The next big thing? Vote on it

Mary Stevens, Editor

The announcement of about iPad was a hot topic this week, and Apple claims the iPad will usher in nothing less than a rewrite of the way information is exchanged. The company claims the machines will deliver a wider variety of data, including video and other images—compared with data the tablet PCs can now support, in a more portable package. What would this mean for healthcare? We’ll have to wait and see. The first iPads will ship in 60 days, with 3G models taking another month. Is this so much iHype, or are you waiting with feverish anticipation? You can vote here.

It’s worth noting that handheld devices including personal digital assistants are prevalent among physicians, and the devices may be particularly useful for emergency radiologists, who in the near future may be able to use them for teleconsultation and emergency procedures, according to a study in the February issue of the American Journal of Roentgenology. A total of 46 percent of attending physicians and trainees and 45 percent of radiologists use PDAs, according to the study.

Here come the meaningful use results! The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is posting comments submitted on the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT's interim final rule and notice of proposed rulemaking on an open access Web site. Early comments touched on topics including HL7, computerized provider/physician order entry systems and EHRs. You have until March 15 to make your comments.

Additional research out this week found that the best hospitals are getting better, faster than other facilities. Hospitals rated in the top 5 percent in the U.S. have a 29 percent lower risk-adjusted mortality rate and are improving their clinical quality at a faster pace than other hospitals, according to a study by HealthGrades. The annual HealthGrades report examines patient outcomes for 26 medical procedures and diagnoses at all 5,000 nonfederal hospitals in the U.S., based on hospitalization records from 2006, 2007 and 2008 obtained from CMS. In addition, hospitals in the top 5 percent had risk-adjusted complication rates that were 9 percent lower than all other hospitals.

Nurses have a bigger role to play when it comes to improving health systems and services, according to a survey from Gallup on the behalf of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. This survey found that healthcare opinion leaders believe nurses should have more influence on increasing the quality of care, improving efficiency and reducing costs. However, respondents cited significant barriers that prevent nurses from fully participating as leaders in healthcare. Read the story here and get ready: This issue will only get bigger as healthcare providers enlist more stakeholders in their efforts to improve care.

Mary Stevens, Editor
mstevens@trimedmedia.com