Tablet PC Nursing

Panasonic Announces Toughbook H1 Mobile Clinical Assistant

2008-11-05T08:17:00.002-05:00

This looks like a killer piece of hardware for healthcare. Specifications include:

Genuine Windows Vista® Business with Service Pack 1 (with Windows XP Tablet downgrade option)
Intel® Atom™ processor (1.86GHz) Z540 with 533MHz FSB, 512KB L2 cache
1GB standard RAM configuration
80 GB 1.8-inch shock mounted hard drive
10.4” XGA sunlight viewable 500 NIT Dual Touch LCD screen (1024 x 768 resolution),
InPlay Technologies digitizer
Anti-reflective screen treatment
Integrated 2.0 megapixel auto-focus camera with dual LED lights
Fingerprint scanner
Contactless smartcard reader
RFID reader
Fully rugged MIL-STD-810F and IP54 compliant 3 foot drop approved
Magnesium alloy chassis
Sealed all-weather design
Rain-, spill-, dust- and vibration-resistant
Intel® WiFi Link 5100 802.11a/b/g/draft-n
Bluetooth® v2.0 + EDR
Integrated docking connector

Integrated options:

Optional integrated WWAN / Gobi™-enabled mobile broadband (EV-DO and HSPA)
Global position system (GPS) receiver
2D barcode reader (also reads 1D barcodes)

6 hour battery life
Twin Hot-swappable batteries

3.4 lbs (with batteries)
10.4” (W) x 10.6” (H) x 1.3” - 2.3” (D)

Official H1 Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufDDOi19anQ

H1 Product Overview:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDG-1rNzizQ

H1 Cleaning:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5o5T-TVbjY

H1 Drop Test:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywXfCJtwfFY

Nursing I.T. Award Nominations Sought

2008-11-03T06:46:00.002-05:00

Health Data Management is accepting nominations for its fourth annual Nursing Information Technology Innovation Award. The deadline for entries is Jan. 5, 2009.

The award recognizes innovation and excellence in using information technology in the field of nursing to directly improve the quality of care/patient safety and/or promote the effective use of nursing resources. The co-sponsor of the award is CARING, the nation’s largest educational and networking group for nurses interested in health care information technology.

The award will be presented to a team of nursing professionals at a health care organization (hospital, physician group practice or any other care-giving site). At least one of the primary coordinators of the I.T. project must be a nurse. The project must be ongoing.

To qualify for this award, a health care organization must submit an essay with detailed information on the nursing information technology project and the specific, measurable results of that project. The contribution of nurses to the innovative project must be clearly identified.
Judges, who will include nurses, will interview finalists by phone before determining the award recipient. The winner will be notified by January 31. The April issue of the magazine will include a story on the winning organization and runners-up.

To enter, submit a document attached to an e-mail to howard.anderson@sourcemedia.com. At the top of the document, list the following:

Name of organization and address
Description of size of organization (total physicians, total inpatient licensed beds, etc.)
Name of key nurse(s) involved in the project, and their roles.
Name of person who prepared the nomination and contact information (phone and e-mail)
Name of senior executive with organization who could be available to answer questions, and contact information.

Entrants should prepare an essay of up to 1,000 words answering the following three questions:

What is the nursing I.T. project that is worthy of recognition? Precisely identify the technology involved.
What is innovative/groundbreaking about the project?
What are the measurable results/outcomes of the project? Be as specific and detailed as possible.

Examples of results can include: achieving tangible improvements in the quality of care; reducing the time nurses spend on non-care activities by automating tasks; and improving workload management through telehealth technologies and other systems.

In addition, the essay should describe the contribution of nurse(s) to the project and whether the nurse(s) was the project leader, product manager, trainer, implementer or executive sponsor.

Questions about the award should be e-mailed to howard.anderson@sourcemedia.com. More information about CARING is available at www.caringonline.org

2008 Emergency Response Guide

2008-05-03T16:03:00.003-05:00

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) has made the 2008 edition of the Emergency Response Guide (ERG) available for Windows Vista and Windows XP. The ERG 2008 software for Windows XP / Vista can be downloaded at: http://hazmat.dot.gov/pubs/erg/ERG_Windows_Setup.exe

Electronic Medical Record of the Future

2008-03-23T08:38:00.002-05:00

At the recent Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) conference there was a demonstration of the Contoso electronic medical record (EMR), a prototype created by Microsoft to show the Windows Presentation Foundation 3D features and where we are headed with patient medical charts.

