Bad healthcare IT and cardiovascular risk: What could possibly go wrong?

So, it's actually come to this...

Could you be a nosewitness to a crime?

Bad healthcare IT and cardiovascular risk: What could possibly go wrong?

June 08, 2016

This HND piece covers another disturbing healthcare story, that is creating far too little outrage.

"All" that's wrong here is that maybe 300,000 British patients received incorrect assessment of their cardiovascular risk. This means that many people were either under- or over-treated as a result.

This mishap occurred because QRISK2, a prediction algorithm for cardiovascular disease, when incorporated into a popular healthcare IT system, somehow didn't work quite right. Oh yeah, this error goes back to 2009.

I'm not sure what's worse: The fact that QRISK on its own works just fine, and only gets messed up when Incorporated into the IT package; or the fact that those in charge are attempting to minimize the damage that has been done. Or, perhaps it's that no one bothered to even test QRISK inside the system, and compare its results to the standalone version.

Yep, Healthcare IT really is that bad.

Read the complete article.

Posted at 11:41 AM in Healthcare, Save the people first, Web/Tech | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tags: healthcare IT, QRISK

Comments

Verify your Comment

Previewing your Comment

Posted by: |

This is only a preview. Your comment has not yet been posted.

Your comment could not be posted. Error type:

Your comment has been saved. Comments are moderated and will not appear until approved by the author. Post another comment

The letters and numbers you entered did not match the image. Please try again.

As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. This prevents automated programs from posting comments.

Having trouble reading this image? View an alternate.

Recommended sites and blogs

Metabolism Miracle/Diabetes Miracle Blog
Best-selling author Diane Kress provides great information for the 60% of us who tend toward metabolic syndrome.
American Council on Science and Health
The American Council on Science and Health (ACSH) is a consumer education consortium concerned with issues related to food, nutrition, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, lifestyle, the environment and health. ACSH is one of the few fearless voices of reason on these matters.
American Passport Express
The original and best internet passport service.
Christopher Whalen
One guy who really understands the financial markets. Brilliant insights.
Discussions In Infection Control
This blog, designed and written exclusively by Lawrence F Muscarella, PhD, gives you the most comprehensive discussion of healthcare-associated (hospital) infections (or, “HAIs”), infection control, and both instrument and endoscope reprocessing in the world.
Dr. Malcolm Kendrick
Provides much-needed balance to the increasingly strident health care lobby that seems intent on scaring everyone about almost everything.
Formaldehyde Facts
Your antidote to formaldehyde phobia in the media, from ACC's formaldehyde panel.
Harvard Business Services, Inc.
If you want to incorporate or form an LLC in Delaware, this is the place to go.
Health News Digest
One of the best and biggest health sites on the web. New content on a daily basis, geared to the professional and informed lay audience.
Interscan Corporation
The independent pros in gas detection, known for taking on the tough applications. Site has much technical material, way beyond mere product touts.
Jewish World Review
One of the original news/opinion aggregate sites. Founder/Editor-in-Chief/Publisher Binyamin L. Jolkovsky calls it "The intersection of faith, culture and politics." Loaded with content tending toward politically conservative. An oasis for energetic Judaism.
JunkScience.com
Steven Milloy and company do a great job in exposing junk science, which he defines as: Faulty scientific data and analysis used to advance special and, often, hidden agendas. Lots of good content.
Overlawyered
Chronicling the high cost of our legal system. Water Olson and company explore an American legal system that too often turns litigation into a weapon against guilty and innocent alike, erodes individual responsibility, rewards sharp practice, enriches its participants at the public’s expense, and resists even modest efforts at reform and accountability.
Paradigms and Demographics
Ohio-based "bug guy" Rich Kozlovich dishes on junk science, junk politics, and many other matters. Rich is also on the prowl 24/7 for supplemental content written by Others. And he still has time to kill pests!
Quiet Music
Nick Francis is a superb music programmer. Of course, it helps that he has an encyclopedic knowledge of music. Stream, subscribe, enjoy.
Selwyn Duke
Hard-hitting and well-written conservative commentary, from a modern day renaissance man. The Duke is not afraid to ruffle some feathers, or invoke his Catholic faith, either.
SenSoft International
Expert assistance on GSA, VA, DOD, and other federal contracts. Yes, there really can be great customer service in such an esoteric space.
The Excel Addict
Most of us use Excel. Some of us use it a lot, and are constantly looking for easier ways to do things. Francis Hayes--the Excel Addict--offers plenty of free tips, a regular newsletter, and an inexpensive book to download.
The International Network of Cholesterol Skeptics
Everything you know about cholesterol causing heart disease is wrong, and this website is run by eminent doctors who are trying to set the record straight. But, with billions of dollars in drug sales at stake, it won't be easy.
The Nutrition Experts
The name says it all. Jo-Ann Heslin and Karen Nolan have sold millions of books, and have re-launched their information-packed website. What's more, they encourage website visitors to submit questions.
Weasel Zippers
Conservative commentary from all over the Web. Updated constantly.
Zero Hedge
Works to... Widen the scope of financial, economic and political information available to the professional investing public; provide analysis uninhibited by political constraint; liberate oppressed knowledge

Shaw's Eco-Logic

Keeping the voice of reason in the environmental debate, along with commentary on health care and the pop culture