The Health Sciences Spotlight

Patients, Providers, Secrets, and Rights

A combination of patient advocacy campaigns, the increase in and accessibility of electronic medical records, and a more interested and educated patient base has begun to change the character of patient-provider communication.   A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that 90% of patients are interested in the information providers write in their medical records (Walker et al., 2011).  In fact, many of the study participants stated that seeing their records would improve their adherence to their medications (75%), that they would be encouraged to be more in control of their care and take better care of themselves, and that they would "share the notes with friends and family, which may further increase the likelihood that they will follow their doctor’s advice and benefit from the care they receive" (20%).  Findings like these open the door to more talk about the benefits of open access to one's medical record, especially regarding patient empowerment to take control of their care and a desire to educate themselves about their health.

There is, however, another side to this movement in favor of open access. Healthcare providers have speculated that there will be an increase in demand for their time during visits due to an increase in patient questions. Many providers also argue that this access will cause undue confusion and misinterpretation. Though these concerns have not yet been validated in trials, they cannot be ignored. 

I had a good discussion on with one of our Twitter followers on the potential issues with patients being privy to all of their medical information. She made the excellent point that provider-provider professional communication about patients may be censored and lose meaning. This, therefore, hinders professional communication and, potentially, the quality of care the patient receives.

Advocates for opening access completely to patients have their hearts in the right place, but there will always be a need for a professional-use-only way to make notes.  If it's not within the patient record, it'll manifest in another form.

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

As January 1, 2012 rolled around, I, like many, had to contemplate what to choose as my New Year’s resolution.  I ended up with the vague concept of “re-evaluating my lifestyle.” Now if this resolution seems too broad, or, if David Bowie’s legendary song is now echoing in your head, please humor me by following my thought process.

When trying to elaborate on what “re-evaluating my lifestyle” meant, what someone said something to me the other day kept popping up in my mind, “…when you decide to make your health a priority.” Granted, we have all heard this phrase before, but for some reason this time it appeared to have more meaning.

We all evaluate what it means to us to live a healthy lifestyle and when you consider a change in your current habits and routines, it is useful to prioritize what changes need to occur first. However, I really began to think of the overall concept, what could be more of a priority than your physical health? It has been proven that keeping your physical self healthy is related to mental health balance (after all, your brain is part of your body), and really, every aspect of your body is connected. No sooner do I digress into my rabbit hole of the connections between all forms of personal health, does it dawn on me: I need to exercise more. 

So the questions begin to flow: how do I accomplish this new goal of exercising more? What form of exercise do I enjoy most? What form of exercise do I enjoy least? What are my goals? How much time and money do I have to designate to exercise? How much motivation and determination do I have to muster? How often?...and the list goes on.

Over the last 2 weeks, I have answered questions, have developed a plan that works for me, and am excited to begin this new journey to a healthier body, mind, and life. I am realizing that it is a decision to make my health a priority, and much to my dismay, in the past (by virtue of inaction) I have made the decision to not make my health a priority.

I propose that in 2012 we all resolve to re-evaluate our lifestyles, our preferences and our goals just to be sure we are consciously making daily decisions that reflect our priorities and make the necessary ch-ch-ch-changes. There is no better time like the present - especially when most gyms are waiving their enrollment fees for the New Year.

 

 

 

 

Bring it on!

I have learned a lesson today about challenging smart people.  Some months ago I casually mentioned that if someone could find me a gym-safe Viking horned helmet, I would wear it in my workout routine every day until I reached a specific fitness goal.  The notion was simply that contractual public humiliation might cause me to work harder to meet the goal faster. 

All this was inspired by a walk through the Fairfax Fall Festival where the Sons of Norway were displaying cool horned helmets.  Most experts agree that there were likely no horns on the helmets of real Viking warriors since their close-quarters combat style made them impractical, but horns are a good look nonetheless.  The 6’8” son of Norway parading back and forth in front of the booth wore the “el Presedente” of horned helmets and I was instantly sold.  The problem was I am not 6’8”, not of Norwegian descent, and favor Fred Flintstone more than a Viking warrior.  Plus, it wasn’t gym safe.  Still, I took the story to work.

So, at the beginning of a new year, when we seem compelled to set new goals, I find myself hoisted on my own petard.  It seems our Kelly Morgan’s resolution was to master sewing, after a long flirtation with a machine given as a wedding gift three years ago.  The horned helmet below will motivate some good workouts, believe me.  I am nearly giddy as I picture myself astride the elliptical trainer, urr, I mean treadmill, with my new look.  If you see me at LifeTime Fitness in Fairfax, come say hi.

Happy New Year to all.

 

 

 

 

Health Campaigns: The Public Face of Health Sciences Research

For all of the hours that health sciences researchers toil away in the labs, making discoveries that will enhance human health, it would be a waste to have that information be locked away in journals and poster sessions, wouldn't it? This is where health communicators come in - they are the liaison between the lab and the public.  It is a health communicator's job to translate scientific discovery into actionable behaviors for the public. One of the most common ways to do this is through health campaigns, which are strategic efforts to influence a population’s knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors by increasing awareness of health threats or moving audiences to action in support of certain public health practice.  Campaigns are launched with the intention of generating specific outcomes and/or effects across a relatively large number of individuals in a specific group (e.g., diabetics, young mothers).  These campaigns are usually deployed within a specified period of time using an organized and predetermined set of communication activities, such as public service announcements, pamphlets, or viral videos. 

