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August 26, 2008

Twice as many adults now use Web for healthcare information than in 2001
The number of U.S. adults going online to seek healthcare information doubled from 2001 to 2007, due in part to a growing number of Internet-savvy elderly, according to a study by the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Studying Health System Change. The group's August 2008 Tracking Report notes that the percentage of Americans seeking medical information on the Internet rose from 16 percent to 32 percent during the six-year period, to rank just behind books, magazines and newspapers (32.7 percent) as their top information source. Fifty-six percent of all American adults - 122 million people - now actively seek healthcare data in some fashion, up from 38 percent in 2001. Consumers doing their medical homework also reported numerous positive impacts, with 80 percent saying the information helped them understand how to treat an illness or condition. http://www.hschange.org/CONTENT/1006/

European Commission opens up access to IT and healthcare research
In an effort to ensure that results of its $74 billion [USD] research funding program are as widely seen as possible, the European Commission is testing a pilot program giving interested parties unrestricted online access to those results. The EU's 7th Research Framework Programme, set to disseminate research funds through 2013, will allow access to results of health, energy, environment, social sciences and information/communication technologies studies. Access will be primarily through research articles published in peer-reviewed journals, after a 6- to 12-month embargo period. "Easy and free access to the latest knowledge in strategic areas is crucial for EU research competitiveness," EU Commissioner for Science and Research Janez Potocnik said. "This open access pilot is an important step towards achieving the 'fifth freedom,' the free movement of knowledge amongst member states, researchers, industry and the public at large." http://www.ehealthnews.eu/content/view/1288/27/

Washington state, Google and Microsoft test $1.7 million health record bank pilot
Starting in 2009, the State of Washington will offer health record bank accounts to 18,000 residents in three communities as part of a new $1.7 million pilot program. Designed to improve healthcare information sharing, the Washington State Health Care Authority is implementing pilot projects in Spokane-based Inland Northwest Health Services, Cashmere-based Choice Healthcare Network, and Bellingham-based St. Joseph Hospital Foundation and The Critical Junctures Institute. Each pilot project is a private-public partnership with a trusted entity serving as a health records bank - in this case, Google Health and Microsoft HealthVault. The health records bank collects a patient's paper and electronic medical records from physicians, hospitals, laboratories, pharmacies and other sources. Patients have control over who accesses their data. The health records bank is funded through account fees charged to individuals or sponsorships. http://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/...

FCC's $4.6 million grant gives Colorado its shot at a statewide telehealth network
Colorado will soon have one of the largest healthcare information networks in America, due in part to a $4.6 million grant from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The Colorado Telehealth Network will be developed over the next three years using the FCC funds and an earlier $5.2 million FCC award to the Colorado Behavioral Healthcare Council, and a 15 percent match from participating healthcare providers. "This major milestone will bring Colorado one step closer to putting advanced Internet technology to use in healthcare," said Steven Summer, president and chief executive officer of the Colorado Hospital Association. "It will significantly enhance access to quality healthcare in rural Colorado." To date, 72 Colorado hospitals, 118 health clinics and 184 mental health centers have signed to participate in the network. http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite...

Tennessee on verge of becoming first state with fully operational EHR exchange
Tennessee is ready to launch the nation's first e-Health highway. After working on regional pockets of the state's sprawling eHealth Initiative over the past three years and spending more than $50 million in state and public funds, officials believe the complex electronic health records network will be ready to function as a whole in September. More than 550 providers in 95 counties will go live with the network at that time; more than 2,000 medical practices are expected to use the system by the end of the year. The exact impact of the network on healthcare is yet to be felt, according to Melissa Hargiss, acting director of the eHealth Initiative. "The state is just providing the highway," Hargiss said. "The healthcare community can come up with new ideas that will help them better treat patients." http://nashville.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/...

Royal Philips-led 'euHeart' e-health project targets cardiovascular disease
Royal Philips Electronics of the Netherlands is leading a European Union-funded e-health research project to improve the diagnosis, therapy planning and treatment of cardiovascular disease, one of the Western world's biggest killers. The euHeart project aims to develop advanced computer models of the human heart that can be personalized to patient-specific conditions using clinical data from various sources, such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and electrocardiograms (ECGs). The models will help develop simulation tools that doctors can use to predict the outcome of different types of therapy. "euHeart may ultimately allow us to select and optimize the best treatment for individual patients," said project clinical coordinator Reza Razavi, who is also professor of Pediatric Cardiovascular Science and head of the Division of Imaging Sciences at King's College in London. http://www.research.philips.com/newscenter/archive/...

