him health information management

5 Most Significant Tech Trends In Health Information Management (HIM)

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him health information management

The following guest post on trends in Health Information Management (HIM) was submitted by Broadwater.

The sheer power of technology has paved the way for the development of the latest tech systems in Healthcare Information Management (HIM). We have witnessed how the Electronic health systems have gone through many changes over the past few years. These advanced breakthroughs are deployed with a goal to enhance the efficiency of healthcare information management systems, and to promote something that will allow health care facilities to deliver the best possible treatment and care to every patient. Let’s walk through the 5 biggest technological trends that embark a great contribution on modern Healthcare Information Management.

him health information management

Learn about new technologies positively impacting Health Information Management (HIM) departments in healthcare.

Mobile Access

Imagine this: a physician had to be physically present in the office in order to examine a patients’ case. Gone are those days. Thanks to the rise of mobile devices like smartphones and tablets; more doctors are now able to work remotely, conveniently storing healthcare records over a cloud. Traditional IT infrastructure is now being replaced by cloud based azure windows virtual desktop with the help of daas providers which makes it easy for doctors to keep an eye on their office by sitting at home. This way, they can easily access pertinent information regardless of where they are, through the use of mobile devices. This is especially useful during medical emergencies, where a patient can receive quick and efficient diagnosis and treatment, wherever their doctors are.

Electronic Health Records

While Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) contain patient information about diagnosis and treatment, Electronic Health Records (EHRs) provide a more detailed view of the medical story of the patient, including allergies, previous medications, immunization records, and other relevant data. Through electronic storage of the patient information, health care centers do not only save on paper files, but it also provides a much easier and more convenient access by the health care provider. Thanks to its reliable searchable database that makes finding Healthcare Information Management simpler and more efficient, thus improving the way healthcare services are provided.

Virtual Conferencing

To provide a top-line healthcare service, doctors have to consult with peers. And obtaining a second opinion on patients’ medical records from a peer specialist is a smart way to ensure that patients receive proper diagnosis and treatment. At present, video conferencing makes way for a much easier and more effective consultation. Doctors are now able to speak with other experts around the world in the comfort of their own homes or offices.

Unified Communication Platform

While video conferencing is a great choice to seek outside help, unified communication systems benefit Healthcare Information Management within a medical facility. When multiple nurses and doctors are working on the same patient, it is necessary that every bit of information should be up to date and readily available for everyone’s access. This means that an open line of communication is the key to efficient healthcare service. With a unified communication system, information can be easily updated though text, email, micro-blogging and IM. Most importantly, every member of the team can readily view the thread.

Privacy and Security

One of the most pressing concerns regarding Healthcare Information Management in an online setting is the risks of security issues. In today’s world where every bit of information can be accessed using any device and from any location, it is paramount that healthcare information management teams should take all the essential measures to prevent any issues. Privacy and security can be reinforced thorough password protection, and a strict verification process. The management should have a keen eye for malware, viruses and other attacks that can pose threats to the integrity of the patient information.

Medical science gets more and more cutting-edge in terms of technological development as the years pass by. A high-performing medical tool or a new procedure can make the difference between life and death. Be assured without a doubt there are tremendous changes that await us in the field of Health Information Management.

patient safety in healthcare

Patient Safety: Symptoms of a Stroke

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patient safety in healthcare

The following post on strokes and patient safety was submitted by Slidell Memorial Hospital.

Are you aware that strokes are a type of disease?

Strokes disturb arteries leading to and within the brain, as well as those leading to it. They are one of the top causes of disability and death in the south.
Here’s another terrifying fact: Stokes can happen to absolutely anyone.

Are you ready for some good news? You can learn the warning signs of stroke by reading below. This information just might save your life—or the life of a loved one.

patient safety in healthcare

Recognizing the early signs of a stroke can save a life.

What Exactly is a Stroke?

A stroke occurs once a blood vessel carrying nutrients and oxygen to the brain either has its passage blocked by a clot (an ischemic stroke) or ruptures (a hemorrhagic stroke). When deprived of the oxygen and blood needed, brain cells die. If blood flow is stopped for too long, bodily functions related to the obstructed areas can stop functioning properly.

Stroke Symptoms

Knowing what a stroke looks like can help you save someone’s life. The quicker you respond, the greater the chance of survival for the stroke victim. Thankfully, a simple acronym can help you remember and recall the symptoms of stroke: F.A.S.T.

