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"I really like that chart . . ."email this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
. . . because it says it all," noted Ellen Zane, CEO of Tufts Medical Center, in a semi-joking, semi-serious manner. Ellen and I were called back as witnesses at the end of today's hearings on health care and insurance cost trends.Tufts Medical Center is a competitor of BIDMC, but Ellen and I share views on several topics. This is one. Even though the light orange BIDMC "bubble" appears slightly better off than the Tuft's blue "bubble" in the chart above, the larger societal issue needs to be addressed. It is hard to imagine that the Legislature and Governor really intend the citizens to be served by a health care system t...
Source: Running a hospital - March 19, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

Debunking some common myths about physician recruitmentemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
By Thomas Dahlborg Lack of access to primary care is an issue throughout the country and especially so in rural areas. In 2008-2009, the Daniel Hanley Center for Health Leadership brought together leaders from across the state of Maine to understand the key motivators and incentives that will improve primary care physician recruitment and retention in rural areas. This collaborative group of leaders reviewed the strengths and limitations of historical data obtained through focus groups, survey tools, and interviews. They then sought an innovative way to hear a fresh perspective and selected the Voice of the Customer (VO...
Source: hospital impact - March 19, 2010 Category: Health Managers Authors: hospitaltony Source Type: blogs

Have you heard (or lived) this burnout story?email this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
By Dr. Kenneth H. Cohn Invariably, as the time draws near for me to post my monthly blog, someone helps me find the inspiration and make the time. This month, credit goes to Thomas Dahlborg, whose most recent entry recounted the difficult tradeoffs of a primary care physician who feels more like a production worker than healer. I trained at a time when medicine was a calling and enjoy working as a locum tenens surgeon in New England. I empathize with the physicians Mr. Dahlborg describes, who fit Morrison's definition of hamster healthcare, running faster just to stay in the same place. In an article about workplace bu...
Source: hospital impact - March 19, 2010 Category: Health Managers Authors: hospitaltony Source Type: blogs

Applying airline and hotel concepts to hospital designemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
Design firm Priestmangoode has prepared a Health Manifesto to argue for a bigger role for design in health care. They have outlined some interesting principles, culminating in the Priestmangoode Recovery Lounge show in the photo above. Looks pretty good to me. Here’s their list: Nothing touches the floor –furniture floats above the floor for easy cleaning, like Motel 6 Privacy in every space, for every patient –like first class seats on Swiss Cheap doesn’t mean poor quality –like modular, low-cost hotel rooms for ETAP Speed –fast turnaround times like airplanes coming in and out of gate...
Source: Health Business Blog - March 19, 2010 Category: Health Managers Authors: David E. Williams of the Health business blog Tags: Hospitals Source Type: blogs

Most Americans have self-rationed health care due to cost in the past yearemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
The health care cost crisis has hit at least 1 in 2 American families, based on the latest Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Poll.KFF found that 30% of Americans have had trouble paying medical bills in the past 12 months. Challenges paying for health care increase if you're black, Hispanic, earning under $40,000 a year, or....in poor health.There are two angles on dealing with the costs of health care dealt with in the KFF poll. First, looking to the government to regulate health costs:42% of Americans said the government doesn't regulate the cost of health insurance enough40% called for more government regulation ...
Source: Health Populi - March 19, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

Health Wonk Review is posted at Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Health Reformemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
The latest edition of the Health Wonk Review is available on the Health Reform blog, hosted by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Share (Source: Health Business Blog)
Source: Health Business Blog - March 19, 2010 Category: Health Managers Authors: David E. Williams of the Health business blog Tags: Announcements Blogs Source Type: blogs

What more do you need to know?email this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
The State House News Service, writing about yesterday's hearings on health care and insurance cost trends, offers the following summary of one witness' comments:Asked whether he agreed with Attorney General Martha Coakley's conclusion that costs charged by certain hospitals for the services they provide aren't linked to the quality and outcomes for patients, Partners HealthCare Chief Operating Officer Thomas Glynn said, “No.” Glynn, speaking at a state hearing on health care costs Thursday, said the most recent contracts signed between Partners and Blue Cross Blue Shield only provided for cost increases that matched me...
Source: Running a hospital - March 19, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

