Here are a few I came across last week.
Note: Each link is followed by a title and few paragraphs. For the full article click on the link above title of the article. Note also that full access to some links may require site registration or subscription payment.
-----
https://ehrintelligence.com/news/poor-ehr-training-system-defects-hamper-dod-ehr-implementation
Poor EHR Training, System Defects Hamper DOD EHR Implementation
A new GAO report revealed unresolved system defects in the Department of Defense (DOD) EHR implementation, as well as insufficient EHR training.
September 24, 2021 - The Department of Defense (DOD) has made progress in its MHS GENESIS EHR implementation, however health IT system defects and ineffective EHR training pose challenges to successful deployment, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
The report is based on test reports, briefing materials, incident report tracking documents, interviews with relevant officials, and GAO-led discussion groups with 356 users at selected sites.
MHS GENESIS operational testing at pilot sites revealed system defects. During initial and follow-on operational testing of MHS GENESIS, the Joint Interoperability Test Command identified 710 incidents, of which 409 had been closed. As of February 2021, 301 remained unresolved.
DOD took steps to improve system performance by closing an additional 13 identified test incidents, leaving 288 unresolved incidents as of May 2021.
-----
How Does Artificial Intelligence Compare to Augmented Intelligence?
Both artificial intelligence and augmented intelligence share the same goal but have different approaches to achieve it.
September 24, 2021 - As providers strive to improve patient outcomes, the use of machine learning has become more integrated into the healthcare system. As this new form of technology continues to expand, it’s important to understand how it can be used and how it differs from augmented intelligence.
While the phrases artificial intelligence and augmented intelligence are often used interchangeably in healthcare, defining both terms creates specific usages for the machine learning systems in the industry. Artificial intelligence and augmented intelligence share the same objective but have differing procedures in accomplishing it.
Although both techniques use machine learning capabilities, artificial intelligence takes a full device approach, while augmented intelligence maintains the human aspect.
Comparing Artificial and Augmented Intelligence
Especially in recent years, the healthcare industry has done extensive research on how to use artificial intelligence to improve patient outcomes. However, augmented intelligence options have been less explored.
-----
https://healthitsecurity.com/news/4-ways-organizations-can-prevent-healthcare-phishing-attacks
4 Ways Organizations Can Prevent Healthcare Phishing Attacks
Healthcare phishing attacks are an easy way for cybercriminals to take advantage of organizations but implementing certain safeguards can protect patients, providers, and health systems.
By Jill McKeon
September 24, 2021 - With one wrong click, a healthcare phishing attack can take down entire networks, encrypt files, and put patient data in jeopardy. The smartest attackers take advantage of victims by claiming to be a colleague, business associate, or other trusted source, and using social engineering to obtain information.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) defines phishing as “A technique for attempting to acquire sensitive data, such as bank account numbers, through a fraudulent solicitation in email or on a web site, in which the perpetrator masquerades as a legitimate business or reputable person.”
Bad actors are increasingly targeting the healthcare sector with these schemes and successfully obtaining information and distributing malware via email. In April 2021, the Health Sector Cybersecurity Coordination Center (HC3) released an alert warning the healthcare sector of the increasing prevalence of phishing campaigns.
-----
NHS App ‘storing facial recognition data with private tech company’
The NHS App is reportedly collecting and storing facial recognition data under a contract with a private tech company – sparking concern among privacy campaigners.
Andrea Downey 22 September, 2021
Biometric verification company iProov was awarded a contract by NHS Digital in 2019 to manage user verification on the app.
The company’s technology is used to ensure people are genuinely present when using NHS login to access the NHS App, done through a series of lights shined onto a user’s face. New users of the app are asked to prove who they are to gain access to its services.
But it has caused concern among privacy campaigners who have called for transparency on how data is used and stored, according to The Guardian.
NHS Digital told Digital Health News the company does not “receive, process or store” personally identifiable information on app users.
-----
NHS App hits milestone 12m downloads since Covid passports introduced
The NHS App has hit a milestone as more than 12 million people have downloaded it since Covid-19 passports became available.
Andrea Downey 21 September 2021
The surge in downloads takes the app to more than 16 million users in total. The app, which allows people to download and view their Covid-19 vaccination status, also signposts users to organ donation and other NHS services.
More than 1.5 million people have now used the app to manage their organ donation preference, with 265,000 of these registering their organ donation for the first time via the app.
Speaking at London Tech Week health secretary Sajid Javid said: “The benefits of technology are enormous. Nowhere has tech transformation proved its worth more than in health and care.
“We all owe so much not just to our doctors, nurses and colleagues on the front line but also the coders, developers and innovators who helped our NHS stay so strong.
-----
Trilliant Health rolls out predictive analytics to forecast healthcare demand down to local level
Sep 22, 2021 7:44am
Health systems have been under tremendous revenue strain since the COVID-19 pandemic with disruptions to preventive and elective procedures. As the pandemic continues to disrupt the healthcare economy, providers are often flying blind about changing market dynamics, which creates challenges when making investments for future growth.
Healthcare analytics company Trilliant Health developed a new predictive analytics tool that enables strategy teams to see a 10-year view of the healthcare market with insights all the way down to the local market level.
The aim is to help providers "see around the corner" in a post-COVID-19 healthcare economy with constantly changing market dynamics, company executives said.
Historically, the healthcare industry has developed generic strategic plans assuming that the national increase in burden of disease is predictive of future demand in local markets. Trilliant Health applies advanced machine learning technology to its large datasets to provide customers with a more forward-looking perspective that forecasts demand down to local levels, executives said.
"It’s that forward-looking view that enables health systems to game plan a scenario out and make
-----
https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/kaiser-permanente-researchers-push-envelope-ai-and-nlp
Kaiser Permanente researchers push the envelope with AI and NLP
"In minutes, the software identified nearly 54,000 patients with the condition, a process that would likely have taken years for physicians to perform manually," a physician researcher tells Healthcare IT News.
By Bill Siwicki
September 24, 2021 11:36 AM
Although healthcare is squarely in the era of big data and data analytics, it remains difficult in clinical research to accurately identify patients with complex conditions like valvular heart disease through medical records.
THE PROBLEM
And if researchers cannot identify these patients, they cannot study them, track practice patterns or conduct population management.
