Electronic health record systems
Electronic health record (EHR) systems play a vital role in health care. Find resources for navigating the complexities of using EHR systems, from EHR selection and implementation to user training. EHR vendors can also learn about the federal government's EHR certification program.
Top Stories
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Tip
28 Jul 2022
How to prevent a data breach: 10 best practices and tactics
When it comes to data breach prevention, the stakes are high. While it's impossible to eliminate the risk, organizations can minimize it by following these best practices. Continue Reading
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News
30 Mar 2021
Apple Watch effective at assessing heart health
An at-home walking test with the Apple Watch yielded 'accurate and meaningful insights' into a person's heart strength, a Stanford University study found. Continue Reading
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News
30 Mar 2021
Apple Watch effective at assessing heart health
An at-home walking test with the Apple Watch yielded 'accurate and meaningful insights' into a person's heart strength, a Stanford University study found. Continue Reading
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Feature
09 Mar 2021
Broad use of EHR voice assistants still years away
EHR voice assistants aren't much more than a Siri-type interface to the patient's healthcare record right now. But vendors and clinicians see big things for the tech. Continue Reading
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Feature
07 Jan 2021
A look inside the all-in-one HCISPP exam guide
Check out this excerpt from the HCISPP All-in-One Exam Guide to learn more about privacy and security in healthcare, one of the seven domains tested by the official exam. Continue Reading
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Quiz
28 Dec 2020
Get started on your HCISPP training with this practice quiz
Are you thinking of taking the HCISPP exam? If so, here's 10 practice questions from Sean P. Murphy's 'HCISPP All-in-One Exam Guide' to help get you started. Continue Reading
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Tip
15 Dec 2020
5 best practices to consider when implementing telehealth
The pandemic has rapidly accelerated the adoption of telehealth services and with these best practices, clinics and medical practices can ensure the implementation is a success. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Nov 2020
EHR go-live goes virtual in 2020
Healthcare systems relied on virtual command centers to support staff during EHR go-lives this year, which has proved so successful experts believe there's no going back. Continue Reading
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News
18 Nov 2020
To prep for COVID-19 vaccine distribution, CIOs turn to data
CIOs should prepare a COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan now. Making sure immunization records are digitized and easy to access is a good first step. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
13 Nov 2020
InterSystems IRIS Data Platform reduces complexity for Epic customers
Epic is using the InterSystems IRIS Data Platform for data ingestion and analysis in its latest release of its EHR. Scott Gnau, vice president of data platforms at InterSystems, said the IRIS Data ... Continue Reading
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News
09 Nov 2020
Seamless Exchange a next step for Cerner interoperability
Cerner recently unveiled Seamless Exchange, a new interoperability tool that deduplicates and reconciles external data with the Cerner EHR. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Nov 2020
Hospitals make themselves a target for cyber attacks
In the midst of a pandemic, the last thing healthcare CIOs need is a wave of cyber attacks -- but that's exactly what they might be faced with, and there are reasons why. Continue Reading
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News
02 Nov 2020
Cybersecurity advisory a 'call to arms' for healthcare CIOs
The FBI, HHS and CISA warn healthcare CIOs of a potential wave of destructive ransomware attacks. Cybersecurity experts offer advice on how they can best prepare. Continue Reading
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News
19 Oct 2020
VA prepares for its first Cerner EHR launch
After months of delays, a sizable cost inflation and in the midst of a pandemic, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is ready to start its Cerner EHR roll out. Continue Reading
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News
08 Oct 2020
Healthcare cybersecurity needs a dose of threat modeling
CISA senior advisor Josh Corman said healthcare CIOs should focus on threat modeling and stronger disaster recovery for better healthcare cybersecurity. Continue Reading
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Feature
07 Oct 2020
Interest in wearable health devices grows despite challenges
Amazon Halo has advanced wearable devices in healthcare, but challenges of a growing digital divide and questions about their clinical value remain. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Sep 2020
Attack on Universal Health Services a cry for change
A suspected ransomware attack on Universal Health Services is an existential crisis for healthcare organizations that needs to be addressed, according to one security expert. Continue Reading
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News
11 Sep 2020
Epic digitizes ranking process for elective procedures
As healthcare systems began to bring patients back in for elective procedures, they encountered new challenges and cumbersome processes. EHR vendor Epic helped ease that burden. Continue Reading
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Feature
14 Aug 2020
EHR vendors eye safe data access for third-party health apps
EHR vendors are designing data authorization scopes for third-party health apps. It's a process that hinges on patient trust and requires transparency. Continue Reading
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News
14 Jul 2020
For ONC final rule, compliance clock is ticking
