How Important is Patient Safety Against the Malpractice of Medical Law?

March 14, 2017/4845 views / 0 Comments/in BLOG, Guest Blog Posts, Patient Safety /by John Trader

The following guest post on patient safety in healthcare was submitted by Paul Trevino.

A patient that approaches a doctor is most likely in need of some sort of medical treatment. The patient trusts that the doctor has the necessary expertise and ability to improve if not relief his medical condition. Medical practitioners are responsible for the wellbeing of all their patients, and should treat everyone equally. Sadly, a lot of patients nowadays are not properly taken care of. Over the years, there have been lots of case of malpractice, and the reasons vary. Some say physicians are no compensated fairy; they work extra shifts, thus making them unable to focus and make sure patients are attended properly.

The fear of medical malpractice has a direct impact on patient safety in healthcare.

Nonetheless, that’s certainly no excuse to be negligent at work. The medical profession is a noble profession. It helps sustain life, thus making patients feel safe as they walk into a hospital. They deserve to be looked after because most of have health insurance, and the money that they pay helps the doctor have a personal life outside the hospital as well.

Patient expectations in medical facilities

Because it helps sustain life, the medical profession is a noble profession. Having a proper conduct when treating patients is a fundamental part of a doctor’s professional and ethical standards. In spite of this fact, there are physicians that don’t abide by the rules. Some practice defensive medicine; others don’t report incidents and are hesitant when doing a job they should master. The risk of undergoing malpractice litigation is a relevant factor
that plays a part in their behavior.

Defensive medicine is related to performing unnecessary tests and medical procedures, thus deviating from fundamental guideline practices and ignoring high risk patients. In terms of malpractice litigation, the risks involved often affect a physician’s behavior toward their patients. Following an incident, the patient can proceed with taking legal action against the healthcare professional in the hopes of preventing further incidents from happening again.

Why do patients feel unsafe in healthcare facilities?

Prior research has rendered pertinent information as to why some patient don’t feel safe in healthcare facilities. Certain physicians are used to practicing defensive medicine in order to preserve a doctor-patient bond. That being said, the most common incidents happen when patients don’t report them. Lack of feedback, time scarcity on formerly reported incidents, and even the level of bureaucracy present in many institutions have compelled many physicians to stop reporting accidents, regardless of their nature.

In some circumstances, doctors don’t disclose essential information to patients because of a faulty medical care culture, where employees are too afraid that they’ll get fired if they report misconduct or incidents. As for the medical legal system, there’s a lack of insight as far as understanding in what circumstances a certain incident occurred. Additional reasons that might compel physicians to practice defensive medicine might be related to financial burdens and increased costs of liability insurance.

Furthermore, litigation risks dismays physicians from sharing sensitive information regarding incidents to their patients. Healthcare workers may not be able to provide a patient with all the required details following an error due to perceived lacks of legal protections from the law. If a physician thinks that disclosure can persuade a patient not to file a complaint, they might endorse sensitive information; otherwise they prefer to keep quiet and not reveal too much.

A senior patient’s relationship with his caregiver

Unlike general physicians that work in hospitals, caregivers tend to develop different relationships with their patients. In some case, they become extremely close and the bond nearly become a friendship. But caregivers must also develop a sense of responsibility. Otherwise they are predisposed to medical malpractice, too. Many have been accused over the years that they don’t look after their patients, or that they don’t have the skills to provide enough advice to help the patient recover.

Malpractice is a very sensitive topic in the medical environment. Both caregivers and physicians should do everything they can to make sure their patients are on the right path to recovery. Whether you have a loved one currently living in care homes in Maidstone, or you’re considering hospitalization, it might be a good idea to know more about the rules and regulations of the facility. This will help you provide the best possible care for your beloved relative.

Paul Trevino is interested in writing about health and fitness related issues. He has a deep knowledge at this field. He also enjoys reading fitness magazines at his free time.

