Research

A particularly exciting development in the world of information technology has been the creation and forward evolution of Internet2, a community of U.S. and international leaders in research, academia, industry, and government, who are collaborating to create new channels for communication in order to support research and development. Gigi Lipori and Erik Deumens, Ph.D., describe their work connecting the University of Florida and the University of Florida Health through advanced connectivity.

According to a recent study, appearing in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) journal, Medicare & Medicaid Research Review, the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) does not necessarily impact healthcare costs in the short run.

Medication misuse and lack of adherence is a $200 billion problem in the U.S. healthcare system, according to a new report from the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics, a Danbury, C.T. consulting firm. The report, Avoidable Costs in U.S. Healthcare: The $200 Billion Opportunity from Using Medicines More Responsibly, says that this problem represents eight percent of the country’s annual healthcare expenditures, much of which comes through avoidable readmissions and outpatient treatments.

Two reports from AmericanEHR Partners— an online resource designed to aid the medical community with the selection and use of electronic health records— suggest that tablets are of greater use for clinical purposes than smartphones, based on a survey of nearly 1,400 physicians.

The Mayo Clinic has announced it will be making its patient education resources available to small medical practices within the country through a formal agreement with drchono, a Mountain View, Calif.-based electronic health record (EHR) company.