Fallon Clinic’s Dr. Larry Garber on EHR + voice recognitionemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
The Fallon Clinic in Central Massachusetts has invested heavily in electronic health records. Fallon’s deployment of Epic has been successful. However, cost-savings projections on transcription were not being met, because many physicians preferred to continue dictating their notes for transcription rather than typing them directly into Epic. Fallon decided to study the use of voice recognition software in conjunction with its EHR, in the hopes of weaning physicians away from traditional transcription. In this podcast interview, Dr. Larry Garber, Fallon’s Medical Director for Informatics, describes Fallon’...
Source: Health Business Blog - March 19, 2010 Category: Health Managers Authors: David E. Williams of the Health business blogDavid E. Williams Tags: Physicians Research e-health Source Type: blogs

The Madness of Health Reformemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
Minna Jung at the Robert Wood Johnson's blog on reform is this biweek's host of Health Wonk Review. If you thought the first round games of the men's NCAA hoops tourney were crazy, you'll think it was all tranquilio when... (Source: Managed Care Matters)
Source: Managed Care Matters - March 19, 2010 Category: Health Managers Authors: jpaduda at healthstrategyassoc.com Tags: Health Wonk Review Source Type: blogs

What's missing from the CBO reform cost estimateemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
Yesterday's news that the CBO estimated the reform bill will come in under the Democrats' $950 billion over ten years (after revenue increases) was good news for reform advocates. But the analysis didn't account for the $250 billion plus deficit... (Source: Managed Care Matters)
Source: Managed Care Matters - March 19, 2010 Category: Health Managers Authors: jpaduda at healthstrategyassoc.com Tags: Health Policy Source Type: blogs

@joemfbrown's Wall Sit Super Challenge Extreme!email this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
via youtube.com This is the exact reason we built #getupandmove...+1... First you harness your existing social network to send you challenges, and then you reach out to someone new. Joe, thanks for being such a good sport :). And no, I don't do a lot of wall sits, but I do challenge a lot of strangers to do physical things on Twitter... Posted via web from Get Up and Move (Source: Health Management Rx)
Source: Health Management Rx - March 18, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

At the Cost Trend Hearingsemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
I just returned from testifying at the Health Care Cost Trend Hearings. (Prepared statements are posted here.) Commissioner David Morales of the Division of Health Care Finance and Policy presided. In addition, Attorney General Martha Coakley attended, seen here with Thomas O'Brien, Assistant Attorney General of her Health Care Division.The day started with an excellent presentation by Stephen Schoenbaum, EVP for Programs at the Commonwealth Fund. It covered a lot of topics, as you can see if you flip through his charts.A pertinent one for the topic we have been discussing here was that a likely downside of creating Accoun...
Source: Running a hospital - March 18, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

Health Care Cost Trend Hearingsemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
They don't get much media coverage, but the Health Care Cost Trend Hearings being held by the state government right now offer a variety of opinions about the current health care situation in Massachusetts. The prepared statements of the witnesses are available here.If you only have time to read one thing, look at this statement from the Attorney General. It is as thoughtful and comprehensive a view of the Massachusetts market as can be imagined. Excerpts:Price variations are correlated to market leverage as measured by the relative market position of the hospital or provider group compared with other hospitals or provider...
Source: Running a hospital - March 18, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

Health Wonk Review - upcoming hostsemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
Submit entries to Blog Carnival April 1, 2010 - Rich Elmore at Healthcare Technology News April 15, 2010 - David Harlow at HealthBlawg Deadline: 9 am Wednesday April 14, 2010 April 29, 2010 - TBA May 13, 2010 - Hank Stern at InsureBlog Deadline: 9 am Wednesday May 12, 2010 May 27, 2010 - David Williams at Health Business Blog Deadline: 9 am Wednesday May 26, 2010 (Source: Health Wonk Review)
Source: Health Wonk Review - March 18, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

The new consumer frugality in health careemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
The middle class in America is barely hanging on, and increasingly uninsured. the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's report on the continued erosion of health insurance in the U.S. talks of the recession's toll on average Americans and employers' ability to cover their health.Furthermore, two consecutive years of economic downturn in the U.S. have driven two years of downturn in consumer spending. This has led to consumers trading off a balance of price, brand and convenience which Booz & Company calls The New Consumer Frugality.In their latest report detailing consumer spending trends in 2,000 random American adults, Bo...
Source: Health Populi - March 18, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

New Health Wonk Review at The Users' Guide to the Health Reform Galaxyemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
Minna Jung hosts a new edition of Health Wonk Review at The Users' Guide to the Health Reform Galaxy (Source: Health Wonk Review)
Source: Health Wonk Review - March 18, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

