6 Habits of Highly Effective Healthcare IT Professionals

In the face of rapid technological change, healthcare IT professionals should adopt six habits to be highly effective in their jobs, advised a recent article in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association.These six habits are: 1) put the patient first, 2) assemble a team with the right skills, 3) relentlessly ask why, 4) keep it simple, 5) be Darwinian, and 6) don’t lose the forest for the trees.These habits will help healthcare IT professionals deal with some of the unintended consequences of the proliferation of health IT, including increased exam room documentation, divided physician attention during the visit, and the need to use scribes to lessen the documentation burden for clinicians. Some unintended consequences of health IT developments, such as electronic health records (EHRs), were detailed in a recent report by Fortune/Kaiser Health News, which found that an average emergency room doctor has to make around 4,000 mouse clicks per shift.One emergency room (ER) doctor was quoted in the report as saying, The interfaces are just, so confusing and clunky. They invite error  its not a negligence issue. This is a poor tool issue.Its not that we’re a bunch of Luddites who dont know how to use technology, the ER doctor said. I have an iPhone and a computer and they work the way they’re supposed to work, and then we are given these incredibly cumbersome and error-prone tools. This is something the government mandated. There really wasn’t the time to let the cream rise to the top everyone had to jump in and pick something that worked and spend tens of millions of dollars on a system that is slowly killing us.

Spotlight

Other News
Health Technology

Ovation Healthcare Expands Portfolio with Launch of Tempo Technology Services

PR Newswire | October 25, 2023

Ovation Healthcare, a premier provider of shared services to independent hospitals and health systems nationwide, today announced the launch of Tempo Technology Services (Tempo). Tempo will complement the Ovation Healthcare portfolio with managed and professional IT services in addition to procurement of hardware, logistics services, and other devices to simplify decision making and optimize clinical and operational performance. said Ovation Healthcare CEO Dr. Dwayne Gunter. We're thrilled to announce the launch of Tempo, which is designed to revolutionize the way hospitals manage their clinical operations. Tempo creates value for our client hospitals and health systems by delivering innovative technology solutions that promote efficiency, transparency, and most importantly, better health outcomes. [Source:PR Newswire] Through a portfolio of tech-enabled shared services, Ovation Healthcare helps independent hospitals outperform their peers in financial, operational, and quality metrics through leverage and economies of scale. The addition of Tempo's services will further support hospitals and health systems in optimizing technology investments, maintaining regulatory compliance, and adopting new capabilities. About Ovation Healthcare Headquartered in Brentwood, Tenn., Ovation Healthcare is partnered with 375+ clients in 47 states from critical access hospitals to large health systems. For 45 years, Ovation Healthcare has supported nonprofit, independent healthcare through a portfolio of shared services – Octave Leadership Advisory Services, Elevate Supply and Expense Management Solutions, Amplify Revenue Cycle Management, Cadence Clinical Services, and Tempo Technology Services – designed to provide scale and efficiency to hospital business operations.

Read More

Healthcare Analytics

AirLife Completes Acquisition of Avanos Medical’s Respiratory Health Business

Business Wire | October 04, 2023

AirLife, a leading North American manufacturer and distributor of consumable medical devices for anesthesia and respiratory care formerly known as SunMed, today announced the completion of its acquisition of Avanos Medical, Inc.’s (NYSE: AVNS) (“Avanos”) respiratory health business, including the BALLARD*, MICROCUFF* and endOclear® product lines. The acquisition adds three complementary brands, the R&D expertise behind them and two manufacturing facilities into AirLife’s growing platform. The transaction advances AirLife’s strategy to enhance its leading portfolio of the most trusted products in anesthesia and respiratory care and serve even more customers as a one-stop source for the highest-quality consumable breathing solutions that support the best patient outcomes. “We’re thrilled to complete this exciting milestone in AirLife’s evolution as we strengthen our leadership as a premier, completely dedicated consumable breathing products company,” said Hank Struik, AirLife CEO. We are especially pleased to welcome the exceptional team that has driven the success of these market leading brands to our company. As some of the most trusted closed suction and endotracheal consumables used to treat patients in critical care, this addition to AirLife unlocks new opportunities to accelerate our growth, serve more healthcare practitioners and drive innovation across our comprehensive portfolio of leading brands. [Source – Business Wire] Goodwin Procter LLP is acting as legal counsel to AirLife. About AirLife AirLife, formerly known as SunMed and headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan with manufacturing and distribution sites in the United States, Mexico, China and Europe, is a leading medical device manufacturer, offering one of the most comprehensive portfolios of consumable anesthesia and respiratory care products. AirLife’s product portfolio spans the continuum of care from first responders to hospitals and home care, with safety, patient comfort and clinical performance in mind. AirLife’s comprehensive portfolio of trusted anesthesia products and respiratory care include premier brands such as Salter Labs®, Ethox Medical™, Ventlab™, Westmed™, AirLife™ and Vital Signs™. Currently, AirLife has over 1 million square feet of manufacturing space, providing comprehensive expertise in all plastics materials and conversion—supported by a world-class Quality Management System. Frazier Healthcare Partners, a leading healthcare investment firm, acquired a majority ownership stake in AirLife in 2021.