Part of the problem is that the current methods used to identify highly specific conditions like valvular heart disease use diagnosis or procedure codes. These were created primarily for billing purposes and often are not very useful for clinical care because they can be quite nonspecific and not include detailed data about the condition.
"For example, a patient with moderate or severe aortic stenosis, which is a narrowing of one of the primary heart valves, is entirely different than a patient with mild valve disease," said Dr. Matthew Solomon, a cardiologist at the Permanente Medical Group and a physician researcher at the Kaiser Permanente Division of Research in Oakland, California.
-----
https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/study-finds-link-between-broadband-expansion-economic-growth
Study finds link between broadband expansion and economic growth
Connected Nation researchers compared Michigan communities that participated in a facilitated tech-planning effort against the state as a whole.
By Kat Jercich
September 24, 2021 11:32 AM
Connected Nation, an advocacy group working to expand connectivity throughout the country, announced this week that it had found a link between broadband access and economic growth.
Researchers compared communities in Michigan that participated in the organization's Connected program with the statewide average when it came to unemployment rate, median household income growth, in-migration and other factors.
"Connected Nation is not implying a direct causation between participation in the Connected program and their economic growth through this study," noted director of research development Chris McGovern in a blog post explaining the findings. "Each community faced its own unique technological hurdles and had differing levels of success addressing those barriers.
"Connected Nation does believe, though, that by focusing on broadband access, adoption, and usage as economic development drivers, communities stand a better chance at competing and thriving in the years to come," McGovern continued.
-----
ONC: More patients are downloading their medical records and using portals
The agency's analysis suggests increases in interoperability and patient-provider communication, along with frequent use of mobile health apps.
By Kat Jercich
September 24, 2021 02:12 PM
A brief out this month from the U.S. Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT found an increase in patient portal access and online medical record download rates over the past few years.
In 2020, the agency said, about six in 10 individuals throughout the country were offered access to their patient portal, and nearly 40 percent accessed their record at least once.
About a third of patient portal users downloaded their online medical record in 2020, nearly double the proportion of 2017.
"Making it easier for individuals to access and use their electronic health information is a national priority," wrote agency representatives in the brief.
-----
https://www.healthcareittoday.com/2021/09/24/be-vigilant-a-look-at-supply-chain-fraud-in-healthcare/
Be Vigilant: A Look at Supply Chain Fraud in Healthcare
September 24, 2021
According to a survey by Proofpoint, the average healthcare organization received about 200,000 emails from over 10,000 different 3rd party domains. When you consider the thousands of vendors and suppliers that work with a healthcare organization, this isn’t a big surprise. However, the survey also found that 97% received threats from at least one of their suppliers’ domains via impersonation or business email compromise. That’s a disconcerting proposition.
In a recent virtual meetup, we dove into this problem with the following experts:
- Chris Baldwin, Chief Information Security Officer at Hartford HealthCare
- Judy Hatchett, VP, Information Security & CISO at Surescripts
- Ryan Witt, Managing Director, Industry Solutions Group and Resident Healthcare CISO at Proofpoint
While we all know that the pace of attacks is accelerating in healthcare, we have to also recognize that attacks are becoming more sophisticated. The panel dove into this challenge and shared what this tells us about larger trends. Plus, they talk about how it modifies the security risk equation all the way down to impacting patient care.
The panel also shares which titles and departments are most vulnerable and which parts of the supply chain are more vulnerable to imposter attacks. Understanding who’s most at risk was suggested as an essential key to addressing the problem. Every organization has finite time and resources and so identifying those most at risk means you can apply those resources to your most vulnerable staff. Plus, they shared that sometimes it’s the staff you’d least expect that are the most vulnerable. It’s not just your top executives.
-----
https://globalnews.ca/news/8219731/qr-codes-saskatchewan-covid-19-vaccine-records/
QR codes temporarily removed from Sask. COVID-19 vaccine records due to ‘privacy breach’
Updated September 24, 2021 8:29 pm
QR codes are being temporarily removed from residents’ COVID-19 vaccination records due to a situation that eHealth Saskatchewan is treating as a privacy breach.
A Saskatchewan government release said they were alerted to an issue downloading patient QR codes.
“IT has identified that the COVID-19 vaccination records of up to 19 residents have the potential of displaying in other citizens’ QR codes. Information from one individual has been identified to date,” the release said.
eHealth Saskatchewan Vice President of Programs and Technology Davin Church told reporters on Friday that depending on what app the individual was using with the QR code, name and vaccination status would have shown up and perhaps date of birth and vaccination information.
-----
https://ehrintelligence.com/news/feds-health-equity-by-design-key-to-health-it-interoperability
Feds: “Health Equity by Design” Key to Health IT, Interoperability
Health IT developers should consider SDOH data interoperability as a core feature of the design process to pursue health equity, ONC leader Micky Tripathi said.
September 23, 2021 - Health IT developers should consider the collection of social determinants of health (SDOH) data as a core feature of health IT design to pursue health equity, ONC lead Micky Tripathi, PhD, MPP, said in a media availability earlier this month.
SDOH data exchange gives providers a more well-rounded view of what conditions may be impacting patient health and wellbeing, allowing for targeted intervention.
However, the healthcare industry lacks the interoperability infrastructure to share SDOH data in a systematic way. COVID-19 highlighted these infrastructure flaws.
“We have a situation today where we are not able to get the kinds of data we need on specific communities and what's been happening to them during the pandemic because we don't have the core constructs of health equity to share that data in a systematic way across public health systems,” Tripathi said. “As one health equity expert told us, ‘If you're not counted, you don't count,’” Tripathi said.
-----
Addiction Recovery Specialists Find Unexpected Advantages to Using Telehealth
The University of Alabama at Birmingham's Addiction Recovery Program is one of many across the country that has turned to telehealth to treat patients and their families during the pandemic. And they're seeing good results with a virtual platform.
September 23, 2021 - Healthcare providers who focus on substance abuse and addiction recovery services are learning to use telehealth to improve access to care during a pandemic. Many are finding advantages to virtual care that they hadn’t expected.
At the University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB), providers in the UAB Medicine Addiction Recovery Program turned to Zoom to continue personalized and group treatment and support programs, helping both patients and their families access virtual care and resources.
