By D’Arcy Gue – It’s worth remembering that 2016 was dubbed the “year of data security” after 90 percent of healthcare providers suffered data breaches in the previous two years. In particular, the Anthem breach of late 2014/early 2015 got everyone’s attention for the sheer magnitude (around 80 million records) of the hack.
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By John Halamka MD – I was in Scotland recently, helping a multi-disciplinary group of academic and government leaders with strategic IT planning. Scotland, like New Zealand, is a remarkable learning laboratory. With a population of 5.5 million, a supportive government, and talented informatics professionals, it’s the perfect storm for innovation.
By OmniMD – As we have approached the first year for the Quality Payment Program, healthcare professionals need to develop a plan that leverages strong health IT use and health information exchange in order to avoid negative payment adjustments.
By Kate Goodrich, MD – I am pleased to announce that the CMS is notifying eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals participating in the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting and/or the Medicare EHR Incentive Programs of a deadline extension.
By Irv Lichtenwald – As 2017 begins, around 81 percent of Americans live in urban areas, up from 79 percent in 2000. At the same time, urban and suburban areas where vacant land exists (so, not you, San Francisco) have been expanding, redefining what used to be rural.
By Matt Fisher – The OCR did not wait long into 2017 to issue its first settlement for a HIPAA related breach. The honor for Presence Health came only nine days into the year.
By Susan Biddle – A hot topic in healthcare IT discussions these days is the inevitable move of secure data to the cloud, and for good reason. Providing medical care has truly become a consumer market for hospitals and other healthcare institutions.
By John Halamka MD – As I’ve listened to the confirmation hearings for cabinet nominees, I’ve realized that no one with healthcare IT expertise has yet been identified by the transition team.
By Andy Bindman MD – AHRQ is embarking on a journey to use research to support the transformation of health care organizations into learning health care systems. I’m convinced there is great potential for AHRQ.