efficiency news from FierceHealthIT

A new study by the American College of Physician Executives concludes that physicians and health IT still have a rocky relationship, with some reporting that the introduction of EMRs has been a... Read more...

A new study by market research firm Health Industry Insights (HII) predicts that healthcare IT spending will grow this year, albeit slowly, despite the U.S. economy's continued troubles. It's the... Read more...

> Medicare announced that it was launching a South Carolina-based pilot project encouraging Medicare beneficiaries to use a PHR. Read more...

Physicians may be reluctant to spend big bucks on EMRs, but when backed into a corner, they admit that such automation is important. In fact, a new survey found that 46 percent of doctors believe... Read more...

Despite her loss in Iowa, presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) continues vigorously on the campaign trail. Late last week, her theme was the role of EMRs in healthcare. Sen. Clinton is... Read more...

Wow, someone outside of politics or the health insurance industry is acknowledging the benefit of EMRs. A Minneapolis-based medical malpractice insurer has agreed to give physicians who use EMRs a... Read more...

HHS head Mike Leavitt is asking employers to commit to a set of four goals which include asking health vendors to get their data interoperability act together. As part of this effort, Leavitt and his agency would like to see employers work closely with RHIOs, both by feeding them cost and quality information and using the information to make plan management decisions. In addition to encouraging interoperability, the goals ask employers to make vendors like health plans and third-party …

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> HHS team tackles genetics, EHR integration. Article

> Telemedicine spending to increase. Article

> AT&T lands new contract with El Camino Hospital. Item

> Illinois physician leverages EHRs to boost efficiency. …

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A vast majority of states are taking critical steps to drive improvements in the quality, safety and efficiency of healthcare through information technology. An issue brief released last week by the independent, non-profit eHealth Initiative (eHI) notes that 38 state legislatures have introduced 121 bills during 2005 and 2006 that specifically call for the use of health information technology (HIT) to improve patient care. Thirty-six bills passed in 24 states and were signed into law …

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