Patty Enrado

By offering its members a patient portal through clearinghouse provider Office Ally, Blue Shield of California is hoping for greater adoption of the tool.

The proposed meaningful use criteria up for public comment reflect “thoughtful policy,” said David Brailer, MD, the nation’s former healthcare IT chief – its first ever.

Competition and lost revenue are keeping communities from participating in health information exchanges, panelists told attendees at the Regional Healthcare Stimulus Exchange Conference.

Nonprofit Cal-REC is expecting this week a notice of intent to be funded as a Regional Extension Center (REC) under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act's Health IT Extension Program, the interim executive director told attendees at the Regional Healthcare Stimulus Exchange Conference here on Jan. 19.

Catholic Healthcare West, Intermountain Healthcare and Kaiser Permanente, known as leaders in IT, have implemented EHRs, but all have gaps and face challenges trying to meet meaningful use criteria.

Electronic health record vendors - among them Allscripts, Ingenix, IBM, Cardinal Health - have announced EHR loans and guarantee deals in recent weeks.

The "hand of thoughtful policy" created the proposed criteria for meaningful use, according to David J. Brailer, MD, former healthcare IT czar for the Office of the National Coordinator.

It's not a surprise that there would be supporters and detractors of the proposed meaningful use requirements. With heavyweights making noise, however, you have to sit up straight and listen.

AdvancedMD Software, provider of practice and revenue cycle management software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions, has acquired PracticeOne, EHR provider.

Caritas Christi Health Care is deploying Microsoft Amalga and HealthVault to transform its ability to deliver healthcare in the community, according to the health system's chief technology officer.