As reported on Patient Safety & Quality Healthcare Website
A collaborative effort among healthcare providers and leaders to make the state of Ohio, one of the safest places in the country for healthcare has led to more than $12.8 million in healthcare savings. This effort has also led to more than nine hundred fewer patient days spent in the hospital and nearly 3,600 fewer adverse drug events and infections in children.
This effort is called, The Solutions for Patient Safety initiative.The goal of the partnership is to improve quality and reduce costs of healthcare statewide. It was launched in January 2009 and funded with a $1.5 million investment from the Cardinal Health Foundation. In addition this partnership includes the Ohio Business Roundtable, the Central Ohio Hospital Council, the Ohio Hospital Association, the Ohio Children’s Hospital Association and twenty five hospitals throughout the state.
“Cardinal Health is proud to be a founding sponsor and ongoing partner in this groundbreaking initiative that has and will continue to save lives – not only throughout Ohio, but across the nation,” said George S. Barrett, chairman and CEO, Cardinal Health. “The impressive results of the Solutions for Patient Safety initiative prove that true collaboration among healthcare leaders and clinicians can create meaningful transformation in patient care.”
Ohio’s eight children’s hospitals and 17 Central Ohio hospitals worked to implement specific programs to reduce healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and medication errors. Through their work, the hospitals identified data collection protocols and best practice processes that were shared among the institutions and will also be shared with interested outside organizations in Ohio and nationwide.
To read the full release please visit the Patient Safety & Quality Healthcare website
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Monday, December 27, 2010
Institute for Healthcare Improvement Announces Partnership with Catholic Health Partners
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and Catholic Health Partners (CHP) announced a new partnership to reduce preventable harm throughout CHP’s nine regional health systems. IHI will work closely with CHP – the largest health system in Ohio and which includes 34 hospitals serving people in Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana and Pennsylvania – on a large-scale patient safety initiative that will assist CHP in developing exemplar hospitals that will help spread best practice improvements across the CHP organization.
IHI and CHP recently began the initial phase of this partnership, which is intended to realize the Institute of Medicine’s six Aims for Improvement – health care that is safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient and equitable.
“This partnership with Catholic Health Partners provides an extraordinary opportunity to take evidence-based improvements to scale in the states served by Catholic Health Partners,” said IHI President and Chief Executive Officer Maureen Bisognano. “We look forward to implementing this initiative and drawing on IHI’s wealth of experience in spreading proven improvement practices across the United States and around the world.”
“Over the past 10 years, CHP has striven relentlessly to improve clinical quality and enhance patient safety. Our objective is to harm no patient. Nothing exemplifies our mission better or is as foundational to our strategic direction and annual plans,” said CHP President & CEO Michael D. Connelly. “Now, in partnership with IHI, our intention is to continue to reduce inpatient mortality, eliminate preventable harm, achieve nationally-designated quality measures and increase patient satisfaction.”
Designed by IHI, the initiative with CHP aims to accelerate CHP’s deployment of a cadre of professionals equipped with enhanced improvement and safety knowledge; implement a set of tested and proven changes to improve patient safety within selected hospitals, with the intent of creating a set of exemplar hospitals to spread improvement across the CHP system; and collaborate with leaders at all levels of CHP.
IHI modeled this approach after its Safer Patients Initiative (SPI) in the UK. Building on their experience with SPI, IHI has expanded this work to other systems and countries, such as the Scottish Patient Safety Programme, the Danish Society for Patient Safety and programs with the National Health Service in England.
About CHP
Catholic Health Partners is the largest health system in Ohio and one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the U.S. With $5.05 billion in assets, CHP employs nearly 38,400 associates in more than 100 organizations, including 34 hospitals which serve the health needs of people in Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and contiguous states. True to its mission, in 2009 CHP provided $348.2 million, or 8.7 percent of total expenses, in targeted community benefit. CHP earned national ranking as a Top 10 Health System for quality and efficiency in both 2009 and 2010 by Thomson Reuters, which studied more than 250 health systems across the country. CHP is proud that its diverse associates provide high quality care.
About IHI
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (www.IHI.org) is an independent not-for-profit organization that works with health care providers and leaders throughout the world to achieve safe and effective health care. IHI focuses on motivating and building the will for change, identifying and testing new models of care in partnership with both patients and health care professionals, and ensuring the broadest possible adoption of best practices and effective innovations. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, IHI mobilizes teams, organizations, and increasingly nations, through its staff of more than 100 people and partnerships with hundreds of faculty around the world.
IHI and CHP recently began the initial phase of this partnership, which is intended to realize the Institute of Medicine’s six Aims for Improvement – health care that is safe, effective, patient-centered, timely, efficient and equitable.
“This partnership with Catholic Health Partners provides an extraordinary opportunity to take evidence-based improvements to scale in the states served by Catholic Health Partners,” said IHI President and Chief Executive Officer Maureen Bisognano. “We look forward to implementing this initiative and drawing on IHI’s wealth of experience in spreading proven improvement practices across the United States and around the world.”
