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Looking for IT work -- Look into a Career in Healthcare IT - November 10, 2009
Orlando Florida -- Small armies of health IT professionals will be needed to deploy, manage, and support new electronic medical record and other related clinical systems being installed in thousands of U.S. hospitals and doctor offices over the next five years.
The U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services expects that the federal governments $20 billion-plus stimulus program to push health IT adoption between now and 2015 will create between 50,000 and 100,000 new jobs for health IT professionals, says Brian McCarthy CEO of Sencilo HealthIT Solutions of Orlando Florida.
That's great news if you're one of the relatively few IT pros in the U.S. that have specialized in health IT in recent years. You're bound to see job security -- and job offers -- boom.
But even if you're considering a career path into health IT--but have limited have previous experience working in clinical environments, don't despair. It might take some additional self-promotion, resume tweaking and additional training to land a healthcare IT job without industry experience, but it's not impossible.
There's a wide range of skills that employers will be seeking, said Gretchen Koch, director of workforce development programs at CompTIA, an IT industry trade association.
Of course, previous work in health IT is a big plus. So, play up any prior experience you have working in a clinical environment, where you've gained familiarity with healthcare workflow, processes, and the terminology, she says.
If you don't have experience working in clinical environments, a background in other industries that have similar needs or characteristics of healthcare is also helpful. That's especially true for IT professionals with experience in the financial services sector, where government regulations, security and real-time transactions are a focus. Those are familiar themes for healthcare IT, as well.
"Enterprise-wide hospital deployments not only need project management skills, but also security, networking, database management, business analysis, help desk, change management, skills," said Koch.
Because cloud-based deployments EMR systems, especially in doctor offices that don't want to host and support their own servers, are growing in popularity, "if you have cloud experience, put that at the top of your resume," in targeting employers -- including services firms -- looking to fill health IT-related jobs. "Those resumes will rise to the top," she said.
Who'll be hiring? It's not just hospitals, clinics, and doctors' offices. In addition to IT services firms, large hardware vendors, software providers - -especially EMR vendors -- will be among those looking to beef up their healthcare project teams, Koch said.
If your current arsenal of skills isn't enough to get you noticed, consider taking classes that will lead to certifications in the health IT arena. New certificationsare expected to emerge, as employers and IT services providers figure out the desirable mix of IT and clinical skills needed for successful new deployments and ongoing operations of these systems.
"There will be new cross sections of disciplines between IT and health IT," said Koch. Community colleges will likely be a resource for new cross training programs.
In the meantime, HHS [the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services] is painfully aware that there won't be enough people to fill the need," said Koch, whose organization is among a few working with HHS to scope and develop new health IT professional training programs.
"HHS' goal is to get something up and running for 2010," she said.
For more information please call (407) 265-6293 or visit us at: http://www.sencilo.com
Why Sencilo HealthIT Solutions
When it comes to your healthcare computing needs, Sencilo HealthIT Solutions's main objective is to provide a turnkey solution that can essentially sustain itself. When you choose Sencilo HealthIT Solutions, you don't just gain a vendor who provides you with technology. You get a business partner who walks with you through every step of the process
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions eHealthcare Architecture: More than technology
With Sencilo HealthIT Solutions eHealthcare Architecture, you can leverage the same productivity tools and technology resources that have transformed business. And you get a full portfolio of services too. By working with Sencilo HealthIT Solutions, you can get:
A dedicated customer team
A website customized for your institution
A full portfolio of robust solutions
Easy setup, implementation and maintenance
Simple ordering and delivery
Technology training
Flexible financing options
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services makes it easy
In addition to providing high-quality technology at a low cost, Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services can help you plan your healthcare computing from the ground up. By working with you from the initial construction phases, we can help you save time and money and lead to a truly customized solution.
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services offers complete services that include:
Design
Procurement
Installation
Training
Maintenance
Support
About Us
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions is a Florida-based integrator specializing in EMR EHR Cost Cutting storage, security and managed services solutions. Sencilo delivers a comprehensive portfolio of products from best-of-breed hardware and software from multiple manufacturers including VMware, Dell Fujitsu Data Domain, EMC, Hitachi, Symantec, HDS, IBM, Commvault, Xiotech and HP. Its technical expertise is known throughout the storage and security industry. Clients include leading corporations, major financial institutions, top universities, government facilities, as well as small to medium size businesses. Sencilo's professional services include consulting, integration, project management, storage virtualization installation, maintenance and knowledge transfer.
Sencilo has offices throughout Florida including: Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando, Hialeah, St. Augustine, Gainesville, Ocala, Palm Coast, Clearwater, Kissimmee, Lakeland, Maitland and Cape Canaveral Green Simpana Offerings Projects: BC DR planning Replication De-Dup De-Dupe iSCSI SAN NAS VMware Security EMC NetApp HP IBM Quantum Compliance VTL Data Domain vs Gartner Magic Quadrant Quadrent LTO Backup Exc Pure Disk NetBackup Networker TSM Commvault BakBone D2D D2D2T compare cloud data deduplication thin provisioning DXi Global Compression DDX virtual tape library Data Reduction SEPATON FALCON compare Celerra CLARiiON Equallogic Sencilo HealthIT Solutions NS20 NS40 CX4 CX3-20 CX3-40 CX3-80 FAS2050 FAS3050 Xiotech Nexsan Avamar DLD3 1500 D3 Storwiz storage compression data Ocarina Networks A-SIS compare Sepaton infopro BlueArc OnStor Microsoft Unified Storage data protection StorageX Brocade FAQ SSD Solid state disk SANmelody FalconStor tier zero Xiotech ISE nx4 ax4 greenBytes ZFS Sun Top 10 ROBOBak managed services hosting cloud grid Datacore Compellent compellant equallogic lefthand networks don't buy storage stop buying storage itguardian cherub networks Arkeia Network Backup appliance Data Recovery Backup Health IT Healthcare IT Digital Hospital Allscripts Patient Data electronic health record P4P rules and the HITECH Act PayerView Rankings practice management tools $44,000 in Medicare or $66,000 in Medicaid from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act eClinicalWorks, Allscripts, NextGen, GE Centricity, and Meditech
Electronic Healthcare IT Medical Records EMR EHR Clinical Practices eClinicalWorks Allscripts Florida EMR, EHR, electronic medical record, health, records, practice management systems solutions, medication services, PHR Otolaryngology, Orthopaedics, Pain Nuerosurgery, Urology, Ophthalmology, Cardiology, Billing, Appointment Scheduling, clinicalworks, eClinicalWorks, solutions for physicians, hospitals, clinical education and medical services Computerized Patient CPR, Order Entry, CPOE, Document Clinical Information Informatics, Computer-based, SOAP, HIT, Healthcare Encounter Forms, web based, online, clinical rules database, electronic prescribing, e-prescribing, eprescribing, athenaClinicals, certified EMR, certified EHR, HITECH Act VAR Reseller Dealer hipaa privacy doctor, healthcare performance management, data security, hosting, arra, free
Is Managed IT Services the Answer to EMR / EHR Cost Concerns - November 10, 2009
Orlando Florida -- There’s one aspect of health care reform that appears to contain a rare element of consensus: the push to digitize patient records, says Brian J. McCarthy CEO and well-known speaker on the subject of EMR migration and managed IT services from Sencilo HealthIT Solutions.
"Proponents have championed the goal of converting from paper to electronic formats for years, with the promise of closing safety gaps while improving the quality of care," says McCarthy.
But medical professionals in the trenches are worried about how to make the leap without incurring substantial financial losses.
Nevertheless, efforts among local administrators and technology companies are accelerating thanks to the dangling carrot of $19 billion in federal payments to assist hospitals and providers achieve the goal of computerized records.
Sharp Community Medical Group and Graybill Medical Group this month entered into a joint partnership to develop electronic health records, or EHR, strategies.
Last year, SCMG became one of the first independent physicians associations to implement the Allscripts Enterprise Electronic Health Record and Practice Management solution.
In many large medical groups, such as Kaiser Permanente, doctors already use electronic health records.
Yet overall, only 17 percent of U.S. physicians are using them, according to a government-sponsored survey published last year in The New England Journal of Medicine.
Meanwhile, these computerized record systems are very expensive, complex to maintain, and change the way physicians and nurses work, all of which amount to widespread cause for concern.
“Unfortunately, the federal government has not taken a top-down policy and has left it to individual communities and practices to build up these systems alone, and that has led to a tremendous amount of anxiety” within the health care community, said Ben Kanter, chief medical information officer at Palomar Pomerado Health, a not-for-profit health care system in North County.
Electronic records hold data on a patient’s health history, medications, laboratory tests, treatment guidelines and so on. To proponents, the potential benefits are fewer unnecessary tests, reduced errors and more outpatient care as opposed to hospital stays.
Do-It-Yourself Model
But the question of how to build an EHR system and how much to spend are left to individual health professionals and administrators.
It’s up to them and their technology partners to create the most efficient way to achieve the government’s mandate of a wholesale transformation to electronic health records by 2015 or face penalties in the way of reduced federal reimbursements for Medicare and Medicaid invoices.
Tom Sounhein, CEO at XiMED Medical Group, a San Diego network of 400 physicians, emphasized the enormous economic impact as the government prepares to disburse up to $44,000 as an incentive to doctors over a five-year span, starting in 2011.
“It seems like a good deal until you really do the analysis and take into account the ongoing costs after 2015 has come and gone,” Sounhein said. “So we’re trying to leverage the vendors to give us a deal based on our size.”
Sounhein said his company is in negotiations with an undisclosed technology vendor and just days away from sealing the deal. If an agreement goes through, the estimated cost to XiMED would be $36 million over 10 years.
“Subtract the $17 million that we’d get from federal funding and we’re upside down $19 million,” he said. “This is all a good thing in terms of what it can provide to patients and advancing the effort of transferring information. But it’s very daunting in terms of cost. Where is this money going to come from? It’s that sort of dilemma.”
Solution In The Cloud?
There’s no question that the promise of stimulus money has brought the issue of electronic health records front and center, according to Brian McCarthy CEO of Sencilo HealthIT Solutions, which provides business services to physicians in Florida.
The Escondido-based company said it has so far invested $3 million to implement EHR systems via cloud computing, an Internet-based service model, in which much of the computing firepower and data reside in remote data centers, which medical staff may collectively access via personal computers.
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions partners with Chicago-based Allscripts and sells their technology as a hosted offering.
“Everyone wants to make sure we give the right information to the right provider at the right time,” McCarthy said.
