News, updates and tips from VisualDx

THE INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE study released on Tuesday serves as a reminder to the medical community and patients that errors and delays in diagnosis remain a leading cause of harm and care-related costs in medicine. Technology is already available today that can transform the way medicine is practiced in busy primary care offices, emergency rooms, clinics, and elsewhere. “We like to think about physicians diagnosing patients similar to how pilots fly a plane,” said Dr. Art Papier, a practicing physician, medical school professor at the University of Rochester and chief executive officer of VisualDx. “Imagine being a passenger on a flight from JFK to Heathrow with the pilot using their memory instead of cockpit instruments. Would you want to stay on that plane? Probably not. Many doctors practice medicine this same way by memorizing the route instead of relying on technology tools as they work. The IOM report is a call to action for physicians to augment their thinking with reliable systems. This report will help us move from flying by memory to modern guided flight in medicine using the latest technology.” Learn more about how VisualDx is tackling the issue of diagnostic error: WHAT ARE THE BEST APPS for clinicians? What types of apps are available for clinical reference, patient engagement, and monitoring and/or communicating with patients? How can you be sure which apps to trust? Our new webinar by Dr. Mathew Devine from the University of Rochester, will share some of the best apps available and how to make the most of them in your daily workflow. October 1, 2015 at 12:30pm ET A 21-YEAR-OLD man went to urgent care after discovering several small ulcers on the shaft of his penis. There was also some pus discharge from his urethra. He had just started sleeping with a new girlfriend, and they had unprotected sex. He was very anxious because he had never seen anything like this before, and it had appeared in just a few days. Can you diagnose the patient? Use the Differential Builder in VisualDx to help you. HINT: Start with the “Adult Skin - Male Anogenital” clinical scenario, then add other key findings. Look for the answer on our Facebook page on Tuesday, September 29. Follow us on Facebook for a new quiz every Monday!   SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE (STDs) affect people of all ages, yet these infections, particularly chlamydia and gonorrhea, occur primarily in people under 24 years of age.1 As college students head to school this fall, new technologies are making it easier for consumers to find out if they have an STD and obtain prompt treatment, preventing further transmission as well as serious health complications. In July, Planned Parenthood released a smartphone app in California that allows people 17 years of age and older to order confidential at-home STD testing kits for genital gonorrhea and chlamydia.2 Using the free app, called Planned Parenthood Direct, consumers can order a discreetly packaged test. After collecting a urine sample, individuals can return it using a pre-addressed and prepaid envelope and receive confidential results via the app. The $149 fee covers mailing as well as lab and analysis costs. If the individual tests positive for either or both of these STDs, Planned Parenthood provides treatment options via secure messages on the app. Resources for Health Professionals In June, the CDC released updated STD treatment guidelines including alternative treatment regimens for Neisseria gonorrhoeae.3 The CDC continues to recommend that medical providers offer expedited partner therapy (EPT), the clinical practice of providing medications to an infected patient’s partner without examining them in a clinical setting, to patients with chlamydia or gonorrhea infection. EPT has been shown to be very effective at reducing reinfection rates. EPT is legal in most states, but providers should check www.cdc.gov/std/ept to obtain updated information from their state. To view images and read more about the differential diagnoses for these STDs, visit VisualDx: Gonorrhea, primary infection Chlamydial infections References: 1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Reported STDs in the United States: : 2013 national data for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis.  http://info.visualdx.com/e/11412/wsroom-docs-std-trends-508-pdf/3k995z/601785845. Published December 2014. Accessed August 31, 2015. 2. Planned Parenthood. Planned parenthood’s new mobile app brings confidential and convenient STD testing and treatment to your doorstep. http://info.visualdx.com/e/11412/and-treatment-to-your-doorstep/3k9962/601785845. Published June 16, 2005. Accessed August 31, 2015. 3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines, 2015. http://info.visualdx.com/e/11412/-preview-mmwrhtml-rr6403a1-htm/3k9964/601785845. Published June 5, 2015. Accessed August 31, 2015. We will be demonstrating VisualDx at the following events. We can't wait to see you there! Diagnostic Errors Meeting - September 27-29, Washington, DC Midwest MLA - October 3-4, Louisville, KY Cerner - October 11-14, Kansas City, MO Pacific Northwest Chapter MLA - October 18-19, Seattle, WA Mid-Atlantic Chapter MLA - October 18-19, Asheville, NC North Atlantic Health Sciences Libraries (NAHSL) - October 18-19, Providence, RI American Society for Healthcare Risk Management (ASHRM) - October 18, Indianapolis, IN Upstate NY and Ontario MLA (UNYOC) - October 21-22, Buffalo, NY American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) - October 26-28, Boston, MA NY State College / New England College Health Association Annual Meeting - October 28-29, Albany, NY Copyright © 2015 VisualDx, All rights reserved.