EVENTS

JUN

Interactive Policy Forum on Health Care, 'Big Data'

Washington, D.C.

JUN

Webinar About How Physicians Use Health IT

Online

JUN

Summit Explores Using Video Games in Health Care

Boston

View All Events

FROM THE FOUNDATION

Big Business, Little Data

A growing number of Californians are being sent to ambulatory surgery centers for a wide variety of procedures, yet little is known about the care they deliver because reporting is not required.

Keeping Track of Asthma

CHCF has made a second investment in Asthmapolis, a device that tracks asthma inhaler use and reports data through mobile phones to patients and doctors to better manage the disease.

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Friday

Senators Push for Fast Action on Medical Device Tracking System

An FDA user fee bill introduced by Sens. Tom Harkin and Michael Enzi includes language that would require HHS to issue a final rule establishing a unique device identifier system for medical devices by the end of 2012. The language calls for HHS to implement the UDI system to electronically track and recall faulty medical devices "as soon as practical." Health Data Management.

Faulty Electronic System Contributed to Medicaid Overpayments in N.Y.

Two audits by New York Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli's office found that problems with an electronic Medicaid claims processing system called eMedNY contributed to the state issuing millions of dollars in improper Medicaid payments. AP/Wall Street Journal et al.

Atlanta Health System Announces Data Breach Affecting 315K Patients

Yesterday, Atlanta-based Emory Healthcare announced that it cannot locate 10 computer discs containing health and personal data on 315,000 surgery patients. About 228,000 of the missing records included Social Security numbers. Atlanta Journal-Constitution et al.

Louisiana First To Issue Second-Year Medicaid EHR Incentive Payments

A Louisiana health center is the first provider to receive second-year Medicaid incentive payments for the meaningful use of electronic health record systems. To receive first-year payments, Medicaid providers only needed to adopt certified EHR systems. Modern Healthcare.

Health Data Exchange Use in EDs Linked to Lower Admissions, Costs

Using health data exchanges in emergency departments is associated with reduced hospital admissions and costs, according to a Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association study. Researchers studied health data exchange use at 12 EDs in Tennessee. CMIO.

FDA Looking Into Use of Technology Tools To Help People Self-Diagnose, Obtain Medications

Marcie Bough of the American Pharmacists Association, Charles Daniels of the University of California-San Diego and Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, chair-elect of the American Medical Association's council on science and public health, spoke with iHealthBeat about how technology could expand the number of medications available without a prescription.

Running Time: 4:33

DATA POINTS

How Many Times Per Month Do Certain Types of Patients Seek Online Health Information?

The average U.S. adult goes online to look up health information about three times per month, while U.S. adults with multiple sclerosis go online for health information about seven times per month and adults with rheumatoid arthritis go online for health information about four times per month, according to a Manhattan Research survey.

FEATURES

Federal Health IT Activity Continues in First Quarter of 2012

by Helen Pfister, Susan Ingargiola and Rachel Sam

Federal health IT efforts continued in the first quarter of 2012, with the release of proposed rules for Stage 2 of the meaningful use incentive program and the appointment of Todd Park as the country's new chief technology officer.

PERSPECTIVES

Moving Federal Health Care Targets Becoming a Way of Life

by Fred Bazzoli

Last month, CMS pushed back for the second time the enforcement date for the transition to HIPAA 5010 transaction sets. Observers say the delay -- as well the extension for ICD-10 implementation-- raises questions about the validity of future federal deadlines.