A remote patient monitoring (RPM) program from Michigan Medicine has successfully reduced hospitalizations by 59% among high-risk patients, as reported in a study published in Telemedicine and e-Health. Analyzing over 1,100 encounters, the study highlights the benefits of consistent at-home monitoring of vital signs, combined with prompt clinical support, in preventing readmissions for conditions like congestive heart failure and uncontrolled hypertension. Launched in April 2020, the program equips participants with Bluetooth-enabled devices for vital sign tracking, with data reviewed daily by a healthcare team that can intervene as needed. The average hospital admissions decreased from 1.38 to 0.57 in six months post-enrollment, even showing a 49% reduction when excluding COVID-19 cases.

Michigan Medicine's RPM Program Cuts Hospitalizations by 59% for High-Risk Patients Medical Economics

CISA has released guidance addressing potential unauthorized access to a legacy Oracle cloud environment, underscoring the risks linked to compromised credentials, such as usernames and passwords. While the full impact of the incident is still unclear, concerns are raised regarding the reuse of these credentials, especially when hardcoded into scripts, which complicates detection and can lead to unauthorized access. Organizations are urged to take proactive measures, including resetting passwords, reviewing source code for hardcoded credentials, monitoring authentication logs, and adopting multi-factor authentication, to mitigate the risks associated with credential compromises.

CISA Warns of Credential Risks Amid Oracle Cloud Security Breach CISA

C-suite alignment and collaboration are essential for successful technology initiatives in health systems, with 61% of executives highlighting it as a key factor. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored this importance, as executives and technology leaders worked together to rapidly improve virtual health capabilities. Additionally, involving end users, such as providers and administrative staff, in the design process is crucial, with 64% of executives noting its importance. Despite the effective C-suite collaboration during the pandemic, only 38% of frontline clinicians were consulted, potentially leading to dissatisfaction with digital tools. Furthermore, 41% of respondents indicated that technology transformation is more successful when driven by business functions rather than IT, suggesting a need for closer collaboration between business and technology leaders to align digital initiatives with clinical and operational strategies.

C-Suite Collaboration: Key to Successful Health Tech Transformation Deloitte

A report from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform reveals a significant decline in labor and delivery services at rural hospitals, with 100 closures since 2020, leading to a maternal health access crisis in these communities. Only 42% of rural hospitals currently provide these critical services, and financial struggles have plagued over 130 hospitals that continue to operate maternity care, compelling some to consider discontinuing these services. Increased travel times for rural residents seeking maternity care, often between 30 to 50 minutes, exacerbate the situation. The report calls for urgent action from federal and state officials and private employers to improve health insurance support for maternity care, warning that without intervention, maternal and infant health risks will rise in rural areas.

Rural Hospitals Face Crisis as Labor and Delivery Services Plummet Becker's Hospital Review