News : Technology, Treatment, Medical Records, HHS

Feds Ramp Up Push for Meaningful Use of Digital Health Records

Health IT Update — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 12:03:59 GMT

The nation's health IT czar and the head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a joint statement encouraging states to help CMS meet its 2012 goal of paying incentives to 100,000 health care providers for achieving "meaningful...(read more)

More HIT in Doctors' ABCs?

Health IT Update — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 19:02:50 GMT

In addition to diagnosing and treating everything from heart problems to headaches, doctors in training must learn how to use health IT in their practice, according to a study published in this month's Health Affairs journal. And the training shouldn't...(read more)

Health Records Spat Flares Anew

Health IT Update — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 20:29:34 GMT

A skirmish over the efficacy of electronic health records to reduce health-care costs is escalating into a full-scale war of words. At the center of the controversy is an article that appeared in the March issue of Health Affairs: "Giving Office...(read more)

Health IT Study Draws Fire

Health IT Update — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 20:53:32 GMT

A study challenging the assumption that health IT reduces unnecessary medical tests is drawing criticism from several fronts, including from the national coordinator for health IT. The title of the article, published Monday by the journal Health Affairs...(read more)

EHR Regs Accentuate Access

Health IT Update — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 22:16:31 GMT

The federal government's proposed regulations for "next level" electronic health record performance will emphasize patients' electronic access to their health records and enhanced sharing of information throughout "transitions of...(read more)

'Meaningful Use' Eludes Providers

Health IT Update — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:25:00 GMT

Health-care providers still have a lot of work to do to meet key health IT requirements expected under the government's Stage 2 "meaningful use" standard, a new industry report finds. CSC, an IT consulting firm based in Falls Church, Va...(read more)

Health IT Czar: Five Things You Need to Know

Health IT Update — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 19:00:20 GMT

The nation's health IT czar polished off his crystal ball this week and predicted five major health IT trends for the year. Dr. Farzad Mostashari, national coordinator for health IT, shared the prognostications on his office's Health IT Buzz blog...(read more)

The Resolution Will Be Videoed

Health IT Update — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:40:26 GMT

The nation's health IT czar is once again turning to the private sector to find innovative ways of spreading the word about the benefits of health technology. This time the topic is how technology can help individuals set and meet health goals. The...(read more)

Mostashari: Greatest Hits of 2011

Health IT Update — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 20:59:57 GMT

Here are the top 10 developments in health IT for 2011, straight from the national coordinator for health IT. Dr. Farzad Mostashari released the month-by-month list Jan. 6 on his Health IT Buzz blog:January: Medicare and Medicaid electronic health record...(read more)

Data Unleashed Against Cancer

Health IT Update — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 23:10:07 GMT

Two teams using health IT tools to help prevent and treat cancer have been named winners in an Investing in Innovation (i2) challenge sponsored by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT. Winners of the "Using Public Data for Cancer...(read more)

Blue Cross Backs ONC's Outreach

Health IT Update — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 20:59:58 GMT

The country's largest consortium of health insurance providers has publicly endorsed federal initiatives that promote consumers' awareness of health IT. "Health information technology has the power to transform the way healthcare is delivered...(read more)

HHS Rewards Health IT Innovation

Health IT Update — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 22:47:09 GMT

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT this week announced the winners of its latest innovation challenge, "Ensuring Safe Transitions from Hospital to Home," part of the office's Investing in Innovation (i2) program. National...(read more)

HHS Eases 'Meaningful Use' Cutoff

Health IT Update — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 20:56:51 GMT

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is relaxing its timetable for health-care providers to meet stricter standards for "meaningful use" of electronic health records, a move HHS says is intended to speed and ease adoption of health...(read more)

Hospitals' IT Leaders Pan ONC

Health IT Update — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 19:25:26 GMT

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, the federal agency that is leading efforts to digitize health records, gets a vote of no confidence from hospital IT executives for its role in developing health information exchanges. More than 60...(read more)

Meaningful Use Eludes Radiologists

Health IT Update — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 22:12:25 GMT

Six out of 10 radiologists plan to use electronic health records and achieve "meaningful use" standards, but only 6 percent think they have a good understanding of what meaningful use means, a new study shows. Nearly 40 percent of 216 radiologists...(read more)