Government & Policy
As Karen DeSalvo, MD, prepares to take the reins as national coordinator for health information technology in 2014, here are 10 aspects of her background that may help define how she'll carry on the crucial work of her predecessors.
In an eventful 10 years for healthcare, meaningful use made an unmistakable mark as vendors large and small took advantage of an unprecedented opportunity. As one observer puts it: "Obama's stimulus was the catalyst that lit this industry up five years ago. We haven't looked back since."
An unencrypted USB drive ended up costing one dermatology practice, which has settled with the Department of Health and Human Services for failing to address HITECH's breach notification provisions.
The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute has approved 30 projects under the pilot phase of its new "Pipeline to Proposal" awards program. The Tier I awards, totaling $432,100 in requested funding, are the first to be made through the initiative.
Karen DeSalvo is certainly more than qualified to head up ONC, having brought post-Katrina New Orleans up to snuff on electronic health records and more. How well do you know her background? Here are some lesser-known facts.
In a year-end set of new regulations, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the HHS Inspector General finalized the Stark law exemption, which allows hospitals to fund up to 85 percent of EHR costs for physicians, and the OIG outlined the related anti-kickback "safe harbor" for "protected donors."
HIMSS has announced that the HIMSS Foundation and the National eHealth Collaborative have merged. NeHC has worked closely with the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT as well as other public and private organizations to encourage effective use of health IT.
HHS appointed a new chief to head the Office of the National Coordinator on Thursday, and so far the decision has been lauded by industry leaders.
HHS appointed a new chief to head the Office of the National Coordinator Dec. 19, and so far the decision has been lauded by industry leaders.
Karen DeSalvo, MD, front-runner of healthcare in post-Katrina New Orleans and healthcare IT champion, will take over the Office of the National Coordinator in mid-January.