Digital Government

Incentives for health IT could include home monitoring equipment

A federal working group considers several requirements for patients to use health IT.

Digital Government

SBA flunks data collection on serving limited-English people, GAO says

Of several agencies, the Small Business Administration performed the worst on measures for ensuring access to services for people with limited English, according to a GAO report.

Digital Government

Sankaran to leave HHS' Federal Health Architecture

Vish Sankaran, program director for the Federal Health Architecture system, announced his resignation today.

Acquisition

Peace Corps to assemble database of former volunteers

The Peace Corps wants help collecting the current e-mail addresses of about 200,000 former volunteers.

People

Health reform may cause agencies to beef up IT, report says

A market research firm reports on the IT implications of the health care reform law.

People

VA weeds out poorly performing programs

Veterans Affairs CIO Roger Baker drew widespread attention when he suspended 45 underperforming IT projects under the Program Management Accountability System. Baker recently spoke with FCW about PMAS and other issues.

Modernization

FCC establishes interoperability center for public safety

The Federal Communications Commission has created an interoperability center for public safety and released a proposal for funding a public safety broadband network.

Cybersecurity

FEMA mismanaged $40M IT system, IG says

FEMA made a mess of developing an IT system to oversee the National Flood Insurance Program, a new report says.

Digital Government

HHS advisory panel considers patient consent framework

An advisory group to the Health and Human Services Department is evaluating a framework for managing patients' consents to share their personal medical information.

Modernization

VA fiduciary management system is inadequate, GAO says

The Veterans Affairs Department's case management system for overseeing fiduciaries for 103,000 disabled veterans is not up to the job, the GAO says.

Digital Government

HHS to make grants for prescription monitoring systems

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration will make grants to help states set up and improve prescription monitoring programs for controlled substances.

Digital Government

HHS panel wants database for health IT safety

An advisory panel wants a new national database to ensure the safe use of electronic health record systems.

Cybersecurity

Senate committee chairman suggests killing the virtual fence

Sen. Joe Lieberman questions the future of the SBInet virtual fence system is a failure.

People

VA suspends spending on 188 IT projects

The Veterans Affairs Department has extended its program management system to all 280 IT projects and suspended spending on two-thirds of them.

Digital Government

HHS Open Government Plan deserves a visit

HHS is creating dashboards and datasets for open government, but shouldn't those principles also apply to simple HHS Web pages?

Digital Government

Patients should be partners in EHR systems, HHS panel told

An HHS advisory panel today heard ed recommendations to allow patients input and a central role in their own health data contained in digital record systems.

People

Winners and losers under the NHIN Direct project

The Health and Human Services Department's NHIN Direct may cost state health information exchanges a way to make money.

Cybersecurity

HHS publishes online list of patient data breaches

The Health and Human Services Department has started publishing an online list of data thefts and breaches that affect the health data of more than 500 patients.

Digital Government

AHRQ requests research on improving patient health

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality wants proposals for its new research program to identify the best treatments for patients.

Digital Government

House members seek parity for behavioral health electronic records

Lawmakers offer legislation to help mental health professionals buy health IT systems.