Healthcare Analytics: Reshaping the Future of Healthcare

March 10, 2017/6111 views / 0 Comments/in Analytics, BLOG, Guest Blog Posts, Health Care, healthcare, Patient Safety /by John Trader

The following guest post on healthcare analytics was submitted by Yeshwanth HV.

As healthcare enters the digital age, the practice of medicine will change for the better. It will move away from the clasp of largely reactive decision-making, which was inaccurate and expensive to say the least, and into the realm of evidence-based medicine; thereby becoming more proactive, connected and personalized. In simple words this means that the days of long trips to hospitals that culminated into a series of referrals followed by questions and answer sessions, and tests that were repeated over and over again will be a thing of the past. Patients will start receiving treatments and be prescribed medications that are customized as per their unique needs. With comprehensive medical information about the patient along with a repository of knowledge base that includes every aspect of treating patients with similar medical conditions, care teams will be able to devise accurate healthcare plans that can mitigate any harm to life or safety of patients.

The collection and interpretation of healthcare analytics is fundamentally changing modern healthcare delivery.

If you think that this form of care is too “futuristic” and can only exist in animations shows such as ‘The Jetsons,’ let me get you acquainted with the reality. The truth is this form of care is already happening and will eventually be integrated into every routine healthcare protocol.

The ‘magic’ that made this possible

Yes, hospitals and other healthcare practices have scrutinized operational and financial data since ages, but the magic started happening when they started to track and analyze healthcare data. When healthcare related data is gleaned from a variety of sources – starting from EHRs and disease registries to direct patient surveys and even digital health devices used by individuals – providers can obtain a well-rounded view, which enables them to analyze every patient, understand their needs and proactively reach out to provide personalized care. When diligently used, the intelligence gained from analytics can move beyond improving healthcare outcomes and give a new lease of life to a hospital’s bottom line.

Factors driving this move towards analytics

The first reason is the cost. It is no secret that ‘reactive’ healthcare is a lot heavier on the pocket when compared to ‘proactive or preventive’ healthcare, which is essentially conceived with an objective to keep individuals out of costly healthcare settings such as emergency rooms.
The other crucial factor that is encouraging this trend is the shift from fee-for-service model to accountable, value-based care models that essentially link quality of care and reimbursement. For healthcare providers, this move means that their survival depends upon the usage of analytics to streamline financial and operational performance of the organization.

How does it work?

Not long ago, providing evidence-based treatment meant that hospitals had to follow a series of well-tested care protocols. However, with greater access to healthcare data and advancements in analytics, we have entered a new era of evidence driven care. By accumulating and analyzing data from diverse feeds over an extended period of time, care providers can understand the exact reasons for bad outcomes and therefore realign their strategies to provide most effective care to individual patients as well as to a particular section of patient populations.

Healthcare providers can also leverage analytics to recognize patterns in a population’s health and precisely estimate individual risk scores. Based on these scores, they can priorities the work of individual healthcare team, allowing them focus more time on the most vulnerable individual.
What’s more healthcare analytics, whether based on risk assessment, EMRs or claims data, can categories patients prior to service and tackle a potential concerns before they pose any real threat to the patients. It can also quantify everything – from emergency room visits, treatment outcomes and readmissions to wait times and utilization of expensive services – and offers a level of transparency that is good for both healthcare outcomes and for business. For instance it can help providers to set up internal benchmarks to gauge quality and cost performance, and provide a detailed understanding of how well they stack up against their counterparts. It also can help hospitals to swiftly make crucial decisions pertaining to reducing costs, optimizing resources, improving care quality and enhancing their competitive positions.

The benefits of healthcare analytics on the patient side are also equally compelling. By arming patients with timely and relevant information, and enabling them to have an extensive understanding, healthcare analytics has opened up a new era of customized healthcare.

