One of the ways that HealthIT Answers is different from other media sites is the sense of community. The thought leaders in our community are good about sharing their thoughts on the issues of today. We publish at least eight guest posts a week now, so in case you missed some, here are the top ten read and shared guest posts in the month of February. You can also read previous month’s Top Ten Lists. Thank you for contributing and reading.
Most Played Radio Episode in February
What do barbershops have to do with community health? On this episode of HealthChangers, hear from Cambia employee and North by Northeast board member Kilaa Slaughter-Scott; Jamaal Lane of Champions Barbershop and Champions Barbering Institute, North by Northeast and Dr. Kenji Taylor from Stanford on how barbers around the country are stepping up to fight heart disease and high blood pressure in Black men.
Most Read Thought Leader Posts in February
The Case for a More Secure Healthcare Supply Chain to Safeguard the Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccines
By Tom Knight, Chairman of HealthcareDiversion.org
As our anticipation for the coronavirus vaccine grows, so do our questions. When will a vaccine be available in sufficient quantities? How will it be allocated? But the one question that healthcare leaders should also be asking—but probably aren’t— is this: How will we prevent the coronavirus vaccine from being stolen? Continue reading…
COVID Vaccine-Scheduling Apps Protected Against HIPAA Violations
By Devin Partida, Editor-in-Chief, ReHack.com
Twitter: @rehackmagazine
On Jan. 20, the OCR issued a notice of enforcement regarding HIPAA regulations and COVID-19 vaccine-scheduling apps. The update states that the OCR won’t impose HIPAA noncompliance penalties related to good-faith use of these services. This suspension of penalties, retroactively effective to Dec. 11, 2020, could have a considerable impact on vaccine rollout. Continue reading…
Is Your Revenue Cycle Ready for 2021?
By Matt Seefeld, Executive Vice President, MedEvolve
Twitter: @MedEvolve
The long-awaited debut of 2021 has come and gone. And while many physician practices are ready for a fresh start, the reality is that the unprecedented financial challenges of 2020 will have a lingering impact. One mid-year 2020 study from the American Medical Association found that the average drop in revenue experienced by providers amid the pandemic was 32%. Continue reading…
COVID-19 and Healthcare: 3 Areas Of Market Focus
By Roxy Nacu, Director of Center of Excellence for Healthcare Engagement, HGS
Twitter: @teamhgs
From delayed or avoided healthcare procedures to lost insurance coverage, COVID-19 has affected almost every aspect of our lives. The primary effects have been well documented, and the secondary effects will present transformational challenges to the healthcare system. Increasingly, there are three emerging areas of opportunity to treat healthcare patients post-pandemic: Continue reading…
New 2021 Physician Fee Schedule: 3 Things to Do Now
By Lucy Zielinski, Managing Partner, Lumina Health Partners
Twitter: @LuminaHP
The new CMS 2021 Physician Fee Schedule went into effect on January 1, 2021. Most of the final rule consists of expected policy refinements, but the regulations do include some significant changes that will impact medical practice productivity, strategy and revenue. To take full advantage of the new fee schedule, physicians and medical practice leaders should focus on three immediate priorities: Continue reading…
CMM vs. MTM: Patient-Focused Process vs. Medication-Focused Activity
By Marcia Buck, Pharm.D., FCCP, FPPAG, BCPPS & M. Shawn McFarland, Pharm.D., FCCP, BCACP, GTMRx Institute
Twitter: @GTMRxInstitute
Nearly 75% of primary care visits involve medication prescribing.1 It’s how we treat most conditions. But we still haven’t managed to get the medications right. Here’s the problem: Non-optimized medication therapy leads to more than 275,000 avoidable deaths each year, and it costs the nation over $528 billion annually. Continue reading…
Top Updates to the Interoperability Standards Advisory in 2021 ISA Reference Edition
By Brett Andriesen, ONC
Twitter: @ONC_HealthIT
Even if you’re not a standards guru, it’s not a stretch to say that standards help the world go ‘round, especially in the world of health IT. ONC is excited to share the 2021 Interoperability Standards Advisory Reference Edition. Whether you’re a policy wonk, a software developer, or a public health pro, there’s a little something for everyone this year. Continue reading…
Moving to the Patient Home
By Dr. Nick van Terheyden aka Dr. Nick
Twitter: @drnic1
On this episode I talked to Rob Kowal, MD, PhD Chief Medical Officer, of Medtronic and a cardiac electrophysiologist who has been part of the incredible progress and innovation that have taken place in implantable cardiac devices. He talks about the progress from the early days of external pacing devices, to early implantable pacemakers that had to be adjusted manually with special needles: Continue reading…
Biopharma Embracing Digital Patient Engagement Can Learn a Lot from Hospitals
By Greg Kefer, Chief Marketing Officer, LifeLink Inc.
Twitter: @lifelinkhealth
The race to develop and distribute a COVID-19 vaccine shined a new, very bright light on the pharmaceutical industry. Before 2020, few people outside of the healthcare industry spent much time thinking about what it takes to develop a drug, nor did they consider the complexities of administering the various medications that require a regimen that goes beyond “take one pill each morning.” Continue reading…
Standards Beyond the Clinic: Capturing Patient Health Data to Advance Precision Medicine
By Brittney Boakye, Allison Dennis, Kevin Chaney, Tracy Okubo & Teresa Zayas Cabán, ONC
Twitter: @ONC_HealthIT
Does the neighborhood I live in affect my health? How am I going to be able to see the specialist without a car? Can I share blood pressure and blood sugar readings I take at home with my doctor so she can monitor how I’m doing? These critical questions have helped to drive precision medicine research as well as improving care management and coordination. Continue reading…