“Addiction is already a very isolating disease,” ARP Director Bronwyn McInturff, MSW, says in a news release recently posted by UAB. “Because of that, a large part of recovery involves reestablishing and maintaining connections with others. What we faced with COVID was an almost immediate move to isolation for everyone. This created a huge obstacle for people who wanted to begin or continue recovery. Most people can relate on some level to the problems of isolation due to COVID. But for people with substance use disorders, that kind of ongoing isolation has far higher stakes. It can be deadly.”
UAB’s experiences mirror those faced by providers across the country, if not the world. In-person treatment was reduced or eliminated by the threat of COVID-19. Many saw attendance in therapy sessions decline, alongside reports of increased overdoses and risky behaviors by people on the brink of becoming addicted.
------
CSA Offers Guidance on Preventing Ransomware in the Healthcare Cloud
New guidance from the Cloud Security Alliance warns organizations about the prevalence of ransomware in the healthcare cloud and shows how to mitigate risk.
By Jill McKeon
September 23, 2021 - The Cloud Security Alliance’s (CSA) Health Information Management Working Group recently released guidance warning healthcare delivery organizations about the growing threat of ransomware in the healthcare cloud. The report is meant to be used in conjunction with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework.
Cloud storage can give organizations an advantage when it comes to data protection, but the cloud is still vulnerable to ransomware attacks. As more healthcare organizations utilize cloud storage to back up data, ransomware attacks on cloud security providers are increasing.
“Due to the nature of public cloud, where the underlying infrastructure is secured and managed by the cloud service provider, many customers incorrectly assume that the threat of ransomware in the cloud is less than in a private data center,” the report stated.
“However, cloud services rely on the synchronization of data, and if ransomware encrypted data enters the synchronization process, data will run the risk of being propagated in the cloud. At this point, cloud applications become complicit in spreading the malware.”
-----
Breaking|Sep 22, 2021,06:57am EDT|3,945 views
Covid Data Should Be More Transparent To Avoid Misinformation Around Quack Cures Like Ivermectin, Experts Warn
Topline
An explosion of questionable scientific research is helping drive Covid-19 misinformation and putting patients around the world at risk of “severe and immediate harm,” warned a group of researchers and doctors in journal Nature Medicine Wednesday, who said more transparent handling of clinical trial data could prevent the rollout of inappropriate, possibly dangerous treatments.
Key Facts
The pandemic spurred a flurry of rapid-fire research that created an environment that allowed even “poorly evidenced claims of efficacy to be amplified” on social media and in scientific circles, which swiftly moved into “widespread clinical practice and public policy,” the researchers wrote.
As most studies and meta-analyses (which analyse multiple studies) only provide summaries of patient data—a measure designed to protect the privacy of participants—weak, questionable or even fraudulent studies have received widespread attention to later “collapse” under “basic numerical scrutiny.”
The attention on antiparasitic drug ivermectin has seen “hundreds of thousands” of patients treated with the drug, based on unreliable information that has “evaporated under close scrutiny,” the authors noted as an example.
-----
https://www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/exclusives/94652
Are Doctors Drowning in Inbox Overload?
— The slow simmer of non-stop messaging boils over during the pandemic
by Sophie Putka, Enterprise & Investigative Writer, MedPage Today September 22, 2021
Overflowing inboxes were a problem before the pandemic, but physicians and other healthcare workers recently have observed a pronounced increase in screen time -- and it's taking a toll.
Even Bob Wachter, MD, the chair of University of California San Francisco's department of medicine, tweeted about it last week, calling it the "biggest driver of MD burnout."
"The messaging has to be recognized," said Natalie Azar, MD, a rheumatologist and clinical associate professor at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, who's been practicing for 20 years. "It's like quicksand, as soon as you start answering more questions, you're never caught up."
Healthcare workers acknowledge that electronic communication has its advantages, but the alerts, notifications, requests, lab results, and direct messages from patients -- all contained within their electronic health records (EHR) inbox, often the "In Basket" on EPIC -- are contributing to burnout.
It's especially tough, they say, in the midst of a public health crisis that has leaned increasingly on telehealth and has seen patient health concerns skyrocket.
-----
https://news.mit.edu/2021/medknowts-electronic-health-record-0923
Toward a smarter electronic health record
An AI-enhanced system enables doctors to spend less time searching for clinical information and more time treating patients.
MIT News Office
September 23, 2021
Electronic health records have been widely adopted with the hope they would save time and improve the quality of patient care. But due to fragmented interfaces and tedious data entry procedures, physicians often spend more time navigating these systems than they do interacting with patients.
Researchers at MIT and the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center are combining machine learning and human-computer interaction to create a better electronic health record (EHR). They developed MedKnowts, a system that unifies the processes of looking up medical records and documenting patient information into a single, interactive interface.
Driven by artificial intelligence, this “smart” EHR automatically displays customized, patient-specific medical records when a clinician needs them. MedKnowts also provides autocomplete for clinical terms and auto-populates fields with patient information to help doctors work more efficiently.
“In the origins of EHRs, there was this tremendous enthusiasm that getting all this information organized would be helpful to be able to track billing records, report statistics to the government, and provide data for scientific research. But few stopped to ask the deep questions around whether they would be of use for the clinician. I think a lot of clinicians feel they have had this burden of EHRs put on them for the benefit of bureaucracies and scientists and accountants. We came into this project asking how EHRs might actually benefit clinicians,” says David Karger, professor of computer science in the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) and senior author of the paper.
-----
https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/ahima-amia-ehra-call-consensus-electronic-health-information
AHIMA, AMIA, EHRA call for consensus on electronic health information
A recent task force report offers some preliminary exploration of how definitions of EHI and designated record set might be operationalized going forward under the Cures Act Final Rule.
By Mike Miliard
September 23, 2021 02:17 PM
Three major healthcare informatics organizations this week published a new study designed to help guide the conversation around how electronic health information should be managed and put to use by healthcare providers and technology developers.
WHY IT
MATTERS
The American Health Information Management Association, the American Medical
Informatics Association and the HIMSS Electronic Health Record Association on
Monday put out a report, Defining EHI and the Designated Record Set in an Electronic
World (PDF), which focuses on issues around operationalization of the
definitions of electronic health information and designated record set.
Such an effort is key to success for the 21st Century Cures Act Final Rule, whose requirements around information blocking and health IT certification rely on the definition of EHI – itself grounded in the definition of the designated record set as defined by HIPAA.