See the video at: http://youtube.com/watch?v=dZWEQwzGFp4

Motion C5 Mobile Clinical Assistant (Tablet PC) & DINAMAP®

2008-03-22T12:28:00.003-05:00

GE Healthcare IT has announced a collaboration with Intel Corporation and Motion Computing® to join forces on a mobile computing solution designed to eliminate the manual collection of patient vital sign data. The solution incorporates the Motion C5 mobile clinical assistant (Tablet PC) into vital sign collection using Centricity Enterprise in-patient electronic medical record (EMR) software and GE Healthcare’s DINAMAP® patient monitoring devices.

See the GE Healthcare press release at: http://pressroom.gehealthcare.com/proom/internet/NewsandEvents.jsp?release_id=14025

MedGadget blog about Dinemap/Motion C5 Tablet PC at: http://www.medgadget.com/archives/2008/03/dinamap_to_marry_motion_c5_mobile_tablet.html

Cerner Care Console™

2008-03-22T12:13:00.002-05:00

Although not specifically Tablet PC news, here is an interesting application of consumer electronics in healthcare.

Spectrum Health of Grand Rapids, Michigan has announced a strategic relationship with Cerner and Microsoft Corp. in developing the Cerner Care Console™ solution, a consumer-centric technology that empowers patients to take an active role in their care.

The solution integrates Spectrum Health’s knowledge about the patient experience with the Cerner Millennium® healthcare information technology (HIT) computing platform, and Microsoft Windows Media Center. Cerner has also incorporated the use of Xbox 360 retail consoles into this system to offer patients gaming and entertainment experiences.

Spectrum Health is currently piloting the Care Console system in one of its units at its 750-bed Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids.

Features of the Care Console system include:

• My Health Notes – Facilitates patient/provider communication by allowing patients to write electronic notes to their physicians with questions about their care.
• My Education – Provides patients with access to health education prescribed by their care team. Access to reliable health information encourages patients to become informed about their condition and medical decisions.
• My Care Team – Provides patients a pictorial introduction to the individuals responsible for their care and explains their roles.
• My Schedule – Presents patients with an itinerary of their specific events for the day as well as a patient-specific task list.
• My Hospital – Presents patients with information about their hospital, including lists of services and maps.
• My Opinion – Invites patients to provide real-time feedback regarding their hospital stay. This enables point-of-service adjustments to care to address patient concerns and supports rapid cycle improvement.
• My Entertainment – Enables patients to watch live TV, select movies, listen to music, and play Xbox games or play online games.

See the full Cerner press release at: http://www.cerner.com/public/NewsReleases.asp?id=27184&cid=8153

National Library of Medicine Releases WISER for Windows

2008-03-20T20:43:00.002-05:00

The National Library of Medicine has released WISER for Windows.

WISER (Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders) is a system designed to assist First Responders in hazardous material incidents. Developed by the National Library of Medicine, WISER provides a wide range of information on hazardous substances, including substance identification support, physical characteristics, human health information, and containment and suppression guidance.

I've used the Windows Mobile version for years. It is a great reference for nurses that are first responders or first receivers.

Download at: http://wiser.nlm.nih.gov/register.html?plat=win

Microsoft Vision of the Future of Personal Health Management

2008-03-20T09:15:00.000-05:00

Microsoft presented their vision of personal health management in the future at the recent MIX08 conference. A ripped copy (not the greatest quality) of the video presentation is available on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F1u36Y-qlE

New OneNote Powertoy Coming

2008-02-29T16:51:00.002-05:00

New surprise OneNote powertoy coming on Monday according to OneNote Testing blog. See: http://blogs.msdn.com/johnguin/archive/2008/02/28/a-nice-surprise-and-powertoy-should-be-ready-on-monday.aspx

Microsoft Announces Amalga Family of Enterprise Health Systems

2008-02-17T13:44:00.002-05:00

Microsoft has announced (http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2008/feb08/02-13AmalgaPR.mspx) the Amalga (formerly Azyxxi) family of Enterprise Health Systems.

Components of the Amalga family include:

Amalga - a unified intelligence system that provides a single point for unified access to the wealth of information present in a healthcare organization.
Amalga Hospital Information System (HIS) - a fully integrated, single solution hospital information system.
Amalga RIS/PACS - an integrated Radiology Information System (RIS) and Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS).

For more information see: http://www.microsoft.com/amalga/default.mspx

It will be interesting to see how Tablet PC technology will be integrated into these Microsoft healthcare technologies.

Very Cool Tablet PC Application From Microsoft Research

2008-02-17T12:32:00.003-05:00

Microsoft Research has released a very cool prototype Tablet PC application. It is called InkSeine. I heard about this project several months ago; but until this week this application was only available to Microsofties. It has been called "Windows Journal on steroids". It has a new user interface specific to the Tablet PC that utilizes gestures to select menu items. It is a free download. I just downloaded the application and have started working with it.

