As healthcare costs increase around the world, many countries are beginning to rely on disease registries, which can produce substantial savings. An international study of 13 registries in five countries (Australia, Denmark, Sweden, the U.K. and the U.S.) found that registries enable healthcare professionals to engage in continuous learning as well as identify and share best clinical practices.

A workgroup comprised of various stakeholders in the New York state healthcare system composed a list of payment reform and quality measurement recommendations for the New York State Department of Health to consider as the state transitions to Medicaid payment models based on quality of care.

Its that time of year when hospitals find out who provided healthcare services worthy of The Leapfrog Group's 2011 Top Hospital list. The 11th annual survey has given 65 hospitals Top Hospital designations, based on their ability to reduce medical errors, readmissions and mortality and gives particular credence to the California Kaiser facilities.

As preparations get under way for the breadth and quantity of electronic information in Stage 2 meaningful use, distinctly different challenges for HITECH Acts Stage 3 will require a provider focus on quality, quality and quality.

Oncology clinicians may soon have hundreds of biomarker tests available to them to assist in developing personalized cancer treatments, but some healthcare professionals believe that novel funding approaches for biomarker tests studiesa systematic process to move biomarker tests through regulatory agencies and a body of evidence supporting biomarker tests benefitswill all be necessary before healthcare system stakeholders accept their use.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued a final rule regarding section 10332 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), which allows for the release of Medicare claims data to qualified entities as a quality measurement tool, and specifically addresses the requirements organizations must meet in order to be considered a qualified entity.

Researchers from Columbia University determined that, if examined properly, information contained in large, heterogeneous clinical databases can provide detailed illustrations of the temporal patterns of clinical associations and of the types of clinical associations that are made.

Congressman Aaron Schock (R-Ill.) has introduced legislation to amend the Social Security Act to make practicing eligible professionals in rural health clinics (RHCs) eligible for EHR and quality improvement incentives under Medicare.