"How these definitions will be operationalized by clinicians and developers are critical to successful compliance with the Cures Act Final Rule," said the groups in unveiling the new report, which sees several challenges for healthcare stakeholders must grapple with.
-----
Accurate Risk Profiles are Key for IoMT Device Security
September 23, 2021
Ransomware and other cyberattacks on healthcare organizations are growing rapidly in numbers and scope. To better protect their high-value data, organizations need to look at the vulnerability of their medical devices which are increasingly becoming a path of attack. An important step in securing those devices is having an accurate risk profile for each of them.
More Connected Devices
The number of connected devices has exploded in recent years and is expected to continue to grow at an accelerated rate. What we are seeing is the rise of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) where devices are connected to each other and to clinical applications including EMRs.
Fortune Business Insights forecasts the market will grow to $446.52 billion USD by 2028, a 5-fold increase over the market size in 2021 ($89.07 billion). There are several factors driving this growth and none of them show any signs of abating:
- The need for real-time data by clinicians
- Increased adoption of Remote Patient Monitoring
- Integration of devices with AI
- Continued investment in Telehealth and Care-at-Home
-----
https://ehrintelligence.com/news/rising-clinician-burden-points-execs-towards-ai-data-exchange
Rising Clinician Burden Points Execs Towards AI Data Exchange
Executives are eying artificial intelligence (AI) health IT investments to mitigate clinician burden from outdated modes of health data exchange.
September 22, 2021 - High rates of clinician burden from outdated modes of patient health data exchange are pushing health IT executives toward artificial intelligence (AI) investments, according to a survey of 1,700 healthcare executives, patients, clinicians, and administrative staff conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of Olive.
According to 50 percent of administrative staff surveyed, the volume of manual data entry has increased over the past 12 months, and this trend is not expected to change any time soon. More than seven in 10 clinicians (72 percent) expect the time they spend on administrative tasks to increase over the next 12 months.
Many administrative staff rely on archaic technology such as email (62 percent), phone (46 percent), and fax (43 percent) for patient data exchange. Additionally, the survey found that more than half of administrative staff (54 percent) are using paper-based forms at least once a day, including 35 percent who do so at least a couple times a day.
Almost all executives (99 percent) admitted their organization relies on multiple systems for at least one process, especially claims processing (52 percent) and clinical documentation (48 percent). Most clinicians (89 percent) reported having to consult different electronic systems at least a few times a day to access patient information.
-----
https://healthitanalytics.com/news/exploring-artificial-intelligence-in-healthcare-around-the-globe
Exploring Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare Around the Globe
HL7 International hosts a panel highlighting the different uses of artificial intelligence in healthcare.
September 22, 2021 - Artificial intelligence (AI) is making a dent in healthcare in the US and around the globe, helping leaders in Europe, South America, and Asia improve outcomes and cut costs, dissolving key pain points in medicine.
So said presenters at HL7 International’s recent panel titled: The Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Healthcare, hosted as part of the organization’s 35th Annual Plenary Meeting.
The panel featured four different presentations discussing the different applications of AI in the healthcare realm and was moderated by Walter Suarez, MD, MPH, HL7 International Board Chair.
The first presentation was done by Xihong Lin, PhD, a professor of biostatistics and the coordinating director of the program in quantitative genomics at Harvard University.
In her presentation, AI in Genomics & Population Health, Lin explained that in the last 10 years, the understanding of genome data and whole-genome sequencing data has rapidly expanded with the help of electronic health records. The goal of this data is to improve precision medicine and preventive care strategies.
-----
Many top health systems still behind on digital patient access, report finds
Sep 22, 2021 4:40pm
Though the pandemic has accelerated health organizations’ digital initiatives, the race to keep up with patient preferences continues to be challenging for many top-ranked hospitals, a new analysis from Kyruus finds.
The health tech company assessed the top 20 hospitals in the U.S. according to the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings. It looked at four categories—consumer engagement tools, an easy and modern search experience, consumer-centric filtering options and self-service booking capabilities—to determine areas of strength and opportunities for improvement when it comes to digital patient access and engagement.
Overall, hospitals need to focus more on the end-to-end consumer experience, with the ability to find care online, book an appointment and prepare for it with ease, according to the analysis.
Only one-quarter of health systems have virtual assistants or chatbots, Kyruus found, though they are considered highly helpful to patients. More than half display clear and embedded calls to action that prompt consumers to do things like book appointments online or call a number to schedule one. While many also have mobile apps for existing patients, just over a third have apps through which new patients can find or schedule care without creating an account.
-----
Clinical Decision Support Can Help Identify Common Drugs Linked with Increased Arrhythmia and Sudden Death Risk
September 22, 2021
Joan Kapusnik-Uner, Pharm.D., FCSHP, FASHP
Research has linked many drugs to QT prolongation and decision support tools could alert clinicians to the risk and guide prescribing decisions to safer alternatives.
In early 2020, the FDA temporarily approved the drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine as potential prophylaxis or treatment for hospitalized patients with COVID-19-related illness. At the time, it was understandable that the FDA would grant Emergency Use Authorization given the early pre-publication data from Europe, in vitro study information, and paucity of known effective treatments for the highly contagious and deadly virus.
Even then, though, the FDA cautioned providers about the use of these agentsdue to their association with a dangerous risk of QT-prolongation and torsades des pointes (TdP), a type of tachycardia that can lead to cardiac arrest. These risks and adverse reactions in patients with COVID-19 as well as lagging evidence of efficacy were the reasons the authorization was later revoked.
Hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, however, are not the only noncardiac drugs linked with an increased risk of QT-prolongation and TdP. A recent study published in Drugs – Real World Outcomes found that common antibiotics, antidepressants, antinausea and antiplatelet drugs are associated with an increased risk of cardiac arrhythmia and sudden death in older patients.
-----
AI development must be guided by ethics, human wellbeing and responsible innovation
An expert in emerging technology from the IEEE Standards Association describes the elements that must be considered as artificial intelligence proliferates across healthcare.
By Bill Siwicki
September 22, 2021 12:21 PM
The topic of ethics and artificial intelligence is not new, but businesses and policy creators should prioritize human wellbeing and environmental flourishing – also known as societal value – in the discussion, says John C. Havens, director of emerging technology and strategic development at the IEEE Standards Association.
