Morning Headlines 1/17/13

AHA, AMA, CHIME Challenge Stage 3 Meaningful Use Proposals

The advocacy groups representing hospitals, doctors, and health IT professionals have all submitted comments criticizing Stage 3 MU.

Accuracy of Electronically Reported “Meaningful Use” Clinical Quality Measures: A Cross-sectional Study

A cross-sectional study published by Annals of Internal Medicine measuring the accuracy of electronic reporting as compared to manual review concludes that the quality measurements outlined in MU have wide accuracy variations that should be further investigated.

Are providers ripe for a massive medical records heist?

More than 50 percent of healthcare organizations report medical identity theft among their patients. The World Privacy Forum estimates the street value of a single medical record at 50 times that of a financial record.

The Rise of Electronic Health Record Adoption Among Family Physicians

A study published in the Annals of Family Medicine predicts EHR adoption rates among family physicians increasing to 80 percent in 2013.

Morning Headlines 1/16/13

Primary Partners and AMC Health Team Up to Provide Telemonitoring for High-Risk Patients

Primary Partners, a physician-owned ACO, enters into an agreement with AMC Health to provide telemonitoring services for patients managing diabetes, heart failure, COPD, and other chronic conditions.

HealthEast Care System Employs RelayHealth for Enterprise HIE for Care Coordination Across its Network

HealthEast Care System, a four-hospital health system, selects RelayHealth to manage its network-wide HIE. HealthEast announced a $135 million Epic deal this past December.

Healthcare Leaders Join KLAS Advisory Board

John Halamka (CIO, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center), Denni McColm (CIO, Citizens Memorial Hospital), and Wright Lassiter (CEO, Alameda Medical Center) are appointed to the KLAS advisory board.

HIMSS Analytics: Data Show that Meaningful Use is Affecting EHR Adoption

Hospitals achieving HIMSS analytics Stages 5 and 6 increase more than 80 percent since the start of Meaningful Use in 2011. Stage 7 hospital attestation increased 63 percent.

Morning Headlines 1/15/13

HIT Policy Committee: Request for Comment Regarding the Stage 3 Definition of Meaningful Use of Electronic Health Records

In a letter to ONC, the AMA expresses concern with the pace of Meaningful Use and asks for a full evaluation of existing EHR and health IT problems before moving on to Stage 3.

Cloud-based EHRs create medical privacy risks

Patient Privacy Rights calls on the government to issue guidance on how cloud-based EHRs should be implemented to minimize the risk of data breaches.

The Rand Study and the impact of EHRs on Healthcare Costs

John Halamka, MD, CIO of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, weighs in on the recent Rand study that suggests EHRs may not reduce healthcare costs to the levels originally expected.

CMS: Method II physicians eligible for Medicare EHR incentives

CMS announces that physicians providing outpatient services from Critical Access Hospitals that bill under Method II are eligible to participate in the EHR incentive program. However,they will be unable to attest until 2014 due to CMS system limitations.

Morning Headlines 1/14/13

2014 Testing and Certification

ONC announces that certifying agencies may begin testing EHRs for MU Stage 2 certification.

In Second Look, Few Savings From Digital Health Records

The New York Times covers the recently published RAND study that acknowledges a lack of evidence for calling EHR implementations a cost-cutting initiative.

US Health in International Perspective: Shorter Lives, Poorer Health

The Institute of Medicine, in conjunction with the National Research Council, publishes a study measuring overall population health and concludes that the US is dead last of the 17 developed nations and that, among many problems, our healthcare IT is categorized as "worse than average.”

Blue Health Intelligence Creates an “Informatics Center of Excellence” Through Acquisition of Intelimedix

BCBS acquires Intelimedix, a data analytics company specializing in employer group reporting, mass customized communications, and medical cost containment. BCBS manages care for 110 million patients.

Morning Headlines 1/11/13

VA Launches Challenge.gov Contest for Scheduling Appointments

A challenge.gov Medical Appointment Scheduling System contest sponsored by the VA will award $3M to as many as three winners for the creation of a scheduling system to replace the 25-year-old scheduling software in its VistA system.

