CCHIT adds three new EHR certification programs
Date: Jul 29, 2010
The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT) has added three certification programs for EHRs. This is good news. Adding more specialties, namely, behavior health, dermatology and long-term and post-acute care, will help drive EHR adoption across provider groups and spread the benefits of EHRs to a greater number of patients.   Read »

Can we keep politics out of meaningful use?
Date: Jul 28, 2010
The "Party of No" continues its unrelenting assault on anything the current administration does, and its latest victim is the final meaningful use criteria. Really.   Read »

Glaser offers solid advice
Date: Jul 27, 2010
Suffice to say, when John Glaser speaks, the healthcare industry should listen. Even as Glaser moves from the healthcare provider and policy areas of the industry to the vendor side, he remains a respected authority on healthcare IT.   Read »

Total Joint Replacement Registry: Gleaning value out of EHRs
Date: Jul 26, 2010
Many hospitals and physician offices are beginning to embark on the journey to implement and derive meaningful use out of EHRs. The Beacon communities will demonstrate how health IT can improve clinical outcomes, drive efficiencies and increase patient safety. Early adopters of EMRs and EHRs will also serve as role models in terms of where to find value and ROI. There has to be a business case for any IT investment, and finding multiple business cases for EHRs will only increase adoption.   Read »

Physician champions speak out
Date: Jul 22, 2010
As we head into the next stage of EHR adoption, now that the meaningful use criteria have been finalized, it's time for health IT advocates to start rallying their physician colleagues to get serious about implementing and deriving value from EHRs.   Read »

Healthcare provider marketing is a touchy issue
Date: Jul 21, 2010
Even hospitals and physician groups need to market their facilities and services, but when it involves gleaning marketing information from patient data in EHRs, well, it’s not so simple.   Read »

Survey says health IT professionals zeroed in on EHRs
Date: Jul 20, 2010
Health IT professionals say EHRs are their top priority, according to a survey by Embarcadero Technologies.   Read »

State budgets are tight, but health IT funding will reduce future costs
Date: Jul 19, 2010
New York State may be in the middle of a budget crisis, not unlike most of the states in the union, but legislators there understand the importance of funding health IT.   Read »

Looking ahead to potential changes for stage 2 meaningful use criteria
Date: Jul 15, 2010
Incoming reaction and comments to the final meaningful use criteria have so far been fairly positive. I don't know if the organizations that are calling for changes are resigned to the fact that the rule making for stage 1 is final and want their comments to be taken into consideration when the stage 2 requirements are being discussed.   Read »

Final meaningful use criteria: "Ambitious but achievable"
Date: Jul 14, 2010
The Dept. of Health and Human Services obviously listened to the resounding criticism that the proposed meaningful use criteria were asking for too much, too soon or all or nothing.   Read »