arlene Astell and her colleagues at the Universities of St Andrews and Dundee who will talk about the success of their project ‘Living in the moment’ today, Thursday 3 July, at the at the 2008 Annual Conference for Psychology Specialists Working with Older People part of The British Psychological Society, being held at the University of York.”
Article
Medical News Today, 3 July 2008

eHealth à nouveau sur les rails

“Durant une réunion de la commission Santé Publique du parlement, la plateforme eHealth a été remise sur les rails. Des amendements ont été approuvés pour rassurer les médecins. Finalement tout le monde soutient le projet qui devrait pouvoir être voté rapidement.”
Article (French)
Karsten Lemmens, ITProfessional.be, 3 July 2008

A Matter of Trust

“When the Louisville (Ky.) Health Information Exchange (LouHIE) considered forming a health record banking service, it sought the guidance of potential users—the Greater Louisville area community. LouHIE’s board of directors commissioned a research study of attitudes toward the service, hoping to learn about consumers’ health care interests, benefits, concerns and payment choices. The findings would guide the development of a business plan to drive consumer adoption of electronic health records. Launched at the annual Kentucky State Fair, the research initiative drew on phone, Web and paper surveys of consumer opinions.”
Article
Barbara Cox, HHNMostWired, 2 July 2008

A Benefits-Driven Approach to IT Implementation, Part One

“Typical hospital information system implementation processes are designed to meet technical and project management goals, such as on-time delivery, high reliability and adherence to technical specifications or the project budget. However, most health care executives do not buy systems for technical reasons, but to increase their strategic competitive advantage by improving patient safety and clinical quality, increasing efficiency and reducing costs, and meeting local competitive demands.”
Article
Douglas Thompson, Patricia Johnston, HHNMostWired, 2 July 2008

Survey shows doctors don’t trust the government’s use of EHRs

“Doctors resist the use of electronic health records because they fear the data will be used to control “what they do and how they do it,” according to a recently released survey by the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons.
The survey of more than 400 doctors, conducted last month, aimed to get at their attitudes about the adoption of healthcare IT.”
Article
Diana Manos, Healthcare IT News, 3 July 2008

eHealth - Better eHealth: Better Care - eHealth Strategy 2008 - 2011

“Our vision for eHealth is simple: support for the overall NHS Scotland goals as set out in the Better Health Better Care Action Plan. This is about exploiting the power of electronic information to help ensure that patients get the right care, involving the right clinicians, at the right time, to deliver the right outcomes. It is therefore as much about transforming traditional processes as it is about technology.
The benefits that eHealth can help bring about are the same as those sought in Better Health Better Care. Sharing information for the benefit of patients is a key responsibility of NHS services to provide good quality services and, on occasion, to help protect vulnerable individuals. Our eHealth Strategy is about improving patient safety and effectiveness through information.”
Report
NHS Scotland

Validation of Surgical Intensive Care–Infection Registry: A Medical Informatics System for Intensive Care Unit Research, Quality of Care Improvement, and Daily Patient Care

“Background: We developed a prototype electronic clinical information system called the Surgical Intensive Care-Infection Registry (SIC-IR) to prospectively study infectious complications and monitor quality of care improvement programs in the surgical and trauma intensive care unit. The objective of this study was to validate SIC-IR as a successful health information technology with an accurate clinical data repository.
Study Design: Using the DeLone and McLean Model of Information Systems Success as a framework, we evaluated SIC-IR in a 3-month prospective crossover study of physician use in one of our two surgical and trauma intensive care units (SIC-IR unit versus non SIC-IR unit). Three simultaneous research methodologies were used: a user survey study, a pair of time-motion studies, and an accuracy study of SIC-IR’s clinical data repository.
Results: The SIC-IR user survey results were positive for system reliability, graphic user interface, efficiency, and overall benefit to patient care. There was a significant decrease in prerounding time of nearly 4 minutes per patient on the SIC-IR unit compared with the non SIC-IR unit. The SIC-IR documentation and data archiving was accurate 74% to 100% of the time depending on the data entry method used. This accuracy was significantly improved compared with normal hand-written documentation on the non SIC-IR unit.
Conclusions: SIC-IR proved to be a useful application both at individual user and organizational levels and will serve as an accurate tool to conduct prospective research and monitor quality of care improvement programs.”
Abstract
Joseph F. Golob Jr, Adam M.A. Fadlalla, Justin A. Kan, Nilam P. Patel, Charles J. Yowler and Jeffrey A. Claridge, Journal of the American College of Surgeons, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 24 June 2008, doi:10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2008.04.025

