Christina's Considerations

PHR School of Hard Knocks

The Healthcare Blog has a great post from one of my old RHIO connections, Missy Krasner. She shares her thoughts about personal health records given her role with Google Health prior to its demise last week. I really do agree... Read more →

Medication Error and Two Deaths Later

Not long ago, I recognized Seattle Children's Hospital for their use of Facebook for transparency related to the death of a child (possibly) from a medication error. I just learned that the nurse who made and reported the error had... Read more →

Sepsis: A Challenge for Patients and Hospitals

I thought I'd carry through on Infection Control again this week and share some new data I recently came across on Septicemia, commonly known in the hospital as, Sepsis. This topic has been on my mind ever since I had... Read more →

Bacteria and Mobile Devices

I really see us moving beyond COWs (computers-on-wheels) and an explosion in use of mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, etc) in healthcare environments. But, I would be remiss if the Environment of Care professional in me didn't speak up on the... Read more →

Satisfying Your Customers with Social Media

Did you see my article in Healthcare Executive on Satisfying your Customers with Social Media? It focused on a healthcare organization's patients, consumers and community. In the Fall, a follow-up article will focus on satisfying your physicians and employees (customers)... Read more →

Cost of Caring for Aging Parents

The results of MetLife's study of Caregiving Costs to Working Caregivers: Double Jeopardy for Baby Boomers Caring for Their Parents have been released and present data we can all use. The part about curtailing working careers especially speaks to me,... Read more →

Heart Attacks & Hospitalization in CA

A report released by OSHPD on heart attacks & hospitalization in CA reviews trends over 20 years. Some of the highlights (mostly related to the hospitalizations) for me include: State populations increased by 35% during same time period. Number of... Read more →

HIT Exchange: The Cost of Healthcare Data Breaches

My latest article was in a bit of a new direction for me. I put my risk manager hat back on and explore data breaches from the perspective of an administrator who needs to balance several influences. HIT Exchange: The... Read more →

CMS Proposed Rule: An Opportunity for Remote Monitoring

FierceHealth IT has a great editorial on the proposed payment changes and I have to agree that this presents an opportunity for remote monitoring and other forms of telehealth. CMS will begin placing 1 percent of hospital Medicare payments at... Read more →

CMS Reports on Provider Performance

The next step in the process of releasing more information about the performance of hospitals and physicians (as noted previously) has been taken by CMS. And, it will identify hospitals and information on their quality and cost of care to... Read more →

The Value of Experienced Hospital Administrators

This is an issue really close to home for two reasons. First, this facility is truly in my neighborhood and second because I did some work for this agency in the mid 1990s. Over the last several years they have... Read more →

ONC's Direct Project

The ONC's Direct Project comes down to nationwide accessibility and a simple way to connect each little practice's EHR with other EHRs, registeries and software. It will/could facilitate: HIEs connecting with individual practices practices connecting with practices practices connecting with... Read more →