After evaluating GE’s future EMR strategies, Intermountain will look elsewhere

Intermountain, the Salt Lake City-based 22-hospital health system, sends an internal e-mail notifying staff that it will part ways with GE Healthcare after the organization’s unfinished EMR system that it had been building with GE failed to produce enough functionality to meet MU requirements.

More Doctors, Hospitals Partner to Coordinate Care for People With Medicare

HHS announces the formation of 106 new ACOs, bringing the total to more than 250.

HL7 Announces a CCD to Blue Button Transform Tool and Early Adopters

HL7 releases an interface to allow organizations to send patient information stored in CCD format to the Blue Button Network.

Morning Headlines 1/10/13

Primary Care Physician Shortages Could Be Eliminated Through Use Of Teams, Nonphysicians, And Electronic Communication

Analysis from this month’s issue of Heath Affairs concludes that the anticipated primary care physician shortage could be resolved by moving to a team-oriented care model and expanding the use of non-physicians. The study was conducted jointly by Columbia and Wharton Business Schools and included no clinicians on the research team.

Benefits Consulting Firms Form Acclaim Health Analytics, LLC

Consulting firms Peel & Holland, Silberstein Insurance Group, and Virtus Benefits create a jointly owned data analytics company called Acclaim Health Analytics, which aims to aggregate health data to identify actionable health risks.

LifeBridge Health Names Tressa Springmann Chief Information Officer

LifeBridge Health, a Baltimore-based three-hospital health system, names Tressa Springmann as CIO.

Hottest IT jobs are in health care

Healthcare ranked as the fastest growing segment of the IT jobs market in 2012 and looks to repeat in 2013. Insurance and finance also outperformed the overall IT jobs market.

 At CES, staying healthy the high-tech way

The Boston Globe covers the growth of health IT startups representing the industry at this week’s CES tradeshow.

Morning Headlines 1/9/13

More Changes in Health Care Needed to Fulfill Promise of Health Information Technology

RAND releases a study that recognizes that the cost savings expected from EMR implementations have not been realized. The study points the finger at the cumbersome design of healthcare IT systems and the lack of integration across the systems.

NARMC Becomes First of Many Hospitals to Launch SHARE

North Arkansas Regional Medical Center (NARMC) announces that it is the first hospital to launch SHARE (State Health Alliance for Records Exchange), Arkansas’ fledgling health information exchange.

Guidelines Released for $10 Million Qualcomm Tricorder X PRIZE Reveal Health Condition Sets for Winning Solution

Qualcomm announces contest guidelines for a $10 million prize which will be awarded to the team that can produce a Star Trek Tricorder-inspired home medical device that can wirelessly monitor vital signs and accurately diagnose any five of the following conditions: anemia, UTI, type 2 diabetes, atrial fibrillation, stroke, obstructive sleep apnea, tuberculosis, COPD, pneumonia, otitis, leukocytosis, and Hepatitis A.

Why Athena Bought Epocrates

Travis Good of HIStalk Connect outlines the most viable ROI strategies that Athena will target after the Epocrates acquisition is finalized.

Health Catalyst Closes $33M Series B Investment From Norwest Venture Partners, Sequoia Capital and Sorenson Capital

Health Catalyst, a leader in healthcare data warehousing, announces it has closed $33 million in Series B funding. Norwest Venture Partners, which led the investing, will add managing partner Promod Haque to the Health Catalyst board as part of the deal.

Morning Headlines 1/8/13

Athenahealth to Acquire Mobile Health Leader Epocrates

Athenahealth agrees to terms on a deal to acquire Epocrates for $11.75 per share, in cash, for a total of approximately $293 million. The purchase price represents a 22 percent premium over the closing price per share of Epocrates on NASDAQ on Friday.

James Turnbull Named CHIME-HIMSS 2012 John E. Gall, Jr. CIO of the Year

CHIME names James Turnbull of the University of Utah Health Care System as CIO of the Year for 2012.

NextGen Healthcare and Medline Partner to Expand Integrated Solutions

NextGen has entered into an agreement with Medline Industries, the nation’s largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of medical devices. The agreement provides sales support to NextGen from Medline’s 1,100 sales representatives along with marketing access to Medline’s more than 100,000 customers.

Vast cache of Kaiser patient details was kept in private home

Kaiser Permanente is under federal investigation for violation of patient privacy in connection with a document storage firm it hired that was discovered to be storing more than 300,000 patient medical records in the private home of its husband and wife owners.

