December, 2023

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HIPAA Enforcement is Changing. Providers Must Too.

HIT Consultant

Cam Roberson, VP at Beachhead Solutions Healthcare delivery organizations and those working with them that are still in business are either well aware of their duties under HIPAA, work with managed service providers that understand the law well, or…are lucky to have made it this far. Even for organizations that have steered clear of both cyberattacks and regulatory fines, vigilance is essential to maintaining a clean bill of (cybersecurity) health.

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New HIPAA Security Rule and Enforcement Coming in 2024

Healthcare IT Today

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said it will update the HIPAA Security Rule in 2024 and will ask Congress for new laws and resources to increase civil money penalties for HIPAA violations, increase HIPAA enforcement, and conduct proactive audits. HHS released a new Healthcare Sector Cybersecurity strategy paper which cited a 93% increase in large breaches from 2018 – 2022 and a 278% increase in large breaches caused by ransomware.

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Groundbreaking U.S. Artificial Intelligence (AI) Rule May Mean A Healthier New Year In 2025 and Beyond  

HIPAA & Health IT

Exactly 12 days before Christmas, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) gave the health industry a unique gift buried in a 900+ page rule adoption. The gift? The first comprehensive U.S. regulation delineating the responsible use and oversight of AI used in connection with health care decision-making.

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ChristianaCare pays $47M to resolve former compliance officer's kickback allegations

Fierce Healthcare

Wilmington, Delaware-based ChristianaCare has agreed to a $47.1 million settlement resolving illegal kickback allegations flagged by its former chief compliance officer, Ronald Sherman. | The agreement is the largest False Claims Act settlement in Delaware's history and paves the way for future cases against hospitals that provide private physician groups with free services from their employees, legal counsel said.

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The Essential Guide to Secure Messaging in Healthcare

Discover everything healthcare providers need to know about secure messaging. Covering essential topics like HIPAA compliance, communication efficiency, and patient privacy protection, this resource is indispensable for professionals, caregivers, and administrative staff alike.📱 💬 Whether managing sensitive patient data, coordinating care teams, or streamlining workflows, discover actionable insights to implement secure messaging solutions effectively.

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How AI can improve patient experience and patient engagement

Healthcare It News

Hospitals and health systems, especially larger ones, are using AI in myriad new ways – including leveraging it for improved patient experience, and for better patient engagement with the goal of reducing health inequities. Tom Kiseau, digital leader and chief innovation officer at the Chartis Group, hosts a regular series of AI roundtables alongside colleagues and experts from other practices in the industry.

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Can Rights Make Any Difference for Access to Health? Insights from a Scoping Review on Constitutional Rights for the WHO Council on the Economics of Health for All

Bill of Health

By Luciano Bottini Filho, Camila Gianella Malca, and Alicia Ely Yamin The intersection of health financing and the right to health is a common concern in public health advocacy. However, it is challenging to isolate the mechanisms that connect individuals’ rights with increased public investment. As scholars, we grapple with the question of what happens once the right to health is constitutionalized and whether it has a transformative effect on the economy, government funding, and the mate

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The intersection of telehealth and AI: How can they reinforce each other?

Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

Telemedicine took a huge leap forward during the pandemic as more providers and patients embraced remote delivery of healthcare services. Today, artificial intelligence-powered telemedicine tools that remotely diagnose patients and route them to the proper care setting have begun popping up; they are designed to increase access to healthcare services and assist providers in making informed decisions, ensuring timely and appropriate care.

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Escalating Cybersecurity Crisis Grips Healthcare Sector: Ransomware Attacks Surge Across Industry Leaders

Electronic Health Reporter

This article is copyrighted strictly for Electronic Health Reporter. Illegal copying is prohibited. In the throes of an ever-intensifying cybersecurity crisis, the healthcare sector is under siege, grappling with the fallout from a wave of ransomware attacks. Among the prominent victims are Ardent Health Services and Norton Healthcare, […] The article Escalating Cybersecurity Crisis Grips Healthcare Sector: Ransomware Attacks Surge Across Industry Leaders appeared first on electronichealth

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Q&A: Google's chief clinical officer on AI regulation in healthcare

Mobi Health News

Dr. Michael Howell, chief clinical officer at Google, discusses Med-PaLM's evolution in 2023 and recommendations for regulators developing rules for AI use in healthcare.

