Hospitals
Hospitals Feature Story
Written by George T. Schwend
Variance in the English language is harming patients and hospitals' bottom lines. Is healthcare IT the solution?
Since the onset of the firestorm sparked by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) reports "To Err is Human" and "Crossing the Quality Chasm," there have been extensive debates, volumes of text and countless presentations focused upon patient safety and reducing medical errors. There is consensus among all healthcare stakeholders–physicians, nurses, patients, hospitals, clinics, payers and government–that patient safety is of paramount concern and warrants enhanced scrutiny from within the healthcare system, as well as from the public. There is even consensus that healthcare information technology (IT) will be the linchpin in reducing medical errors and avoiding future adverse and sentinel events.
Written by Mary Jean Derreberry, BSN, RNC
An Illinois medical center moves from paper to automated informed consent to meet regulatory compliance, reduce errors and facilitate communication.
Like most healthcare organizations, CGH Medical Center, based in Sterling, Ill., strives to remain compliant with the wide range of regulations governing healthcare today. Not long ago, however, the 99-bed community medical center realized it had fallen behind in the critical area of informed consent.
Written by E. Victor Brown, Senior Editor
A Washington healthcare enterprise works collaboratively to create a comprehensive medication reconciliation solution.
Medication reconciliation is a key component to patient safety and wellbeing. Just two years after The Joint Commission issued its National Patient Safety Goals and mandatory requirements for accreditation, many healthcare organizations are still struggling to accurately and completely reconcile medications across the continuum of care.
Written by Terry Siek, RN, MSN
A Midwestern provider adopts automated scheduling to enhance efficiency while ensuring appropriate staffing for effective healthcare.
Like many healthcare organizations, Hays Medical Center found itself battling the one-two punch of an ever-tightening labor market, compounded by a relentless escalation in labor costs. Leadership at the 194-bed facility recognized how vital it was to make optimal use of human resources and to schedule staff in an efficient manner that nevertheless ensured the most effective patient care possible. In addition, Hays was committed to providing managers with easy-to-use scheduling tools so they could assign staff appropriately, according to varying census and acuity levels—while freeing them from excessive administrative burdens.
Written by E. Victor Brown, Senior Editor
Rush University Medical Center embarks on a total transformation to 21st century POC.
Long before the moment a point of care (POC) system is deployed in a healthcare environment, the entire enterprise has had to reassess and optimize human, technological and physical plant workflows for a successful rollout. For Chicago's Rush University Medical Center, POC is actually a midpoint of a 9-year process of transformation into a state-of-the-art health system capable of providing the utmost in patient care well into the 21st century.
Written by E. Victor Brown, Senior Editor
A Long Island imaging center streamlines workflows and eliminates errors via an integrated RIS/PACS.
When it comes to RIS and PACS, understanding and embracing the difference between the terms interfacing and integrating defines the chasm between inefficient and optimized workflows in healthcare environments both big and small. For a Long Island-based imaging center, closing that chasm took time, teamwork and forward-thinking vendors. Having grown to eight locations spread across Nassau and Suffolk counties, Zwanger-Pesiri radiology has been providing radiological services to the region for more than 55 years. With 25 board-certified staff radiologists, the full-service imaging center provides the entire spectrum of MRI and CT scan modalities as well as Nuclear Medicine, ultra sound and DEXA Bone Densitometry.
Written by Sharon Daley, RN
A Maine non-profit uses ship-born teleconferencing for diagnosis on remote island locations.
There are rural geographies all over the United States to which delivering healthcare is a serious challenge and the subject of much debate. In the state of Maine, reaching remote areas to provide primary care is further complicated by the maze of islands off its coast that must also be served. In the winter, ferries visit these islands only once a month, and, while there is air service to leave the island, inclement weather often precludes operation, making travel to the mainland difficult. Given these obstacles, traveling to the mainland for routine doctor visits is often a hardship. An organization that has long been addressing the challenges faced by Maine's island residents is the Maine Sea Coast Mission. A non-denominational religious organization funded primarily by individuals and foundations, the Maine Sea Coast Mission recently celebrated its 101st year of providing spiritual and medical care to residents of the islands and the coast of Maine. The 75-foot long, 250 horsepower Sunbeam V, is one of the primary forms of outreach for the organization, cruising at up to 10 knots between mainland Maine and its island communities.
Written by Gary Bowers
Sixteen independent hospital systems jointly save $1.4 million annually.
Major technology projects are challenging enough in a healthcare network with several hospitals and clinics united under a single corporate parent. But getting multiple independent hospitals to agree on a master health information technology (HIT) solution serving all of them might seem impossible.
More Articles...
Page 8 of 14
Search HMT
Hospitals Industry News
-
Wellsoft EDIS selected for Kingston General Hospital and Hotel Dieu Hospital Somerset, NJ – July 13, 2010 – Wellsoft Corporation today announced...
-
Mercy Health Services selects ProVation medical software MINNEAPOLIS, MN - July 7, 2010- Wolters Kluwer Health, a provider...
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
Hospitals Resources
Bookmark Us