Morning Headlines 1/7/13

CMS Announces 90-Day Period of Enforcement Discretion for Compliance with Eligibility and Claim Status Operating Rules

CMS announces a 90-day reprieve for healthcare facilities not yet in compliance with ACA’s insurance eligibility and claim status checking mandate.

Wolters Kluwer Health Completes Acquisition of Health Language, Inc.

Health Language, a leader in the medical terminology management market, is acquired by Wolters Kluwer.

Copying common in electronic medical records

Reuters reviews the electronic progress notes of 135 patients, generated from an ICU in a Cleveland hospital, and finds that progress notes contained copied material about 75 percent of the time. Mr. H analyzes the report, its flaws, and its findings in greater detail below.

UNC cancer center computers hacked

Hackers have gained access to the personal information of more than 3,500 employees, visitors, and contractors of UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. No patient information was exposed.

Morning Headlines 1/4/13

Lexmark Acquires Acuo Technologies

Acuo Technologies, archive and clinical content manager vendor, is acquired by Lexmark’s Perceptive Software unit for $45 million

Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe Completes Acquisition Of GetWellNetwork

GetWellNetwork is acquired by PE firm Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe. GetWellNetwork just signed a deal with the VA last month to provide in-room patient engagement solutions across 21 facilities.

Patient Portals: Providers Choose Path of Least Resistance

A new KLAS report on patient portals shows that most physicians are going with whatever product their EHR vendor is offering. “The existing EMR vendor relationship appears to be more important than any other factor when choosing a patient portal,” said report author Mark Allphin. “While functionality and ease of use are important to providers, they take a back seat compared to providers’ desire to manage fewer vendors and interfaces.”

SRS Receives Substantial Investment from Thoma Bravo

Thoma Bravo, a PE firm which holds equity in Hyland Software and Mediware, invests an undisclosed sum in SRS Software.

TriZetto Acquires Claims Workflow Automation Company To Further Enhance Efficiency of Healthcare Payers And Providers

TriZetto acquires Healthcare Productivity Automation, a Franklin, TN-based vendor of an automated claims administration solution.

Morning Headlines 1/2/13

2012 in Review

John Halamka, MD discusses the major healthcare IT-related events of 2012.

Medicare Program; Request for Information on Hospital and Vendor Readiness for Electronic Health Records Hospital Inpatient Quality Data Reporting

CMS wants to hear from hospitals and health IT vendors about streamlining the reporting process for the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program.

Pain Clinic of Northwest Florida, Inc. files a lawsuit against Allscripts

After pulling the plug on MyWay, Allscripts is sued by Pain Clinic of Northwest Florida, which claims that Allscipts misled the clinic about the quality and functionality of MyWay.

Morning Headlines 12/30/12

Higgins Calls for Expanded Use of Electronic Medical Record

Congressman Brian Higgins (D), of New York’s 27th congressional district, speaks on the floor of the House of Representatives highlighting the need for increased adoption of EHRs and HIEs and the benefit they each played in the wake of Hurricane Sandy.

Higher-Complexity ED Billing Codes — Sicker Patients, More Intensive Practice, or Improper Payments?

The New England Journal of Medicine publishes an article in response to the OIG and HHS investigation of EHR-induced fraud, suggesting that a change in the role EDs play in medical care, as well as a change in average ED patient demographics could just as easily account for the increase in higher reimbursement claims.

Greenway Medical CEO: ‘You have to practice going public before you go public’

Tee Green, CEO of Greenway, gives advice to business leaders considering an IPO.

Form 8-K for ALLSCRIPTS HEALTHCARE SOLUTIONS, INC.

Diane Adams, EVP of culture and talent at Allscripts, departs taking 12 months’ severance, her target bonus, a year of health benefits, accelerated vesting, and a retention bonus.

Morning Headlines 12/28/12

New system for patient records in place at Carthage hospital

Mercy McCune-Brooks hospital, a 52-bed critical access hospital in Missouri, goes live on Epic.

$1 million grant to health group aimed at improving continuity of care throughout South Jersey

NJSHINE receives a $1 million grant to connect seven southern New Jersey hospitals in a health information exchange network.

