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How Technology is Helping in Addiction Recovery and Preventing Relapse

Danica Radisic
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How Technology is Helping in Addiction Recovery and Preventing Relapse

Car accidents, increased chance of depression and suicide, organ failure and overdose – these are just some of the hundreds of detrimental consequences of the various forms of addiction and substance abuse we are plagued with today. The harsh, scary truth is that drug and alcohol abuse in general is growing and, in some aspects, more lethal than ever. Staggering statistics related to crime and health deterioration clearly show that drugs and alcohol are often linked to these very modern issues society must deal with.

On the flip side, we have been making medical and technological advances that the greatest minds of the 20th century could only dream off. We live in an always connected world, with unfathomable information and resources quite literally, at our fingertips. Why is it that so many people disconnect from society in this connected world and find themselves swallowed by ailments like addiction and substance abuse?

Although the proximity of other human beings and the direct involvement of immediate family in friends in the addiction recovery process has been tried and proven over the past couple of decades, many researchers, engineers and medical professionals in the area are turning to technology. Many experienced recovery centers focusing on the human sort of connectedness in therapy and some now offer specialized programs that claim to focus on “the whole person” and not just the illness. While the effects of family involvement and treating underlying addictions and mental issues along with the addiction, often a result more than a cause, the aftercare process and staying “on the wagon” has proven to be a far longer and rockier road than the one to recovery.

Among the many people looking for practical, easily accessible, private, and connected ways technology can be used in the addiction recovery and post-recovery processes are a couple of MIT scientists who began exploring the possible applications of readily available technology to monitor and help recovering addict in post-recovery and everyday life once outside of the recovery center. Such solutions based on standard technology and medical experience could also affect the expansion of out patient treatment extensively and open the doors to recovery to many more who are troubled by addiction, substance abuse, PTSD, and other similar illnesses.

The folks at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in collaboration with their colleagues at MIT, dubbed the project iHeal and describe it as a “constellation of technologies that incorporate artificial intelligence, continuous biophysical monitoring, wireless connectivity, and smartphone computation,” – in short, all items that are already readily available and could provide fairly low-cost, accessible post-recovery support to many. iHeal’s premise is one that can be said to be based on fact.

The published paper on the topic claims that behavioral modification applied and essential to addiction recovery are relatively successful in controlled environments in clinics and treatment centers, but that they often fail in everyday environments and for the simple reason that, outside controlled environments, recovering individuals have a difficult time recognizing biological and affective changes that increase risk of relapse or triggers in their environment.

Most recovering addicts spend a year getting to know this increased biological and behavioral reactions in themselves, while many never learn to recognize them. Controlling their reactions to such increased risk is even more difficult and enacting a controlled, safe environment is simply not a possibility. Projects like iHeal aim to resolve this, by using technology to indicate these changes, giving recovering patients clear signs that they are at higher risk of relapsing at a given moment and may need to refer to what they were taught in recovery programs.

Technology, of course, is only part of the solution. Decades ago, treatment experts recommended strict isolation of patients in recovery, often blocking any access to the outside world and even family. After years of trial and error, studies and experience have shown that the opposite is true and that the involvement of the nearest and dearest of patients in recovery is an essential part of both recovery and post-recovery. As humans, we crave human connection, but we also need to have a deeper and clearer understanding of ourselves and our reactions to the outside world and those around us. Finding the right combination of factors is often the key to a successful recovery and the crossroads of technology and human interaction may make treatment and recovery more accessible to everyone in a seemingly connected world.

Does Your Clinical Decision Support Possess Smart Data Integration Capabilities?

Liora Guy-David
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Does Your Clinical Decision Support Possess Smart Data Integration Capabilities?

Clinicians depend on electronic health records (EHRs) and other high-tech tools to give them the best data at the point of care, when they’re interfacing directly with patients and have to make potentially lifesaving decisions. However, as studies and tales of the last five years of computerized healthcare have revealed, there’s also such a thing as too much data.

Clinical decision support (CDS) tools have emerged as a solution to this issue by transforming the most critical patient data into actionable alerts. But while the idea of using CDS in tandem with EHRs piqued the interest of healthcare leaders, clinicians ended up flooded with far more information than they could possibly need, including details that have no real bearing on decision-making.

In order to truly leverage the benefits of EHRs, healthcare leaders need to adopt smarter health IT systems, especially smarter CDS tools. Perhaps the easiest way to understand the current need for smarter CDS tools is by examining how an environment of too much data has led to multiple issues — starting with alert fatigue.

