Government & Policy

Due to the extreme stressors of COVID-19, career disengagement characterizes a U.S. physician workforce already in short supply, the group says, calling for telehealth expansion and prior auth reforms.  

A new law in the Golden State requires providers, payers and public health agencies to participate in real-time information sharing by 2024. Timi Leslie of Connecting for Better Health offers a perspective on that massive undertaking.

The European Health Data Space, hopes for a Senate telehealth bill passage, public health infrastructure modernization and more are all on the group's agenda, says Tom Leary, HIMSS senior VP and head of government relations.

Also, the Technology Users Association has set up an advocacy group for the promotion of digital health services in New Zealand.

Digital innovation and policy changes at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs are improving access to healthcare for veterans and their families, says Jim Gfrerer, former CIO at the VA, who shares some predictions about the future of healthcare.

The country enacted a Health Minister regulation on medical records in late August.

Improving healthcare access requires data initiatives that allow agencies and providers across states to build a holistic view of a patient's needs, says Sumit Sajnani, health information technology officer for Connecticut's Office of Health Strategy.

The bureau has new recommendations for healthcare organizations to address unpatched medical devices, which it says are increasingly being targeted in cyberattacks.

By measuring the breakdown of three-dimensional bone architecture in the wrist, doctors may be better able to identify patients with osteopenia and fracture risk.