Healthcare IT News | Meaningful use, EHRs, ICD-10, HIE, NHIN, policy, big data and more

Malware, hacking endanger devices, IT May 24, 2013 | Mike Miliard, Managing Editor

'We’re starting to attach medical devices to electronic health records, and they’re not secure.'

Insecure IT systems have left hospitals lousy with viruses and malware. Implantable medical devices are vulnerable to hackers and cyber criminals. How real is the danger? And what's being done to fight it? More

May24

Mostashari: Beacons 'taught us' May 23, 2013 | Tom Sullivan, Editor, Government Health IT

After three years, ONC, Beacon Community participants assess progress

The Beacon Communities proved that organizations can advocate changes to how healthcare is paid for by working with payers and providers, while improving quality and safety at the same time. "These were the pillars of the Beacon Community activities, and they taught us," National Coordinator for Health IT Farzad Mostashari, MD, said. "They showed what we needed to do." More

May23

Health IT adoption doubles from 2012 May 22, 2013 | Erin McCann, Associate Editor

meaningful use of electronic health records

Represents a 'tipping point' for industry, Sebelius says

More than half of all eligible providers nationwide have received federal incentive payments for demonstrating meaningful use of electronic health records, rates that have more than doubled since last year alone, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced Wednesday. More

May22

Better care not always better business May 21, 2013 | Erin McCann, Associate Editor

Healthcare not incentivized to eliminate profitable procedures that may not benefit patients

Transparency is a touchy subject in healthcare. It's one of the last market strongholds desperately clutching to its principles of secrecy, and it won't go down without a fight. But many experts say this stands as one of many reasons the industry continues to drag its feet in the innovation arena. More

May21

9 'Cs' lead to accountable care May 20, 2013 | Jeff Rowe, Contributing Writer

Lumeris CMIO puts forth steps to population management

There are buzz phrases, and then there are buzz phrases. And if there's one phrase that has permeated the healthcare sector more thoroughly than all the others, it's probably "accountable care." But what exactly does it mean? Or, more to the point for healthcare providers, how do you know when you're actually providing it? More

May20

URAC standards put to the test May 17, 2013 | Bernie Monegain, Editor

Beta users try out new clinical integration measures

Several organized physician groups are beta testing URAC's new clinical integration accreditation program standards. The independent standards organization created the new program to serve as a road map for health providers to achieve clinical integration and accountable care. By earning URAC accreditation, providers will demonstrate they are delivering improved patient care and reducing costs. More

May17

Senate confirms Tavenner as CMS chief May 16, 2013 | Tom Sullivan, Editor, Government Health IT

Response from healthcare stakeholders upbeat

Marilyn Tavenner's confirmation as official administrator of CMS immediately drew positive reactions from nearly every corner of the industry and government, as several healthcare stakeholders reacted to the 91-7 landslide Senate vote that took place late Wednesday. Tavenner is the first administrator in nine years to receive Senate confirmation. More

May16

Millennials fancy healthcare, tech jobs May 15, 2013 | Bernie Monegain, Editor

Eight healthcare organizations landed on list of 25 choice places to work

Healthcare and technology jobs have the most appeal to Generation Y, according to the sixth annual Millennial Career Survey, published May 13 by the National Society of High School Scholars, an international honor society organization based in Atlanta. More

May15

Mostashari urges healthcare change May 14, 2013 | Tom Sullivan, Editor, Government Health IT

ONC chief offers three inspirations for transformation

"It's systems that let ordinary people do extraordinary things," national coordinator for health IT Farzad Mostashari, MD said during a Health IT Policy Committee meeting talk that vice chair Paul Tang described immediately afterward as "inspiring and challenging." More

May14

UPMC data centers go green with wind May 13, 2013 | Mike Miliard, Managing Editor

Credits equivalent to 15,400,000 kilowatt-hours of renewable electricity

UPMC announced May 12 that it is the first health system in Pennsylvania to commit to the purchase of wind power energy credits equal to its data facilities' annual energy usage. More

May13

Today’s Headlines

Voice IT could improve diabetes safety A new study, funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, suggests that follow-up calls to diabetes patients using interactive voice recognition technology could show promise in... More	Rural health IT grants get look over An information collection request for the Rural Health Information Technology Network Development Program, which aims to financially support health IT adoption in rural or underserved areas, has been... More
Medicaid IT problems plague N.C. The North Carolina State Auditor has found several problems with the state Department of Health and Human Services' implementation of a new Medicaid information management system, such as... More	Grants aim to boost Massachusetts HIE The Massachusetts eHealth Institute at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative has launched the $1.5 million Mass HIway Vendor Interface Grant Program. The grants will fund projects that advance... More
9 'Cs,' part 2: The 'back-end' Much of healthcare reform involves changing the relationship between providers and patients. But for providers, efforts to deliver more accountable care necessarily involves changing the way they... More	ISU hands over $400K for HIPAA violation Idaho State University will pay $400,000 to the U.S. Department of Health Human Services to settle alleged violations of the HIPAA Security Rule. The settlement comes after ISU's Pocatello... More