News

With the federal programs in place under the HITECH Act, hospitals feel pressured and rushed to purchase an HIE platform, according to Ed Duryee, CIO of Elyria, Ohio-based EMH Regional Healthcare System. "We're in the throes of deciding how to get into the HIE game," he said.

ClaimTrust, a provider of revenue cycle tools and services for hospitals, announced the availability of its newest product, InSight Payment Variance Analyzer, a payment analysis tool that automatically compares remittances to payer contracts in order to catch any variances and ensure maximum contractual payment for hospitals.

HealthCare.gov automatically sorts public and private insurance options to match individual needs, HHS senior officials said.

A new survey shows that while the medical management industry continues to focus resources on health IT, consumers are hampered in accessing their information online due to the cost of developing Web portals and other business and security-related concerns.

The Veterans Affairs and Defense departments are working on consent management tools that would let patients control access to their personal health information - including medication lists, lab test results and diagnoses - during health information exchanges between the two agencies.

The Department of Health and Human Services unveiled a new Web site Thursday that officials say will help consumers take control of their healthcare, connecting them to information and resources that will help them access quality, affordable coverage.

A recent in-depth assessment of health information exchange (HIE) vendors from IDC Health Insights is predicting "significant growth over the next 12 months or so," according to Lynne Dunbrack, program director at IDC Health Insights.

When the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) released its report "Electronic Health Record Usability: Vendor Practices and Perspectives" this past spring, its first words of warning were that design and ease of use were major sticking points.