Speech recognition IT vendor M*Modal has entered into a partnership with Merge Healthcare, an enterprise imaging IT vendor.

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) is sponsoring the Go Viral to Improve Health Contest, challenging students in health, engineering and computer science programs to create health-related mobile applications (apps) for a chance to win up to $10,000 in prize money.

The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) has announced that Seattle Childrens Hospital CIO and Senior Vice President Drexel DeFord will serve as the 2012 Chair of CHIMEs Board of Trustees.

The health and preferences of patients who receive implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) may change as they age, but few physicians re-evaluate the situation when an ICDs batteries drain and the device needs a replacement generator. The authors of a perspective article in the Jan. 26 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine proposed that a new approach is long overdue.

The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute has published an initial draft of shared priorities and a nationwide agenda for comparative clinical effectiveness research, and is seeking public comment on its proposals.

Our third annual CMIO Compensation Survey offers some interesting insights on the job and the people serving in the role. Several CMIOs share their thoughts on the numbers, including the shift to younger CMIOs, less satisfaction with salaries and more CMIOs looking for a new job.

This issue unveils our annual CMIO compensation survey. It is fascinating to look at the responses and compare them to our own situations. How many of us look at the salary numbers first?

Happy Leap Year! No, it's not generally something to celebrate but I am excited to present this month's issue of CMIO. From income to training to making HIEs financially sustainable, there's something for everyone.