Government & Policy

This week's top stories include the Trump administration telling hospitals to bypass the CDC and submit COVID-19 data directly to HHS, and telehealth helping patients navigate complex systems.

Halvorson envisions an integrated system which unites healthcare payment, improvement and racial and economic equity. 

“Countries that had the most comprehensive responses to the pandemic seem to be those that had a recent memory of an adverse event,” said Dr Charles Alessi, Chief Clinical Officer, HIMSS.

The Protecting Access to Post-COVID-19 Telehealth Act seeks to expand the promise of virtual care, even once the pandemic has subsided, by eliminating restrictions, ensuring access and studying its ability to address disparities and improve outcomes.

HIMSS Government Relations VP Tom Leary said House members were likely to address originating site requirements and the types of providers that can be reimbursed for telehealth.

British, Canadian and U.S. intelligence agencies released a statement saying the group is "almost certainly" part of the Russian intelligence services.

Judge Theodore Chuang found that the in-person FDA requirements for medication abortion impose a "substantial obstacle" for patients during the COVID-19 crisis.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield says the controversial new process, which calls on hospitals to send capacity and utilization data via the HHS Protect system, was made with CDC support.

The eight machines use artificial intelligence and ultraviolet-powered sterilisation to move automatically and scan areas efficiently, the authority said.

By moving all military treatment facilities under the Defense Health Agency (DHA), the DoD has ushered in a new era of data integration within the military health system.