Comments on: News 8/21/09

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 14:11:22 +0000

The Clinic’s emerging business segment is a fascinating one to watch. A few months ago the Clinic licensed a piece of internal technology and announced plans for a reference lab as well. As you say, a place to get more revenue. I do wonder, though, how many hospitals have developed innovations that have broader value (financially and otherwise), but those innovations never see the light of day because it’s not part of the “core mission.”

By: Scot Silverstein, MD

Scot Silverstein, MD — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 02:13:38 +0000

While the extension centers will share “best practices” (which have been written about for about the past five decades), will they also share knowledge of “worst practices?”

Implementing best practices and recognizing and eradicating worst practices (the “nasty stuff”) are two different beasts.

More succinctly, I would like to ask ONC how their strategic and tactical plans differ from the plans of the NPfIT that have led to its current state, which according to the House of Commons Public Accounts Audit Committee is not pretty (summary at http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmselect/cmpubacc/153/15304.htm).

By: John@Chilmark

John@Chilmark — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 20:15:57 +0000

Mr. HIStalk, looks like your cynicism is getting in the way of seeing some of the reality in the recent Biden, et. al. conference at Mt. Sinai. The real purpose, as you noted was to announce the $1.16B that will go out in 2010 in support of estab. some 70 extension centers and also help with the formation of State RHIOs, Now we both share some concerns as to whether or not this is a good investment, but the reality is that Congress has given HHS a piece of legislation in ARRA that must be spent and spent quickly for the “meaningful use of certified EHRs”. Now that we have some semblance of what meaningful use means, we now need to establish the infrastructure to support meaningful use (the RHIOs) and effectively select and deploy certified EHRs (extension centers).

For those wanting to know more about the two, did some digging and put up this post: http://chilmarkresearch.com/2009/08/21/spigots-are-opening-1-16b-for-hit-in-2010/

By: John Smith

John Smith — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:52:11 +0000

“Sometimes I wonder if doctors pay attention to pre-med economics: this one is proud to do his own network wiring and PC maintenance, thus turning his own valuable time into that of a $30 an hour technician.”
Actually, I know 2 dentists and coupel of doctors that do the same thing and they do it because they really enjoy getting their hands dirty messing with wires, trying to figure out pcs, etc. Also for them is a stress reliever activity, and they brag to their friends about their pc skills. And when it gets too complicated, they do hire technicians to come out and check what the problem is.So I think they do know the economics, is just that they want to play around with computers.

By: Captain Hook

Captain Hook — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 18:10:59 +0000

Does anyone have a list of clients Meditech has lost in the last 12-18 months?