Typically, ethical concerns tied to AI largely focus on risk, harm and responsibility; bias against race and gender; unintended consequences; and cybersecurity and hackers.
These are important concerns, but Havens contends that as AI systems are created, they must directly address human-centric, values-driven issues as key performance indicators of success to build trust with end users.
Havens further says that AI systems must also prioritize human wellbeing (specifically, aspects of caregiving, mental health and physiological needs not currently included in the GDP) and environmental flourishing as the ultimate metrics of success for society along with fiscal prosperity. Flourishing means restoration of the ecosystem, not just avoiding harm,
Healthcare IT News sat down with Havens, author of "Heartificial Intelligence: Embracing Humanity to Maximize Machines," to discuss these and other important issues surrounding AI and ethics.
-----
Ponemon study finds link between ransomware, increased mortality rate
Researchers surveyed nearly 600 health IT and security professionals about the ways cyberattacks disrupt care delivery and put patient safety at risk.
By Kat Jercich
September 22, 2021 11:41 AM
A report released Wednesday by the Ponemon Institute found that ransomware attacks in the time of COVID-19 have had an impact on patient safety, data and overall care availability.
For the report, sponsored by the risk management platform vendor Censinet, Ponemon surveyed nearly 600 IT and security professionals in healthcare delivery organizations.
"Our findings correlated increasing cyberattacks, especially ransomware, with negative effects on patient care, exacerbated by the impact of COVID on healthcare providers," said Dr. Larry Ponemon, chairman and founder of the Ponemon Institute, in a statement.
"We also analyzed steps that HDOs are taking to protect patient safety, data and care operations to determine what is working since so many respondents have been victims of more than one ransomware attack," Ponemon said.
-----
https://www.healthcareitnews.com/blog/what-do-frontline-caregivers-want-digitized-healthcare
What do frontline caregivers want from digitized healthcare?
Technology has proved to be a blessing for consumers who today have a plethora of care options and improved access to care. This is not the case with frontline providers who continue to suffer from burnout and fatigue.
September 22, 2021 02:59 PM
During the early years of implementing electronic health records in hospitals, nearly 15 years ago, I recall an intensivist in the CCU warning that EHR systems are a disaster.
The reason? An inherent order form within the application prevented the physician from prescribing medicine in the dosage he required. Technology has its glitches, and all those who have been part of EHR implementations during those years will remember the challenges they have had to face.
Fast forward 15 years, and today, the electronic health record has become the central hub for all digital developments in healthcare. With the stabilization of the EHR systems, the demand to make healthcare more user-friendly has only increased.
The introduction of FHIR APIs and the interoperability ruling has further opened the market to a slew of consumer-friendly healthcare services that rival Uber and Amazon. The two decades of digital transformation have been expedited in the last two years due to COVID-19, which has made change management easier than it previously was.
-----
https://www.healthcareittoday.com/2021/09/22/taming-the-wild-animal-that-is-healthcare-data/
Taming the Wild Animal that is Healthcare Data
September 22, 2021
Creating healthcare data is easy. Wrangling it so that it is sharable, useable, and valuable is challenging. In fact, it may be the one thing that prevents healthcare organizations from utilizing advanced technologies like AI, machine learning, and predictive analytics. The good news is that it can be done, you just have to choose the right data animal to tame.
Explosive Data Growth
RBC Capital Markets projects that “by 2025, the compound annual growth rate of data for healthcare will reach 36%” much higher than for most industries including manufacturing, financial services and media + entertainment. In 2018 Statistica estimated healthcare was producing 2,314 exabytes of data (1 exabyte is 1 billion GB).
Do the math and you end up with an incomprehensible amount of data.
“It would be understatement to say that lots of data is generated by healthcare,” said Kevin Campbell, Founding Partner and CEO at DTA Healthcare Solutions who sat down recently with Healthcare IT Today. “Unlike retail, manufacturing, and many other industries, each ‘transaction’ in healthcare – aka an encounter – generates many multiples of data that a financial transaction does.”
Plus, Campbell rightly pointed out that in healthcare we deal with more than just data: the information represents lives, diseases, and other intimate details. In other words, data = people in healthcare and as such, deserves special attention.
-----
FTC Applies HIPAA-like Breach Notification Requirements to Health Apps and Connected Device Companies
September 22, 2021
Last week, the FTC came out with a statement clarifying the intent of their Health Breach Notification Rule when it came to health apps and connected devices. The key point is that health apps and other connected health devices that are breached are going to be subject to similar notification requirements as a HIPAA covered entity would have to do.
What many people miss in this is that HIPAA only applies to covered entities and their business associates. This largely means provider organizations and payers and the companies that house patients PHI (Protected Health Information) for them. This means that the HIPAA protections don’t apply to something like a direct to consumer health app. With this FTC statement, these types of health apps would now be subject to disclosing when a breach occurs to patients and the media similar to HIPAA.
The statement does require the app to be an electronic health record that “can be drawn from multiple sources.” This basically applies to almost every digital health app out there since user input and any sort of external data input including a wearable device would constitute two sources. They also clarify ‘Under the definitions cross-referenced by the Rule, the developer of a health app or connected device is a “health care provider” because it “furnish[es] health care services or supplies.”’
-----
https://healthitsecurity.com/news/improper-hard-drive-disposal-leads-to-health-data-breach-for-100k
Improper Hard Drive Disposal Leads to Health Data Breach for 100K
Over 100K patients at HealthReach Community Health Centers in Maine may have had their personal data leaked due to improper disposal of the health center’s hard drives.
By Jill McKeon
September 21, 2021 - HealthReach Community Health Centers in Waterville, Maine, began notifying over 100,000 patients of a health data breach that resulted from improper disposal of hard drives. The hard drives were improperly disposed of by an employee at a third-party data storage facility, according to a statement shared with the Maine attorney general’s office.
The incident occurred on April 7 and HealthReach discovered the breach on May 7. Further investigation determined that some personally identifiable information (PII) and protected health information (PHI) of patients was involved. The information at risk includes names, addresses, birth dates, Social Security numbers, medical insurance information, lab results, medical record numbers, and treatment records.
The health center stated in the notice that it has no evidence that any information was misused as a result of the breach.
