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Healthcare information technology could ease some of the spotty care, long waits and medical errors anticipated by the growing shortage of nurses, doctors and other healthcare workers, according to the American Society for Quality (ASQ), which bills itself as the world's largest network of quality resources and experts.

While watching someone dig into a triple cheeseburger with fries might seem like a good way to detect a heart-attack-in-waiting, doctors would prefer a more scientific approach. To that end, CardioNexus, an affiliate of Panasonic Health, offers a portable cardiovascular imaging device designed to help doctors identify those at risk of heart attack or stroke.

St. Joseph Health System, a $4.6 billion Catholic healthcare organization, with facilities in California, Texas and New Mexico, is expanding its telehealth initiative to deliver remote care from any internet enabled device. St. Joseph Health System will use Emerge.MD's OnePlace virtual clinic to support the pilot project to expand into other remote care services such as in-home, mobile, urgent, on call and specialty care services.

ROCHESTER, MN - A new mobile app links patients with an allergy database created and used by doctors at the Mayo Clinic to help patients make real-time decisions about products they buy, track their allergies and electronically share information with their physician.

Americans may not be embracing social media as a way to communicate with their doctor - and most doctors aren't using it, either - but experts say it still has value to doctors.

"Historically, telehealth hasn't received the attention that it's deserved from the federal government," says Neal Neuberger, executive director of the Institute for e-Health Policy and president of Health Tech Strategies. A case in point is the government's meaningful use program.