Stay ahead of the headlines

Aug 28, 2024·ctlin.blog

The article addresses the challenge of balancing safety and efficiency in electronic medication alerts. The EMO committee aims to reduce unnecessary alerts that cause cognitive burden on prescribers while maintaining patient safety. Pharmacists often hesitate to remove any alerts due to risk aversion, which can result in operational overload and desensitization to important warnings. The suggested solution is fostering consensus within a diverse committee, including doctors, pharmacists, and IT specialists, to make informed, collective decisions about which alerts to keep. This approach mitigates fear of individual blame and ensures a balanced consideration of differing perspectives for patient safety. The article emphasizes using principled, collaborative decision-making to enhance the utility of EHR systems.

Aug 22, 2024·Healthcare IT News

AllianceChicago is a network of over 76 community health centers across 23 states, focusing on improving health equity through collaboration and health information technology (HIT). With a history spanning more than 25 years, the organization supports community-based research, innovative partnerships, and the development of tools like PRAPARE to address social determinants of health. Andrew Hamilton, RN, CIO, and deputy director, discusses how HIT supports equitable care, enhances public health surveillance through standardized EHR systems, and integrates social care needs data to foster a more inclusive healthcare system. The emphasis is on collaborative efforts, data interoperability, and addressing social needs at both individual and population levels to optimize health outcomes and equity.

Jul 19, 2024·Becker's Hospital Review

The article highlights Epic's commanding presence in the electronic health record (EHR) market through 12 key statistics. Epic holds more than 305 million patient records and experienced a net market share increase in 2023, the only EHR vendor to do so, achieving 39.1% of the U.S. acute care hospital market share. It now covers 51.5% of multispecialty hospital beds in the U.S., surpassing Oracle Health's 23.8%, and gained 633 U.S. hospitals from 2017 to 2023. In 2023, Epic was the sole EHR vendor to add U.S. academic medical centers and significant children's hospitals. Globally, it leads the hospital EHR market after contracts in Canada and Australia. Epic's revenue reached $4.9 billion, with its founder's net worth hitting $8 billion. Epic will also be implemented by all health systems on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals Honor Roll, including Northwell Health. Significant 2023 partnerships included Northwell, UPMC, and Intermountain Health.

Jul 11, 2024·Becker's Hospital Review

A Texas hospital has reverted to using paper records following the expiration of its electronic health record (EHR) contract. This change comes as the facility grapples with financial difficulties, which have also resulted in staff layoffs. The details were reported by D Magazine.

Jul 9, 2024·Becker's Hospital Review

Epic achieved the largest global hospital EHR market share after significantly expanding its reach in 2023 by adding substantial contracts in Canada and Australia, as reported by KLAS Research. Specifically, Epic added 203 hospitals and 24,117 beds outside the U.S., with New South Wales in Australia contributing heavily by transitioning 191 hospitals from Oracle Health to Epic. Oracle Health and Meditech also saw notable growth, with 66 and 43 new hospitals, respectively. Dedalus made significant gains as well, securing deals in Italy and Latin America, adding 147 hospitals and 31,424 beds. The report highlighted a peak in EHR purchases with 186 acquisitions across 734 hospitals outside the U.S. In the U.S. market, Epic continues to lead, adding 153 hospitals and 28,788 beds, achieving a 39.1% market share.

Jul 8, 2024·Becker's Hospital Review

Health systems are heavily investing in EHRs and associated technologies like AI and ambient listening to enhance healthcare delivery over the next decade. Experts predict that future EHRs will enable more personalized, faster, and streamlined treatments by leveraging vast amounts of standardized data. Key developments will include enhanced data visualization, asynchronous care, and better care coordination, facilitated by companies such as Epic, Oracle, and Meditech. EHR interoperability will improve communication and reduce clinician burnout. Predictive analytics and integrated AI will shift focus from reactive to proactive treatment, improving chronic disease outcomes and patient satisfaction. However, achieving these advancements will require policy changes to ensure patient privacy and security.

Jun 19, 2024·beckershospitalreview.com

Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California, leverages electronic health record (EHR) data to monitor and evaluate medical device performance, aiming to enhance patient care quality and safety. Liz Paxton, PhD, head of medical device surveillance, discusses how their EHR tracks over 4.2 million devices, aiding in identifying safety issues and optimizing surgical outcomes. Initially developed as a paper-based system, the registry now integrates directly with EHRs, facilitating comprehensive data collection on patient characteristics and surgical processes. This approach not only helps in identifying high-performing devices but also enables personalized patient care through risk factor analysis. Kaiser Permanente shares its findings with the FDA and the broader medical community, contributing to national and international healthcare improvements. Future plans include evolving from traditional registries to utilizing existing EHR data for a national surveillance system, aiming to enhance patient safety by early detection of device-related issues.