Having passed the June 30 effective date, healthcare CIOs will be playing a significant role in ensuring compliance with the federal regulator's final rule. Continue Reading
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News
15 Jun 2020
Athenahealth launches new telehealth service
Blue Ridge Medical Group is using a new telehealth service from EHR vendor Athenahealth to treat patients at home. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Jun 2020
EHR vendors aim to meet pandemic demands
Healthcare CIOs are repurposing existing EHR products or rolling out new features to address COVID-19 demands. Continue Reading
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News
22 Apr 2020
COVID-19 delays enforcement of federal interoperability rules
ONC and CMS will give health systems additional time to comply with portions of the interoperability rules finalized last month. Plus, OIG released a proposed rule on information blocking enforcement. Continue Reading
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Feature
03 Apr 2020
3 tasks healthcare CIOs should pursue during pandemic
During the COVID-19 crisis, healthcare CIOs are enabling a remote workforce and scaling out telehealth options. But they can also streamline a few processes that will help patients and providers. Continue Reading
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Feature
31 Mar 2020
How to get buy-in for healthcare cybersecurity investments
Healthcare CIO Michael Archuleta focuses on FOR -- finances, operations and reputation -- as part of his cybersecurity investment strategy. Continue Reading
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Feature
24 Feb 2020
How one medical center overcame legacy EHR systems
Parkview Medical Center needed to free data held hostage in legacy systems. Here's how the institution succeeded and how other healthcare organizations can follow. Continue Reading
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News
14 Feb 2020
Malware attack further proof that small health systems are vulnerable
An attack on affiliates of Boston Children's Hospital demonstrates how smaller healthcare organizations are often ill-prepared for cybersecurity incidents, according to experts. Continue Reading
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Feature
30 Jan 2020
Patient privacy not the only reason Epic pulls away from Google
The latest development in the Google-Epic relationship may have less to do with customer interest and more to do with growing competition and reputation. Continue Reading
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News
10 Jan 2020
Healthcare CIOs put on alert for potential Iran cyberattacks
The recent developments between the United States and Iran should put healthcare CIOs on notice. U.S. critical infrastructure including healthcare could be in the crosshairs of Iran cyberattackers. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Dec 2019
Ransomware tops list of healthcare cybersecurity threats in 2019
Healthcare CIOs should get ready for a vigorous privacy debate and prepare for more destructive cyberattacks in the coming year, according to experts. Continue Reading
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Feature
13 Dec 2019
Healthcare security, IT should be separate to be effective
What can the healthcare industry learn about security from finance, retail and manufacturing? Two CISOs who came to healthcare from other industries give their take. Continue Reading
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News
11 Dec 2019
Cerner-AWS partnership deepens ties
EHR vendor Cerner is expanding its relationship with AWS for added AI and machine learning capabilities as well as tools like a digital scribe that can translate speech to text. Continue Reading
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Tip
27 Nov 2019
How hiring ethical hackers can help healthcare organizations
They say if you can't beat them, join them. That's the approach some organizations take to hacking -- let the hackers come to them. Continue Reading
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News
26 Nov 2019
Recent ransomware attack cripples nursing homes, acute care facilities
An IT services vendor is the latest ransomware victim in an attack that has affected roughly 110 nursing homes and acute care facilities. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Nov 2019
Google-Ascension deal reveals murky side of sharing health data
The Google-Ascension partnership is a 'PR failure' that demonstrates a need for greater transparency about what happens to patient health data. Continue Reading
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News
29 Oct 2019
Allscripts, Northwell Health to build next-generation EHR
Northwell Health CIO John Bosco's vision for the EHR includess artificial intelligence, voice recognition and the cloud. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
24 Oct 2019
Cerner-AbleVets deal aimed at helping federal programs
EHR vendor Cerner Corp. is bringing an IT consulting firm into the fold to assist with its work with federal clients, particularly with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Cerner is acquiring ... Continue Reading
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News
18 Oct 2019
Healthcare cybersecurity shouldn't impede interoperability
The healthcare community uses security as a crutch to deny the sharing of patient data. That has to stop, according to Athenahealth CISO Taylor Lehmann. Continue Reading
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News
11 Oct 2019
Ransomware attacks on hospitals will worsen if security doesn't improve
Ransomware attacks are insidious. Experts urged healthcare CIOs to invest in proactive security measures to combat the growing threat. Continue Reading
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Feature
08 Oct 2019
Meditech EHR moves to public cloud, points to industry trend
When EHR vendor Meditech partnered with Google Cloud Platform, it joined Cerner in a push toward the public cloud. The trend presents new opportunities and new challenges for healthcare CIOs. Continue Reading
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News
02 Oct 2019
Healthcare cybersecurity threatened by cloud misconfigurations