Information and the download can be found at: http://research.microsoft.com/InkSeine/. Additional information can also be found at the InkSeine Development Team's blog at: http://community.research.microsoft.com/blogs/alpineinker/default.aspx. GottaBeMobile also has additional information at: http://www.gottabemobile.com/GBM+InkShow+InkSeine.aspx

Windows Vista Service Pack (SP) 1 Release Candidate

2007-11-28T21:58:00.000-05:00

Reports are circulating about the impending release of Windows Vista Service Pack (SP) 1 Release Candidate. I hope that SP1 deals with some of the issues that make Vista run so sluggishly.

Bink.nu and ZDNet are reporting that Microsoft will be releasing the Release Candidate (RC) test build of Windows Vista Service Pack (SP) 1 to selected testers the week of December 1.

The further report that Microsoft will release the SP1 RC test to the general public in the second week of December.

The Bink.nu article can be seen at: http://bink.nu/news/vista-sp1-release-candidate-expected-next-week.aspx

The Bink.nu article can be seen at: http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=985

Dell Latitude XT Tablet PC Coming Soon?

2007-11-27T22:28:00.000-05:00

With Dell entering the Tablet PC market is it possible that we may see a drop in pricing and make the Tablet PC a viable form factor? I hope so!

Engadget's posting about Dell Tablet PC: http://www.engadget.com/2007/10/12/dells-latitude-xt-up-close-a-bit-too-close/

YouTube video featuring Jeff Clark from Dell's Business Products Group announcing the Dell Tablet PC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8tP2Pf9Bdg

Weekend Immersion in Nursing Informatics 2008 Schedule

2007-11-23T07:36:00.000-05:00

Weekend Immersion in Nursing Informatics 2008 Schedule

Feb 8 - 10, 2008 (Fri-Sun)
Medical University of South Carolina
Charleston, SC
Hotel Reservations:
Courtyard Marriott Riverview
35 Lockwood Ave.
Charleston, SC 29401
Call: 1‐800‐549‐8154 and please mention “WINS” as your group code.
WINI Brochure
Contacts:
Registration
Kathie Faulkner in the Center for Professional De‐velopment and Clinical Education Resources,
(843)792‐2409
Program
Weatherly Brice, MSN, RN-BCClinical EducatorMedical University of South Carolina AuthorityCharleston, SC(843) 792-6572rogersw@musc.edu

March 28-30, 2008 (Fri - Sun)
ANIA Event
Clark Memorial HospitalJeffersonville IN
Contact:
Vicki Vallejos
vicki.vallejos@clarkmemorial.org

April 11-12, 2008 (Fri - Sat)
Albert Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia, PA
Contact
Sharon Majarowitz
majarowitzs@einstein.edu
215.456.7581

April 25-27, 2008 (Fri-Sun)
Children's Medical Center
Cincinnati, OH
Contact: Jack Warfield
Jack.Warfield@cchmc.org

July 14-16, 2008 (Mon - Wed)
University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore
Pre Conference Tutorial in conjunction with the Summer Institute in Nursing Informatics (July 16-19,2008)
Christine Ward, M.S.Program ManagerOrganizational Partnerships, Outreach and Clinical Enterprise University of Maryland School of Nursing 655 West Lombard St. Room 425 A Baltimore, MD 21201-1579 Phone: 410-706-1838 Fax: 410-706-0018 cward006@son.umaryland.edu www.nursing.umaryland.edu/events

Sept 20 - 21, 2008 (Sat, Sun)
Royal Victoria Hospital, Barrie, Ontario, Canada
Fern Watson
watsonf@hhsc.ca

Dec 5-7, 2008 (Fri-Sun)
UTMB Galveston, TX
Poldi Tschirch PhD,RN,BC
Email: ptschirc@utmb.edu

Webcast on Motion Computing® C5 Mobile Clinical Assistant

2007-11-23T07:28:00.000-05:00

Getting a Handle on Patient Care

Results are in! Please join Intel and Motion Computing® for a special live webcast showcasing improvements in patient care and operational efficiency as a result of the new mobile clinical assistant solution.

December 4, 200710:00 am - 11:30 am (U.S. Pacific Time)

Listen to industry healthcare leaders and learn about the patient and clinician benefits of the Motion Computing C5 MCA.
Patricia A. Abbott, PhD, RN, FAAN, FACMI; Co-Director, PAHO/WHO Collaborating Center for Nursing Knowledge, Information Management & Sharing (KIMS); Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing
Michael Blum, MD, CMIO & Associate Professor, University of California, San Francisco Medical Center
Marilyn Schaffner, RN, PhD, CNO & VP Patient Care Services, Medical University of South Carolina
Wayne Sensor, CEO, Alegent Health
Onica Ulveling, Pharm. D., Clinical Pharmacist, Intensive Care Units, Children's Hospital in Omaha

Click here to register for the live webcast.

