Health IT Issues that Deserve a Second Read – October 2024

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 October. You can also read previous month’s Top Ten Lists. Thank you for contributing and reading.

Most Played Radio Episode in October

From Revenue Cycle Optimized learn how each stage of the revenue cycle impacts reimbursement, and strategies for refining processes to ensure that charges are both clinically sound and supported by robust documentation.

Most Read Thought Leader Posts in October

Teletherapy to Surpass Traditional Physical Therapy for Knee Replacement Rehabilitation
By Steve Siegel, President, ROM Technologies, Inc. (ROMTech)
LinkedIn: Steve S.
LinkedIn: ROM Technologies, Inc.

As Americans’ life expectancy increases, so does their likelihood of undergoing major surgery at some point in their lives. Knee replacement surgery, or total knee arthroplasty (TKA), is poised for a significant surge, projected to increase from 790,000 surgeries per year to 3.48 million by 2030. With TKA rapidly gaining traction as a national health concern, the demand for reliable and effective physical therapy has never been greater. Continue reading…

2024 American Academy of Ophthalmology Conference in Chicago
By Dr. Jason Handza, Chief Medical Officer, Nextech
LinkedIn: Jason Handza

As we prepare for the 2024 American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) conference, there’s no doubt artificial intelligence (AI) will be a focal point. While the healthcare industry continues to develop and deploy this technology, we’re met with an array of perspectives from enthusiasm to curiosity to skepticism on the AI frontier. Continue reading…

Investing in Virtual Care to Expand Health System Capacity and Retain Patients
By Lyle Berkowitz, MD, CEO, KeyCare
LinkedIn: Lyle Berkowitz, MD, FACP, FHIMSS
LinkedIn: KeyCare

Patient wait times for physician appointments continue to reach excessive lengths, creating patient frustration and putting health systems at risk of losing patients to competitors. Consider, for example, the average wait time for the third next available appointment across 11 medical specialties is 38 days, according to The Waiting Game report from ECG Management Consultants. Continue reading…

Leveraging Actionable Data from RTLS to Improve Patient Outcomes, Efficiency, and Cost Savings
By Caryn Hewitt, MBA, BSN, CENP, CPHQ, Senior Director, Consulting Services, CenTrak
LinkedIn: Caryn Hewitt
LinkedIn: CenTrak

Healthcare facilities continue to face challenges when aiming to optimize healthcare performance. These hurdles range from ongoing staffing and financial disruption to clinician burnout and inadequate resources. In a recent survey, frontline workers named lack of resources and increasing involvement in clinical documentation among their top stressors. Continue reading…

The Future of Revenue Cycle Management in Healthcare: Trends and Innovations
By Richa Jain, Digital Marketing Manager, PCH Health (an Exela Company)
LinkedIn: Richa Jain
LinkedIn: PCH Health

The healthcare industry has become more technologically advanced and futuristic in recent years. Physicians today are more open to technology adoption than ever before. According to the AMA, there has been a rise in the adoption of digital tools and technologies such as augmented or artificial intelligence or remote care tools. Continue reading…

The Role of Predictive Analytics in Preventive Medicine
By Ainsley Lawrence, Writer, Researcher
LinkedIn: Ainsley Lawrence
X: @AinsleyLawrenc3

In our data-centric world, predictive analytics has emerged as a groundbreaking technology, providing powerful insights that can be used to revolutionize preventive medicine. With the proportion of people aged 65 and older increasing at a fast rate and with nearly half the American population suffering from at least one chronic illness, preventative medicine has become a critical element in patient care. Continue reading…

The Global Digital Health Partnership: Engaging Individuals for Worldwide Wellness
By Elise Sweeney Anthony, Associate Deputy Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy & Executive Director of the Office of Policy & Aisha Hasan, Head of Global Health IT, ONC
LinkedIn: Elise Sweeney Anthony
LinkedIn: Aisha Hasan, MBA, PMP, CSM
LinkedIn: ASTP/ONC

In the dynamic landscape of global health, one principle stands out as a common thread across countries: the importance of individual engagement. Increasingly recognized for its transformative impact on individual health outcomes, individual engagement is a concept that lies at the heart of initiatives spearheaded by the Global Digital Health Partnership, including the recently launched International Insights on Individual Engagement. Continue reading…

Cultivating a Culture of Cybersecurity Awareness Within Your Healthcare Organization
By Eric Grimm, Director of Security, Telcion
LinkedIn: Eric Grimm
LinkedIn: Telcion Communications Group

Because of the nature of our business, it’s critically important for healthcare organizations to place a significant emphasis on cybersecurity awareness so that everyone within the organization – as well as the third-party vendors they partner with – are well-positioned and mindful of potential threats. Continue reading…

Getting Real about Information Blocking and APIs
By Micky Tripathi, ONC
LinkedIn: Micky Tripathi
LinkedIn: ONC

Our country has made tremendous strides and invested billions of private and public dollars in establishing the digital future of the health care system. We are thus highly concerned about ongoing and recent reports that we have received about potential violations of both the letter and spirit of the various laws and regulations now in place to ensure information-sharing to improve our health care system and enhance the lives of all Americans. Continue reading…

Four Steps to Tackle Legacy Data Clean Up
By Laurie Seall, VP Operations, Harmony Healthcare IT
LinkedIn: Laurie Seall
LinkedIn: Harmony Healthcare IT

Data that sits in a legacy system is at risk of becoming inaccessible. As applications and servers age, they become more vulnerable to cyberattacks and downtime. As the need for data agility and efficiency continues to evolve, it is important to do some cleanup work that will pay off for years to come. Continue reading…