“We are working with cybersecurity counsel to determine the actions to take in response to the incident,” the statement explained.
-----
Psychotherapy after the pandemic will likely be a hybrid — part office, part telemedicine
And jobs will be plentiful. Digital mental health already is a multibillion-dollar industry and includes more than 10,000 apps, though many are untested.
by Gloria Hochman, For The Inquirer
Updated Sep 17, 2021
The pandemic poses an unprecedented danger to mental health, but it’s also sparking new approaches to patient care that promise to revamp the field.
Teletherapy — through video, often Zoom, and audio — is not new, but during the pandemic, it has come to nearly replace face-to-face sessions. “I haven’t seen a patient in person for more than a year,” said Stanford Steinberg, a longtime Philadelphia psychiatrist.
So will traditional, on-the-couch therapy ever return?
Not likely. As in other fields, the pandemic has produced new approaches and accelerated changes that were already occurring. What is emerging is a hybrid model, part office, part teletherapy, aided by shifting regulatory and professional norms, and aiming to make mental health treatment more accessible — whether online, via an app or at the corner drugstore. The trends are also bolstering the prospects of mental health providers — psychiatrists, psychologists, or social workers — who face a growing demand for their skills.
“We’re going to see the impact of the pandemic on the human psyche for years,” said Jeffrey M. Cohen, an assistant professor of medical psychology in the department of psychiatry at Columbia University.
-----
https://www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/exclusives/94567
There's a Workaround for a Common 'Open Notes' Criticism
— Exception says doctor can delay releasing bad news if patient gave prior consent
by Cheryl Clark, Contributing Writer, MedPage Today September 17, 2021
Several physician groups are trying to change a new federal law they believe gives them no choice but to post bad news on their patients' electronic health portals before doctors have the chance to inform or discuss results with their patients. They're concerned that a confirmed diagnosis -- without context or treatment options -- will send their patients into avoidable emotional despair, or worse.
But those doctors are overlooking a simple solution that's embedded in the new law.
The Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) confirmed Thursday, in response to a MedPage Today request, that doctors can simply ask their patients in advance if they want the results withheld until the doctor can deliver the results directly, with delayed posting electronically. If the patient agrees, the doctor is not in danger of violating the Information Blocking rule.
"In scenarios where a patient does not want the result until they've spoken with the doctor, the privacy exception is available and allows a patient to request their EHI [electronic health information] not be shared electronically, including to their own patient portal," said an email from an ONC spokesman.
-----
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/959116
COVID-19 Claims More Than 675,000 US Lives, Surpassing the 1918 Flu
Brenda Goodman, MA
September 20, 2021
COVID-19 has now killed at least 675,000 Americans, a death toll that has surpassed the estimates of the number of Americans who died during the 1918 influenza pandemic, according to data collected by Johns Hopkins University.
Although the raw numbers match, epidemiologists point out that 675,000 deaths in 1918 was a much greater proportion of the population. In 1918, the US population was 105 million, less than one third of what it is today.
The AIDS pandemic of the 1980s remains the deadliest of the 20th Century, claiming the lives of 700,000 Americans. But at our current pace of 2000 COVID deaths a day, we could quickly eclipse that death toll, too.
Even though the 1918 epidemic is often called the "Spanish Flu", there is no universal consensus regarding where the virus originated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
-----
Why patient-centred digital systems are revolutionising healthcare
Patient journeys are being revolutionised thanks to interactive technology which puts consumers at the heart of their own care. Hear how international experts are leveraging technology to gain fresh insight into the patient experience.
September 21, 2021 09:52 PM
Traditionally, healthcare data has centred around clinicians and institutions who largely controlled patient interaction. Lately, however, there has been a shift to consumer-centred systems. This is enabling patients to interact with health professionals and get involved in their own care, leading to greater engagement, improved outcomes and increased satisfaction.
The speakers at the "Transforming the patient experience through a modernised journey-led approach" webinar were A/Prof Clair Sullivan, Head, University of Queensland Digital Health Network; Kristi Roe, Head of Healthcare Experience, Medallia; and A/Prof Low Cheng Ooi, Chief Technology Officer, Sheares Healthcare Group. The session was moderated by Andrew Pearce, Senior Digital Health Strategist, Analytics, HIMSS.
"It starts with feeling heard and I think that’s just been a big miss. I think when they [patients] are in live interactions, they feel heard… And so by leveraging technology, you listen at scale," said Roe.
A/Prof Sullivan believes technology improves patient engagement: "I am desperately trying to use digital technology to empower patients, to let them learn about their own disease, to democratise the management of chronic illness, so that they themselves can manage their condition in an effective way that gives them a good experience and relieves the burden on an already stretched system. I think it is an exciting time as we democratise the data."
-----
https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/emea/sajid-javid-calls-uk-level-digital-health-inequalities
Sajid Javid calls for the UK to ‘level up’ digital health inequalities
In a keynote speech during London Tech Week, the health and social secretary said full digitalisation would allow more time to be spent on patient care.
By Tammy Lovell
September 21, 2021 01:29 PM
Health and social care secretary Sajid Javid said the UK must “level up” digital health inequalities to ensure the long-term sustainability of health and social care.
One in 10 NHS trusts are still operating on paper-based systems and 71% of the social care sector has no digital access to information on patients’ medication, according to figures revealed by Javid at the Founders Forum Health Tech Summit this week.
“Despite the great progress of recent years, too much of the system doesn’t currently have the basics in place, which frustrates patients and makes life harder for colleagues on the frontline,” Javid said in his virtual keynote address.
In the speech, which took place during London Tech Week today (21 Sept), Javid said the opportunities of digital transformation should be “spread fairly” by shoring up cybersecurity capability, replacing out of date technology and supporting the adoption of shared care records.
-----
Sequoia Project publishes new elements for Common Agreement, wants feedback
As ONC's recognized coordinating entity for TEFCA, the interoperability group is seeking stakeholder response on the data elements as it develops new exchange guidelines.
By Mike Miliard
September 21, 2021 08:33 AM
The Sequoia Project on Monday released its new elements for the Common Agreement, another step in developing its "rules of the road" for trusted health data exchange.
