Here's The Latest in Health Care:

•  The nonprofit Physicians Foundation has started a program to financially incentivize physicians to link their electronic health records to health information exchanges (HIEs). The Foundation is partnering with six state medical societies in an effort to facilitate the sharing of and access to interoperable patient data. The number of EHRs and other systems physicians are required to use is one of the leading causes of burnout. This initiative has the potential to improve data sharing while reducing the burdens currently faced by physicians and patients.  Read More

•  According to a new report from The Leapfrog Group, patients at hospitals that received “D” and “F” grades in safety were 88% more likely to die from medical error compared to those treated at higher scoring facilities. Although the death rate from medical error has improved over time, decreasing from 205,000 avoidable deaths in 2016 to 160,000 in 2018, these statistics are alarming to researchers. Some people criticize Leapfrog’s rating system as being too simple and potentially deceptive, although the CEO defends the program, citing that the results are based on actual death rates and real occurrences of medical error.  Read More

•  Research in brain-stimulation has seen many recent developments, including the creation of electric current skullcaps to enhance the memory of older people and electrode skull implants that boost memory storage. The current knowledge about brain stimulation recognizes that there are many different techniques, applications, and unknown risks that come with it. Electrical intervention therapy has been used for many years to provide relief for depression and manage intense medical conditions such as Parkinson’s disease. Brain stimulation studies have been groundbreaking and intriguing, although they have had their share of controversies and still reveal many mysteries to uncover about the human mind.  Read More

•  The United States saw a 2% drop in birth rates from 2017 to 2018, the lowest number in 32 years. Demographers had predicted the birthrate to stabilize or increase due to the growth in the U.S. economy and job market but instead were surprised by the declining birthrate, calling it a “national problem.” Some researchers cite factors such as the increase in Americans who are delaying getting married and having children and an overall negative outlook for the future from those of childbearing age.  Read More

Each Friday, Signor Goat reports the latest from the week in health care. Check back next Friday for your dose of our little medical corner of health care news. Brought to you by pMD, innovators in charge capture, secure messaging, clinical communication, MIPS registry, and care navigation software.

‍