We’ve come a long way since the first wearable technology — crystal eyeglasses — hit the medieval market in the 1200s. The impact of the latest “wearables” is being felt everywhere, from education to communication to — most important in our minds, of course — healthcare. This week’s HIT List delves into wearables and other timely issues, including patient demand for online EMR access and efforts to boost patient engagement.
- Wearable game-changers. The growing popularity of wearable technology in healthcare has serious potential for driving patient engagement and improving population health. This business leader says the secret sauce is the ability to capitalize on connected information, community-building and gamification. Are you game for learning more?
- Patients eager for online EMR access. Two-thirds of people with chronic conditions believe they should have the right to access all their healthcare information online, according to a new poll. And they were more concerned with the privacy of digitally stored information from banking, in-store credit card use and online shopping than they were with the privacy of their EMRs. Are we on the cusp of a new age of transparency?
- Score one for tablets. Equipping home health nurses with 4G-enabled tablets enhanced patient care and clinician productivity, says a new study. For example, nurses can now access a new patient’s EMR in the field instead of stopping by an office to pick up faxes detailing medical history. How are tablets changing the way you deliver care?
- The engagement challenge. Creating patient engagement is easier said than done, even though 96% of respondents surveyed strongly agree that it’s critical to healthcare transformation. mHealth apps could help, but this psychologist posits that too much variety and too little professional guidance limit patient willingness to use them. See what remedies she suggests.
- Still time to apply for MU exception. If you’ve applied — or are thinking of applying — for a hardship exception on the 2013 meaningful use reporting period because you’re waiting for your vendor to get 2014-certified, you can probably breathe easy. CMS has granted exceptions to nearly all hospitals that applied and will start processing physician requests soon. The physician application deadline is July 1.
- Don’t mess with HHS. The government reiterated how seriously it takes HIPAA breaches this week, imposing a record $4.8 million fine on New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Medical Center after protected patient information ended up accessible by Google. Although the Ponemon Institute reported a slight drop in the number of breaches last year compared to 2012, there are still too many cases involving problems like disabled or nonexistent firewalls and unencrypted devices. How confident are you that your data is properly protected?
- New privacy risk worries. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warns that some of the most popular mobile health and fitness apps put potentially sensitive consumer data at risk by sharing it with scores of third-party companies. Information that could easily be traced back to individuals included everything from eating habits to medical symptom searches to walking/running routes. What protections do you think need to be put in place?
