HIT News Round Up: Majority of Hospitals Participate in Healthcare Interoperability; Telehealth Death Greatly Exaggerated; and Changing Prior Authorization
Welcome to the Health Information Technology Weekly News Round Up from RosettaHealth. Each week, we will provide you with a summary of all the actionable news that hospitals, HIT vendors, ACOs, and population health providers need to be smart and effective when it comes to HIT and health information exchange.
70% of Hospitals Participate in Healthcare Interoperability
From 2018 to 2023, the share of hospitals that reported engaging in interoperability increased from 46 to 70%. Additionally, from 2018 to 2023, hospitals routinely engaging in interoperable exchange increased by 54 percent, according to this TechTarget article.
WEDI Asks HHS to Ensure Info Exchange Capabilities After Cyberattacks
As cyberattacks increase in scope and intensity, the Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange is asking the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and other federal agencies to do more to help health systems maintain operational continuity.
Reports of Telehealth’s Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated
While the doomsday views abound around Optum and Walmart shutting down their virtual care businesses, the reality is that the death of telehealth has been greatly exaggerated, according to this recent STAT article.
Could Prior Authorization Become a Billable Service?
What if health insurers had to reimburse physicians for time spent on prior authorization, including appeals for wrongful denials? A proposed time-based billing code for PA services was recently submitted to the AMA’s CPT Editorial Panel for consideration.
Percentage of Residential Care Communities that Use Electronic Health Records
From 2018 to 2022, the percentage of residential care communities (RCCs) using electronic health records (EHRs) increased from 36 percent to 48 percent, according to this recent CDC brief.
AI Identifies Rare Diseases in Health Records
According to new research, Artificial Intelligence (AI) can filter through electronic health records (EHRs) to identify patients with rare, undiagnosed diseases, such as common variable immunodeficiencies (CVID).
Athenahealth Launches Customizable Specialty EHRs
Athenahealth recently introduced new electronic health record products aimed at specialists that combine critical electronic health record and practice management capabilities with tailored workflows.
4 Things Digital Health Investors Need to Get Off Their Chest
During a panel at MedCity News’ INVEST conference, venture capitalists shared some of their takes on today’s healthcare funding landscape — including their thoughts on AI and the industry’s slower investment pace, as highlighted in this recent MedCity News article.
To learn more about how RosettaHealth can assist with any health information challenges you might have, book a free consultation with one of our interoperability experts.