Mobile Tools and Applications Can Help Patients Better Manage Their Health

According to this article in iHealthBeat which features research from the California HealthCare Foundation, mobile tools and platforms can help chronic disease patients manage their health at home or at other places.

The author of the report, Jane Sarasohn-Kahn, offers guidance to healthcare providers that are looking to promote these health tools and applications. Jane mentions that these health applications should:

• Allow input on a full range of patient health activities;
• Consistently monitor patient health status;
• Continuously adjust recommended health regimens based on health status;
• Interpret patient data according to individual treatment goals;
• Proactively communicate tailored health advice to the patient; and
• Repeat these steps as needed.

Take some time to read this informative report it is worth the read.

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Study on e-prescribing to start

According to Government Health IT, the Agency for Health Care Research and Quality will begin the collection of information in order to help other agencies with the transition e-prescribing. They will be in contact with pharmacies and physicians who already use the process to find out their troubles and find other reasons many doctors aren't making the switch. They'll then use this information to work with health care organizations to work towards the adoption and valuable approaches to increase e-prescribing. Read the full article here.


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Joe Biden Announces Grants for Electronic Medical Records

According to this article in ABC News Vice President Joe Biden will announce nearly $1.2 billion in government grants to help hospitals transitions to electronic medical records. This is a way for for the White House to finally demonstrate how the taxpayers dollars will be spent. Joe Biden mentioned "With electronic health records, we are making health care safer, we're making it more efficient, we're making you healthier and we're saving money along the way."

The Vice President also made the argument that paper records take up too much time and is prone for medical errors. Electronic medical health records will definitely ease communication between physicians and patients in the near future.

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Patient compliance would cut healthcare expenditure

According to Fierce Pharma, medication compliance would save the government $290 billion a year in health care expenses, which is a total of 13% overall savings. The article suggests that the government look into a compliance push, as many of the medications that are not taken as prescribed are for chronic diseases. Read the full article here.

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Electronic health records promote health

According to Web MD, a study recently concluded that patients who are receiving electronic reminders will stay healthier and possibly lower health care costs. Electronic health records kept for 421 people with details such as physician visits, laboratory and pharmacy data in order to monitor the effects of cholesterol-lowering and blood-pressure-lowering drugs with the goal of reducing their risk for future heart attacks and strokes. All of the doctors included in the patients care were connected through the electronic health records, which proved that knowledge about the complete treatment of the patients could lead to lower medical costs and improved heatlh. Read the full article here.

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Portable health records

According to BNET Healthcare, many companies are trying to find a way for their employees to create a portable health record. They're turning to the company Dossia to help them do it. Some of the companies investing in this are AT&T, Applied Materials, BP America, Cardinal Health, Intel, Pitney Bowes, sanofi-aventis, and Abraxis Bioscience. Both the employees of this company and the general public would benefit from portable health records as the can help doctors provide better care because of the knowledge of their background. The article also points out that many companeis are intrested in portable heatlth record, but many companies are slow to jump on the offerings of Google and Microsoft.

To network with health plan and pharma professionals involved in medication and treatment compliance initiatives, join our LinkedIn group. You can also follow us on Twitter.

Encouraging patients to take medicine on time

In a recent article at Fierce Healthcare, they note that the New England Healthcare Institute is bringing a group of individuals together to strategize on ways that will encourage patients to take their medicines in prescribed doses at the correct times. They're looking at strategies that include strategies, packaging and financial incentives. Read more about their effort here.

To network with health plan and pharma professionals involved in medication and treatment compliance initiatives, join our LinkedIn group.