In order to design an effective campaign that will speak to the intended audience in a way that is engaging, compelling, and relevant, campaign designers need to conduct extensive research on the target group prior to completing the campaign plan to understand what is important to the group, how they communicate, and how to best reach them.

Though extensive research and preparation can reduce the likelihood of unintended campaign effects, designers are not always able to anticipate and eliminate certain effects. There are eleven types of unintended effects that can occur through health campaigns:

• obfuscation
• dissonance
• epidemic of apprehension
• culpability
• desensitization
• opportunity cost
• social reproduction
• social norming
• enabling
• system activation
• boomerang (Cho & Salmon, 2007)

Bonus tidbit: the most famous PSA with unintended effects is the Partnership for a Drug-Free America's "This is your brain on drugs" commercial.

The best defense against these unintended effects is population research prior to and during the campaign development and deployment. Understanding the target population, including their social and cultural contexts, allows campaign designers to create messages and strategies that meet the group’s unique needs regarding health, information, and communication.  Messages must be clear and simple, use accessible language and familiar images, and appeal to the population’s key beliefs, attitudes, values, and worldview.  Designing messages by putting oneself in the target population’s mindset can help with creating an initial message.  Eliciting help from members of that community will provide a second check for message relevance and congruity. 

For more details on unintended effects and creating effective health campaigns that can withstand many unintended effects, click the button below to download our free white paper, "Creating Effective Health Campaigns: Engage, Compel, and Communicate the Intended Message."

 

 

 

 

Happy Holidays!

As we find ourselves at the end of another exciting and productive year, our last update deployed, systems scanned and secure, it's time to stop and be thankful for all that we have been provided this year. 

I am ever grateful for my bright and energetic team, without whom HealthRx would lumber along, just one more boring software company. Instead, with their uncanny instinct, we are always seeking challenges on the edge of technology, always making ourselves better. 

I am grateful for the amazing people who are our customers, a diverse and fascinating group of health care providers, researchers, and safety professionals who constantly inspire us to dig deep into our imaginations to bring their cool ideas to life.

I am grateful for a few days off to enjoy the Season with family and friends and to take some time to reflect on the amazing age we live in and the opportunity have been given to make a better world for those who come after us. 

Oh look!  It seems my senior staff heard my wish for an iPhone-controlled helicopter.  What better way to spend the rest of my day!

I wish all readers peace, good health, and prosperity in the coming year!

 

 

 

 

Good Nutrition for Good People

Today we had the joyous opportunity to participate in Fox 5 DC's Stuff-A-Truck effort to benefit the Capital Area Food Bank. The food bank's mission and commitment to helping people in need in the District, Maryland, and Virginia resonates with us because having enough to eat is a stepping stone for top-notch performance in school and at work and for being well enough to care for others. 

Loading up the goods:

Eric being shy about being photographed because "some guy was staring" at him:

The guy in the background was the one staring at Eric:

There we go, Eric's finally found the holiday spirit:

Kelly's found her strong man pose for no particular reason:

Please consider making a monetary donation or food donation to the Capital Area Food Bank!

 

 

 

 

 

Win a $100 Amazon Gift Card!

Do you like health information and Amazon gift cards?  Cool, so do we! Come on over to our Facebook page between now and December 20th, "Like" us, and be entered to win a $100 Amazon gift card!

The winner will be announced on December 21st on our Facebook page, and we will notify them by Facebook message.

Good luck!

 

 

 

&

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6 Ways Your Clinic Could Be More Efficient

Every day is a wild ride when you work in a medical clinic. Whether your clinic specializes in occupational medicine, weight loss, general medicine, or any other healthcare domain, you are dealing with multiple moving parts, such as providers, patients, equipment, and facilities.

After talking to many healthcare providers, clinic administrators, and clinical staff over the years, we've collected some of the best ways to make your clinic more efficient and to maintain your sanity: (Image Credit)

1. Track patients from their first arrival through checkout. Knowing exactly what, where, and how long each patient encounter was will allow for better staffing and resource allocation in the future.
2. Track team scheduling for groups of providers to more easily assess staffing gaps and coverage. Set schedules work in theory, but being able to know how all staff members are occupied at any point in time can make your clinic more agile.
3. Consider using health information technology, mobile health technology, and bar code scanners to automate some data entry processes and to make patient data more trackable and less susceptible to loss and human error.
4. Provide all clinical staff with their personal daily schedules, their team schedules, and facility and equipment schedules. Bonus points for having an electronic system that can show schedule changes dynamically on all staff computers and devices.
5. Track patient schedule changes and no-shows to get a realistic view of clinic productivity.
6. Insist on regular reports and metrics to know exactly how individuals and the clinic as a whole are doing. Bottlenecks and stressful schedules can't be fixed without visibility.