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Bridging Innovation & Patient Care: The Growing Role of AI

Speaker: Simran Kaur, Co-founder & CEO at Tattva.Health

AI is transforming clinical trials—accelerating drug discovery, optimizing patient recruitment, and improving data analysis. But its impact goes far beyond research. As AI-driven innovation reshapes the clinical trial process, it’s also influencing broader healthcare trends, from personalized medicine to patient outcomes. Join this new webinar featuring Simran Kaur for an insightful discussion on what all of this means for the future of healthcare!

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Biomarker legislation could improve patient access in 2024

Healthcare It News

Panel biomarker testing can unlock some of the mysteries of treating patients so that they experience fewer side effects, better quality of life, longer survival rates and potentially, lower costs. At least 22 states are opening up, or looking at how to open up access to it. This past week, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed Senate Bill 1196a/Assembly Bill 1673a into law directing all state-regulated health plans, including Medicaid, to cover comprehensive biomarker testing, clearing the path

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UnitedHealth, OptumRx sued by independent pharmacy over ‘unconscionable’ fees

Healthcare Dive

Osterhaus Pharmacy in Iowa — which is also suing CVS Caremark — is taking issue with pharmacy benefit managers’ use of performance-based fees that it says are contributing to independent pharmacy closures.

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Combatting Elder Abuse in Long-Term Care: Challenges and Opportunities of Electronic Monitoring

Bill of Health

By Laura C. Hoffman The aging population is growing at an extraordinary rate in the U.S. By 2040, it is anticipated that the U.S. aging population (defined as those ages 65 and older) will double, totaling 80 million. Given this growth, preventing elder abuse must be at the forefront of policymaking. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recognized elder abuse as a “serious” problem that is commonly occurring, yet significantly underreported, in the U.S.

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South Korea expands telemedicine pilot and more briefs

Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

South Korea expands telemedicine pilot Starting 15 December, the South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare will be introducing additional measures to its national telemedicine pilot. According to a media statement, the programme is now allowing the conduct of telemedicine services at night and on holidays. Patients who have had face-to-face treatment within the past six months from a clinic can now also access telemedicine.

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HIPAA Compliance 2025: Navigating Regulatory Changes & Industry Trends

Based on comprehensive survey data from diverse healthcare providers, the 2025 HIPAA Benchmark Report delivers actionable intelligence for modern compliance programs. This report examines how organizations are restructuring HIPAA Privacy Programs to address emerging regulatory requirements. Through analysis of staffing models, program operations, and breach management protocols, it provides a clear picture of current best practices.

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2024 Outlook: Despite hurdles, stakeholders bullish on VR in behavioral health

Fierce Healthcare

Though often associated with gaming, virtual reality (VR) is a technology rapidly evolving in healthcare. | VR therapy is not a new concept, though it wasn’t until the last few years that the field became prominent. And as technology has improved and gotten more intuitive to use, it has also become less expensive.

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Digital health leaders discuss their biggest takeaways from 2023

Mobi Health News

Execs overwhelmingly cite genAI as having the most significant impact in healthcare this year, though others provide alternative takes on the years' events.

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How GPT and LLMs could usher in an era of 'intelligence-based medicine'

Healthcare It News

SAN DIEGO – As the HIMSS AI in Healthcare Forum kicked off on Thursday morning, Rob Havasy, senior director of informatics strategy at HIMSS, offered some introductory remarks that looked back on a busy decade-plus of health IT innovation. "I've seen a lot of technologies come and go," said Havasy. But with artificial intelligence, he said, especially in the year-plus since ChatGPT captured the attention of the general public in a big way, "this time feels a bit differen

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Healthcare executives look to implement generative AI next year, survey finds

Healthcare Dive

Though only a quarter of respondents said they’d already adopted the tools, 58% reported they were likely to do so within the next year, according to Klas Research.

