Topic:

Health Information Technology

Latest Headlines

Latest Headlines

How hospitals can fight healthcare spending growth

After five years of slow employer healthcare spending growth, experts predict medical inflation across the U.S. will rise to 6.8 percent in 2015, according to a report from PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

FDA's Janet Woodcock: EHRs can help us improve public health

The data in electronic health records can be harnessed to help the U.S. Food and Drug Administration better promote and protect public health, according to Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

Why Google could emerge as the leader in mHealth: It's all about the data

In the past month, the top players in smartphone industry have made big moves into the mHealth device market. Apple debuted its HealthKit, which will foster data sharing across mHealth applications as well as healthcare institutions. Samsung announced a digital health initiative using open hardware and software platforms for mHealth technology advancement and innovation. And Google, whose Glass computing eyewear is already being used in healthcare setting, has been described as potentially being the "best positioned of the three to build a consumer friendly data management platform."

HIT vendors rely on security standards that don't meet HIPAA requirements

Health IT vendors don't often protect electronic patient information in accordance with HIPAA, even when they and their provider clients think that they're in compliance with the law, according to a new article by Dan Schroeder, an attorney with Habif, Arogeti & Wynne in Atlanta.

How payers can implement data analytics

While health insurers focus on risk assessment and controlling costs, they also need to incorporate analytics to help solve broader insurance issues, according to Insurance & Technology. Greater investments in data analytics can improve overall outcomes.

HIMSS mHealth committee will focus on IDing critical enablers

A newly formed Health Information and Management Systems Society committee focused on the use of mobility in healthcare features 12 members and will formally launch July 1.

FDA issues social media guidance

Two new draft federal guidance documents published by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration focus on regulation of medical products and electronic digital platforms and correcting information regarding such devices and prescription drugs via Internet communication platforms.

Canada cautiously moves forward in mHealth

There are both cultural and organizational barriers preventing more Canadians from embracing mobile health innovations--and a prime one is a culture of caution, according to the  Financial Pos t.

3 ways to better protect healthcare data in the cloud

It's really not surprising that 83 percent of healthcare organizations are using the cloud to store electronic health record information or other data, as reported this week by   HIMSS Analytics. As their new survey points out, hospitals and other providers using cloud EHR vendors have lower maintenance costs, faster deployment and fewer internal IT staffing needs. Moreover, HIMSS Analytics reports that even more providers will flock to the cloud, and those already using it will expand that use. It's like BlackBerry vs. iPhone or, for those who remember, Beta vs. VHS. If one technology overshadows the other, the lesser one becomes outdated and less popular and will eventually be put out to pasture.

5 unique EHR contract stipulations

It's well established that vendor electronic health record and related contracts  heavily favor the vendor to the detriment of the provider. Many of them limit the vendor's liability, require that the EHR software be taken "as-is," prohibit class-action lawsuits or require arbitration. But some EHR and related contracts contain terms that are a bit unique--and are accessible online (many thanks to Bergman for locating most of them). Here are a few that warrant a second look.