On Monday at the annual Health Datapalooza conference, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia M. Burwell announced the launch of the "A Bill You Can Understand" challenge. Sponsored by AARP and administered by the design agency Mad*Pow, the challenge is intended to solicit new approaches and draw national attention to a common complaint with the health care system: that medical billing is a source of confusion for patients and families.Lack of Standardization for Consumer
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Health IT | News, Analysis, Insights - HIT Consultant
ONC Unveils $1.5M Grants to Catalyze Interoperability Via Data Sharing
Today at the 2016 Health Datapalooza conference, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) announced two new funding opportunities totaling $1.5 million, to advance common standards: the High Impact Pilots (HIP) and Standards Exploration Awards (SEA).Program OverviewThe program is intended to catalyze the implementation of standards and technology that can be used to:- Improve the sharing of health information among health care stakeholders- Improve care
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Should Hospitals Consider Getting Cybercrime Insurance?
Naturally, most of what you hear from healthcare IT companies about their products is going to be upbeat, designed to create a sense of potential and promise. I mean, I can easily extol the virtues of the company I lead and the products and services we sell.But if I’m responsible and realistic, I also need to call attention to the challenges healthcare IT can create on the path to improved care. Without doubt, any information technology that creates, maintains, or transmits electronic patient
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Rise of the Healthcare CXO Report: 10 Things to Know
In 2015, the Experience Innovation Network published the first study focused on the evolving role of the CXO in healthcare. The report established a benchmark for the industry, revealing priorities, resources, and responsibilities of these emerging change agents. Last week, the Experience Innovation Network released its second annual Chief Experience Officer (CXO) Report, “The Rise of the Healthcare Chief Experience Officer.” For the 2016 research report, more than 100 leaders from in-patient
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Private Equity Firm Acquires Urgent Care EMR DocuTap
DocuTAP, a provider of EMR / EHR software, practice management systems, and revenue cycle services for urgent care clinics has been acquired by private equity firm Warburg Pincus. Founded in 2000 by CEO Eric McDonald, DocuTap's EMR and practice management solution serves more than 1,300 urgent care and primary care clinics and has added 350 urgent care clinics to its network in the last year alone. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
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Wellcentive Unveils Volume to Value-based Care Calculator for Providers
Wellcentive, an Atlanta-based provider of value-based care solutions has launched a free tool to calculate the real cost of delaying the shift from public and private payer volume to value-based care (VBC) and reimbursement. The tool called the Cost of Inaction calculator helps organizations estimate the impact, based on national benchmark data for health services and the organization-specific data users submit, of delaying effective implementation and management of VBC practices.Why Now Is The
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Optum, Medecision, TriZetto Launch Solution for State’s Medicaid Management Information Systems
Optum is teaming with Medecision and TriZetto to launch a first-to-market services-based offering for states’ Medicaid Management Information Systems (MMIS), the critical IT foundation of the public health program for low-income people. The new solution will enable states to purchase only the information technology and clinical services they need, and avoid costly, time-consuming inflexible systems. The new Optum Medicaid Management Services (OMMS) solution is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) and
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IMS Health, Quintiles to Merge in $9B Deal: 10 Things To Know
Healthcare technology provider IMS Health Holdings announced it will merge with biopharma research contract provider Quintiles Transnational Holding in a deal valued at $9 billion. The merged company will be named Quintiles IMS Holdings, Inc. to become an industry-leading information and technology-enabled healthcare service provider. Here are ten key things to know about the $9B merger: 1.Based on equity market capitalization, the combined company is valued at more than $17.6 billion with an
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NATE, CommonWell Team Up to Support Health IT Interoperability
The National Association for Trusted Exchange (NATE) and CommonWell Health Alliance has signed a reciprocal membership agreement with the goal of enhancing health IT interoperability to better assure provider and patient access to health data regardless of where care occurs. NATE and CommonWell will begin working together immediately. NATE OverviewNATE is a not-for-profit membership association focused on enabling trusted exchange among organizations and individuals with differing regulatory
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Press Ganey Acquires Patient Experience Firm Avatar
Patient experience firm Press Ganey Holdings today announced the acquisition of Avatar International Holding Company and its subsidiary Avatar International LLC, a patient experience and employee engagement company. As part of the acquisition, Press Ganey will add Avatar’s clients to its existing patient experience and caregiver engagement client base.According to the press release, the transaction, which closed on May 2, 2016, is expected to contribute revenue of $6 to $7 million in 2016 and
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