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Simplify Screening for Excluded Providers

Every health care provider that accepts federal payments must screen for excluded providers. Use this sample Exclusion Screening Checklist and Compliance Policy to evaluate and improve your organization’s compliance with the law. Payments from Medicare, Medicaid, and TriCare trigger screening requirements that may extend to employees, contractors, volunteers, board members, and network providers.

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Data Pseudonymization and POPIA

Bill of Health

By Donrich Thaldar Just as Zeus, the King of the Gods in Greek mythology, assumed various forms to conceal his true identity, so does modern data often undergo transformations to mask its origins. Zeus could become a swan, a bull, or even golden rain to achieve his purposes — all while maintaining his essence. Similarly, pseudonymization techniques aim to alter data enough to protect individual privacy without losing the core information necessary for research or analysis.

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Singaporean health chiefs embrace digital health to tackle staff shortage: report

Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

Healthcare executives and young professionals across Singapore have a shared vision of delivering more connected and sustainable healthcare enabled by digital technologies. Based on the Singapore findings of the Future Health Index 2023 report by Royal Philips, Singapore is making "steadfast" progress in digital health transformation. Findings from across Asia-Pacific were earlier published in the regional version of the report.

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Few health plans have dedicated Alzheimer’s and dementia care management strategy: survey

Fierce Healthcare

Health plans and value-based care organizations are ill-prepared to help patients with Alzheimer’s Disease or related dementia. | Only a small fraction of health plans and value-based care organizations have a fully developed care management model for its enrollees with dementia or Alzheimer's, a new survey shows.

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Study: Google reveals LLM that helps accurately diagnosis complex cases

Mobi Health News

The tech giant revealed it created an LLM optimized for diagnostic reasoning with the ability to generate a differential diagnosis or assist clinicians in coming to a diagnosis.

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Navigating Payroll Compliance: Future-Proofing Payroll in an Evolving Regulatory Landscape

Speaker: Jennifer Hill

Payroll compliance is a cornerstone of business success, yet for small and midsize businesses, it’s becoming increasingly challenging to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of federal, state, and local regulations. Mistakes can lead to costly penalties and operational disruptions, making it essential to adopt advanced solutions that ensure accuracy and efficiency.

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FirstHealth of the Carolinas solves access problem with Virtual Provider program

Healthcare It News

Access to providers is a challenge across healthcare. The industry faces severe provider shortages – exacerbated by a terrible burnout problem. This is not news. But finding successful solutions to access problems is. And that is what FirstHealth of the Carolinas has done, using telemedicine technology. Three components to the program The health system's Virtual Provider program has a few components to it.

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HHS’ new cyber framework for hospitals includes stricter requirements, potential penalties

Healthcare Dive

The agency’s plans include working with Congress to receive funding to support hospitals’ security infrastructures as the sector faces the growing threat of cyberattacks.

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Does the ADA Protect People with Substance Use Disorder from Health Care Discrimination?

Bill of Health

By Hannah Rahim The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits health care organizations that provide services to the public from discriminating against persons with disabilities. Although substance use disorder can be a disability under the ADA, there are limitations in the scope and enforcement of these ADA protections. Further action is needed to prevent discrimination in health care services towards persons with substance use disorder.

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To bridge the digital divide, national nonprofit offers free devices and internet

Healthcare IT News - Telehealth

Approximately 11.7 million U.S. households do not have in-home internet access and approximately 5.5 million households do not have a computer, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That's just the beginning of a deep digital divide in this country. One big question in healthcare when it comes to the digital divide: How can people in these households get access to telemedicine ?

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3 Reasons to Retire Pagers from Healthcare Settings

Let's discuss the trusty pager—an old favorite that’s losing its shine in hospitals and clinics. While once a staple in hospitals and clinics, pagers now present significant limitations that hinder rather than facilitate communication among healthcare professionals. Healthcare professionals are constantly on the move, and they need communication tools that can keep up with their fast-paced lives.