health information technology
GE Healthcare launches media campaign
GE Healthcare is launching a major PR campaign to promote the fact that the company does a lot more than just make light bulbs. GE wants to publicize its position in both diagnostic medical systems and information technology. GE, of course, bought hospital IT vendor IDX last year. The company is launching a guerrilla marketing campaign in New York over the next week in an effort to do just that. The plan is dubbed "Healthcare Re-Imagined."
- see this article from The Wall Street Journal (sub. req.)
ALSO NOTED: H5N1 found in Africa;Cyberonics reports lower-than-expected Q4 numbers; and much more...
> The President's 2007 budget proposal calls for $169 million in funding for healthcare IT initiatives. The National Coordinator for Health Information Technology gets $116 million. Article
> Houston-based medical device maker Cyberonics reported lower-than-expected first quarter numbers, sending its shares into a tailspin. The company markets an implantable pacemaker-like device for the treatment of depression. …
Electronic Medical Records
Most people would agree that if 2005 was "the year" of anything, it was the year of the electronic medical record (EMR). This was the year health information technology finally went mainstream, in the public consciousness, following last year's announcement of a national strategy. David Brailer led the push to back EMRs and data exchange. Pilots were announced with some limited federal funding, and regional health information organizations (RHIO) proliferated. You could even argue that …
... Read more...ALSO NOTED: Health IT groups continue push for Stark exemptions; Ex-Emdeon employees indicted; and much more...
> The National Alliance for Health Information Technology continues to push for broader exemptions from federal anti-kickback laws that prevent hospitals from donating software and computers to physicians. Report
> Ten former Emdeon employees were indicted yesterday for their role in the Medical Manager accounting scandal. …
... Read more...ALSO NOTED: HighMark selects Allscripts for PA project;Britain's flu vaccine running out; and much more...
> Commentary: With demand for transplants increasing, is it reasonable to legalize the sale of organs? Article
> The British government admits there will be a flu vaccine shortage this year. Article
> HighMark said it has chosen AllScripts for its $25 …
... Read more...Senate passes Health IT legislation
In a unanimous vote, the Senate passed the Wired for Health Care Quality Act (S.1418), legislation that would increase federal funding for healthcare IT. The legislation, which has enjoyed broad bipartisan support, grants official recognition to Dr. David Brailer's Office of the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology and authorizes spending on health IT projects. Some critics have charged the bill doesn't go far enough, reasoning that government spending must be increased …
... Read more...Brailer: HIT progress must not be blocked by regulation
New laws and regulations should not be allowed to strangle the development of the nation's health information technology infrastructure, according to HHS officials. Dr. David Brailer told an audience at the National Medicare Prescription Drug Congress on Friday that new rules governing e-prescribing are an example of the kind of compromise that can be struck.
"The regulatory process can't keep up with technical innovation and expansion in IT," Brailer said. "The regulations that …
... Read more...Privacy, cooperation keys for consumer participation in EMRs
The growth (or lack of growth) in consumer involvement in electronic health records remained a key topic at the AHIMA meeting in San Diego. The Markle Foundation's Carol Diamond and the Health Privacy Project's Emily Stewart both stressed that, despite latent consumer demand for EMRs, they will only get on board if they are convinced that their privacy is protected. Consumers are especially wary of both health plans and employers misusing their information. Scott Wallace, from the …
... Read more...HHS grants fund national HIT initiative
Despite the recent fiscal concerns in Washington, federal money continues to flow toward health IT--at least for now. This week HHS announced three big contracts which are an integral part of the government's national dive to push for increased technology adoption in healthcare. $3.3 million goes to the American National Standards Institute to help develop interoperability standards which will hopefully allow systems to communicate with each other and exchange data, or at the least cause …
... Read more...AHRQ announces state HIT implementation grants
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) announced $22.3 million in grants to state health information technology projects intended to drive health IT adoption. Sixteen awards have been announced, bringing total AHRQ investment in health IT to $166 million so far. Key grants go to Franklin Foundation Hospital in coastal Louisiana, the Metro DC Health Information Exchange (MeDHIX), the University of Tennessee and the Holomua project in Hawaii.
- see this press release from AHRQ