Building an inter-organizational communication network and challenges for preserving interoperability

“Abstract
Background: The ideal scenario for information technology to bridge information gaps between primary and secondary healthcare and to improve the quality of healthcare in the medication process is to build an interoperable communication network. This type of undertaking requires diverse information systems to be integrated, and central to this are the preservation of data integrity and the integration of different pieces of patient data.
Objectives and methodology: In this study, we focused on sources of challenges to the integration process and to the building of an interoperable communication network. Interviews, document analysis, and observations were conducted to evaluate the integration process in a project that involved medication data communication between primary healthcare providers (i.e., general practitioners and community pharmacists) and secondary healthcare providers (i.e., hospital pharmacists and specialist physicians).
Results: The project encountered numerous integration problems, many of which persisted even after extensive technical intervention. An analysis of the problems revealed that they were mostly rooted either in problematic integration of work processes or in the way the system was used. Despite the project’s ideal technical condition, the integration could be accomplished only by applying human interfaces.
Conclusion: The main challenge to building interoperable communication network does not lie in technical integration. The real problem occurs when the technical linkage is implemented without the work processes being aligned and integrated.”
Abstract
H. Pirnejad, R. Bal and M. Berg, International Journal of Medical Informatics, In Press, Corrected Proof, Available online 25 June 2008, doi:10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2008.05.001

The Impact of eHealth on the Quality & Safety of Healthcare

“A Systemic Overview & Synthesis of the Literature Report for the NHS Connecting for Health Evaluation Programme.
We were commissioned by the Patient Safety Research Programme (which now no longer exists and whose remit has in part been subsumed by the recently created NHS Connecting for Health Evaluation Programme (CFHEP)) to produce a systematic overview of the literature examining the effectiveness of IT (eHealth) applications to improve the quality and safety of healthcare.”
Report
Josip Car, Ashly Black, Chantelle Anandan, Kathrin Cresswell, Claudia Pagliari, Brian McKinstry, Rob Procter, Azeem Majeed and Aziz Sheikh, Imperial College London, March 2008

Telemedicine and eHealth, TOC, June 2008

Mobile Health Clinics and Telemedicine
“Think of mobile health clinic and what comes to mind? Depending on where you live, it might mean Tommy the Tooth van dispensing free brushes and toothpaste to the community. Maybe a loved one received a mammogram in their small town or received diabetes education. The Lions Club may have sponsored a mobile vision clinic where senior citizens were screened for glaucoma. Perhaps migrant farm workers lined up for
hours to get free medical care while working in the fields. Whether you live in the city or the country, chances are some type of mobile health clinic has visited your community sporting colorful graphics on the outside and various medical/dental services on the inside.”
Article
Kevin D. Blanchet,Telemedicine and e-Health. June 2008, 14(5): 407-412.

Acceptance of Telemonitoring to Enhance Medication Compliance in Patients with Chronic Heart Failure
Sixty-two congestive heart failure patients participated in a controlled, longitudinal study at two ambulatory medical centers in Hamburg, Germany. Two groups, a control (no telemedicine intervention) and the study group (telemedicine) were evaluated for medication intake. A medication box, networked to the patient’s electronic health record, was used for the telemedicine group. The main objective was to evaluate noncompliance of medication intake. The research showed that the system was effective. However, nearly 50% felt it was not necessary to continue the reporting after the study.
Article
Silke Schmidt, Sarah Sheikzadeh, Britta Beil, Monica Patten, Jürgen Stettin, Telemedicine and e-Health. June 2008, 14(5): 426-433.

Clinical Management and Patient Outcomes Among Children and Adolescents Receiving Telemedicine Consultations for Obesity
A retrospective review of patient medical records was conducted of children and adolescents who received pediatric weight management consultations using telemedicine. Ninety-nine patient files were reviewed. Analysis indicated that weight management using telemedicine can result in modification in patient care plans and outcomes.
Article
Ulfat Shaikh, Stacey L. Cole, James P. Marcin, Thomas S. Nesbitt, Telemedicine and e-Health. June 2008, 14(5): 434-440.

Optometric Referrals to Retina Specialists: Evaluation and Triage via Teleophthalmology
A teleophthalmology program linked Canadian optometrists to retina specialists for 171 patients and 190 consultations. In this carefully described study, 21/25 patients who required treatment condensed their visit to the specialist to a single day by having diagnostics done by telemedicine. Office visits to the specialist were reduced by 48%.
Article
Chris Hanson, Matthew T.S. Tennant, Chris J. Rudnisky, Telemedicine and e-Health. June 2008, 14(5): 441-445.