“Over the past 10 years, CHP has striven relentlessly to improve clinical quality and enhance patient safety. Our objective is to harm no patient. Nothing exemplifies our mission better or is as foundational to our strategic direction and annual plans,” said CHP President & CEO Michael D. Connelly. “Now, in partnership with IHI, our intention is to continue to reduce inpatient mortality, eliminate preventable harm, achieve nationally-designated quality measures and increase patient satisfaction.”
Designed by IHI, the initiative with CHP aims to accelerate CHP’s deployment of a cadre of professionals equipped with enhanced improvement and safety knowledge; implement a set of tested and proven changes to improve patient safety within selected hospitals, with the intent of creating a set of exemplar hospitals to spread improvement across the CHP system; and collaborate with leaders at all levels of CHP.
IHI modeled this approach after its Safer Patients Initiative (SPI) in the UK. Building on their experience with SPI, IHI has expanded this work to other systems and countries, such as the Scottish Patient Safety Programme, the Danish Society for Patient Safety and programs with the National Health Service in England.
About CHP
Catholic Health Partners is the largest health system in Ohio and one of the largest nonprofit health systems in the U.S. With $5.05 billion in assets, CHP employs nearly 38,400 associates in more than 100 organizations, including 34 hospitals which serve the health needs of people in Ohio, Tennessee, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and contiguous states. True to its mission, in 2009 CHP provided $348.2 million, or 8.7 percent of total expenses, in targeted community benefit. CHP earned national ranking as a Top 10 Health System for quality and efficiency in both 2009 and 2010 by Thomson Reuters, which studied more than 250 health systems across the country. CHP is proud that its diverse associates provide high quality care.
About IHI
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (www.IHI.org) is an independent not-for-profit organization that works with health care providers and leaders throughout the world to achieve safe and effective health care. IHI focuses on motivating and building the will for change, identifying and testing new models of care in partnership with both patients and health care professionals, and ensuring the broadest possible adoption of best practices and effective innovations. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, IHI mobilizes teams, organizations, and increasingly nations, through its staff of more than 100 people and partnerships with hundreds of faculty around the world.
Massachusetts General Hospital Expands Deployment of LiveData OR-Dashboard
LiveData, Inc. announced that Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) has expanded its deployment of LiveData OR-Dashboard to five additional operating rooms. LiveData, a leader in team communication tools and operational analytics, reported that the system is now being deployed in one pediatric and four cardiac ORs, to go along with the existing Operating Room of the Future and two general surgery ORs.
In addition to these six rooms, MGH will open their new Lunder Building in June, 2011, equipping all 28 new ORs with OR-Dashboard. At that time, the 28 new and six existing ORs will also be equipped with OR-Dashboard's latest feature, Active Time Out, which automates Safe Surgery Checklist protocols that have been advocated and/or mandated by such organizations as the Joint Commission and World Health Organization.
LiveData OR-Dashboard presents essential information about the patient and surgical case to the entire OR team in real-time, integrating data from patient records, administrative systems, physiological monitors, and medical devices. Presented on a large, flat panel display in the OR, the dashboard is visible from anywhere in the OR, and is updated automatically throughout the perioperative process.
“These deployments demonstrate a real commitment, one that can only result from an ongoing and longstanding record of success," said LiveData CEO Jeff Robbins. "The experience at MGH highlights how LiveData’s people and products continue to advance the state-of-the-art in practical patient safety systems. We are proud of the way our relationship has evolved over these past years, and appreciate the confidence represented in this growing commitment.”
The project, bringing together teams from Massachusetts General Hospital and LiveData, goes back almost six years, since OR-Dashboard was conceptualized and co-developed, at the Operating Room of the Future, by MGH clinicians in collaboration with LiveData’s engineering team. After the initial deployment of OR-Dashboard, LiveData and MGH have continued to develop the ongoing technology and clinical applications.
Improvements such as the Active Time Out are a natural outgrowth of the business relationship. Active Time Out functionality automatically displays checklist items precisely when needed. Impossible to ignore, these electronic checklists are visible from every area of the OR. Everyone sees the same information at the right time. The checklists include key safety steps for perioperative care that have been shown to significantly reduce complications and deaths from surgery.
"The LiveData system automatically presents key patient information to the entire team. Everyone sees the same information at the same time, and this enhances effective communication and helps the team adhere to essential safety protocols,” explained Phil Brzezinski, Vice President of Healthcare Systems at LiveData. “Patient safety is improved by the flow of information from the intraoperative phase into the PACU (recovery). Our next project will address the entire perioperative process, from pre-op through intra-op and post-op. We strive to significantly improve the quality of the patient’s hand off, not only from the pre-op area but especially from the OR to recovery.”
About LiveData
LiveData is a leading innovator in real-time data integration and display technology. The company’s solutions gather data from any number of sources, coordinate it with team workflow, and present it as meaningful information on easy-to-read graphic displays. Leading medical institutions, including Massachusetts General Hospital, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, have selected LiveData OR-Dashboard to improve patient safety, team communication, and perioperative efficiency. Founded in 1991, LiveData is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Information is available at www.livedata.com.
