By Lisa D. Ellis The latest technological approaches are helping healthcare facilities do their job better—and more efficiently—than ever before, right down to the very last detail. In fact, that’s where Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) comes in, offering on-demand video interpretation services to facilitate accurate communication for patients who are hearing impaired or have language Read More
by Joan Trezek “I changed doctors because we just weren’t communicating.” “I really like my doctor; I feel like I’m important and being listened to.” While phrases like patient engagement and shared decision making weren’t much in evidence a few years ago, they are very popular in today’s healthcare environment, where comments from both ends Read More
by Daniel Fell Healthcare marketers face a virtual smorgasbord of communications channels (digital and otherwise). Software tools, strategies, and tactics are being thrust on them every day by a marketplace constantly in flux and possessing an endless supply of new ideas and must-have marketing solutions. Sifting through the vast number of options and deciding where Read More
by Brian O’Neill With healthcare reform bringing millions of newly insured patients into a system that already sees shortages in primary care physicians and select specialties, the industry is being pressured to become ever smarter about how providers, insurers, and patients themselves communicate and interact. Fortunately, affordable electronic communication tools are available today that support Read More
by Richard ‘RJ’ Kedziora How do you define project failure? Is it when the project costs more than the original budget? Is it when the delivery date is long past and the project is still incomplete? Or is failure defined by a completed project that does not fulfill the agreed-on requirements? Maybe it’s all three. Read More
by Mike Maloney and Katrina VanTyne In 2012, Google published a landmark study about the hospital selection process, “The Digital Journey to Wellness.” According to the study, 75 percent of searches by prospective patients revolve around four specific areas: conditions, diseases, symptoms, and departments. Our web team at Fletcher Allen Health Care in Burlington, VT, Read More
Google Maps Street View Offers Imagery of the Past You can now see street views that go back to 2007, which include scenes at different seasons and at night. If you see an hourglass in the upper left corner of a street view, it means that past imagery is available. About 12 million miles of Read More
by Jane Weber Brubaker Cleveland Clinic was an early adopter of Epic’s electronic health record (EHR) beginning in 2000. In 2012, Cleveland Clinic launched MyPractice Healthcare Solutions, a branded version of the Epic EHR platform, to share best practices with other organizations. “Part of Cleveland Clinic’s mission is to share its experience and model of Read More
by Kris Rusch Scheduling medical and dental appointments can be a source of frustration for patients and providers alike. Patients often complain of long lags between the time they realize they need to see a practitioner and the date of the next available appointment. For people wanting to see specialty care providers, the next available Read More
by Glen Doss A growing number of healthcare organizations have turned to open source software to help manage their websites. Open source software is a collection of tools and technologies that are free to use, modify, and share. Two of the most popular open source platforms are the Drupal and WordPress content management systems. Both Read More
WEBSITES Resources for Caregivers of Loved Ones with Rare Diseases launched at www.rarecaregivers.org. Sponsored by the Caregiver Action Network, the site is not intended for patients. New Website About Lung Cancer Screening at www.checkmylungs.com. Sponsored by Scottsdale (AZ) Medical Imaging, the site features an assessment tool to help site visitors determine if a low-radiation CT Read More
by Theresa Jacobellis Personal computers, tablets, and smartphones bring a world of information, commerce, and communication to millions of users wherever they may be. Now, this technology is helping healthcare providers overcome the barriers of cost, distance, and inconvenience to deliver checkups and urgent care to people in their homes, places of business, and retail Read More
WEBSITES/MOBILE APPLICATIONS Free Messaging Platform Introduced to Improve Medication Adherence. Care4Today Mobile Health Manager 2.0, which also works on a website, sends out reminders on scheduled medications to be taken and prompts a response from users that is recorded in an adherence report. Caregivers can link family members to their account. Go to www.care4today.com. Hospital Read More
Ask The Expert with Mark S. Gothberg Key provisions of the Affordable Care Act will be in full force on January 1 – less than two months away. Millions of newly insured consumers will be seeking health services, with many of them having limited knowledge of how the healthcare system works or the providers serving Read More
Ask The Expert with Susan Solomon Eleven years ago, Kay Franks, marketing manager for St. Louis Children’s Hospital, got wind that budget reductions were on the horizon and it looked like her website budget was on the chopping block. That was all she needed to get cracking on building a comprehensive dashboard to demonstrate the Read More