Healthcare IT News For VARS— August 29, 2013
Global Healthcare IT Outsourcing Market Expected To Top $50 Billion by 2018
A Markets and Markets report on the Healthcare IT Outsourcing Market says the global market is expected to grow from $35 billion this year to $50.4 billion by 2018. The health insurance, healthcare systems, and pharmaceutical industries are driving the market, following the IT outsourcing model to help them focus on their core business, reduce operational costs, access skilled IT staff, implement new technologies, and share risk.
Emergency Review Requested For Proposed Data Sharing, Breach Reporting Rule
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) published a notice in the Federal Register last week requesting emergency review by the Office of Management and Budget of a proposed rule related to health insurance exchanges under the Affordable Care Act. The CMS states it has established a new computer-matching agreement with state-based administering agencies (AEs) for the insurance, and the new proposed regulation includes “terms, conditions, safeguards, and procedures under which the CMS will disclose certain information to the AEs.” It also states the AEs need to report data breaches within one hour of discovering them. The CMS requested the review — by September 25 —citing criteria for the emergency status, “public harm is reasonably likely to result if the normal clearance procedures are followed.”
Hospitals Increase Amount Of Information Exchange By 41 Percent
A report in Health Affairs based on national surveys of hospitals since 2008 shows the exchange of electronic health information has increased by 41 percent. Hospitals shared information with providers outside of their organizations at an increased rate, regardless of provider type. The report says policy initiatives and payment reforms that create data-exchange options, define standards of interoperability, and create payment incentives could spur information sharing.
Upcoming HIPAA Rule To Affect Solutions Providers
The HIPAA Omnibus Rule not only requires healthcare providers to strengthen policies regarding patient information, but is also requires their business associates and subcontractors — like solutions providers — who have access to patient information to be liable for compliance with privacy and security rules. Healthcare providers and their business associates have until September 23 to comply.
Study: Nurses’ Personalities Affect Acceptance Of Mobile EMRs
A research article available at biomedcentral.com looks at nurses’ personality traits and how readily they accept mobile electronic medical records (EMRs). The study shows nurses who are “optimistic” are more likely to find the technology useful.
2D Bar codes Proven Efficient Way To Track Immunizations
A Health IT Outcomes article explains how 2D bar codes for vaccines can help streamline EHR implementation. A pilot project tested the bar coding, which led to the conclusion that the use of bar codes is more efficient and can represent more cost savings than the current system of handwritten records.
Healthcare IT Talking Points
In a Network World article, Brian Eastwood asks, “Can Healthcare Big Data Really Live Up to Its Promise?”