VA drives open-source health records initiative

VA drives open-source health records initiative: "
Agency could spur adoption of e-health systems worldwide. Agency officials will begin testing Vista-Office with small clinical practices next month. CMS officials plan to make the software electronically available in July 2005 to the roughly 500,000 U.S. physicians via downloads from CMS' Web site. Vista-Office is available for free
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Mobile Health Data | FDA Approves Surgical RFID Tag

Mobile Health Data | The Hand-held Health Care Authority: "FDA Approves Surgical RFID Tag

November 22, 2004 - The Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of a radio frequency identification tag to mark the sites where a patient will have surgery. "

ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS - HEALTHLEADERS.COM

HealthLeaders - HealthLeaders News: "Lessons From the UK EMR: Not Exactly Apples to Apples


By John Quinn, for HealthLeaders News, Nov. 19, 2004
As efforts to create a National Health Information Infrastructure gain momentum in the United States, proponents face numerous challenges over a key component - shared electronic health records. Although the comparison isn't exactly a matter of apples to apples, it helps to look at how the UK - as a model of socialized healthcare has focused in this arena. "

The New York Times > Technology > New Economy: Building a Medical Data Network

The New York Times > Technology > New Economy: Building a Medical Data Network

Mobile Health Data | Mobile Technology Passes Nurse Test

Mobile Health Data | The Hand-held Health Care AuthorityOB/GYN group practice caregivers use Tablet PCs and wireless network to access electronic records.

Capgemini Study: EHRs Will Have Good Financial Impact, But Hard on Finances - HEALTH-IT World ENews

Capgemini Study: EHRs Will Have Good Financial Impact, But Hard on Finances - HEALTH-IT World ENews
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HealthLeaders - Big IT Spenders

: "Nick Turkal, M.D., didn't spend a day or even an hour waiting to receive a patient's emergency room medical records earlier this year. He didn't track them down by phone, fax or courier, even though they resided at a hospital some 40 miles south of his Milwaukee medical practice. Rather, Turkal quickly logged on to an electronic medical record system and reviewed the charts, tests and orders online.
Predictably, by having access to an electronic medical record system, Turkal avoided repeating expensive tests, spent more time with his patient, and provided better care. The cost of this convenience? Turkal's parent organization, Aurora Health Care, is spending close to $163 million as part of a long-term IT upgrade to make such data exchange possible. The nonprofit's goal is simple: provide a common electronic medical record and supporting data-entry devices across its 14 member hospitals and scores of clinics that serve eastern Wisconsin."

Denver docs join the push for e-records

: "Health care providers in metro Denver are working to put medical records online with the hopes of saving money and improving care. "

Measuring Six Sigma Results in the Healthcare Industry

Measuring Six Sigma Results in the Healthcare Industry: "Six Sigma has been used to address many of the most common challenges facing healthcare, including patient safety, technology optimization, market growth, resource utilization, length of stay and throughput. In some cases, it has been used to focus on a specific department or process, and in other cases it has been implemented on an enterprise-wide basis to achieve a cultural transformation."