A very brief summary of the reform bill processemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
Not even the most intense civics class would have prepared you for the theatrics coming our way in Congress. I've read several articles about the Democrats' strategy to get reform passed and signed into law and the GOP's efforts to... (Source: Managed Care Matters)
Source: Managed Care Matters - March 18, 2010 Category: Health Managers Authors: jpaduda at healthstrategyassoc.com Tags: Health Policy Source Type: blogs

Medical Staff Services Manager - Required Skills?email this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
(Source: MSSPNexus Blog)
Source: MSSPNexus Blog - March 18, 2010 Category: Health Managers Authors: Rita Schwab Source Type: blogs

Malpractice defense: Lung Infection vs. Chronic Pulmonary Embolismemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
In addition to my consulting work and writing the Health Business Blog, I’m chairman of the board of Advanced Practice Strategies, a medical risk management firm that provides litigation support for malpractice defense and an eLearning curriculum focused on enhancing patient safety. Here’s the Advanced Practice Strategies case of the month. To learn more send an email or call 877-APS-4500. Judgment for the Defense Lung Infection vs. Chronic Pulmonary Embolism PLAINTIFF’S CLAIM: The plaintiff suffered premature death as a result of undiagnosed chronic pulmonary emboli (PE).  Despite persistent respiratory...
Source: Health Business Blog - March 17, 2010 Category: Health Managers Authors: David E. Williams of the Health business blog Tags: Physicians Source Type: blogs

Who is a wise man? He who learns from everyone.email this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
In these days of cynicism about our elected representatives, I more often find reason to believe the opposite about them. One example is Congressman Michael Capuano, a Democrat representing a portion of the Boston metropolitan area. I have known Mike since his days as Mayor of Somerville, and his commitment to doing the public good has been admirable and consistent.So, Mike now faces a tough vote on the national health care bill. I was not surprised to see an email from him to a broad group of constituents seeking their input on the matter. He asked specific and detailed questions about various provisions in the bill, and ...
Source: Running a hospital - March 17, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

Who is wise man? He who learns from everyone.email this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
In these days of cynicism about our elected representatives, I more often find reason to believe the opposite about them. One example is Congressman Michael Capuano, a Democrat representing a portion of the Boston metropolitan area. I have known Mike since his days as Mayor of Somerville, and his commitment to doing the public good has been admirable and consistent.So, Mike now faces a tough vote on the national health care bill. I was not surprised to see an email from him to a broad group of constituents seeking their input on the matter. He asked specific and detailed questions about various provisions in the bill, and ...
Source: Running a hospital - March 17, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

Price controls do not workemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
If there is anything about economics that has been proven over and over, it is that price controls do not work. The unintended consequences are usually worse than the problem that led to the solution in the first place.Massachusetts legislators, feeling the frustration of higher insurance premiums, are now considering a bill to limit doctor and hospital reimbursement payments to 110% of Medicare rates, or perhaps some other percentage of Medicare rates. The problem with this is that Medicare rates are not fully compensatory to doctors and hospitals and have contributed to the increase in private insurance company rates. Th...
Source: Running a hospital - March 17, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

A Day in the Life of a Poison Centeremail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
Blogging buddy Tony Chen (formerly of Hospital Impact) sent me this link and the following note:I just wanted to send along a cool/important link that you might be interested in. The Illinois Poison Center did a unique "behind the scenes" look into the type of calls they get on a daily basis, culminating in this post "A Day in the Life of a Poison Center." There are lots of crazy/interesting/important/funny things in here (what DOES one do when a 2yo accidentally takes his grandfather's viagra?!) Anyway, just thought I'd pass it along. So many of the calls these guys get (about half of their 100,000 calls per year, actuall...
Source: Running a hospital - March 17, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

A Renaissance for U.S. health care: broadband as the canvasemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
I'm in a country this week where 66% of health providers have adopted 9 of 14 critical electronic health applications, according to a study from The Commonwealth Fund. According to the same study, only 26% of U.S. providers have opted into these functions.As I amble across cobblestoned and craggy streets, looking up to frescoe'd facades on 500 year old palazzi, church domes and the bluest sky ever, the signs of the Italian Renaissance are everywhere in walkable Florence, Italy. But it's not all art and architecture, gelato and chianti for me this week. It's also the techno-reality that I'm living in the 21st century, as I ...
Source: Health Populi - March 17, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

