5 Reasons Your Hospital Should Go Paperless

Hi guys! This is a sponsored post, so its pretty off-topic.

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All hospitals are looking for ways to improve efficiency in order to cut costs and increase profit. There are many options, but none more effective than reducing or eliminating paper. Many hospitals have already gone paperless, and many more are making the move in that direction. If your hospital hasn’t gone paperless, here are five reasons why you should take that important step toward efficiency.

1. Eliminating paper reduces patient errors. Paper gets lost more easily and can be more easily misinterpreted because orders and meds are hand written. Typed notes and electronic charts are easier to read and can more easily be counted on to be complete. Reducing patient errors should be goal number one for every hospital. Patient errors increase hospital stays, increase readmissions and can cause complications or even death. The reduction of patient errors alone should be reason enough to make the switch. One study by the Leapfrog group looked at the reduction in prescription errors that occurred when physicians went to Computer Physician Order Entry for prescriptions rather than writing them by hand. They found that CPOE reduced prescription errors by as much as 85% - and CPOE is only one aspect of going paperless. Today, in order to be considered for Leapfrog Group’s list of top hospitals, a hospital must have implemented CPOE and had it tested by Leapfrog Group.

2. It saves doctors and nurses time. Reviewing and updating electronic patient charts is faster than reviewing and updating paper charts, saving doctors and nurses time and allowing them to see more patients.

3. Transfer is easier and less expensive. Faxing paper charts to other doctors and hospitals is expensive and time consuming. Electronic charts can be transferred quickly and easily.

4. Storage is simple and takes up virtually no space. Electronic charts are stored electronically, as opposed to paper charts, which are stored in boxes and take up large amounts of space. Hospital storage space can now be converted to more useful real estate, like patient rooms or emergency space. And, when you need to find an old chart, it’s much easier to do so when they’re filed electronically.

5. Paper is costly. Consider the amount of paper used in a hospital each year. The direct cost of purchasing the paper and shredding it when it’s no longer needed is significant. This is a direct cost that can be significantly reduced by going electronic. And, it’s much better for the environment.

The switch away from paper can be a bit painful at first. There’s much training that must be done, and there is a capital outlay for the equipment that’s required. Older doctors and nurses may prove to be resistant, as well. However, when you look at the benefits, there’s no question that in order to remain competitive, hospitals have to make the move away from paper as quickly as they can. New healthcare reform is going to force cost cutting and efficiency from all medical organizations. This one is a no brainer.

Mary E. Ward writes about how to obtain an MHA degree. 

Wing + Key + Clover

Wearing this today, minus the pearls:

These pendants have been sitting in my accessory box for a while. I’ve been thinking about a necklace design but I can’t think of something unique, so I figured I should just put them all together and see what I’ll get. Tada! I made a quirky necklace! I love the pendant combination. It reminds me of Clover (a manga series created by CLAMP - click on the link for the story summary).

I’m currently testing the quality of the chain. I bought it a few weeks ago from my usual shop, along with the wing pendant and a few other trinkets. Its very pretty, but if it melts/discolors with my sweat (I am very acidic), then I will not buy it again. I have high hopes for this one though. The silver chain I bought from the same shop never melted/discolored so I hope their brass ones have the same quality *crosses fingers*. 

I still have two wing pendants and a bunch of clover and key pendants. Would you be interested in getting one of these?

Hair Issue

My hair is fluffy.  And frizzy. I used to have a long, shampoo commercial-worthy hair back in the day, but I chose to cut it off after scaring myself with Sadako. Yeah lame. And now I’m stuck with this barely manageable hair. Everytime I visit a salon, I get comments that my scalp is dry and my hair is frizzy, that I should get a relax/hair spa/special-hair-treatment-we-have-a-really-good-promo. I’m trying to keep my hair ‘virgin’ - no chemical treatments whatsoever except for shampoos, so I’m not really interested in those things.

Last weekend, boyfriend and I went strolling around the mall. I was looking for some cosplay-related stuff when he called me over and found this odd-looking comb.

