Government & Policy

The 17 Beacon Communities, stretching from Maine to Hawaii, are celebrating their first anniversary, and while much progress has been made, one expert pointed out that this is "a journey of quality improvement that never ends."

The 17 Beacon Communities, stretching from Maine to Hawaii, are celebrating their first anniversary. While much progress has been made, it is clear that this is "a journey of quality improvement that never ends," as one expert put it.

As more employees use their personal mobile devices at work, it is vital that healthcare organizations have a "policy in place to keep their employees productive and their data safe," says one expert.

Leading up to the GHIT 11 show, CMS' Jessica Kahn discusses what Medicaid providers are finding from using certified EHRs, forthcoming HIE guidance, and the usability blues.

The start-up and management costs of an accountable care organization (ACO) is considerably higher than estimated by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) in its proposed rule, according to the American Hospital Association.

Informatics association says ONC's Federal Health IT Plan will ignite demand for a "broader pool" of workers with modern skills.

AMIA, the association for informatics professionals, is urging the Office of the National Coordinator to give particular attention to workforce development. The organization called attention to healthcare IT workforce needs as part of its response to ONC's call for comments on the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan.

The beauty of the ONC's Federal Health IT Strategic Plan is that it's vague enough to remain flexible – a fact that also draws criticism.

Delay would be at expense of early adopters, but vendors and providers say there is not enough time to develop and deploy EHR updates.

With salaries rising as everyone pursues "the same pool of people," a veteran recruiter talks hospital hiring tactics.