Text messaging is a promising mechanism for supporting pediatric obesity-related behavior change, and parent perspectives could assist in the design of such interventions, according to a study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research.

The majority of people are optimistic about healthcare innovation’s promise to improving healthcare, according to a global survey commissioned by Intel Corporation. Overall, respondents reported a willingness to participate in telehealth visits with their physicians and are open to using health sensors in their bodies and homes.

The Department of Health and Human Services plans to issue a $50 million funding opportunity announcement to help community health centers establish or expand behavioral health services for people living with mental illness, and drug and alcohol problems.

CommonWell Health Alliance, an interoperability-focused trade association, announced that it is rolling out its services in Chicago; Elkin and Henderson, N.C.; and Columbia, S.C. The program’s goal is connecting providers to exchange health data between disparate care settings, according to an announcement.

An automated prediction tool embedded in EHRs could assist organizations with implementing strategies designed to improve care and reduce readmissions, according to a study published in the Journal of Hospital Medicine.

Across the country, providers are using a variety of techniques to bend the curve on healthcare costs and outcomes. A panel at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ eHealth Summit shared their strategies on Dec. 6.

To help EHR users navigate health IT-related safety issues, Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT officials posted on the agency blog a guide and slide deck, developed by ECRI Institute.

The need for evaluation and measurement regarding the effectiveness and impact of quality improvement work on a wide range of US health care issues was center stage today at the 19th Annual Scientific Symposium on Improving the Quality and Value of Health Care, attended by more than 300 health care professionals. Hosted by IHI as part of the 25th annual National Forum, presentations and research posters described results and learning from quality initiatives across a wide range of topics – including new approaches for disclosing adverse events to patients, the value of shared medical appointments, a statewide initiative to bring down the number of elective births before 39 weeks, the growing role of patient family advisors, and much more.