Jerry Fahrni

Category: Technology

  • Beyond the idea of a medical-alert bracelet with the use of text messaging

    I stumbled across an article in The Wall Street Journal that discusses the use of advancing technologies to improve first responder access to important patient information. Anyone that has a severe allergy or that requires special treatment for a rare or life threatening medical condition is probably aware of medical alert bracelets. Order forms for these trinkets are prevalent in pharmacies across the country. Well it seems that the idea of medical alert bracelets is starting to take on a more technologically advanced edge like everything else in healthcare these days.

    One of the things that caught my eye in the article was the mention of a program called Invisible Bracelet (iB) that utilizes text messaging to retrieve pertinent medical information about a patient, while at the same time notifying the patient’s emergency contact(s). And since I was just talking about using text messaging as a way to improve patient compliance with medications I thought it was worth a closer look.

    “The program, a partnership between Docvia LLC of Tulsa, Okla., and the American Ambulance Association, a trade association, allows members for $10 a year to upload personal medical data to a secure website and receive a personal identification number. Members get cards to place behind their driver’s license, key fobs and stickers that can be put on, say, a bike helmet that show their identification number and the website address.

    The program is currently available in a dozen markets and is expected to expand. Docvia trains ambulance medics to use the system. The website also allows medics to automatically generate text or email messages to designated family members notifying them where the patient is being taken by ambulance.”

    Neat concept.

  • Slow progress in pharmacy automation and stale technology creates ho-hum interest

    Recently I’ve been in bit of a blogging slump. The world of technology suddenly appears a little less exciting. In fact, I find myself thinking of current technology as boring. I read lots of blog posts and articles that refer to new technologies as “revolutionary”, but I haven’t seen much revolutionary technology lately. In fact, most of the new technology is simply an iteration of the same theme; or worse, recycling of an old theme.

    Consumer technology is clearly ahead of healthcare with the exception of scanning devices like MRIs, which are pretty cool when you stop to think about what they do. However, some of the most recently vaunted consumer technologies are devices aimed at information consumption like the iPad or devices designed to access data and social media while on the go, i.e. the new crop of smartphones. It’s not really new technology per se, but rather a new application of already available technology.
    (more…)

  • Speech recognition demonstrates value in report tunrnaround time

    I came across an interesting tidbit at CMIO.net referencing an article in the July edition of the American Journal of Roentgenology (Roentgenology definition here – yeah, I had to look it up). “According to the research team, the average report turn-around time for the department before implementation of voice recognition was 28 hours. After implementation of voice recognition, the average turn-around time was 12.7 hours, the study noted.” The original article can be found at the AJR website. The abstract is free, but you’ll need a subscription to access the complete article; or be fortunate enough to have access to a medical librarian which I do.

    Voice recognition is one of those things that has been around for quite some time, but no one seems to talk about it. I for one think it could provide value in pharmacy applications (Thoughts on speech recognition in pharmacy – September 16, 2009). I would be interested to know if anyone is exploring the use of voice recognition in pharmacy applications, if for no other reason than the pure entertainment value.

  • AJHP abstracts available for Kindle

    I was pleasantly surprised today when I read my ASHP NewsLink and found the following tidbit:

    “Download AJHP Abstracts to Kindle Reader – Users of the Kindle wireless reading device, from Amazon.com Inc., can now automatically download abstracts of AJHP articles as they become available.”

    AJHP abstracts are delivered directly to the Kindle e-reader via Amazon’s Whispernet for a monthly subscription of $1.99. However, details are a little sketchy as there is limited information available at the Amazon website.

    It’s nice to see AJHP embracing digital technology. It’s a little late in the game and only abstracts are currently available, but it’s clearly a step in the right direction. Hopefully this is the first of many new digital offerings from AJHP and ASHP. I would eventually like to see AJHP journal articles available in their entirety for all digital readers. Articles are currently available for download in PDF format, but that’s really not the same as having a document formated for use on an e-reader.

    Additional information can be found at the Amazon website here.

  • What type of techie are you?

    Technology is a funny thing. It’s as diverse as it is interesting. Like many other disciplines, the field of pharmacy technology offers a host of options for pretty much every taste. And not everyone considers all types of pharmacy technology interesting, which has become abundantly clear to me as I continue to meet more professionals in my field.

