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Store-and-Forward Teledermatology Facts

Dermatologists can serve many more patients by making use of store-and-forward teledermatology systems. This CHCF paper looks at criteria for evaluating these systems, and gives a comparative overview of four available applications.

Clinics Collaborate on EHR Deployment

EHRs can help California's safety-net clinic patients, and collaboration between clinics can significantly smooth the way to successful adoption. This issue brief looks at the lessons learned by eight clinic networks.

Telepsychiatry in the Emergency Room

Telepsychiatry is used in some emergency departments to make the process of evaluating and treating patients with mental health issues more efficient. This paper examines seven ED telepsychiatry programs.

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January 25, 2007 - Topic: Patient Safety

Texas Hospital Adds Bar Codes to IV Medications

Cuero Community Hospital in Cuero, Texas, has implemented a bar-coding system for intravenous drugs that will help prevent medication administration errors, the Victoria Advocate reports.

The bar code on the medication corresponds with a bar code on a patient's wristband, and the infusion pump system either accepts or rejects the medication based on dosage parameters and patient history information, the Advocate reports.

The hospital upgraded 60 of its IV pump systems to B. Braun Outlook 200 Safety Infusion Systems, which are bar-code capable. The hospital also installed 20 B. Braun Outlook 300 Safety Infusion System units with DoseTracTM software, which offers wireless access to real-time infusion information and bar-coding technology.

The upgrades were not in response to any problems at the Cuero hospital, said Judy Krupala, chief nursing officer at the hospital. Cuero Community Hospital is the only facility in the greater San Antonio region to be equipped with the bar-code technology, according to a hospital press release (Long, Victoria Advocate, 1/25).


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