As early as the 1960s, the armed services, government laboratories and military think tanks began using the most modern computers available to create computer-based games for training, analysis and virtual warfare. These simulations created a low-risk, yet effective way to test and refine military and political policies and prepare teams to undertake extremely difficult tasks.(...)
Patient Safety
Betting Big on Artificial Intelligence
Posted by | Health Innovation, Medical Technology, Patient Safety, ResearchThough the term hadn’t yet been invented, the first “smartphone” became available to consumers in 1994. It was the IBM Simon Personal Communicator, and it retailed for today’s equivalent of $1,852—without a contract. Back then, who would have imagined that clunky, expensive mobile could represent the future of medicine? So much has changed nearly 25(...)
Saving Lives by Lowering High Blood Pressure
Posted by | Health Innovation, Medical Technology, Patient Care, Patient Safety, Precision Medicine, ResearchBy Dr. Oscar Cingolani We all know high blood pressure is a global threat, often called “the silent killer.” In fact, hypertension is responsible for one in eight deaths worldwide, and it is the major culprit behind stroke, heart and kidney disease. In a new effort to curb this deadly impact, the American Heart Association(...)
Partners Forum 2017: Outcomes and Off-site Care
Posted by | Collaboration, Health Innovation, Health System Sustainability, Latin America, Medical Technology, Middle East, Patient Care, Patient SafetyEach year at Johns Hopkins Medicine International’s Partners Forum, leaders from our global affiliates discuss ways to improve health and health care for the collective good. This year’s theme, “The Evolution of Health Care: Predictions and Practices in a Changing Environment,” helped us better understand the context and landscape of health care today. We wrestled(...)
Partners Forum 2017: Data vs. Delays in Care
Posted by | Collaboration, Health Innovation, Health System Sustainability, Medical Technology, Middle East, Patient Care, Patient SafetyWe were thrilled to host the recent Johns Hopkins Medicine International Partners Forum, an annual meeting that brings together leaders, care providers and researchers from our nearly 20 affiliates in 15 countries. Looking at the past 20 years of my involvement with Johns Hopkins Medicine International when these relationships developed, this is an event I(...)
Voicing a Silent Epidemic
Posted by | Academic Medicine, Collaboration, Health Innovation, Medical Education, Middle East, Patient Safety, ResearchBlood clots cause the world’s top three cardiovascular killers, and they are the leading cause of preventable death during a hospital stay. Altogether, blood clots kill more people each year than AIDS, breast cancer and car crashes combined. Continuing our discussion on accreditation and uniform health standards in our globalized world, regulatory agencies around the(...)
Accreditation Brings Rigor
Posted by | Clinical Program Development, Collaboration, Health Innovation, Health System Sustainability, Latin America, Medical Education, Middle East, Patient Care, Patient Safety, ResearchLike me, you probably check reviews before trying a new restaurant or hotel. If we research these small decisions, it’s only logical that when it comes to big decisions like choosing a health care provider, we look for both qualitative and quantitative data to guide our choices. Accreditation is one set of standards we use(...)
Delving Into a Disaster Drill
Posted by | Clinical Program Development, Collaboration, Medical Education, Middle East, Patient Care, Patient SafetyAs we began our work with Al Rahba Hospital in the United Arab Emirates, leaders there laid out their main priorities—clinical care, research and education—which are the foundation of much of our international collaborative work. However, Al Rahba had an additional request: support for emergency preparedness. The hospital is located near a major highway between(...)
Best Preparation for Worst-Case Scenarios
Posted by | Clinical Program Development, Collaboration, Health Innovation, Health System Sustainability, Latin America, Medical Education, Middle East, Patient SafetyThe devastating wake of hurricanes across the United States and Caribbean. Two destructive earthquakes striking central Mexico within a two-week span. Deadly outbreaks of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome across Saudi Arabia, UAE and other countries in the region. Multiple terrorist attacks in Spain. These are real examples of recent emergencies affecting all corners of the(...)
Hazards of Homogeneity
Posted by | Clinical Program Development, Collaboration, Health Innovation, Health System Sustainability, Latin America, Medical Education, Middle East, Nurse Development, Patient Care, Patient SafetyWe agree on the benefits of health care globalization: more uniform standards of patient safety, growth of telemedicine, greater access to lifesaving treatments, immediate information about care and wellness. But are we overlooking a possible drawback: the homogenization of health care? You may like knowing you can get the same Starbucks coffee whether you’re in(...)