Future of HIPAA Enforcement
By Matt Fisher – While home on paternity leave taking care of my baby daughter, I’ve had a fair amount fo time to think about different issues, which means I think about HIPAA.
Read MoreHealth Innovation
CDC Seeks Info on CDS
By William Hyman – CDS software is a subject of ongoing interest. Such systems have the theoretical potential to improve patient care by advising treaters on a variety of issues from the relatively mundane (flu shots) to big data based diagnostic prowess.
RFI: Strategic Plan for the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health
By William Hersh – Under the leadership of its new Director, Patricia Brennan, PhD, RN, the National Library of Medicine (NLM) is undertaking a strategic planning process to develop goals and priorities for the NLM going forward.
New Quality Payment Program Resources Available Online
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently posted new resources to the Quality Payment Program website to help eligible clinicians and data submission vendors successfully prepare to participate in the program.
Don’t Let Your Disposal Vendor Mishandle Your Trash Into a HIPAA Violation
By Marla Durben Hirsch – Providers continue to be confused as to how to dispose of their trash without running afoul of HIPAA. But the stakes are now higher – because it’s often the provider’s trash collector that’s exposing the patient data that’s in the garbage.
Attest to 2016 EHR Incentive Program Requirements
CMS Registration and Attestation System is now open. Providers participating in the Medicare EHR Incentive Program must attest to the 2016 program requirements by March 13, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. ET in order to avoid a 2018 payment adjustment.
IoT Devices Top a Long List of 2017 Security Threats
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.
Dispatch from Scotland
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.
Quality Payment Program, Positive for Strong EHR Users
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.