At a time of increased focus on quality and value, physicians are using technology is new and innovative ways to improve patient care.
Read some examples of technology innovations below that were submitted by physicians across the state:
A
growing movement in dermatology, teledermatology can be through a live
video consultation or the more popular “store and forward,” in which
images and text are emailed to the dermatologist for review.
I am a pioneer in the field of teledermatology providing dermatology
access to both underserved populations and non-dermatologist healthcare
providers throughout the state via electronically transferred digital
images. I have been involved in teledermatology since 1999 and currently
works with 28 Pennsylvania prisons, diagnosing prisoners’ skin
conditions remotely. I am currently developing a prototype
teledermatology program for the nonprofit organization Volunteers in
Medicine.
Stephen Schleicher, MD
DermDOX Centers for Dermatology
Hazleton
I use a web tool for empowering patients and managing chronic disease (HTN, HF) that can be used via computer web access or telephone. Patients record and report symptoms, weight, and blood pressure via telephone data entry or web data entry.
A patient using this system with stable angina developed increased symptoms. Reviewing data over several weeks noted a rise in systolic pressure and found that the patient was under emotional stress. Modified therapy to restore blood pressure returned the patient to a stable angina state.
Alfred Bove, MD
Emeritus Professor of Medicine, Temple Medical School
Philadelphia
Shared, organization-wide "knowledge" repository using Drop Box (cross platform, cloud-based, free, file storage service). New documents, article, papers, media files can be added and seen by every organization member not unlike Wikipedia.
Andreas Bollmann, MD
Pediatric Associates
Chester
I created a website for patients and providers serving patients with low health literacy. The site provides health information below 5th grade level as well as tools and a manual to help providers and practices remove the health literacy barriers present in health care institution.
Nadia Ali, MD
Academic Internist, Crozer Chester Medical Center
Wynnewood
I am most frustrated by technology that is not intuitive and doesn't think like me. When trying to find a diagnostic code, my electronic medical record makes me think like a coder not a physician. I found an app on my iPhone that saves me many headaches called Dragon Medical with IMO. Now I speak the diagnosis and get a bevy of pertinent responses in Google-like form. Wow does this save me time!
Joseph Bagnick, MD
Partner, Chalfont Family Practice
Renaissance Medical Management Company, Medical Director
New Britain
Kressly Pediatrics is participating in a project with the Quality Improvement Innovation Network of the American Academy of Pediatrics to integrate Bright Futures™ Guidelines into the electronic health record in a manner which is thoughtful and supports office workflow. In doing so, we have added assessing items such as oral health risk, perinatal depression, and parental strengths to promote increased quality of care for our patients and families.
Susan Kressly, MD
Kressly Pediatrics
Warrington
I developed a system for semi-automatically sending daily emails from our specialized Crib Notes Neonatal Intensive Care Unit electronic medical record system to the parents of our patients. The email is formulated by the system and has information about weight and weight gain, feedings, inputs and outputs, respiratory support, and additional clinical data. The message is framed as if written by the baby, and combines data-driven elements with randomized interpretive sentences and phrases so that each email is unique. The baby's nurse checks the email for accuracy and sometimes will add an additional personal message before sending. The emails are typically sent out between 6-7 AM so that parents have them when they get up in the morning. Pictures can be attached. Most parents print these emails on heavy paper and keep them forever in their child’s baby book. This system has been widely recognized as a highly innovative and hugely successful system for communications with families in this highly stressful environment.
Robert Stavis, PhD, MD
Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics, Main Line Health
Bryn Mawr
We have implemented the use of a disease registry for the care of diabetic patients as we transform our practice into a patient-centered medical home (PCMH). Utilizing this tool, we have improved the evidence-based treatment goals for our diabetics, including hemoglobin A1c levels, LDL lowering, blood pressure control, and screening for and treatment of diabetic nephropathy.
Over time, we will adapt the principles of the PCMH to include other chronic conditions, such as heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
John Messmer, MD
Penn State Hershey Medical Group
Palmyra
I recently started my solo OB/GYN practice and made the decision to completely embrace technology from the start. I have implemented an electronic medical record (EMR) system and all of my medical records are electronic. I use an electronic portal to send copies of lab results to all of my patients with email capability. I also use the portal for patient communication. Patients can request appointments and refills online. I have been ePrescribing all of my prescriptions. I am able to access my electronic records securely from my home computer or laptop, so I can keep up with my lab review and refills even when I am away from the office. Also, the lab is able to directly send lab results into my EMR. I was not able to afford the cost of direct electronic connection with my local hospitals, but I am able to access their intranets online. All of this has really streamlined my practice. Patients really seem to appreciate their access to the practice via the portal as well.
Colleen Foos, MD
Foos OB/GYN
Camp Hill