Topic

Interoperability


The Integration Dance

Editorial | Wednesday, August 25 2010
Written by Lisa Fratt
Integration is a tricky business. Even the best in the business admit (privately) that their solutions are less than ideal. Yet, as this month’s cover story reminds us, integration and interoperability have become business essentials. Facilities that can’t connect disparate IT systems internally and externally are likely to lose profits, patients and physicians. Facilities that do make meaningful, seamless and rich connections, on the other hand, will thrive by meeting the needs of patients and providers.
 

Charting a Course for Interoperability: Connecting Data, Connecting Patients

Cover Story | Wednesday, August 25 2010
Written by Lisa Fratt
With the feds brandishing more than $20 billion dollars to encourage health IT adoption and usher in a new era of streamlined healthcare, interest in integration stands at an all-time high.  The ability to integrate, share and route data among disparate systems is essential. And the rationale extends beyond dollars. “This isn’t just another way to deliver information. It’s a way to stay connected to the communities where you do business, so patients can get the best possible care,” says Susan Hollabaugh, project manager, clinical information at RadNet, Inc., in Los Angeles.
 

Ingenix continues acquisition spree with Axolotl

Top Stories | Monday, August 16 2010
Ingenix, a subsidiary of payor UnitedHealth Group, is acquiring HIE service provider Axolotl, for an undisclosed amount. The Axolotl management team will remain in place and lead Ingenix’ efforts in healthcare community connectivity, according to Ingenix.
 

Survey: 85% of providers in process of EHR implementation

Industry News | Wednesday, July 21 2010
EHR implementations are the top priority among healthcare IT professionals, with 85 percent indicating that they are either in the midst of an EHR project or plan to start one within the next 18 months, based on a survey from Embarcadero Technologies.
 

HIT Standards Committee: NHIN to build on interop initiatives, filling 'gaps’

Conference News | Wednesday, June 30 2010
Written by Mary Stevens
To move the Nationwide Health Information Exchange (NHIN) from a set of broad policies to production systems, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) must translate strategy into operational actions, according to Doug Fridsma, MD, PhD, acting director of the Office of Interoperability and Standards at ONC. Fridsma made his comments during a presentation with Arien Malec, coordinator for the NHIN Direct, ONC.
 

HRS: Facilities shouldn't fear EMR implementation, but should shop around

Conference News | Wednesday, May 19 2010
Written by Kaitlyn Dmyterko
DENVER—To meet looming meaningful use deadlines, practices must shop for the right EMR and not let the outlying fears of technology and possible challenges outweigh the benefits, said David L. Scher, MD, from PinnacleHealth System and Associated Cardiologists in Harrisburg, Pa., during a presentation at the 31st annual Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) scientific session May 14.
 

CMS awards more than $9 million to four states

Awards | Tuesday, May 11 2010
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced awards of more than $9 million in federal matching funds to help four state Medicaid programs prepare to implement EHRs.
 

EU Connectathon oversaw 2,250 interoperability tests

Industry News | Tuesday, May 04 2010
Several IHE profiles (Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise) were endorsed for national European programs in several countries where IHE national initiatives are active, which was one of the most important results observed last month at the 10th annual European Connectathon in Bordeaux, France.
 

Merge completes Amicas merger

Top Stories | Wednesday, April 28 2010
Merge Healthcare successfully closed the merger agreement with Amicas Wednesday, creating a medical imaging software and health IT technologies provider.
 

Sankaran to exit Federal Health Architecture

Industry News | Wednesday, April 28 2010
Vish Sankaran, program director of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT’s Federal Health Architecture,  is leaving the program within the next several weeks “to seek other opportunities.”
 

IHE-Europe elects 2010 leadership, expands membership

Industry News | Thursday, April 22 2010
Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE)-Europe, an organization that seeks to accelerate the adoption of EHRs by improving the exchange of information among healthcare systems, has re-elected Peter Kuenecke as vendor co-chair for an additional two-year term.
 

Radiology provider deploys HIE technology

Contracts & Installations | Tuesday, April 20 2010
Radiology services provider Optimal IMX has implemented MobileMD's technology and services to establish health IT connectivity and interoperability with its client facilities and physician community.
 

