Health IT Issues that Deserve a Second Read – February 2025

One of the ways that Answers Media 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 December. You can also read previous month’s Top Ten Lists. Thank you for contributing and reading.

Most Played Episode from Healthcare NOW Radio in February

From This Just In, host Justin Barnes invites back President and CEO of HIMSS, Hal Wolf for his annual chat leading up to the HIMSS Conference and Expo. This year HIMSS25 will be in Las Vegas with an estimated 35K attending. Coming into the 2nd year since Informa’ acquisition of the conference, how has the partnership doing? What can we expect to see and hear?

Most Read Posts from February

Why Accreditation Matters: Ensuring Integrity and Building Trust in Healthcare
By Lee Barrett, Commission Executive Director, DirectTrust
LinkedIn: Lee Barrett
LinkedIn: DirectTrust

Trust serves as the cornerstone of relationships in the healthcare sector, connecting organizations with patients, providers, and business partners. Achieving and maintaining trust requires healthcare entities to demonstrate their commitment to the highest standards of security, privacy, and operational excellence. One critical way to showcase this dedication is through independent, third-party accreditation. Continue reading…

Securing Healthcare Data in an Ever-Evolving Digital Landscape
By Usman Choudhary, General Manager, VIPRE Security Group
LinkedIn: Usman Choudhary
LinkedIn: VIPRE Security Group

Healthcare data security is among the most pressing challenges in today’s interconnected world, primarily because digital transformation exposes sensitive patient information to the risk of breaches and cyberattacks. While driving significant improvements in patient outcomes, artificial intelligence (AI) technologies are introducing complexities to data security, and cybercriminals are exploiting it for sophisticated and targeted attacks, creating heightened urgency to protect sensitive data. Continue reading…

The Future of Mobile Healthcare Technology: What’s on the Rise in 2025?
By Deepti Mehtani, Vice President of Clinical Solutions, NextGen Healthcare
LinkedIn: Dr. Deepti Mehtani
LinkedIn: NextGen Healthcare

Over the past five years, mobile healthcare technology has expanded for both patients and providers. Now, it will continue to be an ever-present part of the individual healthcare journey. So, as we mark the beginning of a new year, what can we expect to see in 2025 and beyond in the mobile health technology space, and how will AI and mobile solutions impact the future of healthcare? Continue reading…

Will AI Bring Down Healthcare Costs?
By Zac Amos, Features Editor, ReHack
LinkedIn: Zachary Amos
LinkedIn: ReHack Magazine

Artificial intelligence (AI) has grown ubiquitous, infiltrating various industries. The healthcare sector is benefiting from this omnipresence. With rising prices and increasing demands for service, professionals are keenly interested in how AI can supercharge workflows and reduce expenses. Yes, AI can reduce the cost of care and improve health outcomes through these advancements. Continue reading…

Closing the Diagnosis Gap for Sleep Apnea with Wearables
By R. Kirk Huntsman, Chairman & CEO, Vivos Therapeutics
LinkedIn: R. Kirk Huntsman
LinkedIn: Vivos

The rise of sleep tech is set to disrupt traditional sleep diagnostics, reshaping how we detect and manage sleep disorders. Valued at $62.54 billion in 2023, the wearable tech market is expected to triple by 2032, driven by a health-conscious consumer base. Once basic fitness trackers, wearables now feature advanced tools like sleep monitoring and stress detection. This shift is further fueled by the growing demand for preventive care and telehealth-driven remote monitoring. Continue reading…

Top Issues for Physician Groups to Watch in the Second Trump Administration
By Chris Emper, Government Affairs Advisor, NextGen Healthcare
LinkedIn: Chris Emper
LinkedIn: NextGen Healthcare

Recently, as President Donald Trump begins his second term in office, many physician groups are probably wondering what impact the change in Presidential Administrations will have on various healthcare policy issues and ultimately, their practices. And while there are currently a lot of unknowns and TBDs in this regard, here are several key issues physician groups might want to keep an eye on: Continue reading…

2024 HITAC Highlights + Previewing 2025
By Seth Pazinski and Whitney Weber, ASTP/ONC
LinkedIn: Seth Pazinski
LinkedIn: ASTP/ONC

As technology continues to transform healthcare, the Health Information Technology Advisory Committee (HITAC) is leading the charge to shape the future of health IT. From advancing interoperability standards to exploring the transformative potential of artificial intelligence (AI), HITAC’s work is laying the foundation for a smarter, more connected healthcare system. Continue reading…

An Open Letter to Medicare on Interoperability
By Jim Tate, EMR Advocate
LinkedIn: Jim Tate
Host of The Tate Chronicles – #TateDispatches

Medicare has a long history of taking bold actions. In 2003 electronic claims submission was mandated. In 2011, CMS established the EHR Incentive Programs to promote the adoption and meaningful use of certified electronic health record technology. This was renamed in 2018 to the Promoting Interoperability Programs to emphasize interoperability. TEFCA, created by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services in 2016, provided a pathway to a nationwide framework for health information sharing. Continue reading…

Up Your Training Game to Thwart Increasingly Sophisticated Phishing Attacks
By Lance Reid, CEO, Telcion Communications Group
LinkedIn: Lance Reid
LinkedIn: Telcion Communications Group

Phishing attempts can happen at any time and to anyone within an organization. As threat vectors continue to multiply and AI becomes more powerful, attempts to extract information in order to instigate a hack or ransomware attack will only increase. While you will see widely variable percentages of breaches that are attributed to human actions, I think the Data Breach Investigations Report provides an accurate number, which has hovered just under 70% for the past two years. Continue reading…

Leveraging Health IT for Streamlined HR Processes in Healthcare Organizations
By Devin Partida, Editor-in-Chief, ReHack.com
LinkedIn: Devin Partida
LinkedIn: ReHack Magazine

With health information technology (IT) systems, human resources (HR) teams can streamline time-consuming administrative processes, increasing provider engagement, reducing overhead expenses and improving patient outcomes. HR leaders should consider how to optimize integration since it is no longer a matter of if, but when. Continue reading…