When EHRs gained widespread adoption in the first few years of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) EHR Incentive Program, which rolled out in 2010, the term “alert fatigue” became a catchphrase. Though EHRs aren’t the only source of alert fatigue; it’s also fueled by multiple “smart” devices with alerting capabilities that began populating care settings around the same time.

In the seven years since “meaningful use” entered the healthcare lexicon, a growing number of studies have demonstrated the ways clinicians are inundated with a high number of alerts, many of which are more disruptive than helpful to workflow. One recent 31-day study[1] conducted in an academic hospital found that 66 adult ICU beds generated more than 2 million alerts, or 187 warnings per patient per day. Many of these warnings were clinically inconsequential: For example, 88.8 percent of the 12,671 annotated arrhythmia alarms issued during the study period were false positives.

With such a large percentage of false alerts, it’s little wonder that clinicians become accustomed to ignoring them altogether – effectively negating any potential gains from these technologies. A 2013 report published in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association[1] noted that “several studies cite very high override rates ranging between 49 percent and 96 percent.”

CDS systems joined the ranks of solutions designed to improve care in the post-meaningful use era, in this case issuing guidance alerts, based on analysis of patient data, to clinicians through EHR screens. Yet until recently, some CDS tools inadvertently contributed to alert fatigue. One 2012 study[1], for example, noted a direct correlation between the response rates to the alerts and alert exposure.

After investing millions of dollars in their EHR, practice management and CDS systems, healthcare leaders are often befuddled on how to leverage all the data these technologies generate in the most impactful way.

Fortunately, technology has grown smarter over the last five years, and that’s good news for healthcare leaders who are feeling anxious over the domino effect of alert fatigue.

By utilizing smarter CDS tools and other technologies that rely on sophisticated “behind the scenes” algorithms, healthcare systems will reap the true benefits of technology, receiving critical medical information in real time, instead of a deluge of data noise.

The algorithms that bolster smarter CDS tools work by reading data in real time, as it is entered into an EHR or other system, searching for keywords, terms or other metrics that stand out among patient data. Once the CDS combs through the real-time data and extracts the most important information, it filters this information through existing, pre-set modules (e.g., for conditions such as heart disease or diabetes) and compares patient data to baseline measures. After all this work, a smart CDS generates and prioritizes alerts, which are calls to action.

So if, for example, a patient is admitted to an acute-care facility after suffering from chest pains, a smart CDS can read real-time biometric data (such as body temperature) and combine it with multiple ancillary sources of demographic data (such as age, medication allergies, etc.), and produce an appropriate alert, such as a warning a clinician not to administer a common medication that would cause anaphylactic shock.

A smart CDS is one that adheres to the “Five Rights” CDS principle[1]: delivering the right information to the right people, through the right channels, in the right intervention formats, at the right points in workflow for optimized decision making. In addition, a smart CDS can operate in tandem with various EHRs, and coexist alongside most other health IT specifications, which will become more important as initiatives such as the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA) take hold. (As a side note, healthcare providers who choose the MIPS track under MACRA will need to use an EHR to adhere to guidelines in the “Advancing Care Information” category, which emphasizes information exchange and interoperability). Truly smart CDS tools are capable of mining data from multiple EHRs — bypassing HL7 connectivity concerns.

Ultimately, a smarter CDS will enable clinicians to make important choices at the point of care, such as whether to prescribe a certain medication or proceed with an alternate course of care if a patient isn’t responding to a particular protocol. Without smart technology, a CDS can’t support an organization properly by maximizing an EHR’s potential.

A smart CDS system is one that turns information delivery into an art form, by intuitively knowing what information clinical teams need, and when they need it – so clinical teams can do their best work and patients can make the biggest improvements.

[1] https://psnet.ahrq.gov/resources/resource/28461

[2] https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jonathan_Teich/publication/231210831_Drug-drug_interactions_that_should_be_non-interruptive_in_order_to_reduce_alert_fatigue_in_electronic_health_records/links/53f392110cf2155be35098aa.pdf

[3] https://psnet.ahrq.gov/resources/resource/24474

[4] https://www.cms.gov/eHealth/downloads/ClinicalDecisionSupport_AlertsTipsheet.pdf

 

Revolutionary Digital Technologies for Enhanced Dental Hygiene

Amruta Patel
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Revolutionary Digital Technologies for Enhanced Dental Hygiene

Digital dental technologies available today are transforming the field of dental hygiene. Right from speedy consultations and collaborations, to enhancing the quality of dental care provided. Cosmetic, general, implant dentists or any other dental specialists. All of them are quickly adapting the effective inventions in digital dental technology, to optimize the dental care on all fronts. Listed below are few of these techniques and technologies: 

Intra-Oral Camera

Exact images of problem areas in teeth and their supporting parts, are crucial for deciding the nature of dental treatment and its flawless implementation. With Intra-oral camera, technicians and dentists can get a precise image and hence are able to provide better dental care. This camera is also used to educate patients about how they can enhance their dental hygiene practices, such as which areas to focus on while brushing.