Read More

Healthcare Analytics

WELL Health Launches 'WELL AI Decision Support' powered by HEALWELL AI; Empowering Healthcare Providers with Next Generation Decision Support Systems

PR Newswire | October 19, 2023

WELL Health Technologies Corp. a digital health company focused on tech-enabling healthcare providers, and its investee company, HEALWELL AI are pleased to announce the launch of "WELL AI Decision Support", a groundbreaking new service for healthcare providers. This partnership is the first major collaborative initiative between the two companies since the announcement of the Strategic Alliance Agreement on October 3, 2023. Both companies view this as the beginning of a long-term, mutually beneficial partnership, with a shared vision and commitment to ongoing innovation. Hamed Shahbazi, Founder and CEO of WELL commented, "We firmly believe the physician experience of the not-too-distant future will involve a number of safe, secure and helpful digital diagnostic tools that will better support healthcare providers in detecting acute and chronic diseases earlier. The launch of 'WELL AI Decision Support' perfectly aligns with our core strategy to empower healthcare providers with transformative technology, enhancing their capacity to improve patient outcomes and promote preventative health." Dr. Michael Frankel, Chief Medical Officer of WELL, added, "The arrival of 'WELL AI Decision Support' marks more than just technological advancement; it's a watershed moment in our pursuit of superior patient care. By harnessing AI's potential, we are equipping healthcare professionals with tools that refine and elevate their practice. Each patient deserves individualized attention and precision in care, and this module is a step forward in realizing that vision." Dr. Alexander Dobranowski, CEO of HEALWELL AI, said. Our partnership with WELL is a strategic imperative in healthcare. The alignment between HEALWELL's pioneering data science and WELL's expansive clinical network underscores the strength of our collaboration. Together, with WELL's robust healthcare software solutions, we are creating a synergy poised to redefine healthcare standards. This partnership amplifies our combined commitment to leveraging data science for healthcare applications, ultimately benefiting patients and healthcare providers alike. [Source: PR Newswire] The 'WELL AI Decision Support' module is a groundbreaking solution that bridges a critical gap in healthcare diagnostics and patient care, heralding a new era of precision in healthcare delivery. WELL AI Decision Support leverages artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to enable the earlier diagnosis, treatment and improved quality of life for the patient. The technology behind WELL AI Decision Support has been meticulously developed by HEALWELL, in close collaboration with dedicated physicians, leading researchers, data privacy professionals, pharmaceutical companies, and other domain experts. This rigorous process of development and refinement has led to its validation in both Canadian and U.S. healthcare systems. WELL AI Decision Support is also a highly modular service that will be expanded with time. Initially, the service enables healthcare providers to accurately identify over 110 complex or rare diseases often overlooked by traditional methods, providing hope to thousands of patients across Canada. 'WELL AI Decision Support' is the second significant product release under the WELLHealth.ai program, following the successful "WELL AI Voice" module, and further exemplifies WELL's unwavering commitment and leadership in delivering effective AI solutions in healthcare. WELL AI Decision Support is featured on apps.health, WELL's premium digital marketplace for EMR tools and applications. Rare and complex diseases affect over 300 million patients worldwide, and in Canada, 1 in 12 individuals lives with a rare disorder. What's even more alarming is the substantial number of people who remain undiagnosed and unaware of their underlying conditions. For those who do exhibit symptoms, the journey to a correct diagnosis is an arduous one. On average, they consult 8 physicians, endure 2-3 misdiagnoses over a span of 4.8yrs before receiving an accurate diagnosis. This partnership represents a significant win for HEALWELL, granting expansive channel access to healthcare providers. The launch of 'WELL AI Decision Support' module underscores the trust and validation of HEALWELL's expertise within the industry. Both WELL and HEALWELL plan to continue to collaborate to combine their expertise and capabilities for more groundbreaking developments in the future. About WELL Health Technologies Corp. WELL's mission is to tech-enable healthcare providers. We do this by developing the best technologies, services, and support available, which ensures healthcare providers are empowered to positively impact patient outcomes. WELL's comprehensive healthcare and digital platform includes extensive front and back-office management software applications that help physicians run and secure their practices. WELL's solutions enable more than 31,000 healthcare providers between the US and Canada and power the largest owned and operated healthcare ecosystem in Canada with more than 148 clinics supporting primary care, specialized care, and diagnostic services. In the United States WELL's solutions are focused on specialized markets such as the gastrointestinal market, women's health, primary care, and mental health. WELL is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "WELL" and on the OTC Exchange under the symbol "WHTCF". About HEALWELL AI Inc. HEALWELL AI is a health care technology company focused on AI and data science for preventive care. Its mission is to improve health care and save lives through early identification and detection of disease. As a physician-led organization with a proven management team of experienced executives, HEALWELL AI is executing a strategy centered around developing and acquiring technology and clinical sciences capabilities that complement the company's road map.