    My opinions on certain key pharmacy and automation technologies are clearly in conflict with many of my friends and colleagues. It’s an odd thing being in the minority and it can drive someone to think their ideas are wrong. However, after serious consideration I realized that the main difference between many of my colleagues and myself is that I tend to be drawn toward hardware based technology while they are drawn toward software technology and regulatory affairs. While it’s true that I like playing with certain types of software, in general it doesn’t have much to offer. Thinking about how to make a piece of software easier to use might be interesting, but if you really think about it that is a gray area between software and hardware, i.e. user interface not necessarily software functionality. That’s probably some type of human engineering discipline to be sure, but I don’t have an official term. And let’s face it, regulatory affairs is simply boring. It’s a necessary evil in healthcare as every governmental agency thinks they need to regulate pharmacy and medicine with more rules then you can shake a stick at, but there really isn’t a while lot you can do with it besides learn it and use it.
    (more…)

  • Microsoft: the good and the bad

    Microsoft has been in the news quite a bit lately, some of it good and some of it bad. The software giant has done everything from creating an incredible computing environment to building one of the most successful online gaming environments in history. And like most mega-companies they’ve collected their fair share of lovers and haters. With that said, it’s beginning to look like the haters are starting to out number the lovers.
    (more…)

  • Technology to prevent medication errors (article)

    Forni A, Chu HT. Technology Utilization to Prevent Medication Errors. Curr Drug Saf. 2009 Oct 7 [ePub]

    This is a nice review article explores current technologies available to healthcare and what role they play in the reduction of medication errors. The article provides a short review of literature to support each technology reviewed. Technologies covered include: Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE), Clinical Decision Support Systems (CDSS), Patient Monitoring: Electronic Surveillance, Reminders, and Alerts, Telemedicine, Bar Code Medication Verification (BMV), a.k.a. Bar Code Medication Administration (BCMA), Smart Infusion Pumps, and electronic medication administration record (eMAR).

    The article concludes with:

    The implementation of health information technology can result in a reduction in ADEs and can impact the quality of patient care. Systems integration and compliance are vital in achieving a safe medication use process. Hospitals that have extensive computerized technology and have greater automation tend to have better patient outcomes, including fewer complications, reduced inpatient mortality and lower hospital costs. Regulatory agencies and payers are now using performance standards and financial incentives to force practices changes. This may increase the speed and likelihood of technology implementation. While many providers may dismiss technology as being beyond their scope of practice or responsibility, both practitioners and patients should be prepared for these changes.

    It’s time for healthcare system to take note of this and begin planning accordingly. You can’t escape the explosion of technology available, nor can you afford to ignore the implications of choosing not to use it.

  • Quick Hit – “I don’t see the icon”

    blind_computerSeveral times on this blog I have discussed the need to advance pharmacy through the use of new and exciting technologies. Yesterday I experienced something that brings light to the reason pharmacy practice is still in the Stone Age, where it may live forever.

    We had a minor pharmacy system upgrade yesterday. The system was down for about 45 minutes. Although minor, the upgrade required the removal of the previous version of the pharmacy software prior to installing the new version. Overall the process went smoothly. However, within a few minutes of giving the pharmacists the all clear I began receiving phone call after phone call because the upgrade “didn’t work” and they couldn’t “get into Siemens”. The problem: the install client failed to put the shortcut icon for the pharmacy system on their desktop. Seriously, that’s the problem? Wow!

    The “problem” brought the pharmacy to a standstill. So, the next time you talk about carousel technology, automated packaging, or clinical decision support software, remember that many pharmacists still struggle with using a computer; a device that is common in nearly every household in America.

    I bet Steve Jobs doesn’t have these problems. ;-)

  • The popularity of multitouch technology is growing

    InformationWeek: “As touch-screen hardware and tools for developing multitouch applications become more prevalent, businesses of all kinds will want to leverage the technology. Get ready to see it in all sorts of apps, including those used in retail, stock trading, manufacturing, inventory management, healthcare, appliance repair, and delivery services. Touch-sensing interfaces aren’t new — operations as diverse as the U.S. Postal Service and McDonald’s are using them. But these systems are based on users making a single point of contact with the screen, and they don’t support gestures. Compare that with the emerging class of multitouch sensing that lets users interact with devices using more than one finger and employing a drag-and-drop capability. For instance, users pinch their thumb and forefinger together to shrink a photo. Users of MacBook Pro, with its multitouch trackpad for manipulating objects, are familiar with multitouch, but the technology is just gaining traction on other platforms. Besides Microsoft, Qt Software is supporting it with QTouchEvent and QGestureEvent classes in the Qt 4.6 framework.” – It looks like the only people not interested in multitouch technology are those in healthcare and the makers of my Droid, i.e. Motorola. Doh!

  • New bendable magnetic interface from Microsoft

    surfaceTechnology Review (MIT): “At the base of the new device a “sensor tile” produces magnetic multiple fields above its surface. By detecting disturbances to these fields, the system can track the movement of a metal object across its surface, or the manipulation of a bladder filled with iron filings or a magnetic fluid. A user can drag a ball bearing across the surface to move a cursor across a computer’s screen, or manipulate a ferrous fluid-filled bladder to sculpt 3D virtual objects.” – Pretty cool stuff.

    The caption for the image at right: “Bladder control: Manipulating a magnetic fluid on top of the researchers’ “sensor tile” (top) offers a novel way to control a computer. The interface can be used to sculpt virtual shapes (bottom). Credit: Microsoft”

    Bladder control: Manipulating a magnetic fluid on top of the researchers’ “sensor tile” (top) offers a novel way to control a computer. The interface can be used to sculpt virtual shapes (bottom).
    Credit: Microsoft