Top Story

CDC awards $38.1 million to link public health, HIEs
Several contractors have been awarded $38.1 million from the CDC to help HIEs and RHIOs better integrate functions of clinical care with bioterrorism surveillance tools and public health. One goal of the contracts is to enable the HHS to test portions of a national health information network in the real world. Health Data Management (3/19)

Hospitals

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UCLA neuropsychiatric hospital bans cell phones, laptops
UCLA's Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital has banned cell phones and laptops after finding that a patient posted group photos of other patients on a social networking Web site. Hospital officials say they made the decision to protect patient privacy and confidentiality even though the patients consented to be photographed. Los Angeles Times (3/18)

Other News

• Electronic staff system for U.K. health sector hits 1 million users
  PublicTechnology.net (3/20)

Providers

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Tenn. pilot program gives rural physicians e-prescribing
Tennessee's Medicaid program is working with a state health information exchange to give 50 rural physicians free electronic-prescribing technology. The results of the four-month pilot program will be analyzed to determine patterns, behaviors and user satisfaction with e-prescribing technology. Health Data Management (3/20)

HIPAA-compliant text messaging will debut in June
Virginia-based SquareLoop has developed a HIPAA-compliant text messaging system that it says will be available in June. The system allows for the secure exchange of data using public wireless networks. HealthImaging.com (3/20)

Payors

Five data risks identified in health care
Research has revealed the top data risks in heath care environments. These include:

1. Failing to completely protect sensitive data.
2. Having sensitive data available on public terminals.
3. Problems managing mobile computer tools accurately.
4. Difficulty creating a comprehensive security plan.
   
5. Delays in developing a strategy to deal with breaches.

Technology Trends

Drug-tracking devices help patients manage medications
A growing number of patients and caregivers are using tech-based drug-tracking devices, such as Med-eMonitor, to improve compliance and reduce medical errors, according to doctors and pharmacists. The Med-eMonitor device, which is linked to a drug database and can be programmed through the Internet, reminds patients when it is time to take their medications. USA TODAY (3/20)

Market penetration off for ambulatory-care EHR system
MedcomSoft, a vendor of EHR software for use in ambulatory care, plans to scale back its sales force and explore alliances with other companies after finding that a direct-sales force was not successful in helping the company's market penetration. Health Data Management (3/18)

Online matching service leads to organ donations
MatchingDonors.com is an organ-matching service for recipients and living donors. Potential recipients pay a fee of $595 to create a profile, and potential donors can register and find people they want to help. Most of the fee goes toward costs incurred by donors. Sixty transplants have occurred through this matching and more than 4,600 donors have signed up. News 14 Carolina (Charlotte/Raleigh, N.C.)/Ivanhoe Newswire (3/20)

Other News

• Telemedicine initiatives offered at 23 U.S. colleges
  Technology Marketing Corp. (3/19)

Events Calendar

HIMSS: Delegation to India 2008
March 30 to April 9, Agra, Deli and Jaipur, India
Visit the Web site. Blank (3/14)

American Telemedicine Association: 135th Annual Meeting
April 6 to 8, Seattle
Visit the Web site. Blank (3/14)

Consumer Health Informatics: An Intensive Learning Experience
April 11 to 13, Claremont, Calif.
Visit the Web site. Blank (3/21)

2008 Health Technologies Conference and Expo
April 15 to 16, Toronto
Visit the Web site. Blank (3/20)

Harvard School of Public Health: Forces of Change Executive Education Program
April 15 to 18, Boston.
Visit the Web site. Blank (3/20)

World Health Care Congress
April 21 to 23, Washington, D.C.
Visit the Web site. Blank (3/20)

Tell us about your upcoming event!

Reader Viewpoint

Why do employers need individuals' health records?
Monday's top eHealth story, highlighting a new Texas law that gives employers the right to see certain workers' health insurance information, has continued to generate discussion among eHealth readers.

One eHealth reader writes: "I am assuming employers have access to aggregated data for purposes of predicting organizational expenses relative to providing health care, and this information would be suitable for predicting future organizational expenses. Why would information regarding an individual's record be needed?"

Join the discussion at smartbrief.com.

The Buzz (CORPORATE ANNOUNCEMENTS) The TEPR (Towards the Electronic Patient Record) Conference is coming to Ft Lauderdale May 17-21, 2008! With 25 parallel educational tracks, hundreds of exhibits and over 600 presentations by industry experts TEPR is the premier health IT event for healthcare decision makers interested in exploring the latest electronic medical record developments. Click here to learn more. Interested in learning more about advertising in eHealth SmartBrief? Contact Matt Kavney at 202-737-5500 ext. 244 or mkavney@smartbrief.com.

International

Sweden names contractors for national EHR system
The Swedish Healthcare Advisory Organization has chosen TietoEnator, a European company, to be the lead developer of its national EHR system. Massachusetts-based InterSystems Corp. has been named as a subcontractor for the project, worth an estimated $19 million over five years. Health Data Management (3/19)

EHR Spotlight

Experts: Peer-to-peer sites key to adoption of PHRs
The use of social-networking media such as newsgroups, Wikis and mashups will be essential if the government wants to push PHRs, according to the director of the National Center for Health Marketing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Peer-to-peer sharing fosters more trust than traditional vertical media, the director said. Healthcare IT News (3/19)

Minnesota offers loans aimed at EHR adoption
Minnesota will require all health care providers to use EHRs by 2015. To that end, the state has developed a $6.3 million no-interest loan program to help providers buy and learn to use interoperable EHRs. Applications are free, loans are for six years and repayment begins at the end of year two. Government Health IT (3/19)

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