State governors, as a simple action implemented without great cost or significant policy changes, can use IT to better manage government revenue and resources, according to a white paper published by the National Governors Association (NGA).

GE Healthcare has launched a 90-day evaluation period for its Global Patient Safety Network, offering hospitals and healthcare professionals an opportunity to connect with local and global peers on improving patient safety initiatives.

As adoption rates rise, health IT makes protected health information (PHI) available to more organizations and entities, increasing the likelihood of data being improperly disclosed, lost or stolen. Despite the risks and costs of a potential data breach, many healthcare executives arent doing enough to support their organizations security efforts, but researchers from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) believe theyd do more if the far-reaching consequences of a breach were more clearly outlined.

The goal of websites that publicly report hospital data is to improve the quality of care; however, a study published March 5 in Health Affairs showed that these sites, such as Hospital Compare, may not meet overarching goals. In fact, researchers found that public reporting for at least three conditionsheart failure, pneumonia and heart attackhad little or no impact on patient mortality, and didn't make patients flock to higher performing hospitals.

The data-rich clinical informatics programs necessary for outcomes-based reimbursement reform have been made possible by massive federal investments in health IT and while healthcare organizations have made progress, numerous challenges remain and there is room for improvement, according to research conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).

Leonard Schaeffer, founding CEO and former chairman of WellPoint insurance company, gave a sobering opinion on the ability of the federal reform legislation to bend the health care cost curve at The 8th Annual American Health Care Congress and Exhibition.

In his first major speech since leaving the office of CMS administrator last December, Donald M. Berwick, MD, issued an urgent call to action, asking all health care providers to find ways to reduce the cost of care. Value is not enough, he said. “It will take cost reduction to capture the flag. Efficiency is the quality dimension of our time.”

Ochsner Health System, a healthcare network headquartered in New Orleans, will use a platform provided by Informatica, a data integration software vendor, as the data integration backbone of its new EHR system.