• Face Drooping– Ask the victim if a side of their face is numb, and look to see if it appears uneven. If it is difficult to decipher, ask the victim to smile.
• Arm Weakness– Ask the victim to lift up both of their arms. If one arm is too numb, weak, or falls down, this is a sign of stroke.
• Speech Difficulty– Incoherent or slurred speech is an obvious symptom. Ask the victim to repeat an easy sentence back to you such as, “The dog barks.” If the sentence they repeat is slurred, the victim can’t speak at all, or has difficulty comprehending, this too is a sign.
• Time to call 9-1-1– If you notice someone showing any of these signs, call 911. You should still call 911 even if the symptoms go away. Immediately take the person to the hospital, and do not wait. Be proactive. Make note of the time that these symptoms presented, and relay this to the hospital.

Although these aren’t the only signs of stroke, they’re the most typical. Some infrequent signs of stroke are vision problems, difficulty walking, and sudden confusion.

The Next Step

Like the symptoms shown above, if you notice anyone showing even one of the other symptoms, do not hesitate to call 911.

It is critical to note that the greatest issue with treating stroke is reaction time. Act swiftly and learn the signs. Visit Slidell Memorial Hospital to get evaluated.

patient ID solutions for patient safety

How We Address the Patient ID Challenge in Healthcare

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patient ID solutions for patient safety
RightPatient-is-the-perfect-patient-ID-solution

We offer a “holistic” approach to patient ID in healthcare through an intuitive solution that has the ability to identify patients no matter where they are along the care continuum.

The Patient ID Challenge

It is well known that accurate patient identification in healthcare is a key linchpin for safe and effective care delivery. Traditionally defined as the ability to accurately identify a patient during a physical trip to the hospital or doctor’s office, the rapid digitization of healthcare has opened up a host of new touchpoints along the care continuum, creating a strong need for healthcare organizations to re-think their approach and evolve to a patient identification strategy beyond collecting a government issued ID, insurance cards and patient demographics. Many are evaluating the use of biometrics to improve patient identification accuracy and patient safety.

Healthcare organizations are in a sticky predicament. In addition to addressing the most common patient identification challenges, which include:

  • Patients having common names
  • No ID present
  • Patients stealing or sharing identities and insurance
  • Frequent flyers/drug seekers
  • Staff entering the wrong information

they must now factor in new touchpoints borne from the aforementioned digitization of the industry, such as:

  • Telemedicine 
  • Connected health/mHealth devices
  • Patient portals
  • Home health visits

In other words, healthcare organizations must now address patient ID in a “holistic” manner — adopting versatile technology that can be used at any point along the care continuum, no matter where a patient seeks care or access to protected health information (PHI).

As the healthcare industry transitions to value-based care, there is no arguing that the increase in new patient touchpoints along the care continuum has increased convenience and efficiency. However, it also raises new risks that can quickly pollute data integrity and endanger patient safety. Investing in a biometrc patient ID solution that covers in-person visits is smart, but without the ability to quickly scale the technology and cover the new touchpoints mentioned above, it can be a huge risk to healthcare organizations.

How RightPatient® Addresses the Patient ID Challenge

We approach the patient ID challenge from a different angle. Instead of pushing a biometric solution that limits healthcare providers to verifying patient identities when they arrive for an appointment or emergency, our patient identification platform uses biometrics, cognitive intelligence and deep learning to recognize patients at provider sites, during virtual encounters (e.g. patient portals, telemedicine) and in care environments outside of a hospital, clinic or doctor’s office.

Offering the industry’s most advanced, scalable, and versatile patient ID platform based on over 15 years of experience in biometrics, system integration and cloud computing, RightPatient’s core cognitive vision technology empowers healthcare providers to recognize patients with ease and accuracy from ANY end point:

RIghtPatient-cognitive-vision

  • Patient ID – Accurately identify patients at registration areas, kiosks, the ED & more; retrieve the correct medical record to prevent duplicates, fraud & human error
  • Patient Photo – Improve safety and personalize the patient experience by embedding patient photos in the medical record and other applications through the RightPatient® photo integration server
  • Portable ID – Strengthen security and patient safety by recognizing patients during portal login, telehealth visits, other remote encounters, and with our unique PatientLens™ smartphone app
  • Analytics – Aggregate and analyze patient visit data, and access a concrete audit log of visits with patient photos for compliance and dispute resolution
Photo-biometrics-for-patient-identification-in-healthcare

A patient takes “selfie” photo with a non-contact camera, which can be used for subsequent authentication at any point along the care continuum.

