For healthcare providers, Electronic Medical Records (EMR), telemedicine and cloud Computing are all changing the landscape of providing healthcare. In this week’s Roundup, we take a look at how cloud computing is revolutionizing healthcare, how telemedicine fills in the gaps in rural areas, and the big impact that EMRs are having in public health. .
How is Cloud Computing is Revolutionizing Healthcare?
According to industry analysts the healthcare industry is fully embracing cloud computing and that is good news for patients, administrators, and providers. As data, systems, and storage are moved to the cloud it opens up opportunities for stakeholders to leverage the power of data for more comprehensive and effective care, amongst other benefits. The one wrinkle? Data security, of course. Learn more about how cloud is revolutionizing healthcare here.
Legal Considerations for the Practice of Telemedicine
Hospitals and health systems are now looking to telemedicine to fill some gaps in healthcare provision. One area that is benefitting tremendously from the use of telemedicine is rural healthcare. Rural communities are already underserved when it comes to access to healthcare, and with more demands for healthcare providers and fewer doctors forecast to graduate from college; this deficit is going to get worse.
However, as hospitals and providers turn to telemedicine to fill this gap, they need to be aware of the legal issues that remote provision introduces. Before introducing telemedicine services, providers must involve attorneys to evaluate the intricate legal landscape. All of these risks however, if properly addressed at the beginning of a program through legal advice and adherence to state and federal regulations, set the stage for telemedicine to improve the standard of care for underserved communities in rural America. Want to learn more? You can do that here.
How EMRs helped Flint, Michigan Doctors Identify the Lead Crisis Electronic Medical Records
Electronic Medical Records (EMR) have been revolutionizing patient care in the last few years. From enabling more efficient and effective care for patients and providers to reducing the number of medical errors in myriad ways, EMRs are one of the unmitigated successes of the healthcare IT revolution.
One tangible example of how EMRs are improving community health comes out of Flint Michigan. Pediatrician Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha, was researching high levels of lead from drinking water, and pulled results of blood tests from 2013 and a similar patient pool from 2015. After finding that twice as many children in the 2015 group had elevated lead levels in their blood as the 2013 group, she could use her data to lend credence to the questions being asked about Flint’s water supply. As Dr. Hanna-Attisha noted, “If we did not have EMRs, if we were still on paper, it would have taken forever to get these results.” To read more about Dr. Hanna Attisha’s smart use of EMRs for improved public health outcomes click here.
