Cybersecurity

TSA contractors performed government-only work, IG concludes

TSA allowed contractors to review invoices for other contractors in apparent violation of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, according to a new report from the Homeland Security Department inspector general's office.

Cybersecurity

DHS inks deal with Germany for global trusted travelers

Homeland Security Department officials signed an agreement with Germany to integrate the countries' trusted traveler programs.

Modernization

FDA launches 40 online performance management dashboards

The Food and Drug Administration has started its online performance management system that tracks agency performance measures on 40 Web-based dashboards.

Digital Government

Food safety legislation may ladle IT money to FDA

Sen. Durbin's bill would increase trace-back and surveillance of food-borne illness data but lacks specifics on how it would be done.

Cybersecurity

Civil liberties groups fight biometric IDs

The ACLU and other civil liberties groups oppose two senators' plan that includes a requirement for biometric Social Security cards.

Modernization

IG questions SSA's data center siting process

The SSA's Inspector General knocks agency's process for choosing a location for its new $800M data center.

People

HHS emphasizes dashboards, new datasets in transparency plan

The Health and Human Services Department is launching two new performance management dashboards and releasing new Medicare patient data as part of its transparency effort.

Digital Government

VA health IT study comes with caveat, researcher says

A researcher of a recent study said the Veterans Affairs Department may have saved billions of dollars from using health IT, but the actual savings are not known.

People

VA highlights IT innovation, crowdsourcing in open government plan

Among other initiatives, the VA plans to set up ongoing competition to come up with new ideas for improving the agency's services and operations.

People

New lifeline for the poor and underprivileged arrives via mobile health

Because of White House involvement, Text4baby is probably the most high-profile example of mobile health. Its success is likely to give more attention to a health information technology approach that has been in development for at least three years and is on the cusp of expanded federal regulation.

Digital Government

The emergence of the e-patient

The National Library of Medicine held a conference to highlight how patients are using health IT to help manage their own care.

Digital Government

VA said to save $3 billion by using health IT

A new study in Health Affairs journal says the Veterans Affairs Department saved billions by applying health IT systems to manage medical care for veterans.

Digital Government

Broadband plan lays groundwork for health IT growth

FCC recommends ways HHS and Congress could facilitate broadband access for health IT.

Acquisition

HHS awards $267M for health IT regional centers

The Health and Human Services Department funds centers designed to help doctors and rural hospitals use health IT.

Digital Government

How the VA VistA system is like a fighter jet

Dr. Steve Ondra's metaphor comparing the VA's electronic health record systems to fighter jets took wing at the AFCEA Health IT Day today.

People

VA, DOD to expand virtual EHR program

The Veterans Affairs and Defense departments are expanding demonstration projects of VLER electronic records program, officials said today.

People

Health IT data security crude in some companies, says CMS CIO

Julie Boughn, the chief information officer for Medicare and Medicaid, says companies that want to work with her agency often display amateurish data security.

Digital Government

AHRQ publishes data formats for some electronic reporting

The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has released its updated version of common data formats to enable electronic reporting of patient safety data.

Digital Government

HHS provides $144M for health IT training and research

The Health and Human Services Department is handing out $144 million to set up health IT workforce training programs and health IT research projects.

Modernization

GSA cloud savings said to be significant despite overstatement

Although a GSA official recently overstated cloud computing savings, experts say the actual number is still pretty impressive.