North Dakota - they do things different up there...email this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
Loyal readers, return with us once again to the wilds of North Dakota, that ice-bound region where executives are criminalized for signing off on cookies and balloons at farewell parties, where out-of-control prosecutors deny defendants their constitutional rights, where a... (Source: Managed Care Matters)
Source: Managed Care Matters - March 17, 2010 Category: Health Managers Authors: jpaduda at healthstrategyassoc.com Tags: Workers Comp Source Type: blogs

Handstand #getupandmove for @genegeek!email this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
Coming to you live from Austin, TX. Photo credits to @oldbailey. Thanks to the lady and her dog on the path who said "nice handstand!" Community fitness like whoa! What you decide to do, every day, moves other folks from thought to action. How are you gonna move it today? Posted via email from Jen's Posterous (Source: Health Management Rx)
Source: Health Management Rx - March 16, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

More insurance, less coverageemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
As the Wall Street Journal (Bill Gives Insurers A Younger Market) points out, there is some upside in national health reform for commercial health plans. In particular, it should increase the number of young, healthy people with coverage. Health insurers have been trying to encourage the so-called ‘young invincibles’ to purchase plans, but it’s a tough sell. Coverage is pricey and puts a real dent in young adults’ lifestyles. Health insurance is not a product or service that’s enjoyable or status-raising either. Health reform will help by mandating coverage and providing subsidies to those wit...
Source: Health Business Blog - March 16, 2010 Category: Health Managers Authors: David E. Williams of the Health business blog Tags: Health plans Policy and politics Source Type: blogs

Status-Quo Anxietyemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
Marybeth, a Women's Health Nurse Practitioner here, sent me this link to a James Surowiecki New Yorker article from August. I think it is really well done. (Source: Running a hospital)
Source: Running a hospital - March 16, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

Would you buy anything from this company?email this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
Another in a series of unsolicited email solicitations, many with undue informality. A marketing company, at that.Is grammar dead? Punctuation? Correct capitalization?Subject: Re:Thank you for your time on the call - Paul (Of course, there was no call, and this was not a return of an email.)Hi Paul, This is Jessica from an Online Marketing Solutions Company called Futuristic Inc., We are a Global database company providing customized & complete marketing solutions based on your needs across the globe. Business Expansion, Lead Generation, & Brand awareness are what we are best at. We partner you in increasing your...
Source: Running a hospital - March 16, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

"But our patients are sicker"email this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
Liz Kowalczyk at the Boston Globe provides a story and the detailed analysis of the rates paid by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care to hospitals and physicians in Massachusetts. Similar charts have now also been filed by Blue Cross Blue Shield and Tufts Health Plan. All this demonstrates again that the health care reimbursement system is broken. (Source: Running a hospital)
Source: Running a hospital - March 16, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

How not to regulate ratesemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
I wrote last month about a proposal by our Governor to limit insurance rate increases for the individual and small business market in Massachusetts. While he has filed legislation on this front, he also has taken administrative action through his Division of Insurance (summary of both here). New DOI emergency regulations could be used to turn down any rate increase that exceeds 4.8%.On February 14, DOI issued "filing guidance" to the insurance companies to carry out these regulations. Here's the disapproval section, requiring the previous year's rates to stay in effect if the new rates are not approved:Health Plans may imm...
Source: Running a hospital - March 16, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

Learning from Detroit: costs above coverage and the elastic demand for healthemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
Cost and personal income are the key determinants of whether a Michigander seeks medical care. As the chart shows, cost is the #1 reason uninsured people in Michigan didn't seek medical care for 55% of the uninsured. But for nearly 1 in 3 insured Michiganders, cost is also the key determinant in whether people go for medical care.These findings price elastic demand for health services were uncovered in the Cover Michigan survey, conducted by the Center for Healthcare Research and Transformation (CHRT), a partnership between the University of Michigan and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (BCBS MI). The survey polled 1,022...
Source: Health Populi - March 16, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

Free Healthcare Administration Quizzes Now Availableemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
(Source: MSSPNexus Blog)
Source: MSSPNexus Blog - March 16, 2010 Category: Health Managers Authors: Rita Schwab Source Type: blogs

For the work comp industry, the picture is getting brighteremail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
Yesterday's news that US industrial production continued to improve was a welcome sign of good news for a work comp industry that has been hammered by declining claims frequency, increased severity, horrible investment returns, and a recession that prolonged what... (Source: Managed Care Matters)
Source: Managed Care Matters - March 16, 2010 Category: Health Managers Authors: jpaduda at healthstrategyassoc.com Tags: Workers Comp Source Type: blogs