Copyright© 2007 Intel Corporation and Motion Computing, Inc. All rights reserved. Motion Computing is a registered trademark and Motion is a trademark of Motion Computing, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. Intel, the Intel logo, Intel Health, the Intel Health logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation in the US and other countries.

Very Cool User Interface from Microsoft Research

2007-11-12T21:39:00.000-05:00

InkSeine is a very cool user interface for the Tablet PC. See:
http://research.microsoft.com/users/kenh/InkSeine/

A video demonstrating InkSeine can be seen at: http://research.microsoft.com/users/kenh/papers/How-to-get-the-most-out-of-InkSeine.wmv

The InkSeine Tutorial can be seen at: http://research.microsoft.com/users/kenh/InkSeine/tutorial-page-1-introduction.html

Unfortunately, it is not generally available and only available to Microsoft employees. This would be a great research tool for a nursing student!

I hope they make this available soon.

Weekend Immersion in Nursing Informatics Programs

2007-04-02T21:58:00.000-05:00

Weekend Immersion in Nursing Informatics

WINI, (Weekend Immersion in Nursing Informatics) is a nursing informatics continuing education course that travels around the country to provide affordable, in-depth nursing informatics education. Approved by the Maryland Nurses Association, an approved provider of nursing continuing education, WINI focuses on basic competencies in nursing informatics. WINI and Informatics Insights are developed and presented by managing members, Carol J. Bickford, PhD, RNBC, and Kathleen Smith, MScEd, RNBC. Both members are board certified in Nursing Informatics by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).
WINI provides an opportunity to have guided discussion and education in a variety of informatics topics including the systems life cycle, theories used in nursing informatics and professional practice trends and issues.

The WINI Faculty received the Information Technology Award for Knowledge Advancement from Sigma Theta Tau, the International honor society in nursing in 2001. In November 2003, the WINI Faculty received the Outstanding Nurse Educator award from the Maryland Nurses Association for their work presenting WINI throughout the US and in Canada.

April 13-14, 2007
(Fri-Sat)
Hosted by: MEDHOST, Inc
Dallas, Texas
Contact Hours will be provided
WINI Brochure
Dallas Omni Hotel Information
Contact:
Jenny Russell, RN, BSNClinical Informatics AnalystMEDHOST, INC.972-560-3919 Jenny.Russell@medhost.com

May 4 - 6, 2007 (Fri - Sun)
Hosted by Optimize IT Consulting
Location:
Bay Medical
615 North Bonita Avenue Panama City, FL 32401
Contact Hours Will be Provided
WINI Brochure
Contact: Amy Walker, MS, RN
phone: 407-788-2651
email info@optimizeitconsulting.com
Optimize IT Website

Jul 16-18, 2007 (Mon-Wed)
University of Maryland School of Nursing, Baltimore
Pre Conference Tutorial in conjunction with the
Summer Institute in Nursing Informatics (July 18-21,2006)
WINI Brochure
Christine Ward, M.S.Program ManagerOrganizational Partnerships, Outreach and Clinical Enterprise University of Maryland School of Nursing 655 West Lombard St. Room 425 A Baltimore, MD 21201-1579 Phone: 410-706-1838 Fax: 410-706-0018 cward006@son.umaryland.edu www.nursing.umaryland.edu/events

Microsoft Office Presenter 3000

2006-12-27T17:56:00.000-05:00

Microsoft may have the answer for the nursing educators and administrators out there that use PowerPoint in their class presentations. It is called Office Presenter 3000. It allows you to remotely control PowerPoint presentations. It has a remote mouse feature as well as laser pointer. All for under $50. I have used mine with my Toshiba Tablet PC with great success. I have also used it with the School of Nursing IBM ThinkPads.

For more information see: http://www.microsoft.com/hardware/Presenter/productdetails.aspx?pid=092

School Implements Tablet PCs

2006-09-12T18:14:00.000-05:00

Read all about Cary Academy's implementation of Tablet PC's to their 711 students. You can read the story at: http://www.caryacademy.org/CANews/Index.html

Imagine using a Tablet in Nursing School: taking notes in Microsoft OneNote, a wireless environment enabling quickly accessing online resources. Oh well, I dream on. We just witnessed the opening of the Microsoft School of the Future ( http://www.microsoft.com/education/schooloffuture.mspx ) in Philadelphia. Imagine the Microsoft Nursing School of the Future...