CynergisTek's Caleb Barlow said misconfiguration of a cloud environment is a top security threat for healthcare organizations. Continue Reading
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News
26 Sep 2019
TEFCA inches forward by tapping The Sequoia Project
TEFCA is aimed mostly at health information exchanges, but AMIA's Jeffery Smith said healthcare CIOs can't ignore its progress. Continue Reading
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Tip
26 Sep 2019
Top 5 reasons to do an EMR replacement
Switching EMR systems is no picnic. But what if your provider gets acquired, or your small practice starts to grow beyond the EMR's functionality? Continue Reading
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News
24 Sep 2019
ONC urged to slow down for the sake of patient data security
Patient data security is sorely lacking in ONC and CMS's proposed information blocking and interoperability rules, according to healthcare leadership organizations. Continue Reading
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News
24 Sep 2019
CIO talks lessons learned from Meditech Expanse upgrade
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center community hospitals CIO Jeannette Currie goes deep on challenges and lessons learned from a major EHR upgrade. Continue Reading
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News
05 Sep 2019
Cerner layoffs underscore company's move to reduce costs
Cerner laid off 255 employees as it seeks to reduce operating costs. One analyst said it's further evidence that the Meaningful Use boom years are gone. Continue Reading
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News
30 Aug 2019
In light of MGH healthcare data breach, experts call for transparency
Experts say Massachusetts General Hospital should have included more details about the data breach it suffered in June. Doing so can be valuable to other institutions. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Aug 2019
Blockchain shows potential for healthcare claims data access
Medical claims are gold mines of useful health information, but accessing them with HIPAA-compliant security is a universal headache. Blockchain might make it easier. Continue Reading
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News
13 Aug 2019
Intraprise Health platform strengthens healthcare security
Intraprise Health introduced new software designed to prevent healthcare security breaches by monitoring third-party risks across the enterprise and improving security management processes. Continue Reading
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Feature
23 Jul 2019
Healthcare data breaches persist as security investments flounder
Healthcare is still catching up to other industries in terms of investments in security and IT. This is complicated by the number of different systems that must be protected. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
19 Jul 2019
Clinical Pathology Laboratories comes forward, also hit by AMCA breach
Clinical Pathology Laboratories Inc. is the latest victim of a massive data breach that occurred at the American Medical Collection Agency, increasing the number of potentially affected patients to ... Continue Reading
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News
18 Jul 2019
PediNotes launches with neonatal data entry software
PediNotes, launched by a neonatologist who conceived the idea in the 1990s, is software that integrates with a hospital's EMR system to make data entry more efficient. Continue Reading
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Feature
16 Jul 2019
Cybersecurity recommendations for healthcare that won't break the bank
The key to implementing healthcare cybersecurity best practices is to start small, according to Erik Decker, chief security and privacy officer for University of Chicago Medicine. Continue Reading
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Tutorial
28 Jun 2019
What is EHR technology and why is it important?
Electronic health records are an important part of health IT, and the meaningful use program provides financial incentives for providers to adopt EHR technology. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Jun 2019
Fortify these 6 security layers to protect patient data
As cyberattacks and data breaches continue to plague the healthcare industry, CIOs and CMIOs need to ensure each layer surrounding patient data is secured. Continue Reading
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Feature
12 Jun 2019
6 steps to better third-party risk management
The American Medical Collection Agency data breach exposed the hazard of dealing with service providers. Here are six steps on how to better manage third-party vendors. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
06 Jun 2019
American Medical Collection Agency breach impact reaches 20 million
A third medical testing company announced it has been impacted by the American Medical Collection Agency data breach, putting the total number of patients potentially affected at 20 million. In an ... Continue Reading
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News
05 Jun 2019
Another 7.7M affected by American Medical Collection Agency breach
Roughly 7.7 million LabCorp customers may have been affected by an American Medical Collection Agency data breach. It's the same incident that affected Quest Diagnostics. Continue Reading
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News
04 Jun 2019
Quest Diagnostics data breach is a clarion call to healthcare CIOs
In an SEC filing, Quest Diagnostics disclosed a massive data breach at a medical collections agency it uses. Healthcare CIOs should see the news as a call to action. Continue Reading
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News
08 May 2019
Senator to ONC, CMS: Take interoperability in healthcare slow
In a hearing, chairman of the Senate HELP Committee cautioned ONC and CMS officials to go slow if they want to get interoperability in healthcare done right. Continue Reading
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Feature
29 Apr 2019
Health IT security should consider these leading vendors
