Revenue Generated by PHR Software Likely To Grow, Report Says

Revenue generated from personal health record software sales is  expected to increase over the next few years, according to a report by Frost & Sullivan, EHR Watch/Government Health IT reports.

Report Details

The report estimates that PHR software-generated revenue will increase from  $312.2 million in 2010 to $414.8 million in 2015, representing a 5.8% compound  annual growth rate.

The report noted that people traditionally have had a low level of interest  in maintaining PHRs. However, researchers predicted that individuals  increasingly will be drawn to the technology for various reasons, including:

• Structural reforms in the health care system, such as the introduction of  collaborative care models;
• Growing adoption of electronic health record systems among health  care providers;
• Technological advancements that will streamline the gathering and  consolidation of data for PHR platforms and enable easier use; and
• General widespread use of IT, including mobile Internet devices.

Jessica Ryan Ohlin — a Frost & Sullivan analyst — suggested that as the  health system undergoes structural and payment changes, “public sentiment is  shifting away from the traditional passive approach towards recognition of the  need to be more proactive about future care and more engaged at the actual point  of care” (Rowe, EHR Watch/Government Health IT, 3/12).

Source: iHealthBeat

Study: Providing Tablets to Medical Residents Could Improve Care

Providing medical residents with tablet computers could boost efficiency,  reduce delays in patient care and improve continuity of care, according to a study published in the Archives of  Internal Medicine, CMIO reports (Byers, CMIO, 3/12).

Study Details

In November 2010, 115 medical residents at the University of Chicago Medicine  were given Apple iPads (HealthDay, 3/12). Residents were able to use the  iPads to:

• Access medical journals;
• Contact the hospital laboratory or other departments;
• View patients’ electronic health records; and
• Show patients their X-rays and test results (Pittman, Reuters, 3/12).

In 2011, researchers surveyed the residents about how the devices affected  their workflow and patient care.

Study Findings

The study found that:

• Nearly 90% of residents said they routinely used the iPad for clinical  duties;
• 78% said the iPad helped them feel more efficient; and
• 68% said the iPad prevented delays in patient care.

Researchers also examined data from the hospital’s EHR system to evaluate how  the iPad deployment affected residents’ completion of orders. Researchers found  that after the residents received iPads, they completed:

• 5% more orders before 7:00 a.m. rounds; and
• 8% more orders before the end of their 1:00 p.m. shift (HealthDay,  3/12).

Researchers noted that the number of orders for tests and procedures remained  the same after the iPad deployment, but slightly more orders were placed within  two hours of a patient’s hospital admission (Reuters, 3/12).

Lead author Bhakti Patel and colleagues wrote, “The implementation of  personal mobile computing via iPads was associated with improvements in both  perceived and actual resident efficiency” (CMIO, 3/12).

Source: iHealthBeat

Column: Few Patients Post Online Reviews of Health Care Providers

New York Times columnist Ron Lieber writes that  consumers are not posting online reviews of their health care experiences as  often as they are posting online reviews of restaurants and other services.

Lieber writes that websites such as HealthGrades, RateMDs, Yelp and Angie’s List have offered a platform for health care  reviews, but “listings are often sparse, with few contributors and little  substance.” He adds that there is a “demand and supply problem: many people want  this information and more consumers would trust it if the sites had more robust  offerings.”

According to Lieber, some physicians have “silenced patients away” by asking  patients not to review them online or by suing patients who do so.

In addition, some patients might choose not to review their doctors “for a  far more ordinary reason: if they live in a small town or are only one or two  degrees of social separation from physicians or their family members, they may  not want to create any awkwardness,” Lieber writes.

He also notes that some patients might “idolize their doctors,” adding that  it is “exactly this sort of unquestioning mind-set that may cause such low  participation (or disproportionately positive reviews) at many review  sites.”

Lieber writes, “The only solution, then, is to keep populating these sites en  masse if you dare and your doctor doesn’t seem to be the suing sort, taking care  all the while to tell the truth and be fair” (Lieber, New York Times,  3/9).

Source: iHealthBeat

Survey Finds Big Uptick in EHR Adoption Among Small Medical Practices

Small medical offices with just one or two physicians comprise the  fastest-growing segment for the adoption of electronic health record systems, according to a report by SK&A, a subsidiary of the  health care technology and services company Cegedim, CMIO reports.

The report, titled, “Physician Office Usage of EHR Software,” is based on  SK&A’s ongoing telephone survey of 240,281 medical sites.

Main Findings

The report found that during the second half of 2011:

• The EHR adoption rate for solo practices increased by six percentage points,  from 30.8% to 36.9%; and
• The EHR adoption rate for practices with six to 10 physicians increased by  two percentage points, from 63% to 65% (Byers, CMIO, 3/8).

SK&A said the new report marks the first time that EHR adoption rates  were found to be rising at a faster pace among solo and small medical practices  than among larger medical practices (SK&A release, 3/7).

Additional Findings

Although EHR adoption rates are rising quickly among small practices, overall  EHR adoption rates still are higher among practices with more physicians, the  survey found.

