News from Rhode Island

Providence, RI —July 30, 2007—Rhode Island is now one step closer to implementing a health information system that will allow physicians, with their patient’s permission, to access important patient health data from a variety of sources when and where it is needed. The State has chosen Electronic Data Systems Corporation (EDS), and its subcontractor InterSystems Corporation, to build and integrate the necessary technology and software.National and local efforts have been underway for the last several years to computerize medical records and develop secure methods to share records electronically. Governor Carcieri has prioritized making health information electronic for the majority of Rhode Islanders by 2010. “Anywhere, Anytime Health Care Information” is one of five elements that make up...

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One Step Forward Two steps Back

Report: Health IT Bills Will Not Affect U.S. Health CareCongressional measures to boost health IT adoption would not go far enough to make a significant difference in U.S. health care, according to a Commonwealth Fund report released Thursday, Government Health IT reports.The report, which analyzed major health IT and other health-related bills introduced between 2005 and 2007, found that none of the bills "would commit the funds and central leadership required to realize the potential benefits of a health information system.""There's just not enough funding to get us to a paperless health system in five to 10 years, in my judgment," Commonwealth Fund President Karen Davis said, adding, "If the U.S. is to close the health information technology gap with other leading countries, it will need...

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Curing Healthcare: Knowledge, Standards and the Healthcare Crisis: Part 10

Curing Healthcare: Knowledge, Standards and the Healthcare Crisis: Part...

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The Train Coming Down the Track

Is your information technology structure from the ‘90s? 1890??In the next five years we will see a catalytic innovation take hold, and I don’t just mean electronic medical records, personal health records, or web 2.0 applications.In the past several months we have seen several states release morbidity and mortality statistics from hospitals performing certain procedures. Most of these were selected based upon their high per capita cost. The figures are prominently announced and displayed on easily found web sites. This of course is quite controversial and is resulting in angst of both hospital administrators and physicians alike. Payers want the most “bang” for their “bucks”, that is to say the best possible outcomes for beneficiaries. (i.e., they are not going to pay for “bad results”.Providers...

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Reality Check

I recently navigated over to the "TOP 100 HEALTHCARE BLOGS" ranking, and found that my blog was down in the 300s. The top 3 were "Random Acts of Reality" "Medgadget" and "Bad Science"I also noted that technorati seemed to play a significant role in popularity of the "winners"In the past I have written a great deal about health information exchange and RHIOs. From what I learned in the past three years I have altered my course and given up on the idea of "warp speed" and will depend upon "Impulse engines".There certainly appears to be no impuslivity as it pertains to EMRs nor HIEs.I sent out letters this past week regarding the "NEW PLAN" to bring EMR and HIE to our region of Southern California. Today is a clear day and I can look out over most of it and see all the way from Mt Wilson to...

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Google me

Google Health (GH) could be the event of the decade in advancing health care reform — not just healthcare information technology (HIT) reform,The "ultimate" PHR????Google Health (GH) could be the event of the decade in advancing health care reform — not just healthcare information technology (HIT) reform, but health care system reform. GH promises simultaneously to create AND dominate the market for next generation personal health records (PHRs). There is nothing else in our solar system or in the entire universe like it.II. GH’s Anticipated Technology ModelWe’ve been provided a number of clues about the technology model that GH is likely to develop:Patient centricA personal health URLAutomated data mechanisms to gather and store PHIInteroperable technical standards: XML and the Continuity...

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Posted in: public social engineering,rhio