09/08/2010
An increasing number of physicians are hiring medical scribes to record patient information into electronic health record systems to ease the transition from paper-based health records to EHRs. However, some doctors question whether such workers are necessary. Los Angeles Times.
09/09/2010
A new report by PricewaterhouseCoopers finds that about 40% of consumers surveyed would be willing to pay for a mobile health monitoring device that allows them to send information to their physician. The survey also finds that 88% of physicians say they would like their patients to track their health from home. Wall Street Journal's "Health Blog" et al.
09/07/2010
HHS has announced that Cincinnati and Detroit are the last two regions that will receive funding under the federal Beacon Community grant program. Beacon communities aim to develop innovative health IT programs and lay the foundation for a health IT work force. Modern Healthcare et al.
09/08/2010
HHS has awarded a $980,000 grant that will be used to help health care providers in Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma care for rural patients using telemedicine. Almost 90% of the states' counties are considered rural. Kansas City Business Journal, Kansas Health Institute News.
09/07/2010
An issue brief from the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions says that health care applications accessed through mobile communication devices that allow retrieval of personal health records could become a leading self-care management platform. Cardiovascular Business, Healthcare IT News.
09/08/2010
HHS has awarded $17 million in grants from the 2009 federal economic stimulus package to support patient-centered outcomes research. Five of the grants aim to create a network of patient-centered outcomes research centers that will be supported by electronic health records, data management systems and other health IT tools. InformationWeek, Healthcare IT News.
09/08/2010
The number of health care data breaches increased in 2009 and likely will continue to grow as more health care providers adopt health IT, according to a Verizon Business study. Meanwhile, HHS' Office for Civil Rights has received 153 breach reports over the past year. American Medical News, HealthLeaders Media.
09/07/2010
Physicians can accurately diagnose wounds 90% of the time using "mobile health" technology, according to preliminary findings of a six-month study. Meanwhile, researchers are studying ways to use cell phones to test for vision problems. Washington Post, Boston Globe.
09/07/2010
The Health IT Policy Committee has created a task force to make recommendations on the use of state-based and regional directories to support the exchange of health information. The directories would contain information on health care providers and patients. Healthcare IT News.
08/27/2010
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.
09/08/2010
Hospitals across the country are using mobile robots to help physicians evaluate patients remotely and offer medical advice. Proponents say the technology also could help family members and caregivers at assisted-living facilities check on elderly residents. New York Times.
09/07/2010
The Certification Commission for Health IT and the Drummond Group have been authorized by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT to test and certify electronic health records under the temporary EHR certification program. ONC is still accepting applications from groups seeking to be certified as Authorized Testing and Certification Bodies. Government Health IT et al.
08/27/2010
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.
09/09/2010
A survey by TCS Healthcare Technologies finds that health care delivery groups have made slow progress in adopting medical care management software and integrating such applications with other health IT systems. InformationWeek, Fierce Health IT.
09/09/2010
The United Kingdom's National Health Service has announced plans to reduce health IT spending by 700 million pounds, or about $1.1 billion, as part of an effort to provide local hospitals with more control over which health IT systems they adopt. BBC News et al.