Researchers noted that practices with more than 26 physicians had an average  EHR adoption rate of 77.2%, while offices with between three and five physicians  had an average EHR adoption rate of 54.9%.

In addition, the report found that practices with more exam rooms and greater  average daily patient volumes tend to have higher EHR adoption rates than  practices with fewer exam rooms and lower average daily patient volumes.

The survey also found that EHR adoption rates vary based on a practice’s  specialty. According to the report, the specialties with the highest EHR  adoption rates are:

• Dialysis, with 68.4% of practices having an EHR system in place;
• Pathology, with 66.2% having an EHR system in place;
• Nuclear medicine, with 64.2% having an EHR system in place; and
• Radiology, with 62.8% having an EHR system in place (CMIO,  3/8).

Source: iHealthBeat

30% of Surveyed Doctors Have Adopted EHRs That Meet MU Requirements

Thirty percent of surveyed health care providers said they have implemented  an electronic health record system that meets the requirements of the meaningful  use program, according to a recent survey by The Doctors Company, a  medical malpractice insurer, FierceEMR reports (Hirsch, FierceEMR,  3/8).

Under the 2009 economic stimulus package, health care providers who  demonstrate meaningful use of certified electronic health record systems can  qualify for Medicaid and Medicare incentive payments.

Survey Details

For the survey, researchers sent questionnaires asking physicians about their  views on EHR adoption and other health care issues.

The results are based on responses from 5,105 doctors in all 50 states.

Findings on EHR Adoption

The survey found that 30% of respondents said they already have adopted an  EHR system that meets meaningful use criteria, while 14.3% said they plan to  adopt an EHR system that meets meaningful use criteria within the next three  years. Seventeen percent said they have no plans to adopt an EHR system.

The survey also found that:

• 21.5% of respondents said they use a computer system for billing and  scheduling, but it lacks key features of an EHR system; and
• 8% said they only use a hospital-based EHR system (The Doctors Company report, 2/29).

Top States for EHR Adoption

Researchers also examined EHR adoption rates among surveyed physicians by  state. They found that the top five states for EHR adoption are:

• Oregon, with 41% of surveyed physicians having implemented an EHR system;
• Georgia, with 39% having implemented an EHR system;
• Florida, with 37% having implemented an EHR system;
• Washington, with 35% having implemented an EHR system; and
• Virginia, with 34% having implemented an EHR system (Manos, Healthcare IT News, 3/2).

Source: iHealthBeat

ONC Seeking Input on Ways To Secure Health Data on Mobile Devices

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT is seeking public  comment on best practices to ensure the privacy and security of health  information on mobile devices, according to an announcement on ONC’s website, CMIO reports (Gale, CMIO, 3/6).

ONC defines a mobile device as “a handheld transmitting device with  multifunctional capabilities used to store, transmit and receive health  information and has user control over the access to the health information”  (Goedert, Health Data Management, 3/5).

In the announcement, ONC said it is seeking input on:

• Real-world usage of mobile devices by health care professionals;
• Real-world practices, strategies and techniques for securing health data on  mobile devices; and
• Other comments or concerns about health care professionals’ use of mobile  devices (ONC announcement, 3/5).

Source: iHealthBeat

Physicians Who Use EHRs Order More Imaging Tests, Study Finds

Electronic health records could encourage physicians to order imaging tests  more frequently, raising questions about whether the technology can help reduce  medical costs, according to a study published Monday in the journal Health Affairs, the New York Times reports (Lohr, New York  Times, 3/5).

The study, conducted by the Cambridge Health Alliance, analyzed data from the  2008 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey on 28,741 patient visits to 1,187  office-based physicians (Gold, “Capsules,” Kaiser Health News, 3/5).

Study Findings

Researchers found that physicians with electronic access to patients’  previous imaging results ordered tests 40% more frequently than those using  paper records. Doctors with EHRs ordered tests on 18% of visits, compared with  12.9% for physicians who used paper records.

The study also found doctors with EHRs ordered more advanced and costly  imaging, such as MRI tests and CT scans, 70% more frequently than those with  paper records.

Although the study did not explore the reasons physicians who use EHRs order  more tests, the researchers said the technology could make ordering tests easier  (New York Times, 3/5).

Danny McCormick, lead author of the study, said, “As with many other things,  if you make things easier to do, people will do them more often” (McKinney, Modern  Healthcare, 3/5).

Study Raises Questions About Cost Savings

The study comes as the federal government plans to provide up to $27 billion  in incentives through the meaningful use program to encourage health care  providers to transition to EHRs, in the hope that the technology will help rein  in health care spending (Sun, Washington Post, 3/5). Under the 2009 federal  economic stimulus package, health care providers who demonstrate meaningful use  of certified EHRs can qualify for Medicaid and Medicare incentive payments.

Proponents of EHRs have said that they help reduce unnecessary and  duplicative testing by providing physicians with better and more up-to-date  information when treating patients.

However, McCormick said the research “raises real concerns about whether  health information technology is going to be the answer to reducing costs.”

