Last week featured the final rules for health IT certification and the opening of enrollment for meaningful use payments. This week began with HIT Standards Committee hearings on meaningful use, wherein providers and organizations got the chance to weigh in whats working and what isnt when it comes to EHR implementation.

The American Medical Group Association (AMGA) has announced 16 medical groups and organized systems of care that will be participating in its ACO Implementation Collaborative.

Seacoast Radiology, a radiology practice in Rochester, N.H., has disclosed that an office server containing personal patient data and billing information was accessed by an unauthorized third party late last year.

Caregivers believe personal health record tracking can help them keep track of their care recipients history, symptoms, medications and test results, according to a survey from health company UnitedHealthcare and the National Alliance for Caregiving. 

San Luis Valley Regional Medical Center, a 57-bed regional medical center and level IV trauma center in Alamosa, Colo., has signed a five-year IT outsourcing contract with CareTech Solutions.

The Office of the National Coordinator for Healthcare IT (ONC) has created the Presidents Council on Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) Report Workgroup under the auspices of the HIT Policy and HIT Standards Committees.

Osteoarthritis management fails to reflect evidence-based recommendations and often subjects patients to inappropriate excess imaging, according to a study published in the Jan. issue of Arthritis Care & Research. The authors argued for reform that adheres to evidence-based guidelines and delivers patient-centered and provider-integrated management.

The market for home healthcare equipment is expected to grow exponentially in the coming years as the delivery of healthcare services shifts from clinical settings to the home. However, manufacturers face a series of unique challenges in supplying home healthcare equipment that is both effective and safe, according to a recently released white paper from Underwriters Laboratories (UL).