The MN EHR Consortium leads the country in the use of aggregate data to help spot gaps in infection and testing rates, and COVID-19 vaccination distribution.
We’re encouraged to see the advancement of the new Emergency Psychiatric Assessment, Treatment and Healing Unit (EmPATH) at St. Cloud Hospital, and we applaud the leaders at CentraCare Health for taking this innovative step. EmPATH, originally the “Alameda Model,” has been under the scrutiny of our ICSI mental health working group over the past couple of years, of which CentraCare is part. It is a promising addition to the mental health continuum for people in crisis. A study of the Alameda Model in 2014 showed that it reduced ED length-of-stay by over 80%, and approximately 76% of patients were able to be discharged from the unit avoiding unnecessary hospitalization. Similar results have been experienced in Billings, MT for a rural population. Learn more about the new EmPATH unit here.
ICSI's Dr. Jodie Dvorkin, MPH and other physicians from Allina and HealthPartners featured in KSTP-TV news story on Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Vaccination working group has created a comprehensive list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) regarding COVID-19 vaccines. Designed as a tool for healthcare clinicians faced with a multitude of questions from patients and others as the new vaccines are rolled out, the FAQ covers a broad range of topics including vaccine availability, information about vaccine trials, and patient eligibility. The new COVID-19 Vaccine FAQ will be updated on a weekly basis as new information becomes available and more common questions emerge.
Our work with 30 organizations to gain consensus on a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion within the Minnesota healthcare industry was recently featured on KSTP-TV. Watch the story here.
ICSI reflects on 2024, Year-End Message
A new study about routine laboratory testing for psychiatric admissions, presented by ICSI collaborative member Kurt M. Isenberger, MD, was recently published. Common practice for psychiatric admissions in hospitals usually includes conducting laboratory testing.
Representatives from ICSI announced they have wrapped their first series of live, interactive sessions focused on sharing ways to proactively support the mental and emotional health of the healthcare workforce during the pandemic. The sessions began on April 14, 2024 and continued on a bi-weekly basis through September of this year. Each session featured healthcare leaders presenting implementation strategies including models for intervention, peer support, stress reduction and other factors impacting the wellbeing of healthcare workers on the frontlines of COVID-19.
ICSI announced the introduction of two new tools to help identify and support safer opioid prescribing when pain management is required. The Opioid Prescribing Improvement Guide addresses opioid prescribing for patients with acute, subacute, and chronic pain and is accompanied by the Postoperative Prescribing Toolkit, focused specifically on the initial postoperative discharge and post-acute phase of opioid prescribing.
ICSI is proud to announce the creation of a joint commitment across health service providers and healthcare stakeholders throughout Minnesota to eliminate systemic racism and its negative impact on health and well-being.
