Latest California Healthline Stories
Poor Oversight Hinders Calif. IT Projects, Doc Licensing System
A state audit finds that the California Department of Technology’s poor oversight resulted in a project for processing online applications and renewals for health care providers to far exceed its original budget. The audit notes that officials did not stop funding the project despite persistent issues. Los Angeles Times‘ “PolitiCal” et al.
CMS Plans To Target Doctors in Open Payments Site Outreach Efforts
CMS officials say they want to increase physician awareness of the Open Payments System and encourage doctors to register and review the accuracy of data included on the website. CMS’ past outreach efforts have focused on the drug and device industries. Modern Healthcare.
Calif. Senate Committee Tackles Health Care Costs, Access Issues
Stakeholders at a state Senate Committee on Health hearing this week discussed how high health care costs are affecting residents’ access to care. Experts noted that high-deductible health plans can deter Californians from accessing care or lead to medical debt. KQED’s “State of Health” et al.
KFF Poll Finds ACA Support Has Increased
The divide between the percentage of U.S. residents who support the Affordable Care Act and those who do not is the narrowest it has been since 2012, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation poll released Thursday. The survey found that 41% of respondents view the law favorably, while 43% view it unfavorably. That is down from 53% opposing and 37% supporting it last July. New York Times.
UCSF Shared Decision-Making Program a Model for U.S.
Hospitals and clinics in California and other states increasingly are turning to shared decision-making to facilitate better collaboration between doctors and patients. Under a program at UC-San Francisco, patients receive physician-approved DVDs, pamphlets or links that help explain their treatment options, and UCSF doctors ask patients about their priorities and goals. Experts say the UCSF model has been a model for other programs nationwide. Kaiser Health News/The Atlantic.
Stakeholders Discuss State’s Open Health Data Portal
At California’s Health and Human Services Open DataFest in Sacramento this week, experts discussed the state’s HHS Open Data Portal, which launched in August 2014. Dan Kim, chief deputy director of operations at the California Department of Public Health, said that hospitals’ health care-associated infection rates have been published for the last three years and that the portal’s Web traffic increased from 1,600 page views per year to a total of more than one million views. The state plans to boost usability of the portal as more data are added, according to officials. Government Technology.
California Hospital News Roundup for the Week of March 20, 2015
San Francisco General Hospital has launched a pilot program for California’s first rapid tuberculosis genetic test. The California Nurses Association has voted to approve a potential strike over staffing and medical benefit changes for nurses at the Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital.
UCLA’s Clinical Informatics Fellowship Program One of Seven To Obtain Accreditation
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education has approved UCLA’s Clinical Informatics Fellowship Program. The program is one of just seven programs to gain approval. In April, participants for the two-year fellowship will be selected. Clinical Innovation & Technology.
Boxer Announces Support for Medical Marijuana Bill
On Tuesday, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) signed on as a cosponsor to a bill (S 683) that would end the federal ban on medical marijuana. Zachary Coile, the senator’s director of communications, said Boxer “is a strong supporter of California’s medical marijuana law and she believes that patients, doctors and caregivers in states like California should be able to follow state law without fear of federal prosecution.” Washington Post‘s “GovBeat,” SF Weekly.
$3.3B in Fraudulent Health Care Payments Recouped in FY 2014
HHS and the Department of Justice say the Obama administration recovered $3.3 billion in fraudulent health care payments in fiscal year 2014. In addition, over the last three years, the administration recovered $7.70 for every $1 spent looking into potential health care-related fraud and abuse. Wall Street Journal.