Conclusion: Changes are coming; be ready to embrace it

In developed nations the usage of healthcare analytics is growing at a rapid pace. As a result of this, very soon the roles of patients, physicians, hospitals and other healthcare organizations will see some drastic changes in the coming years as mentioned below-

• Patients will become better informed and assume more responsibility for their own care

• Physicians will assume more of a consultant role than a decision maker and will advise, warn and help individual patients. They will start witnessing more success as care becomes more accurate and proactive. And they will have more time to interact with patients and build long lasting relationships

• Hospitals will start witnessing fewer unnecessary hospitalizations, resulting in revenue losses initially. However, overtime, admissions will become more meaningful, the market will adjust, and accomplishment will rise

All in all, changes are coming. Be proactive and ready to embrace the new world order that will take healthcare to the next level.

Author Bio:

Yeshwanth HV is a healthcare writer employed by MedBillingExperts, a leading provider of healthcare business process outsourcing services such as medical billing, medical coding, medical records indexing and healthcare analytics services to medical practitioners and healthcare organizations worldwide. Dedicated towards the healthcare industry, he has authored several blogs and articles that have received rave reviews in the industry. Prior to MedBillingExperts, Yeshwanth worked with CIO Review and has authored several bylined pieces for the quarterly editions of the magazine.

Planning a Hospital Renovation? Tips To Monitor Infection Control

March 8, 2017/4219 views / 0 Comments/in BLOG, Guest Blog Posts, Infection Control /by John Trader

The following guest post on infection control in healthcare was submitted by Ashton Blagden.

Hospital renovation or the construction process is not a small thing. You need to keep an eye on the entire process from time and again so that it completes on time without causing other issues. One of the most important things that you need to keep in mind and look for while carrying out the hospital renovation is infection control.

Having an infection control process implemented and then forgetting about the whole thing is not done. You have to keep on monitoring the measures and make sure that everything works as per the plan.

Maintaining strong infection control is an important aspect of sustaining patient safety during hospital renovations.

So, here I am with a few effective tips that you can practice to control infection while carrying out the construction process in the hospital.

Get an infection control owner

It is not at all possible to control infection without having a person in charge of things. So you need to have an infection control owner in place. But, this does not mean that the person has to make sure infection control is properly in place by completing the tasks on his own. The duty of such a person is to check out the things that need to be done and then assign the tasks to different people. After that, he needs to do a follow-up for the same from time to time. By having an infection control owner, you increase the chance of keeping the place infection-free as per the guidelines.

Invest in the right resources

Having the right kind of infection control resources is very important, like for any other facility processes. Infection control should be given priority as if you follow the right procedures you will be able to save the lives of a good number of patients. So make sure you invest in the right resources along with your money and time.

Check out the negative air pressure areas

To keep the hospital premises pathogen free from the construction area, it is very important to maintain negative air pressure. But then, maintaining the negative air pressure is not easy too. So you have to keep on monitoring the area with negative air pressure and ensure that all the equipment placed there are working properly. The best two ways to check the negative air pressure is by going for a visual test using a flutter strip or smoke and by going for the manometer.

If the negative air pressure is not working then you can go for the option of HEPA filters. You need to keep on changing the filters regularly to monitor the area.

Keep learning

You need to be alert to make sure that all the infection control protocols are working and everything is in place to get the job done. To make the infection control process easier now a number of products are available in the market. You can implement them in the hospitals for better results. The infection control contractors, as well as the hospital employees, should be educated about monitoring and practicing infection control.

For many, it may not be the best of concerns, but having proper infection control in place will lead to happy and healthy patients.

Guest Post from Ashton Blagden, Dealslands

HIMSS 2017 Recap and Announcing the Winner of our Booth Giveaway

March 7, 2017/7802 views / 0 Comments/in BLOG, Events/Conferences, Mobile, Patient Identification, Patient Safety /by John Trader

For those that attended the 2017 HIMSS Conference in Orlando, welcome back to reality! Even though the show ended last week, the reverberations and excitement of the information, technology, and ideas shared, unveiled, and discussed will be around for years to come.

