Profile of Anthony Guerra
News & Commentary Posts: 134
Articles by Anthony Guerra
7/20/2011
By wielding power softly, it's easier to convert electronic medical record doubters into advocates.
5/31/2011
We need an accurate and fast data-feedback loop. IT data reports that take six months or more to come out don't make the grade.
5/26/2011
With a majority of healthcare groups using such services, the key to success is knowing what services to send out and what to keep in-house.
5/23/2011
The feds want your involvement in Accountable Care Organizations and Meaningful Use, but will you see a meaningful return on investment?
5/20/2011
CIOs may believe that primary-care-centric EMRs are the way to go, but all too often, it's the best-paid specialists who call the shots.
5/20/2011
The American Hospital Association says the feds used figures based on physician group practices that already have many ACO elements in place.
5/13/2011
Letting patients restrict access to their records could hurt efforts to improve clinical outcomes and reduce costs, the advocacy group says.
5/9/2011
CHIME, the National Association of State Chief Information Officers, and several private organizations are all influencing the development of health information exchanges.
5/3/2011
The chairman of the Health IT Policy Committee seems to be adopting a more realistic attitude about what's possible versus what's desired.
4/29/2011
Some members of the Meaningful Use Workgroup question the need for office labs to keep public health agencies in the loop on diseases and lab data.
4/26/2011
HIMSS Analytics' VP of market research Marc Holland left a deep legacy on health IT, family, and colleagues.
4/25/2011
The federal Health IT Policy Committee's Adoption/Certification Workgroup became a sounding board for doctors frustrated with complicated electronic health record software.
4/19/2011
The latest Policy Committee meeting suggests that the debate on Stage 2 meaningful use could go on forever.
4/15/2011
Capturing and submitting data to CMS directly from an EHR remains a big concern, according to a recent CHIME survey.
4/11/2011
A recent hospital stay by family members generates equal parts admiration and frustration.
4/7/2011
Health IT policy committee members can't agree on how to provide patients with access to hospital data.
4/6/2011
To get a capital-intensive health IT project funded, you may need some advanced political skills.
4/4/2011
The key to success in today's ever-changing healthcare policy environment is to gather information wisely and selectively from a wide range of sources.
4/1/2011
A federal workgroup said that data element access services provisions are "fundamentally flawed," pose privacy challenges.
3/25/2011
The recommendations and deadlines for MU Stage 2 are too tough, and a subcommittee of ONC's HIT Policy Committee is going to look for ways to ease the burdens.
3/21/2011
If you find yourself in the unenviable position of breaking up with your electronic medical record provider, honesty, forthrightness, and transparency go a long way.
3/18/2011
Members of a President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology workgroup said the lack of standardized universal exchange language message wrapper compromise feasibility.
3/14/2011
Organizations that rush to attest to Stage 1 in 2011 may find themselves in trouble when they find themselves with a shortened timeframe to prepare for Stage 2 criteria.
3/8/2011
The Meaningful Use program has forgotten how much must go into system selection and implementation; selecting the right system is the foundation upon which everything else is built.
3/3/2011
More than a third of providers plan to replace their current EMRs within the next two years, according to a KLAS report.
2/28/2011
The top trends seen at the leading health IT conference -- accountable care organizations, payment reform, medical homes -- are far removed from the real issues confronting CIOs in the trenches.
2/22/2011
While the government wants to implement Stage 2 Electronic Health Records and MU quickly, it shouldn't move forward until a third of eligible hospitals and providers have demonstrated progress under Stage 1, said the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives.
2/21/2011
The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives' letter to the Health IT Policy Committee shows it won't be relegated to ineffectual political correctness.
2/17/2011
Healthcare providers say speech recognition technology can produce staff reductions, improve report turnaround times, and increase physician satisfaction, according to a new report from KLAS.
2/15/2011
In selecting doctor-friendly electronic medical record systems vs. more IT-friendly options, corporate philosophy should guide your decision.
2/10/2011
David Blumenthal's resignation from the Office of the National Coordinator opens an opportunity to hire someone with real health IT experience and salvage an out-of-control system.
2/9/2011
Clients hire Dell Services and Navin, Haffty & Associates twice as often as firms that advise on multiple vendor brands, according to a KLAS report.
2/3/2011
Continually evolving rules around Health Information Technology compliance and certification pose challenges for software vendors, developers, and healthcare organizations.
1/31/2011
As legislators look to reduce federal spending, funding for electronic health records looks to be right in their crosshairs -- and maybe that's not so bad.
