In Ontario, healthcare is often siloed—a byproduct of the way the healthcare system is structured. Patients experience frequent gaps in care; they’re asked to explain their health concerns over and over within each different setting, and digital tools aren’t keeping up with how Ontarians live and work in their everyday lives. Sound familiar?

The nursing outlook on technology and business is on the fast track. Most nurse informaticists would state that their role did not exist 5-10 years ago, proof that the career path of nurses is widening as technology gallops forward. MEDITECH's Nurse Forum showcases how nursing continues to evolve; providing a platform for nurses to ask relevant questions, hear from industry leaders, take a step back and listen, and then share that wisdom with their community to understand what lies ahead. 

Lisa, a 45-year old single mother, visits her primary care physician complaining of fatigue and excessive thirst; blood tests reveal she has high blood glucose. She walks out of the clinic with a prescription and a pamphlet about type 2 diabetes. Now what?

The following article appeared in the May 23, 2019 issue of the HIMSS Clinical Informatics Insights newsletter. A portion of it has been posted here with permission.

Last year, a colleague of mine wrote an apology to clinicians on behalf of all EHR vendors for the pain we’ve put them through. It resonated with many readers, who have soured on the overly hopeful messages of clinical and business transformation coming from the industry. It’s important for all of us to honestly acknowledge where we are, how we got here, and what we need to do to restore the confidence of EHR users — particularly clinicians, whose lives have been irrevocably changed, for better and for worse, by the computerization of healthcare.

Over the past decade, social media has made a huge impact on the way people communicate and stay engaged with what’s happening in the world. More healthcare consumers are using social platforms to learn about their conditions and providers, as well as to give feedback and advice in real time. But what about healthcare providers? Is spending time on social really worth it for them? 

No healthcare organization should ever have to choose between innovation and value. As our industry continues to transform, it will be important to both adopt new technologies that can meet the needs of demanding consumers, and still prioritize ROI and long-term sustainability while doing so.

“The only constant is change” has never been more true than it is today. Technology has advanced rapidly in recent years; adoption of technology has increased dramatically; and meanwhile, regulatory bodies struggle to catch up.

It’s no secret that the first few days after a baby is born are filled with many new experiences, questions, concerns, and a lot of learning. This time is crucial for the family to bond and prepare for the transition to home life.

It’s been almost 70 years since the idea of publicly recognizing nurses was first discussed — and while healthcare has undergone huge changes in nearly seven decades, the fact remains that nurses continue to serve one of the most critical roles in delivering patient care.

In part one of this blog, Howard described the capabilities of cloud infrastructure, the potential it holds for health IT developers, health providers, and patients, and the ability it gives doctors to “re-tether” to their patients using this evolving technology. Today, Howard discusses how cloud infrastructure is being used to give patients access to their health information.