46 percent of docs aren’t aware of Medicare billing code for remote care

This code allows physicians to get reimbursed for non-face-to-face care if the patient has two or more chronic conditions that are expected to last more than one year. Other requirements include: the chronic conditions place the patient at significant risk of death, and that providers create, revise, or monitor a comprehensive care plan. Read More

ONC Releases Final Version of Five-Year Health IT Strategic Plan

	The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT's final Federal Health IT Strategic Plan for 2015 to 2020 focuses on patient-centered data and care, rather than providers and electronic health record adoption. Industry groups expressed support for the plan but noted the importance of improving interoperability. Modern Healthcare et al. Read More

Patients with smartphones more likely to use online patient portals

RSi Communications Sep 25, 2015

Patients who own smartphones are five times as likely to use online patient portals. Indeed, 27% of smartphone owners access patient portals, whereas only 5% of those who lack smartphones do.
As many as 50% of U.S. households use patient portals infrequently, and 23% do not use these portals at all, according to a report by Parks Associates, presented in September at the second-annual Connected Health Summit: Engaging Consumers, which was held in in San Diego.  Read More

Study Finds Consumers Providers Differ on Preferred Uses of Health IT

A new study finds that while both consumers and providers view new health IT tools favorably, they differ in how patients should use such tools and who owns patients' electronic health records. For example, providers were less likely than consumers to be comfortable with patients using health IT tools for self-diagnosis and more likely to believe they owned patients' EHRs. FierceHealthIT, Journal of Medical Internet Research. Read More

Oncology Group Urges Congress To Bolster EHR Interoperability

The American Society for Clinical Oncology is calling on Congress to pass legislation that would ban information blocking and bolster interoperability of electronic health records. The group says cancer researchers often face barriers to sharing clinical trial data. Modern Healthcare, ASCO release. Read More

Nursing Group Touts Importance of Behavioral, Social Data in EHRs

The American Academy of Nursing is calling for the health care industry to adopt the Institute of Medicine's recommendations for incorporating behavioral and social health data into electronic health records. The group says health care stakeholders must work together to overcome barriers to including such data. Heath IT Analytics, Nursing Outlook.

Telemedicine Adoption Rates Up From Last Year

A new HIMSS Analytics study finds that the rate of telemedicine adoption among health care providers increased from 54.5% in 2014 to 57.7% in 2015. The most common use of telemedicine services was to fill gaps in care. FierceHealthIT, HIMSS Analytics study. Read More

VA To Launch New Vets.gov Portal To Integrate Department Websites

On Nov. 11, 2015, the Department of Veterans Affairs plans to launch an integrated online portal -- called Vets.gov -- that will consolidate VA's more than 1,000 veteran-related websites into a centralized hub to streamline users' access to the department's various services. Officials say it will take about one year for the site to be fully operational. FierceHealthIT et al. Read More

Health IT Tools Are Burdensome for Chronically Ill, Older Patients

A new study identifies several barriers keeping individuals with multiple chronic conditions from adopting health IT tools to track their data. The researchers say developers should focus on creating tools that "clearly reduce patient inconvenience and burden" and cut the workload associated with tracking health data. FierceMobileHealthcare, Journal of Medical Internet Research.