1/26/2011
Almost 40% selected orders sets as the element of electronic clinical decision support with the greatest positive impact; evidence-based alerts and reference content also ranked high.
1/24/2011
Most hospitals say they expect to qualify for meaningful use incentive funds, but most shouldn't plan to see a return on their health IT systems investment.
1/20/2011
More than 100 healthcare organizations had already applied for federal electronic health records incentives before the program launched at an event with National Coordinator David Blumenthal.
1/18/2011
IT executives' testimony on the difficulty of qualifying for federal electronic health record incentives stands in stark contrast to the government's blue-sky perspective.
1/11/2011
The health IT stalwart's focus on the standalone community hospital market may be blinding it to the changing needs of its customers.
1/6/2011
Seeking to balance empowering patients and increasing safety with not overburdening healthcare providers, the HIT Policy Committee is preparing specific questions for public comment about its Stage 2 matrix.
1/3/2011
If you wait for answers before implementing an electronic medical record, you'll likely fall behind on getting meaningful use incentive funds.
12/29/2010
Report explores opportunities for accelerating digital healthcare infrastructure to improve patient and public health outcomes.
12/27/2010
Before you jump into the Meaningful Use qualification game, remember that it's voluntary and it means you now have a new boss: the federal government.
12/22/2010
KLAS' year-end report also cites Siemens, Cerner, and McKesson for making strong improvements in the health IT industry in 2010.
12/20/2010
Electronic health record vendors are applying for -- and receiving -- a government-backed stamp of approval, expanding options for vendors and buyers.
12/17/2010
How much to increase Meaningful Use thresholds from Stage 1 is among the issues the Health IT Policy Committee will address in reviewing draft recommendations.
12/14/2010
Whether you're buying an electronic health record system or making repairs to your home, you usually get what you pay for.
12/10/2010
The percentage who expect to qualify for early stimulus funding has dropped by half since August, finds College of Health Information Management Executives survey.
12/6/2010
Healthcare IT executives would be wise to keep key players in the loop about industry-wide roadblocks to achieving Meaningful Use.
12/2/2010
The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology certification program targets hospitals with legacy, customized or self-developed Electronic Health Record systems.
11/29/2010
Collaboration, communication, and clarity are key to getting companies and sales reps to meet your hospital's IT needs.
11/23/2010
KLAS report shows only 69% of best-of-breed clients indicated their current system is part of their long-term plans.
11/22/2010
Government's health IT policy committee sent the recommended NHIN governance framework back to subcommittee to iron out thorny details.
11/15/2010
Government program rushes implementation and may compromise patient safety, but are CIOs empowered to buck the system?
11/10/2010
With Meaningful Use requirements in mind, smaller hospitals are shying away from traditional community clinical information systems vendors, according to a KLAS report.
11/8/2010
For healthcare CIOs, combining a vision for IT with action is as crucial as choosing between single enterprise solutions and standards-based plug-and-play applications.
11/4/2010
Federal policy committee examines different scenarios for sharing patient information across hospitals, clinics, insurers, and states.
11/3/2010
Health IT is hungry for expert guidance; by sharing your experience you can not only influence the field, but also guarantee you'll be putting food on the table for years to come.
10/29/2010
FaceBook, Twitter and YouTube direct users to a site Texas Health Resources created to promote its use of electronic health records.
10/25/2010
CIOs who fail to mentor leave their organizations overly dependent on their presence, leaving IT operations without a succession plan and them unable to step away.
10/20/2010
Barrier to IT entry is high, but resist urge to complain and find a way to gain requisite experience.
10/14/2010
Glen Tullman has predicted a future in which inter-connectable healthcare applications from different vendors will dominate.
10/12/2010
When you're planning to spend millions of dollars and several years modernizing your IT infrastructure, you have to balance collective industry knowledge with your organization's needs.
10/8/2010
Implementation of electronic health records and eligibility for stimulus funding are likely to be compromised by IT staffing deficiencies in more than half of healthcare organizations, according to CHIME survey results.
10/4/2010
Wisdom that applies in the restaurant business is also crucial in navigating the road to meaningful use.
10/1/2010
A KLAS report finds that almost 70 percent of Clinical Information System purchases by 200-bed and larger hospitals were from one of the two vendors.
9/27/2010
Ignore the advice to "think outside the box" and stick to your plan, even as federal agencies continue to alter the criteria they'll use to award health IT incentives.
9/24/2010
As authorities go back and forth on health IT regulations, organizations developing health information exchanges need to keep a close eye on the process.