Cone Beam CT

This is a pre-surgical imaging technique which has made the placements of dental implants easier, predictable and successful. A computerized tomography method – Cone Beam CT produces quick and particular 3-D images of a patient’s maxillofacial or oral anatomy. This image is useful for preparing implant surgical guides used by oral surgeons while fixing dental implants.

T-Scan

T-scan, a high-tech digital software, helps recognize premature contacts, high forces and the interrelationship of occlusal surfaces with more precision and accuracy. Some of its benefits include –

  • Precise occlusal data and location of premature contacts
  • Preserve dental artistry by eliminating destructive forces
  • Reduce repeat visits
  • Observe changes in occlusion over time
  • Eliminates ‘speculation-approach’
  • Enables better patient education on their occlusion
  • Helps your practice stand out from the rest

Laser Cavity Detection

Generally, cavities are undetectable when they are at an early stage. But thanks to this phenomenal digital technology – the laser cavity detection, cavities can be detected at a much earlier stage. This prevents major dental problems resulting from cavities which are left undetected for long. For instance, almost 50% of cavities were left undetected up until they resulted in painful root canals or even loss of teeth. There are many areas in and around teeth, such as under and around metal fillings, chewing areas etc., which make it more difficult to detect any problems. However, the laser easily detects the damaged area precisely, painlessly, and without the need of resorting to X-rays. The exactness of this laser cavity detection technology eliminates all the ‘guesswork’ treatment in hard to reach areas of mouth, and helps dentists deliver perfect treatment.

DIAGNOdent

DIAGNOdent is a type of laser cavity detection technology, which employs a laser diode to examine and sense early signs of tooth decay. It offers a digital print of even the smallest signs of decay which is of huge help to the dentists. Early detection translates to less complicated fillings thus helping preserve more of the original tooth constitution. Since this technology only uses light energy and not x-rays, it scores more on safety aspects as well.

Optical Scanners

These provide a digital map of the teeth and are also useful in creating a digital impression of the tooth’s anatomy. The digital impressions are far more convenient as compared to the traditional methods of taking impressions which involve distasteful tasting materials and unwieldy trays often causing a gag. Digital color maps are important because they provide precise color analysis. This color analysis helps determine the shade and custom characterization of cosmetic restorations, making it much easier for the dentist to work.

You too can revamp your way of providing dental care with these immensely helpful digital technologies. They are more precise, aid in delivering better results and thus help you gain more customer satisfaction and healthy smiles.

How to Start a Business on the Health Industry

Joel Cortez
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How to Start a Business on the Health Industry

Are you an entrepreneur at heart? Does your tight budget scare you from starting your own business? It’s actually easier than you think to start your own health-focused small business. Whether it’s an online store or a storefront, you can start making a positive impact on your community while also earning a decent living. It doesn’t matter what you focus on, from supplements to yoga classes, by following these tips you’ll effectively start a business on the health industry with a tight budget.

Provide a single focus on what product or service you will be offering to your customers. Don’t let the vastness of the health industry turn your business plan into chaos. There can be a lot to decide from, but by offering your clients a concrete product or service, you’ll be known in the community as a top provider.

You can also build your own website from affordable, do-it-yourself website creators that make it simple, easy and almost free to market your health product or service. Many of these websites offer an online store option to help you build your reputation in the internet shopping realm.

Many websites offer affiliate programs that allow you to sell their products and get paid for it. You are able to create your own custom coupon code and offer discounts to anybody who purchases from their site using your custom link.

Coupons offer customers new deals every month of the year, something that keeps clients interested in your store. They will be excited to check back each month to take advantage of your deals, and your business will have many repeat customers. Brand loyalty is important to brands and their clients.

If you’re going to be offering a product it is wise to find a wholesaler of the products you want to sell. Some vendors cater to helping new businesses start on a positive note by offering great deals when buying large quantities of a product. By building rapport with suppliers, you can network your way to an even better deal. Now if you’re supplying a service, it is easy to find apprentices and/or interns who are skilled but looking for experience. It gives you a chance to save some money and provides an opportunity for health professionals looking to break into their field.

