As you can see, the new design for the web site is up! Its been less than 24 hours, so there are still a few bugs, and you might notice some changes in the near term. If you have any serious problems, please let me know, and describe what's happening. Thanks.
A nice story on the adoption of an ED EMR with COWs (computers on wheels) and a wireless LAN.
Citing, “patient tracking and verification systems” an innovation that could advance the adoption of EMRs, the Wall Street Journal joins the chorus singing for more health care IT spending. Out of five WSJ recommendations, automated patient tracking would have a positive impact on patient flow, helping hospital staff better manage ADT. (Registration required)
Also mentioned was over hyped […]
Yesterday, OSI announced that they have completed the acquisition of UK-based Blease Medical Holdings Limited, a privately-owned manufacturer of anesthesia systems, vaporizers and ventilators. Purchase price: an initial payment of GBP4.5 million cash and potential contingent payments of up to GBP6.25 million, based upon revenue performance targets over the next three years. For its fiscal year […]
It seems ED capacity and overcrowding issues are a near-universal phenomenon. This paper, published in Accident and Emergency Nursing, describes the situation at Christchurch Hospital, New Zealand. This tertiary level facility with an emergency department sees on average 65,000 patients per year. There are no other EDs to whom patients can be diverted, and so despite admission […]
Delphi Medical signed a deal with a German distributor. Fresenius Kabi got exclusive rights to Delphi's IVantage, an ambulatory intravenous pump, its accessories, and associated disposables. Territory includes all the European Economic Community member countries, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey, South Africa, Australia, China, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
Last Friday, Paul Sherman posted this FDA Recommendations document on the Biomedtalk biomed listserv. The document refers to medical devices (regulated devices with 510ks) that contain off the shelf (OTS) software. These are most often specialized medical applications that run on personal computers. Devices that appear to be embedded (not personal computers) can also be Windows […]
I've updated the posting here, describing Philips new monitoring network.
Robert Wise MD, VP of the Division of Standards and Survey Methods at JCAHO, is interviewed by “Q,” an otherwise nameless writer for Urgent Matters' eNewsletter. The Patient Flow performance standard started out targeting emergency department overcrowding. As the standard was developed, it became clear that the ED was the canary in the mine; ED overcrowding is […]
AHA News reports that the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) recently voted to recommend that Congress cut hospital payments next year by more than $400 million.
MedPAC's own data show Medicare payments to hospitals are inadequate, and that hospitals' overall Medicare margins stand at a negative 1.9%. Nevertheless, MedPAC recommended a fiscal year 2006 payment update of […]