For more information please call (407) 265-6293 or visit us at: http://www.sencilo.com
Why Sencilo HealthIT Solutions
When it comes to your healthcare computing needs, Sencilo HealthIT Solutions's main objective is to provide a turnkey solution that can essentially sustain itself. When you choose Sencilo HealthIT Solutions, you don't just gain a vendor who provides you with technology. You get a business partner who walks with you through every step of the process
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions eHealthcare Architecture: More than technology
With Sencilo HealthIT Solutions eHealthcare Architecture, you can leverage the same productivity tools and technology resources that have transformed business. And you get a full portfolio of services too. By working with Sencilo HealthIT Solutions, you can get:
A dedicated customer team
A website customized for your institution
A full portfolio of robust solutions
Easy setup, implementation and maintenance
Simple ordering and delivery
Technology training
Flexible financing options
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services makes it easy
In addition to providing high-quality technology at a low cost, Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services can help you plan your healthcare computing from the ground up. By working with you from the initial construction phases, we can help you save time and money and lead to a truly customized solution.
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services offers complete services that include:
Design
Procurement
Installation
Training
Maintenance
Support
About Us
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions is a Florida-based integrator specializing in EMR EHR Cost Cutting storage, security and managed services solutions. Sencilo delivers a comprehensive portfolio of products from best-of-breed hardware and software from multiple manufacturers including VMware, Dell Fujitsu Data Domain, EMC, Hitachi, Symantec, HDS, IBM, Commvault, Xiotech and HP. Its technical expertise is known throughout the storage and security industry. Clients include leading corporations, major financial institutions, top universities, government facilities, as well as small to medium size businesses. Sencilo's professional services include consulting, integration, project management, storage virtualization installation, maintenance and knowledge transfer.
Sencilo has offices throughout Florida including: Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando, Hialeah, St. Augustine, Gainesville, Ocala, Palm Coast, Clearwater, Kissimmee, Lakeland, Maitland and Cape Canaveral Green Simpana Offerings Projects: BC DR planning Replication De-Dup De-Dupe iSCSI SAN NAS VMware Security EMC NetApp HP IBM Quantum Compliance VTL Data Domain vs Gartner Magic Quadrant Quadrent LTO Backup Exc Pure Disk NetBackup Networker TSM Commvault BakBone D2D D2D2T compare cloud data deduplication thin provisioning DXi Global Compression DDX virtual tape library Data Reduction SEPATON FALCON compare Celerra CLARiiON Equallogic Sencilo HealthIT Solutions NS20 NS40 CX4 CX3-20 CX3-40 CX3-80 FAS2050 FAS3050 Xiotech Nexsan Avamar DLD3 1500 D3 Storwiz storage compression data Ocarina Networks A-SIS compare Sepaton infopro BlueArc OnStor Microsoft Unified Storage data protection StorageX Brocade FAQ SSD Solid state disk SANmelody FalconStor tier zero Xiotech ISE nx4 ax4 greenBytes ZFS Sun Top 10 ROBOBak managed services hosting cloud grid Datacore Compellent compellant equallogic lefthand networks don't buy storage stop buying storage itguardian cherub networks Arkeia Network Backup appliance Data Recovery Backup Health IT Healthcare IT Digital Hospital Allscripts Patient Data electronic health record P4P rules and the HITECH Act PayerView Rankings practice management tools $44,000 in Medicare or $66,000 in Medicaid from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act eClinicalWorks, Allscripts, NextGen, GE Centricity, and Meditech
Electronic Healthcare IT Medical Records EMR EHR Clinical Practices eClinicalWorks Allscripts Florida EMR, EHR, electronic medical record, health, records, practice management systems solutions, medication services, PHR Otolaryngology, Orthopaedics, Pain Nuerosurgery, Urology, Ophthalmology, Cardiology, Billing, Appointment Scheduling, clinicalworks, eClinicalWorks, solutions for physicians, hospitals, clinical education and medical services Computerized Patient CPR, Order Entry, CPOE, Document Clinical Information Informatics, Computer-based, SOAP, HIT, Healthcare Encounter Forms, web based, online, clinical rules database, electronic prescribing, e-prescribing, eprescribing, athenaClinicals, certified EMR, certified EHR, HITECH Act VAR Reseller Dealer hipaa privacy doctor, healthcare performance management, data security, hosting, arra, free
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions announced today that it has become a certified partner and reseller of Allscripts MyWay - November 10, 2009
Orlando Florida -- Sencilo HealthIT Solutions a full-service IT provider, now offers Allscripts MyWay Electronic Health Records (EHR) solution to small and mid-sized physician practices throughout Central Central Florida. Available as a hosted application or on premise software, Allscripts MyWay is a CCHIT-certified EHR solution that meets the demands of the Hi-Tech Stimulus Act, which offers physicians between $44,000 and $64,000 in funding with early adoption.
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions announced today that it has become a certified partner and reseller of Allscripts MyWay. Allscripts MyWay, an integrated Electronic Health Record (EHR), Practice Management (PM) and Revenue Cycle Management solution to small and mid-sized physician practices throughout Central Florida.
"We're very excited to align ourselves with Allscripts to offer their MyWay EHR solution. Their passion and dedication to providing a quality product, both in software and support, as well as their solvency, were large determining factors in choosing an EHR provider to partner with. Allscripts is a proven leader with over 25 years in the industry and they're here to stay," said Brian J. McCarthy, President of Sencilo HealthIT Solutions. To date, Allscripts solutions have been adopted by over 150,000 physicians, over 700 hospitals and nearly 7,000 post-acute and homecare organizations.
AllScripts MyWay is an integrated, comprehensive "right-sized" solution that gives small practices and even solo practitioners the key application features and functions necessary for Electronic Health Records (EHR), Practice Management (PM) and Revenue Cycle Management. Allscripts MyWay was designed with the smaller practice in mind, offering a feature-rich, customizable solution that's easy to use at a price point that's affordable and appealing to physicians in the small to medium space.
"Independent physicians and small groups are looking for a way to enter the electronic healthcare highway with affordable costs, minimal IT investment and management requirements, and with a product that is easy to learn. We believe our hosted MyWay electronic health record offering is the right answer at the right time," said Kelley Schudy, Vice President of Channel Sales for Allscripts.
For more information please call (407) 265-6293 or visit us at: http://www.sencilo.com
Why Sencilo HealthIT Solutions
When it comes to your healthcare computing needs, Sencilo HealthIT Solutions's main objective is to provide a turnkey solution that can essentially sustain itself. When you choose Sencilo HealthIT Solutions, you don't just gain a vendor who provides you with technology. You get a business partner who walks with you through every step of the process
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions eHealthcare Architecture: More than technology
With Sencilo HealthIT Solutions eHealthcare Architecture, you can leverage the same productivity tools and technology resources that have transformed business. And you get a full portfolio of services too. By working with Sencilo HealthIT Solutions, you can get:
A dedicated customer team
A website customized for your institution
A full portfolio of robust solutions
Easy setup, implementation and maintenance
Simple ordering and delivery
Technology training
Flexible financing options
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services makes it easy
In addition to providing high-quality technology at a low cost, Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services can help you plan your healthcare computing from the ground up. By working with you from the initial construction phases, we can help you save time and money and lead to a truly customized solution.
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services offers complete services that include:
Design
Procurement
Installation
Training
Maintenance
Support
About Us
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions is a Florida-based integrator specializing in EMR EHR Cost Cutting storage, security and managed services solutions. Sencilo delivers a comprehensive portfolio of products from best-of-breed hardware and software from multiple manufacturers including VMware, Dell Fujitsu Data Domain, EMC, Hitachi, Symantec, HDS, IBM, Commvault, Xiotech and HP. Its technical expertise is known throughout the storage and security industry. Clients include leading corporations, major financial institutions, top universities, government facilities, as well as small to medium size businesses. Sencilo's professional services include consulting, integration, project management, storage virtualization installation, maintenance and knowledge transfer.
Sencilo has offices throughout Florida including: Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando, Hialeah, St. Augustine, Gainesville, Ocala, Palm Coast, Clearwater, Kissimmee, Lakeland, Maitland and Cape Canaveral Green Simpana Offerings Projects: BC DR planning Replication De-Dup De-Dupe iSCSI SAN NAS VMware Security EMC NetApp HP IBM Quantum Compliance VTL Data Domain vs Gartner Magic Quadrant Quadrent LTO Backup Exc Pure Disk NetBackup Networker TSM Commvault BakBone D2D D2D2T compare cloud data deduplication thin provisioning DXi Global Compression DDX virtual tape library Data Reduction SEPATON FALCON compare Celerra CLARiiON Equallogic Sencilo HealthIT Solutions NS20 NS40 CX4 CX3-20 CX3-40 CX3-80 FAS2050 FAS3050 Xiotech Nexsan Avamar DLD3 1500 D3 Storwiz storage compression data Ocarina Networks A-SIS compare Sepaton infopro BlueArc OnStor Microsoft Unified Storage data protection StorageX Brocade FAQ SSD Solid state disk SANmelody FalconStor tier zero Xiotech ISE nx4 ax4 greenBytes ZFS Sun Top 10 ROBOBak managed services hosting cloud grid Datacore Compellent compellant equallogic lefthand networks don't buy storage stop buying storage itguardian cherub networks Arkeia Network Backup appliance Data Recovery Backup Health IT Healthcare IT Digital Hospital Allscripts Patient Data electronic health record P4P rules and the HITECH Act PayerView Rankings practice management tools $44,000 in Medicare or $66,000 in Medicaid from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act eClinicalWorks, Allscripts, NextGen, GE Centricity, and Meditech
Electronic Healthcare IT Medical Records EMR EHR Clinical Practices eClinicalWorks Allscripts Florida EMR, EHR, electronic medical record, health, records, practice management systems solutions, medication services, PHR Otolaryngology, Orthopaedics, Pain Nuerosurgery, Urology, Ophthalmology, Cardiology, Billing, Appointment Scheduling, clinicalworks, eClinicalWorks, solutions for physicians, hospitals, clinical education and medical services Computerized Patient CPR, Order Entry, CPOE, Document Clinical Information Informatics, Computer-based, SOAP, HIT, Healthcare Encounter Forms, web based, online, clinical rules database, electronic prescribing, e-prescribing, eprescribing, athenaClinicals, certified EMR, certified EHR, HITECH Act VAR Reseller Dealer hipaa privacy doctor, healthcare performance management, data security, hosting, arra, free
Why the Future of Healthcare will Relay on Technology - November 9, 2009
Orlando Florida -- Katherine Thomas doesn't remember much about the 19 days she spent in the intensive care unit at Methodist Hospital in Houston. Recovering from emergency surgery to remove part of her colon, Thomas, 63, drifted in and out of consciousness. But one vision stands out: the 5-foot robot that stopped in for a visit. "I thought it was something from outer space," she recalls. Piloted remotely by her doctor from a command center on another floor, her alien—which looked like an oversize carpet cleaner with a computer monitor stuck on top—allowed her medical team to do their rounds, "seeing" how she was doing and "reading" her vital signs, without unsettling her or the other extremely ill patients in intensive care.
