Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act

As they move to digitize their practices and patient medical records, healthcare organizations across the country continue to grapple with significant increases in information technology costs. According to new data from Medical Group Management Association, physician-owned multispecialty practices spent more than $32,500 per full-time physician on information technology equipment, staff, maintenance, and other related expenses in 2015...

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With HIMSS13 less than a week away, much of the news surrounding the annual event centers on new products and services health IT developers and vendors are looking to sell to healthcare organizations and providers with the promise of improving patient care and ostensibly reducing costs... Read More »

When two opposing forces collide, the results can be devastating. Earlier this week Hurricane Sandy — a warm air, warm-water storm moving up from the south — met up with a bitterly cold nor’easter, creating a monster storm that battered the East Coast. On the eve of the presidential election, healthcare leaders cannot help but wonder if the industry facing its own perfect storm. Read More »

Federal funding for most regional extension centers is set to dry up by late this year or early next, but most of them still plan to keep their doors open, according to the 2014 HIMSS Regional Extension Center Survey...

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ONC’s first public event under the new administration was very well organized and run. Eight leading health information exchange incumbents were able to describe their current approaches and plans, the patient advocate position was clearly stated, and a nice synthesis of the issues raised by the trusted framework approach to interoperability was prepared by a consulting organization. Much to ONC’s credit, they went out of their way to provide access and public comment to an extent that is unprecedented in my experience. Slides and recordings will be posted soon and a 30-day comment period runs through August 24. Kudos to ONC...

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The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009 and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services “meaningful use” incentive programs [...] have galvanized hospital efforts to implement hospital-based electronic health records. Read More »

Epic Systems Corps., another company in the health IT industry, has also fared thanks to this deal. In fact, the CEO, Judy Faulkner, who happens to be a major donor to President Obama, was put on the seat to determine how best to spend the allotted $19 billion. The Washington Examiner writes: “Faulkner and her company oppose the president’s vision for health IT, but Epic employees are massive Democratic donors. They’ve given nearly $300,000 to Democrats since 2006, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.”

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