Grand Rounds 6.25 is up at Medicine and Technologyemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
This week's edition of Grand Rounds, the best posts from the medical blogosphere, is hosted by Dr. Joseph Kim at Medicine and Technology.  Get a cup of coffee and stop by for some interesting reading.   (Source: MSSPNexus Blog)
Source: MSSPNexus Blog - March 16, 2010 Category: Health Managers Authors: Rita Schwab Source Type: blogs

Christus Health CIO discusses how IT supports business strategy (Part 2) transcriptemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
This is the transcript of part 2 of my podcast interview with Christus Health SVP/CIO George Conklin. I suggest reading part 1 first. David Williams: The 2004 to 2006 standardization initiative is very impressive.  A lot of organizations probably thought that that would be useful but probably didn’t see how they could do it. Can you provide a perspective on how organizational culture, psychology and technology interacted to get you moving in the right direction? George Conklin: I joined a predecessor organization of Christus in 1998, just months before the formation of Christus.  At that time we were primarily a tw...
Source: Health Business Blog - March 15, 2010 Category: Health Managers Authors: David E. Williams of the Health business blog Tags: Hospitals Podcast e-health Source Type: blogs

What does it take? (revisited)email this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
I beg your indulgence to read this old post of mine, but more importantly, to read the comments that it stimulated from some of the world's experts in process improvement, but also from some "regular people."All things considered, are we in the health care professions moving fast enough to transform the delivery of care? And whatever you think about today's problems and this generation of caregivers, how about trying harder for the next? An excerpt:The Lucian Leape Institute at the National Patient Safety Foundation released today a report that finds that U.S. “medical schools are not doing an adequate job of facilitatin...
Source: Running a hospital - March 15, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

Data security is Job 1 for health managers thinking mobileemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
As more health workers go mobile, whether telecommuting or as home health road warriors, managers are concerned, first and foremost, with mobile security as the top ranking required component of mobile user management tools.Data security in general ranks highly int he minds of health managers, 90% of whom told Forrester that this was a critical or high IT security priority as they were entering 2010.In a survey conducted for Fiberlink, a communications company, Forrester found that 89% of health care organizations have some employees working out of the office at least one day per week, and 87% of companies have employees t...
Source: Health Populi - March 15, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

Free Healthcare Administration Quizzes Coming Soonemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
The free online healthcare administration quizzes (Source: MSSPNexus Blog)
Source: MSSPNexus Blog - March 14, 2010 Category: Health Managers Authors: Rita Schwab Source Type: blogs

Crowd sourcing comes through againemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
I have written below about the incredible power of crowd sourcing, using the reach and scope of social networking on the Internet to solve a complex problem. Here's a play-by-play about a difficult question. It demonstrates how the asynchronous participation of many participants inevitably converges on the right answer in less than 24 hours. You just have to be patient and let the truth emerge.I posted the following problem on Facebook:Query -- what makes some Facebook status updates stay put on the top of your page until cleared, while others appear as one-time updates? (Yesterday at 12:22pm.)Luba: I think it's an algorit...
Source: Running a hospital - March 13, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

Phineas, we hardly knew yaemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
One of my favorite displays is of the actual head of Phineas Gage. If you recall, he was a railroad worker who unfortunately got in the way of a projectile -- a long, sharp iron bar that inadvertently became a missile as a result of a mistimed explosive charge.Mr. Gage's head, and the bar that traveled through it back in 1848, and a technical explanation of the event and the aftereffects are on public display at the Countway Library at Harvard Medical School. (Contact the library at (617) 432-2170 for information.) (Source: Running a hospital)
Source: Running a hospital - March 13, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

Not Bostonemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
I was recently in Palm Beach and had occasion to drive my rental car to one of the local restaurants. It was "valet only" parking. As I stepped out of the car, I asked the valet for the ticket, and he said, "No need. It is the only Chevy in the lot."After dinner, a new attendant was on duty. He asked for the ticket. I said, "It's the Chevy." He said, "I'll get it right away."I think they were happy to have it off their lot. (Source: Running a hospital)
Source: Running a hospital - March 13, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

