Healthcare IT News - February 2009 - (Page 1) emergeNcy tecH: Focus on cost grows page 26 Published in partnership with THe newS SourCe for HealTHCare inforMaTion TeCHnology n February 2009 Stage 7 New award offered to providers who reach HIMSS Analytics’ pinnacle of paperless. Page 17 News IT pledge has market on pins and needles Some vendors look to big boost from government bucks. WaShiNGtON By eriC wiCKlunD, Managing Editor iT simmering Congress has plenty of chefs stirring the $20 billion that’s in the pot for healthcare IT. Page 3 Coding 2013 The government has extended by two years the deadline it originally proposed for ICD-10 switch. Page 6 commeNtary – President Barack Obama’s pledge to inject $50 billion into the healthcare field over the next five years to develop and support technology has many in the industry wondering how and where that money might be spent. On Jan. 22, 117 CEOs and business leaders sent a letter to House and Senate leaders supporting federal investment in healthcare information technology, broadband and energy smart grids, saying they “will provide our nation with a near-term stimulus and long-term comparative advantage.” “Congress and the new Administration face a formidable electronic meditask, res tor cal records) ing the nation’s and acceleratconfidence and ing broadband encouraging deployment the innovation, recommended risk-taking and by President entrepreneurObama will not ship needed to President Obama pledged to inject only stimulate get our country $50 billion over five years in healthcare IT. the economy, moving again. The investments in a smarter but will also accelerate long-term energy grid, healthcare IT (such as MarKeT see page 25 CIOs move to boardroom Healthcare techies drop bits and bytes for executive role. ealthcare chief By Bernie Monegain, Editor Key to safety Joint Commission’s new rules put spotlight on informed consent as critical to safety. Page 9 HosPItaLs & IDNs New York AG strikes down Ingenix data By Bernie Monegain, Editor NeW YOrK Harnessing data Gathering, sharing data at center of government plan to battle healthcareacquired infections. Page 10 PHysIcIaN PractIces & ambuLatory care H Bedside manners Physicians warn that technology is no substitute for bedside skills and knowing the patient. Page 13 Payers Portable records One insurer offers portability for its members. Page 22 VeNDors Patient flow New acquisition gives Eclipsys ability to help hospitals better manage their beds. Page 24 CliniCal Toolkit eD technology More than ever emphasis is on return on investment. Page 26 information officers across the country are taking a more strategic role at their institutions than they ever have before, according to industry experts. “Over time the role has changed dramatically,” said Joanne Sunquist, CIO at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, and chairwoman of the board of trustees for the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives, known as CHIME. Sunquist said that typically healthcare CIOs have come up through the tech ranks, but increasingly, employers are giving leadership qualities more weight. Also, “more and more they are looking for CIOs with a clinical background,” said Sunquist, who has a master’s degree in nursing administration and started her Healthcare CIOs are being asked to take part in strategic decisions, know more about the the inner workings of the hospital and be able to work a room. healthcare career as a nurse. It’s as if modern day CIOs are being asked to get in touch with their inner executive. “It’s much more about the leadership,” Sunquist said. Sunquist added that the membership of CHIME has changed over the years to reflect more diversity both in gender and type of experience. “We’re seeing a lot more variety of backgrounds,” she said. Cio see page 12 cIos reporting to ceos N=250 32% 41% 1992 2008 e l Connect: gRapHS 0209 Judy Kirby, Survey of cHime memberS – Aetna and United HealthGroup have agreed to pay millions of dollars to members who were scammed in what New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo called a “rigged” billing system. At the center of the investigation Andrew Cuomo is a database operated by Ingenix, a company owned by United HealthGroup. Investigators say the Ingenix system provided faulty data that led to overcharging consumers millions of dollars for using out-of-network doctors. United HealthGroup will pay $350 million, while Aetna will pay $20 million under an agreement with Cuomo. The settlements, announced last month follow an agreement with United HealthGroup earlier in the month in which United DaTaBaSe see page 29 ManageMenT Solutions Doc community stalks Influenza online By Molly Merrill, Associate Editor rHio traction Planning, vision, patience and improvisation are critical. Page 27 www.HealthcareItNews.com MedTech Publishing Company / Vol. 6 No. 2 – Sermo, Inc., an online physician community, is investigating the ability of 100,000 physicians to track and potentially prevent infectious diseases. caMBriDGe. Ma Participating physicians will use technology from Sermo called Sermo FluMonitor to collect and aggregate clinical observations across the country. Cambridge, Mass.-based Sermo lives,” says Sharp. “Sermo’s provides U.S. licensed phyunique online community sicians with a free memalready brings physicians berships to its community. together to report bedside Adam Sharp, an emergency data and exchange clinical physician and chief mediinsights. Until now, this cal officer of Sermo, says type of tracking mechanism its membership is currently Gary Munk was simply not possible.” more than 100,000. Physicians can monetize their The Sermo FluMonitor will allow physicians to report geo- Sermo experience by providing their graphically-based clinical observa- expertise as a resource for financial services firms, healthcare institutions in real time. “This endeavor has the potential tions and government agencies. The 120 physicians who are to be an extremely useful resource in tracking disease and saving SerMo see page 15 http://www.HealthcareITNews.com
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