Using RightPatient, healthcare providers can accurately identify patients by simply taking their picture, offering these distinct advantages that no other patient ID solution can match:

  • No hygiene issues (non-contact)
  • The most accurate solution – nearly 3 times more accurate than any other method
  • Scalable, real-time duplicate prevention (identify without having to enter DOB or other credentials)
  • Very fast enrollment & 1:N matching speed (identify in seconds)
  • Minimum enrollment age: 1 year
  • Simultaneous photo capture
  • Not locked into a single device or manufacturer ; lowers long-term risk

We extend the flexibility of our intuitive and best-of-breed patient ID platform through PatientLens™ which turns any off-the-shelf smartphone or tablet into a reliable patient identification tool, empowering clinicians to accurately identify patients through its combination of facial recognition and deep learning capabilities. Designed to quickly identify a patient by using the camera on any smart device, PatientLens™ reduces risk and improves quality by enabling clinicians to easily and accurately verify patient identities, even when they are unconscious.

Conclusion

The inability to accurately identify a patient throughout the care continuum is a huge risk for healthcare providers. Healthcare digitization and the explosion of virtual access to data and care necessitates a more “holistic” approach to patient identification. This will improve patient safety and reduce provider costs while preventing the risk of data breach and adverse health events.

Healthcare organizations need a versatile, scalable solution with seamless EHR integration that removes the IT burden during implementation and offers a flexible adoption model. If you have been thinking about adopting biometrics for patient identification for your organization and want to learn more about our solution and how we are revolutionizing this critical part of effective and safe care delivery, please visit us at HIMSS in Booth 3015 to see a demo and learn more.

patient safety in healthcare

The Importance of Pre-Procedure Preparations for Patients

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patient safety in healthcare

The following post on patient safety in healthcare was submitted by Ian Pearson.

Too often, in this age of modernization, the human element is given short shrift. Machines build our automobiles, sew our clothes and harvest our crops. Society has decided that economy and efficiency are vital for our needs and, in most cases jobs can be done better and faster by taking humans out of the equation.

patient safety in healthcare

The damage to mental and emotional states can have a huge effect on procedural success and post-operation recovery.

That simply doesn’t work with health-care.

Automation works well in some fields, but it is severely lacking when it intersects with common human frailties and fears. Nowhere is this more discernable than the interaction of patients and care givers. As the pressure rises within the medical community to see more patients in less time, the patients are the ones who suffer. Not just physically, but the damage to mental and emotional states can have a huge effect on procedural success and post-operation recovery.

Simply put, people aren’t machines and they need additional care.

For most people, especially those who are not familiar with medical procedures, any kind of operation is a frightening and mysterious ritual where they have to put their physical well-being in the hands of a near-total stranger. When that person doesn’t have the time to explain – in detail – what the operation will do, the benefits that will come from the operation and the risks inherent in all surgical procedures the patient is already starting from a position of emotional weakness.

Unfamiliarity with surgical procedures when combined with obvious apprehension can make communication from the patient to the caregiver difficult. It is the doctor’s job to recognize this apprehension, to take it into account when explaining the procedure and to ensure that the patient understands all of the ramifications of what is happening

Sometimes it means holding the patient’s hand.

Clear communication and obvious empathy will go a long way towards making surgical procedures successful and make the patient feel that they aren’t just another product on an assembly line. Dehumanization is a real risk when it comes to medicine. Preventing it should be one of the top priorities for any caregiver. Especially since it can be corrected easily and quickly by keeping in mind just how frightening and mysterious these procedures are for the average patient.

Quality healthcare begins with the first visit, before any medicine is practiced, by humanizing the patient and treating them with all of the dignity and respect they should expect. Talking with them, making their concerns important and not shutting them out of all aspects of the decision making process should be the mantra of all caregivers.

It’s easy to forget that the patient is the most important part of any procedure.

