Healthcare IT News For VARs — June 27, 2014
By Megan Williams, contributing writer
In this week’s news, data breaches affect 1.3 million in Montana, and the FDA uses EHR data to monitor drug safety.
FDA Monitoring Drug Safety With EHR Data
The FDA, according to Health IT Analytics, has started to use EHR data in its efforts to monitor drug safety. The surveillance pilot program, named “Mini-Sentinel,” enlists 18 major clinical partners as sources of secure, de-identified patient data. The program is just another step in the agency’s efforts to harness the power of the enormous amount of data produced by EHR systems.
Search Engines Used To Cut Imaging Overuse Through EHRs
A recent study published in the Journal Of The American College Of Radiology (FierceMedicalImaging), reports that search engine technologies are being used to cut down on the over use of imaging and lab tests by emergency department (ED) physicians. The study employed the modification of a 2005 semantic search application, according to iHealthBeat. The resulting tool pulls data from an EHR system and compiles the information it finds. Results showed a “high level of accuracy for identification of information deemed salient to ED physicians.”
Montana Facing Breach That Affects Up To 1.3 Million
The Department of Public Health And Human Services in Montana announced that the data of up to 1.3 million users has been compromised. The compromised server in question, held names, addresses, birth dates, and Social Security numbers for affected citizens. For some users, their records may have included data on health assessments, diagnoses, treatment, health conditions, prescriptions, and insurance. The server also housed birth and death records. The state reported that the server was shut down on May 22, immediately after the breach was discovered.
U.S. Healthcare Sensor Market Predicted To Be Worth $47.4 Billion By 2020
According to a new Market research report published by MarketsandMarkets, the consumer healthcare sensor market is expected to reach $47.4 billion by 2020, with an estimated compound annual growth rate of 5.56 percent from 2014 to 2020. The report profiles all major active companies in the market, and provides the competitive landscape of key players. More details and the full report are available here.
NextGen Healthcare And 3M Team Up On ICD-10 Education
NextGen Healthcare Information Systems announced on June 23 that it has partnered with 3M Health Information Systems to offer a web-based, ICD-10 education program across the entire healthcare industry. The program is designed to help interested parties transition more smoothly from ICD-9 to ICD-10, is available via subscription service, and can be viewed as frequently as needed. The training includes 22 modules, each of approximately 90 minute length, that feature case studies, self-assessments, practice questions, tests, and progress and completion reports, according to MarketWatch.
Healthcare IT Talking Points
Motion Computing released a white paper targeted to healthcare organizations adopting the use of EMR systems. The paper, The Smart Way For Healthcare Organizations To GoMobile, highlights best practices for choosing mobile devices and building wireless infrastructures geared toward HIPAA compliance. It also explores topics including:
- Enterprise Class vs Consumer-Grade Wireless Networks
- How to Deploy a HIPPA-Compliant Wi-Fi Network
- Are Purpose-built Mobile Devices Essential
For more news and insights, visit BSMinfo’s Healthcare IT Resource Center.