05/28/2013
A new study finds that follow-up calls to patients with diabetes that use interactive voice recognition technology could help identify safety triggers, such as high blood sugar and significant side effects from medication. Healthcare IT News, Clinical Innovation & Technology.
05/24/2013
A new study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research finds that while mobile health technologies have grown and become more complex over the past 10 years, little research has been done to test their effect on health outcomes. FierceMobileHealthcare.
05/23/2013
PatientsLikeMe, a social network for patients to share health information, is piloting a platform to examine new ways of measuring patient outcomes. The website says the platform will save researchers time because they will not have to organize their own studies. InformationWeek.
05/23/2013
A new study finds that access to online pharmacist care helps patients with hypertension sustain low blood pressure. While some experts say such interventions are costly, the study authors say they are inexpensive considering the potential health improvements. Reuters, FierceHealthIT.
05/09/2013
Several comparative effectiveness projects using health IT will receive grant funding from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. One such initiative seeks to use telehealth to boost behavioral and mental health services for children. Modern Healthcare.
05/03/2013
A study finds that children with asthma who received daily text messages providing information about their condition or asking questions about their symptoms had better clinical outcomes than kids who did not receive the daily texts. FierceMobileHealthcare, Medical News Today.
05/01/2013
As part of a new collaboration, New York University, NYU Langone Medical Center and health insurer Independence Blue Cross are working to develop a machine-learning algorithm that could help identify undiagnosed cases of diabetes and pre-diabetes. For the project, NYU will use its artificial intelligence technology to analyze IBC's claims data. Philadelphia Business Journal et al.
04/24/2013
The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute will spend $68 million to fund two research networks that will help scientists conduct clinical trials and comparative-effectiveness studies using data gathered through physician visits. Washington Post's "Wonkblog" et al.
04/23/2013
Health care providers are starting to use video games to treat patients with chronic pain. For example, a video game system at Children's National Medical Center tracks patients' body movements and allows physical therapists to view the data in real time. New York Times.
04/22/2013
Companies and advocacy organizations are developing mobile applications and online tools to help caregivers manage care for individuals with certain conditions. Such tools can help caregivers track medications and learn more about a particular disease. AP/Sacramento Bee.
04/22/2013
Academic medical centers like Harvard Medical School and Johns Hopkins University are gathering data on patients' genes to improve cancer treatments. Some experts have questioned whether the cost of such research is worth the potential benefits. New York Times.
04/18/2013
A computer model developed as part of an online crowdsourcing contest uses a three-gene signature to predict with 76% accuracy which of two breast cancer patients would live longer, according to a study. MedPage Today's "The Gupta Guide," MyHealthNewsDaily/Yahoo! News.
04/15/2013
According to a Manhattan Research report, 70% of surveyed physicians say that at least one patient shares health measurement data with them and nearly 75% say that patient self-tracking could improve health outcomes. However, most patients who use self-tracking are not leveraging advanced technology, the report finds. Clinical Innovation & Technology, Manhattan Research release.
04/10/2013
Starting in October, health care facilities with high readmission rates for certain conditions could face Medicare penalties. To help providers reduce readmissions, technology vendors are developing new tools that could help patients stay healthy at home. Scientific American.
04/09/2013
A review article finds that electronic media-based health interventions are associated with improved health outcomes for teenagers. Some of the digital interventions rely on computer games, simulations or Web-based programs. MedPage Today's "The Gupta Guide."