The Value of Provider-to-Provider Telehealth
The Center for Information Technology examined the value of providers with the patient and a distance site using three models of telehealth: store-and-forward, real-time video, and hybrid systems. A detailed literature review was conducted to elucidate where value had been reported. The data was evaluated by a computer simulation, which calculated the national value of provider-to-provider telehealth. Overall, the potential benefits of telehealth far outweigh the implementation costs, especially in emergency departments.
Article
Eric Pan, Caitlin Cusack, Julie Hook, Adam Vincent, David C. Kaelber, David W. Bates, Blackford Middleton, Telemedicine and e-Health. June 2008, 14(5): 446-453.

A Wireless Medical Information Query System Based on Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD)
Wireless data management and data access for telemedicine extend far beyond the realities of short text messaging limits. This report offers a query system based on Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) that can work at 100 bit/sec with the advantage to limited system consumption, terminal support, and expense.
Article
Zhelong Wang, Hong Gu, Dewei Zhao, Weiming Wang, Telemedicine and e-Health. June 2008, 14(5): 454-460.

Acceptability of Telepsychiatry in American Indians
The acceptability of conducting psychiatric assessments with rural American Indian veterans by real-time videoconferencing versus in person visits was evaluated. Fifty-three North Plains American Indian veterans from the Vietnam Era participated in this study. A videoconferencing link between the University of Colorado at Denver Health Science Center and the rural community was established. Participants were administered the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R (SCID) for psychiatric assessments using this videoconferencing link. This assessment tool was administered face-to-face by telehealth in different ways and by different interviewers. Telepsychiatry was well received and was comparable to in-person interactions.
Article
Jay H. Shore, Elizabeth Brooks, Daniel Savin, Heather Orton, Jim Grigsby, Spero M. Manson, Telemedicine and e-Health. June 2008, 14(5): 461-466.

An Experience of Health Technology Assessment in New Models of Care for Subjects with Parkinson’s Disease by Means of a New Wearable Device
This report characterizes a system combining gastrocnemius expansion measurement unit (GEMU), a step-counting device, with a telemedicine application for patients with Parkinsonism. GEMU by telemedicine correlated strongly with motion decrement in a robust and reliable system, which enjoyed high user acceptance.
Article
Daniele Giansanti, Giovanni Maccioni, Sandra Morelli, Telemedicine and e-Health. June 2008, 14(5): 467-472.

Development of a Multidisciplinary Osteoporosis Telehealth Program
This report from Toronto details a comprehensive women’s bone health program with referrals from 20 family doctors. The patients engaged in an average 2-hour consultation with very positive perceptions. Increased access to care was the principle outcome.
Article
Leigh Dickson, Cathy Cameron, Gillian Hawker, Azeena Ratansi, Ina Radziunas, Vinita Bansod, Susan Jaglal, Telemedicine and e-Health. June 2008, 14(5): 473-478.

Uncompressed Video Image Transmission of Laparoscopic or Endoscopic Surgery for Telemedicine
A robust, high-speed telecommunications link was established between Shanghai, China and Fukuoka, Japan for videoconferencing. This system was utilized to support real-time interactions during laparoscopic and endoscopic surgical procedures. Images, transmitted via a digital video transfer system (DVTS), were evaluated by participating physicians who completed a mini-questionnaire. A number of hospitals across the region participated, including Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. Thirty-eight physicians completed the questionnaire. The majority (73.8%) indicated the images were very good. This tool has been viewed as an efficient and useful tool for the medical community in this region.
Article
Ke-Jian Huang, Zheng-Jun Qiu, Chun-Yu Fu, Shuji Shimizu, Koji Okamura, Telemedicine and e-Health. June 2008, 14(5): 479-485.

Using e-Health to Enable Culturally Appropriate Mental Healthcare in Rural Areas,br /> Relevant research issues in providing culturally appropriate e-mental health care were reviewed with intent to determine where research efforts could be expanded or prioritized. A workshop was held in California to address the provision of mental health care in rural areas due to a variety of barriers, including language, culture, and poverty. A set of recommendations for expanding and prioritizing research efforts was developed in both science and policy.
Article
Peter Yellowlees, Shayna Marks, Don Hilty, Jay H. Shore, Telemedicine and e-Health. June 2008, 14(5): 486-492.

