May 25, 2012
South Shore Hospital, a Weymouth, Mass.-based not-for-profit hospital, reached an agreement with the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office regarding the loss of back-up computer files. The publicized file loss occurred two years ago in 2010, and as a result, South Shore Hospital will pay a $750,000 monetary settlement.
May 25, 2012
Researchers at The George Washington University's Hirsh Health Law and Policy Program have launched a website designed to serve as a practical online resource regarding federal and state laws governing access, use, release, and publication of health information. The site, Health Information and the Law (HealthInfoLaw.org), will aim to address the current legal and regulatory framework for health information, as well as changes in the legal and policy landscape that have an impact on health information law and its implementation.
May 25, 2012
On May 24, the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) announced that, for the first time, it will use an electronic medical record (EMR) solution from GE Healthcare for managing the care of its athletes at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. The USOC will be using GE Healthcare’s Centricity Practice Solution, an integrated EMR and practice management product, for managing the care of the 700 athletes competing under its banner in London.
May 24, 2012
Following up a request from Chairman Julius Genachowski, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) officially adopted rules that will enable spectrum for Medical Body Area Networks (MBANs). These low-power wideband networks consist of multiple body-worn sensors that transmit a variety of patient data to a control device. MBAN devices aim to free patients from cumbersome cables that tether them to their hospital bed.
May 24, 2012
The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) has announced that, for the first time, it will use electronic medical records (EMR) for managing athlete care at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. The USOC will use GE Healthcare’s Centricity Practice Solution, an integrated EMR and practice management product, for managing the care of 700 athletes competing in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games as well as for 3,000 additional records maintained by USOC staff.
May 24, 2012
Boston Children’s Hospital has notified patients of a potential breach of protected health information (PHI) as a result of a stolen laptop computer. The computer was in the possession of a Boston Children’s staff member attending a conference in Buenos Aires. According to Boston Children’s, the laptop was password protected but not encrypted. It contained patient information, which had been sent to the laptop as an email attachment.
May 23, 2012
OmniCell, a Mountain View, Calif. provider of medication and supply management solutions and analytics software for healthcare systems, has acquired MTS Medication Technologies, Inc., a provider of medication adherence packaging systems. Omnicell says it will use the MTS Medication acquisition to integrate medication management across a broader spectrum of care.
May 23, 2012
A recent report from Englewood, Colo.-based research firm, IMS Research, is predicting that medical devices utilized by the consumer to self-monitor their health, rather than those used in managed telehealth systems, will be the biggest opportunity for wireless technologies in healthcare over the next five years. In the report, “Wireless Opportunities in Health and Wellness Monitoring – 2012 Edition,” IMS Research forecasts that more than 50 million wireless health monitoring devices will ship for consumer monitoring applications during the next five years, with a smaller number being used in managed telehealth systems.
May 23, 2012
Catherine Bruno, vice president and CIO of the non-profit hospital system, Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems, based out of Brewer, Maine, won the MIT Sloan CIO Symposium 2012 Award for Innovation Leadership at the ninth annual MIT Sloan CIO Symposium in Cambridge, Mass. Bruno, who is also an executive sponsor for the nationally recognized Bangor Beacon Community, shared the award with Chris Perretta, executive vice president and CIO of State Street Corporation.
May 22, 2012
According to a new survey from healthcare business intelligence vendor Wolters Kluwer Health, Americans trust information about their health that appears online. The survey, which was conducted by IPSOS, which talked to 1,000 consumers in the U.S. ages 18 and older, says three in ten Americans report they “always” or “frequently” turn to the internet to find answers to medical questions.
May 22, 2012
ICA (Harrisburg, Pa.) and AlliedHIE (Nashville, Tenn.) announced today a partnership that will launch a nationwide health information exchange (HIE) that will identify specific technology and communications issues within healthcare organizations and offer information exchange solutions to solve these problems. AlliedHIE, based in Harrisburg, PA, is launching its efforts with a secure clinical messaging "DIRECT/HISP" pilot project and HIE infrastructure with Pennsylvania-based NHS Human Services, the largest behavioral health organization in the US, known for their industry-leading approaches to serve clients.
May 22, 2012
All six of Johns Hopkins Medicine’s academic and community hospitals will be offering a course in ICD-10 readiness for medical record coders. The course, Anatomy & Physiology for Coders, presented by medical record coding, audit, and educational services vendor Barry Libman Inc., is set to be offered at the Johns Hopkins Hospital, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, All Children’s Hospital, Howard County General Hospital, Sibley Memorial Hospital, and Suburban Hospital.
May 21, 2012
The Oregon Health Authority (OHA) has launched a health information exchange (HIE) for the state, working in collaboration with Melbourne, Fla.-based Harris Corporation, an HIE vendor, to do so. The HIE, named CareAccord, will aim to enhance communications among Oregon healthcare providers, reduce duplicate orders, smooth transitions in care and support fulfillment of meaningful use requirements, according to the OHA.
May 21, 2012
According to a report by the Department of Homeland Security, the increased use of mobile health technology opens up a world of vulnerability to patients and medical facilities. The report, "Attack Surface: Healthcare and Public Health Sector" says since IT networks are remotely available through medical devices, there is a rising concern that these devices will fail to protect against theft of medical information and malicious intrusion.
May 18, 2012
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is launching a new Investing in Innovation (i2) Initiative developer contest aimed at improving interoperability among office-based ophthalmic imaging devices, measurement devices, and electronic health records (EHRs). The ONC’s i2 program is a way to promote the use of technology to find solutions that drive better outcomes, engage users in their health, and improve healthcare quality.
