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September 16, 2008

Increased use of health data exchanges drives down healthcare costs...
The growing use of electronic data exchange between physicians, hospitals, health plans and patients is driving down the cost of care and improving patient outcomes, according to a new survey from the Washington, D.C.-based eHealth Initiative. The nonprofit organization's "Fifth Annual Survey of Health Information Exchange at the State and Local Levels" noted that 42 of 130 health data exchanges (HDEs) in 48 U.S. states are now fully operational - up from 32 in 2007 - and 69 percent of the operational HDEs report reduction in healthcare costs among participants. Fifty-two percent of the fully operational HDEs also reported better healthcare delivery, fewer medical care errors and better compliance with chronic disease care and prevention guidelines. http://www.ehealthinitiative.org/HIESurvey/

...but increased competition may also slow down HDE development
Fear of losing competitive advantage among stakeholders is preventing health data exchanges (HDEs) from becoming more than simple recordkeeping systems, according to a national economist. Joy Grossman, senior health researcher at the Center for Studying Health System Change in Washington, D.C., said HDEs could be "sophisticated platforms capable of managing data for quality management and performance incentive programs," if not for various competitive concerns. That situation, most common among newer HDEs, results in a lack of critical mass data for users. In contrast, more mature systems feature hospitals that collaborate instead of competing on information exchange, leading to a wealth of patient data for analysis, according to Grossman. http://www.govhealthit.com/online/news/350557-1.html

Broadband future shines bright for Japan, not as much so for other nations
Japan is the only country with a broadband network prepared to handle the next-generation Web applications of the next three to five years, and only half of the world's major industrial nations meet today's social networking needs for broadband, according to a study by researchers at the University of Oxford, England and Spain's University of Oviedo. The two schools assigned a Broadband Quality Score (BQS) to 42 countries based on download and upload capabilities, latency, and current and future application requirements. The result? Most nations lack networks that are fast enough to handle tomorrow's must-have services, such as high-definition video streaming, telepresence, and large file sharing. Japan's BQS is nearly 100; second-place Sweden's is 56. The United States, ranked 15th, barely makes the current technology cut at 35. But several industrial heavyweights are behind the times, including the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. http://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/NR/... and http://www.sbs.ox.ac.uk/downloads/...

Irish university research team tries to make sense out of wireless V-Sense monitor
Students at University College Cork in Cork, Ireland are developing a wireless patient monitoring system than can check a patient's vital signs and transmit the data to emergency departments and intensive care units. V-Sense, created by a UCC team known as Vital Technology Solutions, records and monitors a patient's heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen level and body temperature. The user can also view real-time information on the patient's vitals, as well as personal details and medical history. The project remains in the research and development phase. "There's still an extensive amount of testing to do, such as clinical trials and testing within EDs and ICUs, and also acquiring approval, such as FDA," said Michael O'Flynn, Vital Technology Solutions team leader. http://www.imt.ie/news/2008/09/...

AmeriHealth-NJ pilot program allows sharing of patients' imaging records
Iselin, NJ-based healthcare provider AmeriHealth New Jersey has launched a statewide program that allows physicians to share patients' imaging records. The New Jersey Health Information Exchange gives radiologists and other doctors 24-hour access to patient records through a secure Web portal. In particular, the 12-month pilot will benefit radiologists, who will have immediate access to a greater number of pre-existing images and reports, according to Paul Portsmore, vice president of health services for AmeriHealth. Other medical professionals will benefit from spending less time securing patient records and being able to make faster, more accurate emergency room assessments, he said. The company expects to expand the scope of the HIE to other types of medical records in 2009." http://www.healthcareitnews.com/printStory.cms?id=9903

Declining costs help telemedicine efforts continue to grow in India
Telemedicine is gaining momentum in India thanks to declining costs of connectivity and computer equipment. The trend is stirring hope that electronic medicine can become an economically viable tool domestically and across international borders. According to Chandil Kumar Gunashekara, medical administrator for telemedicine at Bangalore's Narayana Hrudayalaya Institute of Cardiac Sciences, there's huge potential in telemedicine, partly due to the nation's reputation for well-trained, very qualified doctors. Such physicians will be in high demand by other nations, particularly those in doctor-short Africa. "The experience of and clinical confidence of Indian doctors is unparalleled, and this can reach the African people," Gunashekara said. The Indian government recognizes this: it is spending $135 million [USD] to develop the Pan-African e-network, slated to be fully operational in September 2009. http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=11305

United Kingdom physicians want IT for cross-border care
The British Medical Association is calling for creation of a single Web portal to provide European citizens with information on cross-border care. The BMA, which represents UK doctors, says patients need more information than is being offered to make their rights effective. The European Commission has suggested that national contact points should be created to spread information about the processes of accessing care and the financial issues involved. But the BMA says patients should also be made aware of "different cultures and traditions" that might affect their decision on where to seek treatment. "Clinicians in both countries must be able to communicate effectively and to exchange medical records in the language of the patient's country of origin," according to BMA. "Whilst high level recommendations are in place for cross border interoperable systems, the practicalities need much more detailed consideration." http://www.ehealtheurope.net/news/...

