By Dr. Edwin Lomotan, Medical Officer and Chief of Clinical Informatics, AHRQ Twitter: @AHRQNews Today’s medical discoveries and technological advancements suggest we are approaching an exciting new era of patient care. Central to this vision is the successful—and seamless—implementation of health information technologies, from electronic health records (EHRs) to machine learning to patient-facing apps. Imagine this scenario: A 50-year-old male patient with elevated…

Physicians see potential progress in rules for vendors, EHRs The American Medical Association (AMA) (@AmerMedicalAssn) has submitted comprehensive comments to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) in response to the sweeping set of proposed changes to health information technology certification and implementation of the 21st Century Cures Act and to the Centers for Medicare and…

By Andy Aroditis, CEO, NextGate Twitter: @NextGate Inaccurate patient identification is not only a major impediment to interoperability and patient safety, but a massive burden financially—costing the U.S. healthcare system over $6 billion annually. The good news is that for the first time, federal officials are seeking guidance from experts in the public and private sector on how to improve…

The alphabet soup of acronyms in the world Artificial Intelligence. What are they? What do they mean? What is the difference between them? This is our ongoing reporting on AI and how it is being integrated into healthcare technology. We are seeking out the thought leaders and innovations that are moving the needle forward using artificial intelligence. Read more posts…

By Raj Toleti, Senior Vice President & General Manager, FollowMyHealth Twitter: @FMHMobile Twitter: @rtoleti It could be said that we’re in the midst of the perfect storm. As technology and data evolve so do most everything they touch. Those who can harness this evolution are finding both empowerment of systems and those they lead. I’ve seen inspired leaders take the…

As Traffic Migrates into Trust Bundles, Messaging Use Expands Beyond Referrals Direct Exchange transactions increased by 54 million, a nearly 49% jump, during the first quarter; reach 771 million, an increase of 30+ million per month, since inception Fueled by a migration of message transmissions to its Accredited Trust Anchor Bundle, and a broader use of its network, DirectTrust (@DirectTrustorg)…

The alphabet soup of acronyms in the world Artificial Intelligence. What are they? What do they mean? What is the difference between them? This is our ongoing reporting on AI and how it is being integrated into healthcare technology. We are seeking out the thought leaders and innovations that are moving the needle forward using artificial intelligence. Read more posts…

Medicare and Medicaid Services join to strengthen safety surveillance for medications issued to Veterans The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced an agreement that greatly improves drug safety monitoring of prescriptions, including opioids. The agreement, which was formalized March 21, will give VA the ability to monitor medical prescriptions issued…

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Amazon announced that the Alexa Skills Kit now enables select Covered Entities and their Business Associates, subject to HIPAA, to build Alexa skills that transmit and receive PHI as part of an invite-only program. Six new Alexa healthcare skills from industry-leading healthcare providers, payors, pharmacy benefit managers, and digital health coaching companies are now operating in our HIPAA-eligible environment. And…