U.S. healthcare organizations spent an estimated $7.1 billion on IT last year, according to a new study by Healthcare Growth Partners (HGP)—more than two and a half times what it was just five years ago.

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Without access to high-quality, reliable data, artificial intelligence will not fulfill its promise to help shape the future of public health, community health and healthcare delivery, according to a new report by JASON.

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Did you have a chance to check out the latest healthcare IT news stories around the Web? We’ve captured the top industry news stories from this week that you won’t want to miss. Will Healthcare Data Analytics Suffer if DeSalvo Leaves ONC? According to Healthcare IT Analytics, Karen DeSalvo, MD, MPH, MSc, may soon move from her role as the head of the Office of the National Coordinator for Healthcare IT (ONC) to become the HHS Assistant Secretary for Health. In her short time at the ONC, DeSalvo has overseen early attestations for Stage 2 meaningful use while promoting interoperability, clinical analytics, and population health management. HHS, USDA Invest $1B in Rural Health, Care Coordination The Department of Health and Human Services is working with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to financially support rural communities as they take on health IT improvement projects including EHR adoption, health information exchange, telehealth services, and more.... read more

Did you have a chance to check out the latest healthcare IT news stories around the Web? We’ve captured the top industry news stories from this week that you won’t want to miss. Big Data Analytics Can prevent Health Care Fraud. Here's How VentureBeat reports on how the adoption of online health records, remote patient care, and data-driven care makes it more critical than ever to advance security. Healthcare analytics tools can help providers to secure patient privacy and mitigate prescription fraud. Healthcare Analytics: 4 Things Impacting the Adoption Rate CIO Magazine discusses the challenges that healthcare analytics adoption faces. Although 82% of respondents in a recent survey by CDW indicated that they saw improved patient care with analytics use, challenges included: data integration issues, data breaches and data security concerns, low levels of analytics investments, and more. New Challenges, New Pressures in Cardiology A presentation at the 2015... read more

By Cheryl Iseberg With the new ICD-10 compliance date set as October 1, 2015, heart hospitals need to prepare for change and determine how their cardiovascular service lines will be affected. Below are some of the major documentation changes in ICD-10: For acute myocardial infarctions: The acute phase of MI is now defined as eight weeks instead of four weeks Codes specifying subsequent episodes of care for acute MI are now discontinued There are new unique codes for distinguishing a new acute MI that happens while a patient is still in treatment for an acute MI There is a new combination code for coronary artery disease with angina. In ICD-9, coders had to use two separate codes: “coronary atherosclerosis of native coronary artery” and “intermediate coronary syndrome.” The term “congestive” is now a nonessential modifier for systolic, diastolic, and combined systolic/diastolic heart failure, and only one code is required to describe the specificity and... read more

This week we are celebrating the ninth year of National Health IT Week – a collaboration between healthcare providers, government agencies, payers, research foundations, and healthcare IT vendors designed to raise awareness about the growing role of technology in healthcare. 

Because healthcare in this country is currently undergoing many changes, all of us in the industry need to work together to advance technology that can reduce costs while improving care.

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Did you have a chance to check out the latest healthcare IT news stories around the Web? We’ve captured the top industry news stories from this week that you won’t want to miss. Hospitals' EHR Progress is Tale of Some Progress, Some Inertia: Study According to Modern Healthcare, a recent study in Health Affairs shows that American hospitals fall into three groups when it comes to EHR adoption: high achievers who meet second-stage government standards, those who have adopted a basic or comprehensive record, and a group who has neither a basic nor comprehensive record. ONC Lays Down 10-Year Interoperability Plan Milestones Government Health IT reports that at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT's monthly HIT Policy Committee meeting, the ONC revealed more details on its 10-year interoperability roadmap, including its goal that by 2017 it will be able to "ensure providers and individuals can send, receive, find, and use a basic set of essential health... read more

Did you have a chance to check out the latest healthcare IT news stories around the Web? We’ve captured the top industry news stories from this week that you won’t want to miss. HHS Invests Close to $1 Billion in Healthcare Innovation EHR Intelligence reports that the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) is investing close to $1 billion to develop and test healthcare innovation models. The two programs include the Health Innovation Awards and the State Innovation Models initiative. Heart Failure Severity Correlated With Diabetes Risk According to Cardiology Today, researchers have found that an increased in severity of heart failure is associated with an increased risk for the development of diabetes. However, the study also found that use of renin-angiotensin system inhibitors may reduce the risk of diabetes. Update: CMS, ONC Ease EHR Certification Requirements For MU Government Health IT reports that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services... read more

Did you have a chance to check out the latest healthcare IT news stories around the Web? We’ve captured the top industry news stories from this week that you won’t want to miss. Economic Uncertainty Not Impeding Growth of Healthcare IT Jobs According to Digital Journal, the healthcare IT job market continues to grow at a high rate. While health IT once accounted for only 5-10% of a hospital's IT budget, it now represents 25-35%. Analysts project that approximately 272,286 people will be EHR technicians by 2022, as opposed to 186,300 two years ago. EHR Incentive Payouts Climb to $23B ​Healthcare IT News reports that hospitals and providers have now received $23 billion in electronic health record incentive payments from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. 94% of all U.S. hospitals are also now participating in the meaningful use program. Karen DeSalvo: Health IT Needs to "Get Real for People" Karen DeSalvo, the national coordinator for health... read more

Did you have a chance to check out the latest healthcare IT news stories around the Web? We’ve captured the top industry news stories from this week that you won’t want to miss. Uncertainty Clouds Federal Test EHR Program According to Government Health IT, provider uncertainty is holding back the implementation of the Designated Test EHR Program, a data exchange initiative launched by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the ONC. Data Analytics Drive Success at Bryan Medical Center Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiology reports on how Bryan Medical Center has implemented LUMEDX data analytics software to support its cardiovascular service line. Blumenthal: Finding the ROI in EHRs is still tough work In EHR Intelligence, former National Coordinator Dr. David Blumenthal, who introduced the EHR Incentive Programs, says that finding the ROI in EHR systems is still a lot of work as providers struggle with expensive, frustrating EHR implementations.... read more