In addition to these six rooms, MGH will open their new Lunder Building in June, 2011, equipping all 28 new ORs with OR-Dashboard. At that time, the 28 new and six existing ORs will also be equipped with OR-Dashboard's latest feature, Active Time Out, which automates Safe Surgery Checklist protocols that have been advocated and/or mandated by such organizations as the Joint Commission and World Health Organization.
LiveData OR-Dashboard presents essential information about the patient and surgical case to the entire OR team in real-time, integrating data from patient records, administrative systems, physiological monitors, and medical devices. Presented on a large, flat panel display in the OR, the dashboard is visible from anywhere in the OR, and is updated automatically throughout the perioperative process.
“These deployments demonstrate a real commitment, one that can only result from an ongoing and longstanding record of success," said LiveData CEO Jeff Robbins. "The experience at MGH highlights how LiveData’s people and products continue to advance the state-of-the-art in practical patient safety systems. We are proud of the way our relationship has evolved over these past years, and appreciate the confidence represented in this growing commitment.”
The project, bringing together teams from Massachusetts General Hospital and LiveData, goes back almost six years, since OR-Dashboard was conceptualized and co-developed, at the Operating Room of the Future, by MGH clinicians in collaboration with LiveData’s engineering team. After the initial deployment of OR-Dashboard, LiveData and MGH have continued to develop the ongoing technology and clinical applications.
Improvements such as the Active Time Out are a natural outgrowth of the business relationship. Active Time Out functionality automatically displays checklist items precisely when needed. Impossible to ignore, these electronic checklists are visible from every area of the OR. Everyone sees the same information at the right time. The checklists include key safety steps for perioperative care that have been shown to significantly reduce complications and deaths from surgery.
"The LiveData system automatically presents key patient information to the entire team. Everyone sees the same information at the same time, and this enhances effective communication and helps the team adhere to essential safety protocols,” explained Phil Brzezinski, Vice President of Healthcare Systems at LiveData. “Patient safety is improved by the flow of information from the intraoperative phase into the PACU (recovery). Our next project will address the entire perioperative process, from pre-op through intra-op and post-op. We strive to significantly improve the quality of the patient’s hand off, not only from the pre-op area but especially from the OR to recovery.”
About LiveData
LiveData is a leading innovator in real-time data integration and display technology. The company’s solutions gather data from any number of sources, coordinate it with team workflow, and present it as meaningful information on easy-to-read graphic displays. Leading medical institutions, including Massachusetts General Hospital, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, have selected LiveData OR-Dashboard to improve patient safety, team communication, and perioperative efficiency. Founded in 1991, LiveData is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Information is available at www.livedata.com.
Cerner Corporation and Baxa Sign Reseller Agreement
Cerner Corporation and Baxa Corporation have signed a strategic reseller agreement for the Baxa DoseEdge™ Pharmacy Workflow Manager. Cerner Corporation (Nasdaq: CERN) and Baxa Corporation have signed a strategic reseller agreement for the Baxa DoseEdge Pharmacy Workflow Manager. The agreement enables Cerner to market and resell the Baxa DoseEdge System as part of an integrated Cerner offering. Cerner clients now have access to a broader suite of solutions and certified integration for dose tracking from compounding to delivery.
"The agreement expands our offering and positions Cerner to continue increasing interoperability across the medication process," says Tom Herzog, Cerner vice president, IT and medical device technologies. Dennis Schneider, Baxa senior VP of marketing and business development, agrees, "Together, the Baxa and Cerner® solutions increase IV room efficiency and advance patient safety. Their interoperability will reduce drug waste and improve communication about patient doses between pharmacy and nursing."
The Cerner partnership will allow health systems to improve their IV room automation by integrating DoseEdge technology with Cerner solutions to create a closed-loop system for medication preparation, management and delivery. DoseEdge connects to the Cerner CareAware® Infusion Management and Cerner Millennium PharmNet® solutions to move critical IV mixing data to the electronic health record.
Baxa and Cerner will work together to assist Cerner clients in their evaluation and implementation of Cerner-integrated DoseEdge. This unique offering of Cerner-integrated DoseEdge is available only from Cerner. Cerner and Baxa have begun work on integration planning, and will communicate further with clients during the first quarter of 2011.
About Cerner
Cerner is transforming healthcare by eliminating error, variance and waste for healthcare providers and consumers around the world. Cerner® solutions optimize processes for healthcare organizations ranging in size from single-doctor practices, to health systems, to entire countries, for the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, employer health and wellness services industry and for the healthcare commerce system. These solutions are licensed by more than 8,500 facilities around the world, including approximately 2,300 hospitals; 3,400 physician practices covering more than 30,000 physicians; 600 ambulatory facilities, such as laboratories, ambulatory centers, cardiac facilities, radiology clinics and surgery centers; 700 home-health facilities; and 1,500 retail pharmacies. The trademarks, service marks and logos (collectively, the "Marks") set forth herein are registered and unregistered trademarks and/or service marks owned by Cerner Corporation and/or its subsidiaries in the United States and certain other countries throughout the world. Nasdaq: CERN. For more information about Cerner, please visit www.cerner.com, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
About Baxa Corporation
Baxa, a customer-focused medical device company, provides innovative, solution-based technologies for medication handling and delivery. Its systems and devices promote the safe and efficient preparation, handling, packaging, and administration of medications. Key products include the Abacus® Order Entry and Calculation Software, the DoseEdge™ Pharmacy Workflow Manager, ExactaMed® Oral Syringes, ExactaMix™ Automated Compounding Devices, InFuse™ and MicroFuse® Syringe Infusers, Repeater™ Pharmacy Pumps, NeoThrive® Enteral Syringes, the PadLock® Set Saver and the RapidFill™ Automated Syringe Filler; used worldwide in hospitals and healthcare facilities. Its subsidiary FHT, Inc. produces the IntelliFill® i.v. automation. Privately held, Baxa Corporation has subsidiaries and sales offices in Florida, Canada and the United Kingdom; direct representation in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands and Switzerland; and distribution partners worldwide. Further information is available at www.baxa.com.