Robots that glide through hospital halls may offer the most visually arresting example of the future of patient care. But they're just one of many dramatic advances changing how hospitals function. Radio-frequency ID tags that track every doctor, nurse, and piece of equipment in the hospital in real time, for example, can enable a faster emergency response. "Smart" beds that automatically transmit patients' breathing and heart rates to their charts can alert nurses to developing problems more quickly. One day in the not-too-distant future, any doctor in the country may have access to the complete medical history of an unconscious trauma patient—perhaps through an identifier implanted under the skin. According to industry analyst Datamonitor, spending on telemedicine, which now entails everything from remotely monitoring patients to analyzing medical images from afar and someday could even include long-distance surgery, will reach $2.4 billion this year and nearly triple to $6.1 billion by 2012.
The investment hospitals are making in change has basically two goals: to improve clinical care and slash error rates, and to reduce patient stress, encouraging healing. Ironically, one of the most anticipated developments is that technology will allow hospitals to do a better job of keeping people out of them. "By 2015, home will be the hub of care," predicts Naomi Fried, vice president of the innovation and advanced technology group at Kaiser Permanente's Sidney R. Garfield Health Care Innovation Center in San Leandro, Calif. Five years ago, when Kevin Reynolds of Corona, Calif., developed congestive heart failure (the No. 1 reason for hospitalization and readmission), he at first was in and out of the ER or urgent care center nearly every month, plagued by shortness of breath and dizziness. Now, doctors at Kaiser Permanente Riverside Medical Center can check his vital signs with the aid of a device the size of a clock radio connected to a scale and other monitoring equipment in his home. He weighs himself each morning and checks his heart rate, blood pressure, and blood oxygen levels; the data are sent in automatically.
If Reynolds's weight is up, indicating he's retaining fluids, he'll get a call from a nurse suggesting a diuretic. Once, when his blood pressure dropped too low, the nurse called him to the hospital immediately, but overall, Reynolds's time at the medical center is way down. "It's helped me with discipline and with taking care of myself," he says.
Remote diagnosis. In rural areas, where specialist coverage is sparse, telemedicine's contribution grows ever more sophisticated. Take ultra-time-sensitive stroke management, for example. In Michigan, 31 hospitals in far-flung locations now use robots identical to the one in Houston to allow a remote specialist to rapidly diagnose stroke and determine, before a patient's very narrow window of opportunity closes, whether he or she is a good candidate for tPA, a drug that dissolves clots. A neurosurgeon at St. Joseph Mercy Oakland Hospital in Pontiac can observe and talk to patients using the robot's video camera, as well as review the CT scan and other lab results. "After one year, 18 hospitals had administered the drug tPA that had never done so before," says Yulun Wang, the chairman and CEO of InTouch Health, which developed the robot.
Robots are increasingly making their mark in the operating room, too. Originally approved for general abdominal procedures like gallbladder removal, robotic surgery—the surgeon manipulates computer controls rather than a scalpel—is now used for heart and prostate cancer surgery, gynecologic procedures, and bariatric surgery, among others. With the help of a tiny camera inserted through an incision "port," a surgeon can see the surgical field onscreen as he sits at a console in the operating room, from which he guides the robot's instruments, also inserted through ports. Someday, the doctor guiding the robot could be sitting at a console literally across the world from the patient. If remote surgery eventually becomes commercially available, many lives might be saved in hard-to-reach locations, from remote islands to battlefields.
Proponents of robotic surgery note that the robot's "hands" are steadier and have a wider range of motion than human hands and that the instruments are more flexible than traditional laparoscopic instruments. This can lead to less pain and blood loss, and potentially better clinical outcomes, they say. But results of studies on outcomes are mixed, says Richard Satava, a professor of surgery at the University of Washington. "If it costs more to do the same operation with the robot, that will slow down the adoption somewhat," he says.
Records reform. Meanwhile, a slow but sure transformation in the way patient records are gathered and stored gained momentum last winter when the economic stimulus package set aside $19 billion for healthcare information technology. Currently, just 1.5 percent of private hospitals can claim a comprehensive electronic medical records system in all clinical units, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in April. An additional 7.6 percent have a basic system in at least one unit. But putting patient records into digital form and into the massive national database envisioned by President Obama has the potential, assuming it happens, to provide a wealth of information about which treatments work and which don't—and to speed diagnosis and medical care and curtail unnecessary tests and procedures.
A number of institutions offer a hint of what is possible. In the emergency department at Kaiser Permanente's Oakland Medical Center, doctors and nurses carry flat computer tablets about the size of a piece of paper that can access every Kaiser patient's entire medical record. If a patient has previously visited any Kaiser Permanente facility, ER staff can immediately call up his or her medications and any recent test results. They can also sit down next to a bed and show patients an X-ray, say. When Palomar Medical Center West near San Diego opens in 2012, patients will sleep on "LifeBeds" covered in "smart" fabric that records their heart rate, pulse, and respiration and sends the info directly to their medical record.
On a medical/surgical unit at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, a flat-screen monitor is mounted on the wall near the foot of every bed. Hospital staffers wear ultrasound ID tags, and as soon as they walk into the room, their name and job title pop up. The system then makes the appropriate chart information available onscreen—a phlebotomist would see what blood draws to do, for example, while a nursing assistant might see what medications are due. The patient has access to the information as well. "Everyone's engaged, sharing the same information," says Tami Minnier, chief quality officer for UPMC. That's important, say experts. Whereas medical practice has traditionally tended to be paternalistic, practitioners now believe that the sense of empowerment that patients get from being engaged in their care can lead to better outcomes. It's the "I think I can" approach.
Besides engaging people in decisions about their own care, hospital administrators are exploring ways that physical structure and environment can ease anxiety and promote wellbeing. "Evidence-based design" is inspired by studies suggesting that patients heal better if they have access to nature, natural light, and artwork, for example. In one oft-cited study, researchers found that surgical patients whose rooms looked out on trees used less heavy medication, suffered fewer minor complications, and went home nearly a day sooner than patients whose rooms looked out on a brick wall. The plans for Palomar Medical Center West call for a plant-filled central atrium and gardens at each end of every floor, and rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out on the mountains, furnished so that family members can stay overnight.
Room change. Palomar's rooms will also be "acuity adaptable," meaning that as the patient's condition changes, the room can, too—becoming an intensive care unit temporarily, say. Studies show that moving patients less frequently results in fewer falls and medication errors. The traditional centralized nursing station will be replaced by stations outside rooms, where a nurse checking in can see the patient.
Some design changes and concepts speak more to hospitality than healthcare: plush furnishings, parking spaces near the door, a self-serve kiosk check-in system that—like a global positioning system—instructs you where to go ("take 10 steps forward and turn right down the corridor labeled 'east wing' "). Such a focus on comfort "creates a healing environment and helps people feel like they have some control," says Bruce Schroffel, CEO of the University of Colorado Hospital. (Skeptics note it may also give facilities a competitive edge in attracting affluent patients with good insurance.) One day soon, patients may be able to order meals, adjust the room temperature and lighting, surf the Internet, and videoconference with family using a remote control in bed.
Or it may take a little bit longer than anticipated. According to an April survey by the American Hospital Association, nearly 8 in 10 hospitals report that they have stopped, postponed, or scaled back facility upgrades or information technology projects because of the economy's recent woes. "The recession is clearly slowing construction projects down," says James Bentley, a senior vice president at the AHA. "How much, we'll see." At whatever pace, though, change is coming.
For more information please call (407) 265-6293 or visit us at: http://www.sencilo.com
Why Sencilo HealthIT Solutions
When it comes to your healthcare computing needs, Sencilo HealthIT Solutions's main objective is to provide a turnkey solution that can essentially sustain itself. When you choose Sencilo HealthIT Solutions, you don't just gain a vendor who provides you with technology. You get a business partner who walks with you through every step of the process
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions eHealthcare Architecture: More than technology
With Sencilo HealthIT Solutions eHealthcare Architecture, you can leverage the same productivity tools and technology resources that have transformed business. And you get a full portfolio of services too. By working with Sencilo HealthIT Solutions, you can get:
A dedicated customer team
A website customized for your institution
A full portfolio of robust solutions
Easy setup, implementation and maintenance
Simple ordering and delivery
Technology training
Flexible financing options
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services makes it easy
In addition to providing high-quality technology at a low cost, Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services can help you plan your healthcare computing from the ground up. By working with you from the initial construction phases, we can help you save time and moneyâ€â€Âand lead to a truly customized solution.
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services offers complete services that include:
Design
Procurement
Installation
Training
Maintenance
Support
About Us
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions is a Florida-based integrator specializing in EMR EHR Cost Cutting storage, security and managed services solutions. Sencilo delivers a comprehensive portfolio of products from best-of-breed hardware and software from multiple manufacturers including VMware, Dell Fujitsu Data Domain, EMC, Hitachi, Symantec, HDS, IBM, Commvault, Xiotech and HP. Its technical expertise is known throughout the storage and security industry. Clients include leading corporations, major financial institutions, top universities, government facilities, as well as small to medium size businesses. Sencilo's professional services include consulting, integration, project management, storage virtualization installation, maintenance and knowledge transfer.
