Tracy shared this link to the June 2011 Open Government Progress Report.  It provides an update on the four key domain areas:

• Leadership, Governance and Culture Change at HHS
• Transparency and Data Sharing
• Participation and Collaboration
• HHS Open Government Flagship Initiatives

Read more at http://www.hhs.gov/open/discussion/june_2011_ogov_progress_report_released.html

Computer Analytics and the Connection with Beer, Pop-Tarts, and Hurricanes

Okay, I realize that you probably believe that I have gone over the edge!  Actually, the connection between analytics, hurricanes, beer, and Pop-Tarts was brought up by Dr. Bates in his presentation last Friday evening. 

In essence, Wal-Mart used predictive analytics during Hurricane Charlie when it hit Florida in 2004 in order to discover what buyers were purchasing on all items.  As it turned out, buyers bought lots of beer and Pop-Tarts!  Interesting!!  You can read more at http://www.evancarmichael.com/Small-Business-Consulting/982/What-Beer-PopTarts-and-Hurricanes-Have-to-do-with-YOUR-Business.html

Imagine what healthcare would look like if the use of predictive analytics was pervasive in our practice?  I believe that there is a treasure chest in all of the data we hoard!

29th International Nursing Technology Conference

I just returned from Boston last evening where I attended the 29th International Nursing Technology Conference.  I have attended the conference many times over the years - but this particicular one was the best!!

On Friday, Dr. David Bates opened the conference discussing "meaningful use" and the work of many developing the initiative of the ONC.  Dr. Bates was an excellent speaker.  While he was optimistic, he was also a realist and discussed the challenges as progress is made on the electronic health record.

On Saturday, the opening speaker was Patty Dykes.  She spoke on informatics research to promote meaningful use.  She gave examples of apps developed at Partners Healthcare to addressed patient safety.  Examples included the Fall TIPS Toolkit, an electronic communication center (imagine a computer monitor located abover the head of the bed with useful information for caregivers - that can also swing around for use by the patient), and the work at Partners to standardize data for quality reporting.

The breakout sessions were also excellent.  My favorites were the sessions conducted by Michelle Troseth and Denise Tucker. Michelle did two presentations.  One addressed the IOM, The Future of Nursing and the book Educating Nurses.  Michelle stressed the importance connecting assessment and interventions and using a framework that is evidence-based.  Her other session brought the attendees up-to-date on the TIGER initiative.

Denise Tucker did a wondership presentation on providing end-of-like care and ethical principles with simulation.  She provided very specific information in a compelling and meaningful manner.

The other presentations I attended were all very good. 

iAnnotate for the iPad

Tracy sent me an email that reminded me to blog about iAnnotate for the iPad.  It is a very nice app that allows the user to navigate and "mark-up" a PDF file.  Some unexpected features include the ability to use the iPad's camera (obviously - the iPad 2) as an annotation in a document.  You can also record a Sound Clip annotation. There are many other features in the newest version, 1.5, that was updated on June 15th. 

Hmmm - those particular features (ability to add photos and sound clips) remind me of some educational software that allow groups of students to share and learn.  I wonder if groups of students might contribute to and share annotations using the DropBox app. 

iPad and Huntington's Disease

Martha shared an interesting article, Augmented Communication Devices, published in the May 2011 newsletter for HDSA.org.  The article was especially meaningful because my husband's goddaughter's mother-in-law has Huntington's Disease.

The article describes how the iPad can assist individuals who has difficulty with motor skills and communication to communicate with others.  The size and dimensions of the iPad allow it to be mounted conveniently for uses.  Moreover, there are numerous apps that are designed to facilitate communication.  Apps listed in the article were (most require purchase - some costing over $150):

• Proloquo2Go
• TapSpeak Choice
• Speak It Text to Speech
• NeoKate
• NeoPaul
• Talk Assist
• iCommunicate
• Grace Picture Exchange for Non-Verbal People
• ArtikPix
• Look2Learn
• Predictable

Not mentioned, but might be useful is iSpeakIt. 

Other types of apps and iPad features that might be helpful to facilitate communication include eBooks, word prediction, speech recognition software, and gaming apps.

Although the article specifically addressed Huntington's Disease, it is easy to see how any of the apps could benefit individuals with communication difficulties ranging from children to adults.

Google Health Going Away

According to several news articles that popped up today, Google Health will be discontinued in January of next year.  What Google may or may not understand - is that the personal health record will not have widespread adoption until there is infrastructure that allows for information exchange between consumers/providers. 
http://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/google-health-personal-health-records-discontinue-retire-phr-42690-1.html?ET=healthdatamanagement:e1856:144174a:&st=email&utm_source=editorial&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=HDM_Daily_062711

Justice Done with Conviction of Texas Sheriff Who Retaliated Against Nurses

Justice has been done with the conviction of Sheriff Robert Roberts who retaliated against two nurses who reported the Sheriff's friend, a physician.  You can read more at http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/06/15/3155780/nurse-advocate-state-medical-official.html

As frustrated as I have been with the American Nurses Association at times, it came through once again when they supported the two nurses.  You can read more at http://www.texasnurses.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=509#verdict

Physician Use of Mobile Devices

An interesting study of over 3 thousand physicians use of mobile devices was recently released and can be viewed at http://www.quantiamd.com/q-qcp/QuantiaMD_Research_TabletsSetToChangeMedicalPractice.pdf

Am behind on blogs...  have been working on our graduate program with other member of the graduate committee. 

Considering Social Media Policies for Nursing Education Programs

Diane Skiba wrote a wonderful article in Nursing Education Perspective earlier this year.  The article is available at http://www.faqs.org/periodicals/201103/2343728661.html

Nursing education programs and other organizations should consider adopting a social media policy.  When  a group of college students were polled about the Facebook posting a a nursing student in uniform holding up a placenta - half of the students saw no problem with the posting.  That sentiment did change after some discussion. 

Of course, the story about Representive Weiner's Tweets sheds light on the implications of inappropriate postings. The difference between Rep. Weiner and nursing students is striking.  He is much older and knew what he was doing was not a societal norm.  The students are just gaining real world experience.

Education about the use and inappropriate use of social media is crucial to the successful implimentation of a policy to guide users.

Comparing Healthcare

It is interesting to talk with healthcare providers and nursing students (some who are already RNs) regarding hospital comparisons and patient satisfaction.  Several of the RN students thought that the patient satisfaction initiative was only at their facility.  They did not understand that it related to reimbursement.  The Medicare site explaining HCAHPS (Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems).
Medicare site - comparing outcomes of HCAHPS (https://www.cms.gov/HospitalQualityInits/30_HospitalHCAHPS.asp) http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov/

Until recently, I did not realize that the AHRQ (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality) provides the ability for users to view measures of state performance by region (State Snapshots - http://statesnapshots.ahrq.gov/snaps10/index.jsp) for the following:
"•Overall health care quality
•Types of care (preventive, acute, and chronic)
•Settings of care (hospitals, ambulatory care, nursing home, and home health)
•Five clinical conditions (cancer, diabetes, heart disease, maternal and child health, and respiratory diseases)
•Special focus areas on diabetes, asthma, Healthy People 2010, clinical preventive services, disparities, payer, and variation over time"

If you haven't already done so, take a few moments to compare performances of healthcare agencies in your region.

Update

Am still here.... just finishing up finalizing grading for two courses for Maymester and working on reports for the Georgia College new DNP program.  Have several blogs in line, thanks to emails from Tracy and others.