The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and UnitedHealthcare have announced a pilot to study a new cancer care payment model, according to MarketWatch.

The Department of Health and Human Services and the electronic cash transaction company PayNearMe has partnered in an effort to reach financially underserved and other cash-preferring consumers.

The Aetna Foundation announced a digital health innovation challenge to develop programs geared to underserved communities struggling to manage chronic conditions. The competition is open to non-profits, community organizations, state and local government agencies.

Although the U.S. provides free and universal healthcare for patients over 65, it still lags significantly behind other industrialized countries in its delivery of care for this age segment, reports The New York Times.

JDRF and the Centre for Global eHealth Innovation at the University Health Network (UHN) in Toronto announced publication of interoperability standards for diabetes devices. The work is the result of  JDRF Canadian Clinical Trial Network (JDRF CCTN) funding to Dr. Joseph Cafazzo at UHN to pilot the development of standard communication protocols that define how diabetes devices, such as insulin pumps, blood glucose meters, and continuous glucose monitors, communicate with one another and with other devices.

Online self-scheduling of physician appointments has the potential to save $3.2 billion, according to a report from Accenture.

The Health IT Policy Committee formally endorsed interoperability roadmap recommendations during its Dec. 9 meeting.

A phone call with a pharmacist before a physician visit can significantly improve quality of care, according to research published in Medscape.