DrFirst Healthcare Technology Blog
Healthcare Must Step Up Its Fight Against Opioid Addiction
February 12, 2018
I’ve been a member of the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) for 23 years, most of that time as CIO of Huntington Hospital in Huntington, New York. When I was invited to join CHIME’s Opioid Task Force, I knew I had to accept, believing strongly that CHIME is uniquely positioned to advocate for meaningful change in how healthcare organizations address the national emergency of opioid addiction.
Read MoreDrFirst Response to The President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis Report
December 21, 2017
DrFirst wholeheartedly supports efforts to combat the national opioid crisis. While the focus on increasing awareness of this deadly epidemic is valuable, we must consider and address the underlying issues that have driven the situation to crisis proportions. Without that, we run the risk, as we are starting to see now, of prescribers and the healthcare industry reacting to the opioid crisis by simply reducing opioid prescribing.
Read MoreMobile Medication Management: Holding Your Practice’s Future in Your Fingertips – Literally
December 19, 2017
Think about the last time you logged into your computer just to check the weather or determine what movie you want to see on the weekend. You can probably measure the time in weeks or months. The reality for most of us is that mobile devices are rapidly supplementing or replacing desktop computers and laptops as our go-to devices for information during what we call in healthcare the “ADLs” – Activities of Daily Living”.
Read MoreIt’s the most wonderful time of the year – but not for everyone
December 12, 2017
“There’ll be much mistletoeing And hearts will be glowing When love ones are near It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” If you love the holiday season, you likely share Andy Williams’s enthusiasm for the wealth of celebrations and fun activities this time of year.
Read MoreTop 10 Reasons for Dentists to E-prescribe
December 8, 2017
Listed below are the top ten reasons why dentists should use e-prescribing in their dental practices.
1. Improve Patient Safety
E-prescribing can significantly reduce medication errors that claim an estimated 7,000 lives each year in the US. The ADA Council on Dental Practices notes that these errors are caused primarily by illegible handwriting, unclear abbreviations, dose errors, ambiguous orders and fax clarity—most of which are avoidable with e-prescribing.
3 out of 4 Hospital Leaders say Inaccurate, Incomplete Medication History Data is a Big Concern
June 28, 2017
Hospital executives believe that applying a multidisciplinary effort will improve their medication reconciliation process, according to a recent study by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) Foundation on behalf of DrFirst. Yet, despite their efforts to engage multiple departments, 3 out of 4 respondents still worry that medication history data is incomplete and/or inaccurate.
Read MoreMind the Gap…in Medication Management
April 14, 2017
For decades, passengers on the London Underground (“the Tube”) were warned to “mind the gap” by the omnipresent, automated male voice, cautioning them to avoid stepping into the significant – yet somehow often unseen – space between the edge of the platform and the subway train.
Read MoreCare Collaboration: Good Communication is a “Must Have”
April 3, 2017
The ability to communicate effectively is an essential skill, whether you are a clinician, teacher, politician or in any occupation that requires people interaction. If you are married or a parent, you definitely understand the need for clear dialogue in relationships, as well as the frustrations that can arise when it is lacking!
Read MoreIn-Workflow Prescription Drug Benefit Check
March 15, 2017
Without ever leaving the e-prescribing workflow, myBenefitCheckSM allows physicians to virtually go to the pharmacy with their patients. By providing patient specific drug coverage and pricing information along with therapeutic equivalent lower cost drug and pharmacy alternatives myBenefitCheck ensures the most clinically relevant course of action with the patient’s budget, well-being and medication adherence in mind.
Read MoreVirginia Mandates EPCS
March 15, 2017
Standing in front of the joint session of Congress, President Trump vowed to end America’s “terrible drug epidemic.” The same week, Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe signed legislation mandating statewide electronic prescribing of controlled substances by 2020. The legislation, along with the executive’s mention of the devastating problem, signals an emerging trend: state and federal government officials are taking action against opioid addiction and are using EPCS as a vehicle to curb the rising death toll.
Read MoreHerding Cats and Changing Physician Behavior
March 6, 2017
The idiom “herding cats” typically refers to the impossible task of organizing a class of entities that are uncontrollable or chaotic. As a physician, I can attest first-hand that managing doctors and changing physician behavior is quite a bit like herding cats.
Read MoreKey benefits of e-prescribing controlled substances
July 26, 2016
Better workflow efficiencies, improved patient safety and decreased drug abuse and diversion are just some of the wide-reaching benefits of electronic prescribing of controlled substances (EPCS). The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration gave its official approval of EPCS in 2010 when the DEA revised its regulations to give practitioners the option of transmitting Schedule II-V prescriptions electronically.
Read MoreHold up! Don’t start secure texting orders just yet, Joint Commission says
June 17, 2016
By now you’ve heard that the Joint Commission this year issued an about-face on its ban against using secure text to send orders, stating that yes, you can use secure, encrypted text messaging platforms to communicate orders for treatment, patient care or services to the hospital or other health care settings.
Read MoreEmbracing Electronic Medication History: 3 Functions to Consider
June 14, 2016
Medication reconciliation is a hot topic, and has been for years. Obtaining a patient’s complete, accurate medication history remains a source of tremendous frustration for many clinicians. The best medication reconciliations almost always begin with obtaining an accurate, complete, current, patient-validated home medication list.
Read MoreJoint Commission allows texting of orders
April 28, 2016
The Joint Commission has reversed its prohibition against texting orders for patient care, treatment, or services, signaling the accreditor’s recognition of technology’s disruptive impact on healthcare—and its powerful role in care delivery. Effective immediately, prescribers may use a secure text messaging application to text such orders to the hospital or other health care settings “as long as a secure text messaging platform is used and the required components of an order are included,” the accreditor states in the May 2016 issue of its Perspectives newsletter.
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