From the patient’s point of view, much of the knowledge displayed by doctors is foreign. Most people do not have a medical background to fall back on when procedures are being explained to them and don’t understand the importance of different steps in the procedure, let alone talking about pre-procedural and post-procedural preparation. For most of us, once the operation is successfully over, the patient is fixed, cured or relieved of whatever ailment brought them in to the doctor’s office in the first place.

We understand, on a logical level, that there is more that needs to be done, but, emotionally, we have come through the worst of it and we will be fine going forward. One of the caregiver’s jobs is explaining that this attitude can be detrimental to the long-term healing that comes after any surgical procedure. No matter how minor an operation is, it is traumatic to the human body and there will be long-term effects from it.

Caring for this emotional side is as important as keeping the surgical instruments clean and should be taken into account when looking for a doctor to perform any procedure that you need or want done. Emotional and physical preparation – with facts, procedures and empathy – is much more important to the patient than to the doctor. A surgeon may have performed hundreds of open heart surgeries, for example, but few patients go through it more than once. The patient is much more frightened than the doctor is, believe me.

As the rate of non-critical surgical procedures rise, it becomes even more important for healthcare personnel and patients to be on the same page. As plastic surgeons in Sydney put it, dispelling misconceptions and fully explaining the risks and benefits of your procedure should be the top priority for all healthcare professionals.

Preparing yourself for the medical preparation.

As a patient, your emotional security is as important as your physical health. When looking for a doctor or hospital to conduct a medical procedure you should feel comfortable, informed and understood. You are not a cog in a great big machine; you are an individual with fears and worries that are unique to you. Finding medical support that empathizes with your concerns will go a long way toward making your procedure successful.
Without your understanding of what is happening, your procedure is much less likely to be successful.

Aside from primary area of interest and expertise in business consulting, Ian could be tagged also as a passionate sports fan, nature and photography enthusiast, always trying to keep up to date with tech innovations and development, with a particular interest in trying to master the fine art of Social intelligence.

improving patient safety in healthcare

Nuclear Imaging is Likely to Increase Patient Data Integrity and Eventually Safety in Healthcare

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improving patient safety in healthcare

The following post on how nuclear imaging improves patient data integrity and patient safety in healthcare was submitted by Karandeep Virdi.

The field of science and medicine has shown tremendous progress in the last two decades. Nuclear imaging is a branch of the medical field and has gained popularity in the recent past. Preclinical Medical Imaging is assisting in revolutionizing health-related research and expand understanding related to several medical applications. The nuclear imaging systems industry is set to grow in the future as R&D is on the rise and the overall infrastructure fosters the growth in patient healthcare systems.

improving patient safety in healthcare

Can nuclear energy be the key to improving patient data integrity and patient safety in healthcare?

Emphasis on quality and value: The need of the hour for radiologists worldwide

In the current era, it is essential to keep a check on the quality of healthcare systems. Medical diagnosis and imaging have gained significant popularity in the last two decades and the trend is set to continue. Expert in patient safety, Robert Wachter, M.D from University of California, San Francisco, said that it is important and vital to add value to the healthcare system. Vivian Lee, CEO, University of Utah threw light on the subject and explained how radiologists can add value by taking more responsibility to make an accurate and precise diagnosis.

According to Lee, accurate and on-time diagnosis by radiologists will eventually mean shorter length of stay, early detection of disease and reduce pharmacy costs. One of the major factors that drive healthcare inflation is high pharmacy cost. Radiologists can aid cancer patients to identify cost-effective and efficient treatment procedures. Lee said, “Imaging is front and center in the way we think of health care.”

Radiologists trained in the last three decades are focusing on enhancing value and reducing treatment costs. Certain surveys portrayed the advances in modern medicine held imaging breakthroughs in CT scans, MRI’s and mammograms at the top of the list. However, the interest in radiology is fading off among the medical school graduates. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, radiology residency seats are unfilled and the application rate for the same has dropped owing to a steady decline in the income.

Breakthrough technology developed by iCAD will assist radiologists significantly

According to Ken Ferry, CEO, iCAD said that the launch of the innovative solution to spearhead in cancer detection and workflow efficiency. He further added that such useful solutions have proved to be an effective solution for 2D mammography. It further assists radiologists to detect cancer at an initial stage.

A conventional 2D mammogram examines two images per breast whereas tomosynthesis can develop 100 images. This optimizes the interpretation time for radiologists significantly. The improved 2D image is in sync with the 3D tomosynthesis dataset that creates an efficient and effective navigation tool for radiologists.

