Home care agencies in the US, whether assistive (errands, cooking, etc.) or medical (visiting nurse) have historically been slow to adopt technology for client care. This study from the National Association for Home Care & Hospice (NAHC) indicates that this mindset is finally, happily, changing. “The Blackberry Report” is a RIM (Blackberry)/NAHC joint report. 65% of agencies surveyed have adopted EMRs, over 1/3 are considering handheld devices and 23% are using telehealth systems. Release
Here’s an example of a home care agency putting telehealth into action–Holy Redeemer Home Care’s Telehealth Program.
what senate has decided
The industry heavyweights President Obama neutralized through the summer are agitating that the health-care bills in Congress violate agreements they made with the White House, leave 25 million Americans uninsured and have the potential to increase medical costs.
One day after Democrats celebrated the news that a bill drafted in the Senate Finance Committee would not increase the deficit, the prospects for speedy enactment of landmark reform grew murkier. Industry leaders, who have held their tongues for months, spoke in increasingly dire tones Thursday about the impact of the Democratic proposals, raising the specter of an eleventh-hour lobbying campaign to defeat Obama’s centerpiece domestic policy goal.