Experts Criticize Methodology

Many health policy experts were critical of the study’s methods, noting that  the survey data predate the meaningful use incentive program and standards that  launched last year (New York Times, 3/5).

Michael Furukawa, a health economist in the Office of the National  Coordinator for Health IT, said the focus of the study was limited. “The proper  use of advanced health IT functions, we believe, will reduce costs in the long  run,” he said (Washington Post, 3/5).

Source: iHealthBeat

Clinical Informatics Key to Boosting Care, Cutting Costs, PwC Report Says

Clinical informatics could be a valuable tool for improving patient health  and reducing health care costs, according to a report by PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Health  Research Institute, Healthcare IT News reports.

Report Details

The report states that health care organizations should view clinical  informatics as crucial to their financial success and their ability to manage  patient care and wellness.

The report also noted that clinical informatics could be used  to engage patients in managing their own health.

Previous Survey

PwC based the new report on data from a previous survey of 600 health care organizations  about their health informatics needs.

Among health care provider respondents, the survey found that:

• About 79% said they look to clinical informatics to reduce medical  errors;
• 61% said they hope informatics will boost population health; and
• 52% said that informatics will help reduce costs by increasing patient  involvement in their own preventive care.

Among health insurer respondents, the survey found that:

• 85% said they believe clinical informatics will improve management of cancer  and other complex medical cases;
• 80% said they believe informatics will help reduce preventable emergency  department visits and hospital readmissions; and
• 56% said they believe informatics will boost early diagnosis and  prevention of certain diseases.

However, the survey found that only 15% of health insurers and 13% of health  care providers believe they have influenced patient behavior through the use of  clinical informatics (Miliard, Healthcare IT News, 3/2).

Daniel Garrett, health IT practice leader at PwC, said, “Health organizations  recognize the value of effective informatics and analytics, but they are  struggling to institutionalize the insight, make it actionable and use it for  competitive advantage” (PricewaterhouseCoopers release, 3/2).

Source: iHealthBeat

Most Health Providers See Value in Health IT, According to Survey

Eighty-four percent of health care providers say they consider health IT  “invaluable” or “valuable,” according to a survey by CDW Healthcare, FierceHealthIT reports (Bowman, FierceHealthIT, 2/27).

For the survey, CDW Healthcare surveyed 202 health care providers and 200  health IT professionals at hospitals with at least 200 beds.

Health Care Providers

Among the 202 surveyed caregivers, CDW Healthcare found that:

• 50% said they considered health IT “invaluable” because it “delivers  capabilities that could not be replaced by non-IT tools;” and
• 34% said they considered health IT “valuable” because it “significantly aids  in the delivery of care.”

In addition, 71% of health care providers said they would not be able to  complete more than 50% of their workload without health IT (CDW Healthcare report, 2/27).

Health IT Professionals

Among the 200 surveyed health IT professionals, CDW Healthcare found  that:

• 56% said they have deployed an electronic health record system in their  hospital in the past 18 months (FierceHealthIT, 2/27); and
• 48% said they have deployed a computerized provider order entry system in  the past 18 months (CDW Healthcare report, 2/27).

In addition, the survey found that:

• Nearly 80% of health IT professionals said the infrastructure to support  health IT sometimes is implemented as an afterthought; and
• 58% said they had implemented data storage, a server or a network program  after adopting a new health IT system at least once (FierceHealthIT,  2/27).

Source: iHealthBeat

Survey: Many Hospitals Allow Workers To Use Personal Mobile Devices

About 85% of hospital-based IT professionals say their organization embraces  “bring your own device” — or BYOD — policies that allow employees to use  their personal mobile devices at work, according to a survey by Aruba Networks, Computerworld reports (Mearian, Computerworld,  2/24).

For the survey, Aruba Networks interviewed more than 130 hospital-based  health IT professionals.

Levels of Access

Although 85% of respondents said their organization has a BYOD policy, the  organizations varied in the amount of data they allowed personal mobile devices  to access. The survey found that:

• 53% of respondents said their organization only allows personal mobile  devices to access the Internet;
• 24% said their organization provides personal mobile devices with limited  access to hospital applications; and
• 8% said their organization provides personal mobile devices with full access  to the hospital network (Dolan, MobiHealthNews, 2/23).

Types of Mobile Devices Supported

The survey also found that:

• 83% of respondents said their organization supports Apple iPads;
• 65% said their organization supports Apple iPhones and iPod Touches;
• 52% said their organization supports Blackberry devices; and
• 46% said their organization supports Android-based devices.

Additional Findings

The survey found that electronic health record applications are the most  widely supported application on mobile devices, with 60% of respondents saying  their organization supports the use of mobile EHR apps. The next most widely  supported mobile apps include picture archiving and communication systems,  secure messaging and voice-over IP (Computerworld, 2/24).

The survey also found that more than 75% of respondents said their  organization provides Internet access to patients and hospital visitors, but 58%  said they use open networks without password protection to do so (Jackson, FierceMobileHealthcare, 2/23).

Source: iHealthBeat