"The agreement expands our offering and positions Cerner to continue increasing interoperability across the medication process," says Tom Herzog, Cerner vice president, IT and medical device technologies. Dennis Schneider, Baxa senior VP of marketing and business development, agrees, "Together, the Baxa and Cerner® solutions increase IV room efficiency and advance patient safety. Their interoperability will reduce drug waste and improve communication about patient doses between pharmacy and nursing."
The Cerner partnership will allow health systems to improve their IV room automation by integrating DoseEdge technology with Cerner solutions to create a closed-loop system for medication preparation, management and delivery. DoseEdge connects to the Cerner CareAware® Infusion Management and Cerner Millennium PharmNet® solutions to move critical IV mixing data to the electronic health record.
Baxa and Cerner will work together to assist Cerner clients in their evaluation and implementation of Cerner-integrated DoseEdge. This unique offering of Cerner-integrated DoseEdge is available only from Cerner. Cerner and Baxa have begun work on integration planning, and will communicate further with clients during the first quarter of 2011.
About Cerner
Cerner is transforming healthcare by eliminating error, variance and waste for healthcare providers and consumers around the world. Cerner® solutions optimize processes for healthcare organizations ranging in size from single-doctor practices, to health systems, to entire countries, for the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, employer health and wellness services industry and for the healthcare commerce system. These solutions are licensed by more than 8,500 facilities around the world, including approximately 2,300 hospitals; 3,400 physician practices covering more than 30,000 physicians; 600 ambulatory facilities, such as laboratories, ambulatory centers, cardiac facilities, radiology clinics and surgery centers; 700 home-health facilities; and 1,500 retail pharmacies. The trademarks, service marks and logos (collectively, the "Marks") set forth herein are registered and unregistered trademarks and/or service marks owned by Cerner Corporation and/or its subsidiaries in the United States and certain other countries throughout the world. Nasdaq: CERN. For more information about Cerner, please visit www.cerner.com, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.
About Baxa Corporation
Baxa, a customer-focused medical device company, provides innovative, solution-based technologies for medication handling and delivery. Its systems and devices promote the safe and efficient preparation, handling, packaging, and administration of medications. Key products include the Abacus® Order Entry and Calculation Software, the DoseEdge™ Pharmacy Workflow Manager, ExactaMed® Oral Syringes, ExactaMix™ Automated Compounding Devices, InFuse™ and MicroFuse® Syringe Infusers, Repeater™ Pharmacy Pumps, NeoThrive® Enteral Syringes, the PadLock® Set Saver and the RapidFill™ Automated Syringe Filler; used worldwide in hospitals and healthcare facilities. Its subsidiary FHT, Inc. produces the IntelliFill® i.v. automation. Privately held, Baxa Corporation has subsidiaries and sales offices in Florida, Canada and the United Kingdom; direct representation in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands and Switzerland; and distribution partners worldwide. Further information is available at www.baxa.com.
Intersystems Corporation Announces Deal with University of Colorado Hospital
InterSystems Corporation, the global leader in software for connected healthcare, announced that the University of Colorado Hospital (UCH) has chosen the InterSystems Ensemble® rapid integration and development platform for enterprise-wide integration. InterSystems specializes in advanced integration, database, and business intelligence technologies for breakthrough applications. UCH is recognized as one of the leading hospitals in the nation and is consistently recognized among the top hospitals in the country by U.S. News & World Report. Most recently, UCH has been cited as one of the top 10 academic medical centers in the country based on quality, patient safety and patient satisfaction, according to the 2010 Quality and Accountability Performance Scorecard, released by the University HealthSystems Consortium.
Strategy Change Drives Integration Platform Search
“For years, our strategy had been tied to the best-of-breed concept, which resulted in a very decentralized system with more than 150 unique interfaces,” said Peggy Dalious, UCH Applications Director. “Then, we made the decision to move to the InterSystems CACHÉ-based Epic Systems electronic health record application, which required major alterations to our IT plans.”“We recognized that the integration engine represented a key piece of our infrastructure before we entered what is going to be a mass application overhaul,” Dalious continued.
The change in strategy came at a time when UCH was increasingly uneasy about its legacy integration platform, noted Dalious. The acquisition of the product’s company by another vendor, followed by the acquisition by yet another vendor, added a layer of complexity to working with the product.