Sencilo has offices throughout Florida including: Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando, Hialeah, St. Augustine, Gainesville, Ocala, Palm Coast, Clearwater, Kissimmee, Lakeland, Maitland and Cape Canaveral Green Simpana Offerings Projects: BC DR planning Replication De-Dup De-Dupe iSCSI SAN NAS VMware Security EMC NetApp HP IBM Quantum Compliance VTL Data Domain vs Gartner Magic Quadrant Quadrent LTO Backup Exc Pure Disk NetBackup Networker TSM Commvault BakBone D2D D2D2T compare cloud data deduplication thin provisioning DXi Global Compression DDX virtual tape library Data Reduction SEPATON FALCON compare Celerra CLARiiON Equallogic Sencilo HealthIT Solutions NS20 NS40 CX4 CX3-20 CX3-40 CX3-80 FAS2050 FAS3050 Xiotech Nexsan Avamar DLD3 1500 D3 Storwiz storage compression data Ocarina Networks A-SIS compare Sepaton infopro BlueArc OnStor Microsoft Unified Storage data protection StorageX Brocade FAQ SSD Solid state disk SANmelody FalconStor tier zero Xiotech ISE nx4 ax4 greenBytes ZFS Sun Top 10 ROBOBak managed services hosting cloud grid Datacore Compellent compellant equallogic lefthand networks don't buy storage stop buying storage itguardian cherub networks Arkeia Network Backup appliance Data Recovery Backup Health IT Healthcare IT Digital Hospital Allscripts Patient Data electronic health record P4P rules and the HITECH Act PayerView Rankings practice management tools $44,000 in Medicare or $66,000 in Medicaid from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act eClinicalWorks, Allscripts, NextGen, GE Centricity, and Meditech
Electronic Healthcare IT Medical Records EMR EHR Clinical Practices eClinicalWorks Allscripts Florida EMR, EHR, electronic medical record, health, records, practice management systems solutions, medication services, PHR Otolaryngology, Orthopaedics, Pain Nuerosurgery, Urology, Ophthalmology, Cardiology, Billing, Appointment Scheduling, clinicalworks, eClinicalWorks, solutions for physicians, hospitals, clinical education and medical services Computerized Patient CPR, Order Entry, CPOE, Document Clinical Information Informatics, Computer-based, SOAP, HIT, Healthcare Encounter Forms, web based, online, clinical rules database, electronic prescribing, e-prescribing, eprescribing, athenaClinicals, certified EMR, certified EHR, HITECH Act VAR Reseller Dealer hipaa privacy doctor, healthcare performance management, data security, hosting, arra, free
Electronic Medical Records and Why Doctors are Slow to use Technology - November 9, 2009
Orlando Florida -- Most of us in the healthcare IT believe the ARRA (stimulus) bill is a Good Thing for the industry in general. Many existing companies will be able to sell more products and many new companies will be formed to create electronic medical records solutions. I was talking to Dr. Bill Cast last week about EMRs and what he and other physicians thought about them in general and I got some great feedback. Dr. Cast is a practicing Otolaryngologist, and is a past member of the AAO Board of Directors and AMA Delegate from Otolaryngology. He has been a lobbyist for the Indiana Malpractice Law and founding Chairman of Dupont Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana, a managing partner of his medical practice, and President of several multispecialty ambulatory surgical centers. He was editor of Medical Business Review, an economics newsletter for physicians. He is currently CEO of www.nomoreclipboard.com, a personal health records company. I invited him to share his thoughts about why physicians aren’t in love with EMRs which should form some good input for companies looking for ways of improving their own solutions. Here’s what he had to say.
You may ask what qualifies me to speak. First, I am a physician in a six doctor practice who for eight years has been digital, using a fully-featured EMR. Our old record room is now an employee lounge serving Peet’s Coffee. I live in an Indiana city in which 65% of physicians use some form of EMR in their offices and in which a regional health information exchange serves 95% of all providers. Our two hospital systems have EHRs. I’ve practiced in four states, served in the U.S. Army as a surgeon and have worked intermittently in a VA Hospital over a 6 year period. Lastly, I’m CEO of a personal health records company, a spin-off of an EMR company. And so, I’ve seen lots of software installations and talked to lots of unhappy doctors.
How do we know doctors hate EMRs? Look at anemic adoption rates. Big clinics and large physicians’ groups lead the way in buying them, but the most optimistic statistics say that fewer than 50% of even large groups have EMRs. Overall, perhaps 20% of physicians have EMR, but for small groups the best guess is 5%. And, when such features as e-prescribing, e-visit, and PHR integration are considered, it is likely than less than half of physicians use their EMR for little more than their own templates and a few favorite features. The majority of physicians have voted with their feet.
In the business community it is common to hear doctors referred to as computer-phobic and “in denial” about the benefits of computing. That is wonderfully ironic when heard alongside chronic complaints that doctors are overly eager to use expensive technology: lasers, cryro-probes, fiber optics, MRI and PET scanners, stents, and implants. The fact is that doctors love high-tech. They have reason to hate EMRs but not computers and iPhones. This was confirmed at a HealthVault meeting in Redmond when a physician panel member, representing a leading medical association, was asked: “Why are physicians so recalcitrant to use EMR?” He responded: “They are not recalcitrant; they are in open rebellion! Why? Because the software you give them is garbage.” (He actually used a mild expletive.) “It slows them down!” Thus, the problem is better defined: it is not so much that the software is too expensive, but that doctors can’t afford it.
Most physicians receive their first scars at the hands of hospital software. The truly unlucky have experienced a software installation with conversion from paper to EHR. The experience I will share is instructive and metaphoric. I’ll mention no brand names, because the story could be as true for any company. The disaster began on a Monday morning. Following that regrettable morning, I witnessed over two months of computer downtime at a six-hundred bed, general hospital, during which time hired messengers carried paper reports from floor to floor, from lab to ICU. The new system choked when millions of bytes of information were ported from the database to the new system the previous Sunday. Several ICU nurses quit after weeks of frustration and found new employment. And when the crash was fixed, the new product was a negligible improvement for phsicians. For off-site use, a Citrix interface made access to records agonizingly slow. Inside the hospital, computer locations, while no longer in dark hallways, became inconveniently distant from patients’ rooms, dictated by HIPAA privacy requirements. Paper charts remained near patient beds, awaiting eventual digital scanning, but lab and imaging results were often not on the chart but on a computer down the hall. The dollar cost was millions.
It should be a surprise to lay persons that physician participation in selection of hospital equipment and software is too often minimal. While much of the blame may lay with physicians themselves, doctors’ frame of mind is usually that “we were not consulted.” Actually, a few probably were consulted, but hospital-staff dynamics being what they are, tends to involve doctors who are the more technically aware, enthusiastic and amenable to becoming digital. To that disparity in physician cyber-skills, add the fact that software does not burden physicians equally. Even badly designed hospital software is OK for some practices and some specialties. But, if you are a renalogist or pulmonologist making rounds on numbers of very sick patients, the math is simple. Many ICU patients are on a dozen medications. With order-entry requiring serial drop-down menus, each 5 second addition of point and click may add 10 seconds to the entry of each medicine and treatment. An extra 2 minutes per patient costs an unproductive hour for each 30 patients. If patients need few medicines, enjoy short stays with few I.V. fluid orders and no changes in ventilator protocol, a physician may not object to the restrictions of a rigid algorithm. But for rounding-doctors who previously have enjoyed the ease and legibility of pre-printed order sheets, digital order entry has been disastrous to schedules.
Physicians know that better exists. They have experienced Google, Amazon and e-Bay. Game lovers know that Electronic Arts’ “Tiberium,” now 15 years old, exceeds the capabilities of their professional health care software. They know from Yahoo and MSN the value of configuring a home page suited to delivering niche-information of their own preference. They know from using Word and Word Perfect that they can create precision documents merely by tweaking a template. They know they can use voice commands to make a phone call on their Blackberry. They know that they can find drug information more easily on Google than proprietary software. They suspect that if their EHRs and EMRs had physician-specific home page functionality, that they could drop and drag orders, answer FAQs, dictate letters, and save time with templates with many fewer clicks. Ordering medications should be as safe and uncomplicated as using E*Trade.
Today most EHRs and EMRs are invasive both to workflow and finances. While high cost is a significant barrier to physician adoption, workflow disruption remains the killer deterrent. Most proprietary softwares offer a limited palate of practice options, mostly one does things their way. I recently went to the site of a web-based “Health-e-EMR” provider and watched the flash video demonstration. The demo patient, a return visit for an office visit, was typical enough: an obese, diabetic female smoker with a pulmonary problem. Everything was point and click: select, enter, click, read, post—again and again, over and over. The visit timed out at 30 minutes (their calculation, not mine) not including the time spent by a nurse’s clicks and front-office clicks. Allowing for physicians’ differing styles and based on difficulty, I’d expect this visit to take half that time. The record created was excellent. In private practice, at two patients per hour, and at this level of complexity—say 12 to 14 patients per day—one should expect bankruptcy. One would make a better living running a Dairy Queen. The moral may be that such software should be used only by physicians on salary. Also, many doctors do not want to sit in front of a patient looking into a laptop rather than the patients’ eyes. And they suspect that, if vendors respected service and product improvement as much as chasing new sales, their complaints would result in minimally invasive software.
A sign at a dry-cleaner’s shop reads: Low Prices, High Quality, Fast Service: Pick One. The point of EMR design is not to “pick one.” And, I am not advocating modeling medical practice after that in a remote mission clinic where the only record is a toe-tag, although I should recognize that mission outcomes are remarkably good. In the real world you get what you measure. If the metric is the chart, and you are willing to sacrifice time, then have at it. Also, in the real world, physicians are not usually on salary with no increment of production payment. Physicians do not hate high-tech and they do not hate computers. They hate wasting time; they cannot afford it, and neither can our health care system.
Let me close by saying that the federal software stimulus will be good only if the government standards ultimately endorsed, properly guarantee interoperability and avoid paradoxically funding software that is not only too expensive but that also create silos of proprietary isolation. Properly begun, stimulus is likely to fully return government’s investment through efficiency—not immediately, but over several years. Our office covered EMR acquisition in about 5 years. We did not spend $44,000 per physician. As best stated by M. Lynn Marcus in the MIT, Sloan Management Review, “The Magic Bullet Theory in IT-enabled Transformation,” we confirmed that the key to physician satisfaction is flexible software that does not dictate workflow choices. New software is not the goal; the goal is an information system with a good measure of flexibility. To perfect this system, one will need to reserve a measure of their stimulus funds for training, equipment and employee re-tasking. The good news is that after a period of adjustment to accommodate differing practice styles, one creates a shrinking record room, no piled charts, and fewer employees or employee hours spent finding, pulling and re-filing records. And one finds many unexpected conveniences. One cannot put a price on taking call from one’s home with rapid web-based access to the patient’s office chart at 2 AM.
For more information please call (407) 265-6293 or visit us at: http://www.sencilo.com
Why Sencilo HealthIT Solutions
When it comes to your healthcare computing needs, Sencilo HealthIT Solutions's main objective is to provide a turnkey solution that can essentially sustain itself. When you choose Sencilo HealthIT Solutions, you don't just gain a vendor who provides you with technology. You get a business partner who walks with you through every step of the process
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions eHealthcare Architecture: More than technology
With Sencilo HealthIT Solutions eHealthcare Architecture, you can leverage the same productivity tools and technology resources that have transformed business. And you get a full portfolio of services too. By working with Sencilo HealthIT Solutions, you can get:
A dedicated customer team
A website customized for your institution
A full portfolio of robust solutions
Easy setup, implementation and maintenance
Simple ordering and delivery
Technology training
Flexible financing options
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services makes it easy
In addition to providing high-quality technology at a low cost, Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services can help you plan your healthcare computing from the ground up. By working with you from the initial construction phases, we can help you save time and moneyâ€â€Âand lead to a truly customized solution.
