Benefits from EHR and e-prescribing investments come under very broad, diverse categories but are very individual and specific to the retrospective context of an investment, according to a study by the European Commission. There is no single correct strategy for implementing EHRs and e-prescribing systems, yet the results of the study give grounds for optimism in the success, value and deployment of interoperable EHR and e-prescribing systems after a few years.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and healthcare provider Kaiser Permanente recently launched a pilot medical data exchange program in San Diego enabling clinicians from VA and Kaiser Permanente to obtain views of a patient's health using EHR information through the National Health Information Network.

Lawson Software has agreed to acquire Healthvision Solutions, through the acquisition of privately held Quovadx Holdings, its parent holding company. Healthvision provides integration and application technology and related services to hospitals and healthcare organizations.

Crystal Run Healthcare, a medical practice in Middletown, N.Y., has linked its Carestream Health's RIS/PACS with its EMRs to facilitate health information exchange between the two systems and create reports.

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently released four notices seeking contractors to assist and evaluate the administration of grant programs from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT that promote state health information exhanges and the creation of health IT training centers.

Computer scientists from Kansas State University (KSU) are in the process of developing tools to strengthen the security of information systems, including those that hold patient medical records and other sensitive information.

The National Quality Forum (NQF) recently endorsed 70 measures that combine data from two or more common electronic sources such as administrative claims, pharmacy systems, laboratory systems and registries to advance use of electronic data for quality improvement.

Medicaid programs in Tennessee and Pennsylvania will receive federal matching funds for state planning activities necessary to implement the EHR incentive programs established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Tennessee will receive approximately $2.7 million in federal matching funds while Pennsylvania will receive $1.4 million.