University of Michigan Health West

Medical wards at The Prince Charles Hospital, a public hospital in Queensland, have recently trialled what may be the world's first electronic tool for assessing the likely causes of delirium. According to Metro North Health, the electronic tool employs a series of yes/no questions that help narrow down causes to select groups such as infection, organ dysfunction, or drugs. It is built with algorithms that use "conventional principles," combined with smart design features such as adaptive testing. WHY IT MATTERS Delirium, one of the most underdiagnosed conditions during hospitalisation, affects around one in five patients in Australia, mostly senior folks. It a p parently costs the Australian health system A$8.8 billion ($5.8 billion) every year. The condition is often missed in around a half of cases given its many possible causes, said Dr Eamonn Eeles, a geriatrician at TPCH and developer of the delirium assessment tool. "Examination might be a challenge because of drowsiness where a patient may be quiet or seemingly withdrawn. Alternatively, a patient may be agitated. In these situations, a diagnosis may be missed." Timely diagnosis cannot be overstated as delays can "quadruple" the risk of mortality, Dr Eeles stressed. Dr Eeles spent the last decade developing the tool together with the TPCH Internal Medicine Service and The Dementia and Neuro Mental Health Research Unit at The University of Queensland Centre for Clinical Research. They are now working with other TCPH departments, including emergency medicine, to expand the application of the delirium assessment tool. THE LARGER TREND Over the past year, a t least two studies examined the application of AI models in assessing delirium. For example, a research from Johns Hopkins University revealed how AI models predicted delirium risks based on EMR data of 200,000 ICU stays. Another study leveraged a supervised deep learning model, along with an EEG device , to better assess delirium.

Te Toka Tumai Auckland launching FHIR-driven PAS Te Toka Tumai Auckland, formerly Auckland District Health Board, will be launching a new patient administration system that runs on the new FHIR-based National Health Index API. InterSystems, who is delivering the PAS, is reportedly an early user of the NHI API being developed through Te Whatu Ora's Hira programme. The FHIR-based API will enable Te Toka Tumai Auckland's new PAS to reconcile data "within the wider information systems environment." This means "[w]e will know when a patient’s data was last accessed from the NHI," explained Brian Biggs, customer relations and sales director for InterSystems New Zealand. It will also make data more updated, consistent, and reliable, he added. InterSystems said that the new PAS at Te Toka Tumai Auckland will go live in mid-2024. Virtual care tech provider sought for WACHS The WA Country Health Service is seeking an IT provider for its Virtual Care service. Based on its request for information, the technology they are looking for will replace its legacy platforms on site and for home and community. The ideal solution, it said, must be "flexible and fully digital with automated end-to-end system commencing from point of contact to results on a user interface and records management." The solution is also expected to have the ability to integrate with multiple data sources and enable automated data cleaning, analysis, and reporting. The Virtual Care service is currently being provided through WACHS's command centre, outpatient services, metropolitan health services that offer remote patient access, and business meeting rooms. Northeast Health Wangaratta to upgrade 2-decade-old digital records Northeast Health Wangaratta, the healthcare service for northeast Victoria, is upgrading its 20-year-old digital health record system from Orion Health to its modern iteration. The regional health service, which has been using Orion Health's Digital Care Record (DCR) since 2003, is in need of a modern solution to tackle challenges posed by the recent global pandemic and the onslaught of natural disasters that have strained its system. During a discovery exercise, it was found that staff had great reliance on handwritten clinical notes and observations on paper graph forms. According to a media release, the DCR upgrade will introduce new functionalities, including "improved workflows, faster access to information, greater user experience, and enhanced integration capabilities." It will also enable patient medications to be reconciled and allow doctors to prescribe upon discharge. Additional functionalities such as seamless integration of eReferrals and progress notes and the introduction of mobile device capabilities will come following the go-live of the upgraded DCR by the middle of this year. NSW Health forms AI framework task force NSW Health has set up a new task force that will oversee the creation of a framework for ensuring the safe and successful use of AI within the state's health system. The task force, which is composed of senior leaders and subject matter experts, recently met for its first meeting. According to NSW Health, they will develop a framework that aims to "embrace the potential of AI to have a significant impact on healthcare and drive transformative change in how we provide and manage healthcare and in further accelerating many aspects of clinical research." The framework will also consider and manage AI's potential risks around safety, ethics, privacy, security, and regulation. "The framework will enable us to look for more innovative ways to complement and support the capabilities of our highly skilled workforce, while addressing the risks and challenges that come with the use of AI in health," added NSW Health Minister Ryan Park. National study gets federal grant to evaluate medication charting model involving EMRs A new federal government-funded project will involve pharmacists to validate a medication charting and deprescribing model in hospitals using EMRs. The CARe-MED study, which has received A$1.4 million ($900,000) in grant funding, aims to see a reduction in medication errors made for senior patients in hospitals. It will explore the impact of partnered pharmacist charting using EMRs, assess its direct impact on medication-related harm, and measure how it affects clinicians' work. "It is important to validate the partnered charting model of care in digital settings as electronic prescribing is known to introduce new error types and patterns," explained Dr Jacinta Johnson, the study's lead and a pharmacist from the University of South Australia. The study, in collaboration with SA Pharmacy, Metro South Health and the University of Queensland, will evaluate the partnered medication charting and deprescribing model at metropolitan and rural hospitals in South Australia and Queensland over the next four years.