“Our interface engineers had heard about Ensemble and thought it might be the right integration option for UCH,” Dalious said. After extensive research and interaction with multiple Ensemble customers, “we had a strong, sensible case for moving to Ensemble.”
The foundation for the Ensemble transition was developed based on a proof-of-concept project. UCH specified two difficult interfaces that would have to be built via Ensemble for the POC. InterSystems reviewed the interfaces onsite and defined the requirements, with UCH software specialists building the interfaces under the guidance of the InterSystems team.
Moving Forward on Solid Foundation
Following the success of the proof-of-concept, UHC has gone live with approximately 35 Ensemble-based interfaces with a core group of applications including human resources and ERP systems that will not be replaced by the Epic implementation. Plans are to go live in 1Q11 with the Epic ambulatory clinics application with Epic outpatient and inpatient modules and a total of about 85 interfaces rolling out through 3Q11.
“We’re already beginning to see how we can use other Ensemble capabilities once the interface migration from the legacy platform is complete,” Dalious said. “We know that features such as workflow management and business activity monitoring are available in Ensemble and we plan to take advantage of those facilities in the future.”
“Ensemble delivers the advanced technology required for strategic breakthroughs like the one now being realized by UCH,” said Paul Grabscheid, InterSystems Vice President of Strategic Planning. “As the healthcare industry continues to rapidly evolve, we are committed to partnering with our customers who leverage our software to optimize care delivery.”
About InterSystems
InterSystems Corporation is a global software technology leader with headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and offices in 23 countries. InterSystems provides advanced software technologies for breakthrough applications. InterSystems CACHÉ® is a high performance object database that makes applications faster and more scalable. InterSystems Ensemble® is a seamless platform for integration and the development of connectable applications. InterSystems HealthShare™ is a platform that enables the fastest creation of an Electronic Health Record for regional or national health information exchange. InterSystems DeepSee™ is software that makes it possible to embed real-time business intelligence capabilities in transactional applications.
InterSystems is the world’s #1 vendor of database and integration technologies for healthcare applications. InterSystems products are used by thousands of hospitals and labs worldwide, including all 14 hospitals on the Honor Roll of America's Best Hospitals as rated by U.S. News and World Report. For more information, visit www.InterSystems.com.
About University of Colorado Hospital
University of Colorado Hospital is the Rocky Mountain region’s leading academic medical center, and has been recognized as one of the United States’ best hospitals, according to U.S. News & World Report. It is best known as an innovator in patient care and often as one of the first hospitals to bring new medicines to patients’ bedsides. Located at the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colo., the hospital’s physicians are affiliated with the University of Colorado School of Medicine, part of the University of Colorado system. For additional information, go to www.uch.edu.
Strategy Change Drives Integration Platform Search
“For years, our strategy had been tied to the best-of-breed concept, which resulted in a very decentralized system with more than 150 unique interfaces,” said Peggy Dalious, UCH Applications Director. “Then, we made the decision to move to the InterSystems CACHÉ-based Epic Systems electronic health record application, which required major alterations to our IT plans.”“We recognized that the integration engine represented a key piece of our infrastructure before we entered what is going to be a mass application overhaul,” Dalious continued.
The change in strategy came at a time when UCH was increasingly uneasy about its legacy integration platform, noted Dalious. The acquisition of the product’s company by another vendor, followed by the acquisition by yet another vendor, added a layer of complexity to working with the product.
“Our interface engineers had heard about Ensemble and thought it might be the right integration option for UCH,” Dalious said. After extensive research and interaction with multiple Ensemble customers, “we had a strong, sensible case for moving to Ensemble.”
The foundation for the Ensemble transition was developed based on a proof-of-concept project. UCH specified two difficult interfaces that would have to be built via Ensemble for the POC. InterSystems reviewed the interfaces onsite and defined the requirements, with UCH software specialists building the interfaces under the guidance of the InterSystems team.
Moving Forward on Solid Foundation
Following the success of the proof-of-concept, UHC has gone live with approximately 35 Ensemble-based interfaces with a core group of applications including human resources and ERP systems that will not be replaced by the Epic implementation. Plans are to go live in 1Q11 with the Epic ambulatory clinics application with Epic outpatient and inpatient modules and a total of about 85 interfaces rolling out through 3Q11.
“We’re already beginning to see how we can use other Ensemble capabilities once the interface migration from the legacy platform is complete,” Dalious said. “We know that features such as workflow management and business activity monitoring are available in Ensemble and we plan to take advantage of those facilities in the future.”
“Ensemble delivers the advanced technology required for strategic breakthroughs like the one now being realized by UCH,” said Paul Grabscheid, InterSystems Vice President of Strategic Planning. “As the healthcare industry continues to rapidly evolve, we are committed to partnering with our customers who leverage our software to optimize care delivery.”
About InterSystems
InterSystems Corporation is a global software technology leader with headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and offices in 23 countries. InterSystems provides advanced software technologies for breakthrough applications. InterSystems CACHÉ® is a high performance object database that makes applications faster and more scalable. InterSystems Ensemble® is a seamless platform for integration and the development of connectable applications. InterSystems HealthShare™ is a platform that enables the fastest creation of an Electronic Health Record for regional or national health information exchange. InterSystems DeepSee™ is software that makes it possible to embed real-time business intelligence capabilities in transactional applications.
