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- July 11, 2011
National Library of Medicine launches MedlinePlus Connect
Read moreThe National Library of Medicine, the world’s largest medical library and a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has formally launched MedlinePlus Connect. This free service allows health organizations and health information technology (HIT) providers to link patient portals and electronic health record (EHR) systems to MedlinePlus.gov,...
00 - July 11, 2011
Call to Action: Contact Your Member of Congress & U.S. Senators Today
Read moreAs has been mentioned in previous posts, political leaders in Washington are discussing options for raising the nation’s debt ceiling limit by August 2nd and cutting federal spending to address the deficit. Medicare and Medicaid are under consideration for substantial spending cuts, including reducing the federal Medicaid matching rate to...
- July 8, 2011
Joint Commission safety goals should be part of EHR certification
Read moreThe Joint Commission’s 2011 National Patient Safety Goals (NPSG) for hospitals should be included in electronic health record certification and criteria for meaningful use, say authors of a commentary that appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association. “Ideally, addressing the NPSGs should be incorporated into the EHR...
- July 7, 2011
Emergency Department Visits in Rural and Non-Rural Communities
Read moreA new statistical brief by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality compares emergency department (ED) visits in rural and non-rural communities. Rural ED visits were more likely to be billed to Medicare, Medicaid, or no payer than in non-rural communities. Also, fewer ED visits in rural communities resulted...
- July 6, 2011
Medscape Modules Now Available on CMS EHR Incentive Programs
Read moreCMS is pleased to announce that through Medscape Education, providers now have the opportunity to earn CME credits by learning more about the Electronic Health Records (EHR) Incentive Programs. On Medscape’s EHR Learning Center website, leading physician experts in medical informatics provide information, resources, and tools to help providers...
- July 6, 2011
States Cutting Medicaid Rates, Healthcare Programs At Risk in Budget Negotiations
Read moreSeveral states, including Colorado, began their fiscal years on July 1 by reducing Medicaid payment rates to providers and hospitals. A Kaiser Health News report outlines various states’ changes in Medicaid, including payment and benefit reductions, that may further compromise access to care for Medicaid recipients. In Washington, Medicaid...
- July 1, 2011
Life Expectancy Declines For Some of Colorado’s Rural Communities
Read moreA new study by the University of Washington featured in the Denver Post found that from 1997-2007 life expectancy decreased for women in several rural counties on the Eastern Plains. Overall, life expectancy in many rural, non-mountain resort counties is relatively lower. Read more.
- July 1, 2011
Join the MUVment! Meaningful Use Vanguard Program
Read moreONC has developed the Meaningful Use Vanguard EHR Champion Program and is asking for anyone interested to contact their REC partner. MUVers (members of the MUV program) are champions of EHR adoption and meaningful use that serve as local leaders, advisors and role models in the move toward an...
- June 29, 2011
Governor Hickenlooper Announces Appointments to the Colorado Health Benefits Exchange Board
Read moreGovernor Hickenlooper announced the appointments to the first Colorado Health Benefits Exchange Board today. “This will be a Colorado-based health exchange that is created by Coloradans, for Coloradans,” said Hickenlooper. “The Exchange represents a broad collaborative effort between businesses, consumers, providers, the insurer community and the state legislature. We...
- June 29, 2011
HRSA Health IT & Quality Webinar July 22nd
Read moreHRSA is offering a Health IT and Quality Webinar entitled “Tips For Generating Quality Data Reports Using Your EHR”, Friday, July 22, 12pm MDT. For more information and to register, click here.
