HealthTech

Articles that catalogue health and beauty industry.

Wednesday, April 27, 2005

Critical worker shortages plague city hospitals

Crain's New York Business news, lists, rankings, directory and moreThe state's need for nurses is well-known; in the city alone, about 12.5% of nursing positions are vacant. In addition, help is now wanted up and down hospital floors--from the boiler room, where plumbers are scarce, to surgical suites, where there aren't enough anesthesiologists to pass the gas.

Tuesday, April 26, 2005

The New York Times > Technology > I.B.M. Plans to Buy a Health Consulting Firm

The New York Times > Technology > I.B.M. Plans to Buy a Health Consulting Firm.B.M. plans to announce today that it is buying Healthlink, a Houston-based consulting firm and a leader in the fast-growing niche business of helping hospitals and clinics convert to electronic health records.

The move is the second acquisition in health care technology services within a week. Accenture announced last Wednesday that it would buy the North American health practice of the large European consulting firm Capgemini for $175 million.

I.B.M. did not disclose how much it paid for Healthlink. But industry executives said that I.B.M. probably paid more for Healthlink than Accenture paid for the Capgemini health practice.

The purchases by big technology services companies are investments made in preparation for an expected surge in spending on health care information technology. The Bush administration and medical specialists say information technology must replace paper records to improve the quality of health care and contain costs.

Tuesday, April 12, 2005

SeniorNet Your medical records are important.

SeniorNet Your medical records are important.Your medical records are important.
Think about how many doctors you are seeing now and how many you have seen in the past.

Now consider this: Over 80 percent of patient records are still kept on paper inside manila folders in doctor's offices. Physicians are responsible for creating and maintaining records only for the specific portion of care they provide; they are not responsible for consolidating records across all of the patient's current and past health providers. The vast majority of patients see more than one provider, and chances are that their medical records are scattered among the numerous labs, hospitals, and physician offices they have visited over time.

How much effort and how long would it take to collect this important medical information when you need it? Just as you wouldn't hesitate to review and keep a copy of your own financial information, shouldn't managing your health information be just as important?

Who is in control?
YOU…. because your doctors are not responsible for consolidating your medical records from other providers.

Do you request your records when you move or change health plans? Does your primary doctor have copies of your records from specialists or from previous doctors so he/she can know more about the diagnoses, tests, and treatments performed in your past?