News Feature | April 11, 2014

Healthcare IT News For VARs — April 11, 2014

By Megan Williams, contributing writer

Healthcare IT News For VARs 2-13-15: Anthem Breach Likely Started 9 Months Ago

In this week’s news, GE acquires CHCA, data breaches in CA and the Smart VAR Summit approaches

GE Acquires OR Management System, CHCA

GE has agreed to acquire the Montreal-based, OR management and analytics solutions provider CHCA. BusinessWire reports that the move aligns with GE’s industrial Internet strategy, centered on growth in the area of software. The agreement is expected to close in the second quarter of 2014.

Medicaid Expansion Prompts States To Take Proactive Look At Fraud And Overpayments

According to Government Technology, U. S. states are bringing in special investigators to review data and coding, in light of recent Medicaid expansions. The front line strategy is thought to be easier and more cost effective than waiting until fraud and errors are caught further down the process.

Series Of Data Breaches Hit California Healthcare

California has seen three major data breaches recently — The first involving a computer infected with malicious software, another involving a dismissed employee misusing their access, and the third centering around the theft of medical data from a contractor’s office. Fierce Health IT reports that the breach at the contractor’s office alone affected more than 300,000 patients.

Federal Agencies Shift Oversight Focus From Platform To Risk

A draft report was released this month by the Department of Health and Human Services that proposed strategy and recommendations to change current health IT oversight frameworks. The shift is designed to add clarity to oversight of health IT products, shifting the emphasis from platform, to risk. It also contains a secondary goal of reducing duplicate regulation and encouraging innovation.

Healthcare IT Experts Headline Smart VAR Summit

The Smart VAR Healthcare Summit, held this year in New Brunswick, NJ, will feature five expert health IT speakers. The keynote presentation will be made by healthcare IT consultant Shahid Shah (who specializes in e-health, EHR/EMR, Meaningful Use, data integration, medical device connectivity, health informatics, and legacy modernization.) Other panel participants include:

  • Mark Roberts, enterprise manager of mobile technology for Yale New Haven Health System
  • Linda Girgis, MD, physician and owner of Girgis Family Medicine
  • Jim Shellhamer, technical system analyst of the mobility management group at Lehigh Valley Health Network
  • Albert Ferreira, project manager of virtual care at Holy Cross Hospital

Healthcare IT Talking Points

EHR Intelligence advises healthcare providers on steps to take to prepare for cloud-based EHR.

  • Step 1: Take inventory and understand your assets.
  • Step 2: Know your EMR needs.
  • Step 3. Think security from the start.
  • Step 4: Train users on functionality and security.
  • Step 5: Stay on top of system maintenance and updates.

The talk around the ICD-10 delay has been met with objection and relief, but who’s really benefitting? Government Health IT answers the question.

For more news and insights, visit BSMinfo’s Healthcare IT Resource Center.