Hawaii Service To Allow 24-Hour Online Consultations / Adoption of Patient Tracking Systems among Hospital Emergency Rooms

CAL/AAEM News Service calaaem_news at yahoo.com
Sat Jul 26 09:14:29 PDT 2008


Hawaii Service To Allow 24-Hour Online Patient-Doctor Consultations

Source: iHealthbeat ( http://www.ihealthbeat.org/ )
Date: June 20, 2008


Hawaii Medical Service Association is collaborating with Microsoft and American Well to provide state residents with 24-hour, real-time access to physicians via the Internet, the Honolulu Star-Bulletin reports.

The virtual service, expected to launch in 2009, is the first of its kind nationwide, according to the Star-Bulletin. 

Patients will be able to consult through the Internet, e-mail or by phone with a local physician, specialist or other health care provider in HMSA's network without an appointment. Physicians will have access to patients' health summaries from HMSA and can recommend follow-up care through the system, as well as diagnose and prescribe medication for patients online.

HMSA, the largest health plan in Hawaii, declined to provide cost estimates for the service because it has yet to work out its details. However, the service will be secure, private and affordable, according to the Star-Bulletin.

HMSA said it is confident that doctors, particularly younger ones, will be motivated to participate in the system because of its convenience and potential to enhance care and patient satisfaction. The insurer has yet to enroll physicians in the program but said the service depends on physician support and participation (Consillio, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 6/19).

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Adoption of Patient Tracking Systems among Hospital Emergency Rooms in California 

Source: The California Healthcare Foundation ( http://www.chcf.org )
Date: July 9, 2008


As patient demand on emergency rooms continues to grow, the need to streamline care is becoming an increasingly urgent problem for California hospitals. One technological approach is the adoption of an Emergency Department Information System (EDIS), also known as ED tracking, which allows hospitals to "time stamp" a patient's movement in the emergency room and compile a record of care from the moment of arrival.  

The California HealthCare Foundation commissioned a survey of California hospitals and their emergency departments to measure the proliferation of ED tracking systems. The research focused on determining which features are being used by EDs and what barriers hospitals encounter in either acquiring or using these systems. Additionally, the researchers looked for positive outcomes and best practices from the adoption of an EDIS. 

This issue brief presents the results from the survey and provides a side-by-side comparison of some of the most common EDIS and hospital tracking systems. It finds that most hospitals are taking advantage of the technology; however they are doing so with varying levels of satisfaction and success. 

The complete issue brief is available under Document Downloads below. 

http://www.chcf.org/documents/hospitals/AdoptionOfPatientTrackingSystems.pdf

For more information, please visit:

http://www.chcf.org/topics/hospitals/index.cfm?itemID=133683

Abid Mogannam &
Brian Potts MD, MBA
Managing Editors, CAL/AAEM News Service
University of California, Irvine

The CAL/AAEM Archives are available at: http://maillists.uci.edu/mailman/public/calaaem/

CAL/AAEM, a nonprofit professional organization for emergency physicians, operates the CAL/AAEM News Service solely as an educational resource for physicians. Dissemination of an article by CAL/AAEM News Service does not imply endorsement, agreement, or recommendation by CAL/AAEM News Service, CAL/AAEM, or AAEM.  


      


More information about the CALAAEM mailing list