Just because your budget is close to nothing, doesn’t mean you’re on the fast track to failure. It just means you will need to get creative when it comes to starting and marketing your health industry business. Always be on the lookout for government grants and others in your field to collaborate with.

Revolutionary Robotic Surgery is Helping Doctors Perform Eye Surgeries

Rachel Oliver
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Revolutionary Robotic Surgery is Helping Doctors Perform Eye Surgeries

2016 was a special year for robots in medicine. Two doctors in Oxford, England used a remotely-controlled robot to remove a membrane from a patient’s retina. Dr.William Beaver, a 70-year-old patient, underwent this first-of-its-kind surgery.

The patient was suffering from a membrane pinching his retina, which led to him seeing the world in a distorted shape. Conducted through a minute incision in the eye, the procedure was performed by the Robotic Retinal Dissection Device (R2D2), which is sponsored by the University of Oxford and receives sponsorship from the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre.

The R2D2 device was controlled using a joystick and a camera that fed back to the surgeon. The device was guided through a minuscule incision in the eye, which allowed the wrinkled membrane to be lifted from the retina. The size of the membrane? Less than a hundredth of a millimeter. This is the level of precision that a robot-aided surgery provides.

This operation was performed in September 2016 and since then, five other robot-assisted operations have taken place. One such operation involved a virus being placed on the retina to slow down the detrimental effects of retinal degeneration.

So why do we use robots to perform eye surgery? The answer is simple: the human hand is unsteady. This specialized robot is designed to operate inside a patient’s eye, working through a hole less than 1 mm in diameter. A robotic device can remove the danger, which unexpected movements in the surgeon’s hand can bring. Even a pulse from the surgeon’s hand can contribute to a surgical mistake in the eye.

Medical Robots Market

According to market research, the market for global medical robots is expected to grow from USD 4.2 billion in 2015 to over USD 17 billion by 2020. In 2015, it was found that the laparoscopy segment of the robotics market accounted for most of the medical robot market.

Da Vinci Robot

The Da Vinci system is the eye surgery robotic specialist that works with doctors to operate on patients using a robotic rig, which gives the doctor control over the system. The visualization system provides doctors with a 10x magnification capacity, while making the surgical procedure a lot steadier than is possible using a human hand. The results from this type of robot-aided surgical procedure also leads to less scarring for the patient along with a reduced risk of infection and faster recovery time.

The Da Vinci robot was made in the United States and has previously been used to operate on faulty heart valves. The medical robot has performed surgeries on over 3 million patients globally, providing surgeons with more control than a human hand. Older surgeons, especially tend to lose the steadiness in their hands that most eye surgeries require.

In 2011, a PhD student at the Netherlands’ Eindhoven University of Technology created a robot to operate specifically on the eye. The robot was designed to conduct surgical procedures on the retina and the vitreous humour, both of which require an extremely steady hand.

Thanks to a two-armed ‘slave’ module along with a dual-joystick ‘master’ unit, a surgeon can control the robot and greatly reduce the risks posed by hand tremors. This is done using a technology that scales down the operator’s hand movements. For example, if a surgeon’s hand were to move by a centimetre, the robot will convert that into a one millimeter tremor. This technology means older surgeons can continue performing surgeries without worrying about tremors.

Bulky Robots Are a Thing of the Past

Until 2016, medical robots were considered too bulky to be used in small-scale procedures. The Da Vinci robot is the size of an elephant! These robots are large because they need to control long, straight instruments which pass through much smaller holes in the patient. The robots also need to be bulky to exert sufficient force on the body during surgery.

A medical company in Cambridge has now developed one of the smallest medical robots on the globe. It is the size of a soda can. The robot k works with instruments measuring a mere 1.8 millimeter in diameter. It is the first generation of robots that shows how surgeons can benefit from greater precision, minimal invasion during access, and extremely accurate navigation during clinical procedures. All of this is an improvement on what the current range of medical robots in the market can offer.

This new, much smaller robot has been made by replacing straight instruments with flexible ones. The size of the robot can be reduced due to the new motor controls being enabled. A smaller robot also provides surgeons with the ability to work with multiple tools and get closer to the patient. These robots can aid procedures which require precise movements to access very complex structures in the body. For example, even though cataract surgery is one of the world’s most common surgeries, it still can invite serious potential complications, which a smaller robot will help eradicate.