Explore these leading products in the cybersecurity market to best protect healthcare systems and patient data from falling victim to cyberattacks. Continue Reading
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News
26 Apr 2019
Elsevier, PhactMI to develop MI semantic search platform
Health analytics company Elsevier is collaborating with nonprofit PhactMI to develop an Entellect-powered semantic search portal for healthcare professionals. Continue Reading
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News
19 Apr 2019
InterSystems HealthShare launches Provider Directory
The new Provider Directory in the InterSystems HealthShare system will consolidate all available information on providers and make it available to users. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Apr 2019
Telemedicine provider MDLIVE talks partnering with health systems
MDLIVE CMO Lyle Berkowitz talks about why health systems need to start introducing telemedicine -- now. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Apr 2019
How CIOs can help alleviate EHR issues
EHRs can be more problem than solution for healthcare organizations, but CIOs can help by talking to practitioners and holding vendors accountable. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Apr 2019
The 8 key ways to assess healthcare data security tools
Find the most effective cybersecurity tools to protect healthcare systems and data by looking at these eight key features and what major vendors offer for these features. Continue Reading
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Feature
02 Apr 2019
Kaiser Permanente School of Medicine to train students with modern tech
Kaiser Permanente's new medical school will combine cutting-edge tech and a clinical setting to train future doctors. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Mar 2019
Cybersecurity for healthcare more critical than ever before
Cyberattacks can be devastating for healthcare organizations. Traditional security tools alone no longer cut it, so health companies must turn to newer tools for protection. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Mar 2019
Healthcare cybersecurity combats growing slew of threats
Cybercriminals target healthcare groups to steal and hold sensitive information hostage. Learn how to spot the most insidious and common methods of attack. Continue Reading
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Feature
25 Mar 2019
Machine learning methods in EHR show promise, with limits
Carnegie Mellon University's Jeremy Weiss is on a quest to improve health predictions with machine learning and data from electronic health records. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Mar 2019
Medication management system gives caretakers an edge
Midland Care benefits from using a medication management system, but not all software is created equal. Other healthcare organizations may struggle to find the right fit. Continue Reading
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Feature
28 Feb 2019
For EHR vendors, there's no one approach to interoperability
Cerner, Epic and Meditech are tackling interoperability in their own ways, but all their efforts will come up short until healthcare organizations ask for it, according to a Chilmark Research analyst. Continue Reading
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Feature
17 Jan 2019
Collective Medical software enables ERs to share patient info
Software from Collective Medical is helping ERs in Oregon share patient data almost immediately. Here's a look at how that kind of connectivity is benefiting one hospital. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
07 Jan 2019
HHS publishes guide on cybersecurity practices
The Department of Health and Human Services published a guide of cybersecurity practices with the aim of reducing the growing risk from cyberattacks. The recommendations are just that -- ... Continue Reading
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Opinion
26 Dec 2018
EHR vendors face competition from IBM, Amazon and others
IBM and Amazon have introduced new services targeting the healthcare industry. Traditional EHR companies will have to adapt or innovate if they want to fend off obsolescence. Continue Reading
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Tip
14 Dec 2018
6 steps for mitigating healthcare cybersecurity threats
Healthcare organizations remain a target for cyberthreats like ransomware and data breaches. These six steps will help health IT departments respond to or prevent cyberattacks. Continue Reading
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Tip
28 Nov 2018
How to make protecting electronic health records simpler, safer
Want a safer EHR system? Assess the risks, log every single error and then assemble a cross-functional team to investigate. It's a painstaking -- but necessary -- process. Continue Reading
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Tip
16 Nov 2018
Social engineering scams must be on hospitals' radars
Social engineering continues to be a threat to healthcare organizations. Hospital IT departments must be aware of the common techniques use to deceive unsuspecting users. Continue Reading
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News
14 Nov 2018
Will AthenaHealth sale alter customer service, consultant wonders
AthenaHealth announces it is set to be purchased for $5.7 billion by two private equity firms. One consultant plans to watch the new company's customer service levels. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
09 Nov 2018
Where blockchain in healthcare might actually make a difference
It’s almost too easy to dismiss the idea of blockchain in healthcare. The first major application of blockchain -- Bitcoin – does feel kind of sketchy (all the currency that went “missing”) and the ... Continue Reading
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News
06 Nov 2018
A new breed of interoperable EHR apps is coming, but slowly
Pioneering work with the FHIR API is beginning to pay off in interoperable applications for EHRs. And that could mean sweeping changes in healthcare. Continue Reading
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Feature
06 Nov 2018
Anthem data breach settlement points to larger data access
