Health information technology (HIT) system advancements, including medical device improvements, could account for more than $30 billion per year in savings.
Health information technology (HIT) system advancements, including medical device improvements, could account for more than $30 billion per year in savings.
According to a West Health Institute (WHI) report, HIT is complex, and requires better interoperability or connectivity between systems and devices. Interoperability also streamlines the process of exchanging data between 2 systems, including devices such as defibrillators and ventilators. Coordinating information among systems and devices is key to reducing miscommunication and decreasing the risk of adverse events.
“We see an enormous opportunity to use information technology and device innovation to bring about the much needed transformation in healthcare delivery,” said Joseph M. Smith, MD, chief medical and science officer of WHI. “Today’s hospitals are filled with medical devices that are unable to share critical data, creating potential dangers to patients, as well as inefficiencies that put a tremendous financial burden on our healthcare system.”
WHI based its conclusions on interviews with various healthcare stakeholders. They found that less redundant testing, clinicians spending less time entering information, and many other cost-effective quality measures would result in reducing HIT costs.
In an official statement, Karen DeSalvo, MD, national coordinator for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), said interoperability will improve patient outcomes and care delivery.
“ONC envisions an information-rich, consumer-centered healthcare system that allows a patient’s health information to follow them wherever they get their care,” said Dr DeSalvo. “We are working with patients, providers, and others across healthcare and health IT to securely and safely free health information that will help to improve patient care and health, at lower costs.”
Nicolas Valeriani, chief executive at WHI, said that while interoperability has always been an important issue for industry stakeholders, patients are also anxious for an improved healthcare experience.
“Interoperability can enable a smarter healthcare delivery system, and I encourage all stakeholders to recognize that the lack of interoperability is a crisis and to advocate for rapid change,” he said.
Around the Web
ONC, West Health See Mobile Interoperability Saving $30B Annually [Modern Healthcare]
The West Health Institute and Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) Issue Call for Action [West Health]
Prediction Model Identified Risk Factors for ED Visits in Patients With Lung Cancer
December 7th 2023A risk prediction model that was based on machine learning could help to make resource utilization more efficient by correctly predicting emergency department (ED) visits in patients with lung cancer.
Read More
Emily Goldberg Shares Insights as a Genetic Counselor for Breast Cancer Risk Screening
October 30th 2023On this episode of Managed Care Cast, Emily Goldberg, MS, CGC, a genetic counselor at JScreen, breaks down how genetic screening for breast cancer works and why it is so important to increase awareness and education around these screening tools available to patients who may be at risk for cancer.
Listen
Examining Telehealth Uptake to Increase Equitable Care Access
January 26th 2023To mark the publication of The American Journal of Managed Care®’s 12th annual health IT issue, on this episode of Managed Care Cast, we speak with Christopher M. Whaley, PhD, health care economist at the RAND Corporation, who focuses on health economics issues, including the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on health care delivery.
Listen
Provisional CDC data show that US babies gained roughly a year in life expectancy in 2022; study findings indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic significantly raised the risk of preterm birth for expectant California mothers; New York Attorney General Letitia James said about 4 million New Yorkers were affected by a data breach of the medical transcription company Perry Johnson & Associates.
Read More
Study Validates Smartphone Analysis for Predicting Obstructive Sleep Apnea
November 29th 2023Findings show breathing sounds recorded by smartphones during sleep at home can reliably identify obstructive sleep apnea, presenting an innovative and accessible alternative to traditional in-laboratory polysomnography.
Read More