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services offers complete services that include:
Design
Procurement
Installation
Training
Maintenance
Support
About Us
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions is a Florida-based integrator specializing in EMR EHR Cost Cutting storage, security and managed services solutions. Sencilo delivers a comprehensive portfolio of products from best-of-breed hardware and software from multiple manufacturers including VMware, Dell Fujitsu Data Domain, EMC, Hitachi, Symantec, HDS, IBM, Commvault, Xiotech and HP. Its technical expertise is known throughout the storage and security industry. Clients include leading corporations, major financial institutions, top universities, government facilities, as well as small to medium size businesses. Sencilo's professional services include consulting, integration, project management, storage virtualization installation, maintenance and knowledge transfer.
Sencilo has offices throughout Florida including: Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando, Hialeah, St. Augustine, Gainesville, Ocala, Palm Coast, Clearwater, Kissimmee, Lakeland, Maitland and Cape Canaveral Green Simpana Offerings Projects: BC DR planning Replication De-Dup De-Dupe iSCSI SAN NAS VMware Security EMC NetApp HP IBM Quantum Compliance VTL Data Domain vs Gartner Magic Quadrant Quadrent LTO Backup Exc Pure Disk NetBackup Networker TSM Commvault BakBone D2D D2D2T compare cloud data deduplication thin provisioning DXi Global Compression DDX virtual tape library Data Reduction SEPATON FALCON compare Celerra CLARiiON Equallogic Sencilo HealthIT Solutions NS20 NS40 CX4 CX3-20 CX3-40 CX3-80 FAS2050 FAS3050 Xiotech Nexsan Avamar DLD3 1500 D3 Storwiz storage compression data Ocarina Networks A-SIS compare Sepaton infopro BlueArc OnStor Microsoft Unified Storage data protection StorageX Brocade FAQ SSD Solid state disk SANmelody FalconStor tier zero Xiotech ISE nx4 ax4 greenBytes ZFS Sun Top 10 ROBOBak managed services hosting cloud grid Datacore Compellent compellant equallogic lefthand networks don't buy storage stop buying storage itguardian cherub networks Arkeia Network Backup appliance Data Recovery Backup Health IT Healthcare IT Digital Hospital Allscripts Patient Data electronic health record P4P rules and the HITECH Act PayerView Rankings practice management tools $44,000 in Medicare or $66,000 in Medicaid from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act eClinicalWorks, Allscripts, NextGen, GE Centricity, and Meditech
Electronic Healthcare IT Medical Records EMR EHR Clinical Practices eClinicalWorks Allscripts Florida EMR, EHR, electronic medical record, health, records, practice management systems solutions, medication services, PHR Otolaryngology, Orthopaedics, Pain Nuerosurgery, Urology, Ophthalmology, Cardiology, Billing, Appointment Scheduling, clinicalworks, eClinicalWorks, solutions for physicians, hospitals, clinical education and medical services Computerized Patient CPR, Order Entry, CPOE, Document Clinical Information Informatics, Computer-based, SOAP, HIT, Healthcare Encounter Forms, web based, online, clinical rules database, electronic prescribing, e-prescribing, eprescribing, athenaClinicals, certified EMR, certified EHR, HITECH Act VAR Reseller Dealer hipaa privacy doctor, healthcare performance management, data security, hosting, arra, free
EMR and Federal Funding - What you will want to know - November 9, 2009
In little more than five years, electronic medical records (EMRs) will be required by the federal government, and if the experience of local health care providers that already use such systems is any indication, the transition is likely to be bumpy, says Brian McCarthy CEO and well-known guest-speaker from Sencilo HealthIT Solutions in Orlando Florida.
Electronic medical records are large, complex systems that must be easy to use yet secure, and like many IT systems, implementing EMR can be complicated.
Putting an EMR system in place isn’t an end unto itself. In fact, it’s only the beginning for doctors and their patients. Like other software, the pace of updates and the number of features available are great and frequently changing. They’ll challenge health care organizations to keep pace, says McCarthy.
“Once meaningful use is defined, you’re going to see a lot of changes” to existing EMR systems and what they offer, explained Chris Diguette, director of application services at Fallon Clinic in Worcester. Fallon Clinic is a large, multi-specialty physicians group practice that has more than 20 locations throughout Central Massachusetts. Diguette implemented Fallon Clinic’s “MyChart” EMR system, which is a product of Epic Systems Corp. of Madison, Wis.
Beginning in 2011, health care providers deemed by the federal government to be getting “meaningful use” out of EMR systems will be eligible for incentive payments from the $51 billion allocated to the health care industry by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The Obama administration wants all health care providers to be using EMR systems by 2015.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is still working on the criteria for “meaningful use.”
Once that’s hashed out, health care organizations and patients will see EMR systems update at the same fast pace as other software products.
“You’re going to see reports being available so that you can deal with full registries of patients,” Diguette said.
Eventually, he said, doctors and patients will have entire medical histories at their fingertips.
“You can get the patient in and not have to have them come back every two weeks for different things,” he said. “You’re linking the lab tests, the diagnostic tests, the x-rays and immunizations, and MyChart is going to cater us toward that.”
Like any organization that uses software heavily, how quickly or slowly health care providers update the systems they use and whether they make full use of the systems they implement remains to be seen.
Risky Business
Still, getting past implementation is an achievement itself.
Dr. Peter Blanchard, a dentist and president of the Oral Health Center in Westborough, said EMR systems are “essential for improving health care.”
And when his practice, which sees some 14,000 patients, implemented an EDR (the D is for Dental) system, “we just took the dive. We implemented it in about a month.”
Luckily, the Oral Health Center had been using a fully electronic front office system for years beforehand. When it decided to go with a full electronic system, it found Dentrix Enterprise, which was compatible with the practice’s existing front office system.
“Fortunately, we had the front office system and were able to move that database,” Blanchard said. “The challenge was to implement the electronic charts, and we were able to scan in all patient charts. It was labor intensive and it continues to be labor intensive. And the initial build-out; the up-front cost, I can’t estimate, but it was significant. We have 14,000 patients with records that are continuously updating.”
Still, all the labor is worth it, Blanchard said. The Oral Health Center is about 75 percent paperless, he said. It uses electronic billing, but still prints prescriptions. And the way the system allows patients to understand their personal oral health and how to approach it is a boon.
At Oral Health Center, and at Fallon Clinic, doctors use computer monitors in each exam room to allow patients to better understand what’s going on.
“We have an added capacity to collect data on patients and there’s much more information available,” said Blanchard. “We can better analyze patient risk, and having all that in a database leads to better clinical decisions.”
Engine Swap
The doctors at Fallon Clinic would agree, but they didn’t jump into their EMR system with both feet.
Dr. Larry Garber, chief of informatics at Fallon Clinic, explained that the clinic has been paperless for more than two years, and took six months recently to roll out the MyChart system for patients.
MyChart allows patients to see what doctors see during office visits, and it allows the patients to access their health information and doctors from home.
“It actually empowers patients to take better care of themselves. We talked for years about empowering the patient, but we never gave patients the tools to truly empower them,” Garber said.
Fallon Clinic has spent $24 million in the first three years of going paperless and providing EMRs to patients.
“We’ll eventually recoup that, but in the meantime, we provide much better care,” Garber said.
He said wait times at the clinic and time spent in the exam room hasn’t decreased, “but now people can get care without coming here.”
And now, the clinic’s location on Plantation Street has more room, because all of those old paper files have been moved to a warehouse in Auburn. Also, the clinic doesn’t have to bother with having trucks transport paper medical records all over Central Massachusetts.
Today, 1,400 Fallon Clinic doctors and staff use the system and “several thousand” patients have signed up for MyChart.
“I used to show them their cholesterol numbers and their eyes would glaze over,” Garber said. “Now, they can look at it.” In fact, Garber can almost instantly pull up as much as 18 years worth of cholesterol data for any given patient on a single screen in graph form.
“It’s obvious and very visual. Patients at home can see test results the same way I see test results and they don’t feel like they’re secret anymore,” he said.
But it all took years of planning and preparation. Fallon Clinic had stored years’ worth of patient data in a database in anticipation of going paperless.
“Day one, it looked like we had been using EMR for 15 years,” Garber said.
For more information please call (407) 265-6293 or visit us at: http://www.sencilo.com/healthIT
Why Sencilo HealthIT Solutions
When it comes to your healthcare computing needs, Sencilo HealthIT Solutions's main objective is to provide a turnkey solution that can essentially sustain itself. When you choose Sencilo HealthIT Solutions, you don't just gain a vendor who provides you with technology. You get a business partner who walks with you through every step of the process
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions eHealthcare Architecture: More than technology
With Sencilo HealthIT Solutions eHealthcare Architecture, you can leverage the same productivity tools and technology resources that have transformed business. And you get a full portfolio of services too. By working with Sencilo HealthIT Solutions, you can get:
A dedicated customer team
A website customized for your institution
A full portfolio of robust solutions
Easy setup, implementation and maintenance
Simple ordering and delivery
Technology training
Flexible financing options
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services makes it easy
In addition to providing high-quality technology at a low cost, Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services can help you plan your healthcare computing from the ground up. By working with you from the initial construction phases, we can help you save time and moneyâ€â€Âand lead to a truly customized solution.
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services offers complete services that include:
Design
Procurement
Installation
Training
Maintenance
Support
About Us
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions is a Florida-based integrator specializing in EMR EHR Cost Cutting storage, security and managed services solutions. Sencilo delivers a comprehensive portfolio of products from best-of-breed hardware and software from multiple manufacturers including VMware, Dell Fujitsu Data Domain, EMC, Hitachi, Symantec, HDS, IBM, Commvault, Xiotech and HP. Its technical expertise is known throughout the storage and security industry. Clients include leading corporations, major financial institutions, top universities, government facilities, as well as small to medium size businesses. Sencilo's professional services include consulting, integration, project management, storage virtualization installation, maintenance and knowledge transfer.
