Back in early April, Southwest Georgia was the unlikely location of the world’s fourth-hottest hotspot for COVID-19. Here at Phoebe Putney Health System, the sole provider in this semi-rural corner of the state, we saw our coronavirus patient admissions skyrocket from one to 150 in late March. You may have seen Scott Steiner, our CEO, on CNN, calling attention to Phoebe’s dire need for personal protective equipment after clinicians burned through a six-month supply within a week.
Anticipate the unimaginable: 5 steps to mitigate crises
Topics: C-level, Coronavirus
How to help patients live well with COPD
Today is World Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (COPD) Day, recognizing the estimated 328 million people worldwide who are living with COPD. Organized by the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD), in collaboration with healthcare professionals and COPD patient groups worldwide, this day aims to raise awareness, share knowledge, and discuss ways to reduce the burden of COPD. COPD is a lifestyle condition that affects the lungs as a result of the long-term effects of smoking or extended exposure to air pollutants. By the time patients are diagnosed, they are typically experiencing shortness of breath during strenuous physical activity, limiting their ability to work and play. One in 20 patients admitted into the hospital for a severe COPD episode are readmitted within 30 days.
Topics: Nursing, Physician, Population Health, C-level
5 perspectives on COVID-19 from MEDITECH customers and partners
Even as the COVID-19 pandemic has changed so many aspects of life one thing has remained: The dedication and creativity of healthcare professionals to respond to the ongoing threat and continue to provide care for their patients.
Topics: Physician, C-level, Coronavirus
A matter of trust: Reflections on MEDITECH’s 2020 Physician and CIO Forum
At MEDITECH’s 2020 Physician and CIO Forum, we all saw the impact of how a virtual learning environment can help us to address common challenges in an uncommon time. And with remote technologies, I’m proud to see how we’ve been able to bridge the miles between us and even many of the uncertainties that COVID-19 has brought.
What’s now and what’s next for a safe return to work: 6 Takeaways
Recently, Interlace Health had the privilege of hosting and presenting with a group of health IT executives from MEDITECH, Salesforce, and CereCore. The exclusive virtual roundtable discussion focused on their experiences leading through the pandemic, strategies for ensuring a safe return to work, and thoughts on what the future of care delivery might look like. It was a remarkable “inside look” into how several leading organizations are responding to the unprecedented challenges we’re facing in the healthcare IT industry.
Topics: Industry Leaders, C-level, Health IT, Coronavirus
Thought Leader Podcast: Virtual Care in the Age of COVID-19 and Beyond
For our latest Thought Leader podcast, I spoke with Dr. Andy Burchett, CMIO of Avera Health, about his organization’s rapid response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Topics: Physician, Podcast, C-level, Coronavirus
Navigating pandemic relief options
COVID-19 has hit the healthcare industry so hard that many hospitals have been forced to furlough staff, or worse, close their doors. Relief payments from the CARES Act are a lifeline for organizations under enormous economic strain; though the healthcare portions of the legislation are only a few pages long, addendums are being released intermittently, making it easy for administrators — already in crisis mode — to lose track of the very subsidies the legislation provides.
To help you stay on top of available relief payments and loans, we’ve summarized the opportunities and included links to helpful resources. Think of this blog post as your cheat sheet for financial support that may be available to your organization.
Topics: Government Regulations, C-level, Healthcare IT, Coronavirus
MEDITECH stands with providers in the fight against COVID-19
The COVID-19 outbreak presents an unprecedented challenge to the medical community — and the pandemic has shaken many of the basic functions of society. It has been an inspiration to see healthcare experts and front-line providers maintain their vigilance and professionalism under exceedingly trying conditions.
Topics: Interoperability, C-level, Health IT, Coronavirus
Delivering care differently in the age of COVID-19, through virtual care
The COVID-19 pandemic is likely to test modern healthcare in ways never seen before. Physicians and nurses worldwide are being called to service, risking their own well-being to help an alarming volume of ill and worried patients. How we manage this emergency depends largely upon the quality of tools available to help us improve safety for our patient and clinician communities.
These tools include technologies that can help slow the spread of this new, highly transmissible virus through social distancing, allowing us to work with patients to determine the most appropriate venue of care.
Topics: Patient Safety, C-level, Coronavirus
CommonWell enables Valley Presbyterian Hospital to focus on managing patient data instead of finding it
*Reposted with the approval of CommonWell Health Alliance. Original post can be found here.*
Valley Presbyterian Hospital (VPH), a MEDITECH EHR customer and one of the largest full-service acute care facilities in the San Fernando Valley, serves millions of patients throughout the Los Angeles area. With a diverse and often vulnerable patient population, VPH clinicians depend on seamless exchange of patients’ clinical data to ensure they have the most complete view of the individuals they treat.
Topics: Big Data, Interoperability, C-level