"Healthcare is a complex system with many moving parts, including vast networks of doctors, patients, hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, insurers, medical equipment ... and the millions of pieces of data, images, prescriptions, documents, and other information that get exchanged every day." For the "picture story" version, click here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/curiosityshop/4852646401/sizes/l/in/photostream/

2. Healthcare is a complex system with many moving parts, including vast networks of doctors, patients, hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, insurers, medical equipment ... and the millions of pieces of data, images, prescriptions, documents, and other information that get exchanged every day.

3. In state-of-the-art imaging centers, analytics helps radiologists quickly detect and alert doctors to potential problems they might not otherwise see ― like aneurysms and other life-threatening events.

4. Teams of experts collaboratively consult on patient diagnosis and treatment over the Web.

5. Sensors and stream computing help doctors and nurses monitor large volumes of data from premature babies.

7. Ultrasound tags keep track of more than 2,000 devices and instruments ― and locate them at a moments notice.

8. Doctors can view medical data of patients using a 3D avatar of the human body.

9. Electronic health records help doctors make better decisions and deliver safer care ― more efficiently and effectively.

10. Predictive analytics spots possible fraudulent claims before they are paid out.

11. Analytics software can sort through billions of patient records to uniquely identify each individual, so doctors can ensure they are treating the right patient, guided by the right medical history, including allergies.

12. Electronic prescriptions ― accurate, error-free and understandable ― are sent directly to the pharmacy from the point of care, improving patient safety and overall quality of care.

13. By putting a process in place to capture data and look at it sideways, crossways and upside down through analytics, doctors and nurses can agree on what actions to take to solve a problem.

14. Researchers tapping into large volumes of data provide new insight into what’s working, what isn’t, and why.

15. Remote patients interact with their doctors online; and their care is coordinated seamlessly among all of their caregivers.

16. Patients use monitoring devices to manage a chronic illness at home, and transmit readings for review by experts.

17. The ultimate goal is a fully connected, coordinated and integrated health care system where everything is focused on the patient!

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