InterSystems is the world’s #1 vendor of database and integration technologies for healthcare applications. InterSystems products are used by thousands of hospitals and labs worldwide, including all 14 hospitals on the Honor Roll of America's Best Hospitals as rated by U.S. News and World Report. For more information, visit www.InterSystems.com.
About University of Colorado Hospital
University of Colorado Hospital is the Rocky Mountain region’s leading academic medical center, and has been recognized as one of the United States’ best hospitals, according to U.S. News & World Report. It is best known as an innovator in patient care and often as one of the first hospitals to bring new medicines to patients’ bedsides. Located at the Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colo., the hospital’s physicians are affiliated with the University of Colorado School of Medicine, part of the University of Colorado system. For additional information, go to www.uch.edu.
New Medical ID Wristband Developed By MEDICOM
MEDICOM Technologies, Inc.. , a purveyor of technically advanced medical identification solutions, today introduced its revolutionary multimedia-enabled interactive Medical I.D. Wristband that readily presents an individual’s complete medical history to emergency treatment personnel in critical situations. The first-of-its-kind, patent-pending MEDICOM Medical I.D. Wristband is an industry game changer, boasting an extraordinary array of audio, video and voice-driven health and entertainment features unsurpassed in today’s marketplace in a stylish wristband design.
A boon for the 65 million Americans with chronic medical conditions requiring regular physicians’ care, the computerized MEDICOM Medical I.D. Wristband is the first and only device with audio-visual capabilities that can store, display, edit, voice and transfer a patient’s complete medical history in up to 9 languages to first responders, EMTs, and hospital personnel in any emergency medical situation. For non-emergency use in leisure time, consumers may also view photos or listen to songs, voice recordings, 20 FM radio stations, or watch movies via earphones that plug directly into the device.
With a touch of a button the wristband’s graphic 1.5” LCD screen with digital display presents, in a scrolling fashion, comprehensive health data automatically pre-parsed into 14 intuitive files that may be individually selected, scrolled in either direction, and paused for easy viewing. The information can also be uploaded from the wristband to an ambulance lap top or hospital computer via a standard USB 2.0 cable connection.
“The medication scheduling file, for example, will help an ER doctor avoid administering contra-indicated medications and the patient from spending any excessive time in the hospital going through unnecessary and expensive diagnostic treatment,” explains James Klink, founder and CEO of MEDICOM Technologies, Inc. “If the patient arrives at a hospital unconscious, the staff will have access to the individual’s insurance information in another file to authorize admittance, and can also quickly find the patient’s blood type, degree or class of medical disease, any special treatment requests the patient may have including process for resuscitation, organ donation, languages understood other than English, and basically any other data needed to effectively treat the specific patient.”
Available in two trendy wristband options – stainless steel or black leather – the attractive fashion accessory design removes the stigma often associated with medical I.D. devices, thus encouraging more self-conscious and style-savvy adolescents and adults with chronic pre-existing medical conditions to wear one and have it at-the-ready when an emergency presents.
Also more affordable than other medical identification solutions on the market that charge recurring annual fees, the MEDICOM Medical I.D. Wristbands sell for an economical one-time charge of $125 for the stainless steel banded model or $115 for the leather banded model. In addition, other lower-tech medical I.D. products do provide patient information as readily, requiring emergency or hospital personnel to spend precious minutes calling an 800-number for basic medical history and instruction, with the secondary hope there are no problems with the I.D. number transfer, telephone connection, or the data access computer at that critical time.
“Our purpose with this medical I.D. innovation is to empower patients to be more aware of their personal health and better inform, alert, and facilitate the transfer of knowledge to EMTs and other first responders, physicians and hospital personnel,” Klink continues “Our device enables patients to receive the personalized emergency care that is needed relative to their specific chronic illness or advance directives. It also allows patients to get in and out of the hospital faster, safer, and less expensively. This results in fewer malpractice lawsuits, thereby reducing physician malpractice premiums and the expenses insurance companies pay out.”
“Only a small percentage - a paltry 4% - of those with chronic illnesses and who should be wearing a medical identification device currently owns one,” Klink notes. “With our solution being so feature rich, easy to use, and wearable as a bona-fide fashion accessory, we believe many more consumers will opt to safeguard their health and welfare in emergency medical situations.”
How it works
From any Internet-enabled computer consumers may enter from 2GB to 8GB of vital medical, personal, and entertainment information via an intuitive Web site template, and then transfer the data to the MEDICOM Medical I.D. Wristband via a standard USB 2.0 cable/port connection.
The MEDICOM Medical I.D. Wristband will store and, at the touch of a button, instantly display a user’s personal demographics; medical conditions; emergency contact information; all medications, dosages and times taken; advance directives and special treatment requests; x-ray disks and recent medical/lab results; medical/dental Insurance information; I.D. photo, allergies; physicians and pharmacy addresses and phone numbers; medical history including any diseases, surgeries, immunizations, etc.; as well as a miscellaneous folder to input medical appointments, notes, and virtually any additional medical information of note (charting & graphing, diet/exercise programs, Web favorites, etc).
