> The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that it will provide $241 million in "early innovator" grants to help several states set up the IT infrastructure for their health insurance exchanges. The state exchanges, established by the Affordable Care Act, will provide one-stop shopping for individuals and small businesses across the country, starting in 2014. FierceHealthIT
> Two major mobile technology advocacy groups, Global Certification Forum and Continua Health Alliance, partnered this week to create testing and certification standards for wireless "personal connected health solutions." Their goal: To assure the interoperability of wireless devices like glucose monitors and scales, as well as services like personal health records, wellness reminders and other apps provided via smartphones. FierceMobileHealthcare
> In one of the larger medical data thefts reported, personal health data for about 1.7 million New York City patients, hospital staffers and others was stolen on Dec. 23 from an unlocked van in Manhattan. The electronic record files, which were stored on 20 years worth of magnetic tapes, contained personal information, protected health information or personally identifiable employee medical information on patients and workers, including names, addresses and Social Security numbers. FierceHealthcare
And Finally... If Rocky can get a statue in Philly, what's wrong with this? Article