Keeping up-to-date on the latest IT security trends can be daunting. And unless security is a core element of an individual's job, it tends to be overlooked when ongoing development needs are being considered, said Dominic Saunders, COO of policy management software company NETconsent.
The number of physicians that have qualified for EHR incentives is impressive, but it's still only a small percentage of working doctors. Here's advice on conquering the difficult measures.
It's no surprise many physicians are finding it difficult to qualify for meaningful use incentives. In fact, according to Zubin Emsley, CEO of ChartLogic, the industry shouldn't be fooled by numbers, and needs to realize many physicians have a long way to go before they officially qualify.
At this point, the benefits of EHRs are well known - the reduction of paperwork, relief of administrative burdens and substantial cost savings. But, according to Lynda Martel, director of privacy compliance communications at DriveSavers, the presence of an EHR in a care setting also dramatically increases the risk of a data breach.
Beyond just sharing patient records, health information exchanges are a "more aggressive way" of connecting the referral pattern from physicians to hospitals," replete with cost-savings and revenue generation.
For hospitals looking to transform into accountable care organizations (ACOs), the transition can be overwhelming. So much so, said Brent Dover, president at HIE technology company Medicity, that it's basically like becoming a mini insurance company.
Much has been said about today's mobile apps, whether it's their ability to empower the patient or create a more portable practice for physicians. Yet, according to Michael Nusbaum, MD, founder of mobile application MedXCom, one of the most beneficial aspects of mobile applications could very well be better communication between doctor and patient...
A lot has been written about meaningful use, and although many claim it's "all good," one expert believes its drawbacks, such as the cost of IT and the changes it means for a doctor's practice, could outweigh the benefits of potential HITECH Act stimulus funds.
Recently we asked Rob Brull, product manager at Corepoint Health, to outline five things to know about the Continuity of Care Document (CCD), a crucial standard for Stage 1 meaningful use. Now we look to Brull to explore Consolidated CDA, a type of CCD document in the proposed Stage 2 guidelines for the exchange of clinical data.
The need for tools that help provide coordinated care is growing. And according to Sai Subramaniam, business head for Life Sciences & Healthcare at Persistent Systems, health IT professionals need to start thinking beyond traditional models of building and running applications, which tend to be "complex and expensive."