The package says the comb’s serrated teeth will straighten out my hair. I have no idea how it’ll work but I bought it hoping that it’ll do some magic on my hair. Afterall, its just P39.75.

To ‘help’ the comb, I also bought a bottle of L’Oreal Elseve Shampoo. A classmate back in college told me that it did wonders to her hair, so I decided to try the product.

I’ve only used it for two days ang I’m starting to notice that my hair is a bit less frizzy and softer. I have high hopes for this product. Its a tad bit expensive than my usual shampoo (I only use what we have at home - Sunsilk!) but if it makes my hair look better, I’ll definitely buy it again.

I’ll keep you posted!

Wig Madness

I’ve been pretty hooked on wigs ever since I got a tip on where to get cheap quality wigs. Don’t worry though, when I say cheap, I really mean cheap. The good side is, they’re really good wigs! I tell you, I can actually fool people into thinking I made a major hair cut.

First one:

People thought I had a major haircut on this one. It suits me really well, and the color’s really close to my hair. I’m planning to use this for two costumes in the near future. I have another one like this in black, which I will use for another future cosplay plan.

My most recent  purchase would be this pretty (oh so pretty) blonde wig:

My Lady Gaga hair, lol. I tell you, this one’s waaay better than my Lynelle wig. Its thicker and feels a lot like real hair. And its waaaaay cheaper than Lynelle wigs.

I originally planned to color this one, but since its too pretty to be colored blue, I’ll have to look for another one. No worries though, its really cheap.  I just hope I find that white wig in time.

Where do I get these wigs? SECRET! Hint: its not from ukay. Haha!

Accessories: Metal bracelets

I went to Quiapo last weekend to visit my favorite shop. After picking out my ‘to buy’ items, I found these two bracelets:

I just had to buy them. So pretty. There were shinier versions of these two, but I chose these non-shiny ones since I love the ‘raw’ look. They’re just plain metal with pretty intricate designs. I especially love the first one since it has looks aged/worn out and its a pentagon.

What do you think? 

A Small (Lamarthe?) Black Bag

A basic black bag is a must-have. It goes perfectly with almost anything. If you don’t have a black bag, you should go out and get yourself one. Or two.

I’ve been planning to get a new bag for myself. Ever since I started working, I’ve been using a cute red cloth bag I borrowed from my Mom. I couldn’t use the NYC bag I got back in college because the black leather somehow ripped open a few months ago - not a pretty sight. So I passed by the large ukay shop in MCU last week and  found this little cutie:

The bag says its Lamarthe  but I highly doubt its authenticity. Though the cloth inside the bag bears Lamarthe’s unicorn logo, the ‘leather’ feels fake and the bag doesn’t have the round zipper with a unicorn logo. Oh well.

I love it since its  small, but can still carry all my everyday necessities. Its also sturdy and has thick leather(ette), which makes it easier to lug around since it doesn’t change its shape.

What I don’t like about it is that it doesnt have a zipper - not exactly commuter-safe. I have to carry it in front when I walk in crowded areas to avoid pick pockets. It closes with a pretty strong magnet locks though (one for in front and two on each side). It has a two secret zippered pockets for wallets and other valuable objects, plus an open pocket inside.

I’ve been using it for days! I love how versatile it is. It also forces me to pack light since its small, so my back and shoulders are happy. 

If you’re wondering how much stuff I can fit inside this small bag, here’s a photo of whats inside last night:

Shown here: Black BDO wallet (they match!), a small plastic container for sewing stuff (I sometimes bring projects along), a flashlight, a Dong-A Fine tech 0.4 pen, a Uni-pin Fine Line 0.1 pen, a steno notebook for office stuff, my Jollibee planner (hee~), my trusty 2Gb USB, ‘hair straightening’ comb, a mirror compact, bracelet/key chain (with a bunch of keys), my batch ring, locket, and metal bracelet, and finally my Nokia phone.