Speech Recognition in Windows Vista

2006-08-13T00:32:00.000-05:00

Dr. Bill Crounse of Microsoft's Healthcare and Life Sciences team has some interesting insight into the speech capabilities of the upcoming new Windows Vista operating system. You can read his comments at: http://blogs.msdn.com/healthblog/archive/2006/08/09/693461.aspx

What is Coming for the Tablet PC in Windows Vista?

2006-04-29T15:42:00.000-05:00

Interested in seeing what is coming for Tablet PC users in Windows Vista? Take a look at Craig Pringle's blog on this very subject. See: http://www.pringle.net.nz/blog/PermaLink,guid,1c4311b9-0261-4270-af75-cada18003922.aspx

In Love With the Motion LS800

2006-04-29T08:27:00.000-05:00

I had a Motion Computing LS800 on loan from a local distributor for a demo at a conference presentation that I delivered on digital technology in nursing education.

This device is hot! The size is great for a student in a classroom situation (with OneNote and GoBinder). The jury is out on the size factor in the clinical area for a student (I only have the device for 4 days).

I have been using a Toshiba Portégé M205-S809 for about two years. The LS 800 is lighter than the Toshiba. The smaller size is more conducive to going from meeting to meeting taking notes. I would love to have an LS800 for a longer period of time to be able to look at battery life and be able to do a full review.

There are some shortcomings. The stylus is difficult to get out of it's storage area. The Tablet PC Input Panel gets very cramped in portrait mode. Again, this just based on 4 days with the device.

Motion Computing, I'd love to do I full review of this device!

RoboNurse is Coming?

2006-03-17T22:02:00.000-05:00

Not Tablet PC, but nursing and technology related.....

RoboNurse is coming? Japanese inventors show off robotic patient transfer device. Note that it was not demonstrated with a live, moving patient...See: http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=ce25a0e6-78f3-45ab-89e2-cda957a74d6f&t=m23&f=06/64&p=Source_CNBC for the video.

Microsoft's Vision of the Future of Mobile Computing?

2006-02-26T17:16:00.000-05:00

Is this Microsoft's vision of the future of mobile computing? It looks like the Microsoft Origami Project (http://www.origamiproject.com/1/) is a cross between the existing Tablet PC and Windows Mobile devices. See: http://www.d-kitchen.com/main.html , click on "Enter", click on "Work", click on "Brandtheater" then click on "Microsoft Origami". Nice size. It looks like it would fit nicely in a lab coat pocket. The prototype looks too thick. Price? Stay tuned.

Call for Abstracts: 16th Annual Summer Institute in Nursing Informatics

2006-01-12T21:38:00.000-05:00

University of Maryland School of Nursing
16th Annual Summer Institute in Nursing Informatics (SINI)

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
The SINI 06 Planning Committee is seeking high quality abstracts for peer-reviewed paper and poster presentations

Theme
Advancing Clinical Practice Through Nursing InformaticsKeynote
Don Detmer, MD, MA, President and CEO of AMIA

Distinguished Lecturer
Congressman Patrick Kennedy

Conference Dates
July 19 - 22, 2006

Awards for Abstracts
$20,000 available in Awards and Scholarships

Deadline for submission
March 1, 2006

For details, guidelines and forms, please visit: www.nursing.umaryland.edu/informatics

Microsoft OneNote Mobile

2005-11-22T18:56:00.001-05:00

Chris Pratley from the Microsoft Office OneNote Team is blogging about OneNote Mobile for your mobile device. OneNote Mobile will be available in the release of Microsoft Office 12.

Read his blog at: http://blogs.msdn.com/chris_pratley/archive/2005/11/21/494990.aspx

I've been using the current version of OneNote on my Tablet PC. It is a great notetaking application. However, having the versatility of being able to use OneNote on my Pocket PC is a very welcome feature.

Medical Economics Article on Tablet PC

2005-11-14T01:04:00.000-05:00

Medical Economics has a great article about the Tablet PC in healthcare at: http://www.memag.com/memag/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=182804

Summer Institute in Nursing Informatics '06

2005-10-19T18:00:00.000-05:00

Save the Date
University of Maryland School of Nursing 16th Annual Summer Institute in Nursing Informatics July 19 - 22, 2006 Baltimore, Maryland www.nursing.umaryland.edu/informatics

Theme:Advancing Clinical Practice Through Nursing Informatics Keynote Speaker Don Detmer, MD, MA, President and CEO of AMIA

Abstracts accepted for peer-reviewed paper and poster presentations starting November 1 For information on sponsoring and exhibiting, contact Gail Doerr at 410-706-4122 or doerr@son.umaryland.edu

A heartfelt thank you goes out to all of you who made the Summer Institute in Nursing Informatics, 2005 a huge success. It was the largest nursing informatics conference ever held, with nearly 700 participants from 37 states and 11 nations. Nine corporate sponsors supported the event as well as 32 select exhibitors. The Planning Committee is hard at work on SINI 06. We hope to see you this summer.