Changing Instruments

An eye operation can require changing multiple instruments in a single operation and this is where robotic surgery brings with it another advantage. The robot’s selection of specialized instruments, which are only half-a-millimeter wide, include forceps, scissors and other complex tools. The medical robot can interchange each of these instruments within seconds; and to make the procedure even more precise, each instrument can enter the patient’s eye in the exact same spot repeatedly. This minimizes any damage to the eye tissue.

The Future

The future for surgery looks bright, thanks to medical robots. Going forward, current operations will be improved upon and more complex operations, which seem impossible to perform with the human hand, can take place. Complex surgeries such as operating underneath the retina and interacting with blood vessels in the eye will be made possible. The speed which these robots provide is unparalleled. Some surgeons hope that medical advances in the near future will require only robots to come in contact with patients’ eyes and the rest of the procedure will be automated. This will reduce costs and increase overall efficiency.

8 Tips For Effective Communication in Healthcare

Jason William
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8 Tips For Effective Communication in Healthcare

There are very few fields in health care that allow healthcare providers to work isolated and most of these don’t involve direct patient care, especially behind the scenes, like research and laboratory work. Quite often, direct patient care roles necessitate interacting with patients in addition to functioning with other medical professionals to provide the best care. In order to provide patients with proper care, understanding their situation and effective communication skills is a major requirement for any devoted healthcare provider. Effective healthcare communication will allow getting better patient outcomes, more cooperation, significantly less errors, job satisfaction and more efficient use of time.

Here are some of the effective communication tips that would allow healthcare providers to receive better patient satisfaction.

1. Use Simple Language

Patients tend to trust and rely on the healthcare professionals who use simple words or language that everyone can understand and are comfortable with. Using difficult medical terminologies with patients will not help gain trust and build confidence and neither will it amaze them. Keeping it simple by using non-medical language will provide better patient outcome and help build trust, which is a paramount factor in a doctor-patient relationship.

2. Communicate Precisely and Clearly

When communicating with a patient, nothing is as essential as precision. Ask about their condition and how they are feeling from the beginning and point everything that can be associated with their condition that they may not be able to explain or even comprehend, in chronological order. Ensure not to make any punctuation mistakes when communicating through email or any other mode of communication that requires writing or typing. Be clear and concise. Ask the patients to tell the key points of your message to make sure they are not missing anything.

3. Ask Open-Ended Questions

Many parts of healthcare training emphasize on what to say and ask the patients. Make use of open-ended questions that can be responded to, simply, with a Yes or a No. This method allows patients to reflect on their condition, pain, problems and symptoms.

4. Understand Non-Verbal Signs

Do not ask the patient whether or not they understand your message, because they may respond with a Yes, even if they do not understand. Read non-verbal signs, that is; their facial or body expressions. If the patient jiggles or shivers quietly with a blank look on face, this can be the first indicator that he or she does not understand the instructions provided. Attentiveness for patient history correlates with high patient satisfaction levels.

5. Use Teach-Back Method

The teach-back method is an approach in the field of healthcare to explain information clearly and accurately. This method educates patients with low health literacy and improves understanding and adherence.

6. Use Technology

Technology provides healthcare providers with many ways to communicate with patients, but it should be used correctly. Don’t inundate patients with messages through multiple platforms as it will overwhelm them. Additionally, while using technology for communication, don’t use vague language or insert emoticons when having a rational conversation. Being clear and direct is paramount for healthcare professionals.

7. Listen And Empathize

Listening to and empathizing with patients is of paramount importance. This involves giving them your attention and acknowledging any emotional cues in their history without judging them. Offering support and nonjudgmental advice encourage patients to convey their fears and depression, making them more receptive to treatment by alleviating their anxiety.

8. Establish a Dialogue

Establishing a dialogue will help health care providers determine if the patient agrees or disagrees with the diagnosis and treatment. Patients who don’t agree with diagnosis tend to terminate the following treatment plan eventually. Try not to give them comprehensive information about drug treatments as they may not want to know. Instead, provide them with details about how the procedure will alleviate their pains and suffering. Highly important is outlining the whole process, laying out a clear path to recovery for patients.

Adopting effective communication not only improves the doctor-patient relationship, but builds trust as well. Make certain to use a polite tone when conveying your message to the patients, especially seniors. These communication tips will surely help caregivers as well to improve their caregiving skills and gain trust of seniors and job satisfactions.

9. Personalized gifts

Personalized gifts are perfect options to promote satisfaction! You can show extra wishes through a unique element, otherwise, that would be a neutral gift. Lapel pins custom with “Take Care”, something as simple as engraving the department and name of your hospital on the pins, can also make a lasting impression and communicate your worth in it. Not just a gift that makes them feel warm and trusted, but also a promotional gift that can be a vehicle for propaganda. Interested? Learn more at GS-JJ.com.

