Medical body area networks (BANs) already are measuring multiple physiological parameters and sending the data to a smartphone over wireless channels like Bluetooth. Most are involved in vital signs monitoring such as pulse, electrocardiogram, stress, gait and breathing rate.

Lean methodology, adopted from the Toyota Production System which was originally conceived after World War II, has been hailed as a way to save costs, streamline efficiencies and reduce waste in virtually any endeavor. Healthcare has been slow to adopt the strategy, but those organizations that have can attest to its value to patients and employees.

Telemedicine’s potential is vast, but before it can be realized, a number challenges must be overcome. High-speed bandwidth still is not available in some areas of the country, and telemedicine’s role in the transition to a fee-for-performance model needs to be supported by clearer reimbursement guidelines. Just how close are we to meeting healthcare needs at anytime, from anywhere?

Derrick Suehs, chief quality officer of Crouse Hospital in Syracuse, N.Y., discusses the difference between good and great patient care. "I've begun to realize the difference between good and great comes down to passion and purpose. I suspect many people will dismiss this conclusion as overly simplistic, but I disagree," Suehs writes in an editorial published by Hospital Impact.

Contextualizing patient needs and circumstances at the point of care improves healthcare outcomes, according to an observational study published on April 16 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Information technology offers a host of options to help clinicians provide better care for stroke victims, from rapid exchange of data and images, alerts and reminders to quick and effective decision support and coordination of follow-up care.

I love reading about advanced technologies that have the potential to help with our most complex patients. It will be a fantastic future where natural language processing mixed with big data analytics will help diagnose difficult cases and suggest novel management strategies.

We know that time is brain when it comes to stroke care. An increasing range of apps, IT solutions and innovations are wide-ranging across the care continuum. An everyday text message can help friends and family members detect a neurological problem—known as dystextia.