December 22nd, 2009 by KevinMD in Better Health Network, Health Tips, Opinion
Tags: Blausen, Internal Medicine, iPod Touch, Medical Education, Technology
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Originally posted in MedPage Today
by Iltifat Husain
There has been a great deal of commentary profiling medical applications that are useful for healthcare providers. However, there hasn’t been much talk about how mobile medical applications can enhance the doctor-patient experience and in turn help optimize your practice’s overall experience. In future posts, we’ll focus more on applications for medical providers, but this post will discuss applications centered around the physician-patient relationship.
We all know how busy clinic can be and this leads to increased waiting times for patients. Understandably, patients often complain that this is the most frustrating time for them, and no one likes walking in excessively late to an angry patient because you had to deal with another patient’s medical emergency. So how can this downtime be made more bearable and productive at the same time?
Here is where the iPod Touch comes in. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at KevinMD.com*
December 22nd, 2009 by Gwenn Schurgin O'Keeffe, M.D. in Better Health Network, Opinion
Tags: Developmental Milestones, iPhone App, iPod App, Online, Parenting, Pediatrics, Technology, Tracking
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With our world becoming high tech, it’s not surprising that gizmos and programs or our computers, iPhones and Smartphones are emerging to help us track everything from our infant’s cry to our child’s development. But, are these necessary?
I was called by a reporter from Wired.com to weigh in on this with a colleague of mine. As members of the American Academy of Pediatrics Council of Communications and Media, and Spokespersons for the AAP, we had a few opinions on this very important topic that I want to share with you that you can find here.
Before you download or buy any computer program or cell phone application just ask yourself one question: Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Dr Gwenn Is In*
December 21st, 2009 by MotherJonesRN in Better Health Network, Health Policy, News, Opinion
Tags: Culver, Hospitals, Iowa, Krogmeier, Mental Health, Nursing Homes, Psychiatry
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I took this picture a couple of years ago during a trip to Iowa. This is the old Clarinda Asylum for the Insane. The name was changed for obvious reasons a long time ago to the Clarinda Treatment Complex. I grew up in Iowa, so let me tell you a few things about my home state. Among other things, Iowans grow corn, raise hogs, and sometimes elect people to the Iowa State House who need a little schooling about mental illness and the needs of the mentally ill.
Iowa currently has four state hospitals for the mentally ill. Now that number is being cut down to three. Iowa State Legislators, who have no clue about what they’re doing, ordered the head of the Department of Human Services, Charles Krogmeier, to shut down one of the state’s mental hospitals. The Clarinda facility and three other hospitals were put on the chopping block. Krogmeier didn’t want to shut down any of the hospitals. He said that the move wouldn’t save money or improve patient care, but the politicians gave him no choice. Mr. Krogmeier suggested the elimination of the Mount Pleasant Mental Health Institute. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Nurse Ratched's Place*
December 21st, 2009 by EvanFalchukJD in Better Health Network, Health Policy, Opinion
Tags: Americans, CNN, Costs, Finance, Healthcare reform, Kindness, Massachusetts, Uwe Reinhardt
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Ancient people couldn’t understand why solar eclipses happened, so they looked for explanations that fit what they saw:
A recurring and pervasive embodiment of the eclipse was a dragon, or a demon, who devours the sun. The ancient Chinese would produce great noise and commotion during an eclipse, banging on pots and drums to frighten away the dragon.
They weren’t crazy, although if we accept their explanation, their solutions seem pretty illogical. I mean, would a dragon big and powerful enough to eat the sun really be scared away by people banging on pots and drums?
I guess I don’t understand the skittishness of giant sun-devouring dragons.
But this the trouble. When you come at a problem with a faulty premise — and insist on keeping that premise — it leads you down some very strange paths. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at See First Blog*
December 21st, 2009 by PhilBaumannRN in Better Health Network, Opinion
Tags: Democracy, Expertise, Internet, Nursing, Online Health, Revolution, Technology, Tyranny, Wisdom of Crowds
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- Image by pomarc via Flickr
When status quos collapse, for whatever reasons, are their replacements necessarily better? Does the demise of traditional media powers mean that new media powers will lead to more Democracy? Will cultivated professions which require years of training and mistakes and experience – such as Medicine – give way to amateurs who can succeed in creating appearances of Authenticity?
Last century, not everybody could publish their thoughts without expending some form of considerable energy. Now, with Twitter, anyone can tell the world what s/he thinks at virtually zero expense (save the time value of their tweets). This is no doubt a radical shift in communications and publishing and connecting.
It’s easy to call this democratizing. But is it? Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at phil baumann online*