Effectiveness of Home Blood Pressure Monitoring, Web Communication, and Pharmacist Care on Hypertension Control

“Abstract
Context: Treating hypertension decreases mortality and disability from cardiovascular disease, but most hypertension remains inadequately controlled.
Objective: To determine if a new model of care that uses patient Web services, home blood pressure (BP) monitoring, and pharmacist-assisted care improves BP control.
Design, Setting, and Participants: A 3-group randomized controlled trial, the Electronic Communications and Home Blood Pressure Monitoring study was based on the Chronic Care Model. The trial was conducted at an integrated group practice in Washington state, enrolling 778 participants aged 25 to 75 years with uncontrolled essential hypertension and Internet access. Care was delivered over a secure patient Web site from June 2005 to December 2007.
Interventions: Participants were randomly assigned to usual care, home BP monitoring and secure patient Web site training only, or home BP monitoring and secure patient Web site training plus pharmacist care management delivered through Web communications.
Conclusion: Pharmacist care management delivered through secure patient Web communications improved BP control in patients with hypertension.
Abstract
Beverly B. Green; Andrea J. Cook; James D. Ralston; Paul A. Fishman; Sheryl L. Catz; James Carlson; David Carrell; Lynda Tyll; Eric B. Larson; Robert S. Thompson, JAMA 2008;299(24):2857-2867

Electromagnetic Interference From Radio Frequency Identification Inducing Potentially Hazardous Incidents in Critical Care Medical Equipment

“Context: Health care applications of autoidentification technologies, such as radio frequency identification (RFID), have been proposed to improve patient safety and also the tracking and tracing of medical equipment. However, electromagnetic interference (EMI) by RFID on medical devices has never been reported.
Objective: To assess and classify incidents of EMI by RFID on critical care equipment.
Design and Setting: Without a patient being connected, EMI by 2 RFID systems (active 125 kHz and passive 868 MHz) was assessed under controlled conditions during May 2006, in the proximity of 41 medical devices (in 17 categories, 22 different manufacturers) at the Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Assessment took place according to an international test protocol. Incidents of EMI were classified according to a critical care adverse events scale as hazardous, significant, or light.
Results: In 123 EMI tests (3 per medical device), RFID induced 34 EMI incidents: 22 were classified as hazardous, 2 as significant, and 10 as light. The passive 868-MHz RFID signal induced a higher number of incidents (26 incidents in 41 EMI tests; 63%) compared with the active 125-kHz RFID signal (8 incidents in 41 EMI tests; 20%); difference 44% (95% confidence interval, 27%-53%; P < .001). The passive 868-MHz RFID signal induced EMI in 26 medical devices, including 8 that were also affected by the active 125-kHz RFID signal (26 in 41 devices; 63%). The median distance between the RFID reader and the medical device in all EMI incidents was 30 cm (range, 0.1-600 cm).
Conclusions: In a controlled nonclinical setting, RFID induced potentially hazardous incidents in medical devices. Implementation of RFID in the critical care environment should require on-site EMI tests and updates of international standards.
Abstract
Remko van der Togt; Erik Jan van Lieshout; Reinout Hensbroek; E. Beinat; J. M. Binnekade; P. J. M. Bakker, AMA 2008;299(24):2884-2890

Journal of Consumer Health on the Internet

Table of Contents for Volume: 12 Issue: 1

Article: The Refugee Health Information Network: A Source of Multilingual and Multicultural Health Information
Gale A. Dutcher; Page Range: 1 - 12; DOI: 10.1080/15398280802081402
The Refugee Health Information Network is an electronic resource designed to make accessible culturally and linguistically appropriate health and medical information in order to improve health services for refugees and asylees. Much of this information will clearly be of value to immigrants as well. This is also a network designed to facilitate collaboration and sharing among state refugee health coordinators and clinics providing services to refugee and immigrant communities.

Article: My HealtheVet: Fighting for Health with Information
Janet Schneider; Page Range: 13 - 21; DOI: 10.1080/15398280802081410
Patients are increasingly demanding access to health information and their own medical records. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) recognized this desire in its patient population, and developed My HealtheVet as a national Web site that serves as an authoritative portal for veterans and their families to find health and benefits information, as well as refill VA-issued prescriptions, log personal medical information, and enter daily health metrics. The site has logged over 11 million visits since its national debut in November 2003 and has proven its value to veterans.