Each annual HIMSS conference presents a wealth of knowledge and showcases perhaps the most interesting and innovative healthcare technology in the world. If you are lucky enough to attend HIMSS, you know that it’s easy to get swallowed up in the Exhibit Hall by vendors competing for your attention and blinded by the flashing lights, spinning booth displays, and boisterous entertainment. Unless you map out a specific vendor path destination or have a pre-determined agenda scheduled, things can get rather dicey navigating the hordes of people congregating in the aisles.

The RightPatient team had a very successful 2017 HIMSS conference.

For those of you that took the time to stop by and visit us in the GA Health IT Pavilion (Booth #3015) to see how cognitive vision intelligence can improve patient safety and increase revenue though accurate patient identification, a sincere thank you. You were treated to not only our innovative and unique approach to solving the patient identity crises in healthcare through the use of photo biometrics, but you also were on hand to witness the unveiling of PatientLens™ – a human vision app to reduce medical errors and increase patient safety that turns any smart device into a powerful, intuitive patient ID tool.

You learned that PatientLens helps to identify unconscious patients in seconds and is an important part of an overarching strategy to reduce medical errors along the care continuum by positively identifying a patient prior to rendering services or distributing data. After all, it’s no longer feasible or realistic to define patient ID solely in the context of a physical visit to a healthcare organization. Patient identification must now be viewed as critical during each and every touchpoint along the care continuum – e.g. connected health apps, telemedicine, home health, and patient portals. Investing in a patient ID and patient data integrity technology that can only be used when a patient physically shows up for a visit is an antiquated and somewhat risky and dangerous approach.

Another fantastic year at HIMSS! The exhibit floor was very busy.

The time is now to learn more about establishing a holistic approach to patient ID that addresses the positive identification of increasingly mobile patients with cognitive vision technology that saves lives, improves quality and reduces risk.

We would like to take a moment and announce that John Faust, VP of Health Informatics and Technology at Lifepont health was the winner of our Amazon Echo booth giveaway. Congratulations John!

We would also like to extend a thank you to the GA Department of Economic Development and the Atlanta Area Chamber of Commerce for the opportunity to share booth space and for making the entire logistical process smooth as silk. We are very grateful!

5 Ways Technology Is Improving Doctor Patient Collaboration

March 5, 2017/5395 views / 0 Comments/in BLOG, Guest Blog Posts, Health Care, Patient Engagement /by John Trader

The following post on improving patient engagement in healthcare was submitted by Audrey Thorne.

Innovative technologies and groundbreaking discoveries have changed the face of the healthcare industry. Due to them, ailments that were previously life threatening are now easily cured, surgical procedures have become less invasive and self-help devices have given birth to an empowered and more health conscious society.

Moreover, in addition to enhancing the quality of patient-care, these technological advancements have also revolutionized physician-patient relationship – making it much more collaborative in nature.

Is technology in healthcare playing an important role to improve patient engagement?

Nowadays, we see doctors being able to keep a constant eye on their patients via tracking devices, patients being able to connect instantly to their physicians via video calling apps and both equally partaking in the healthcare process.

This serves to not only expand the reach of healthcare services but also makes patient-care much more pertinent and personalized. The tremendous utility of such technologies can be gauged from the fact that 52% of healthcare service providers utilize at least 3 connected health technologies to maintain contact with their patients. Here we take a look into how technology is improving doctor patient collaboration:

1. Engaging patients in the healthcare process:

The government is struggling to make optimum use of a limited amount of resources in order to provide healthcare services to a growing population. This disproportionate ratio of medical service providers to patients causes patients to endure long waiting times in healthcare settings and also inhibits physicians from spending sufficient time with patients to provide in depth consultation and monitoring.

Even in the coming decade, the Association of American Medical Colleges has projected a shortfall of physicians ranging from 61,700 to 94,700 causing healthcare providers to search for innovative ways to increase the reach as well as the scope of healthcare services.

