At Texas hospitals that have automated some aspects of their information systems, patients appear to have fewer complications, lower death rates and reduced costs, according to a report in the Jan. 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

The HIPAA privacy rule continues to have a negative affect on health research, and since its implementation, has imposed barriers that slow the pace of research, increase costs and hinder participation at academic medical centers, according to a new report from the Association of Academic Health Centers (AAHC) in Washington, D.C.

The Health and Human Services Department (HHS) has formally recognized three new interoperability specifications related to EHRs, personal health records and electronic quality monitoring.

Against the backdrop of a severe global economic downturn, President Obama issued a clarion call on Tuesday for healthcare IT to take center stage in addressing the ever-growing costs of healthcare delivery.

Amid the calls from President Barack Obama's administration and Congress for a proposed $20 billion investment in healthcare IT, a tempest is brewing as to what standards should be adopted by providers to ensure interoperability of medical records on a nationwide basis.

Mark Leavitt, MD, PhD, chair of the Certification Commission for Health IT (CCHIT), said that a $20 billion investment in healthcare IT would be the "best $20 billion you'll ever spend," and offered a few spending suggestions, in an open letter to President Barack Obama and Congress.

Aetna has agreed to pay $20 million to settle accusations from the state of New York that it and other payors used a manipulated systemIngenixto shortchange doctors and hospitals on reimbursements for out-of-network services.

The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT) is seeking public comment on a roadmap for expansion of its healthcare IT certification programs.