People

Social Security plans IT improvements

Cobol replacement is a long-term goal of the Social Security Administration, SSA's commissioner plans information technology improvements with near-term benefits.

Digital Government

NIH researcher loses laptop with data on 2,500 patients

Officials apologize for lack of encryption on stolen laptop, but say patients will not be victims of identity theft or financial losses.

People

Bush administration calls for health IT to control costs

As part of a bill designed to cut costs, the administration could require doctors and hospitals to use electronic health records in treating Medicare patients.

People

Foreign hackers seek to steal Americans' health records

Homeland Security Department analyst warns that cyberthreats to health information systems are spreading from the military to the private sector.

Digital Government

Senators press Justice to permit e-prescribing of controlled substances

Letter to attorney general escalates pressure on Drug Enforcement Administration.

Digital Government

Senators urge DEA to legalize e-prescribing of controlled substances

Pressure to require e-prescribing grows as HHS Secretary Leavitt issues a statement backing a health IT mandate in exchange for higher Medicare payments for doctors.

Digital Government

Support grows for e-prescribing

HHS, lawmakers and associations make their cases to implement the technology

Digital Government

Mandate e-prescribing, committee advises HHS secretary

AHIC recommends that HHS seek authority from Congress to make e-prescribing a Medicare requirement.

Digital Government

'Wired' bill fails to win quick Senate passage

Changes are expected in this year's major health IT bill as sponsors seek to win approval without floor debate.

Digital Government

FCC OKs $417 million in grants for rural health networks

Sixty-nine projects to link rural health centers with one another and with urban areas will receive sums between $194,000 and $24.7 million.

Digital Government

Committee readies recommendations to extend broad health privacy protections

HHS advisory panel issues draft report calling for new laws and rules to cover nearly everyone who handles medical records.

Digital Government

Committee OKs bill to give NIST role in federal health IT

Rep. Gordon amends his bill to clarify that it will not compete with health IT programs under way at HHS.

People

White House order puts HHS in charge of biosurveillance efforts

President Bush's order on public health preparedness for a medical emergency says biosurveillance should rely on e-medical records where possible.

Digital Government

Ex-CMS chief: Resolve health IT privacy, security issues

Mark McClellan says the federal government should lead efforts to build trustworthiness into health IT systems and policies.

Acquisition

HHS awards $22.5M in contracts to health info exchanges

The exchanges will participate in trial implementations of the Nationwide Health Information Network.

Digital Government

CMS signals it will move to new billing codes

The Medicare agency hires AHIMA to study the effect of converting to ICD-10 codes for billing for medical care.

Digital Government

Senate health IT bill draws fire as it progresses

HHS objects to portions of the Wired for Health Care Quality Act concerning advisory committees and grants.

Digital Government

Privacy compliance has declined

A new survey shows fewer hospitals and health systems are complying with HIPAA.

Digital Government

Public favors health IT but not enough to sway votes

New poll shows 57 percent of Americans support building a nationwide health information network, and health IT is showing up on the candidates' radar screens, too.

Digital Government

Hacking into EHRs is too easy, group says

Hackers can access many electronic health records and modify them without the knowledge of the software’s legitimate users, according to a new study by an organization concerned about EHR vulnerabilities.