Latest KFF Health News Stories
Hospital Software Often Doesn’t Flag Unsafe Drug Prescriptions, Report Finds
A survey conducted by the Leapfrog Group finds that though many hospitals have computer-based medication systems in place to protect against errors, many still fall short in highlighting possible problems.
Patients’ Assessment Of Their Health Is Gaining Importance In Treatment
As medicine moves to a patient-centered model, doctors and other health providers are slowly adding patients’ self-reports to the other tests and exams they use to determine care.
Some experts say this opportunity has not been realized, but advocates and policymakers are focusing on fixes that would make the digital versions of end-of-life planning documents easy for health professionals to locate.
Using Data To Help Home Health Workers Manage Patients’ Conditions
A market is emerging for products that enlist data and technology to identify patients who might be at risk for hospitalization or readmission.
EHRs In The ER: As Doctors Adapt, Concerns Emerge About Medical Errors
As hospitals adopt electronic health record systems, some emergency rooms are experiencing new patterns of medical errors.
R2D2’s Next Assignment: Hospital Orderly
A gleaming new hospital in San Francisco has a fleet of robots dropping off meals, picking up trash and saving some money in a very 21st century way.
With Special Tax Suspended, Medical Device Firms Reap Big Savings
The medical device industry is enjoying a two-year moratorium on a tax that was created to support the Affordable Care Act. Are firms using their savings to create more jobs, as many claim?
Cutting Edge DNA Technology Could Boost Cystic Fibrosis Screening For Newborns
Researchers say tests could be faster, cheaper, more accurate.
Hospitals Employ Email ‘Empathy’ To Help Doctors And Patients Keep In Touch
A better way to communicate with patients and track their progress?
Push On To Make Transparent Medical Records The National Standard Of Care
Four foundations joined forces to provide $10 million in new funding to the OpenNotes project, which will help an estimated 50 million people nationwide gain access to clinical notes, and allow researchers to evaluate how it affects health outcomes and costs.
Where Are STDs Rampant? Google Wants To Help Researchers Find Out
Google is sharing search data with academic teams and other public health researchers to try to fight the spread of infectious diseases.
Depressed? Look For Help From A Human, Not A Computer
Researchers asked people with depression to use an online cognitive behavioral therapy program at home. It helped no more than primary care visits. Most said they were too depressed to use it.
