Morning Headlines 11/19/13

Use of Analytics Produces Better Patient Outcomes

Informaticists at UNC Health Care in Chapel Hill, NC are using natural language processing analytics tools to comb through text-based mammogram reports to help ensure that all patients who need follow up appointments are seen. Researchers with the study report that 25 percent of adverse affects occurring in the outpatient setting are a result of inadequate follow up of abnormal test results. The NLP-based analytics tool was able to read through 500 reports and accurately identify which ones needed follow up appointments with a 100 percent accuracy.

Here’s What Your Operation Will Really Cost

Intermountain Healthcare announces that it will begin tracking the cost of all consumables, equipment, and time spent delivering care across the network to get a more accurate picture of the total cost of care for different conditions. The hope is to create a "cost master" that could then be embedded in Intermountain’s EHR and used to help drive fiscally responsible care planning.

CareFusion plans to acquire GE Healthcare’s Vital Signs

CareFusion announces that it will acquire GE Healthcare’s Vital Signs business unit for $500 million. Vital Signs makes a variety of single-use products that support respiratory care, anesthesiology, and patient monitoring.