Cartwheel #getupandmove for @mdbraberemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
Hoi Maarten-Thought of you and the Nexthealth crew today running along the river in Austin, Texas.#getupandmove works because, as @edbennett told me today outside the Hilton hotel at #sxsw, when you do a challenge, you wind up thinking about the friend or family member who sent it to you. That means you're not just moving for yourself, you're moving for someone else too.Maarten - this one's for you! Posted via email from Jen's Posterous (Source: Health Management Rx)
Source: Health Management Rx - March 13, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

PHI Security Breaches Posted by DHHS under HITECH Rulesemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
As required by section 13402(e)(4) of the HITECH Act (Source: MSSPNexus Blog)
Source: MSSPNexus Blog - March 13, 2010 Category: Health Managers Authors: Rita Schwab Source Type: blogs

Christus Health CIO discusses how IT supports business strategy (Part 1) transcriptemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
The objective is to move us toward our goal of being a low cost, high quality provider. Williams: That sounds like a very well thought out strategy.  How close is it to being realized?  Is it in place today or is that more of a long term strategic vision? Conklin: That’s a longer-term strategic vision.  Today, through our portals, a clinician could gain  access to George Conklin’s information from anywhere, but would have multiple log in’s and multiple systems to look at.  We are actively seeking a health information exchange engine to sit on top of all our systems. We want it to do three things for ...
Source: Health Business Blog - March 12, 2010 Category: Health Managers Authors: David E. Williams of the Health business blog Tags: Hospitals Podcast e-health Source Type: blogs

New blog: Health Reform Musingsemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
There is a new blog by Bruce Bullen. It is called Health Reform Musings.I am hard-pressed to think of anyone in this field in Massachusetts who garners the respect that Bruce does. He was admired as a true professional when in the state government and then afterward at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care. I would keep track of what he says. (Source: Running a hospital)
Source: Running a hospital - March 12, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

Tough to focus on patient care and productivity at the same timeemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
by Thomas Dahlborg A physician friend of mine from a well-known, local health care system recently confided in me that he's so tired and burned-out that he's thinking of leaving the practice of medicine. As a primary care physician, he feels his role has moved further away from that of a healer and more into that of a "production worker." Rather than focus his energy on ensuring that his patients are best positioned for optimal healing, he feels pressure to ensure that he's triple-booked every fifteen minutes in an effort to generate the required 30 "relative value units" (RVU's) per day and thus earn his salary. ...
Source: hospital impact - March 12, 2010 Category: Health Managers Authors: hospitaltony Source Type: blogs

We enjoyed meeting our Impact readers at HIMSS!email this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
by Wendy Johnson Now that you're all back to the weekly grind following a jam-packed HIMSS10 week of networking, learning and checking out the latest health IT products, I wanted thank the many Hospital Impact readers who attended our HIMSS events, including our first-ever HIMSS executive breakfast panel discussion March 2, jointly sponsored by FierceMobileHealthcare, FierceWireless and Meru Networks. Our panel of hospital CIOs and wireless experts shared their 'been there, done that' lessons learned, and discussed the many misconceptions regarding mobile technology deployment. Although this technology has yet to reach i...
Source: hospital impact - March 12, 2010 Category: Health Managers Authors: hospitaltony Source Type: blogs

In touch or out of touch?email this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
Here is a fascinating opinion piece in the Washington Post by Pat Caddell and Douglas Schoen, pollsters to the past two Democratic presidents, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. They suggest that the Democrats are not in touch with the public regarding health care reform. "Their blind persistence in the face of reality threatens to turn this political march of folly into an electoral rout in November." See my recent notes here and here that have related themes.More excerpts:"The battle for public opinion has been lost. Comprehensive health care has been lost.""Yes, most Americans believe, as we do, that real health-care reform...
Source: Running a hospital - March 12, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs

Moore helps get more doneemail this articleEmail this article to a colleague. save this article to My ClippingsSave this article to My Clippings. discuss this articleDiscuss or comment on this article.
I was asked to give the keynote address today at a senior leadership retreat for Sutter Health's Sacramento Sierra Region. Sutter is a community based, not for profit health system.The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation has teamed up with Sutter to explore means and methods to transform this multi-centered health care system to the next level of quality, safety, and patient-centeredness. Sutter has already done a lot of good work in these arenas, so the hope is to build on that and explore how to do still better and enhance the likely sustainability of the results.Pictured here are Michael Dourgarian, a local businessperson...
Source: Running a hospital - March 12, 2010 Category: Health Managers Source Type: blogs