Sencilo has offices throughout Florida including: Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando, Hialeah, St. Augustine, Gainesville, Ocala, Palm Coast, Clearwater, Kissimmee, Lakeland, Maitland and Cape Canaveral Green Simpana Offerings Projects: BC DR planning Replication De-Dup De-Dupe iSCSI SAN NAS VMware Security EMC NetApp HP IBM Quantum Compliance VTL Data Domain vs Gartner Magic Quadrant Quadrent LTO Backup Exc Pure Disk NetBackup Networker TSM Commvault BakBone D2D D2D2T compare cloud data deduplication thin provisioning DXi Global Compression DDX virtual tape library Data Reduction SEPATON FALCON compare Celerra CLARiiON Equallogic Sencilo HealthIT Solutions NS20 NS40 CX4 CX3-20 CX3-40 CX3-80 FAS2050 FAS3050 Xiotech Nexsan Avamar DLD3 1500 D3 Storwiz storage compression data Ocarina Networks A-SIS compare Sepaton infopro BlueArc OnStor Microsoft Unified Storage data protection StorageX Brocade FAQ SSD Solid state disk SANmelody FalconStor tier zero Xiotech ISE nx4 ax4 greenBytes ZFS Sun Top 10 ROBOBak managed services hosting cloud grid Datacore Compellent compellant equallogic lefthand networks don't buy storage stop buying storage itguardian cherub networks Arkeia Network Backup appliance Data Recovery Backup Health IT Healthcare IT Digital Hospital Allscripts Patient Data electronic health record P4P rules and the HITECH Act PayerView Rankings practice management tools $44,000 in Medicare or $66,000 in Medicaid from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act eClinicalWorks, Allscripts, NextGen, GE Centricity, and Meditech
Electronic Healthcare IT Medical Records EMR EHR Clinical Practices eClinicalWorks Allscripts Florida EMR, EHR, electronic medical record, health, records, practice management systems solutions, medication services, PHR Otolaryngology, Orthopaedics, Pain Nuerosurgery, Urology, Ophthalmology, Cardiology, Billing, Appointment Scheduling, clinicalworks, eClinicalWorks, solutions for physicians, hospitals, clinical education and medical services Computerized Patient CPR, Order Entry, CPOE, Document Clinical Information Informatics, Computer-based, SOAP, HIT, Healthcare Encounter Forms, web based, online, clinical rules database, electronic prescribing, e-prescribing, eprescribing, athenaClinicals, certified EMR, certified EHR, HITECH Act VAR Reseller Dealer hipaa privacy doctor, healthcare performance management, data security, hosting, arra, free
Maine saves 98 jobs using ARRA funds, will Florida do the same? - November 9, 2009
Orlando Florida -- The Department of Education released a report on Nov. 2 detailing education jobs created and saved by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds. The report states Maine saved 98 jobs in education through stimulus funds and created eight more since the beginning of 2009.
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan held a conference call with reporters Nov. 2 to discuss the report and its implications.
“The numbers in today’s report come directly from states,” Duncan said.
States are required to report to the federal Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board about how they spend their stimulus funding. Maine reported it augmented its higher education budget with nearly $18 million of stimulus money in fiscal year 2009. Maine’s higher education budget topped off at nearly $253 million for 2009 — including stimulus money — according to the report.
The jobs retained include 97 teachers and one guidance counselor. The eight jobs created are all educational technician positions.
“With this first payment to schools, in partnership with the federal government, we are helping relieve the fiscal burden for school districts at a challenging time,” said Governor John Baldacci [1] in a June press release.
The report states the federal government awarded Maine just over $106 million in stimulus funds to help the state augment its education budget.
“We will be able to see its effects for years to come,” Duncan said.
Duncan said the federal government has awarded $35.4 billion in state stabilization funding nationwide so far and expects to spend another $34.2 billion before Sept. 30. He said the government does not distribute stimulus funds based on need, but rather on the merit of each state’s application. In response to whether states should be concerned once the stimulus money dries up, Duncan said, “We should absolutely be concerned.”
Duncan said every school leader “has to be thinking about this in the long haul and plan accordingly.”
Deputy Secretary of Education Tony Miller, also speaking to reporters, said the report bases the jobs created and saved on states’ best estimates of salaries, not necessarily individual jobs. Duncan said the report does not foreshadow job cuts in the future.
“We have to continue to put resources where they’re needed,” said Duncan, who added states and schools need to find where they’re most dramatically affecting students’ lives and use funds accordingly.
Maine spent none of the stimulus money on educational technology or homeless youth programs, according to the report. The state’s second biggest job savings area was in Individuals With Disabilities Act programs — the report states Maine retained six disability service jobs with stimulus money and created 12.
Maine expects its fiscal year 2010 higher education budget to include $11.14 million of stimulus funds, according to the report.
“When a district invests in a new boiler or energy efficiency improvements, they are generating savings in future years,” stated Maine Education Commissioner Susan Gendron in a press release. “And when they invest in professional development, training, laptops and educational planning, they are making wise, limited-duration decisions that will pay educational dividends for years to come.”
Duncan said the report helps keep the government and Department of Education transparent.
For more information please call (407) 265-6293 or visit us at: http://www.sencilo.com/healthIT
Why Sencilo HealthIT Solutions
When it comes to your healthcare computing needs, Sencilo HealthIT Solutions's main objective is to provide a turnkey solution that can essentially sustain itself. When you choose Sencilo HealthIT Solutions, you don't just gain a vendor who provides you with technology. You get a business partner who walks with you through every step of the process
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions eHealthcare Architecture: More than technology
With Sencilo HealthIT Solutions eHealthcare Architecture, you can leverage the same productivity tools and technology resources that have transformed business. And you get a full portfolio of services too. By working with Sencilo HealthIT Solutions, you can get:
A dedicated customer team
A website customized for your institution
A full portfolio of robust solutions
Easy setup, implementation and maintenance
Simple ordering and delivery
Technology training
Flexible financing options
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services makes it easy
In addition to providing high-quality technology at a low cost, Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services can help you plan your healthcare computing from the ground up. By working with you from the initial construction phases, we can help you save time and moneyâ€â€and lead to a truly customized solution.
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services offers complete services that include:
Design
Procurement
Installation
Training
Maintenance
Support
About Us
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions is a Florida-based integrator specializing in EMR EHR Cost Cutting storage, security and managed services solutions. Sencilo delivers a comprehensive portfolio of products from best-of-breed hardware and software from multiple manufacturers including VMware, Dell Fujitsu Data Domain, EMC, Hitachi, Symantec, HDS, IBM, Commvault, Xiotech and HP. Its technical expertise is known throughout the storage and security industry. Clients include leading corporations, major financial institutions, top universities, government facilities, as well as small to medium size businesses. Sencilo's professional services include consulting, integration, project management, storage virtualization installation, maintenance and knowledge transfer.
Sencilo has offices throughout Florida including: Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando, Hialeah, St. Augustine, Gainesville, Ocala, Palm Coast, Clearwater, Kissimmee, Lakeland, Maitland and Cape Canaveral Green Simpana Offerings Projects: BC DR planning Replication De-Dup De-Dupe iSCSI SAN NAS VMware Security EMC NetApp HP IBM Quantum Compliance VTL Data Domain vs Gartner Magic Quadrant Quadrent LTO Backup Exc Pure Disk NetBackup Networker TSM Commvault BakBone D2D D2D2T compare cloud data deduplication thin provisioning DXi Global Compression DDX virtual tape library Data Reduction SEPATON FALCON compare Celerra CLARiiON Equallogic Sencilo HealthIT Solutions NS20 NS40 CX4 CX3-20 CX3-40 CX3-80 FAS2050 FAS3050 Xiotech Nexsan Avamar DLD3 1500 D3 Storwiz storage compression data Ocarina Networks A-SIS compare Sepaton infopro BlueArc OnStor Microsoft Unified Storage data protection StorageX Brocade FAQ SSD Solid state disk SANmelody FalconStor tier zero Xiotech ISE nx4 ax4 greenBytes ZFS Sun Top 10 ROBOBak managed services hosting cloud grid Datacore Compellent compellant equallogic lefthand networks don't buy storage stop buying storage itguardian cherub networks Arkeia Network Backup appliance Data Recovery Backup Health IT Healthcare IT Digital Hospital Allscripts Patient Data electronic health record P4P rules and the HITECH Act PayerView Rankings practice management tools $44,000 in Medicare or $66,000 in Medicaid from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act eClinicalWorks, Allscripts, NextGen, GE Centricity, and Meditech
Electronic Healthcare IT Medical Records EMR EHR Clinical Practices eClinicalWorks Allscripts Florida EMR, EHR, electronic medical record, health, records, practice management systems solutions, medication services, PHR Otolaryngology, Orthopaedics, Pain Nuerosurgery, Urology, Ophthalmology, Cardiology, Billing, Appointment Scheduling, clinicalworks, eClinicalWorks, solutions for physicians, hospitals, clinical education and medical services Computerized Patient CPR, Order Entry, CPOE, Document Clinical Information Informatics, Computer-based, SOAP, HIT, Healthcare Encounter Forms, web based, online, clinical rules database, electronic prescribing, e-prescribing, eprescribing, athenaClinicals, certified EMR, certified EHR, HITECH Act VAR Reseller Dealer hipaa privacy doctor, healthcare performance management, data security, hosting, arra, free
800,000 Doctor's Personal Data stolen from Blue Cross, AMA concerned - October 21, 2009
The stolen laptop contained personal data on nearly every physician in the country. Why did Blue Cross allow this to happen?
Orlando Florida -- The theft of a laptop belonging to an employee of an insurance trade group has put hundreds of thousands of physician around the country at risk of identity theft.
The laptop, belonging to an employee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA), was stolen from a car in late August, according to reports in the Boston Globe and the Chicago Tribune. It contained a database listing the business and personal information of about 800,000 doctors.
There were about 732,000 practicing physicians in the U.S. at the end of 2007, according to a spokesperson for the American Medical Association.
The BCBSA, which represents various Blue Cross health groups across the U.S., did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A spokesperson for the American Medical Association confirmed that the organization had been warning physicians about the breach.
"The AMA is advising physicians to be on guard for potential identify theft as a result of a breach of physician personal data at BlueCross BlueShield Association (BCBSA)," said Brian McCarthy CEO and well known Data Protection expect of Sencilo HealthIT Solutions. "The AMA has met with BCBSA to express our concerns and learn what steps are being taken to protect physicians in the wake of this information breach, says McCarthy. For years we have been telling companies to encrypt their data (notebooks), including BCBSA, I guess they'll start listening now.
Rohack said that BlueCross Blue Shield Plans will offer credit monitoring services to affected physcians and he urged doctors to keep an eye out for fraud arising from the breach. He said that the AMA is working with BCBSA to decide on additional steps that can be taking to mitigate the risk of identity theft.