Read More

Healthcare Analytics

FDA Grants De Novo for Xenex's LightStrike+ UV Robot in Healthcare

Xenex | September 11, 2023

United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has issued a De Novo authorization to Xenex Disinfection Services, Inc. (Xenex) for its LightStrikeTM+ device, an advanced high-intensity, broad-spectrum ultraviolet (UV) light robot. The LightStrike+ devices are designed for microbial reduction on non-critical medical device surfaces in healthcare environments, following manual cleaning and disinfection practices. They are authorized for use in various healthcare settings, including unoccupied operating rooms and hospital rooms. These devices have an impressive track record, with over 1,200 healthcare facilities worldwide employing LightStrike robots for over 37 million cycles. The new LightStrike+ device, capable of microbial reduction in as little as 2 minutes, represents the culmination of over a decade of knowledge accumulation from healthcare facilities' best practices, supported by 45 peer-reviewed studies demonstrating its safety and effectiveness, a portfolio of 193 patents, and unparalleled technical and epidemiological expertise. Dr. Mark 'Tuck' Stibich, Xenex's Founder and Chief Scientific Officer, emphasized the long-standing collaboration with healthcare partners spanning more than a decade to enhance patient safety and public health. As an infectious diseases epidemiologist, Dr. Stibich expressed concern about antibiotic resistance within hospital environments and the potential for FDA authorization to facilitate the broader adoption of the LightStrike+ tool in combating pathogens. Perilous pathogens persist on surfaces within healthcare facilities, notwithstanding diligent manual cleaning endeavors. The LightStrike+ robot employs a xenon lamp to generate high-intensity pulsed UV light, which effectively diminishes the presence of these pathogens on surfaces and plays a pivotal role in interrupting the transmission chain from one patient or healthcare worker to another. Xenex's FDA authorization is substantiated by comprehensive testing conducted on more than 10,000 samples of vegetative bacteria and Clostridiodes difficile (C. diff) spores. This authorization establishes a novel medical device product classification, with the LightStrike+ robot being its inaugural and sole product. It is a landmark in the FDA's regulatory framework for UV robots designed to diminish pathogens on non-porous, frequently touched surfaces within healthcare settings. Furthermore, Xenex's Chief Executive Officer, Morris Miller, acknowledged the challenges hospitals face when evaluating UV technologies, citing the prevalence of unverified and exaggerated claims by some manufacturers. He underscored the significance of FDA authorization in instilling confidence among hospital decision-makers, assuring them of the accuracy and validation of Xenex's claims regarding the LightStrike+ device. Numerous world-renowned hospitals, such as HonorHealth, Mayo Clinic, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Ochsner Health System, Stanford Health Care, and Texas Health Resources, have integrated LightStrike robots into their comprehensive disinfection strategies. About Xenex Xenex is a global leader in pioneering strategies and solutions grounded in UV technology. Its fundamental mission revolves around enabling its partners to safeguard lives and reduce human suffering by eliminating the dangerous microorganisms that cause infections. The company benefits from substantial support from renowned investors, including EW Healthcare Partners, Piper Sandler, Malin Corporation, Battery Ventures, Targeted Technology Fund II, Tectonic Ventures, and RK Ventures.

Read More