One of the ways that Answers Media is different from other media sites is the sense of community. The thought leaders in our community are good about sharing their thoughts on the issues of today. We publish at least eight guest posts a week now, so in case you missed some, here are the top ten read and shared guest posts in the month of December. You can also read previous month’s Top Ten Lists. Thank you for contributing and reading.
Most Played Radio Episode in December
From The Tate Chronicles, host Jim Tate talks to founder of Chart Lux, Kyle Meadors. He founded Chart Lux to provide expert analysis, insight, and strategy into the regulations and standards which impact healthcare professionals and health IT developers. And Kyle takes a look into his crystal ball and gives us his thoughts on the direction of interoperability.
Most Read Thought Leader Posts in December
HIPAA Compliance and an Integrated Design for Continuity of Care
By Lawrence Byrd, Director, Communications APIs, Vonage
Twitter: @Vonage
The way the world seeks – and provides – medical care has forever changed. The healthcare journey no longer begins and ends in the waiting room. For many, it now starts at home, whether you’re in the same town as your healthcare provider or halfway around the world. Thanks to advances in technology, such as video and messaging APIs and other features that make it possible to maintain HIPAA cloud compliance, telehealth is empowering patients to consult with healthcare professionals from virtually anywhere. Continue reading…
How Mobile Telehealth Will Help With Vaccine Administration
By Dan Matthews, Writer, Content Consultant, and Researcher
Twitter: @danielmatthews0
The spread of misinformation is one of the primary reasons for the lack of trust in vaccines. With COVID-19 especially, false information has spread like wildfire, leading to extreme wariness and vaccine avoidance. However, while digital media has contributed to the hysteria, not all digital applications hurt vaccine administration. Continue reading…
What The NSA Updates Mean for Healthcare Facilities
By Devin Partida, Editor-in-Chief, ReHack.com
Twitter: @rehackmagazine
In January 2022, a new law implementing additional protections against surprise medical bills will go into effect. The “No Surprises Act” (or NSA) was passed by Congress in 2020 as part of the year-end omnibus spending bill and may have serious implications for healthcare providers. Continue reading…
MIPS 2022 Final Rule
By Joy Rios, Chirpy Bird Health IT Consulting
Twitter: @chirpybirdhit
Twitter: @askjoyrios
The MIPS 2022 Final Rule has been released and here is a breakdown of what you need to know about the program, overall and by category. Overall: For the 2022 performance year, to avoid a penalty eligible clinicians must earn a score of at least 75 points. To earn exceptional performance, eligible clinicians must earn a score of 89 points. Continue reading…
Improving Public Health Outcomes with Immunization Information System Solutions
By Gary Wheeler, Director of Immunization Solution Services, Gainwell Technologies
Twitter: @GainwellTech
Immunization information registries have long played a role in public health programs and initiatives; however, it was the COVID-19 pandemic that brought them back into the spotlight. An immunization information system (IIS), by definition, is a confidential, population-based, computerized database that records all immunization doses administered by participating providers to people residing within a certain geopolitical area. Continue reading…
A Broken Record: Just Give Access
By Matt Fisher, General Counsel, Carium
Twitter: @matt_r_fisher
Twitter: @cariumcares
The ongoing enforcement effort from the HHS Office for Civil Rights around the HIPAA right of access continues to run in full swing. The continuous enforcement actions reflect a number of different issues. One, organizations are still not appropriately responding to requests or implementing appropriate policies for responding. Two, OCR understands the reality of non-compliance and is attempting to drive better action on respecting rights under the regulations. Three, a murky situation is not clearing up despite heightened attention to the right of access. Continue reading…
Administrative Safeguards of the Security Rule: What Are They?
By Art Gross, President and CEO, HIPAA Secure Now!
Twitter: @HIPAASecureNow
The HIPAA Security Rule requires healthcare providers and their business associates to implement physical, technical, and administrative safeguards to protect the electronic Protected Health Information that they utilize. It establishes national standards to protect that information. These standards apply not just to covered entities, but any organization that handles PHI – including subcontractors and business associates. Continue reading…
The HIE Santa Clause is Coming to Town: How to Outlast the HIE Burgermeister Meisterburger in 2021
By Buff Colchagoff, CEO, RosettaHealth
Twitter: @rosettahealth
Twitter: @BuffColchagoff
Reflecting on the past couple of years and the road ahead for HIEs, I’m reminded of the 1970s Christmas classic claymation story, “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town.” You may ask, “what can HIEs learn from a sappy, simplistic kids movie?” Put in the right light, there’s actually plenty of wisdom to be found. Continue reading…
Interoperability and the Connected Health Care System
By Chiquita Brooks-LaSure, Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
Twitter: @CMSGov
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed many shortcomings in our health care system, especially the ability to quickly share and use reliable data to better understand the health needs of all people across the country. This need for more accessible data is why the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) remains committed to making health care data flow more freely and securely among payers, providers, and patients by laying the foundation to foster a more connected health care system. Continue reading…
Big Challenges in Health IT with Micky Tripathi
By Dr. Jay Anders, Chief Medical Officer, Medicomp Systems
Twitter: @MedicompSys
Twitter: @medicompdoc
I sat down with Micky Tripathi, PhD, MPP, National Coordinator for Health IT at HHS to discuss some of the big challenges in health IT today, including interoperability. Tripathi, who has spent the last 20 years working in the private and public sector to drive the adoption of technology in healthcare, shares his thoughts about the fragmentation in healthcare, the need for better information sharing, the transition to value-based care payment models and more. Continue reading…