Elderly at ease with, adapt well to remote monitoring technology
Seniors who rely on remote monitoring technology to help them remain secure and independent do not view it as intrusive or impersonal, according to a study by a Philadelphia-based nursing home operator NewCourtland Elder Services and Mendota Heights, MN-based aging services provider Healthsense. Study participants, drawn from four locations within the NewCourtland network, unanimously agreed that such technology makes them feel safer and enables them to live independently longer, according to NewCourtland Housing and Community Services Vice President Kim Brooks. "We thought at first that adapting to the technology would be a major issue for our residents, but clearly it was not," Brooks said. "The results of the survey demonstrate that even seniors with little or no prior exposure to this technology can readily adapt to it once they realize the improved quality of life it offers." http://www.wirelesshealthcare.co.uk/...

Nigerian state of Lagos launches ICT network for telemedicine, videoconferencing
The government of Lagos has launched an Information Communication Technology system designed to bring telemedicine, teleEducation, videoconferencing, surveillance cameras and electronic payment services to the Nigerian state. The ICT project covers any product that will store, retrieve, manipulate, transmit or receive information electronically in a digital form. The Lagos ICT project is the first such advanced technological deployment to be made by any state or local agency under the Nigerian government. "The social and technological impact of this development is far-reaching," Lagos Governor Tunde Fashola said. "Imagine a patient being transported to the hospital in an ambulance that has a built-in camera relaying live video to the doctor in the hospital. Imagine the doctor giving instructions to ambulance staff on how to manage the patient. Imagine the lives that will be saved." http://nigerianbulletin.com/nigeria...

Mid Rogue eHealth Services to offer electronic prescribing software in Oregon
Grants Pass, OR-based electronic medical record vendor Mid Rogue eHealth Services will introduce an e-prescription software program for Oregon physicians in October. The new product is designed to prepare area doctors for the federal government's upcoming 2 percent rate increase to physicians who are using electronic prescribing to prescriptions to pharmacies. The rate increase takes effect in January 2009. Mid Rogue will sell the software on behalf of its developer by Greenway Medical Technologies. The ePrescribing software can be accessed as free-standing software or as an integrated model within the full electronic health record system. Customers access the system via a secure Web-based connection. http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/...

Royal Philips, Utrecht University partner on disease monitoring research
Royal Philips Electronics and University Medical Centre Utrecht, the Netherlands' biggest university hospital, plan to develop collaborative research projects for the diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of major disease areas. The entities will focus on medical imaging applied to brain disease, cancer, cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disease and pulmonary disease. Philips and UMC Utrecht expect the agreement to result in new treatment methods that will ultimately lead to an improved quality of healthcare delivery. "High quality healthcare starts with healthcare professionals working together in teams based around their patients," said Steve Rusckowski, Philips Healthcare chief executive officer and member of the board of management of Royal Philips. http://www.ehealtheurope.net/news/4140/...

IT healthcare services should target developing nations as future markets
Developing countries present an enormous growth opportunity in the healthcare sector, according to a report by San Jose, CA research firm Global Industry Analysts Inc. "Healthcare Services: A Global Outlook" notes that the unavailability of services for a large segment of the population in developing nations makes them prime markets for electronic-based medical care products. Increasing life expectancy rates, an aging worldwide population and chronic illnesses are also contributing to pressure on the existing healthcare services sector, according to the report. Government investments in e-booking, telemedicine, e-prescribing and electronic health records can relieve that pressure. http://www.prweb.com/releases/...

• 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

Text Messaging in Healthcare: The Elephant Knocking at the Door
Mark Terry
Telemedicine and e-Health. August 2008, 14(6): 520-524.
n discussions of telemedicine modalities, text messaging, also more technically referred to as SMS for Short Message Service, isn't the elephant in the room, the one everybody's ignoring and afraid to talk about. Text messaging is the elephant at the door, the one everybody knows is trying to get into the room, but nobody's quite sure how it'll fit through the door, how big it is, or what exactly they're going to do with it once it gets through. 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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