The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association reportedly told the Tribune that the employee in question had violated corporate policy by transferring the data to a personal laptop. According to the Globe's account, Blue Cross-Blue Shield maintains the data in encrypted form on its servers, but the employee copied the data after it had been decrypted.
Only a portion of the physician records in the database -- 16% to 20% -- on the stolen laptop include a social security number as an identifier. No patient data is believed to be involved.
For more information please call (407) 265-6293 or visit us at: http://www.sencilo.com/healthIT
Why Sencilo HealthIT Solutions
When it comes to your healthcare computing needs, Sencilo HealthIT Solutions's main objective is to provide a turnkey solution that can essentially sustain itself. When you choose Sencilo HealthIT Solutions, you don't just gain a vendor who provides you with technology. You get a business partner who walks with you through every step of the process
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions eHealthcare Architecture: More than technology
With Sencilo HealthIT Solutions eHealthcare Architecture, you can leverage the same productivity tools and technology resources that have transformed business. And you get a full portfolio of services too. By working with Sencilo HealthIT Solutions, you can get:
A dedicated customer team
A website customized for your institution
A full portfolio of robust solutions
Easy setup, implementation and maintenance
Simple ordering and delivery
Technology training
Flexible financing options
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services makes it easy
In addition to providing high-quality technology at a low cost, Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services can help you plan your healthcare computing from the ground up. By working with you from the initial construction phases, we can help you save time and money—and lead to a truly customized solution.
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services offers complete services that include:
Design
Procurement
Installation
Training
Maintenance
Support
About Us
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions is a Florida-based integrator specializing in EMR EHR Cost Cutting storage, security and managed services solutions. Sencilo delivers a comprehensive portfolio of products from best-of-breed hardware and software from multiple manufacturers including VMware, Dell Fujitsu Data Domain, EMC, Hitachi, Symantec, HDS, IBM, Commvault, Xiotech and HP. Its technical expertise is known throughout the storage and security industry. Clients include leading corporations, major financial institutions, top universities, government facilities, as well as small to medium size businesses. Sencilo's professional services include consulting, integration, project management, storage virtualization installation, maintenance and knowledge transfer.
Sencilo has offices throughout Florida including: Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando, Hialeah, St. Augustine, Gainesville, Ocala, Palm Coast, Clearwater, Kissimmee, Lakeland, Maitland and Cape Canaveral Green Simpana Offerings Projects: BC DR planning Replication De-Dup De-Dupe iSCSI SAN NAS VMware Security EMC NetApp HP IBM Quantum Compliance VTL Data Domain vs Gartner Magic Quadrant Quadrent LTO Backup Exc Pure Disk NetBackup Networker TSM Commvault BakBone D2D D2D2T compare cloud data deduplication thin provisioning DXi Global Compression DDX virtual tape library Data Reduction SEPATON FALCON compare Celerra CLARiiON Equallogic Sencilo HealthIT Solutions NS20 NS40 CX4 CX3-20 CX3-40 CX3-80 FAS2050 FAS3050 Xiotech Nexsan Avamar DLD3 1500 D3 Storwiz storage compression data Ocarina Networks A-SIS compare Sepaton infopro BlueArc OnStor Microsoft Unified Storage data protection StorageX Brocade FAQ SSD Solid state disk SANmelody FalconStor tier zero Xiotech ISE nx4 ax4 greenBytes ZFS Sun Top 10 ROBOBak managed services hosting cloud grid Datacore Compellent compellant equallogic lefthand networks don't buy storage stop buying storage itguardian cherub networks Arkeia Network Backup appliance Data Recovery Backup Health IT Healthcare IT Digital Hospital Allscripts Patient Data electronic health record P4P rules and the HITECH Act PayerView Rankings practice management tools $44,000 in Medicare or $66,000 in Medicaid from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act eClinicalWorks, Allscripts, NextGen, GE Centricity, and Meditech
Electronic Healthcare IT Medical Records EMR EHR Clinical Practices eClinicalWorks Allscripts Florida EMR, EHR, electronic medical record, health, records, practice management systems solutions, medication services, PHR Otolaryngology, Orthopaedics, Pain Nuerosurgery, Urology, Ophthalmology, Cardiology, Billing, Appointment Scheduling, clinicalworks, eClinicalWorks, solutions for physicians, hospitals, clinical education and medical services Computerized Patient CPR, Order Entry, CPOE, Document Clinical Information Informatics, Computer-based, SOAP, HIT, Healthcare Encounter Forms, web based, online, clinical rules database, electronic prescribing, e-prescribing, eprescribing, athenaClinicals, certified EMR, certified EHR, HITECH Act VAR Reseller Dealer hipaa privacy doctor, healthcare performance management, data security, hosting, arra, free
How does Electronic Medical Records improve quality of care - October 13, 2009
Orlando Florida - Patients in the Kaiser Permanente Hospital are seeing something new when a physician or nurse visits their rooms. The doctors and nurses themselves aren't different; they continue to provide their patients with superior care and service.
But a piece of equipment they bring with them — a wheeled cart with a computer screen on top — is a significant difference, and it's an example of what will help dramatically improve health care in America.
The cart-borne computer is wirelessly connected to a huge database containing the medical history of our members, as well as the latest recommended treatments for a wide range of medical conditions. The database contains all outpatient and inpatient visit information, diagnostic images such as X-rays and mammograms, allergies, specialists' notes, lab tests and prescriptions. And it is all part of KP HealthConnect, the largest nongovernmental electronic medical record (EMR) system in the United States.
Electronic medical records are a cornerstone of President Barack Obama's health reform effort, and as part of his effort to stimulate the economy, he has dedicated some $19 billion to make EMRs a national reality.
Why? Electronic medical records improve the quality of care. A fully functional EMR system gives physicians, nurses and technicians a patient's comprehensive medical history at the point of care, whether it's in the doctor's office, the emergency room or in a skilled
nursing facility. It is also remotely accessible for specialists and others who are on call, allowing them to make informed decisions that expedite patient care.
EMRs have the potential to increase efficiency and contain costs by reducing duplication and improving patient safety, and they do this by harnessing the incredible power of computers — their ability to calculate, to network, to automatically check facts and to provide targeted research results — and applying that power to medical care.
In health care systems with fully implemented electronic medical records, physicians and nurses no longer need to spend valuable time looking through several files for paper records that are often incomplete.
Now, for example, emergency department physicians with a fully functional EMR system can see a patient's previous hospitalizations, medications and diagnoses when that patient shows up complaining of chest pains. That means treatment can begin more quickly and success is more likely.
Medication is safer, too: Prescriptions written by physicians using the EMR system are spell-checked and legible, and the computer automatically combs the patient's history for potentially dangerous drug interactions and alerts the doctor.
In the hospital, medications are bar-coded and scanned at bedside to help ensure the right patient is getting the right drug in the right dose at the right time.
Of course, EMRs should not be a one-way street. In integrated health care systems, patients can use their home computers to increase convenience by making appointments online, ordering prescription refills that are delivered to their home, viewing their lab results through secure Web pages, and e-mailing their physicians — all at no additional cost.
Last year, thanks to these online tools tied to EMRs, Kaiser Permanente members had 6 million e-visits without using a gallon of gas.
Notes jotted on paper and placed in multiple files where doctors rarely see them are a remnant of a fragmented, inefficient model of medical care. In the 21st century, Americans expect — and deserve — more.
For more information please call (407) 265-6293 or visit us at: http://www.sencilo.com/healthIT
Why Sencilo HealthIT Solutions
When it comes to your healthcare computing needs, Sencilo HealthIT Solutions's main objective is to provide a turnkey solution that can essentially sustain itself. When you choose Sencilo HealthIT Solutions, you don't just gain a vendor who provides you with technology. You get a business partner who walks with you through every step of the process
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions eHealthcare Architecture: More than technology
With Sencilo HealthIT Solutions eHealthcare Architecture, you can leverage the same productivity tools and technology resources that have transformed business. And you get a full portfolio of services too. By working with Sencilo HealthIT Solutions, you can get:
A dedicated customer team
A website customized for your institution
A full portfolio of robust solutions
Easy setup, implementation and maintenance
Simple ordering and delivery
Technology training
Flexible financing options
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services makes it easy
In addition to providing high-quality technology at a low cost, Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services can help you plan your healthcare computing from the ground up. By working with you from the initial construction phases, we can help you save time and money—and lead to a truly customized solution.
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services offers complete services that include:
Design
Procurement
Installation
Training
Maintenance
Support
About Us
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions is a Florida-based integrator specializing in EMR EHR Cost Cutting storage, security and managed services solutions. Sencilo delivers a comprehensive portfolio of products from best-of-breed hardware and software from multiple manufacturers including VMware, Dell Fujitsu Data Domain, EMC, Hitachi, Symantec, HDS, IBM, Commvault, Xiotech and HP. Its technical expertise is known throughout the storage and security industry. Clients include leading corporations, major financial institutions, top universities, government facilities, as well as small to medium size businesses. Sencilo's professional services include consulting, integration, project management, storage virtualization installation, maintenance and knowledge transfer.
