Iowa news
Floyd Valley Auxiliary sponsors health care scholarships for area students
The Floyd Valley Auxiliary will award area students three $2,000 “tuition only” scholarships this spring. This past fall, the Auxiliary board voted to add a scholarship award. To be eligible, the applicant must be a Floyd Valley Healthcare service area resident, accepted at an accredited school and pursuing a health-related career (including premedical, nursing, technology, therapy, dental health and medical records professionals). Interested students may obtain the necessary application form with complete qualifying information from their high school guidance counselor or the hospital gift shop. They also may print a copy from FloydValley.org. Applications and support information must be returned by Friday, April 5. (Floyd Valley Healthcare)
Lucas County Health Center donates first aid kits to Iowa Future Business Leaders
Lucas County Health Center recently donated a fully stocked first aid kit to Iowa Future Business Leaders of America. This donation aims to enhance the safety and well-being of students, staff and volunteers during various conferences and events throughout Iowa. The donated first aid kit reflects Lucas County Health Center’s commitment to community welfare and support. By providing this resource, the health center strives to ensure practical medical assistance can be provided during an unforeseen emergency. (Lucas County Health Center)
University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital is among the nation’s best medical centers in six pediatric specialties in the 2023-24 Best Children’s Hospitals rankings published by U.S. News and World Report. UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital ranks in neonatology, pediatric diabetes and endocrinology, pediatric orthopedics, pediatric nephrology, pediatric neurology and neurosurgery, and pediatric urology. The rankings also include state and multistate regional rankings. UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital ranks as the No. 1 children’s hospital in Iowa and No. 11 in the Midwest, defined as Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin. (University of Iowa).
National news
How long can hospitals survive a tech blackout?
Hospitals are facing a concerning surge in hacking incidents, as 6 out of every 10 health care organizations experienced a ransomware attack in the last year. This raises the question: How long can organizations care for patients when their systems are seized? Many health care facilities have contingency plans to sustain operations without relying on technology for up to 72 hours, sometimes as long as 96 hours. But cybersecurity experts fear that this isn’t enough. Cybersecurity experts suggest that hospitals should create plans to keep running smoothly even if all their technology is down for at least 30 days. But hospitals still need to implement those plans. (NBC Washington)
Health systems lack AI governance
Health systems executives are cautiously optimistic about artificial intelligence in health care. The technology has great promise to improve clinical and administrative functions, but most organizations still need strong governance for AI and generative AI. Pittsburgh-based UPMC’s Center for Connected Medicine and KLAS Research partnered to survey almost three dozen health system executives about AI risks and potential benefits. Just 16% of the survey respondents said they had systemwide governance policies, although many had formed governance committees that included senior executives to oversee AI. (Center for Connected Medicine)
How a health system removed ‘pebbles in the shoe’ from its EHR
One health system eased physician burnout by removing “pebbles in the shoe” from its electronic health record. Atlanta’s Southeast Permanente Medical Group, part of Oakland, Calif.-based Kaiser Permanente, reduced its burnout rate from 48% in 2022 to 43% in 2023 by removing inefficiencies and annoyances from its EHR. As part of its “Pebbles in the Shoe” campaign, Southeast Permanente asked staffers to submit ideas to lower their documentation burden. The organization received 163 submissions in the first year, including changing the workplace’s email culture and setting up an automated Fast Pass waiting list for patients to sign up for canceled appointment slots. (American Medical Association)