9/21/2010
Don't leave your career to luck -- leverage your strengths to get into the position that will increase your own chances to thrive.
9/15/2010
Policy committee's quality workgroup urged to tread lightly in mandating stages 2 and 3 electronic health record requirements.
9/14/2010
Many CIOs are finding HITECH constitutes an overwhelming test of their clinical knowledge, but they should also recognize it as a golden opportunity to learn.
9/9/2010
Overall client satisfaction with ERP solutions in the healthcare industry is not high, but no alternatives stand out enough to warrant changing vendors, according to KLAS.
9/8/2010
Hospitals must become meaningful users of electronic medical records, but not every hospital CEO is willing to step up and lead the charge. Here's how healthcare CIOs can get leadership on board and get the job done.
9/2/2010
With Meaningful Use regulations yet to address images and provide clear direction, CIOs face competing priorities in making choices about institutions' Radiology Information Systems.
8/30/2010
Uncertainty over the data certification requirements for Electronic Health Records has normally unflappable healthcare CIOs exasperated.
8/25/2010
Though IT will handle implementation, the College of Healthcare Information Management Executive's Meaningful Use Guide for CIOs webinar stressed the need for leadership by top administrative and clinical executives.
8/23/2010
Guide instructs healthcare CIOs to move away from their task orientation and adopt a more strategic mindset to thrive in the era of meaningful use, but a blend of both is the better choice.
8/16/2010
For Stage 1 meaningful use, CIOs may be tempted to fudge compliance achievements, but the wise will refrain.
8/12/2010
Questions posed to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services prove that the agency still has many details to iron out about how hospitals will be reimbursed.
8/9/2010
No matter the issue, honesty and transparency are winning ingredients, especially when it comes to your career.
8/5/2010
I hear it over and over again in interviews with the top CIOs in the industry--integrity, honesty, respect. I hear it so often it seems I'm talking to the Boy (or Girl) Scouts of America.
8/2/2010
How to maintain your health, your sanity, and your career under the pressure of meeting "Meaningful Use" regulations.
7/27/2010
Most healthcare organizations must leverage past investments and don't have the luxury to rip and replace in pursuit of "perfect world" IT scenarios.
7/23/2010
Now that Meaningful Use and Certification rules have been developed, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology are focusing on ensuring healthcare providers know how to enroll in the program.
7/21/2010
Comments from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services indicate that Meaningful Use stage two will expand on stage on by making the current "menu" set part of future core requirements.
7/19/2010
Despite modifications, the prescriptive directives of the final Meaningful Use regulations won't improve patient care.
7/13/2010
The final Meaningful Use regulations issued today by the Department of Health and Human Services jettison a proposed all-or-nothing program in favor of a more flexible approach.
7/12/2010
The choices Healthcare CIOs make between single vendor enterprise solutions and best-of-breed offerings are driven by budget constraints that often reveal the healthcare haves and have-nots.
7/7/2010
Of almost 40 Health Information Exchange providers included in a KLAS study, only five were considered in more than 10% of buying decisions.
7/7/2010
Today's tech leaders aren't judged on what they know about the technology but rather on who's happily using it.
7/1/2010
A web-based simulation found that computerized physician order entry systems missed one-half of routine medication order errors and a third of potentially fatal order errors.
6/28/2010
John Glaser taking the helm of Siemens Health Services Business Unit is a game changer proves there's more than just one kind of M&A.
6/24/2010
While the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) has been moving at a pretty good clip since December when it released the "meaningful use" notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) and certification interim final rule (IFR), right up until the announcement this week of its final temporary certification program, it's apparent just how jammed up its timeline is becoming.
6/22/2010
Understand physicians and you understand the abysmal computerized physician order entry adoption rates.
6/17/2010
The privacy and security tiger team of the HIT Policy committee must balance a host of issues in determining the requirements for personal health information transactions.
6/14/2010
Savvy Healthcare CIOs are in high demand, but the recruiting and hiring process can be extremely stressful for the sought-after job candidates.
6/9/2010
The costs of integrating the ambulatory and acute expertise of Allscripts and Eclipsys may outweigh the synergies of combining the two companies.
6/8/2010
It's not enough for health system IT pros to do great work -- you have to tell people about it, too.
6/3/2010
A Manatt Health Solutions report said the HITECH Act has potential to dramatically improve healthcare, but only if the Meaningful Use criteria are revised.
6/1/2010
Why people with the most responsibility often have the most free time -- and how you can, too.