 

 

 

 

Using EMRs to Promote Biosafety

Federal Government officials, private practices, and health IT advocates alike have one thing on their minds these days: EMRs. Electronic medical records (EMRs) are computerized records "composed of the clinical data repository, clinical decision support, controlled medical vocabulary, order entry, computerized provider order entry, pharmacy, and clinical documentation applications...used by healthcare practitioners to document, monitor, and manage healthcare delivery within" a healthcare organization (HIMSS, 2006). In much simpler terms, an EMR is an electronic version of one's paper patient record that can range in technical complexity from scanned paper documents to a robust data entry system.  EMRs are discussed less frequently in biomedical research support and occupational medicine, yet they carry great importance for promoting biosafety within the organization.

Biomedical research institutions tend to have needs that are different from patient health organizations. Biomedical researchers are not only at risk for traditional health issues, such as asthma and influenza, they are also at risk for nontraditional and potentially lethal work-related injuries and illnesses.  These risks require medical surveillance, used "for the early identification of conditions, if any, that could present an increased risk of adverse health effects related to the task being performed...including the duration of the task, the materials being used, and the potential for exposure" (NCSU, 2011).

By combining an EMR with a traditional medical surveillance program, biomedical research institutions can help protect employees from nontraditional risks, such as HIV needle sticks and tuberculosis. An electronic medical surveillance system allows clinics to proactively recall patients based on workplace risks and enrollment in surveillance programs that match the type of risks they are exposed to in their work.

Having both a patient's medical record and his or her workplace risks in one place allows occupational healthcare providers to have a full view of a patient's current and past health, as well as an understanding of beneficial preventive measures (such as vaccines) that can be tailored to the individual's health and workplace needs. This use of an enhanced EMR technology helps occupational medical providers keep a watchful eye on multiple workers with a wide variety of risks.

 

 

 

 

November Health Advocacy

November is a month for lots of things - turkey, football, leaves, beating people down on Black Friday - but you may not be aware of two very important health initatives going on this month.  Cleverly situated between Halloween candy binges and cookies laid out for Santa, November is American Diabetes Month, "a time to rally individuals, communities and families to Join the Millions in the movement to Stop Diabetes" (ADA, 2011).  In addition to being a time to push for an end to diabetes, November is also when "men and women across the globe join together to raise awareness and funds for men’s health issues." Delightfully named "Movember," men are urged to "grow a Mo (moustache) for 30 days to become walking, talking billboards, for our men’s health causes - specifically cancers affecting men" (Movember, 2011).  While biomedical and health sciences researchers plug away at trying to eradicate diabetes and cancer, it's our job to be health advocates for the causes and bolster their efforts with public support.

American Diabetes Month

Diabetes is a serious health issue that is quickly affecting a large section of the population. Today, nearly 26 million American children and adults live with diabetes, and according to the ADA, 79 million more are at high risk for developing type 2 diabetes.  The problem is that many Americans don't see diabetes as a serious issue that can affect them directly. The ADA states that:

• "Every 17 seconds, someone is diagnosed with diabetes.
• Diabetes kills more people each year than breast cancer and AIDS combined.
• Recent estimates project that as many as 1 in 3 American adults will have diabetes in 2050 unless we take steps to Stop Diabetes" (ADA, 2011).

Those who would like to be involved in American Diabetes Month can do the following all through November and beyond:

• Take the American Diabetes Month pledge on Facebook
• Attend an American Diabetes Month event in your area
• Visit www.stopdiabetes.com
• Call 1-800-DIABETES
• Text JOIN to 69866 (standard data and message rates apply)
• Be an example to those you love by living a healthy lifestyle

Movember

Sadly, men's health suffers from a lack of awareness and a male reluctance to openly discuss the issues. "Men are less likely to schedule doctors’ appointments when they feel ill or for an annual physical, thereby denying them the chance of early detection and effective treatment of common diseases" (Movember, 2011).

The Movember website states some heartbreaking facts about men's health: (Image Credit)

• 1 in 2 men will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime.

  

• 8,290 men will be diagnosed with [testicular cancer] and 350 will die.
• An estimated 115,060 men will be diagnosed with lung cancer and 85,600 men will die from the disease.
• While not as common, men can get breast cancer. About 2,140 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed among men and about 450 men will die from the disease
• An estimated 43,890 men will be diagnosed with skin cancer and 8,080 men will die from the disease.
• An estimated 13 million adult men over the age of 20 in the US have diabetes- and a third do not know it
• 1 in 8 men who suffer from mental illness actually seek help
• Four times as many men commit suicide compared with women
• 24% of men are less likely to go to the doctor compared to women

Men who would like to get involved with the Movember cause can register to grow 'staches at Movember.com as part of a team or as an individual. Women can:

• Register online to recruit a team and raise money
• Organize events like Mo Parties
• Make a donation to a participant
• Attend the Gala Partés
• Purchase Movember merchandise 

Let's make November about giving thanks for our own health and for saving the lives of others.