May 20, 2024·Becker's Hospital Review

The acquisition and implementation of a new Epic EHR system have significantly contributed to Cleveland-based University Hospitals' operating losses for 2022 and 2023, totaling over half a billion dollars in deficits. Despite this, the hospital's investment in the MyChart patient portal, which cost $179 million and went live in October, is starting to yield positive results. Chief Financial Officer Bradley Bond highlighted improvements such as easier appointment bookings, streamlined billing, and simplified medical record transfers as early benefits of the new system.

Apr 8, 2024·BankInfoSecurity

In a complex development following the February Change Healthcare cyberattack, the cybercrime gang RansomHub is now demanding UnitedHealth Group pay a ransom for 4TB of sensitive data allegedly stolen by BlackCat, a ransomware-as-a-service group. Despite UnitedHealth Group previously paying a $22 million ransom to BlackCat to secure a decryptor key and prevent a data leak, RansomHub's demand highlights the unreliable nature of negotiating with cybercriminals. The stolen data reportedly includes personal information of millions, including active U.S. military and Navy personnel, alongside medical records and insurance information. UnitedHealth Group has acknowledged awareness of RansomHub's claims and is cooperating with authorities, while cybersecurity experts caution against payment, suggesting the incident could be part of a broader trend of criminal infighting and attempts to confuse law enforcement efforts.

Apr 8, 2024·Forbes

Surgeons at the Sint-MaartensKliniek in the Netherlands utilized a 3D-printed, patient-specific hip implant from Materialise for a complex case, highlighting a growing trend towards custom medical devices. The use of off-the-shelf implants, which come in generic sizes, often leads to poor outcomes and additional surgeries due to improper fit. The industry has seen a significant increase in demand for custom 3D-printed implants and surgical guides, spurred by advancements in software from companies like Axial3D and Materialise that have reduced the time needed to convert patient scans into accurate 3D models from weeks to a day or less. This shift towards personalization is being driven by the potential for better surgical outcomes, reduced operation times, and quicker recovery periods. Major medical device makers are investing in patient-specific products, with innovations in AI and machine learning streamlining the design process and potentially reducing production times. Despite the advantages, the adoption of patient-specific implants faces challenges, including the need for a robust supply chain and regulatory guidance, with the FDA expected to issue guidelines on in-hospital 3D printing of implants in 2024.

Apr 4, 2024·Fierce Healthcare

Epic is set to release an AI validation software suite aimed at enabling healthcare organizations to evaluate and monitor AI models for accuracy, performance, and safety across local patient populations. Designed to automate data collection and provide real-time metrics, this suite seeks to streamline the time-consuming data mapping process, allowing for AI testing and validation at a local level with ongoing monitoring capabilities. This initiative addresses the healthcare industry's challenge in assessing AI technologies, emphasizing the importance of local context in achieving meaningful clinical outcomes. Additionally, Epic plans to make the suite's monitoring template and data schema publicly available to support the deployment of custom and third-party AI models, aiming to facilitate a more transparent and accountable use of AI in healthcare.

Apr 1, 2024·The Health Care Blog

In the article "The Latest AI Craze: Ambient Scribing," Matthew Holt delves into the evolving technology of ambient scribing, a solution designed to alleviate the burdensome chore of medical documentation for healthcare professionals. Holt outlines the significant advancements in voice recognition and natural language processing that have led to the development of ambient scribing tools capable of accurately translating the clinical encounter into usable medical notes. He highlights how this technology, pioneered by companies like Nuance's DAX, Abridge, and Nabla, among others, has begun to address the longstanding issue of documentation burnout among doctors by facilitating a more efficient process for creating SOAP notes and integrating them into electronic medical records (EMRs). Holt also reflects on the potential for further integration of ambient scribing technology into the healthcare workflow, enhancing clinical decision support, and automating aspects of patient care tasks. He predicts a future where the use of ambient scribing becomes widespread, transforming the traditional methods of medical documentation and significantly reducing the administrative load on clinicians.

Mar 26, 2024·Physicians Practice

**Digitally Transforming Primary Care - James F. Jordan (Mar 25, 2024):** The integration of digital technologies into primary care is revolutionizing healthcare by enhancing patient care and improving practice efficiency. James F. Jordan explores how primary care physicians, by utilizing digital tools such as electronic health records (EHRs), telemedicine, and data analytics, can streamline operations and reduce non-value-added activities. These innovations not only boost practice efficiency but also allow for more patient-focused care, potentially restoring lost time and income for healthcare providers. This digital transformation, grounded in principles like Lean and Six Sigma, aims to minimize administrative burdens while amplifying direct patient interaction and care quality. **Disruptive Innovation: A Solution for American Healthcare - Neil Baum, MD (Mar 22, 2024):** Neil Baum addresses the critical need for disruptive innovation (DI) within the American healthcare system, highlighting its potential to drastically reduce costs while improving healthcare delivery and outcomes. By embracing DIs, such as expanding the roles of nurse practitioners and utilizing telemedicine, the system can shift towards a more efficient and patient-centered model. Baum advocates for the alignment of clinician skills with the complexity of medical issues and suggests a remodel toward more accessible and cost-effective care. The article emphasizes the necessity of overcoming regulatory and institutional inertia to enable these transformative changes, arguing that DI can lead to a sustainable, high-quality, and more affordable healthcare system.

