09/02/2010
The insurer plans to invest $10 million to help California's rural hospitals adopt electronic health records. UnitedHealth Group would provide the loan funds by purchasing a bond offering by selected hospitals. San Francisco Business Times, Sacramento Bee.
09/01/2010
Sutter Health is working with the mobile phone application iTriage to provide patients with information about nearby hospitals and physicians in its network. The program, which is available for download at no cost, provides information about a physician's certification, hours, referral networks and accepted health plans. The application eventually aims to provide data on health care providers' patient satisfaction ratings, quality of care scores and appointment wait times. Sacramento Bee, HealthLeaders Media.
08/24/2010
HHS has awarded $32 million in funding to seven rural health care programs to improve care quality and coordination. Part of the funding is aimed at retaining health care professionals to work in rural settings. The Hill's "Healthwatch," HHS release.
08/23/2010
The Obama administration is working to enhance patient privacy guidelines after criticism emerged that the proposed rules failed to adequately protect patient data. HHS officials plan to release final rules on safeguarding patient medical information this fall. New York Times.
08/19/2010
HHS' Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology recently examined data that 10 states collected for Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program and other health services. According to the enrollment work group of ONC's Health IT Policy Committee, many states use program eligibility data that are similar enough to serve as common data standards for the electronic health insurance exchanges mandated under the federal health reform law. Government Health IT.
08/18/2010
California has launched a $30 million telehealth network to connect physicians and patients in what the governor called a "new era for health care." Officials say that the project eventually could link nearly 900 health care facilities around the state. Sacramento Bee et al.
08/17/2010
Several new California-based technology companies are working to transform health care delivery through innovative new health IT tools. Some firms are developing Web-based electronic health record systems to improve physician workflow, while others are launching online patient portals to help consumers manage their health conditions and compare treatment options. San Jose Mercury News.
08/17/2010
Last week, the Health IT Policy Committee's enrollment work group recommended that states follow the lead of federal agencies as they work to set up electronic health insurance exchanges under the health reform law. Work group members noted that the Department of Homeland Security, the Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration all use Web services or electronic interfaces to verify eligibility for various programs. Government Health IT.
08/17/2010
Yesterday, HHS announced a $46 million grant program to help states enforce new health insurance regulations under the health reform law. California plans to use its grant to improve data collection on proposed rate hikes. Los Angeles Times et al.
08/17/2010
On Tuesday, the University of California and a group of health organizations, government agencies and technology firms plan to launch the California Telehealth Network. The network aims to connect more than 300 medical facilities and 800 physician practices to state and national broadband networks. The project has received more than $22.5 million in funding, including an unspecified amount from the Federal Communications Commission's Rural Health Care Pilot Program. San Francisco Business Times.
08/10/2010
The growth in social media platforms has led many health care facilities in California and nationwide to set rules on how staff can work with the technology. Some hospitals already are facing challenges as they incorporate social media into their marketing plans. Los Angeles Times, Baltimore Business Journal.
08/09/2010
During a National Press Club forum last week, insurers, health care providers and professional organizations that manage physicians announced a series of private-sector initiatives aimed at promoting wider use of electronic health records. At the forum, federal health care officials stressed that the private sector will be crucial in ensuring widespread “meaningful use” of EHRs. The Hill’s “Healthwatch.”
08/04/2010
Although health experts say the use of online physician ratings systems will become more common as insurers and employers work to control medical costs, they caution that ratings systems are overly simplified and lack standardized ratings criteria. Insurer-provided ratings systems typically consider physicians based on two factors: quality of care and cost. The ratings frequently lack information that might be more important to consumers, such as a measure of physicians' interpersonal skills and their likelihood of remaining on schedule. Kaiser Health News/Washington Post.
08/02/2010
Researchers at California-based medical device company GlySens and UC-San Diego have developed an implantable wireless sensor designed to help diabetes patients monitor their blood glucose levels. The device -- which is implanted just under the skin -- uses a sensor to measure blood glucose levels every two minutes and transmits the data to a portable receiver. San Diego Union-Tribune, Reuters.
07/29/2010
The Western Health Information Network -- formerly known as the Long Beach Network for Health -- is slated to receive a $153,000 grant from L.A. Care Plan to connect at least 10 Los Angeles County community clinics to its health information network. Clinics that tap into the network will be able to exchange patient data on admissions, demographics, diagnoses, laboratory results, medications, physician notes and treatments. Healthcare IT News.