Blog Archive
Instruments That Help Clinicians Deliver Better Care
Dec 15, 2009 10:52 AM
In the medical world, every day brings new research findings that can potentially alter the prescribed "best practices" for treating patients with any given medical condition to facilitate the best outcomes. But keeping up with volumes of new medical studies is one of the biggest challenges for clinicians wanting to provide the best care possible f ...
Obama Allocating $600M To Health Centers
Dec 10, 2009 12:31 PM
President Barack Obama allocated almost $600 million to build community health centers and implement electronic medical records, part of the $787 billion stimulus bill. The White House framed the funding as means of adding jobs to the economy, and overhaul the nation's health system.
Hospital Goes Mobile For Holiday Fundraising
Dec 7, 2009 02:58 PM
Non-profit organizations count on the giving, holiday spirit for end-of-year fundraising campaigns, but with the tight economy, generosity is being rationed by many people. Children's Hospital Boston is hoping a new text messaging campaign underway will drive smaller donations that will add up all year.
Texas Hospital District Fires 16 For HIPAA Violations
Dec 2, 2009 12:43 PM
The Harris County Hospital District of Houston, Texas, fired 16 employees, accusing them of violating patient privacy laws by inappropriately accessing the records of a medical resident who'd been admitted to the hospital after she was shot in a grocery store parking lot.
Can You Support Remote Workers In Case Of Flu Outbreak?
Dec 2, 2009 09:56 AM
With the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention this week reporting widespread H1N1 flu outbreaks in 32 states, many companies are dealing with or anticipating the need for staff to work remotely in the months ahead. This can present a challenge for IT organizations that haven't in the past dealt with large numbers of remote workers.
IT Is 'Pillar' Of White House Healthcare Strategy
Dec 1, 2009 12:50 PM
Healthcare IT adoption is one of four pillars on which the Obama administration is basing its healthcare strategy, and is key to containing costs, administration healthcare officials said. Healthcare IT should be combined with a budget-neutral healthcare reform bill, establishing a Medicare Commission to improve quality, and an excise tax on expens ...
Senate Healthcare Reform Bill's IT Provisions Make Sense
Nov 30, 2009 04:20 PM
As the Senate begins debating its healthcare reform bill, there's several health IT related provisions that aren't likely to stir a lot of emotion on the Senate floor, but deserve some attention.
Can IT Help New Cancer Screening Guidelines?
Nov 23, 2009 01:36 PM
New recommendations from a federal task force last week about breast cancer screenings have infuriated many cancer survivors as well as medical professional organizations, including the American Cancer Society. The guidelines were based on data analysis of the risks and benefits of mammograms for women under age 50.
Blumenthal: Patient Care, Not Tech, Will Drive Meaningful Use
Nov 19, 2009 11:57 AM
National health IT coordinator Dr. David Blumenthal dropped a big hint about upcoming criteria for giving out e-health records grants. He advised healthcare IT managers to focus on "goals of care" rather than technology.
Reporting Health IT Security Compliance Gets Easier
Nov 16, 2009 03:15 PM
The Health Information Trust Alliance (HITRUST) has unveiled a new program that helps streamline how healthcare organizations report to their business associates their status of compliance to security regulations such as HIPAA and others.
Blumenthal: Tear Down E-Health Barriers
Nov 16, 2009 02:29 PM
The U.S.'s top e-health official urged healthcare organizations to tear down the barriers to effective exchange of e-health records in a message to healthcare providers.
Tech Pros Want Security, Healthcare, Green Certifications
Nov 4, 2009 01:37 PM
Techies are seeking professional certifications in emerging areas like healthcare and green IT, and especially old standbys like IT security, according to a new survey.
Are Healthcare IT Grants Worth The Hassle?
Nov 4, 2009 11:36 AM
While the U.S. American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) promises big bucks to healthcare providers that implement effective IT solutions, healthcare providers wonder whether IT adoption is worth the effort. Speaking at a two-day hearing of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, healthcare providers said healthcare IT is a go ...
E-Health Privacy Regulations Draw Congressional Fire
Nov 2, 2009 02:13 PM
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued an interim final rule to beef up penalties for violations of the Health Insurance Portability and Accounting Act (HIPAA), as several Congressmen criticize the agency for leaving dangerous loopholes in the law.
New iPhone App Gives 24x7 Swine Flu Coverage
Oct 28, 2009 12:45 PM
Swine flu is permeating everywhere these days--not just the virus, but news about it. But if you're still not getting your fill of H1N1, Harvard Medical School has released a new iPhone app that provides real-time updates while you're on the move.
H1N1 A National Emergency: Bring On The E-Records!
Oct 26, 2009 02:57 PM
President Obama has declared a national emergency in respect to H1N1. This gives hospitals more leeway in setting up emergency operations to respond to the rising swine flu pandemic. Wouldn't e-medical records systems come in handy now?
Hospitals Serving Poor Lag In Healthcare IT
Oct 26, 2009 01:03 PM
It's no surprise that hospitals which serve predominantly poor patients are lagging in implementing healthcare IT. However, it's a cause for concern that the federal stimulus program might not be up to the task of closing that gap, according to federally supported researchers.
Boston Hospital Bans Facebook
Oct 15, 2009 02:55 PM
New England Baptist Hospital banned Facebook and other social media, citing privacy concerns over employees revealing too much information about patients in their online posts, and complaints about employees wasting time online. The ban will remain in place until the hospital can come up with a social media policy, according to reports.
Healthcare Reform Bill Means HIPAA Changes, Too
Oct 13, 2009 04:59 PM
The healthcare reform bill that passed a key Senate committee today contains several health IT related provisions. Among them are new rules regarding HIPAA, including a proposals allowing the periodic update of HIPAA standards, and fines to health plans that don't comply to HIPAA "operating rules" by April 2014.
Hospital Hires 'Scribes' To Help Docs With E-Records
Oct 8, 2009 02:38 PM
The University of Virginia has hired "scribes" with laptop computers to follow doctors around as they treat patients, updating electronic medical records as they go. The antique-sounding position is one example of the steps hospitals are taking as they struggle to adopt e-health records.
