Morning Headlines 6/23/14

Secretary Burwell announces steps to bolster management and accountability ahead of the 2015 open enrollment period

Incoming HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell reorganizes the Healthcare.gov management team in preparation for the 2014 open enrollment period, beginning in October.

Evidence based medicine: a movement in crisis?

BMJ publishes an article calling out evidence-based medicine practices as being laden with unintended, negative consequences. The article cites an overabundance of evidence, particularly evidence that does not result in meaningful quality gains, as well as the pharmaceutical industries heavy handed influence on research, and evidence-based medicine’s inability to cope with patients with comorbidities.

Medical Device Data Systems, Medical Image Storage Devices, and Medical Image Communications Devices – Draft Guidance for Industry and Food and Drug Administration Staff

The FDA publishes draft guidance confirming that it will not enforce regulations on Medical Device Data Systems, which are define as hardware or software products that transfer, store, convert, or display medical device data.

New Technology Helps Vets Navigate the Medical Quagmire

The Huffington Post profiles BlueButton, calling it a means for veterans to download all of their VA and DoD medical records so that they can skip the unacceptable waiting lines at the VA and seek care elsewhere.