Simulation helps clinicians learn teamwork

Advances in simulation training allow medical professionals to develop individual skills and learn about good teamwork and communication in a practice setting. The article notes that some physicians are hesitant to use simulation initially, but most realize the benefits of practicing “in an environment without consequences.

Put pharmacists on the primary care team

Pharmacists, with their medication-management expertise, belong on the health care team, says Roger Merrill, MD, chief medical officer of Perdue Inc., a supporter of the medical home concept. Pharmacists can be “hugely helpful” in the patient care continuum as part of medical homes, he said. They have patients’ drug histories and are in the ideal place to review drug regimens and compliance, and counsel accordingly.

Patient participation promises to enhance health

Adopting a participatory model of care can increase patient health and satisfaction, save time, reduce costs, improve care and reduce physician liability, proponents say. Information technology is making participatory medicine viable: Social networking sites, e-mail, personal health records, home monitoring devices and patient portals have made patient/doctor communication more convenient and more meaningful. The business case has yet to be proven, but online consults could create new revenue streams for physicians.

Hospitals gain access to national database for background checks

Beginning March 1, hospitals can access the Healthcare Integrity Protection Data Bank when doing background checks on licensed medical practitioners across the country, according to the Health Resources and Services Administration. With the data bank, hospitals “will have access to a broad array of information that will assist them in making their due diligence when they are in the hiring process,” a spokesman for the agency said. 

Technology enables physician home visits

Dr. Tom Cornwell has made some 25,000 home visits to the elderly and homebound in the Chicago area using wireless technology that helps him quickly assess the patients’ conditions. The founding medical director of HomeCare Physicians says regular home care can help some patients avoid emergency department visits and hospitalizations and reduce the number of prescriptions they take.

Report lists hospitals with low mortality, compliance rates

HealthGrades compiled a list of 269 U.S. hospitals that have unusually low mortality and complication rates for 26 procedures and conditions. The data was gleaned from Medicare reports and found hospitals on the list have a 29% lower mortality rate and 9% lower complication rate than other facilities.

Leadership books: Where to start

64 books were recommended from the Linked 2 Leadership Group that I belong to on Linked-In. Some of the most often recommended books were:

• “Good To Great” — By Jim Collins
• “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There” — By Marshall Goldsmith
• “The 21 Irrefutable Laws Of Leadership” — By John Maxwell
• “Principle Centered Leadership” — By Stephen Covey:

Here is the link to get a complete list of the books recommended. The books are listed in alphabetical order toward the bottom of the website and are linked to its feature page on Amazon where you can read a review.

Will HIT make us healthier?

In a recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine, ONC Director Dr. David Blumenthal provides a succinct overview of the steps taken since the passage of the HITECH provisions of the ARRA.

5 tips to reinvigorate your team’s outlook

Employees at a big company may be able to fake looking busy, but a small-business team has to stay genuinely motivated, Rhonda Abrams writes. She suggests five strategies for restoring motivation: figure out what is wearing you down, develop specific solutions, solicit outside perspective, take action and review long-term goals.

How to engage workers in the performance review process

In performance reviews at Aquire, employees now focus more on where they want to be in their careers instead of just accepting what managers suggest, Aquire CEO Lois Melbourne writes. These reviews are now much more enjoyable because managers and employees began focusing on how they can help one another reach business and career goals.

The power of positive thinking against stress

People who have received “happiness coaching” and learned to use positive thinking say they are less stressed at work and more focused on coming up with solutions. Critics charge such ideas prevent people from confronting problems head on.