It is due to these escalated efforts that we now have a number of devices and applications that facilitate round the clock correspondence between doctors and patients and also enable patients to become actively involved in the healthcare process.

These technologies include informative sources that give patients a greater understanding of the intricacies of their condition and possible courses of treatment and allow them to decide on a care plan in collaboration with their physician.

This in turn increases their ownership of their care plan as well as their determination to see it through.

Moreover, we also now have an array of reliable self assessment tools such as Brain Test to help detect the presence of ailments, in this case cognitive disorders, that not only serve to satisfy patient curiosity but also encourage them to seek timely medical assistance.

In addition to these, self-help apps like Fitbit allow patients to constantly monitor and improve their health. This is crucial since healthcare by nature is a two-way process where it is absolutely essential for both parties to play their part for a treatment to be effective.

Therefore, these technologies, albeit simple, have proven to be game-changers as they have allowed patients to play their part in ensuring their health and well-being.

2. Personalized services:

A decade ago, hospitals used to run on paper-based records with the staff having to go through stacks of files in order to learn about a patient’s medical history. Likewise, patients had to personally maintain their medical records and repeat their history to every doctor that they visited.

Both these factors caused healthcare services to be disease-specific whereby physicians would attempt to diagnose an ailment based on the information available and recommend treatments to resolve the underlying issue.

However, technology has shifted healthcare from being disease-specific to individual-specific as physicians are now able to use electronic medical records to provide tailored treatments to patients.

This has catapulted the quality of medi-care by allowing accurate diagnosis and treatment and has also deepened the relationship between doctors and patients. Doctors are now able to remain in touch with their patients throughout and even after the course of the treatment via online forums and applications such as Epocrates that facilitate doctor-patient dialogue.

Moreover, such apps also provide doctors with a more intricate understanding of patient condition and enhance the confidence that patients have in their healthcare provider.

They also help patients feel much more secure as they know that their physician is only a few clicks away. In addition to this, these technologies enable physicians to provide ongoing support to patients who are adjusting to new medications or have been requested to make significant lifestyle changes as part of their treatment.

3. Reduced waiting times:

People often delayed or avoided seeking medical consultation in the past because they were unable to take time out for a lengthy trip to the hospital.

However, this hesitation to endure a tedious hospital visit had serious long-term repercussions as it allowed ailments to worsen and increased the risk of hospital admissions. Thankfully, we now have bountiful apps that allow patients to gain instantaneous consultation from physicians via video calls.

Moreover, these apps have also improved correspondence between doctors and patients when it comes to arranging appointments. Patients can now receive timely reminders about upcoming appointments from their healthcare provider which consequently leads to fewer patient no-shows.

4. Improved marketing:

Hospitals use marketing channels such as emails, social media, instant messaging, etc to apprise patients about new cures and treatments in an attempt to increase the quality of patient-care and increase public awareness.

Previously, they had to send out mass emails and messages which at times would be thought of as irrelevant and spam by patients. This correspondence, however, has improved drastically over the past few years, as hospitals are now able to send out communications to specific patients with specific needs.

5. Focus on prevention rather than cure:

With social media platforms, blogs and websites, physicians are able to disseminate a huge amount of information about disease prevention and cure and are able to respond to general queries by patients.

This ready availability of information and informal access to medical consultation has shifted the focus of patients from curing ailments to avoiding them in the first place.

By doing so, doctors are not only able to help save countless lives but are also able to relieve burden off of healthcare providers who strive to provide services to an ever increasing base of clients.

Technology has revolutionized doctor-patient dynamics, however, when we look at the rampant pace of technological developments it is safe to assume that this relationship will continue to evolve drastically in the years to come.

Audrey Throne is a mother and a professional blogger by choice. She has completed her masters in English literature from university of Birmingham. As a blogger she wrote quite a few posts on health, technology as well as management. Currently, she is associated with heartfeltadopt Team.

