Latest California Healthline Stories
Public Health Information Portal Opens
The state Department of Public Health launched a new online data portal last week so that other public agencies and private innovators can create and design new applications for public use.
Progress on the Road to Data Sharing
Leaders in health information technology at an annual meeting in Santa Rosa last week reported significant progress in policy-making and technological advancements in California’s efforts to create a sophisticated data-sharing ecosystem.
Electronic Backpack for Foster Kids Launched in Ventura County
A pilot project using information technology and the Internet to coordinate social workers and health care providers working with foster children launched last week in Ventura County. The private-public partnership aims to be a model for other parts of California and the nation.
Committee Approves More Funding for IT System, Hopes To Ease Backlog Issue
State officials — who say an inadequate computer system is partly to blame for a backlog of 900,000 Medi-Cal applications — won approval yesterday from a budget subcommittee to increase funding for the state’s IT enrollment system.
Plan To Switch Eligibility IT Systems OK’d
The Senate health committee approved a proposal to change the information technology system the state uses to enroll Medi-Cal beneficiaries, a change that could have far-reaching impacts.
Changes Coming in California Medical Labs
California’s new partnership with a private accreditation organization — believed to be the first of its kind in the country — is one of several changes in store for clinical laboratories.
New Telehealth Program Aims To Increase Specialist Care in Northern California
Seeking to improve access to health care providers — especially specialists — for new enrollees under Covered California, Blue Shield of California and Adventist Health launched a telehealth initiative targeting Northern California rural communities.
UC-Merced, UC-Davis Collaborate on New Virtual Physical Therapy Software
A new version of a gaming system being used for health care applications in the Central Valley may motivate patients, cut costs and deliver efficient care in hard-to-reach situations.
Information Exchange Efforts Outlined
California health information exchange officials have produced a series of webinars examining innovations and developments throughout the state.
Teledentistry Gets Boost From Assembly
A bill to expand the virtual dental home by bringing teledentistry to rural Californians passed the Assembly floor on a near-unanimous vote yesterday.