An expert says the biggest lesson to take away from Anthem healthcare's $16 million HIPAA settlement is the need to control who has access to internal systems and patient data. Continue Reading
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News
05 Nov 2018
Allscripts plans to make PDMP data accessible in EHRs
Allscripts partners with Appriss Health to make access to PDMP data easier and available to clinicians within their workflows. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Nov 2018
Learn about the leading EHR software products and their features
Read in-depth about leading EHR tools on the market and how their capabilities, pricing and implementation offerings and mobile features can match up with organization needs. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Nov 2018
Hospitals battle duplicate medical records with technology
See how IT executives at two healthcare organizations weed out patient identification errors related to duplicate medical records -- a significant problem, according to research. Continue Reading
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Feature
26 Oct 2018
FDA strengthens medical device cybersecurity program
The FDA recently took additional steps to encourage better medical device cybersecurity, including releasing a cybersecurity playbook for healthcare organizations. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
17 Oct 2018
Patient vs. healthcare consumer? Musings on the CVS/Aetna merger
During an interview on the PBS News Hour, CVS CEO Larry Merlo drew an interesting distinction when speaking about the future of healthcare. Fresh from the merger with Aetna, Merlo said people ... Continue Reading
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News
16 Oct 2018
News roundup: 3 new blockchain in healthcare use cases
Three companies see the promise of blockchain in healthcare in this week's news roundup. Here's the latest from Change Healthcare, MTBC and Ambrosus. Continue Reading
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Opinion
09 Oct 2018
Compare EHR systems with these key features in mind
Compare EHR software options and look at the features they offer healthcare organizations for mobile access, certifications, reporting, workflow automation and document management. Continue Reading
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Feature
04 Oct 2018
Healthcare virtual assistant from Epic and Nuance points to trend
A variety of vendors have teamed up with the healthcare industry to create new products, such as Epic and Nuance's healthcare virtual assistant, which may prove beneficial to the field. Continue Reading
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Feature
03 Oct 2018
New Wisconsin PDMP receives up to 35,000 daily queries
The Wisconsin Enhanced Prescription Drug Monitoring Program, implemented in the state since last year, features data analysis capabilities, as well as a customizable platform. Continue Reading
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News
02 Oct 2018
AHIMA Convention 2018 highlights EHR innovations
Health information professionals shared visions of more effective EHR systems at the 2018 AHIMA Convention, including how to better identify LGBTQ patients in EHRs. Continue Reading
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Feature
01 Oct 2018
Considering a cloud-based EHR system? Here's what to know
Implementing an EHR platform in the cloud can offer healthcare organizations lower costs and more accessibility, but they must be aware of connectivity and infrastructure drawbacks. Continue Reading
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Opinion
28 Sep 2018
Why every hospital needs a natural disaster recovery plan
No healthcare organization is immune to natural disasters, which is why it is important to be prepared before calamity strikes, rather than trying to pick up the pieces afterward. Continue Reading
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News
20 Sep 2018
HPE 3PAR StoreServ all-flash fixes hospital's image problems
Riverside Healthcare dedicates its all-flash 3PAR StoreServ array to revamp its PACS. New images are stored in HPE's onboard cache for quicker retrieval by radiologists. Continue Reading
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Feature
19 Sep 2018
CoxHealth gains from outsourcing to Cerner ITWorks
Cerner partners with more than 30 organizations to deliver outsourced IT operation management. One of those systems, CoxHealth, got faster, more stable IT management model. Continue Reading
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Feature
18 Sep 2018
The importance of EHR tools in today's healthcare industry
A strong EHR system can effectively acquire and centralize vital patient information like lab orders, medications, medical history and referrals, if buyers know what they need. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
11 Sep 2018
A first person view of today's medical records system. It's not pretty
The cardiologist walked in to the hospital room and handed me an envelope. “My notes and his test results are in there,” he said. “Don’t lose that – it’s gold.” Gold? Sure. But that envelope was ... Continue Reading
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Opinion
05 Sep 2018
An inside look at the potential of blockchain in healthcare
Blockchain could be the solution to fix the tricky problem of healthcare data ownership. Longtime blockchain researcher Adrian Gropper, M.D. explains how it could work. Continue Reading
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Blog Post
03 Sep 2018
Report: Mandatory PDMP doesn't always work to curb opioid crisis
Given the statistics from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that 11.5 million people misused prescription opioids, contributing to 40% of all U.S. opioid overdose deaths in 2016, it seems ... Continue Reading
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Blog Post
17 Aug 2018
Use a patient approach with healthcare APIs
With this week’s news that healthcare interoperability is getting a boost from the support of six major tech companies, it’s tempting to think that is where the breakthroughs are going to happen. ... Continue Reading
