Research Fragmented On Patient Safety Risks From Health Technology, Regulators Say
News outlets also report on other health IT developments including the impact of startups on the industry, more layoffs at Zenefits and hospital "alert fatigue."
Bloomberg BNA:
Health IT Safety Research Remains Fragmented, Reports Show
Research on the patient safety risks posed by health technology remains fragmented with no central authority to guide what to do with the research data, according to two reports released recently by federal regulators. (Ruoff, 6/14)
San Antonio Press Express:
These Startups Are Disrupting The Healthcare Industry With Targeted Cancer Treatments
Healthcare is currently one of the most prevalent and growing topics in the startup community. Within the healthcare technology niche, cancer is also a popular topic. While treatments vary across patients, the aim of these cancer-related innovations is to introduce disruptions through highly effective and engaging tools that have a unique approach to healthcare. (Toben, 6/15).
The Wall Street Journal:
Zenefits Lays Off Another 9% of Staff
Zenefits on Tuesday said it is laying off another 9% of its staff, the latest restructuring by the once highflying health-benefits broker that is reeling from regulatory issues and missed sales targets. In an email to staff Tuesday morning, Chief Executive David Sacks said Zenefits would let go 106 employees. That figure includes 61 people in the company’s Arizona sales office, which is being shut down, and 45 others, mostly from the company’s operations team. (Winkler, 6/14)
Kaiser Health News:
Screen Flashes And Pop-Up Reminders: ‘Alert Fatigue’ Spreads Through Medicine
Some people receive constant reminders on their personal smartphones: birthdays, anniversaries, doctor's appointments, social engagements. At work, their computers prompt them to meet deadlines, attend meetings and have lunch with the boss. Prodding here and pinging there, these pop-up interruptions can turn into noise to be ignored instead of helpful nudges. Something similar is happening to doctors, nurses and pharmacists. And when they're hit with too much information, the result can be a health hazard. The electronic patient records that the federal government has been pushing -- in an effort to coordinate health care and reduce mistakes -- come with a host of bells and whistles that may be doing the opposite in some cases. What's the problem? It's called alert fatigue. (Luthra, 6/15)
