FROM THE FOUNDATION

The Social Life of Health Information

A new Pew Internet/CHCF national survey finds the Internet has joined doctors and family members as one of the top three ways people search for answer to their health care questions.

Evaluating One-e-App

CHCF and The California Endowment funded the development of One-e-App, a Web-based program that enables users to apply for multiple public insurance programs at once. Read a business case assessment by The Lewin Group.

Privacy, Security, and the Stimulus Bill

The recently enacted economic stimulus legislation includes a number of improvements to federal health privacy law. This brief looks at issues of privacy and security in the wake of ARRA.

Hospitals

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Joint Commission Report Urges Health IT Adoption in Hospitals

A report released Thursday by the Joint Commission emphasizes the importance of health IT to hospital viability in the future, Healthcare IT News reports.

The report, titled "Health Care at the Crossroads: Guiding Principles for the Development of the Hospital of the Future," was developed by a panel of health care experts.

According to the report, IT will play a significant role in enhancing health care quality and safety. It adds that health IT can support the migration of hospital-based care into the community and home settings.

To address technology in the hospital of the future, the report recommends:

  • Adopting labor-saving and integrative technologies across the hospital;
  • Identifying reliable individuals to provide technology assessment and investment guidance for hospitals;
  • Making the business case and sustaining funding to support the widespread adoption of health IT; and
  • Redesigning business and care processes in tandem with health IT adoption (Monegain, Healthcare IT News, 11/20).

The Joint Commission's report is available online (.pdf).



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