Find her on Twitter: @audrey_throne.

Dear Medical Professionals: 4 Steps to Help You Put Patient Safety First

March 3, 2017/4118 views / 0 Comments/in BLOG, Guest Blog Posts, Patient Safety /by John Trader

The following guest post on patient safety in healthcare was submitted by Hannah Whittenly.

When a patient goes to the doctor’s office or a hospital, you expect that everything that has to do with your treatments will be as safe as possible. From surgical procedures to simple lab tests, doctors and other staff members should keep patients as safe as they can be so that there is no risk of getting an infection and so that there is no risk of falling in the facility. There are quite a few ways that medical professionals can help to increase patient safety to make going to the doctor or hospital a pleasant experience.

Learn some simple steps to improve patient safety at your healthcare organization.

Doses and Drugs

One of the ways that medical professionals can keep patients safer is to examine the medications that are given very closely and to make sure that the proper doses are written on paperwork and the actual prescription. Many of the prescriptions that are given use abbreviations that can sometimes be confused with multiple things in the medical facility. There are also abbreviations that are used that make no sense as they relate to how often the medication needs to be given, such as once a day or the amount that is given. One of the things that offices and hospitals can do to make sure that patients are safe when it comes to these abbreviations is to not use them. If words are spelled out, then it makes it easier for everyone to see the information and to give the proper medications and doses.

Contamination Control

If you’ve ever seen any kind of surgery, then you know that there can be a bit of smoke that comes from the instrument that is used. A smoke evacuator, which is often connected to an electrosurgical generator, is a device that is used to trap or eliminate some of the smoke that is seen with surgeries. The device will help to prevent the smoke and other particles from the body before they have time to circulate in the air. Other ways to get contamination under control include washing hands more often, setting up hand washing stations and making sure everyone wears proper attire when working with patients, such as gloves and masks.

Holding On

With elderly individuals and those who have mobility issues, it’s important to have some kind of hand rail system in place. Rails should be placed on the walls in the hallways and near doors to make it easier to enter and exit. There should also be rails along stairs to make it easier to get up and down. Large rugs that don’t slide around can be placed near entry doors to prevent slipping after coming from outside, especially if it has been raining. If the medical staff isn’t busy, then someone could assist those who have trouble walking to an exam room, to the waiting area or outside to a vehicle.

Diagnostic Testing

Doctors will often perform blood work or other services to determine what is going on with the health of the patient. If tests are done and the doctor finds that more testing is needed and doesn’t follow through, then it can impede on the safety of the patient. The doctor needs to examine the tests and the health of the patient in depth to see if there are any medications that need to be given in the future or if there are any treatment options that are available to help with the condition. The doctor should also follow up with the patient after the treatment to ensure that there are no side effects.
Medical professionals should be held to the highest standards. They are working with patients’ lives in their hands. The smallest mistake could mean that someone is injured, becomes ill or even dies. If doctors and other staff pay attention and work together, then the safety of the patient will likely improve in their condition.

Hannah Whittenly is a freelance writer and mother of two from Sacramento, CA. She enjoys kayaking and reading books by the lake.

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

February 28, 2017/5930 views / 0 Comments/in BLOG, Guest Blog Posts, HIM /by John Trader

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.

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: Symptoms of a Stroke

February 18, 2017/4170 views / 0 Comments/in BLOG, Guest Blog Posts, Patient Safety /by John Trader

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.

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.

How We Address the Patient ID Challenge in Healthcare

February 15, 2017/7042 views / 0 Comments/in BLOG, Data Integrity, Facial Reciognition, Health Care, Infection Control, Iris Recognition, Medical Identity Theft, Patient Identification, Patient Matching, Photo Biometrics, Revenue Cycle Management /by John Trader

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:

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.

The Importance of Pre-Procedure Preparations for Patients

February 11, 2017/13539 views / 1 Comment/in BLOG, Guest Blog Posts, Patient Safety /by John Trader

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.

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.