The Importance of Risk Stratification in Population Health Management

Abhinav Shashank
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The Importance of Risk Stratification in Population Health Management

As value-based care becomes the primary focus of healthcare organizations, providers now need to broach Population Health Management and to manage it with risk stratification with a delicate balance. It is now important for providers to focus on patients’ individual and distinct health signs and take decisions to take their journey forward to better and quality health.

Before providers deliver care, they should have a prior knowledge of who their patients are, identifying them and finding who needs the care most. In this era of value-based care, risk stratification becomes a necessity: to sort patients into high, moderate and low health risk tiers and delivering appropriate care to address their health needs.

The Need for Risk Stratification

Risk stratification, to put simply, is the process of dividing patients into “buckets” based on their vital health signs, their lifestyles, and medical history. Risk stratification is a framework applied for complete population health management, combining several individual risk scores, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and medical records to create a comprehensive patient profile.

Risk stratification is the foundational step for targeting patients at various levels of risks, and further, scheduling follow-ups and keeping them aligned with their care plans. Here’s why risk stratification is important:

  • Predict risks: Risk stratification can help providers to proactively identify patients at risk of unplanned hospital admissions. Almost one-third of all the readmissions that take place in the United States are preventable.
  • Patient-specific care plans: Identifying patient-specific risk factors that may pose a threat in the future can help physicians and health coaches develop care plans tailored to their needs.
  • Understanding population health trends: With a continuous assessment of risk factors and the use of risk scores, providers can understand their patient population and find answers to critical questions.

All in all, it’s the need of the hour to implement risk stratification in any successful population health management model to classify patients into high-risk, low-risk, and rising-risk groups and to achieve the Triple Aim: better health outcomes, quality care and lower costs of care.

Overview of Risk Stratification Methods

There are several models available to stratify a population by risk. Here are a few widely used and recognized ones:

  • Hierarchical Condition Categories (HCCs): The HCC models were designed as part of the Medicare Advantage Program by CMS. It incorporates 70 conditions, all selected from ICD codes and also brings in expected health expenditures. 
  • Adjusted Clinical Groups (ACG): ACG was developed by Johns Hopkins University with the ability to stratify risk with a critical review and testing process. It uses both inpatient and outpatient diagnoses and predicts hospital utilizations.
  • Elder Risk Assessment (ERA): ERA works for the population over 60 years of age and makes use of their demographic data to assign a risk score to each patient.
  • Chronic Comorbidity Count (CCC): CCC is to total count of selected comorbid conditions spanning over six categories, using the public data from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

The Use of Data

Data analytics is the current buzzword in healthcare, and rightly so. Access to actionable data combined with right analysis helps not only in predicting outcomes, but also improves the ability of care teams to align available resources to what a patient needs. Although data is just a start and not an endpoint, it can be used in several ways to make the process of risk stratification less cumbersome.

  • Optimal use of data: Going beyond clinical and claims data to socioeconomic data and other relevant information that describe a patient and integrating multiple sources of information to let providers understand what works best for a patient. 
  • Performing analytics: Identification of underlying risk factors will alert providers well-in-time of any complication that might occur.
  • Monitoring growth and outcomes: Data from previous successes and failures can help care teams redesign care plans and ensure complete patient-centric care.
  • Incorporating data into risk scores: Creating risk scores as a blend of behavioral, demographic and clinical data will provide physicians with a holistic view of patients to improve outcomes across the care continuum.

A value-focused organization used Medicaid data, along with real-time hospital admissions, discharge, and transfer data (ADT) from about 80% of hospitals across the state with the aim to provide more than 1800 Primary Care Practices with insights into patient risk status and population health trends. Within the last one year, their efforts have been rewarded with a 5 percent drop in total Medicaid costs along with a 26 percent reduction in inpatient admissions and half the number of preventable readmissions.

The Road Ahead

Risk stratification, in all true sense, is a catalyst in developing successful population health management plans. Only an effective implementation of risk stratification combined with communication and monitoring will guarantee appropriate patient-centric care. The availability of data is not an issue; even the access to data is a challenge that can be combated. The real challenge is transformation – it needs more than analytics and insights; it calls for actionable plans from providers, payers, and patients.

How IT Solutions Play An Integral Role in the Healthcare Industry

Lucy Kaith
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How IT Solutions Play An Integral Role in the Healthcare Industry

New technology always comes up with innovations. Implementation of new technology is a time-consuming process, since people are more comfortable with traditional methods and it becomes difficult to understand new technology, even if it brings lots of new innovation saving time, effort and cost on a longer run.

