Technology (BenefitsLink.com)Headlines re Technology, gathered by BenefitsLink.comBlue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts To Become First Insurer To Participate in Google Health- (Found July 2, 2008 ) Excerpt: "Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts on Thursday announced that it will be the first insurer to participate in Google Health, an online personal health record service, the APBoston Herald reports. The insurer said it expects to begin offering the no-cost service to its three million members this fall." (Kaiser Family Foundation)http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=52762 Use of Electronic Personal Health Records Could Increase Substantially- (Found July 2, 2008 ) Excerpt: "Many employers have been skeptical about the value of personal health records, saying employees are concerned about privacy and likely won't take the time to maintain the records. But with companies such as Google rolling out its Google Health PHR and Microsoft Corp. launching a similar product, which so far is limited to its business partners, experts say the concept may take off." (Workforce Management; free registration required)http://www.workforce.com/section/02/feature/25/56/93/index.html Health Care IT Legislation Must Overcome Privacy Concerns- (Found July 2, 2008 ) Excerpt: "With the number of days remaining in the congressional session dwindling, supporters are urging faster action. They tout health IT as a way to improve care and reduce costs." (Workforce Management; free registration required)http://www.workforce.com/section/00/article/25/59/29.html Helping Patients Plug In: Lessons in the Adoption of Online Consumer Tools- (Found July 2, 2008 ) Excerpt: "Surveys suggest that three out of four patients would like to have some sort of electronic connection with their medical provider, such as the ability to make an appointment via the Web, view lab test results, or email their doctor. However, a significant disparity remains between what patients want to do online and what they are able or allowed to do. To better understand the role of patient-centered health information technology (PCHIT) in clinical care, the authors of this...http://www.chcf.org/topics/view.cfm?itemid=133659 Kaiser Permanente Signs Up Employees for Microsoft's Online Health Record Service- (Found July 2, 2008 ) Excerpt: "Nonprofit health insurer Kaiser Permanente announced this week that its 159,000 employees would be the first employees to participate in Microsoft's online health record, Healthvault." (Workforce Management; free registration required)http://www.workforce.com/section/00/article/25/58/83.html Personal Health Data on the Net: States Address Privacy Concerns- (Found July 2, 2008 ) Excerpt: "'A major concern is that PHRs are generally not subject to any privacy act,' explained Robert Gellman, a privacy consultant and author of a recent report on PHR privacy. 'This is a surprise to almost everybody. People expect that their health records are subject to privacy laws and for the most part they are -- when those records are held by doctors and insurers. When you agree to give your records to a third party there may be no privacy protections that apply at all.' To...http://www.ncsl.org/programs/health/shn/2008/sn517b.htm Opinion Online Health Records - Difference Between the Terms 'on the Internet' and 'Accessible Through the Internet'- (Found July 2, 2008 ) Excerpt: "As both a writer and a former software developer, I see a huge difference between the terms 'on the Internet' and 'accessible through the Internet.'" (eWEEK.com)http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Health-Care/Online-Health-Records-Whats-the-Big-Deal/ Federal Health IT Strategic Plan: 2008-2012 (PDF)- (Found July 2, 2008 ) 115 pages. Excerpt: "The Plan has two goals, Patient-focused Health Care and Population Health, with four objectives under each goal. The themes of privacy and security, interoperability, IT adoption, and collaborative governance recur across the goals, but they apply in very different ways to health care and population health." (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services)http://www.hhs.gov/healthit/resources/HITStrategicPlan.pdf Text of H.R. 6179, ''Promoting Health Information Technology Act of 2008'' (PDF)- (Found July 2, 2008 ) 35 pages. Excerpt: "To encourage and enhance the adoption of interoperable health information technology to improve health care quality, reduce medical errors, and increase the efficiency of care." (U.S. House of Representatives via American Benefits Council)http://www.americanbenefitscouncil.org/documents/hr_6179_110th.pdf Microsoft, Kaiser in Health Data Swap Pilot- (Found July 2, 2008 ) Excerpt: "Microsoft and Kaiser Permanente, the biggest U.S. health maintenance organization, are working on a patient information exchange pilot program to help give patients more control over their health records." (Thomson Reuters via eWEEK.com)http://www.eweek.com/c/a/Health-Care/Microsoft-Kaiser-in-Health-Data-Swap-Pilot/ |