CFO Outlook for 2013 Grim

Hospital CFOs report financially uncertain times as they look toward 2013. With pressure coming from government mandates and insurance denial management systems, CFOs express concern over the year to come.

AwarePoint Lands $4,000,000 New Financing Round

RTLS technology vendor AwarePoint nets $4 million in a new financing round from an undisclosed investor.

Morning Headlines 12/27/12

HIPAA 5010 Transition: Thirty Percent of Providers Report Payment Delays

KLAS releases a market analysis of claims management and clearinghouse vendor performance through the HIPAA 5010 transition, during which thirty percent of providers reported significant payment delays. Navicure is named Best in KLAS.

OIG Advisory Opinion

OIG has published an advisory opinion clarifying that the federal anti-kickback statute is not violated if a hospital gives a practice free access to an EHR interface for orders and results.

Drchrono: Onpatient to replace Google Health January 1

As Google Health prepares to eliminate access to patient health records on January 1, freeware EMR vendor drchrono releases a PHR alternative that will accept data transfers from still-active Google Health accounts.

Healthcare sector vulnerable to hackers, researchers say

The Washington Post claims  healthcare is among the most vulnerable industries in the country to hackers, though far fewer attacks are carried out as compared to attacks on financial, corporate, and military networks.

Morning Headlines 12/21/12

Allscripts Fires Long-Time CEO

After failing to secure a buyer, Allscripts fires CEO Glen Tullman, President Lee Shapiro, Chief Client Officer Laurie McGraw and EVP Diane Adams. Paul Black, former Cerner COO, will step in as CEO to redefine the company’s long-term direction.

Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center ACO Selects eClinicalWorks CCMR

eClinicalWorks announces that New Jersey’s Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center will implement eClinicalWorks Care Coordination Medical Record.

SAIC Awarded $17 Million Contract by United States Coast Guard

SAIC, the parent company of maxIT Healthcare and Vitalize, is selected to maintain Epic across all US Coast Guard facilities.

Microsoft Wants to Kinect with Pentagon

The DoD is considering working with Microsoft’s Kinect gaming accessory to provide remote physical therapy to rehabilitating wounded soldiers.

Morning Headlines 12/20/12

Allscripts names new CEO as strategic review ends

The Allscripts board ends its review of strategic alternatives and dismisses CEO and board member Glen Tullman and President Lee Shapiro, naming Allscripts board member and former Cerner COO Paul Black as president and CEO. According to customer communication received by HIStalk, other executive team members will be leaving the company as well. Shares were trading down 17 percent after hours following the announcement.

The December HIT Standards Committee Meeting

The Health Information Technology Standards Committee meets to discuss timelines associated to publication of clinical scenarios for EHR certification testing and plans for adding security criteria to the modular EHR certification requirements.

HealthEast approves $135M electronic records system

St. Paul, Minnesota-based HealthEast announced plans to spent $135 million implementing Epic across its three-facility network over the next five years. HealthEast will finance the purchase as their 2011 earnings were only $29 million.

Survey suggests public is ready to engage

Wolters Kluwer Health releases a study of 1,000 US consumers, concluding that only 19 percent of the public uses a PHR, but that 85 percent of women and 74 percent of men believe that the “consumerization” of healthcare is a positive.

InteliChart Completes Development Agreement with RelayHealth Expanding Cost-Effective Health System Data Exchange

InteliChart comes to terms on a development partnership with RelayHealth to provide a patient-centric health information exchange aimed at cash-strapped private practices looking for an affordable alternative to ponying up for expensive vendor HIE interfaces.

Morning Headlines 12/19/12

Elliott offers to buy Compuware for $2.35B

Compuware shares closed up 17 percent after Elliot Management, which owns 8 percent of existing stock, submitted a $2.35 billion acquisition offer, which represents a 15 percent premium over Friday’s closing price.

PatientSafe Solutions raises $13.3 million

PatientSafe Solutions raises $13.3 million in equity financing toward its overall goal of $25.7 million.

California-based Health Group Selects Paragon to Fuel Growth Strategy

Rideout Health selects McKesson Paragon for its clinical and financial EHR solution.

Orion Health Mobile Will Increase Clinical Efficiency and Enhance Patient Care

Orion Health announces the release of a mobile app providing access to real-time patient information.