Christina's Considerations

Nurse Retention: the beat goes on...

H&HN (January 05) once again addresses Nurse Retention and includes an Executive's Guide to Keeping One of your Hospital's Most Valuable Resources pullout section. The section highlights nine principles and elements of a helpful practice and work environment, and no... Read more →

New Blogposium

Blogposium sign-up! What is a "blogposium" you ask? Read the discussion! Read more →

Why Kids Go to the Hospital!

The January 2006 issue of H&HN had interesting statistics on pediatric hospitalizations. What this data tells me is that stakeholders wanting to address electronic data exchange for pediatric populations will want to start by looking closely respiratory and digestive diagnostic... Read more →

So you want to start a blog!

Eric Spiegel interviewed fellow blogger Shahid Shah about his considerations for starting a blog and posted Blogging Your Way Up the Career Ladder. I've heard of this interview, but finally got a chance to read it! And, if you think... Read more →

Strategically Manage with Scorecards

The idea behind balanced scorecards is that they put vital information into the hands of decision makers, without over loading them with too much or the wrong information. This leads to the efficient and effective alignment of vision, mission, and... Read more →

Kids and Drugs

I'm the Red Ribbon Week coordinator for an elementary school and do it because I've seen children exposed and addicted to drugs and alcohol. A sixth grade parent once expressed concern about our efforts at education actually introducing her son... Read more →

CEO IT Achievement Award

Modern Healthcare and HIMSS have announced the 2006 CEO IT Achievement Awards to recognize one or more healthcare industry chief executive officers who demonstrate leadership and commitment to using information technology to advance their healthcare organizations' strategic goals. The deadline... Read more →

Crack any laws lately?

It ain't no sin if you crack a few laws now and then, just so long as you don't break any." —Mae West Oh, what a quote thanks to Nick the hospital CEO and blogger! This quote seems perfect to... Read more →

And the mayor wants to be selective!

The healthcare crisis is building as realistically detailed in this NY Times article! Over the winter break I saw for myself the lack of housing in the City of New Orleans and wondered where employees of the hospitals were living... Read more →

The wonderful thing about blogs...

One nice thing about my blog is that I can see where my "traffic" comes from, or how people find me. I know if someone clicked on my link, performed a search on Google* or reached me via one of... Read more →

P4P

Health Management Technology had a note in their January 2006 Industry Watch section about how P4P Programs are rewarding but challenging. The highlight was, "Programs across the country are proving what behavioral psychologist B.F. Skinner demonstrated in the 1930s and... Read more →

Health-IT World reports Search Engines, Blogs Lead Top E-Health Trends for 2006

The Healthcare IT Guy posted on this report and I agree that blogs and search engines are a key trend for the new year. In just the few months that I have been a blogger I've seen growth and learned... Read more →

A "Chocolate" New Orleans

The mayor of New Orleans made some unfortunate comments recently -- as he strives to draw the citizens and business back to this old and important city! He evidently wants the city to be "chocolate" and is not afraid to... Read more →

Drum roll please....

Fortune's annual list of 100 Best Companies to Work For is out and Griffin Hospital in CT made it to the number four spot. Congratulations Griffin! Check out the list and get some ideas about how your organization can attract... Read more →

HIMSS & HCE of Southern California

It's official! The Southern California Chapter of HIMSS and Healthcare Executives of Southern California are working jointly on a half-day educational program focusing on the ROI of health information technology. The program will occur in Los Angeles in May a... Read more →

New Orleans in December (photos)

For some great pictures check out New Orleans in December! Read more →

What is an EHR? EMR?

Modern Healthcare is exploring the ongoing confusion over the difference between electronic health records and electronic medical records. The public has not made a distinction between EHRs and EMRs and many healthcare professionals are not clear on the difference. Pat... Read more →

Forming a RHIO?

Announcing the release of Forming a RHIO? Moving from a collaborative to a formal organizational structure with authority and accountability! A step-by-step guide for establishing a Regional Health Information Organization (RHIO) Download press_release_rhio_guide.pdf Download forming_a_rhio_excerpt.pdf To order: Mail your check... Read more →

Blogger and Reader Meeting at HIMSS

My fellow bloggers at Health IT Guy Candid CIO eHealth are spreading the word! Thank you for the idea and opportunity! I hope I can make it to San Diego to meet you all! If you’re a healthcare blogger who’d... Read more →

SB County Children's Scorecard

The 2005 Children's Scorecard is now available on on-line! Click on the following link to access the Scorecard in a PDF format: http://www.countyofsb.org/kidsnet/2005Scorecard.pdf. Contact [email protected] to request a printed copy of the Scorecard, available after February 1. Tell her Christina... Read more →

Resource for RHIOs

AHRQ Electronic Newsletter To subscribe: Send an E-mail message to: [email protected]. In the subject line type: Subscribe. In the body of the message type: sub public_list-L and your full name. You will receive an E-mail confirmation. If you would like... Read more →

Child Friendly Awards (Santa Barbara County)

The KIDS Network is requesting nominations for the 2006 Child Friendly Awards scheduled for April 11th. Please take a moment to think about individuals or groups you know, either at work or personally, that would make a great candidate for... Read more →

Keeping older workers not as costly as high turnover

This week the electronic newsletter Connect by BenefitNews www.benefitnews.com included the following article. To subscribe to the newsletter, which brings you the most important news and trends in benefits management, contact [email protected] and [email protected] Keeping older workers not as costly... Read more →

Makeovers for RHIOs?

I've been asked by Dr. Gary Levin, Inland Empire RHIO what I think about the January 8 article in Health Data Management and Dr. Brailer's comments. (He will post his comments later this week.) I don't think the "mission" of... Read more →

Funding for Opportunities for Healthy Children and Families

Champions for Healthy Kids Program Offers Grants to Improve Kids' Fitness and Nutrition Habits (Deadline: February 1, 2006) Champions for Healthy Kids, a national grant program created to encourage healthy eating choices and active lifestyles in young people, is now... Read more →