News From Around the Web
> As mobile health apps proliferate many companies, users may not be aware that a good number of apps don't feature auto-update, which is an important aspect for keeping apps working properly and securely, writes Bob Bain of Hayes Management Consulting, at his healthcare blog. He recommends a step-by-step approach focused on ensuring good management of software. "Do not let the sizable initial investment that you made in the application give you diminishing returns because you do not have the latest updates and benefits from the software. One thing is sure with software these days--change is constant," he notes. Article
> The Food and Drug Administration has greenlighted Beacon 2.0, a patient monitoring software that transmits physiological data via a tablet or smartphone, and helps clinicians prioritize patient care, improve communications with patients and allows for early intervention care. "We see this clearance as a major milestone in helping make chronic care more convenient and less disruptive for patients," said Danna Kehm, managing director of HealthInterlink, in an announcement. Announcement
Health IT News
> Nurses looking to get the most out of healthcare IT for their patients would be wise to adopt such tools in their own everyday lives, according to Patricia Sengstack, Chief Nursing Informatics Officer at Bon Secours Health System, a Baltimore-based system with 18 acute-care hospitals that spans seven states. Article
Health Payer News
> Congress should consider adding a new tier of Affordable Care Act coverage that would be less comprehensive than what insurance plans are now required to offer, America's Insurance Plans President and CEO Karen Ignagni told C-SPAN in an interview on Friday. Article
And Finally... Pretty steep for LEGOS. Article