Health IT

Healthcare information (HIT) systems are designed to connect all the elements together for patient data, reports, medical imaging, billing, electronic medical record (EMR), hospital information system (HIS), PACS, cardiology information systems (CVIS)enterprise image systemsartificial intelligence (AI) applications, analytics, patient monitors, remote monitoring systems, inventory management, the hospital internet of things (IOT), cloud or onsite archive/storage, and cybersecurity.

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Guide aims to help improve security of mobile devices

The National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence has released a draft for public comment of the first guide in a new series of publications that will show businesses and other organizations how to improve their cybersecurity using standards-based, commercially available or open-source tools. 

White House ups budget for cybersecurity efforts

The White House issued an update to President Obama's fiscal year 2016 budget request that seeks additional cybersecurity funding for several agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

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This week's 3 privacy & security developments

This week in health IT, there were three interesting developments all centered around the privacy and security of health data.

Information exchange activity increasing, according to AHA/ONC survey

Almost one-quarter of hospitals are finding, sending, receiving and using data electronically and those that do all four activities are nine times more likely to report they have information available at the point of care compared to those who report doing none of those activities.

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HITPC approves recommendations that drive better understanding of big data's privacy issues

More understanding of the privacy and security issues surrounding big data is needed to advance a learning healthcare system, according to the Health IT Policy Committee’s Privacy & Security Work Group.

94M records stolen so far this year

The records of 94 million patients have been stolen from healthcare entities so far this year, according to a report from conservative think tank American Action Forum. 

ACEP work group details ways to improve HIE

A paper published in the Annals of Emergency Medicine offers recommendations for improving a national health information exchange that would improve the state of emergency medicine. 

Bill exempts ASCs from MU requirements

The Senate has approved a bill that excludes patient encounters at ambulatory surgical centers from the Meaningful Use program.

Around the web

The tirzepatide shortage that first began in 2022 has been resolved. Drug companies distributing compounded versions of the popular drug now have two to three more months to distribute their remaining supply.

The 24 members of the House Task Force on AI—12 reps from each party—have posted a 253-page report detailing their bipartisan vision for encouraging innovation while minimizing risks. 

Merck sent Hansoh Pharma, a Chinese biopharmaceutical company, an upfront payment of $112 million to license a new investigational GLP-1 receptor agonist. There could be many more payments to come if certain milestones are met.