Updates and edits to keep personal data current and accurate are also done at the push of a button. In addition, any medical data can be downloaded to the MEDICOM Medical I.D. Wristband from any physician’s office, laboratory, medical or other relevant facility in the world via any Internet-enabled computer.
Klink concludes, “This device is critical to the millions of individuals in the United States alone with chronic medical conditions. Having such robust medical identification allows them to function with complete peace of mind in their everyday lives, providing immeasurable value.”
About MEDICOM Technologies, Inc.
Based in Honolulu, Hawaii, MEDICOM Technologies, Inc. is a purveyor of technically advanced medical identification solutions. Its flagship, patent pending MEDICOM Medical I.D. Wristband presents a patient’s complete medical history to emergency treatment personnel in critical situations. The company’s first-of-its-kind medical identification solution offers a comprehensive array of audio, video and voice-driven health and entertainment features unsurpassed in today’s marketplace in a stylish wristband design and at an affordable price point. Learn more online at www.medicomtech.com.
A boon for the 65 million Americans with chronic medical conditions requiring regular physicians’ care, the computerized MEDICOM Medical I.D. Wristband is the first and only device with audio-visual capabilities that can store, display, edit, voice and transfer a patient’s complete medical history in up to 9 languages to first responders, EMTs, and hospital personnel in any emergency medical situation. For non-emergency use in leisure time, consumers may also view photos or listen to songs, voice recordings, 20 FM radio stations, or watch movies via earphones that plug directly into the device.
With a touch of a button the wristband’s graphic 1.5” LCD screen with digital display presents, in a scrolling fashion, comprehensive health data automatically pre-parsed into 14 intuitive files that may be individually selected, scrolled in either direction, and paused for easy viewing. The information can also be uploaded from the wristband to an ambulance lap top or hospital computer via a standard USB 2.0 cable connection.
“The medication scheduling file, for example, will help an ER doctor avoid administering contra-indicated medications and the patient from spending any excessive time in the hospital going through unnecessary and expensive diagnostic treatment,” explains James Klink, founder and CEO of MEDICOM Technologies, Inc. “If the patient arrives at a hospital unconscious, the staff will have access to the individual’s insurance information in another file to authorize admittance, and can also quickly find the patient’s blood type, degree or class of medical disease, any special treatment requests the patient may have including process for resuscitation, organ donation, languages understood other than English, and basically any other data needed to effectively treat the specific patient.”
Available in two trendy wristband options – stainless steel or black leather – the attractive fashion accessory design removes the stigma often associated with medical I.D. devices, thus encouraging more self-conscious and style-savvy adolescents and adults with chronic pre-existing medical conditions to wear one and have it at-the-ready when an emergency presents.
Also more affordable than other medical identification solutions on the market that charge recurring annual fees, the MEDICOM Medical I.D. Wristbands sell for an economical one-time charge of $125 for the stainless steel banded model or $115 for the leather banded model. In addition, other lower-tech medical I.D. products do provide patient information as readily, requiring emergency or hospital personnel to spend precious minutes calling an 800-number for basic medical history and instruction, with the secondary hope there are no problems with the I.D. number transfer, telephone connection, or the data access computer at that critical time.
“Our purpose with this medical I.D. innovation is to empower patients to be more aware of their personal health and better inform, alert, and facilitate the transfer of knowledge to EMTs and other first responders, physicians and hospital personnel,” Klink continues “Our device enables patients to receive the personalized emergency care that is needed relative to their specific chronic illness or advance directives. It also allows patients to get in and out of the hospital faster, safer, and less expensively. This results in fewer malpractice lawsuits, thereby reducing physician malpractice premiums and the expenses insurance companies pay out.”
“Only a small percentage - a paltry 4% - of those with chronic illnesses and who should be wearing a medical identification device currently owns one,” Klink notes. “With our solution being so feature rich, easy to use, and wearable as a bona-fide fashion accessory, we believe many more consumers will opt to safeguard their health and welfare in emergency medical situations.”
How it works
From any Internet-enabled computer consumers may enter from 2GB to 8GB of vital medical, personal, and entertainment information via an intuitive Web site template, and then transfer the data to the MEDICOM Medical I.D. Wristband via a standard USB 2.0 cable/port connection.
The MEDICOM Medical I.D. Wristband will store and, at the touch of a button, instantly display a user’s personal demographics; medical conditions; emergency contact information; all medications, dosages and times taken; advance directives and special treatment requests; x-ray disks and recent medical/lab results; medical/dental Insurance information; I.D. photo, allergies; physicians and pharmacy addresses and phone numbers; medical history including any diseases, surgeries, immunizations, etc.; as well as a miscellaneous folder to input medical appointments, notes, and virtually any additional medical information of note (charting & graphing, diet/exercise programs, Web favorites, etc).
Updates and edits to keep personal data current and accurate are also done at the push of a button. In addition, any medical data can be downloaded to the MEDICOM Medical I.D. Wristband from any physician’s office, laboratory, medical or other relevant facility in the world via any Internet-enabled computer.
