Health IT Standards Committee: Passing the Baton
By John Halamka – After 10 years of work, I passed the baton of leadership for US standards harmonization efforts to Arien Malec and Lisa Gallagher. Here’s a brief synopsis of the journey.
Read MoreRegulatory Issues
Your Rights to Access and Transmit Your Health Information
By Karen B. DeSalvo & Lucia Savage – In order to effectively manage their health, individuals need to be able to access and use their health information when, where, and how they want, including sending it to the people and tools helping them become or stay healthy.
Encouraging Investment in Medicaid Information Technology
By Andy Slavitt – Over the last two plus years, more than 13.5 million new people gained the security of Medicaid or CHIP coverage, solidifying its role as the foundation of the nation’s health system providing insurance to almost 72 million people nationally.
New Hospitals and Health Care Providers Join Successful, Cutting-Edge Federal Initiative
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced 121 new participants in Medicare Accountable Care Organization (ACO) initiatives designed to improve the care patients receive in the health care system and lower costs. With this announcement, ACOs now represent 49 states and the District of Columbia.
What Do Healthcare and Stock-Car Racing Have in Common?
By Dr. David Butler – When you think about the future of healthcare, you may not picture roaring engines and screaming crowds. How can a sport that involves stock-car sprints around an oval track have anything in common with how we deliver healthcare in the United States?
31 Organizations Sent HHS Letter on Meaningful Use
A letter from organizations to HHS on January 14, 2016. On behalf of the organizations, we are writing to express our concerns with the Meaningful Use (MU) program and the current state of electronic health records (EHRs).
The Death of Meaningful Use? Not so Fast.
Like all great rumors it started with a grain of truth. CMS acting administrator Andy Slavitt, made a statement (“… we’re now in the process of ending meaningful use”…) that took on a life of its own and soon the mole hill became a mountain. In the blink of an eye the word spread that the meaningful use program had died.
Accountable Health Communities Model Announced
The Department of Health and Human Services announced a new funding opportunity of up to $157 million to test whether screening beneficiaries for health-related social needs and associated referrals to and navigation of community-based services will improve quality and affordability in Medicare and Medicaid.
EHNAC Releases Final 2016 Criteria Versions for 18 Accreditation Programs
The Electronic Healthcare Network Accreditation Commission (EHNAC), a non-profit standards development organization and accrediting body for organizations that electronically exchange healthcare data, announced the adoption of final 2016 criteria versions for 16 enhanced accreditation programs, as well as the two new accreditation programs.