02/24/2010
The Department of Veterans Affairs recently announced plans to expand its Program Management and Accountability System to monitor progress in its entire portfolio of 282 IT projects. The portfolio includes numerous health IT initiatives. NextGov, Healthcare IT News.
02/22/2010
HHS will ask 500 Medicare beneficiaries about the benefits and challenges they have encountered using personal health records. The agency hopes to learn why consumers use PHRs and what they hope to gain from such tools. Government Health IT.
02/18/2010
The Department of Veterans Affairs hopes to more than double current funding levels for its home telehealth program during the next two years. The program, which currently serves 35,000 patients, is the largest of its kind in the world. Federal Computer Week.
02/11/2010
The Department of Veterans Affairs' new IT Dashboard will allow the public to track the cost, performance and schedule of the agency's IT projects, including health IT initiatives. The data show that the agency has earned high marks for its Master Patient Index. Information Week.
02/10/2010
A new contest at the Department of Veterans Affairs invites employees to submit ideas for health IT innovations that could improve the agency's health care practices. VA will evaluate the submissions and request full proposals on 100 of the best ideas. Government Health IT.
02/10/2010
Yesterday, UnitedHealthcare launched a database combining clinical cancer data with claims information and treatment guidelines. The registry aims to help oncologists evaluate whether certain treatments align with medical protocol. UHC said the database also could help cut costs by encouraging physicians to avoid unnecessary treatments. Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal et al.
11/20/2009
Yesterday, the California HealthCare Foundation launched a new site, CalQualityCare.org, that rates long-term care providers on a variety of care quality measures. The site aims to help California residents make long-term care decisions. Sacramento Bee, CHCF release.
07/14/2009
Long-term care officials say CMS acted too quickly in rolling out a rating system for its Nursing Home Compare Web site. Meanwhile, consumer groups are calling for the tool to include more specific data on inspection findings and deficiencies. Kaiser Health News/Washington Post.
07/01/2009
A Certification Commission for Healthcare IT task force issued new recommendations covering electronic health record certification for long-term and post-acute care facilities. CCHIT said the group will begin developing the criteria later this month and could roll out EHR certification for skilled nursing facilities and home-based care in 2010. Health Data Management, Healthcare IT News.
06/22/2009
Three Democratic representatives have introduced legislation in the House to create an IT-based Medicare demonstration project that would provide incentive payments for documented cancer treatment planning and end-of-life care. The project would evaluate the reporting of data through electronic registries and other types of IT. Healthcare IT News, Health Data Management.
06/15/2009
A new survey finds that while nearly 70% of long-term health care providers surveyed believe that electronic health records will have a positive effect on their business, 52% say the federal stimulus package will have little or no effect on their business. Health Data Management.
06/01/2009
CMS is building on its online nursing home ranking system and other nursing home quality efforts by launching a pilot program to determine whether providing cash incentives to nursing homes would lead to quality of care improvements. Wall Street Journal.
05/27/2009
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare has stopped posting nursing home and hospital inspection results online after CMS said such information can be released only after written requests under the Freedom of Information Act. The state is appealing the order. AP/Idaho Statesman.
03/27/2009
Witnesses testifying before the Senate Finance Health Subcommittee said health IT is a critical part of long-term care improvement. National Governors Association Executive Director Ray Scheppach said federal and state health IT initiatives will be essential to more effectively reward long-term care providers and better tailor care to patients. Modern Healthcare.
02/23/2009
North Carolina has launched an online, four-star rating system for adult care homes. The ratings include recent violations, as well as adult care centers' performance on meeting minimum standards for various measures. Raleigh News & Observer.