News From Around the Web
> Texas Health Resources Vice President and CIO Edward Marx, a FierceHealthIT Editorial Advisory Board member, has been selected as the John E. Gall Jr. CIO of the Year by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives. Marx, who will serve as a speaker on FierceHealthIT's HIMSS14 breakfast panel, "Harnessing Technology and Data to Enable Accountable Care" on Wednesday, Feb. 26, will receive the award at HIMSS on Tuesday, Feb. 25. Announcement
> Online counseling can help to reduce viral load and HIV transmission risk behavior while also improving medication treatment adherence, according to research recently published in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes. "The computer format was highly acceptable and facilitated delivery in busy settings," the authors wrote. "Such an approach warrants further evaluation to determine utility in improving HIV treatment outcomes and reducing secondary HIV transmission among persons living with HIV." Abstract
Provider News
> Partners HealthCare System--the largest healthcare provider in New England--announced Monday it plans to create a new medical model that will integrate hospitals and their medical services with insurance products and by drawing patients from across the country. The model aims to improve medical care and lower costs by expanding its network of community hospitals and primary care physicians in Eastern Massachusetts, according to Gary L. Gottlieb, M.D., president and CEO of the Boston-based system, who spoke at the J.P. Morgan HealthCare Conference in San Francisco. Article
> Financial challenges remain hospital CEOs' top concern, the American College of Healthcare Executives' (ACHE) annual survey found. ACHE sent the survey to 1,091 community hospitals (nonfederal, short-term, nonspecialty hospitals) with member CEOs, 388 of whom responded. Article
Health Insurance News
> More than 2 million people have signed up for coverage through state and federal health insurance exchanges, but a key consumer population--young adults--accounts for only 24 percent of that total, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services announced Monday. Few consumers between 18 and 34 years old have enrolled in plans sold on the exchanges as of Dec. 28, 2013. Since young adults are considered a vital demographic that will offset the costs of older, sick consumers, they are highly coveted by insurers. Article
And Finally... My heart will go on ... to another theme park. Article