05/21/2013
The California Health and Human Services Agency has released a proposed guidance tool on requirements for obtaining patient authorization and consent for electronic health data exchange. According to CHHS, the tool could be a model for other states. Comments on the proposed tool are due June 28. Health Data Management.
05/17/2013
Seventy-one percent of U.S. physicians believe that the use of health information technology systems ultimately will result in higher costs, according to a new report from the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. However, 73% of U.S. physicians believe that health IT adoption will improve care quality in the long run, according to the report. FierceHealthIT, Deloitte report.
05/16/2013
Internal medicine residents generally are satisfied with the use of iPads in clinical settings but say that the tablet computers fell short of their expectations for performing certain tasks, according to a study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research. The researchers wrote, "[I]ntroducing any new technology can result in inflated expectations," adding, "Careful management of these expectations while promoting champions of use will be necessary to create an environment of successful" mobile health technology adoption. FierceMobileHealthcare.
05/16/2013
Many mobile health applications offering advice and treatment for pain were developed without obvious input from a medical professional, according to a study by Ohio State University researchers. According to the study, one-third of 222 pain management-related apps had no obvious input from a health care professional, while one-third of such apps had an indeterminate amount of input from a medical professional. Researchers say that the findings underscore the need for better oversight of mobile health apps. American Medical News.
05/10/2013
The California Office of Health Information Integrity is seeking public comment on five health information exchange participant agreement models. CalOHII developed the Model Modular Participant Agreement -- the proposed guide -- to comply with the HIPAA omnibus final rule's business associates provisions and to work towards an efficient trust framework for multiple parties. Government Health IT.
05/10/2013
In a Sacramento Bee opinion piece, Peter Manzo -- president and CEO of United Ways of California -- argues that accepting federal fund to expand Medi-Cal will "dramatically reduce" the number of uninsured Californians and "ensure" a better use of the state's health care dollars. He writes, "Taking a hard-line approach to financial realities is one thing, but leaving millions of federal dollars on the table -- when we have many Californians without health coverage -- would be not only fiscally irresponsible but heartless." Sacramento Bee.
05/09/2013
U.S. hospitals lose a total of $8.3 billion annually because of inefficient communications technology, according to a report by the Ponemon Institute. The costs are attributed to lost productivity and delayed patient discharges. Wall Street Journal's "CIO Journal" et al.
05/06/2013
CMS and HHS are partnering with analytics firm Archimedes to expand access to de-identified Medicare claims data. The project aims to speed the development of software that could leverage analytics to improve care and reduce costs. Clinical Innovation & Technology et al.
05/01/2013
On Monday, a bipartisan group of 67 senators sent a letter to President Obama asking for "direct and public involvement" to resolve the Department of Veterans Affairs' large backlog of medical disability claims. In their letter, the senators noted that the backlog has grown by 2,000% during the last four years. Washington Post's "Federal Eye," NextGov.
04/26/2013
CMS has proposed adding a new routine use of individual health information to eight federal databases to make it easier to identify medically vulnerable residents during an emergency, according to a Federal Register notice. CMS will accept public comments on the notice for 30 days after its publication on April 23. Health Data Management.
04/26/2013
On Tuesday, FDA announced a plan to modernize its early warning system for high-risk medical devices through the use of a smartphone application and other health information technology-related initiatives. The plan also calls for the creation of an automated surveillance system that would leverage electronic health data, such as patients' electronic health records and bills. Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times' "Booster Shots."
04/24/2013
A bipartisan group of senators has released a draft bill that would create a nationwide electronic system to track the distribution of prescription drugs. The proposed measure would require every entity in the prescription drug supply chain to provide electronic transaction information during ownership changes, strengthen licensing requirements for wholesale drug distributors and require FDA to maintain a database of such distributors. Philadelphia Inquirer’s "PhillyPharma", Politico's "Pulse."
04/19/2013
On Tuesday, six Republican senators released a white paper outlining their concerns about current federal health information technology policy and called for an overhaul of the meaningful use electronic health record incentive program. In the white paper, the lawmakers wrote, "nearly four years after [its] enactment ... we see evidence that the program is at risk of not achieving its goals and that $35 billion in taxpayer money is being spent ineffectively in the process." FierceEMR, Center for Public Integrity.
04/17/2013
Proponents of using telehealth technology to monitor patients in intensive care units say that leveraging such tele-ICU systems could help reduce costs and improve care. However, some critics of the technology argue that there is little evidence that tele-ICU systems has led to improvements in patient care. New York Times.
04/16/2013
A new report finds that 70% of surveyed physicians say that at least one patient shares health measurement data with them and that nearly 75% say that patient self-tracking could lead to improved health outcomes. Clinical Innovation & Technology, Manhattan Research release.