> Washington-based Mathematica Policy Research received a contract from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, (CMS) valued at nearly $4.8 million, to help develop new clinical quality measures for future stages of the electronic health records (EHR) Meaningful Use incentive program. CMS will develop a portfolio of clinical quality measures that eligible professionals can report directly from their EHRs. Article
> About 95 percent of physicians want their patients to fill out medical and registration forms online before their appointment, according to the Intuit Health Patient Engagement Study, conducted in April. When Intuit asked patients about filling out forms and the registration process, 81 percent agreed that they would like to move this task online as well. Announcement
> While healthcare organizations are embracing the need for information transparency to drive clinical transformation, they still need tools and capabilities to make data available in real time, according to findings from the HIMSS 2011 Clinical Transformation Survey, sponsored by McKesson. Just over 49 percent of those surveyed said their focus is on ensuring their organization has a fully operational EHR in place. FierceHealthIT
> Two California physicians have been recognized by the California Health Information Partnership and Services Organization (CalHIPSO) for their leadership in the nationwide transition from paper to EHRs. Pediatrician Sheldon Zitman, MD, of Santa Clara, and family practitioner Joseph Bettencourt, MD, of Templeton, are among the first CalHIPSO member practices to become Meaningful Users of certified EHR technology. Announcement
> PDR Network of Montvale, N.J., has launched a national adverse drug event network to assist physicians in reporting events using their EHR systems, or through a new Web site, RxEvent.org. EHR vendors athenahealth Inc. and Greenway Medical Technologies are the first to integrate RxEvent reporting into their applications. Announcement
And Finally... Snakes are a pain. Article