However, one of the major problems in the healthcare industry is to update in nature. New technology and IT solutions have given impressive results in the healthcare industry in past years. A major concern with new technologies is that there are some healthcare IT consulting leaders in the market who have practical approaches and experience of making it work based on the user’s needs. Feedback from doctors, nurses and other staff is also required for further improvements when all operations go digital. The reason why major problems go undetected is because healthcare IT solutions providers lack a future vision.

Because less effective healthcare IT applications and software carry potential risk for patients, it becomes important that healthcare units and organizations take steps to ensure that the technology implemented is working correctly. Hiring a leader with healthcare industry experience is the simplest way to improve the quality of healthcare IT products/services with optimum solutions at lower risk. Implementing the right process and features to include in healthcare solutions requires a right mix of seasoned professionals. The following steps are critical in the implementation of new technology in healthcare IT:

1. Preparation

Innovative technology comes in the picture before healthcare IT while examining the implementations of EHR (electronic health records). Right leadership and shared vision are two keys to successful implementation of healthcare IT products. Find the right professional who is able to lead as well as get the team on board with the smooth transition of defined processes and goals.

2. Planning

Before working on any healthcare digital product, you should have proper planning with a fully implementation plan and timelines. The use of robust “Ready-to-use” and “Compliance-ready” healthcare product framework suites become necessary for better delivery and usability of healthcare IT solutions offered to organizations or healthcare institutions.

It will be a disaster later on if feedback and real-time issues from the healthcare organizations or physicians are not taken into consideration. Planning and execution by considering all parameters could deliver the best product.

3. Practice

Under each phase of development, it is better to take advice and regular feedback from the management of healthcare organizations or users who are actually going to use your IT product. It will become more vulnerable when your users do not understand in which direction you are heading. They might have something else in their minds about the product and you might be working on something different. Ongoing training and feedback provide an improved version of your IT product.

4. Progress checks

It is preferred to always check the progress of your product development and implementation at regular intervals. Identify problems faced by current IT systems or products and come up with the best and optimum solutions. Many healthcare IT consulting firms give free usage of their products to hospitals and healthcare organizations in order to make their product more viable to users and provide real-time solutions.

It is important to have a technical support from the vendor’s end to successfully implement new healthcare technology or healthcare products reported by NIH (National Institute of Health). Healthcare IT support with extra hands will make the process more effective and implementation easier at hospitals and healthcare organizations.

As a managed healthcare IT solution provider company, our healthcare software solutions are developed by covering all major aspects of the healthcare industry. We provide robust healthcare application development services and support which are easy to understand and save time and money.

5 Ways Technology is Changing Dentistry

Shen Chao
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5 Ways Technology is Changing Dentistry

Nobody likes going to the dentist. The drills, injections and the menacing tools are enough to scare even the toughest of men. At the same time, a severe toothache or dental problem could feel like the end of the world, making a visit to the dentist unavoidable. The good news is that going to the dentist won’t be as scary and painful as it was, all thanks to technology. It is transforming the dentistry world for the better. Let’s see how.

1. Digital Dentistry

Digital dentistry can be defined as any dental technology or a dental device that incorporates computer-controlled or digital components rather than being mechanical or electrical alone. Computer aided design and computer aided manufacturing (CAD & CAM) are a common example.

Some other areas of digital dentistry include lasers, Caries diagnosis, Computer-aided implant dentistry, digital radiography, extraoral and intraoral photography, Occlusion and TMJ analysis and diagnosis, and shade matching.

Electronic record-keeping, data analysis, newer diagnostic tools, revolutionary treatment options and novel prevention methods are also a part of digital dentistry. You can expect the technological innovations to improve and provide wider access to dental care. The diagnostics will be more precise and the digitized medical history will allow the dental professionals to pinpoint your susceptibility to the exact type of oral disease.

2. Tech-Friendly Diagnosis and Treatment

The diagnosis and treatment of dental problems and oral diseases will improve significantly. At present, a lot of dentists use soft tissue laser for minor gum surgeries, however, it won’t be long when these procedures would be carried out by computers. The high-speed dental drills could be replaced by hard-tissue lasers and tiny, digitally controlled mirrors to remove tooth decay.

New biomaterials are being created that could fill cavities or allow them to heal themselves which could prevent painful and expensive root canals. Developments in diagnostics have made it possible to detect oral cancer in early stages by using special lights that can pick up tissue changes that otherwise can’t be seen with the naked eye. Nanobots are looking quite lucrative too, but this technology is quite complex whose developments lie far in the future.

