Tech

Keys to sustainable telehealth post COVID-19

Tech
November 25, 2020

As we’ve listened to providers describe their reactions to this pandemic, telehealth continues to be a pervasive theme at the foundation of their response. They refer to this as a “watershed” event that will permanently change healthcare delivery. In that context, many expressed concern that the current relaxation of regulations, and as importantly, the parity payments for telehealth services will be retracted as the crisis eases. While most agree that …

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Physicians are drowning in electronic information

Tech
November 15, 2020

The administrative burden of medicine significantly contributes to physician and clinician burnout, electronic health systems, or EHR system design and workflow as a lead culprit. As such, recent EHR technology innovation tactics have focused on automating components of data entry and documentation. These technology innovations could significantly reduce the amount of time we spend crafting our SOAP notes and documenting patient encounters.

While …

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How the Google algorithm update helps doctor-written content rank higher

Tech
September 24, 2020

If you’re not intricately involved daily with SEO, let me explain what happened in May 2020 and why it will be a huge boost for content created by physicians.

First, what is SEO? In short, it is the process of optimizing content found online in order to help it be seen by those searching for the information found in that content. It used to be that people would just stuff their …

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An EMR frustration that is still torturing us

Tech
September 18, 2020

I have written, or more accurately ranted, about electronic medical records (EMR) systems throughout this blog. While the systems have clearly improved since their mandatory introduction into the medical universe, they have still not delivered on many of their promises.

Of course, EMR has brought tremendous advantages to the medical profession, and we are all grateful for the technology. But this progress has exacted a cost. Many of them are clumsy …

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Health care’s tech renaissance during the pandemic extends to medical training

Tech
September 6, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in at least 25 million cases worldwide with a continued spread in the United States, causing global disruption in every sector of society and forcing adaptation to a new normal relying increasingly on technology. Even in the medical field, where there is a pervasive and persistent traditionalist approach to technology adoption, many of the barriers have been overcome. When we reflect back on this life-changing …

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How technology is a weapon in the fight against COVID-19

Tech
September 2, 2020

As the COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the globe, companies are working hard to develop innovative solutions to fight the coronavirus pandemic. Chinese companies such as Alibaba have led the way using artificial intelligence, data science, and technology. Startups are teaming up with clinicians, engineers, and government entities to reduce the spread of COVID-19. As we continue our fight in the management and eventual eradication of the virus, here …

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The future of whole-person care: high-tech holistic medicine

Tech
August 8, 2020

When we think about holistic medicine, many assume that it requires human-to-human touch points and, therefore, doesn’t lend itself well to technology and innovations such as artificial intelligence. In fact, holistic medicine and whole-person care advocates often view technology as manufactured or impersonal and therefore dismiss its utility for health care. This is because there is a perception that health care tech values the human experience only for the purpose …

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Envisioning the delivery of true primary care telehealth

Tech
August 6, 2020

Almost overnight, the COVID-19 pandemic has completely disrupted how we deliver primary care to patients. Before the pandemic, telehealth seemed to be a way to deliver urgent care for acute issues to a select group of tech-savvy patients. Now, at least in my practice, the majority of primary care (acute care, chronic disease management, and preventive care) is being delivered through “telehealth,” meaning that we conduct visits virtually via video …

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Telehealth is the future but it is obscured by a dismal present

Tech
July 11, 2020

In so far as our current public health emergency is concerned, telehealth has obvious, indisputable benefits.  The redirection of patient flow has enabled the conservation of personal protective gear, decreased nosocomial transmission of the coronavirus, and, therefore, saved lives, especially those who are immunocompromised, who are far more likely to contract COVID-19 as well as experience worse outcomes. As most of us fully appreciate, telehealth is not, however, a mere …

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3 steps to changing your EHR system

Tech
May 19, 2020

If you are a physician unhappy with your current EHR system (surveys suggest 2 out of 3 are), and you do have the ability to switch, this article is for you. Our COVID-19 pandemic may place you in a bad financial time for this, but it’s also placed you in an excellent time to plan for it.

In 2010, with my then-current EHR software vendor declaring bankruptcy, my private practice, like …

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How to liberate doctors from EMRs

Tech
May 9, 2020

We talk a lot in critical care medicine about liberating patients from ventilators. Vents are getting a lot of deserved attention for saving lives in the COVID-19 era. But the machine has downsides that get worse the longer the patient needs it.

Because we’re obsessed with taking great care of our patients, we in ICU medicine obsess about ventilator liberation. There are thousands of publications on the topic. Vent weaning protocols …

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How cell phones can help lead us out of the COVID-19 pandemic

Tech
April 22, 2020

As most of America approaches the one-month mark since shelter-in-place orders began, there is increasing talk of “plateauing” and debate of strategies for resuming “normal” life. Unfortunately, we continue to find ourselves without a clear path out of this unprecedented pandemic.  Now more than ever, in the setting of an infectious disease crisis, health care providers must be at the forefront to advocate for those most at risk of a …

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Telehealth: Get ready for big changes in health care

Tech
March 15, 2020

The year 2020 might bear witness to a significant shift in control of health care from the providers, insurers, and the government to actual health care consumers.

First, it was the politicians, then the tech conferences and promises of 5G, and now global pandemic scares are all signaling the demand for remote health care.

The delivery of health care has been in the hands of hospitals and physicians for nearly a century. …

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IT deficits are eating hospital profits. CEOs need to wake up.

Tech
March 3, 2020

I work for a hospital network with the world’s slowest computers.  I timed it: Last shift, it took me fifteen minutes to log on. The first computer obtained didn’t function at all.  It had been worked on the day before by information technology services (IT).

Efficiency and time management appear to be amongst top priorities in medicine. “Did they get their aspirin 24 hours after getting their clot-busting drug after cleared …

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Doctors, a tech revolution is coming

Tech
January 31, 2020

What if I told you just a few years ago that Amazon — a budding e-commerce startup — would come to disrupt the multi-billion dollar retail industry.

I seriously doubt that anyone could have given it a serious thought. At least not in the magnitude that will force a slew of big-box retailers to shut their doors for good.

I am sure the same response would have been elicited about Uber and …

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Why specialty health care should go virtual

Tech
January 25, 2020

“Let’s take a look together,” was the start of a virtual clinical assessment that led to a primary care provider and a neurologist diagnosing a patient with Parkinson’s Disease. As the neurologist in that conversation, I had the opportunity to play a meaningful role in delivering my expertise and, most importantly, making sure the patient received the highest level of appropriate care. With telemedicine’s support, both providers – and the …

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