Diana Manos
A report released Nov. 29 by the Office of Inspector General calls for random audits of doctors and hospitals prior to payout through the meaningful use EHR incentive program, to ensure they have qualified. It is also calling for EHR certification changes to allow for reporting of yes/no measures.
The National Quality Forum (NQF) announced Monday it has endorsed 10 behavioral health quality measures aimed at addressing such issues as alcohol and tobacco abuse, antipsychotic medication adherence and follow-up after hospitalization for mental illness.
A new global study by the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics identifies six levers that can be used to increase medication adherence, possibly saving some $500 billion in healthcare spending worldwide.
In a deal that signals the increased interest in using clinical data to transform the delivery of healthcare, Deloitte Consulting announced Monday that it has acquired Newton, Mass.-based healthcare data warehousing and analytics firm Recombinant Data Corp.
Venture capital and M&A activity in the health IT sector remained strong in Q3 2012, according to a survey conducted by Mercom Capital Group. Health information management companies received the most funding as a technology group with $101 million in 20 deals, followed by mobile health companies with $39 million in seven deals and social health network companies with $26 million in four deals.
Johnson City, TN-based Mountain States Health Alliance (MSHA) has been named the recipient of the NQF's 2012 National Quality Healthcare Award. MSHA is the nineteenth organization to receive the honor.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has added 89 more accountable care organizations (ACOs) to coordinate care and improve quality for Medicare patients in 40 states and Washington, D.C.
Acting CMS administrator Marilyn Tavenner and other healthcare leaders discuss how the industry is dealing with the practical issues of establishing ACOs at the Third National Accountable Care Organization (ACO) Summit in Washington, D.C., June 6-8.
One of the government's goals is to align its priorities with the private sector, including the development of accountable care organizations, said Marilyn Tavenner, acting administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, in a keynote address Thursday at the Third National ACO Summit in Washington, D.C.
The American Medical Association has called on CMS to extend the ICD-10 deadline two years.