Tablet PC in Healthcare Whitepaper

2005-10-16T17:55:00.000-05:00

Motion Computing has a new whitepaper on the Tablet PC in healthcare. You can access it at: http://www.motioncomputing.com/resources/Tablet%20PCs%20in%20Healthcare%20-%208-15-05.pdf

Weekend Immersion in Nursing Informatics (WINI) in Bellevue, WA

2005-08-22T21:46:00.000-05:00

October 7th through 9th, 2005
Weekend Immersion in Nursing Informatics (WINI)

Puget Sound Nursing Informatics and Bellevue Community College, Life Science Informatics Center present a weekend of learning and continuing education credit for the nursing professional with an incurable interest in technology. Nationally recognized nursing informatics educators will conduct the weekend session, open to participants from all over the nation. Approved by the Maryland Nurses Association, an approved provider of nursing continuing education, WINI focuses on basic competencies in nursing informatics.

Registration information and program brochure is available at: http://www.bcc.ctc.edu/informatics/lsicevents.htm.

The Puget Sound Nursing Informatics Fall meeting and dinner will follow the Friday opening session. So this is really two events in one.

Overlake Hospital Medical Center CIO Interview on Channel 9

2005-08-13T21:38:00.000-05:00

There is a great Channel 9 interview by Robert Scoble with Bill Crounse, M.D., Microsoft's Global Healthcare Industry Manager and Kent Hargrave, CIO at Overlake Hospital Medical Center in Bellevue, Washington. See the interview at: http://channel9.msdn.com/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=96677

Hargrave speaks about Tablet PC utilization at his hospital, HIPAA, and the challenges of implementing the digital healthcare organization.

Information System for Emergency Responders

2005-08-03T21:36:00.000-05:00

For those nurses that are also pre-hospital first responders(like myself) take a look at this free tool from the National Library of Medicine at: http://wiser.nlm.nih.gov/ I just downloaded the Windows version to my Tablet PC. In a quick navigation of the application, it appears to be easy to use and full of good information.

New Hand–held Information System for Emergency Responders

Bethesda, Maryland — The National Library of Medicine (NLM), a component of the National Institutes of Health, has announced the release of a PDA software tool designed to help first responders when they arrive at a hazardous material (Hazmat) incident, such as a chemical spill.

WISER (Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders) provides the emergency responder with critical information on hazardous substances, including physical characteristics, human health data, and containment and suppression information. Employing the unique characteristics of a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant), WISER is customized for easy navigation and quick access to key information required by first responders. To aid decision making, users can specify the role they are currently performing at the scene of an incident, and WISER organizes the critical information in a sequence most relevant to a first responder on-the-scene, a Hazmat specialist, or an emergency medical specialist (EMS).

“First responders in general, and Hazmat units in particular, must make decisions quickly in handling hazardous-materials incidents,” says Dr. Jack Snyder, NLM Associate Director for Specialized Information Services. “They need accurate information about hazardous substances, emergency resources available, and surrounding environmental conditions to save lives and minimize environmental impacts. WISER provides this lifesaving service.”

Snyder observed that WISER will be an indispensable tool for first responders in their efforts to combat the growing incidence of hazardous material incidents in the United States. Based on statistics collected by the U.S. Coast Guard’s National Response Center on all hazardous substances and waste released into the U.S. environment, Hazmat incidents have been increasing yearly since 1991, with approximately 34,000 incidents reported in 2004.

A useful feature of WISER is support for identifying an unknown substance. Using input about observed physical properties of the unknown substance, along with reported symptoms and observable signs among victims, WISER can help the user narrow the range of substances that may be involved in a specific incident. As the emergency responder selects observed properties and symptoms, WISER looks in its database for chemical substances that have these characteristics. The list of candidate chemicals decreases as additional information is provided, and WISER presents the user with a list of candidate chemicals at any point in the identification process.

The operational versions of WISER for Palm OS and for Pocket PC are now available without charge for downloading to users’ PDAs at http://WISER.nlm.nih.gov. More than 1700 copies of the WISER software have been requested and downloaded. A desktop version will be available later this spring, and a web-based version is also being developed.

