Government agencies, health care systems, and private companies are using data drawn from electronic medical records and administrative claims to advance medical knowledge. The tools they’re developing are helping to monitor the safety and effectiveness of drugs already on the market, predict an individual’s risk of developing different diseases,...

Quality Matters: You’ve said what Google is to search Watson is to discovery. What do you mean by that and why is it important as Watson delves into medicine? Gold: If you think about your own experience doing searches on the Internet, you get millions of results that you...

Innovation is increasingly becoming an important discipline for many of the country’s hospitals and health systems. Leaders are dually tasked to build a culture that promotes the sharing of ideas and a willingness to learn, but they must also ensure the creative process is formalized and methodical. Here, four...

As healthcare moves toward value-based care and ultimately an at-risk payment environment, population health management is emerging as the delivery model required for success. Born before health reform, population health management is fundamental to the new system’s “triple aim” — to improve health outcomes, lower costs and enhance the...

Last week the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) awarded five-year national accreditation status to five public health departments, bringing the number of health departments now accredited to 19 since the credential was launched two years ago. Hundreds more health departments are currently preparing to apply for accreditation, which includes...

The Alabama Department of Public Health is venturing into the mobile universe as the first state with a health app for residents. “Normally Alabama comes in last when it comes to health indicators, but we were one of the first states to be on Facebook and Twitter and YouTube....

A common pediatric injury is a tear in the tissue connecting the upper lip to the gum, usually the result of a fall. It’s also a minor injury and will heal on its own without stitches. It can seem anything but minor to parents, however, as the injured site...