EVENTS

MAY

Meeting on Health Technologies That Transform Care

San Francisco

MAY

Summit on States' Implementation of Health IT Initiatives

Baltimore

MAY

West Coast Summit on Using Health Data To Boost Care

San Francisco

View All Events

FROM THE FOUNDATION

Informing Choices, Improving Outcomes

The California Joint Replacement Registry collects data on device efficacy, surgical techniques, and patient outcomes for hip and knee replacements. A new report details how this CHCF-sponsored effort is faring.

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Friday

HHS Issues Final Rule on State Health Insurance Exchanges

Today, HHS released its final rule on state-based health insurance exchanges under the health reform law. Most of the exchanges will rely on an IT foundation to link up with eligibility systems for Medicaid and other programs. HHS said the final rule aims to provide states with guidance while giving them the flexibility to design their own exchanges. The Hill's "Healthwatch" et al.

Mostashari Calls for Feedback on Meaningful Use Stage 2 Proposals

During the American Medical Group Association's annual conference last week, National Coordinator for Health IT Farzad Mostashari urged health care stakeholders to submit public comments on the proposed rules for Stage 2 of the meaningful use program. Modern Healthcare.

AHRQ Seeking Feedback on Health IT Workflow Assessment Toolkit

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has proposed a project to collect user feedback on its health IT workflow assessment toolkit. AHRQ hopes to conduct field tests of the toolkit in medical practices and gather input from regional extension centers. Modern Healthcare.

Survey Finds Big Uptick in EHR Adoption Among Small Medical Practices

A survey finds that electronic health record adoption rates are rising at a faster pace among solo and small medical practices than among larger practices. During the second half of 2011, solo practices' EHR adoption rates jumped by six percentage points. CMIO, SK&A release.

Column: Few Patients Post Online Reviews of Health Care Providers

According to New York Times columnist Ron Lieber, few consumers post online reviews of their health care experiences. Lieber offers several possible explanations for the trend, including that some patients might idolize their physicians or fear retaliation. New York Times.

New California Law Seeks To Expand Telehealth Services for Medicaid Beneficiaries

April Armstrong and Thomas Nesbitt of the University of California-Davis Health System, Mario Gutierrez of the Center for Connected Health Policy, Jen Lang-Ree, a nurse practitioner in California, and Jonathan Lopez, a dermatology patient, spoke with iHealthBeat about a new state law that expands and streamlines telehealth services in the state.

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DATA POINTS

What Do Clinicians Find Frustrating About the Implementation of New Health IT Systems?

Thirty-seven percent of surveyed health care providers said the implementation of new health IT systems can be frustrating because it requires the memorization of additional passwords, and 31% said new health IT systems can make their work processes take longer, according to a survey by CDW Healthcare.

FEATURES

Security Risk Assessments Gaining Traction in Health Care

by John Moore, iHealthBeat Contributing Reporter

The health care industry has been slower than other fields to embrace security risk assessments. However, several factors -- including a growing number of data breaches, increased government oversight and the meaningful use program -- are starting to change that.

PERSPECTIVES

Private-Sector Insurers Tap Health IT To Support Accountable Care

by Brian Ahier

Health plans have embraced the concept of value-based payment models. As part of that push, insurers such as Aetna and UnitedHealth Group have made substantial investments in health IT to support these new payment designs.