Public believes most hospitals will use EHRs within 10 years; 1 in 3 say within five
Nearly eight of 10 people believe U.S. hospitals will use electronic health record (EHR) systems within a decade, according to a public opinion survey conducted by Wakefield, MA-based healthcare technology firm Picis Inc. In the June 2008 survey of 325 physicians, nurses, IT technicians and hospital administrators, 46 percent of respondents said they believe most U.S. hospitals will use EHRs within 10 years, while another 31 percent thought it would be within half that long. Nearly 90 percent of respondents also believe EHRs will revolutionize the healthcare system, while 55 percent thought patients would be more likely to visit a hospital with an EHR over one that does not have one. http://www.picis.com/news/press_release/080818.cfm

Britain's National Health Service IT system to undergo independent review
Britain's Conservative Party has commissioned an independent review of the National Health Service's Information Technology policy to help determine future government management of the beleaguered health program. The British Computer Society (BCS) will conduct the review and help define a "clear, shared vision of what the future holds for the next 5 to 10 years," BCS Health Informatics Forum Chairperson Dr. Glyn Hayes said. All written evidence will be submitted by the end of September, followed by oral hearings in October and November. BCS will produce a first draft in December and publish a final report by the end of March 2009. Written evidence, particularly that which stresses the central role electronic patient records play, is accepted through Sept. 30 at evidence@healthpolicyreviewinfo.com. http://www.e-health-insider.com/news/...

Past the obstacles, online doctor care can boost patient access to healthcare
Patients' access to healthcare can be improved by doctors' increased use of online consultations, but obstacles remain, according to a report from the National Center for Policy Analysis (NCPA). According to "Physician Care and Telemedicine," seeing a doctor is becoming increasingly difficult for patients, making telemedicine a potential gold mine in opportunity for users. But an "antiquated third-party payment system" looms as a major obstacle to telemedicine's growth, as do restrictions that prevent doctors in one state from providing care in another. Similar regulations keep physicians from other nations from offering care in the United States. "Telemedicine can improve the quality and increase the efficiency of patient care," NCPA analyst Devon Herrick said. "But these barriers must be lowered in order to realize its full potential." http://www.ncpa.org/pub/ba/ba624/

Health IT adoption rate hits 90 percent in Wisconsin
Nearly 90 percent of Wisconsin hospitals have implemented five or more health information technologies, according to a report by the Wisconsin Hospital Association. The report, based on a survey of 122 acute care hospitals, focused on 16 healthcare information technology systems in use in today's hospitals, including advancements in the way medications are tracked and delivered to the patient, use of a computerized patient chart, and electronic medical records that can be accessed when the physician is not in the hospital. The survey also noted that 40 percent of respondents had full or partial implementation of 13 to 16 systems. "Hospitals are investing in information technology because these tools have the potential to save lives and transform care," said Dana Richardson, WHA president of quality initiatives. The survey, WHA noted, received a 100 percent response rate. http://www.wha.org/pubArchive/valued_voice/vv8-22-08.htm#1

Estonia approves plan for implementation of digital health records by 2013
The government of Estonia has approved a package of regulations that pave the way to introduction of digital health records within the 2 million-population Baltic country. According to Estonia Minister of Social Affairs Maret Maripuu, the regulations will create preconditions for the gradual transition to e-health. "Now it depends on the service providers, the permits issued by the Data Protection Inspectorate and on technical preparedness as to when exactly could the transition realistically take place," Maripuu said. Estonia's e-health developments focus on two main areas: clinical systems for doctors and the introduction of a national electronic prescribing system. The country's e-health strategy calls for full implementation of these programs by 2013. http://ehealtheurope.net/news/4080/...