Klink concludes, “This device is critical to the millions of individuals in the United States alone with chronic medical conditions. Having such robust medical identification allows them to function with complete peace of mind in their everyday lives, providing immeasurable value.”
About MEDICOM Technologies, Inc.
Based in Honolulu, Hawaii, MEDICOM Technologies, Inc. is a purveyor of technically advanced medical identification solutions. Its flagship, patent pending MEDICOM Medical I.D. Wristband presents a patient’s complete medical history to emergency treatment personnel in critical situations. The company’s first-of-its-kind medical identification solution offers a comprehensive array of audio, video and voice-driven health and entertainment features unsurpassed in today’s marketplace in a stylish wristband design and at an affordable price point. Learn more online at www.medicomtech.com.
National Patient Safety Foundation Creating New Membership Program
The National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF), a nonprofit specializing in advancing safe patient care, is creating a groundbreaking new membership program for patient safety professionals that will provide a unique opportunity for sharing of best practices and the unification of the growing patient safety community. New members can join the American Society of Professionals in Patient Safety at NPSF starting in January 2011.
In addition, beginning in January 2012, NPSF will launch a certification program specifically designed to standardize a curriculum and elevate the patient safety profession. Taken together with Society membership, this will provide a level of professional development for practitioners of patient safety that does not currently exist.
”Patient safety is a top priority for our health care system. But we will not be able to truly move the needle until those who are involved in the practice have the knowledge base necessary to do the job. The certification program is an essential element in that quest,” according to Dr. Lucian L. Leape, chair of the Lucian Leape Institute at NPSF.The program will offer certification for healthcare professionals according to criteria determined through clinical research and industry best practices. Certification for Professionals in Patient Safety (CPPS) will enable healthcare professionals to assess activities that affect patient safety according to the best available information, and implement strategies to reduce medical errors.
“Patient safety is an obligation for all health professionals, and a critical component of improving the quality and efficiency of care delivery to meet the challenges of healthcare reform,” said Diane Pinakiewicz, president of the National Patient Safety Foundation. “NPSF has led the campaign for patient safety since 1997 and, with help from the best minds in medicine, we are proud to establish a home organization for what has often been a fragmented patient safety community, provide the educational tools needed to bring consistency and standards to the patient safety discipline, and help healthcare professionals hone their skills and keep patients safe.”
Membership in the American Society of Professionals in Patient Safety is open to professionals whose primary responsibility is patient safety as well as others across the healthcare disciplines, including medical students, providers, risk and quality leaders, patient safety advocates and all those committed to safe patient care. Individual membership is the newest addition to NPSF’s portfolio, which include continuing education credits through the Professional Learning Series, Annual Patient Safety Congress, and other high-value programs.
The National Patient Safety Foundation
The National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) has been pursuing one mission since its founding in 1997 – to improve the safety of care provided to patients. As a central voice for patient safety, NPSF is committed to a collaborative, inclusive, multi-stakeholder approach in all that it does. NPSF is an independent, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. To learn more about the work of the National Patient Safety Foundation and how you can get involved, please visit: www.npsf.org.
In addition, beginning in January 2012, NPSF will launch a certification program specifically designed to standardize a curriculum and elevate the patient safety profession. Taken together with Society membership, this will provide a level of professional development for practitioners of patient safety that does not currently exist.
”Patient safety is a top priority for our health care system. But we will not be able to truly move the needle until those who are involved in the practice have the knowledge base necessary to do the job. The certification program is an essential element in that quest,” according to Dr. Lucian L. Leape, chair of the Lucian Leape Institute at NPSF.The program will offer certification for healthcare professionals according to criteria determined through clinical research and industry best practices. Certification for Professionals in Patient Safety (CPPS) will enable healthcare professionals to assess activities that affect patient safety according to the best available information, and implement strategies to reduce medical errors.
“Patient safety is an obligation for all health professionals, and a critical component of improving the quality and efficiency of care delivery to meet the challenges of healthcare reform,” said Diane Pinakiewicz, president of the National Patient Safety Foundation. “NPSF has led the campaign for patient safety since 1997 and, with help from the best minds in medicine, we are proud to establish a home organization for what has often been a fragmented patient safety community, provide the educational tools needed to bring consistency and standards to the patient safety discipline, and help healthcare professionals hone their skills and keep patients safe.”
Membership in the American Society of Professionals in Patient Safety is open to professionals whose primary responsibility is patient safety as well as others across the healthcare disciplines, including medical students, providers, risk and quality leaders, patient safety advocates and all those committed to safe patient care. Individual membership is the newest addition to NPSF’s portfolio, which include continuing education credits through the Professional Learning Series, Annual Patient Safety Congress, and other high-value programs.
The National Patient Safety Foundation
The National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) has been pursuing one mission since its founding in 1997 – to improve the safety of care provided to patients. As a central voice for patient safety, NPSF is committed to a collaborative, inclusive, multi-stakeholder approach in all that it does. NPSF is an independent, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. To learn more about the work of the National Patient Safety Foundation and how you can get involved, please visit: www.npsf.org.
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