Cybersecurity

Agencies play by different rules on contractor award fees, says GAO

Federal agencies are not being consistent in how they distribute contractor award fees, according to a senior GAO official.

People

U.K. agency releases 20-page policy for Twitter

In the U.S. and abroad, agencies determine how to deal with YouTube, Twitter and fake agencies.

People

EHR standard released by public/private group

The primary standards body for health IT has released a specification for EHRs designed for the economic stimulus law.

Cybersecurity

Official: Panel wants privacy protection for electronic medical records

A federal advisory panel wants encryption and access controls to protect patients' medical records. official says.

Digital Government

Health record haste sparks privacy fears

A privacy advocate warns that proposals for EHRs postpone several major privacy protections.

Digital Government

Health IT panel recommends 31 IT measures

A workgroup of the Health IT Standards Committee has recommended 31 performance measures for electronic health records.

Digital Government

Health IT: More certification groups could speed stimulus-related spending

A federal advisory group has recommended that multiple organizations be able to test and certify vendor systems to meet the economic stimulus law's requirements for electronic health records.

Modernization

GAO: Grants.gov has serious weaknesses

The Government Accountability Office says the government portal that has information on more than 1,000 grant programs and provides access to approximately $500 billion in annual awards needs better management.

Digital Government

Groups want to push back health IT deadlines

Health groups are urging the government to extend the proposed deadlines for adopting health IT under the economic stimulus law.

Digital Government

Agency will study health IT workflow

A federal health agency will study how doctors change their workflows to adapt to health IT.

Cybersecurity

War games spark better-informed decisions

War games are not just for children and generals. The authors of a new book demonstrate how the concepts can apply to vexing business problems.

Digital Government

SSA seeks more access to NHIN

The agency is considering having providers use the Nationwide Health Information Network to submit medical records that help SSA determine applicants' eligibility for federal disability payments.

People

Health IT coordinator to harmonize record standards, network

The National Coordinator for Health IT plans to resolve differences between electronic patient records and the National Health Information Network data exchange system.

People

Some doctors to get health IT help

The National Coordinator for Health Information Technology said he is dealing with the special health IT needs of doctors in small practices.

Digital Government

What is 'meaningful use?'

The Health IT Policy Committee is revising a proposed framework for defining and setting benchmarks for meaningful use of health IT.

Digital Government

Health IT: Agency pilots medical image-sharing technology

A federal agency is launching a pilot project to set up a network for medical digital image sharing.

People

Health IT 'meaningful use' framework proposed

The federal Health IT Policy Committee today began considering a detailed framework for defining "meaningful use" of health IT through 2015.

People

Kennedy moves toward health reform

House and Senate Democratic leaders are putting health care reform legislation on a fast track, with information technology provisions on board the train.

Digital Government

Health care records should be user-friendly, patients say

Advocates for patient-centered health care are trying to get those principles incorporated into the upcoming regulations for spending $19 billion in incentives for health information technology. But some wonder if crafting health IT goals to give more power to patients is too big a pill to swallow.

Digital Government

Health IT panel to consider 'meaningful use' definition

The Health IT Policy Committee is expected to consider a definition for 'meaningful use' of records on June 16.