Missouri providers have banded together to form a collaborative network to improve access and better coordinate healthcare for their patients.

The American Medical Association’s endorsement of telehealth guidelines is a “small step” in the right direction, said American Telemedicine Association officials during a June 24 videocast.

In a national online survey of healthcare consumers, two thirds reported consistently being surprised by medical bills despite the fact that nearly all desired upfront cost estimates and valued these nearly as much as other clinical factors in their decision making, including outstanding bedside manner, prompt test results and accurate diagnoses.

The move to mobile virtual visits was a natural evolution for Sioux Falls, S.D.-based Avera eCARE services, which has a long history of serving rural populations and harnessing telehealth technology to improve patient access to physicians and specialists.

The Department of Veteran Affairs’ national telehealth program resulted in a reduction of utilizations, increased patient satisfaction and significant savings, according to a report that analyzed fiscal year 2013 data.

Evidence-based practice is having an impact on healthcare but “we still have robust evidence for only a relatively small proportion of what we do,” says David W. Bates, MD, MSc, chief quality officer and senior vice president of Brigham and Women’s Hospital and medical director of clinical and quality analysis for Partners HealthCare in Boston.

It’s a mixed bag in how accountable care organizations (ACOs) are faring at improving health, delivering better quality of care and reducing costs.

Nurses are making their mark on the team-based, technology-rich healthcare system of the future