Sencilo has offices throughout Florida including: Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando, Hialeah, St. Augustine, Gainesville, Ocala, Palm Coast, Clearwater, Kissimmee, Lakeland, Maitland and Cape Canaveral Green Simpana Offerings Projects: BC DR planning Replication De-Dup De-Dupe iSCSI SAN NAS VMware Security EMC NetApp HP IBM Quantum Compliance VTL Data Domain vs Gartner Magic Quadrant Quadrent LTO Backup Exc Pure Disk NetBackup Networker TSM Commvault BakBone D2D D2D2T compare cloud data deduplication thin provisioning DXi Global Compression DDX virtual tape library Data Reduction SEPATON FALCON compare Celerra CLARiiON Equallogic Sencilo HealthIT Solutions NS20 NS40 CX4 CX3-20 CX3-40 CX3-80 FAS2050 FAS3050 Xiotech Nexsan Avamar DLD3 1500 D3 Storwiz storage compression data Ocarina Networks A-SIS compare Sepaton infopro BlueArc OnStor Microsoft Unified Storage data protection StorageX Brocade FAQ SSD Solid state disk SANmelody FalconStor tier zero Xiotech ISE nx4 ax4 greenBytes ZFS Sun Top 10 ROBOBak managed services hosting cloud grid Datacore Compellent compellant equallogic lefthand networks don't buy storage stop buying storage itguardian cherub networks Arkeia Network Backup appliance Data Recovery Backup Health IT Healthcare IT Digital Hospital Allscripts Patient Data electronic health record P4P rules and the HITECH Act PayerView Rankings practice management tools $44,000 in Medicare or $66,000 in Medicaid from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act eClinicalWorks, Allscripts, NextGen, GE Centricity, and Meditech
Electronic Healthcare IT Medical Records EMR EHR Clinical Practices eClinicalWorks Allscripts Florida EMR, EHR, electronic medical record, health, records, practice management systems solutions, medication services, PHR Otolaryngology, Orthopaedics, Pain Nuerosurgery, Urology, Ophthalmology, Cardiology, Billing, Appointment Scheduling, clinicalworks, eClinicalWorks, solutions for physicians, hospitals, clinical education and medical services Computerized Patient CPR, Order Entry, CPOE, Document Clinical Information Informatics, Computer-based, SOAP, HIT, Healthcare Encounter Forms, web based, online, clinical rules database, electronic prescribing, e-prescribing, eprescribing, athenaClinicals, certified EMR, certified EHR, HITECH Act VAR Reseller Dealer hipaa privacy doctor, healthcare performance management, data security, hosting, arra, free
Why the Department of Homeland Security Should be Concerned About Healthcare Records - October 13, 2009
Orlando Florida - Often we read the headlines on how to protect ourselves is becoming ever more problematic. For some it’s as simple as having the ability to carry a concealed weapon, premised on the idea that if you want to hurt me, be prepared for the consequences. Needless to say, that’s extreme security process when it comes to healthy living. Most of us enjoy our lives without the need to put a gun beside our mouse and keyboard.
Security needs have expanded. Everywhere we turn there’s potential harm to us personally and has real long-term consequences. "More troubling is the fact that most of it is out of our own individual control. No longer is it about the basics of locking the doors of your car, home and maybe a safe that’s stashed in the basement", says Brian McCarthy CEO and Founder of Sencilo HealthIT Solutions and well known speaker on the subject of data privacy.
Along the PC and the Internet
Today we use personal firewalls and anti-virus software that we hope protects our information and valuables. And that doesn’t protect the most valuable part of your life – information about you. Information about you and your family is everywhere and you can’t go buy protection for it – from anywhere or anyone. You can’t even call the police to find out. For years, fraud based on identity theft has been a significant challenge to defeat. The simple things that help prevent such opportunities are well established: Shredding or burning junk mail credit card offers and other financial information and records before they hit the trash bin. Destroying computer hard drives or wiping them clean using software. Phishing and junk email is becoming easier to manage and control, although it still has a long way to go. Are there other areas beyond our control that could be damaging?
Yes. Too many areas are beyond our personal ability to protect. And it’s going to expand in the future. Now on the U.S. Administration’s radar screen is EMR — Electronic Medical Records — which will lower the administration component of medical services. Hopefully instead of spending hours filling out forms, and staff spending hours sorting and inputting paper forms, that cycle time is actually used to attend to your medical needs and service. The doctor would see your entire medical history, ensuring that every allergy and drug you have taken is taken into consideration in medical treatment and ensuring that the right consultations are prescribed. In general terms that will increase efficiencies in the medical industry – lowering costs.
This creates a whole new set of security problems that go beyond just worrying about who is making loans in your name and destroying your credit. And worse, we don’t have any direct personal control in securing or protecting ourselves on who has access or management of this information. Medical records are the next big area of information that is now becoming digitized and recorded. Over the past 5 years, every medical visit, drug and appointment you have ever had is now bar-coded, logged and tracked on paper and sometimes the local clinic you go to. If you visited the emergency room at a hospital, that visit was likely recorded on the local server at that facility. The records will include every personal detail about you and your family’s health, becoming the basis of information for EMR. Local medical record storage has never been a problem since most systems are not accessible from the outside world and thus are on a computer server, but segregated from an integrated or national system. That will soon change, says McCarthy.
Gone will be the days that your medical records are simply stored in a file at your local family doctor’s clinic. If someone is “authorized” to see them, it will be in nanoseconds, not a few days by way of a courier service. Checks and balances for authorized access will be easy components to solve. Many countries already have some wide area storage of information about patients since it’s a national medical insurance program, often run by the provincial or state government. Many are now seeing problems from within the medical industry such as internal fraud billing for medical visit, specialist visits and prescription drug services becoming a real financial concern. Analytics is about to get a huge surge in business just like what the credit card industry does today.
With such information now being available and archived, that brings about huge security and privacy challenges that courts, legal experts and lawmakers will be faced with for decades. Software and hardware solutions for such applications will have to face performance scrutiny to standards as high as the Pentagon’s. The value of the data is potentially significant. In the wrong hands it creates a massive set of protection and security challenges beyond what most envision. Credit card data is selling to the highest bidder to the tune of millions. Medical records are worth significantly more.
The security of the information asks more questions than we have current answers for; who has access and who protects it? Suddenly this becomes more than just a series of ethics debates. In the United States, and in fact, most of the world, insurance companies already have significant checks and balances in place to ensure data integrity for claims and patient records for each claim made, are in fact secured and protected. Those records are not a complete picture of your medical history – but soon they will be if not properly controlled, protected and policies put into place. In some countries, your premiums are determined by that information, just like your car insurance is. The more problems you keep on making claims for, the higher your insurance premiums are or worse, discontinued. Now consider if the information about your entire family is now available or accessed, without your consent and what that implies. The 5 W’s comes to mind — Who, What, Where, When, Why — are all checks and balances that while solvable will create critical challenges to the health of the system. An example is what if that information is now in a central data center and not just at one insurance, hospital or clinic facility; who ensures the integrity of the data being input and is it accurate? Don’t even ask if you have access to it.
Pharmaceutical companies would find complete electronic medical records a treasure trove for what drugs to maintain low cost and which ones to charge premiums for, literately right down to a city block radius. The architecture of the data centers will likely follow industry standards, such as Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) parameters. But who is going to protect, secure and watch over the information? What regulatory or enforcement agency is ensuring your privacy rights are going to be adhered too? And what if the data is shipped outside of the country – then what laws or regulations protect your information then? If a major disaster strikes, is the data safe, redundant in security, access or storage? Having Clint Eastwood with a .357 Magnum at the front door of the data center isn’t going to help.
For more information please call (407) 265-6293 or visit us at: http://www.sencilo.com/healthIT
Why Sencilo HealthIT Solutions
When it comes to your healthcare computing needs, Sencilo HealthIT Solutions's main objective is to provide a turnkey solution that can essentially sustain itself. When you choose Sencilo HealthIT Solutions, you don't just gain a vendor who provides you with technology. You get a business partner who walks with you through every step of the process
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions eHealthcare Architecture: More than technology
With Sencilo HealthIT Solutions eHealthcare Architecture, you can leverage the same productivity tools and technology resources that have transformed business. And you get a full portfolio of services too. By working with Sencilo HealthIT Solutions, you can get:
A dedicated customer team
A website customized for your institution
A full portfolio of robust solutions
Easy setup, implementation and maintenance
Simple ordering and delivery
Technology training
Flexible financing options
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services makes it easy
In addition to providing high-quality technology at a low cost, Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services can help you plan your healthcare computing from the ground up. By working with you from the initial construction phases, we can help you save time and money—and lead to a truly customized solution.
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions Professional Services offers complete services that include:
Design
Procurement
Installation
Training
Maintenance
Support
About Us
Sencilo HealthIT Solutions is a Florida-based integrator specializing in EMR EHR Cost Cutting storage, security and managed services solutions. Sencilo delivers a comprehensive portfolio of products from best-of-breed hardware and software from multiple manufacturers including VMware, Dell Fujitsu Data Domain, EMC, Hitachi, Symantec, HDS, IBM, Commvault, Xiotech and HP. Its technical expertise is known throughout the storage and security industry. Clients include leading corporations, major financial institutions, top universities, government facilities, as well as small to medium size businesses. Sencilo's professional services include consulting, integration, project management, storage virtualization installation, maintenance and knowledge transfer.
Sencilo has offices throughout Florida including: Jacksonville, Daytona Beach, Tampa, St. Petersburg, Orlando, Hialeah, St. Augustine, Gainesville, Ocala, Palm Coast, Clearwater, Kissimmee, Lakeland, Maitland and Cape Canaveral Green Simpana Offerings Projects: BC DR planning Replication De-Dup De-Dupe iSCSI SAN NAS VMware Security EMC NetApp HP IBM Quantum Compliance VTL Data Domain vs Gartner Magic Quadrant Quadrent LTO Backup Exc Pure Disk NetBackup Networker TSM Commvault BakBone D2D D2D2T compare cloud data deduplication thin provisioning DXi Global Compression DDX virtual tape library Data Reduction SEPATON FALCON compare Celerra CLARiiON Equallogic Sencilo HealthIT Solutions NS20 NS40 CX4 CX3-20 CX3-40 CX3-80 FAS2050 FAS3050 Xiotech Nexsan Avamar DLD3 1500 D3 Storwiz storage compression data Ocarina Networks A-SIS compare Sepaton infopro BlueArc OnStor Microsoft Unified Storage data protection StorageX Brocade FAQ SSD Solid state disk SANmelody FalconStor tier zero Xiotech ISE nx4 ax4 greenBytes ZFS Sun Top 10 ROBOBak managed services hosting cloud grid Datacore Compellent compellant equallogic lefthand networks don't buy storage stop buying storage itguardian cherub networks Arkeia Network Backup appliance Data Recovery Backup Health IT Healthcare IT Digital Hospital Allscripts Patient Data electronic health record P4P rules and the HITECH Act PayerView Rankings practice management tools $44,000 in Medicare or $66,000 in Medicaid from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act eClinicalWorks, Allscripts, NextGen, GE Centricity, and Meditech
Electronic Healthcare IT Medical Records EMR EHR Clinical Practices eClinicalWorks Allscripts Florida EMR, EHR, electronic medical record, health, records, practice management systems solutions, medication services, PHR Otolaryngology, Orthopaedics, Pain Nuerosurgery, Urology, Ophthalmology, Cardiology, Billing, Appointment Scheduling, clinicalworks, eClinicalWorks, solutions for physicians, hospitals, clinical education and medical services Computerized Patient CPR, Order Entry, CPOE, Document Clinical Information Informatics, Computer-based, SOAP, HIT, Healthcare Encounter Forms, web based, online, clinical rules database, electronic prescribing, e-prescribing, eprescribing, athenaClinicals, certified EMR, certified EHR, HITECH Act VAR Reseller Dealer hipaa privacy doctor, healthcare performance management, data security, hosting, arra, free