Progress in PET/MR imaging

With the help of imaging coupled with transgenic small-animal models, the progression of a disease can be monitored and regulated to examine an individual’s therapeutics, interventions, and molecular traces. There has been significant innovation in the preclinical positron emission tomography (PET) technology. By using innovative detectors, the systems are advancing to the theoretical limits of resolution with Full Field Accuracy. The initial PET systems provided PET detection functions. However, PET/CT integration offered structural context that is limited to skeletal anatomy and soft tissue.

With recent progress in the PET detector technology, the uncompromised PET/MR integrations can be seen that provide high field and sequential data collection simultaneously. The onset of MRI scanners has boosted the prospects of non-invasive imaging for next generation advanced applications. It is a major challenge to develop a fully integrated PET/MR system as it demands modifications to the PET detector to make it compact and less vulnerable to magnetic fields. Along with significant modifications, to make it entirely compatible with the RF-sensitive MRI hardware is another major hurdle.

Progress in medical imaging for personalized healthcare

In the present scenario, the medical imaging market is advancing towards personalized healthcare. The personalized approach in this field would offer patients treatment that is efficient and most suitable for them. Post the successful MediSens conference in 2016, The aforementioned organizations were keen to showcase their recent developments in imaging technology. For instance, ON Semiconductor showcased the image sensors manufactured by the firm for medical applications. The need for a multimodality imaging in healthcare was revealed by Dr. Dimitra Darambara, Institute of Cancer Research. Dr. Dimitra threw light on the topic by explaining that there are different ways to look at a disease. However, each of the modality offers a different perspective. The attendees of the conference shared a common objective—how the quality of medical imaging technology can be enhanced.

Summary

The Nuclear Imaging Systems and Equipment Market will witness a steady growth in the future as R&D is on the rise. The medical experts, medical schools, and major market players have shown interest to collaborate and develop efficient and reliable medical imaging systems. The market is set to grow significantly in the developed markets such as North America and Europe owing to technological advancements and quality of the infrastructure compared to the markets in the other regions of the world. However, the Asia-Pacific region offers numerous growth opportunities for the medical imaging systems market. This is due to government support and stable economic conditions in the region.

Author Bio:

Karandeep Virdi is a content writer for research team of Progressive Markets, who harbors an active interest in medical devices, advancements in the medical field and the upcoming trends in the industry. Karandeep has written extensively on topics covering medical devices, software technology used in the medical industry.

identifying the right patient in healthcare increases patient safety

Ensuring the Right Patient in Healthcare

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identifying the right patient in healthcare increases patient safety
Ensuring the Right Patient in Healthcare

Joe Lavelle with IntrepidNow Healthcare recently interviewed our Co-Founder Michael Trader to discuss the current state of patient identification in healthcare. (Photo re-used with permission from IntrepidNow Healthcare.)

Our thanks to Joe Lavelle and his staff at IntrepidNow Healthcare for the opportunity to appear on his podcast to discuss the current state of identifying the right patient in healthcare. Although accurate identification in healthcare to determine the right patient at all points along the care continuum continues to surge as a focal point for organizations to increase patient safety and improve data integrity, there is still a lot of unanswered questions about how to develop and implement an industry wide solution that has the ubiquity and scale for use by everyone.

Additional topics covered during the podcast include:

  1. The importance of establishing remote patient identification for touchpoints along the care continuum beyond in-person visits such as patient portals, connected health apps, home health visits, telemedicine, and more.
  2. Why establishing a holistic patient identification strategy is now required in healthcare.
  3. Details on the RightPatient® cloud software-as-a-service (SaaS) platform.
  4. Why photo biometrics is hands down the most effective, secure, flexible, scalable, and hygienic solution to determine the right patient in healthcare.
  5. Updates on CHIME’s national patient ID contest.
  6. What additional elements are needed to advance discussion of accurate patient identification in healthcare to a congressional level.
  7. RightPatient®’s plans for the upcoming HIMSS conference in Orlando.

As we approach the annual HIMSS conference, it’s important to continue dialogue and advancing initiatives that show promise to resolving the patient identification crisis in healthcare. Identifying the right patient at the outset of each encounter with the healthcare system ensures the success for many other downstream activities and is the only true way to improve and maintain data integrity — the true linchpin for interoperability and health information exchange.

