Evidence shows that successful management of complex health conditions requires the close collaboration of providers, patients, and their caregivers, and that the transparency made possible by health information technology may facilitate that collaboration. To help improve care for complex patients, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) has received a $450,000 grant from The Commonwealth Fund to develop develop OurNotes, a new initiative for allowing patients, caregivers, and
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AMA-Led Coalition Urges ONC to Change EHR Certification
On Wednesday, a coalition of 35 medical societies led by the American Medical Association sent a letter to the ONC National Coordinator for Health IT Karen DeSalvo, M.D., urging to change the EHR certification program to "align to better align end-to-end testing to focus on EHR usability, interoperability, and safety."
The nine page letter to Karen DeSalvo states, “The undersigned organizations are writing to elevate our concern about the current trajectory of the certification of electronic
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ONC Announces Its First Chief Health Information Officer
In a note to ONC staff, the National Coordinator for Health IT Karen DeSalvo announced that Dr. Michael James McCoy will be joining ONC as their first Chief Health Information Officer, effective January 26, 2015. In his new role, Dr. McCoy will lead the development of ONC clinical policy for standards and regulatory matters to help ensure ONC initiatives improve health beyond health care, including serving as the lead clinical subject matter expert on interoperability. He will report directly to
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CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner To Step Down
CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner announced that she is stepping down from her post in February, agency officials confirmed Friday. Her replacement, former UnitedHealth Group executive Andy Slavitt will now serve as principal deputy administrator. Tavenner, 63, spent more than three years with CMS and faced critical criticism for the disastrous roll-out of HealthCare.gov in fall 2013 and Medicare operations. Tavenner's email to staff did not offer any explanation for her
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BT to Promote Medsphere’s Open EHR System
Medsphere Systems Corporation and BT have reached an agreement in which they will jointly promote Medsphere’s OpenVista® EHR under a software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, relieving hospitals of many costly and burdensome IT responsibilities.
Medsphere, the most experienced developer and implementer of VistA-derived electronic health record (EHR) solutions outside the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), will work with BT to promote the affordability of Medsphere’s business model and the proven
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Michigan Launches Medicaid Mobile Health App & Online Portal
The Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) and CNSI today announced the launch of an interactive Medicaid mobile health app, myHealthButton (myHB), and online portal, myHealthPortal (myHP), designed to promote connectivity between patients and providers. These applications allow patients to access their medical information remotely in a real-time environment. CNSI partnered with the Bureau of Medicaid Operations within MDCH’s Medical Services Administration to design, build and develop
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Big Data Firm Inovalon Files First Digital Health IPO of 2015
Inovalon Inc., a provider of cloud-based analytics and data driven platforms technology for healthcare filed for an initial public offering on 12/30/14, according to SEC filing. The Bowie, Md.-based company is seeking $500M in its initial public offeringand has applied for listing on NASDAQ under the ticker "INOV" making it the first digital health IPO of 2015. The big data firm outlines in the SEC filing that it will use the proceeds from the IPO for "acquisitions of complementary businesses,
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Specialty EMR Provider Modernizing Medicine Acquires Aesyntix Health, Inc.
Cloud based, specialty-specific EMR provider, Modernizing Medicine has announced that it has completed an acquisition of Aesyntix Health, Inc. on Dec. 22, 2014. Financial details of the acquisition have not been disclosed. The privately held based in Roseville, California provides dermatology and cosmetic surgery practices with three specialty specific offerings:
- Aesyntix Billing Solutions for revenue cycle management
- Aesyntix Inventory Management (AIM)
- Aesyntix Physician Network
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Study: 41% of Home Caregivers Use A Digital Health Device
41 percent of caregivers in U.S. broadband households currently use a digital health device as part of their caregiving routine, including 8 percent who use online tools to coordinate their efforts, according to recent research from Parks Associates.
The research firm's latest report, 360 View: Health Devices and Services for Connected Consumers 2014 analyzes multiple consumer surveys, including a 2Q 2014 survey of 10,000 U.S. broadband households, to analyze consumer health and
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50% of Eligible Professionals Will Face Meaningful Use Penalties in 2015
Starting January 5th, 2015 about 257,000 Medicare eligible professionals (EPs) will face meaningful use penalties, according to CMS officials. EPs must successfully attest for Meaningful Use on or before Oct. 1, 2014 in order to avoid a penalty.
The announcement also revealed during a press call on Wednesday afternoon revealed of those 257,000 EPs identified, 28,000 will face a 2 percent penalty for failing to meet the e-prescribing requirement. Additionally, more than 200 eligible
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