Health IT Issues that Deserve a Second Read – February 2023
One of the ways that Answers Media is different from other media sites is the sense of community. The thought leaders in our community are good about sharing their thoughts on the issues of today. We publish at least eight guest posts a week now, so in case you missed some, here are the top ten read and shared guest posts in the month of February. You can also read previous month’s Top Ten Lists. Thank you for contributing and reading.
Most Played Radio Episode in February
From the Healthcare Rap & celebrating the 250th episode, Jared and Zain give a “State of the State” of Consumer Transformation. They start off by the numbers, sharing some figures from research across the industry about what consumers want and how healthcare organizations are meeting those demands (or not). Then they discuss who’s trending up and down and wrap up by creating a consumer cocktail. All that, plus the Flava of the Week about the rumors that CVS is exploring an acquisition of Oak Street Health. Can retailers, hospitals, and value-based primary care coexist, and can a less-hospital-centric version of healthcare benefit everyone?
Most Read Thought Leader Posts in February
Unclogging the Pipes of Your GI Practice
By Russ Arjal, MD, AGAF, Co-founder, Chief Medical Officer and President, Telebelly Health
Physicians in every specialty worry about making diagnostic errors. As a Gastroenterologist, I can relate to the pressure we put on ourselves to avoid mistakes that negatively impact a patient’s health. But while we hate to admit that we’re susceptible to occasional misjudgments, we’re much too comfortable with the friction and delays patients encounter when they need to get into a GI clinic. Continue reading…
The Hidden Cost of Managing Prospective Patients
By Ram Krishnan, CEO, Valant
Twitter: @Valant
Coordinating new patient inquiries is a top priority for both solo practitioners and managers of multi-provider behavioral health clinics. Prospective patient management may seem routine but it can be cost-prohibitive, if not handled correctly. Today, the hidden costs of managing prospective patients and mitigating those costs have a direct impact on the success of a behavioral healthcare practice. Continue reading…
Cybersecurity Considerations for Patient-Provider Messaging Platforms
By Katie Brenneman, Writer, Researcher
Twitter: @KatieBWrites93
If your healthcare facility or staff is making the switch to digital communications like so many others, you must do so with safety and security in mind. While digital communications with patients over email, messaging apps, and text might be more convenient, they can also expose your practice, your providers, and your patients to cyber threats that can put them at risk. Continue reading…
ChatGPT Confabulates and is Unprofessional
By William Hersh, MD, Professor and Chair, OHSU
Twitter: @williamhersh
Since my own explorations with ChatGPT in informatics knowledge last month, others using the system have racked up some impressive results. Most pertinent to biomedical informatics is ChatGPT’s passing grades on medical student licensing exams. It has also performed well on Wharton MBA and multi-state bar exams. Continue reading…
Technology and High-touch Healthcare for Managed Care Members
By Seth Ravine, Senior Vice President of Strategic Solutions, Modivcare
Twitter: @Modivcare
As managed Medicaid and Medicare Advantage (MA) continue to grow—more participants and health plan expansion—the need to effectively address health related social needs (HRSNs) increases proportionately. Unfortunately, the healthcare system is overwhelmed by the influx of individuals faced with significant health-related challenges. Continue reading…
Cures Act in the New Year: Four Simple Ways to Make the Transition Easier
By Patti Barkey, COE, Bowden Eye & Associates
Eye Surgery Center of North Florida, LLC
Dry Eye University – Dry Eye Access
The 21st Century Cures Act (also known simply as the Cures Act), signed into law on December 13, 2016, is bipartisan legislation designed to increase choice and access to electronic health information for patients and providers. Provisions in the law are intended to help accelerate drug and medical product development as well as bring new innovations and advances to the patients who need them faster and more efficiently. Continue reading…
Interoperability: A Brief History
By Jim Tate, EMR Advocate
Twitter: @jimtate
Since the days of Hippocrates, a primary goal of medicine has been the collection of records related to diseases and treatments. Someone along the bumpy trail of history had the clever thought to begin keeping patient specific records. Soon after that someone came up with the bright idea that perhaps the ability to move those records around from point A to point B would be an advantage. So birthed the concept of healthcare data interoperability. Continue reading…
HIPAA: Text Messaging and Chat Services
By Art Gross, President and CEO, HIPAA Secure Now!
Twitter: @HIPAASecureNow
As technology advances, more healthcare providers adopt digital technologies. Therefore, HIPAA compliance in regard to text messages and chat services becomes increasingly important. The HIPAA Privacy Rule was created to protect the privacy of personal health information. And that includes PHI that is transmitted via text message or other electronic messaging services. Continue reading…
Progression of Value-Based Care in 2023: What Tech Do You Need?
By Mayur Yermaneni, EVP, Strategy and Innovation, AssureCare
Twitter: @AssureCareLLC
Value-based care is one of the most important topics in healthcare transformation today and will be a prominent player in the healthcare landscape throughout 2023. The shift from fee-for-service models to performance-based reimbursement will continue to demonstrate better care for lower costs through incremental improvement and positive outcomes. While COVID-19 stymied adoption of at-risk models and progress toward VBC, the timing is now perfect for rapid and valuable advancements. Continue reading…
The Impact of and Solutions to Healthcare’s People Matching Problem
By Megan Pruente, MPH, RHIA, Director, Professional Services, Harris Data Integrity Solutions
Twitter: @PatientMatching
While the current state of patient matching is best described as tumultuous, progress toward a solution is being made thanks to efforts of stakeholders from across the spectrum. In the past year alone, we saw Section 510 temporarily removed from the U.S. House and Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies appropriations bills – the first time the Senate had done so in 20 years – Continue reading…
