Health Information Exchange
NY Civil Liberties Union Report on Patient Privacy Begs the Question: Is Security More Important Than Privacy?
Last week, the New York Civil Liberties Union released a report criticizing New York state's health information exchange networks. Their argument states that while there are benefits to sharing EHRs, patients should have greater control over the dissemination of their own records.
If you're one of the thousands expected to attend next week's HIMSS conference in Las Vegas...
Please stop by the Health Market Science Exhibit Booth #13018 where you can pick up a copy of my new position paper - The Semantics of “Trust” and the Disconnect with the General Public. It’s a particularly relevant topic for health information exchange and others with a vested interest in protected health information and the assurances that patients demand from their healthcare providers.
Good news from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC).
The final version of the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan 2011-2015 has been published. I applaud the fact that it recognizes the critical need for provider authentication and a national framework for "high-assurance physician identity management.”
Tiger Team Privacy and Security Recommendations Still Fall Short
The ONC Health IT Policy Committee’s Tiger Team has been busy developing privacy and security recommendations for electronic HIE over recent months. They’ve outlined seven recommendations which touch on everything from consent to authentication. While concerns abound regarding security and privacy, they may have overlooked a couple of key points in addressing the need.
Provider Directory – the common denominator in cost-cutting trends
Yesterday’s FierceMarket News article by Karen Cheung echoes an article in Wednesday’s Kaiser Health News that lists five trends to watch for lowering health care costs.
Upcoming Webinar on Statewide Provider Directory Approaches: The Recommended Versus The Optimal
I'll be giving a webinar on May 10, 2011 from 12:00-1:00 pm Eastern: Statewide Provider Directory Approaches: The Recommended Versus the Optimal.
HIMSS11 Focus on HIE Sustainability
Although many statewide HIEs and Beacon Communities have qualified for federal aid, many of their representatives at HIMSS11 were searching for strategies to become self-sufficient when the federal funds dry up. There seemed to be a general consensus that the HIEs must identify services that they can provide that have a perceived value and that participants will be willing to pay for.
An enterprise view of a healthcare practitioner requires effective Master Data Management (MDM).
This means assimilating and cleansing data from a variety of sources to create one master record.
With mounting regulatory demands, the need for an efficient path to a trusted master record is essential to mitigate risk. Your data needs to be thorough, up-to-date, and accurate.
Real Time Web Queries to the HMS Provider Master File for Current License, DEA and Sanctions Status
The Federal Health Information Technology Strategy for Privacy and Security requires that HIEs/HIOs improve privacy and security protections for health information and prevent unauthorized or inappropriate access.
Providers have 2 identities—a personal identity and a professional identity. Both should be authenticated prior to giving the provider access to PHI.
Web access to the HMS MasterFile
In an economic climate where cost effectiveness is key, no company can afford to lose time and money due to lack of valid provider information.
In fact, it’s one of the biggest challenges facing billing professionals today. Inaccurate or missing identifiers, addresses, or taxonomy results in denied claims–leading to denied payments and longer hospital revenue cycles. Trying to solve the problem through multiple web searches and phone calls is costly and time consuming.
