Latest California Healthline Stories
Health Care Stimulus Funding Process Picking Up Speed
California already has received $3.3 billion and expects to receive a total of $11 billion by the end of 2010 under a federal stimulus package provision that increases federal matching payments to state Medicaid programs. Meanwhile, the stimulus package’s health IT provisions are beginning to take shape.
U.S. Seeks Input for Establishing Regional IT Extension Centers
Last week, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology formally invited comments on how to form a network of regional extension centers to help medical providers choose and use electronic health records. Comments are due by 5 p.m. June 11.
CalRHIO Says It’s Ready To Go Statewide; Others Have Their Doubts
Flanked by a newly rolled-out partnership with 23 hospitals on one side and a promise of federal stimulus money on the other, the California Regional Health Information Organization declares itself ready to grow. Some IT insiders, however, are not convinced CalRHIO would make a good statewide umbrella.
Farm Worker Health Record Effort Grows in San Joaquin Valley
Billed as the first of its kind in the country, a pilot project is creating personal health records for farm workers in the San Joaquin Valley. The project is part of $6 million in new state grants for projects aimed at improving health care delivery systems for underserved populations.
Robotic Telemetry Expands Patient Care Options for Small Hospitals Throughout California
Jim Gude, an intensive care physician in Northern California, Ben Kanter of Pomerado Hospital in Escondido, Valerie Takes of Palm Drive Hospital in Sebastopol and Yulun Wang of InTouch Health discussed the trend with California Healthline.
Health IT Initiatives Less Likely To Be Hijacked, Officials Say
Health IT systems are less susceptible to the kind of hijacking that put San Francisco’s computer systems in limbo for nine days last month, according to health officials. Security regulations in HIPAA guard against it, they say.
Telemedicine Efforts Target Uninsured, Rural Hispanics
Use of telemedicine is becoming a more common way to treat chronic diseases among specific underserved populations, such as Hispanics. Two programs in the state have had early success using the technology to stave off development of more serious and costly conditions among people with diabetes.
California Could Become National Model for Telemedicine
Given California’s size, large percentage of rural residents and policymakers’ willingness to find innovative ways to boost health care quality, the state is well positioned to become a model for telemedicine adoption and use. To seize this opportunity, the state must first alleviate some of the economical, regulatory and behavioral barriers preventing providers from deploying the technology.
Largest Physician Group in California Seen as National Leader on Price Transparency
The CFO of HealthCare Partners Medical Group and Donald Crane of the California Association of Physicians Groups spoke with California Healthline about HealthCare Partners’ decision to post prices for some services online.
Health Cost Comparison Web Sites Slowly Catching On
Health care cost comparison Web sites are cropping up nationwide, even though cost information does not seem to be the top priority of consumers who researching health information online. Health care experts say that it is only a matter of time before consumers embrace online price comparison tools.