One of the ways that HITECH Answers is different from other media sites is the sense of community. The thought leaders in our community are good about sharing their thought on the issues of today. We publish at least seven guest posts a week now, Monday through Thursday. In case you missed some, here are the top ten read and shared guest posts of the month. You can also read previous month’s Top Ten Lists. Thank you for contributing and reading.
The Assignment of Meaningful Use Incentives
By Jim Tate, EMR Advocate, Meaningful Use Audit Expert
It sounds fairly simple and straight forward. Medicaid and Medicare eligible professionals (EP) who have achieved and attested to meaningful use (MU) can assign their incentive payment to another entity. CMS lays it right out there “However, under Medicare, eligible professionals (EPs) may choose to assign their incentive payments to their employer or entity with which the EP has a contractual arrangement. Under Medicaid, EPs also can choose to assign their meaningful use incentive payments to their employer or to other state-designated entities.” What could be easier to understand? Continue reading…
Get that Hospital Trending – How to Make an Impact on Social Media
By Jonathan Catley, Online Sales & Marketing Manager, MD Connect
Is it going to be Twitter or Facebook? How about Pinterest or Instagram? Clearly, social media must continue to play a role in the current consumer-driven healthcare arena, but how do marketers manage this growing field? With over a billion active users on Facebook alone, according to The Guardian, effective leverage becomes a necessity. Continue reading…
2015 Healthcare Technology Trends
By Neil Smiley, Chief Executive Officer, Loopback Analytics
There is much debate whether the long awaited ACO reimbursement model introduced through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will be successful in achieving the goals of health reform. I think critics are missing the point. ACO’s are just one of many emerging and evolving reimbursement models that are moving U.S. Healthcare away from a fee-for-service, pay-for-volume approach to value-based payment models. Continue reading…
Harnessing the Power of Big Data with Digital Health Partnerships
By Kevin R. Ward MD
In today’s digital world, electronic patient data is growing exponentially and moving faster than healthcare organizations can imagine. At the same time, clinicians suffer from information overload, and high-volume and increasingly complex clinical patient loads, alongside dwindling time and resources. Continue reading…
Data, Data Everywhere and Not a Drop to Drink
By Mark Smith, MD
Clinicians want two things from data. On an individual patient level, they need to be able to see the data whenever and wherever they want – in a clean at-a-glance format and with essentially zero lag time. And at a cohort (population) level, they want the data presented as meaningful information in a way that enables conclusions, decisions, and actions about a group of patients. Continue reading…
Health Care Industry To See Phishing, Malware Attacks Intensify in 2015
By John Moore, iHealthBeat Contributing Reporter
The health care sector is in for more targeted attacks next year, as cyber assailants increasingly prize the data providers maintain. That’s the analysis of industry executives who contend the information security threats facing health care institutions will only intensify in 2015. Continue reading…
Countering HITECH Privacy Risks from Internet of Things Products
By Chris Tyrrell, Compliance Practice Lead, Conventus
Ready or not, the Internet of Things is poised to change the world – and the way we deliver and receive medical care. Sensors and transmitters are now cheap and small enough to be placed into virtually any product, making it possible for products as diverse as electronic toothbrushes, Fitbits and Apple Watches to connect to the Internet and allow users to control and monitor activities and gather data. Continue reading…
What Is A Medical Grade Computer?
By Shira Sagal, Content Manager, Teguar Computers
Not all innovations lead to improved patient care or lower operating costs, but many of them do so your health care operations needs to stay current with the latest breakthroughs. This may require initial investments of money and training but the payoff can be worthwhile. Medical grade computers are a technology that can improve patient outcomes and make your practice more efficient. Continue reading…
Change is Coming: What to Expect in Health IT in 2015
By Mark Weber, Chief Business Information Officer, Infor
In 2015, healthcare information technology will continue to drive towards solutions that respond to the industry challenges of providing increased quality of care at a lower cost in a changing regulatory environment. Providers must respond to declining reimbursement models, quality demands of consumers and payers, along with increasing EHR mandates. Continue reading…
The New Congress, the Elections and Healthcare
By Justin Barnes
The Republican takeover of the U.S. Senate and their additional seats picked up in the U.S. House should not disrupt, and could actually benefit, the momentum of several pending bills focusing on healthcare delivery and payment reform. Continue reading…