Cybersecurity

The digital security of healthcare institutions and data is a growing concern, with an increasing number of cyberattacks each year against healthcare systems, which are seen as easy targets. Cyber attacks often use ransomware to target personal health information, patient data and medical devices to cut off access to the data until a ransom is payed to the hacker. Cybercriminals have become more sophisticated, using malware, ransomware and spyware to attack outdated and vulnerable systems and software. Due to the interconnected nature of hospital IT systems today, the weakest link can be older web-enabled medical devices, including clinical and non-clinical systems. Employees are also a major target of attacks via malicious e-mails that prompt them to open attachments that then download malware onto the hospital's IT system.

AHIMA opens global services office in Belgium

The American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) has opened a global services office in Brussels, Belgium.

AHIMA CEO to step down

Linda Kloss, CEO of the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) for the past 15 years, has decided to retire from that role on March 31, 2010.

HL7 invites public opinion on personal health record model

Health Level Seven (HL7), a healthcare IT standards development organization, has released a ballot to approve its Personal Health Record System Functional Model (PHR-S FM) as a draft standard for trial use.

McKesson touts installs at AHIMA

McKesson Corp. was one of the more than 240 exhibitors at the 2005 National Convention & Exhibition of the American Health Information Management Association, held in San Diego last week.

Around the web

The scheme took place over a period of at least seven years, resulting in Medicare being billed for more than $70 million in fraudulent claims for unnecessary scans. 

Compensation for heart specialists continues to climb. What does this say about cardiology as a whole? Could private equity's rising influence bring about change? We spoke to MedAxiom CEO Jerry Blackwell, MD, MBA, a veteran cardiologist himself, to learn more.

The American College of Cardiology has shared its perspective on new CMS payment policies, highlighting revenue concerns while providing key details for cardiologists and other cardiology professionals.