Interoperability & Standards: Creating a Seamlessly Integrated Enterprise

Features | Monday, April 19 2010
Written by Michael Bassett
The creation of an integrated enterprise is becoming increasingly important, not only to successfully manage patient care, but to protect the bottom line. Interoperability strategies will have to adhere to accepted medical and communications standards in order to connect systems—including radiology—and create a seamlessly integrated enterprise.
 

Report: Public health labs need better IT infrastructure for data exchange

Industry News | Tuesday, April 13 2010
Without a basic IT infrastructure, public health laboratories will be unable to effectively manage their laboratory data or electronically message laboratory test results, according to an article in Public Health Reports.
 

HIMSS New England: R.I. Senator calls for innovative leadership

Conference News | Wednesday, March 31 2010
NORWOOD, Mass.--The role of leadership is imperative in the current healthcare reform, according to Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, who spoke at the fifth annual HIMSS New England Chapter Public Policy Forum Wednesday.
 

CMS gives $6.6M to six states for EHR federal matching funds

Industry News | Thursday, March 25 2010
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will give a total of $6.6 million in federal matching funds to six states' Medicaid programs for planning activities necessary to implement the EHR incentive program established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
 

HIMSS: Axolotl debuts Elysium Open Access platform

Conference News | Wednesday, March 17 2010
Axolotl unveiled its Elysium Open Access web services-based platform at the HIMSS10 show in Atlanta last week. In addition, the company demonstrated its integration capabilities with a variety of other vendors’ systems at the HIMSS10 Interoperability Showcase.
 

HIMSS10 says goodbye, with higher attendee stats

Conference News | Sunday, March 14 2010
The annual Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) 2010 Conference & Exhibition in Atlanta March 1-4 attracted more health IT professionals, more vendors and more Interoperability Showcase activities than last year, according to HIMSS' preliminary figures.
 

Intelerad lands multi-site N.C. installs

Contracts & Installations | Tuesday, March 09 2010
Intelerad Medical Systems' InteleOne solution has been selected by the multi-site Carolina Regional Radiology in North Carolina to interconnect its facilities.
 

HIMSS: Philips unites informatics technologies under IntelliSphere

Conference News | Thursday, March 04 2010
ATLANTA--At HIMSS10 this week, Philips unveiled IntelliSphere, a new identity for its portfolio of healthcare informatics products.
 
Web Exclusives

Feature: U.S. needs national strategy to curb imaging overutilization

Medical imaging overutilization--a growing concern in the U.S.--exposes patients to unnecessary radiation, while also adding to rising healthcare costs, according to a study published online Aug. 24 in Radiology. In an interview, William R. Hendee, PhD, lead author, reviewed various methods by which medical imaging could be curtailed.

Radiology: Prelim study shows CE breast CT outperforms CT, mammo

Dedicated contrast-enhanced (CE) breast CT delivered significantly improved conspicuity of malignant breast lesions, including ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), compared with unenhanced breast CT and mammography, according to a study published in the September issue of Radiology.

Radiology: Rad role may evolve as image-guided biopsies trend up

CT, ultrasound and MRI have helped shift biopsy techniques away from more invasive approaches toward image-guided percutaneous techniques, according to a study published in the September issue of Radiology. The trend toward less-invasive approaches translates into enhanced safety and efficiency and could lead to more interaction between patients and radiologists.

CMS Webinar: Incentive payments to offset EHR adoption, not reimburse

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) EHR incentive payments are not considered reimbursement for money expended on EHR technology, but are intended to offset the cost associated with adoption and ongoing meaningful use, according to CMS during an Aug. 12 webinar.

CMS webinar: Eligible professionals can expect EHR incentives in 2011

Funding incentives for EHR use is the main goal of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) meaningful use initiative, and there are incentive programs for both hospitals and eligible professionals, according to Elizabeth Holland, health insurance specialist at the Department of Health and Human Services, who spoke during a CMS-sponsored webinar Aug. 8.

Webinar: Stage 1 of meaningful use is for quality reporting acclimation

Stage 1 requirements for meaningful use incentives aim to strike a balance between the overall goal of EHR use and widespread adoption, while avoiding added work, said Jonathan Teich, MD, PhD, chief medical informatics officer at Elsevier Health Services, during a HIMSS webinar titled “Meaningful Use: Safety and Quality of Care.”

PORTALS

Advanced Visualization

Molecular Imaging

Integration Tools & Interoperability

More Portal Topics