We invite you to visit RightPatient® in the GA Health IT Pavilion, Booth #3015 at the HIMSS conference to see firsthand how adding cognitive vision to a healthcare technology ecosystem improves revenue cycle management and secures a patient portal, among many other uses. 

Here is our Co-Founder Michael Trader’s conversation with Joe Lavelle from IntrepidNow Healthcare: 

Thank you again to Joe Lavelle and his staff for this opportunity!

voice biometrics in healthcare

Voice Assistants: New Technology in Healthcare

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voice biometrics in healthcare

The following guest post on voice recognition technology in healthcare was submitted by Kate Voss.

The capacity for speech is one of the greatest tools that humans possess, yet most of the healthcare field still operates on the written word and on conventional keyboard-and-mouse computer interfaces. With voice recognition technology appearing poised to break through in the healthcare industry, however, that may finally be changing. Once viewed as a novelty and an unnecessary burden, voice control has already begun to prove its ability to offer greater efficiency, reduce common errors and improve patient engagement.

voice biometrics in healthcare

Voice biometrics is helping to improve patient engagement in healthcare.

The Rise of Voice Recognition

Voice recognition has been around in some form or another since the 1950s, but it’s only in the past half-decade or so that the technology has reached the mainstream. Artificial intelligence systems such as Apple’s Siri and Amazon’s Alexa have taken the tech world by storm, taking on the role of digital assistants and integrating voice control into everything from Internet-enabled thermostats to alarm sensors for children and the elderly. This rise has been fueled in part by rapid improvements in voice recognition technology, driven by advanced machine learning and increasingly sophisticated algorithms that have made voice recognition quicker, more responsive and – most importantly – more accurate than ever before.

Voice Recognition in Healthcare

The medical field as a whole has been hesitant to embrace the technology of voice recognition, but early adopters have already begun to reap the rewards. Accurate speech-to-text programs have shown the ability to transcribe physician’s’ notes more accurately than the average human medical transcriptionist, and voice recognition models offer a method for reducing all-too-common issues with illegible handwriting and insufficient documentation of procedures. If adopted on a more widespread level, these factors may facilitate the creation of more accurate, comprehensive and cost-effective electronic health records. Additionally, voice recognition can be used to build more secure data access systems as part of a biometric single sign-on platform.

Boosting Patient Engagement

Though much of the focus on voice recognition in the healthcare industry is on developing technologies to aid providers directly, it only represents one side of the coin. Patient engagement also benefits from such technology, particularly in the form of a conversational user interface. Surveys have indicated that some people feel more comfortable when speaking to a computer than when speaking to a human, leading them to share more readily and provide more detailed information. The ability to simply speak rather than navigating complex websites and apps means that more people can engage with and take a more direct role in their health and treatment. Many older patients, in particular, are able to use voice commands to do things they may otherwise be unable to do because of a lack of computer skills, arthritis, poor eyesight or other conditions.

voice recognition is helping improve healthcare

The Future of Voice Recognition

As vocal recognition technology continues to mature and becomes more widely adopted, the level of integration both in daily life and in the medical field will likely increase. Experimental pilot programs have already leveraged devices like the Amazon Echo to provide post-discharge information for patients, answer common health questions and manage basic needs like transportation and medication scheduling. Features like this may become common practice in the future, providing patients with a more informative and engaging healthcare experience. Voice recognition is also likely to take on a more expanded role in the daily routine of healthcare providers as well, potentially making the laborious human transcription process and paper-based records a thing of the past as speech recognition becomes even more accurate and reliable.

Though security, reliability and logistical challenges remain, vocal recognition appears to be the wave of the future in healthcare. In a field that is so highly dependent on timely, accurate documentation – and a field in which, according to a 2006 report by the National Academies of Science’s Institute of Medicine, illegible handwriting causes more than 7,000 unnecessary deaths per year – the ability to quickly and precisely transcribe information is invaluable. Widespread adoption could slash operating costs and eliminate a significant burden on healthcare workers, allowing them to see more patients and focus on delivering high-quality care.

Kate Voss is a freelance tech and science writer with a strong interest in the development of voice control interfaces and their use in healthcare. A graduate of Michigan State University, she is now based in the Windy City of Chicago, IL.