The Elements of the Common Agreement (PDF) are being made available for stakeholder feedback, according to the Sequoia Project, which is ONC's recognized coordinating entity for the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement, or TEFCA – which is meant to "provide a single 'on-ramp' to nationwide connectivity," according to ONC.
The Common Agreement half of that roadmap – to mix a metaphor – would set the infrastructure model and governing approach for users in different information exchange networks to securely share clinical information with each other – all under commonly agreed-to expectations and rules, regardless of which network they happen to be in.
ONC has tasked Sequoia Project – as the recognized coordinating entity, or RCE – with developing, updating, implementing, and maintaining the Common Agreement.
-----
https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/apples-health-data-sharing-feature-now-live
Apple's health data sharing feature now live
Apple will directly integrate with six electronic health record vendors to start: Allscripts, athenahealth, Cerner, CPSI, DrChrono and Meditech Expanse.
By Kat Jercich
September 21, 2021 11:43 AM
Apple's health data-sharing feature is now live in the latest version of iOS, allowing some users to give their clinicians information from their phone's Health app via their electronic health records.
The integration will initially work with six major EHR companies: Allscripts, athenahealth, Cerner, CPSI, DrChrono and Meditech Expanse.
"Having meaningful conversations with a doctor about everyday activities during a visit is a key part of managing health, but it can be difficult to remember the details," said Apple during a press release about the new feature in June.
Apple also announced on Tuesday that iOS 15 will allow users to store verifiable health records in the Health app, based on the SMART Health Cards specification.
-----
https://ehrintelligence.com/news/what-do-apis-mean-for-health-interoperability-data-exchange
What Do APIs Mean for Health Interoperability, Data Exchange?
Application programming interfaces (APIs) could serve as a key feature of the national interoperability infrastructure for health data exchange.
September 20, 2021 - Application programming interface (API) adoption in healthcare has the potential to revolutionize health data exchange interoperability.
API adoption is common in other business sectors, such as travel and finance. For example, APIs allow travel services to cost-compare flights from separate airlines without the user visiting each website.
Put simply, an API sends information back and forth between a user and a website or app.
In a January 2021 report, Ben Moscovitch, project director of Health Information Technology at Pew Charitable Trusts, discussed the interoperability benefits of API adoption.
“Increased use of APIs—particularly those based on common adopted and consistently deployed standards—has the potential to make health care more efficient, lead to better care coordination, and give providers and patients additional tools to access information and ensure high-quality, efficient, safe, and value-based care,” Moscovitch said.
The report highlighted three key benefits for API adoption in healthcare in a January 2021 report: patient access to data; the incorporation of clinical decision support (CDS) tools; and patient data exchange between providers.
-----
https://ehrintelligence.com/news/tripathi-interoperability-resources-for-cures-act-compliance-coming
Tripathi: Interoperability Resources for Cures Act Compliance Coming
ONC will expand its interoperability resources to support healthcare stakeholder compliance with provisions of the Cures Act Final Rule.
September 20, 2021 - ONC is launching additional interoperability resources that aim to support healthcare stakeholder compliance with the Cures Act Final Rule, according to a HealthITBuzz blog post written by the agency’s lead, Micky Tripathi.
Since the final rule went into effect on April 5, 2021, ONC has seen a significant uptick in the volume and complexity of questions related to the new regulations, Tripathi noted.
“To adjust to the growing need for information, and to respond to feedback that we could be more forthcoming and clearer in our responses to questions, we are launching a number of additional channels for education and communication,” he wrote.
First, Tripathi said that the agency will put out more frequent FAQs to address specific questions and practical considerations for implementing the provisions of the final rule.
-----
https://mhealthintelligence.com/news/va-plans-1b-expansion-of-remote-patient-monitoring-platform
VA Plans $1B Expansion of Remote Patient Monitoring Platform
The Department of Veterans Affairs is soliciting bids for four remote patient monitoring projects that could greatly expand the agency's ability to treat veterans in their own homes.
September 20, 2021 - The Department of Veterans Affairs is looking to launch a massive expansion of its remote patient monitoring program to expand care and treatment of veterans in their own homes.
The VA has filed a notice that it will seek proposals for up to four separate “Remote Patient Monitoring Home Telehealth” (RPM-HT) programs, each funded for two years with options for six additional years, with a potential total cost for the program of about $1 billion.
Documents associated with the proposal call for a wide-ranging program that could include hub-and-spoke telehealth platforms, call centers, audio-only telehealth support, connected devices and even the inclusion of consumer-facing devices like fitness trackers and weight scales.
The program could place the VA – already one of the nation’s largest telehealth providers – at the top of the fast-growing RPM market, with the organization potentially providing home-based connected care for millions of veterans.
-----
https://healthitsecurity.com/news/could-artificial-intelligence-transform-healthcare-cybersecurity
Could Artificial Intelligence Transform Healthcare Cybersecurity?
Using artificial intelligence tools in healthcare cybersecurity may help to streamline threat detection efforts, ensure compliance, and mitigate human error.
By Jill McKeon
September 20, 2021 - Artificial intelligence (AI) may be able to close gaps and mitigate risks in the healthcare cybersecurity space, a new report by The Economist Intelligence Unit sponsored by law firm Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP suggested.
The report explored the promising possibilities and significant challenges that come with using artificial intelligence tools to bolster cybersecurity efforts. AI in cybersecurity is projected to increase at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 23.66 percent from 2020 to 2027.
As data breaches increase across a variety of industries, businesses are desperately searching for tools that can protect sensitive data and prevent ransomware attacks.
“In integrating AI technologies with cybersecurity programs and systems, businesses across sectors have an invaluable opportunity to address one of the most complicated and potentially damaging risk factors organizations face today,” the report stated.
-----
FTC warns health apps must notify users about data breaches or face fines
Sep 17, 2021 3:10pm
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has warned apps and connected devices that collect personal health information, such as glucose levels or fertility data, are required to notify consumers if their data are breached or shared with third parties without their permission.
Health apps and devices that collect that kind of information fall under the Health Breach Notification Rule, the FTC said in a new policy statement issued this week.
In a 3-2 vote Wednesday, the FTC agreed on a policy statement that clarifies a rule issued in 2009 that requires vendors of personal health records to notify consumers, the FTC and, in some cases, the media when those data are disclosed or acquired without the consumers’ authorization.