NLM is collaborating with regional and local emergency response organizations and using their feedback as input for future enhancements to WISER. For example, NLM is working with CapWIN, an integrated transportation and criminal justice information wireless network across Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. WISER has been added as a resource to this network, providing easy access to authoritative chemical information.

WISER is also being incorporated into training curricula, such as the Baltimore County, Maryland Hazmat Team training program, the Illinois Fire Service Institute and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program.

Tablet PC Improvements in Windows Vista

2005-07-31T15:55:00.000-05:00

Take a look at the Microsoft website on Windows Vista for information about the Tablet PC and Windows Vista at:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/windowsvista/mobile/

This is one of the enhancements that I have wanted - the ability to directly ink in applications like PowerPoint without having to use the Tablet PC Input Panel. I hope we see more ease of use innovations like this!

The Perfect Nursing Tablet PC?

2005-07-07T19:02:00.000-05:00

Is the Motion LS 800 the perfect nursing Tablet PC? Finally, the Tablet PC I have been waiting for! Motion has just announced a new 8.4 inch screen Tablet PC available with their famous "View Anywhere" screen. For more information see: http://www.motioncomputing.com/products/tablet_pc_ls.asp This is the combination that I have been waiting for: a smaller screen (but not Pocket PC size) in a slate format. Tablet PC Talk mentioned something about fitting in a labcoat pocket (I'd like to see this). All they need to do now is make it indestructable.

Don't get me wrong, I love my Toshiba M205. But, it is a little large dragging it around on rounds. It is the perfect tool for going from meeting to meeting (in conference rooms or offices). It is a bit hefty when you want to take notes from environmental rounds so you don't need to take writen notes and transcribe them to complete your report on rounds.

If anyone from Motion is listening...great job! I'd be more than willing to test one out and provide a full report on it here!

Institute on Nursing Informatics & Classification

2005-04-12T09:24:00.000-05:00

Slightly off the Tablet PC topic, but very much on the nursing topic:

DESCRIPTION: The Institute includes cutting edge content on the interface of nursing informatics & classification. Emphasis is placed on the actual use of standardized language in clinical and educational settings. The Institute emphasizes in-depth, current information on the ANA recognized classifications of NANDA International, NIC (Nursing Interventions Classification), NOC (Nursing Outcomes Classification). Developments, implementation, and clinical evaluation of these classifications will be discussed. Presentations and dialogue with developers and users from various settings will be offered. There will be opportunities throughout this 3-day conference to network.

The conference will include keynote presentations by Colleen Di Iorio, Looking to the future: Measurement tools and strategies; Joanne Dochterman, Conducting effectiveness research: strategies and issues; and Margaret Lunney, Teaching nurses to use NANDA, NIC and NOC: Novice to Expert.

Presenters emphasizing the actual use of NIC and NOC in education and clinical settings are Mary Clarke, Genesis; Toddy Manson, Nebraska Methodist Hospital; Evelyn Burruss and Judy Long, Fresno County Department of Community Health; Teresa Clark, Joe Greiner, and Pam Kunert, University Hospitals & Clinics; Gail Keenan, University of Michigan. Discussion will include current systems as well as database development and issues related to the classifications in practice.

The brochure/registration form is available online at http://www.nursing.uiowa.edu/centers/cncce/ or email Sharon Sweeney, sharon-sweeney@uiowa.edu

Microsoft Office Reference Implementation for Clinical Forms

2005-02-06T01:05:00.000-05:00

I just realized that I had posted information on the Case Management Reference but never posted information on the Microsoft Office Reference Implementation for Clinical Forms. The Clinical Forms Reference gives a great illustration of the automation of collecting, retrieving, and sharing patient information in an emergency department, enabling clinicians to become more productive and efficient using the Tablet PC and Microsoft InfoPath 2003. Using the reference implementation leads to reduced patient wait time, fewer treatment errors, and instant access to patient information. To me, this is the type of implementation that the Tablet PC was destined for in healthcare.

See: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/itsolutions/cits/iwp/ricm/tninput.mspx

Care Management Reference Implementation for Microsoft Office 2003

2005-01-11T21:08:00.000-05:00

Care Management Reference Implementation for Microsoft Office 2003

The Care Management reference implementation for Microsoft® Office 2003 contains sample code, templates, and guidance that demonstrate the possibilities in using the Microsoft Office System to address critical business issues.

Overview
Intended for developers and IT implementers, this download of sample code, templates, and guidance demonstrates one possibility for implementing a solution to extend care management programs to more members using the Microsoft Office System. The content provided with the reference implementation illustrates how to use Microsoft Office InfoPath® 2003 XML-forms to streamline task management and to utilize Microsoft Office SharePoint® Portal Server 2003 to implement a unified process and documentation approach. From a business perspective, the Care Management reference implementation shows how health plans can increase their care management capacity.

