Latest California Healthline Stories
California Making Progress in Digital Transition
California is making progress in its transition to electronic health records, state officials said Thursday in an update on the state’s eHealth Initiative.
“Electronic health records are really changing the quality of care individuals are receiving,” said Linette Scott, chief medical information officer for the Department of Health Care Services.
So far, California has allocated $775 million in federal funds to hospitals, doctors and other health care providers to support health information exchange technology, Scott said in a conference call. “It demonstrates a change in the way health care is delivered,” she said.
Direct Messaging Called Major Advance in State’s HIE Effort
The health information technology community got a chance to see direct messaging — a new way to move information between providers who use different electronic health record systems — in action last week at a two-day conference.
Future of Health IT on Display at Gathering
The future of health care depends on the present of health information technology.
That was the take-home message yesterday, during the first day of a two-day conference on the progress and promise of health IT in California. The gathering is called “Connecting California to Improve Patient Care in 2012: Practical Solutions for Health Information Exchange and Quality Analytics.” That mouthful was nothing compared to the arcane and complex conversation during the first of a two-day conference in Rohnert Park. The conference concludes today.
“We are using data to improve people’s health care,” said Linette Scott, chief medical information officer for the state Department of Health Care Services. Scott said the success of state health care projects, like the duals demonstration project (also known as the Coordinated Care Initiative), for instance, depends on the successful development of information technology.
Targeting Technology To Treat Senior Population
A new organization — AgeTech California — hopes to help California care for its growing senior population by making greater and better use of technology like home telehealth systems and remote medication management.
California Offers HIPAA Security Rule Toolkit
California’s Office of Health Information Integrity is offering a no-cost, online toolkit to help California health care providers navigate the federal rules governing the security of patient information in electronic health records.
After 2 Years of Cal eConnect, What’s Next for HIE in California?
At Cal eConnect, one CEO left, another bailed on the job before he started, and now the board of directors dissolved its grant agreement with the state. If it goes right, the latter move may be the best thing that could happen to California’s primary health information exchange facilitator.
Cal eConnect ‘Not Able To Move Fast Enough’
Cal eConnect, an important part of the state’s ambitious health information exchange effort, is no longer the same independent entity it was when it was born two years ago. The organization’s efforts to make electronic health records ubiquitous in California will continue, officials said, but under a different organizational umbrella.
At a meeting last week, the 22-member board rescinded its cooperative grant agreement with the state.
On Wednesday, state officials announced that Cal eConnect will now be part of the Institute for Population Health Improvement at UC-Davis. Officials said the same work will continue in a new administrative structure.
Federal Health IT Activity Continues in First Quarter of 2012
Federal health IT efforts continued in the first quarter of 2012, with the release of proposed rules for Stage 2 of the meaningful use incentive program and the appointment of Todd Park as the country’s new chief technology officer.
New Leader, New Plan, New EHR Initiative for Cal eConnect
The success of California’s health information exchange depends in part on the coordination and guidance of Cal eConnect and its energetic new CEO, Laura Landry. She said California is “on the verge of a breakthrough” in health information exchange.
Health IT: The Common Ground in Health Care Reform?
Arguments inside and outside the Supreme Court building last month reaffirmed the nation’s sharp divide over the federal health reform law. But one aspect of the law is likely to continue drawing support from both sides of the aisle: health information technology.