Morning Headlines 2/17/14

How VA is driving telemedicine

In 2013, the VA used its increasingly popular telehealth platform to deliver care for 600,000 veterans, accounting for a total of 1.7 million episodes of care.

Researchers develop smartglasses that help surgeons see cancerous cells

Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis are testing smartglasses that help surgeons as they remove cancer tumors by highlighting the affected cells with a glowing blue pigment. Researchers hope the glasses will help surgeons remove all cancer cells during the first surgery, reducing the need for secondary procedures.

New hospital to open without state-of-the-art medical record system

In Vermont, state legislators are disappointed its new 25-bed state-run psychiatric hospital will open without a modern EHR in place after project planners were unable to come to a deal to enhance its incumbent EHR system. Planners also tried but were unable to reach an agreement with Fletcher Allen Health System which offered a hosted Epic system at an upfront cost of $3 million and $600,000 annual maintenance. The state will issue an RFP for a new system which is not expected to go live until at least a year after the hospital opens.

The Valley Hospital Moves Forward with MEDITECH’s 6.1 EHR

The Valley Hospital (NJ) decides to upgrade from Meditech Magic to 6.1 instead of choosing other finalist Epic, giving the company a win in a bed size (450) that usually goes to Epic or Cerner.