News Archive: Informatics and Technology
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2006
Integrated information systems may aid chronic-care delivery — Dec. 11, 2006
Chronic-care services are presently fragmented and difficult to access. Innovative Integrated Information Systems can contribute to effective chronic-care delivery by serving as a remedy for current system fragmentation.
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More quality of care research
Culturally-appropriate survey for evaluating care captured from existing instrument — Dec. 2006
The Group Health Association of America survey instrument was refined and augmented to uncover health care concerns of African Americans from varying socioeconomic backgrounds. The resulting instrument includes three new domains: respect, health education, and discrimination/stereotyping. The survey tool is practical for evaluating care delivered to both African Americans and Whites.
Adoption of information technology in the U.S. health care system could save billions of dollars — Aug. 2006
Health care information technology could save U.S. hospitals and health services $162 billion. This article outlines the major barriers to success and possible solutions to these difficulties, including the need for government intervention in implementing health care IT on a broad scale.
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Advanced countries to benefit most from technological progress — June 2006
An examination of 29 countries' science and technology capacity indicates that the global technology revolution—including advances in health, economic development, environmental quality, and military power—will continue unabated over the next 15 years, but some countries will be in a better position than others to take full advantage of it.
Executive summary
New web tool provides access to health information technology research — May 2006
An interactive web database developed by the RAND Southern California Evidence-Based Practice Center was recently launched on the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) website. The tool enables visitors to search through the supporting research used in a recent study of the costs and benefits of HIT.
Database at ahrq.gov
Patients successfully use electronic monitoring system to report reactions to smallpox vaccination — May 2006
Patients who received a smallpox vaccination successfully used an Internet and telephone-based electronic monitoring system to report symptoms and reactions to the vaccine. This system may be useful in public health emergencies, such as mass vaccination during a bioterrorism event or a pandemic influenza outbreak.
More research needed for successful adoption of health information technology — Apr. 2006
Electronic health records and other electronic healthcare technology can help improve the quality of care and increase efficiency, but more work is needed to show most health providers how to adopt the technology.
New RAND Health study examines standards for electronic prescribing — Jan. 2006
This project will evaluate standards for electronic prescribing proposed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for transmitting prescriptions and related information electronically between doctors, pharmacies and prescription drug plans.
RAND Health HIT study in Health Affairs Top 25 Papers for 2005 — Jan. 2006
RAND Health article "Can Electronic Medical Record Systems Transform Health Care? Potential Health Benefits, Savings, and Costs" made the "Top 25 Papers for 2005" list at Health Affairs.
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