EHR case studies

Physicians love to hear clinical cases. I've been reading through some of the case studies listed on the CCHIT site. It's inspiring to read about stories where an EHR really made a huge difference in the efficiency of a small practice. Clinicians really need more education about the different ways that an EHR can improve their performance.

The AMA is pushing for a new type of CME called Performance Improvement CME (PI-CME). The American Medical Association (AMA)-convened Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement® (Consortium) is committed to enhancing quality of care and patient safety by taking the lead in the development, testing, and maintenance of evidence-based clinical performance measures and measurement resources for physicians.

PI-CME is a new way of having physicians evaluate and improve their own performance. An EHR is not necessary, but it sure makes it much easier for you to implement and evaluate your own performance. At the Annual Conference of the National Task Force on CME Provider/Industry Collaboration, PI-CME was a focus topic. The ultimate goal of CME is to improve patient care and public health. There is a real opportunity for EHR companies to develop and fund so many different types of PI-CME initiatives.

Convergence of the mobile devices

I've always thought that mobile devices will converge into a single device. In many ways, I'm still surprised that people are still purchasing devices that can only perform a single function. Would you purchase an MP3 player that is only capable of playing music files if you could get one that could play video and browse the web? Or, why buy a smartphone that doesn't have a built-in GPS?

I'm sure that all future smartphones will have a built-in GPS. I'm willing to bet that the next iPod Touch will have a built-in GPS. Archos now has a web browser in their latest portable video device (PVD). It's almost like an iPod Touch with a huge hard drive. They're calling their latest devices a "Internet Media Tablet."

Battery Life

Will Windows 7 really offer better battery life for my notebook and UMPC? To me, that's the main question. Of course, I also care about performance, but if I'm moving around all day, I need the longest battery life possible. Vista was supposed to increase battery life, but it did exactly the opposite in almost every case. How will Windows 7 perform? Why am I'm getting my hopes up? What if Windows 7 is even worse than Vista? Is that possible?

I can't wait for the day when laptops and other mobile devices have much better battery life. Until that day, I'm stuck using my Tekkeon myPower ALL MP3450 while I sit through long meetings at conferences.

I know that Windows 7 won't make a dramatic difference in battery life. But at this point, I'll switch to Windows 7 if I can even get 5 or 10% more battery life.

J&J buys HealthMedia

What is J&J up to? They just acquired HealthMedia, an online consumer health company that offers computer-based wellness programs. How would your health improve if you had an online "virtual" health coach reminding you of important health facts and guiding you through some of your medical decisions?

It's just a matter of time before all the online wellness companies are acquired by either a managed care organization or a pharmaceutical company.

Medical students and technology

Today's medical students have access to some incredible technology. Almost every single US medical student probably has a computer, a cell phone, and some type of PDA/smartphone. Students are connected to the internet and have a wealth of information in front of them. Plus, they have constant access to information through their mobile devices.

Students are sitting in classrooms with a laptop or tablet PC in front of them. Many take electronic notes and leverage e-learning solutions to enforce their knowledge of the basic sciences. It's amazing to think how technology has improved health education. Students chat in online forums and share information via e-mail and SMS. What an amazing time in the history of medicine.

Vista and Windows 7 reminds me of Windows ME and 2000

The story of Vista and Windows 7 reminds me a bit of Windows ME and Windows 2000. Windows 2000 was a very solid operating system. It was preceded by the Millennium Edition (ME), but that version flopped.

When Vista came out, so many people compared it to Windows ME. Now that Windows 7 is around the corner, I think more people are ready to admit that Vista really was a disappointment and that Windows 7 may rectify the situation if it's a solid OS.

Searching for an EHR

I'm searching for an EHR to replace an existing system. There are so many that are CCHIT certified now. Why would anyone select a system that isn't? Price? The long-term benefits of having a CCHIT certified system outweighs the immediate cost savings of a non-certified system.

I was speaking to some vendors today. I was impressed by NextGen so I'm eager to get more information about their system. I also discovered that several companies are offering an ASP option for those who wish to save $ and have their data stored remotely.

I also wonder about the long-term viability of FREE systems. Will they survive in this type of environment?

Windows 7

I'm starting to get really excited about Windows 7. Maybe I shouldn't hold my breath, but I'm eager to see Microsoft fix Vista and release a fast, efficient operating system. Since most of my machines are powered by a relatively "slow" processor, I need an OS that can run well on a 1 GHz processor with 1-2 GB of RAM.

I've recently migrated most of my machines from XP to Vista. I realize that Vista may be a bit slower, but it seems to utilize RAM more effectively. On my Thinkpad X41 Tablet, I have 1.5 GB of RAM, so Vista works fine. On my Samsung Q1 Ultra, I have 2 GB of RAM, so Vista runs OK. The processor is really slow, so that can get frustrating at times. I've customized the settings so that I can save power and focus on productivity.

My plan is to switch to Windows 7 if that OS seems to be more efficient than XP. Will that be the case?

New Verizon Phones

It looks like Verizon may soon have the HTC Touch Pro and brand that as the Verizon XV6850. Meanwhile, Samsung has a slim phone called the Epix that reminds me of the slim Treo Pro. Samsung also has the Omnia, which is a Windows Mobile phone for those who want something that resembles an iPhone.

All these new phones! Who can keep up with all these gadgets? I'm content for now with my XV6800 so I certainly don't have any plans to change anytime soon. I was a loyal Treo user for several years and I miss having a full QWERTY keyboard on the front of the phone. I like my slider keyboard, but I think when the time comes to upgrade in a few years, I'll go back to a non-slider.