Despite potential, Medicare Web site not viewed as kind to elderly users
Most seniors who visit the Medicare Web site find it too confusing and complex for their liking, according to University of Miami researchers. Nearly 73 percent of older adults with basic computer skills had trouble navigating Web pages needed to enroll in the Medicare part D prescription drug program, and almost 84 percent could not do the math needed to choose a home healthcare plan, according to the Center on Aging at the University of Miami Medical School (CAUM). The school recruited 112 computer-proficient adults, age 50 or older, with at least 14 years of education. "We really have to think about who we are designing these sites for," CAUM co-director Sara Czaja said. "We can't assume everyone has a sophisticated level of computer skills." But Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services spokesperson Allison Henry disagrees with CAUM's findings. "We do not know what the participants in the study were asked to do," Henry said. "Without that information, we question the usefulness of the study." http://health.usnews.com/articles/health/healthday/...

• UA Conference Explores 'Future of Health Care' Through Telehealth, Pharmacology and Rural Medicine Issues
  Sept. 4-5, 2008 - The University of Alabama
  TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Telehealth – the use of state-of-the-art telecommunications and computer technology to help health-care professionals – will be one of the key topics at a conference on the future of health care in the United States. The Ninth Annual Rural Health Conference, whose theme this year is "The Future of Health Care," will feature keynote speakers well-versed in contemporary health issues and with backgrounds in building telehealth systems in the Southeastern United States.
  
  
• The Forum 08, the 10th annual meeting of DMAA: The Care Continuum Alliance
  Sept. 7-8, 2008 - Westin Diplomat Resort & Spa Hollywood, FL
  Hear the outlook for population health in the medical home from American Academy of Family Physicians leader Bruce Bagley, MD, and Patient Centered Primary Care Collaborative Chair Paul Grundy, MD. Also, with just two months before the hotly anticipated 2008 general election, get the latest word on the battle for the White House and Congress from former U.S. Senator John Breaux and acclaimed political analyst Charlie Cook. Ken Thorpe, PhD, executive director of the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease, will provide similar insights on the health policy landscape and chronic disease.
  
  
• ATA 2008 Mid-Year Meeting
  September 15-16, 2008 - Marriott Waterside Hotel and Marina,Tampa FL
  The 2008 Home Telehealth & Remote Monitoring Meeting serves as a forum for sharing scientific research findings, significant advances in related technology and applications, and groundbreaking programs, projects, or case studies.
  The UC Davis 2008 Pediatric Telehealth Colloquium will be held in conjunction with the ATA Mid-Year Meeting. The Colloquium, already established as a premier event for the pediatric telehealth community, is dedicated to the presentation of original research related to pediatric telemedicine by investigators in clinical science.
  
  
• 2008 National Telehealth Conference
  September 25-27, 2008 - St. Paul International Airport Hilton Hotel, Bloomington, MN
  Children's Physician Network
  
  
• 2008 AHIMA Convention and Exhibit
  October 11-16, 2008 - Seattle, WA
  The 2008 AHIMA Convention and Exhibit presents incomparable opportunities to connect with colleagues and learn from key leaders who influence change in health information management. Take advantage of the exceptional educational sessions, explore the exhibit hall and network with fellow HIM professionals.
  
  
• Canadian Society of Telehealth conference
  October 4-7, 2008 - Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
  Joint meeting of Canadian Society of Telehealth and International Society for Telemedicine and eHealth
  
  
• 2008 5th Annual Connected Health Symposium
  October 27-28, 2008 - The Conference Center at Harvard Medical, Boston, MA
  Who Provides, Who Decides, Who Pays: Consumers, Clinicians and Business Models in the Connected Care Era

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In the Current Issue of the peer reviewed publication Telemedicine and e-Health

Using e-Health to Enable Culturally Appropriate Mental Healthcare in Rural Areas
Peter Yellowlees, Shayna Marks, Don Hilty, Jay H. Shore
Telemedicine and e-Health. June 2008, 14(5): 486-492.
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. Full Article

Published 10 times a year in print and online, Telemedicine and e-health covers all aspects of clinical telemedicine practice, technical advances, enabling technologies, education, health policy and regulation and biomedical and health services research dealing with clinical effectiveness, efficacy and safety of telemedicine and its effects on quality, cost and accessibility of care, medical records and transmission of same.

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Telemedicine and e-Health is the Official journal of the American Telemedicine Association.
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