New Cutting-Edge Programs include Bachelor of Science in Public Health, Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration, and Master of Science in NursingMore than 1,500 Jesuit-Educated JCU Alumni Currently Work in Healthcare UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio, Dec. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Following approval from the Board of Directors, President Alan R. Miciak, Ph.D. today announced another significant step in John Carroll University's (JCU) Inspired Futures strategy with the creation of a College of Health, adding to an academic portfolio including the College of Arts & Sciences, the Boler College of Business, and the Graduate School. Former University Hospitals executive Dr. Melissa Cole, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC, CENP, JCU's Director of Nursing and Strategic Healthcare Initiatives, has been named Interim Dean. Continue Reading Bachelor of Science in Nursing and student-run EMS partner with University Heights FD on a simulated disaster drill on campus this fall Dr. Melissa Cole, Interim Dean of the College of Health The announcement of a College of Health is the latest strategic investment in the Inspired Futures strategy that emphasizes academic innovation and the student experience. This momentum includes the construction of an Athletics, Wellness & Event Center (set to open in Winter 2025), renovations to the D.J. Lombardo Student Center and multiple residence halls, enhancements to the Grasselli Library and Breen Learning Center including the Mastrantoni Family Student Success Commons, and grand opening of two state-of-the-art Nursing labs that support the Bachelor of Science in Nursing program. JCU's College of Health builds on an existing interdisciplinary Jesuit curriculum that has trained thousands of discerning students – including over 1,500 alumni currently working in healthcare-related professions – in pre-health professions, direct care professions, clinical research, healthcare analytics, and the business of healthcare. "Our College of Health will blend the social context and global health perspective of a Jesuit, liberal arts education with the strategic approach of a business education in the Boler College of Business to train the healthcare leaders of the future," said Miciak. "We will train mission-driven clinicians, executives, and leaders in the healthcare industry to work in team settings and embrace the growing disparities in public health." The recently launched Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Masters in Exercise Physiology, two programs addressing the acute need for professionals, will sit within the College of Health. It will also fold in longstanding academic programs including Counseling and Exercise Science. In Fall 2024, an undergraduate major in Public Health will launch, followed by plans for an undergraduate major in Healthcare Administration and a Master of Science in Nursing in Fall of 2025. The College of Health also includes JCU's Pre-Health program, which guides students through Biology and Chemistry. The Pre-Health program, which includes advising and professional development, has traditionally served as the path for graduates to pursue professional careers across the healthcare spectrum, including medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and pharmacy. Additionally, the Student Health Center and student-run EMS program will be part of the College. More academic healthcare majors are in development with a focus on marketplace needs, the future of healthcare, and input from anchoring institutions like the Cleveland Clinic, Metro Health, and University Hospitals. "John Carroll is situated in a global hub for healthcare and our relationships with local institutions will continue to provide opportunities and guidance for students pursuing careers across the healthcare spectrum," said Bonnie Gunzenhauser, Ph.D., Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects a shortage of up to 195,400 nurses by 2031, while the Association of American Medical Colleges projects that physician demand is growing faster than supply, leading to a projected total physician shortage of between 37,800 and 124,000 physicians by 2034. Additionally, the National Center for Health Workforce Analysis projects shortages in allied health professionals, like opticians, respiratory therapists, and physical therapists, and behavioral health professionals, like addiction counselors, mental health counselors, and psychologists. Cole added: "The time is right for JCU's College of Health and the numbers speak for themselves. More than 1,500 graduates of JCU are currently working in healthcare-related fields. We are expanding on a structure that has been in place for decades, ensuring that our students will be prepared for the complexities of healthcare and the disparities that exist in public health. Each student will benefit from a challenging curriculum, world-class clinical experiences, and the Jesuit tradition of care for the whole person that informs everything we do." Media Contact: Lizzie Thornton (440)785-3360 [email protected] SOURCE John Carroll University