ONC Releases Final Version of 2016 Interoperability Advisory

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT has released the final version of its 2016 Interoperability Standards Advisory. The advisory includes more details, updates the six characteristics for each standard and aims to help realize the nation's "delivery system reform vision." Clinical Innovation & Technology et al. Read More

Telehealth Effective for Treating Patients With Mental Health Illnesses

A study published in the journal Telemedicine and e-Health finds that telehealth can be used to effectively and cost-efficiently treat patients with mental health illnesses. The analysis included a review of 59 studies conducted in the last decade related to the feasibility and acceptance of telehealth to treat patients with mental illnesses. FierceHealthIT.  Read More

State lawmakers introduced more than 200 telemedicine bills in 2015

All but eight states introduced at least one bill related to telemedicine to their state legislature in 2015, according to a new report from the National Conference of State Legislatures. State lawmakers floated a total of 200 bills across the country.
The Federation of State Medical Board’s proposed interstate licensing compact accounted for some of the bills passed this year. Eleven states (Alabama, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, South Dakota, Utah, West Virginia and Wyoming) passed the medical licensure compact language in 2015, all by large margins. Only seven states needed to pass the compact to put it into effect.  Read More

PwC Report Identifies Key Health IT Trends To Watch for in 2016

A new report from PricewaterhouseCoopers' Health Research Institute identifies 10 health care issues that will stand out in 2016. Among other things, the report says cybersecurity will be a concern for connected medical devices, new databases will bolster hospitals' use of big data and use of mobile health applications will grow. MobiHealthNews et al.
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RWJF: The future of nursing is clear

The Institute of Medicine (IOM) released its five-year progress report on the landmark study, The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health; this week, the Future of Nursing: Campaign for Action celebrated this anniversary. The IOM reports that while significant progress has been made, there is still much work ahead. RWJF CEO Risa Lavizzo-Mourey urged nurses to “keep their foot on the accelerator.”
Read the statement from RWJF and the Campaign for Action >

PwC: Smartphone-connected health devices, behavioral health are top healthcare trends for 2016

Smartphone-connected device use, focus on behavioral health, and better databases for health information analysis, are within the top 10 trends in healthcare for 2016, according to PwC's annual Health Research Institute report. HRI also released results from a survey of 1,000 US consumers. Read More

Stroke & Telemedicine

Daily Headlines

Tuesday, December 08, 2015

Stroke Rounds: Telemedicine Shortens Door-to-Needle Time (Links to an external site.)    Nearly half-hour saved in innovative program (Links to an external site.) Read more (Links to an external site.)

Practices With NPs, PAs More Likely To Adopt EHRs

A new study finds that practices that employ advanced practice providers, such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants, are almost 75% more likely to adopt electronic health records than those that do not employ such providers. The researchers also find that advanced practice providers were more likely to be employed at large, primary care and urban practices. EHR Intelligence, American Journal of Managed Care. Read More

Patient Satisfaction Declines With Docs' Computer Use

A study published in JAMA Internal Medicine finds patients are less likely to consider their health care "excellent" when providers spend more time using the computer. An accompanying editorial recommends that providers ensure patients also can see the screen and explain why the computer is being used. Reuters. Read More