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HIT Adoption Among California Dentists

What's the level of interest among California dentists in adopting health information technology, such as electronic dental health records, and how many are already making use of such systems? This snapshot of survey data provides some answers.

Diabetic Retinopathy: Call for Applications

This project will support clinics in providing remote diabetic retinopathy screenings to patients by funding retinal cameras, software, and expert consultation from the UCB School of Optometry. Applications are being accepted now through October 2010.

Revisiting the HITECH Act, One Year Later

A new report examines the progress implementing the U.S. government's multi-billion-dollar effort to jump-start adoption of information technology tools in the health care industry. Recommendations for further action by the White House and Congress are included.

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Publication will resume Tuesday, Sept. 7.

Study: Most Hospitals' EHRs Do Not Meet 'Meaningful Use' Rules

A new Health Affairs study suggests that only 2% of hospitals that have adopted electronic health records actually would qualify for the federal government's "meaningful use" incentive payment program. The study authors note that small, rural and critical access hospitals generally would be less likely to meet the meaningful use criteria than urban facilities. AHA News et al.

Report: Health Providers Must Address Gaps in Health IT Work Force

Health care providers facing a shortage of health IT staff could leverage employees' existing skill sets and explore remote hosting and other alternative health IT implementation strategies, according to a new report from Computer Sciences Corp. CMIO, Health Data Management.

Maine Receives Final Approval of $6.6 Million for Health Exchange

Maine Gov. John Baldacci said the state has won approval from HHS for the full use of a $6.6 million federal grant to expand and coordinate health IT efforts statewide. Maine is the sixth state to have its health IT plan approved by HHS. Waterville Morning Sentinel et al.

Health Care Community Still Examining Final Rule on 'Meaningful Use,' Looking Ahead

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Chantal Worzala of the American Hospital Association, Jason Mitchell of the American Academy of Family Physicians and Glen Tullman of Allscripts discuss the final rule on "meaningful use" with iHealthBeat.

Running Time: 5:47

DATA POINTS

What Percentage of Home Health and Hospice Agencies Use Electronic Health Record Systems?

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In 2007, 43% of home health and hospice agencies had an electronic health record system, compared with 32.3% in 2000, according to a study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association. Meanwhile, 20.6% of home health and hospice agencies reported using telemedicine in 2007, the study found.

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