Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) began listing more detailed and easier-to-understand information about certified health information technology (health IT).
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By Bob Grant – The HHS Office for Civil Rights released an updated Audit Protocol that it plans to use while investigating health care entities for HIPAA compliance. The biggest change to the audit protocol is the distinction that OCR has made between what’s required of Business Associates and Covered Entities.
Here’s what’s happening to make that reality – ZeOmega and McKesson announce strategic partnership to advance payer-provider collaboration; Military Health System improving, expanding information sharing; HIMSS Health Information Exchange community opens the HIE Measures & Enterprise survey
Alpha II, LLC, a leading developer of software platforms, software as a service and publications that support the healthcare revenue cycle, announced that it has been qualified by The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as a Physician Quality Reporting System Registry for the 2016 PQRS program year.
By Chris Dymek EdD – Last week I attended Health Datapalooza VII, an annual conference where over 1,400 experts gathered to discuss how to bring data to life in ways that matter in health and health care. I wanted to share a few post-conference reflections on how AHRQ can address some of the important issues raised.
Bennett Lauber – The efficient and effective use of Electronic Health Records are essential, as these systems are increasingly becoming a central tool for patient care. The HITECH Act provided providers with a significant financial incentive to increase the adoption and use of EHRs.
By William Hyman – One use of a Clinical Decision Support system (CDS) is to remind doctors of what the “established” standardized methodology is. One key issue here is established by whom? Another is, depending on complexity, why the clinical staff doesn’t follow the established procedure whether or not it is supported by a CDS.
By Bob Grant – The HHS Office for Civil Rights announced that NY Presbyterian Hospital would be required to pay a $2.2M settlement after the “egregious disclosure” of two patients’ protected health information. NYP allowed an ABC film crew and staff from the show “NY Med” to film two patients, one of whom was dying, and another experiencing serious distress.
By Jim Tate – Meaningful use audits against 2015 attestations are currently underway. We have found that there are specific areas of attestation documentation that are particularly difficult for hospitals and CAHs. The release in October 2015 of the Modified Stage 2 requirements caught many hospitals by surprise with the removal of the Core and Menu set concepts.