See: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?amp;displaylang=en&familyid=2ce5a873-3767-452a-a938-69bc3ba990fa&displaylang=en

Microsoft Healthcare Resource Kit

2004-12-31T10:24:00.000-05:00

Microsoft has set up an interesting Healthcare Resource Kit at: http://www.mshlsresourcekit.com/ The site includes white papers and links to Microsoft and other sites of interest to healthcare providers. Take a look at the Mobility tab for information on using the Tablet PC in healthcare .

Skyscape Desktop Medical Applications

2004-12-30T22:51:00.000-05:00

Skyscape has introduced a desktop package (read "perfect for Tablet PC") of their medical applications that have been available for the Pocket PC and Palm OS for years. I have been happily using Archimedes on the Pocket PC for years - best of all its free!

I downloaded Archimedes for the "big screen" last week. It is great! You can download this great free reference work at: http://www.skyscape.com/EStore/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=227

Griffith's 5-Minute Clinical Consult 2005 —The best-sellilng clinical resource covering more than 1,000 medical/surgical conditions and indexed with more than 7,500 terms and medications to help clinicians locate the desired information quickly.

Bakerman's ABC's of Interpretive Laboratory Data, 4th Edition — The best-selling clinical lab test interpretation book for the past 20 years.

AHFS DI Drug Guide — The most complete and authoritative evidence-based foundation for safe and effective drug therapy that is designed to offer health professionals easy access to knowledge that is critical at point of care.

ACP PIER (Physicians' Information and Education Resource) Database — The authority in evidence-based guidance for clinicians designed for rapid point-of-care delivery on the diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

The Medical Letter's Handbook of Adverse Drug Interactions — Contains interaction information on more than 3,000 brand name drugs with generic equivalents.

Outlines in Clinical Medicine — An extensive clinical resource covering hundreds of clinical topics and thousands of terms and medications.

ICD-9-CM —The official system of assigning codes to diagnoses and procedures associated with hospital utilization in the United States.

Archimedes — A medical calculator providing over 70 of the most commonly used formulas.

Skyscape offers a $99 Desktop Value Package that includes all the above applications.

For more information see: http://www.skyscape.com/promotion/DesktopSplash.aspx

eNurse

OneNote EMR Toolkit

2004-12-30T01:13:00.000-05:00

abletFactory has released a OneNote EMR Toolkit. I have just downloaded it but haven't started using it yet. I'll keep you posted. For more information see: http://www.abletfactory.com/EMRToolkit/

From the abletFactory website:
Now you can have an EMR system based upon the power, versatility and features of OneNote. This creative solution, optimized for Tablet PCs lets the practitioner have complete and thorough control of all patient record keeping for a successful private practice. The philosophy behind this solution is to take advantage of the features and capabilities of Microsoft’s OneNote program and provide a user friendly interface to directly import information from external systems, such as PMS (Practice Management Systems) or your current paper charts and records into the OneNote system.

Features:
1. Directly import existing patient data
2. Use your own or provided Templates
3. Publish data to a Patient Portal
4. Password protect data for HIPAA compliance
5. Share data with others
6. Search for data, text and even search ink
7. Combines easy to use ink data entry with custom formatting
8. Insert flags, notes, and audio messages directly into charts
9. Time Stamp entries for auditing and accountability
10. Use the resources of Microsoft as your application developer
11. Directly scan paper charts into Patient’s OneNote EMR record no need for PaperPort, OmniPage etc.

Longhorn in Healthcare

2004-09-26T22:23:00.000-05:00

Microsoft has an interesting 13 minute concept video on Longhorn in healthcare. The video can be viewed at: http://download.microsoft.com/download/F/A/6/FA6ED491-9743-426B-B204-D553692F6784/Healthcare-640x480.wmv

A fictional physician is featured inking comments on a chest film while consulting online with a colleague.

Tom Peters PowerPoint Presentation on Healthcare

2004-09-25T15:59:00.000-05:00

Although this is not directly related to the Tablet PC in nursing practice there is an implication for the use of technology in healthcare. Tom Peters has a very interesting PowerPoint slide presentation on healthcare. See: http://www.tompeters.com/slides/special.php and click on "Healthcare". Of particular interest is that the presentation identifies that "the nursing profession is the most qualified to respond to current changes in the health system."

Sometimes we need to look to sources outside the traditional nursing and healthcare literature for a sobering look at ourselves.

eNurse

Welcome

2004-09-04T16:32:00.000-05:00

Welcome to my Tablet PC Nursing blog.

eNurse