Mar 21, 2024·Reinsurance News

The American Hospital Association has labeled the ransomware attack on Change Healthcare, a vital part of UnitedHealth Group’s Optum division, as the most significant cyberattack against the U.S. healthcare system to date. Occurring on February 21st, the attack disrupted services for Change Healthcare, a company responsible for processing 14 billion healthcare transactions annually. This incident has significantly affected doctors, hospital systems, and pharmacies, with predictions indicating a minimum of 30 days needed to restore core systems. UnitedHealth Group aims to restore some services by late March, while navigating the broader repercussions of the attack, including a $22 million ransom paid in Bitcoin. The situation highlights the healthcare system's vulnerability to cyberattacks and has prompted discussions on improving government responses and the role of cyber insurance in mitigating financial impacts on affected healthcare providers.

Mar 21, 2024·Drug Topics

The study discussed in the article sheds light on the ongoing disparities in digital health portal use, notably during and after the COVID-19 pandemic's peak periods. Key findings indicate that despite an overall increase in patient portal engagement spurred by the pandemic, significant gaps remain among older individuals, those with lower socioeconomic status, and individuals with limited health literacy. This work emphasizes the need for targeted efforts to enhance digital literacy and access, aligning with the goals of the 21st Century Cures Act for more transparent and accessible medical records. The research suggests a proactive approach in addressing technological and educational barriers to equalize healthcare access and improve outcomes for underrepresented populations.

Mar 20, 2024·SC Magazine

The ransomware attack on Change Healthcare by the group known as ALPHV or BlackCat, which allegedly demanded a $22 million ransom, has significantly disrupted healthcare delivery across the U.S., highlighting the vulnerabilities of the country's healthcare system. Despite efforts to restore services and mitigate financial impacts, many of Change Health's systems remain offline, with the outage potentially costing the company billions in lost revenue and clients. The attack not only illustrates a critical threat to healthcare cybersecurity but also emphasizes the sector's dependency on digital infrastructure and the urgent need for government support to bolster defenses and aid recovery. This incident is a stark reminder of the ongoing and evolving threat of cyberattacks on healthcare, necessitating a collective effort from industry stakeholders and legislative action to protect critical healthcare services and patient safety.

Mar 20, 2024·inews.co.uk

The article discusses the potential for a large-scale national cyber attack on critical infrastructure, emphasizing the vulnerability of medical technology and the NHS to such threats due to outdated security measures. It highlights Jake Moore, a global cybersecurity advisor, who details how a collective attack could have catastrophic consequences across various sectors, including hospitals, police stations, and the financial system. Despite this, Moore explains that life-saving equipment and critical services have safeguards like offline operation and alternative communication networks to mitigate the impact. Additionally, the article notes the UK's ongoing preparations against such threats, the constant attempts by hackers to target key infrastructure, and the resilience of the National Grid against cyber attacks due to rigorous monitoring and emergency protocols. The overarching message is cautious optimism that while the risk of a multifaceted cyber attack is real, the UK's defenses and preparedness efforts offer significant protection.

Mar 15, 2024·ABC7 Chicago

A ransomware group named Rhysida has reportedly sold data stolen from Lurie Children's Hospital, according to claims made by the group itself. The hospital has acknowledged these claims and is currently investigating with the help of internal and external cybersecurity experts as well as law enforcement. This cybersecurity breach has caused significant disruptions to the hospital's phone systems, electronic health records, and the MyChart online patient portal. While the hospital has managed to restore its phone lines and health records platform, the MyChart portal remains offline as the investigation continues.

Mar 14, 2024·Forbes

The UnitedHealth Group and its subsidiary, Change Healthcare, are under federal investigation following a major cyber attack last month, potentially compromising patient data. The Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights is examining whether health privacy laws were violated in the breach, which is considered a significant threat to the U.S. healthcare system. The attack, which has led to at least six class-action lawsuits, involved the hacker group Blackcat claiming they accessed extensive sensitive data. UnitedHealth has pledged to cooperate with the investigation and focus on system restoration and data protection. The incident underscores ongoing vulnerabilities in healthcare cybersecurity and raises questions about compliance with HIPAA regulations.

Mar 13, 2024·PYMNTS

Following a cyberattack on UnitedHealth by the hacker group Blackcat/ALPHV, American healthcare providers face potential credit implications, as noted by Moody's. The disruption, particularly affecting Change Healthcare's insurance billing service, has led to significant operational challenges for providers, with payment delays threatening their cash flow and operational capabilities. While UnitedHealth aims to restore and support affected services and providers, and the federal government has initiated steps to expedite Medicare and Medicaid payments, concerns about the adequacy of these measures persist among healthcare industry groups. This event is part of a larger trend of rising cyberattacks on the U.S. healthcare system, underscoring the ongoing vulnerability and the wider implications for businesses outside the health sector experiencing similar breaches.