Latest California Healthline Stories
New Law on Telehealth May Mean Better Care, Easy Access
A new telehealth law in California will institute a series of small regulatory changes that could affect the number of health care providers who can participate in telehealth and the number of patients who might benefit from it.
Federal Health IT Activity Heats Up in Q3 2011
There were numerous federal health information technology developments during the third quarter of 2011. For example, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT released its final health IT strategic plan, and President Obama proclaimed a week in September as National Health IT Week.
Some California School Children at High Risk for Whooping Cough Despite Vaccination Law
Linda Davis-Alldritt, a school nurse consultant for the California Department of Education, Marin County Public Health Officer Jason Eberhart-Phillips, Catherine Martin of the California Immunization Coalition and David Witt of Kaiser Permanente Medical Center in Marin spoke with California Healthline about the state’s new whooping cough vaccine mandate.
Ruling Raises Questions for Mental Health Coverage
An appellate court ruling in favor of a Blue Shield of California policyholder with anorexia could change how health insurers cover mental illness. However, health plans and advocates are divided on the ruling’s effects.
State Readies Medicaid EHR Incentive Program
California health care providers could corral as much as $1.4 billion in federal incentive money for the meaningful use of electronic health records. The state recently launched a staggered application process for its Medicaid portion of the program.
Wendy Everett of NEHI Discusses How New Technologies Can Improve Care, Cut Costs
Wendy Everett, founding president of the New England Healthcare Institute, spoke with California Healthline about efforts to encourage health care providers to adopt innovative electronic health systems that could improve health care quality and reduce costs.
The Next Five Years in Health IT: ONC’s Plan for the Future
The recently released Federal Health IT Strategic Plan outlines the federal government’s goals for using health information technology to improve health care over the next five years. The plan incorporates policy priorities included in the HITECH Act and the health reform law.
Country Getting Healthier, Policy Experts Told
Despite obstacles and opposition to health care reform, the country is getting healthier, according to HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Howard Koh. Speaking to state health policy experts in Kansas City this week, Koh said HHS will release statistics showing that individuals and communities are making progress toward a number of health goals.
Health 2.0 Conference Focuses on Patient-Centered Technology To Promote Wellness
Jonathan Attwood of Zamzee, Stephen Downs of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Chris Hewett of Mindbloom, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology Farzad Mostashari and Christine Robins of BodyMedia spoke with California Healthline about new consumer-focused health innovations.
UC-Riverside, UC-Merced Turn to New Models for Med Schools
In response to state budget cuts and emerging trends in medical education, UC-Riverside and UC-Merced are seeking new ways to fund their medical school programs and train students. Both universities are developing new partnerships and new teaching models to circumvent the daunting economic climate.