Digital Government

Health data breach notification rule starts Sept. 23

A new Health and Human Services Department rule that requires health care organizations to notify patients when their data is disclosed without authorization goes into effect Sept. 23.

Digital Government

Electronic health records open patient privacy questions

An HHS advisory committee that will set rules for privacy of patients' health records considers consent rules.

Digital Government

Health IT panel approves intermediaries for data

Health and Human Services Department's Health IT Standards Committee has adopted a framework for the flow of patient data to be collected and aggregated to measure the quality of care.

Digital Government

Commission to start preliminary certifications for EHRs

A group that certifies electronic health records will give health care providers a head start on getting incentive payments under the economic stimulus law.

People

States will get federal help for electronic health records programs

State Medicaid directors will be reimbursed for 90 percent of their administrative costs for overseeing incentive payments for some health IT programs, CMS says.

Digital Government

Patient safety data formats get update

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has updated the data formats for its program for providers to electronically submit data on patient safety.

People

Listen up

Here's our list of reasons for doing our annual Federal List issue.

Cybersecurity

CMS considers contractors for identifier program

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is considering using contractors to operate a national system for assigning health providers unique identifying numbers.

Modernization

IG faults VA for mismanagement of IT project

The failure of the VA's RSA project is due more to systemic IT management problems than to contracting issues, according to a new report from the IG's office.

Cybersecurity

Health IT group to offer security certification to vendors

The Health Information Trust Alliance will certify security products against its Common Security Framework as the government moves to establish an infrastructure, national standards and privacy requirements for the handling of electronic health care records.

People

VA blames coding error for fatal disease scare

The VA now blames computer coding error for wrongly informing about 620 veterans that they have the fatal Lou Gehrig's disease.

People

SSA testing Microsoft HealthVault

SSA has made an agreement with Microsoft HealthVault to link to patient medical data to improve the determinations of disability.

People

HHS strikes out on search for new telehealth center

HHS says it hasn't gotten any applications to run a national telehealth center.

People

State and local health IT spending to hit $9.6 billion by 2014

State and local governments are projected to spend 4.6 percent more per year on health IT through 2014, according to Input Inc., a market research firm.

People

VA wrongly tells vets they have a fatal disease

The VA mistakenly notified as many as 1,200 veterans that they have the fatal Lou Gehrig's disease, according to a veterans service group.

People

FDA plans electronic medical device reports

The FDA has plans to convert its postmarket medical device reporting from paper forms to an electronic system.

People

How state CIOs can help with health IT

State CIOs can play a critical role in deployment of health IT, according to a new report.

Acquisition

NIH revamps acquisition center's image

The agency's IT acquisition center has shed its assisted-acquisition services and will instead focus on GWACs.

People

HHS to industry: Help assess health IT networks

HHS has asked industry to help conduct a nationwide analysis of health information exchange infrastructures.

Digital Government

Panel backs phased-in standards for electronic records

A federal advisory group today endorsed the idea that standards for electronic health records should grow more detailed over time.