Article: Transforming Diabetes Self-Management or Not
Catherine M. Boss, Colleen Wolfe, Yen-Hong Kuo; Page Range: 23 - 36; DOI: 10.1080/15398280802081428
Funding from the National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM) in the fall of 2004 assisted in the establishment of the Health-e Learning Project by the librarians of Meridian Health, a health system in southeastern New Jersey. Health-e Learning’s project goal was to establish a self-sustaining educational initiative to steer older adults toward the reputable medical Web site MedlinePlus and to train them to navigate this site to self-manage a chronic condition. The Health-e Learning Project was not successful in transforming diabetes self-management as originally planned, with only a handful of older adults trained, too small a number to be statistically significant.

Article: Consumer Health Web Sites for Parents of Children with Autism
Robin M. Sabo, Julie M. Lorenzen; Page Range: 37 - 49; DOI: 10.1080/15398280802081436
Many parents of children with autism search the Internet to learn more about the condition. Unfortunately, variability in Web site quality, low literacy levels, and language barriers may prevent them from finding reliable information. To assist parents in locating high quality resources, this article provides an annotated list of Web sites on health aspects of autism. Both a health sciences librarian and a parent of a child with autism present their perspectives and discuss the broader is sue about how parents of children with medical conditions use the Internet.

Article: Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN)
Donna MacLeod; Page Range: 51 - 56; DOI: 10.1080/15398280802081444
Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) provides its Web site to educate, advocate, and make available research information about food allergies to the public. Many helpful features include downloadable forms, brochures, and guidelines; support groups; further medical contact information; and the Kids/Teens Web sites. This resource is reviewed for scientific accuracy by a medical advisory board. There is also a Teen Advisory Group which contributes and reviews the Teen Web site’s content and style.

Electronic Health Records in Ambulatory Care — A National Survey of Physicians

“ABSTRACT
Background Electronic health records have the potential to improve the delivery of health care services. However, in the United States, physicians have been slow to adopt such systems. This study assessed physicians’ adoption of outpatient electronic health records, their satisfaction with such systems, the perceived effect of the systems on the quality of care, and the perceived barriers to adoption.
Methods In late 2007 and early 2008, we conducted a national survey of 2758 physicians, which represented a response rate of 62%. Using a definition for electronic health records that was based on expert consensus, we determined the proportion of physicians who were using such records in an office setting and the relationship between adoption and the characteristics of individual physicians and their practices.
Results Four percent of physicians reported having an extensive, fully functional electronic-records system, and 13% reported having a basic system. In multivariate analyses, primary care physicians and those practicing in large groups, in hospitals or medical centers, and in the western region of the United States were more likely to use electronic health records. Physicians reported positive effects of these systems on several dimensions of quality of care and high levels of satisfaction. Financial barriers were viewed as having the greatest effect on decisions about the adoption of electronic health records.
Conclusions Physicians who use electronic health records believe such systems improve the quality of care and are generally satisfied with the systems. However, as of early 2008, electronic systems had been adopted by only a small minority of U.S. physicians, who may differ from later adopters of these systems.”
Article
Catherine M. DesRoches, Eric G. Campbell, Sowmya R. Rao, Karen Donelan, Timothy G. Ferris, Ashish Jha, Rainu Kaushal, Douglas E. Levy, Sara Rosenbaum, J.D., Alexandra E. Shields, David Blumenthal, NEJM June 18, 2008, DOI:10.1056/NEJMsa0802005

Personal health records: addressing consumer needs for access

“Abstract: In this paper, we present a discussion of personal health records (PHRs). The development of PHRs in the USA has occurred as a result of the Institute of Medicine’s direction to improve healthcare quality and make it more patient-centred, as well as demands from patients for more control of their health data. The PHR addresses timeliness, patient safety and equity. The PHR is also integral to the US National Health Information Network (NHIN) being designed to give all Americans access to electronic health records by 2014. Despite increasing access to PHRs via employers, insurance companies, healthcare providers and independent entities, adoption and successful implementation of the PHR as well as other types of electronic records (Electronic Medical Record (EMR) and Electronic Health Record (EHR)) is unclear. The specific interaction and distinction between these records is also unclear. This article differentiates the PHR from the other records, introduces the notion of ownership of medical information and presents a basic research model regarding PHR adoption and diffusion.”
Abstract
Melinda Whetstone, Ebrahim Randeree, International Journal of Healthcare Technology and Management 2008 - Vol. 9, No.3 pp. 258 - 274

Coincidence?
Posted 3 Jul 2008

Sharing and Caring, PHSCG Conference, 1 July 2008, Chesford Grange, UK
Posted 1 Jul 2008

ICMCC Conference, 10 June 2008, London, UK
Posted 25 Jun 2008