McKesson announces new personal health management suite
McKesson announced at HIMSS06 last month in San Diego an addition to its personal health management suite with Horizon Patient Kiosk, a touch-screen system for hospitals and physician offices that enables patients to electronically check in for appointments and procedures at the point of service. Patients can also access and review their own demographic information, view appointments, check outstanding balances and co-payments, and electronically sign consent forms, the company said.
   
For Internet-savvy patients, McKesson showcased the Horizon(WP) Patient Portal that provides secure online communication with a patient’s caregivers, self-service tools, and access to personal information anytime, via a secure web connection.

Over the past year and a half, McKesson also has added two new patient solutions for use in the home: Telehealth Advisor is an in-home patient monitoring system for chronic disease management for conditions such as asthma and heart disease; and Telehealth Guardian is a personal emergency response system that includes a telephone-based communications unit, wireless transmitter in the home, and a specialized emergency response call center.

"All stakeholders — patients, providers, payors and employers — benefit when technology is used to reduce costs and improve care in the home," said Craig Frazier, general manager for Extended Care Solutions. "The ability to equip patients and their care teams to monitor and manage chronic conditions, and then tie that information into the patient's electronic health record is essential to shifting the treatment paradigm. We must move from reactively addressing disease exacerbation to promoting and supporting self-management, prevention and wellness," added Frazier.
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