Christina's Considerations

Empowering Advocates: #ChronicTogether

I was recently asked how did I learn to advocate for myself as a patient. This made me reflect on my career in health administration, where I recognized the importance of patients advocating for themselves early in my journey. In... Read more →

Neuromuscular Medicine and Disease

I found my way to a physician who specializes in neuromuscular disease, but have been focused on my treatment to give thought to exactly what the specialty does. I did, at least, recognize that neuromuscular relates to both the nervous... Read more →

Educational Video on CBD

I've been struggling with where to find trusted information on cannabis and CBD; all while knowing video is more engaging. I've now found Green Flower and their free videos on a variety of related topics. My first one to watch... Read more →

What is the difference between functional limitations, impairment and disability?

In a previous post, I introduced the idea of functional limitations in the context of disaster preparedness. This came from some research I did while working on community wide disaster planning in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties. Yesterday,... Read more →

Strengthen Grip/Grasp

Eggserciser® is an ergonomically-shaped product that fits the contours of the hand and relies on resistance to improve strength, dexterity, mobility, motor skills, and circulation. It's designed to provide effective resistive therapy in a wide variety of exercises for the... Read more →

Pressure to Attest for Meaningful Use

I recently received a question via a referral from a friend and want to share it with my readers. The scenario and question are: My husband is an ER doc, board certified in Family Practice. Under the ACA primary care... Read more →

Securing and Optimizing Your iPad Experience

The hospital risk manager in me is at it again! It has been wonderful to think through the emerging technologies and share the risks I see along with available solutions. My latest contribution to a HealthcareIT News article almost seems... Read more →

Hospitalists: Continuing to Evolve

Not long ago I agreed to my first audio interview -- a podcast for Executive Insight. It was on the subject of hospitalists and how their role is evolving to include: nocturnists, pediatric, surgeon, intensivist, neurointensivist and other specialists, and... Read more →

What do ACO-Minded Providers Want?

Physician Practice interviewed me about what hospitals with an eye on accountable care organizations want. I believe it is all about partnerships and the priorities of hospitals, physicians, long-term care, home care and other community-based providers will include: identifying partners... Read more →

What is Meaningful Use?

IT types can be some really creative people. In this post, I'd like to share Dr. Ross Martin's latest Rap on Meaningful Use. If your asking "What is Meaningful Use?" this is a fun way to learn. Read more →

Why Social Media is Good Medicine for Health Care

A recent interview appearing on SmartBlog on Social Media is drawing a great deal of traffic to my blog, so I'd like to first thank those visiting for the first time. This is an excellent example of how social media... Read more →

Critical Access Hospitals: Not so meaningful for some

There is a need to look at the impact of meaningful use on Critical Access Hospitals. Modern Healthcare has weighed in on a lack of clarity. Perhaps this is an indication that we need to explore the impact a little... Read more →

Santa Barbara Healthcare Forum

I noted in earlier posts (Evolution of the US Healthcare System: A Process and Baseball and Health Reform) that I had been invited to join a panel of physicians and a health insurance broker to discuss the need for reform... Read more →

Baseball and Health Reform

Dr. Thomas Lee hit a home run with his presentation of the real issues surrounding a government run health plan in his commentary in iHealthBeat yesterday. The article titled, Inside Baseball: The Great Debate about Government Run Healthcare, describes the... Read more →

Advice for a RHIO in the beginning stage...

Question: "A group of community stakeholders in a suburban region will begin the conversation of establishing a RHIO for our region. The conversation had been dormant until the Healthcare Executive article appeared. Would you have any critical advice to provide... Read more →

Zaca Fire

Doc posts on the Zaca Fire! He got me started on blogging so it is only fitting that I turn over a little personal posting to him! We have burnt down once (Painted Cave Fire - 1990) and hopefully that... Read more →

HIMSS Survey

In April, HIMSS released the results of their 18th Annual Leadership Survey and one of my RHIO friends (who doesn't work in healthcare) wrote to ask me what I thought about the results on page 22. He was surprised to... Read more →

Interoperable EHRs and the Law

The September 2006 issue of Health Management Technology has a nice article titled Preparing for Interoperability: EHRs and the Law, which explans the changes to Stark and Anti-kickback laws. I believe it will all come down to how well the... Read more →

Display of Health Data

Question: Do you know of any of the 600+ RHIOS now under development or even the few already operational that have standardized and clinically integrated the format (at the user interface) in order to efficiently display cumulative diagnostic test results... Read more →

Competition with DOQ-IT Program?

Background: Illumysis is the health information technology division of Lumetra and an independent healthcare consulting organization. Lumetra staff, who now form Illumysis, developed and implemented CMS' DOQ-IT program. In March I wrote an article on Illumysis for Health IT World... Read more →

What is a RHIO?

Those of you who follow my blog know that I presented on establishing a RHIO in Chicago last week at the American College of Healthcare Executives Annual Congress on Leadership. I've been a member of this organization for over 20... Read more →

Hospital Impact Interview

Tony at Hospital Impact interviewed me last week. As Tony points out, we are both interested in finding other hospital/administrator webloggers. If you hear of any, please share their link with us! Thank you, Tony, for asking such great questions! Read more →

Sample Bylaws

I received a question about why I did not include a sample set of bylaws in my recently released step-by-step guide for forming a RHIO. Instead of a sample set I have included an outline of typical sections. I thought... Read more →

List of RHIOs

I keep getting people visiting my weblog because they are performing a search for a list of RHIOs. So, I thought I would try to at least point them in the right direction. First, the HIT Dashboard recently released by... 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 →