Diana Manos

Physician groups are pleased with their initial take of the final accountable care organization (ACO) rule issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on Oct. 20.

Healthcare Information Xchange of New York (HIXNY) announced Friday it has connected its HIE with the cloud-based electronic health record from athenahealth.

The first three quarters of 2011 mergers and acquisitions volume is down 6 percent compared with transactions in 2010, according to a report investment bank Berkery Noyes released Oct. 17. The study also found transaction value increased by 245 percent in 2011 over 2010.

Healthcare IT stakeholders gathered Oct. 14 in Washington for a work meeting, discussing ways IT could help improve transitions in care.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in September paid out $25 million to 1400 eligible providers and $61 million to 30 dually eligible hospitals under the meaningful use EHR incentive program, according to Robert Anthony from the CMS Office of E-Health Standards and Services.

The Department of Health and Human Services has extended the comment period for its proposed rule on health insurance exchanges.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has fully certified the Massachusetts’ Medicaid Management Information System (MMIS). The accreditation ensures the state will receive maximum federal funding for the system’s implementation and ongoing operation.

The American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) has created an EHR checklist to help ophthalmologists comply with meaningful use.

Jonathan Blum, deputy administrator and director for the Center of Medicare at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, says doctors are eager to try accountable care organizations (ACOs).

THA Group, a free-standing in-home health company serving coastal Georgia and South Carolina, will partner with Cardiocom to expand its chronic telehealth program for patients with chronic conditions.