3. Bioprinting

3D printing is a rage in various industries and the dental industry is not being left behind. The current technology uses CAD/CAM to mill a tooth from a 3D scan if you need a crown, cap or bridge. The next step includes bioprinting and 3D printing. Some institutes are working with recipes that could add tooth decay-fighting chemicals to 3D printed teeth.

A team in North California has managed to print out different parts of the human body using a mixture of live cells and gel which is laid down in layers to construct human tissues. It is possible to build a jawbone, which could be beneficial for those suffering from oral cancer.

4. Innovations Preventing Oral Diseases

Numerous dental innovations focus on prevention of dental problems. Several manufacturers are designing toothbrushes that are fitted with various technological attachments such as location tracking device and cameras that show you the areas of the mouth where you are not brushing properly, or a timer that indicates how long you brush, and pressure sensors that will warn you if you brush too hard.

Other are going a step ahead and are creating sensors that will have the ability to detect various oral diseases from your mouth tissue or saliva. These sensors could even monitor your heart rate, detect bad breath and blood alcohol levels. A pH sensor could detect acidic saliva which causes tooth decay. All these innovations will detect diseases before they become serious.

5. Easy Access to Excellent Care

Some technological developments now allow you to do the initial scanning at home or community health clinic with your smartphone. Technologies like these help in democratizing dental care and allow everyone, even those staying in remote places, to get a quick diagnosis of basic dental problems. You can easily upload your information and scans online, and get an analysis from a highly qualified doctor from any corner of the world.

When digital dentistry is implemented properly and doctors are fully educated about the same, you can expect excellent returns on investment. With the help of these technological developments, you can deliver exceptional dental care to your patients, regardless of their location.

Do You Have a Drug or Alcohol Addiction?

The Healthcare Guys
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Do You Have a Drug or Alcohol Addiction?

Everyone has heard of “hitting bottom.” There’s no debate about whether or not someone has a severe addiction. However, there’s a huge spectrum of behaviors and consequences when dealing with addiction and dependence. Mild or moderate addiction may not be as easy to recognize.

Illicit drugs are one thing, but prescription drugs also complicate the matter. Can you be addicted to a drug that you are prescribed by a doctor? If you are taking an opiate for chronic pain, you will become physically dependent on the drug. Does physical dependence translate to addiction?

No one wants to be labeled and addict, thus the concept of drug addict denial. This concept states that drug addicts have a hard time admitting that they are addicted, no matter how obvious it is to everyone else. Additionally, an addict by nature may not be analyzing situations with a clear and sober mind. So how do you know if you have a problem?

To determine whether substance dependence is an issue, take some time and evaluate these factors.

Inability to Stop or Control Use

Perhaps you’ve tried to stop using drugs or alcohol and failed. Perhaps you promised yourself that you would quit, and you find yourself going into work on a Wednesday with a hangover.

There are two reasons why you can’t stop or slow down. First, it could be a physical dependence. If you experience withdrawal symptoms when you try to stop or cut back, you may return to usage so you will feel normal again. Second is psychological dependence. You may experience intense cravings and feel depression without the substance. In many cases, physical and psychological dependence both play a part in not being able to stop.

Your Social Life Suffers

When you have an addiction, you begin to pull away from the people that you love. Your old hobbies aren’t really interesting to you anymore. You may make friends with people with similar habits, and you will find yourself avoiding people in your life that don’t use these substances.

Excessive Use

You take your usage too far. Your health may suffer as a result. You may do things that you regret when you are sober. This is a vicious cycle because you find yourself using more to mask your feelings about what you’ve done.

Downplaying Usage

You will also find yourself trying to hide how much you are using from your friends and family, sometimes even yourself. You are hiding it because you know that it’s too much, but you aren’t ready to be confronted about it.

Sacrifices

You may find yourself spending money on your pills or alcohol and not being able to pay your bills. You’ll begin to sacrifice small things like groceries or buying new clothes. More severe cases may start pawning or selling items that you still enjoy. You may end up losing your job because you can’t function well enough to make it to work.

Living in this digital age, using technology to aid in recovery would be a great idea, especially that technology is touching many aspects of our lives. There are many apps that could help in one’s recovery journey, such as New2Recovery for Addictions for iinstance.

If you believe you’ve moved from occasional use to dependence, there is help available. You are not alone in the struggle against addiction. Contact Beachside Rehab. You can visit their drug rehab facility in Florida and find out if you need their help.

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