The commission noted that health apps, which can track everything from glucose levels for those with diabetes to heart health to fertility to sleep, increasingly collect sensitive and personal data from consumers. And, there are still too few privacy protections for these apps, the FTC said.
-----
https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/special-report/spac-attack-10-biggest-healthcare
SPAC Attack: The 10 biggest in healthcare
Sep 20, 2021 3:00am
Click here to read about the 10 biggest SPACs in healthcare since 2020
Spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic and the virtual care boom, special purpose acquisition companies have been on a red-hot streak, triggering a whirlwind of public exit activity for healthcare and digital health startups.
SPACs, also known as blank-check companies, allow an operating company to list on the public market through a reverse merger.
As COVID-19 created uncertainty in public markets, 2020 saw a surge of new shell corporations designed to take companies public without going through the lengthy process of a traditional IPO. SPACs can offer a quick way to lock in valuation and deal size, experts say.
The craze hit a peak of 40 healthcare and life science IPOs for the first quarter of 2021—raising a combined total of $11 billion—before dropping to eight in the second quarter, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data.
-----
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/958945
Texts Boost Activity, Quality of Life in Patients With Heart Failure and Diabetes
A 3-month lifestyle intervention that used a step counter and regular, personalized text messages to encourage increased mobility and adherence to medications led to a substantial rise in the quality of life in a randomized controlled study with 187 U.S. patients with heart failure and diabetes.
The TARGET-HF-DM study supplied a wrist-worn step counting device to adults with any type of heart failure and any type of diabetes at six U.S. sites and collected data on daily step counts and medication adherence through smartphone-based apps. Researchers randomized the patients to an intervention of thrice-weekly text messages that gave them personalized feedback on their recent activity and adherence and updated activity and adherence goals, or to a control group that only received a once-weekly generic message to wear the step counter.
After 3 months, patients in the intervention arm had an average incremental gain of 313 steps per day from baseline, compared with the controls, a significant difference for the study's primary endpoint, G. Michael Felker, MD, reported at the annual scientific meeting of the Heart Failure Society of America.
-----
NHSX launches strategy to improve patient safety through digital technology
The guide aims to expand access to digital safety training for staff.
By Sara Mageit
September 20, 2021 07:43 AM
NHSX in collaboration with NHS Digital and NHS England and NHS Improvement, has published the Digital Clinical Safety Strategy to help the NHS provide a safer service for patients.
The guide sets out a vision and recommendations to make care safer for patients, use digital to improve safety and expand staff access to digital safety.
WHY IT MATTERS
As the use of digital technology is scaling up in health and care service to improve care for patients, there is an increasing need for staff to be trained in digital safety.
Under the proposals, more information on digital clinical safety will be collected through systems like the Learning from Patient Safety Events Service and access to digital safety training for staff will be expanded.
-----
https://www.healthcareitnews.com/news/doj-charges-dozens-11b-telehealth-fraud-crackdown
DOJ charges dozens in $1.1B telehealth fraud crackdown
More than 43 people in 11 judicial districts were accused of participating in an array of different schemes relating to telemedicine.
By Kat Jercich
September 20, 2021 11:44 AM
The U.S. Department of Justice announced this past week that it was bringing criminal charges against 138 total defendants for their alleged participation in various healthcare fraud schemes, resulting in about $1.4 billion in alleged losses.
More than $1.1 billion of that loss involved allegedly fraudulent claims related to telemedicine.
"We have seen all too often criminals who engage in health care fraud – stealing from taxpayers while jeopardizing the health of Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries," said Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Gary L. Cantrell of HHS-OIG in a statement.
"Today’s announcement should serve as another warning to individuals who may be considering engaging in such illicit activity: Our agency and its law enforcement partners remain unrelenting in our commitment to rooting out fraud, holding bad actors accountable, and protecting the millions of beneficiaries who rely on federal healthcare programs," said Cantrell.
-----
Interoperability Requires More Than Just the Latest Tech
September 20, 2021
Ever since medical data has been stored electronically, healthcare has struggled to share it. Frustratingly, we have the technology to overcome this challenge, yet we remain in a siloed world. Perhaps it’s time changed our approach.
Healthcare organizations have spent years waiting for incumbent vendors to make their systems interoperable. However, there is little incentive to do so, and vendors have not prioritized those features. In the meantime, many organizations have purchased and implemented third-party interoperability solutions to connect their systems together. It’s a mess.
Why is interoperability so hard? Why can’t we have a ubiquitous technology that is easy to use, secure, and reliable that can connect any two organizations or systems together electronically. It turns out this technology exists.
What is this technology? Keep reading and you’ll find out.
-----
Many Questions Outstanding About Diagnosis Through Telemedicine, Report Finds
Analysis | By Christopher Cheney | September 20, 2021
Telediagnosis on the grand scale experienced since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic is an evolving science, researchers find.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
· A new report published by the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine found remote patient monitoring can facilitate diagnostic quality and safety.
· Clinicians reported that a primary barrier in telediagnosis is the inability to perform a physical exam.
· A crucial area for more research is in determining when a virtual visit is appropriate and when an in-person visit is necessary.
More research is necessary to ensure diagnostic quality and safety in telemedicine, a new report published by the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine (SIDM) says.
Telemedicine utilization has expanded exponentially since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. As noted in the new report, most research on telemedicine has focused on the maintenance health, but the use of telemedicine for telediagnosis at a grand scale is not as well understood.
The new report, which is based on information collected from healthcare organizations, clinicians, vendors, and patients, includes several key findings.
-----
https://histalk2.com/2021/09/17/weekender-9-17-21/
Weekly News Recap
- Commure’s latest funding rounds reportedly value the healthcare data exchange platform vendor at $3.5 billion.
- FTC warns digital health app developers that they must notify consumers if their health information is exposed.
- Definitive Healthcare shares soar after the company’s IPO Wednesday.
- DOJ says a now-closed analytics company allowed insurers to overcharge Medicare Advantage by mining EHRs to create new diagnoses months after the fact.
- Zane Burke joins Quantum Health as CEO.
- Symplr announces its intention to acquire Halo Health.
- The VA reportedly issues a $1 billion RFP for remote patient monitoring.
- Two of the three researchers who developed the SAFER Guides for EHR safety call for vendors and ONC to share responsibility.
-----
Enjoy!
David.
