Stacy Lawrence

SAN DIEGO—With standards to ensure electronic health record interoperability likely on the way in a few years, the next focus, according to National Health Information Technology Coordinator Dr. David Brailer, should be on gearing up regional health information networks. In a keynote speech here at the annual meeting of Chicago-based HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management […]

Analysts had been optimistic about the potential of using RFID technology to track pharmaceuticals, thereby curbing theft and counterfeiting while encouraging supply chain efficiency. In fact, last year technology market research firm ABI Research estimated that the shipments of life sciences RFID transponders would more than triple by the end of this year. But new […]

Misys Healthcare Systems, one of the largest companies specializing in health care IT, recently announced that it would acquire Payerpath, a private company that provides Web-based solutions for processing health insurance claims. Misys Healthcare Systems is one of a group of companies comprising Misys plc., a software company focused on both the banking and health […]

In October, the government will start issuing Personal Identity Verification cards to all federal employees and contractors. This week, the National Institute of Standards and Technology issued the final guidelines defining how biometrics should be stored on these identity cards. In August 2004, the President issued Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12 calling for a mandatory, […]

A new study suggests that despite a small risk of cell phones interfering with medical equipment, their use by medical personnel actually lowered the overall error rate due to adequate communication. Hospital policies prohibiting cell phone use may no longer be relevant. The electronic interference from mobile telephone has been a problem in the past […]

Not surprisingly, topics like yoga, fitness, sex and pilates dominate the list of health-related podcasts on Apple iTunes. But in the last few months, major health care institutions and scientific journals have all hurried to issue their own, much more sober, podcast offerings. This could mean that consumers, as well as doctors, scientists and other […]

Health care clinical software provider Allscripts LLC announced this week that it had agreed to acquire A4 Health Systems for $272 million in stock and cash. The acquisition is intended help Allscripts target small and midsized physician groups with practice management and electronic health record software. “Our vision is to make our products indispensable to […]

Impassioned by his experience with his brother Daniels battle with brain cancer, Steve Case is taking a two-pronged approach to working to improve the American health care system. This week, Steve Case presented his health care strategy to a group of leading industry executives and financiers at the annual JP Morgan Healthcare Conference. The event […]

Nearly one-third of American hospitals arent profitable or are just breaking even. Thats consistent with the previous finding of a survey of hospital CEOs conducted two years ago by consulting firm Deloitte & Touche. And while that may not sound very upbeat, the good news for the industry is that it hasnt gotten any worse […]

At the fifth White House Conference on Aging, held this week and occurring only once a decade, technology took center stage for the first time. Not only was the incorporation of technology into seniors lives among six guiding principles for the conference, but Intel Corporation chairman Craig Barrett provided a keynote speech for the event. […]

In early 2004, health IT became a national priority with President George W. Bush adopting it as a political cause. Although some progress has been made since then, the federal government is still in the very earliest stages of unraveling how to create a national health information system. The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the […]

The Food and Drug Administration recently began requiring drug manufacturers to submit prescription drug label information in a new electronic format that will allow health care providers and the general public to more easily access the product information found in the package inserts for all approved medicines in the United States. These new electronic product […]