Other stuff not shown on the photo: a plastc bag containing two crochet  balls, a scissor, and some doilies, a small alcohol bottle, a small lotion bottle, a tissue pack, and my chicken coin purse.

Say Hello to Little Riccar

Remember my wishlist last November?  One of them came true.

Hello Riccar!

Hi! I’m Riccar.

Its a second hand Riccar  Mighty A-300, manufactured in Japan. Pretty old model but still in good condition - no scratches whatsoever (except for the case). It came with a complete manual (manual, warranty card, foot presser guide), a set of foot pressers (7 different pressers, I think), an old-school buttonhole sewer/gadget thing, and a pair of bobbin winder. 

I’m still waiting for my transformer to arrive, so I haven’t used it for my projects yet. But I’m so glad to have this machine at home. I just bought a set of high speed bobbin winder and bobbin cases, and when my transformer arrives I’ll visit the nearby thread shop.

Aaand, I just remembered that the manual is in Japanese. Good thing I can easily understand illustrations. 

YAY!

Random/Late Post: Cabinet

A few months ago, I only have a large durabox as a ‘cabinet’. Our house is really small (and is still under construction), and I can only occupy a small corner of the house for my belongings, so I have to work with just one durabox. Its quite frustrating though, considering the number of clothes I own and how bad I am at organizing my things. Every end of the week, I find a clothes halo-halo in the box and a pile of dirty laundry at the side.

So for my birthday/Christmas, my boyfriend got me this cabinet.

I’ve been planning on buying one like this since its compact and cheap. I can also hang my clothes inside (bye-bye dust!). Boyfriend got me the one with a cloth cover, since the ones with the plastic-based covers tend to build-up a strange smell. Its not super durable though, and I know it’ll easily wear-out. But its the next best thing to having an actual cabinet without having to occupy too much space.

I wish/hope that we finish the house soon, so I can have a proper spot to keep my things. 

The Body Shop Originals Collection: The 80’s are back!

Its a blast from the past! The Body Shop brought back Original 80’s Classics.

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The Originals Collectionis a fruity line-up of cleansers and moisturizers for face and body, and hair products. Beauty bloggers were invited to an 80’s inpired event last Friday to check out their new line. They even had oh-so-yummy White Hat yogurt!

I have to admit that I rarely use skin products. I’m a soap+water girl! I only use skin products (i.e. shower gels, lotions) when: 1. we run out of our usual soap, 2. I feel like using them (because we’re about to throw them out). I once tried a Body Shop’s Olive Shower Gel (got it as a gift from my former student) and it works really well. If only I got a habit of using it every day. I still have a lot left!

Olive Shower Gel

Now back to the launch. We were asked to test their products and choose a favorite. I was torn between Green Apple Bath and Shower Gel and Cucumber Freshening Water - I love the mild scent! I also love the scent of Ice Blue Shampoo and Dewberry Body Lotion. I ended up voting for Green Apple. In the end, Banna Banape was chosen as the crowd favorite.
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2010: Yukata

2010, oh 2010. What do you have for me?

Celebrated the new year at home with my family. I was quite cranky to be honest. New year isn’t exactly my favorite holiday (with all the noise, gah!) so to make things a bit better for myself, I (always) celebrate the new year in soft pajamas and a plushie.This year, I added something to my usual pajama garb.

Yay yukata*!

I got this one during a short ukay run in Novaliches. My friend Sayou found it with some dresses and handed it to me, saying she doesn’t like pink. YAAAY! Its a bit too small for me, must be a child’s yukata. I can adjust the length when I have the time (the shoulders are perfect though). Also, notice the bunny print. Love!

*Yukata - A yukata is a Japanese garment. It is a casual summer kimono usually worn during fireworks displays, festivals, and other summer events. It is also usually seen in traditional Japanese inns as bathwear (yukata literally means ‘bath clothes’). A yukata is usually made of cotton, unlike kimonos that are made of silk. It is worn with a matching sash (on casual occasions) or with an obi(for more formal events). (from Wikipedia)