McKesson (Booth 2545) and RelayHealth (Booth 3618) are highlighting their Better Health 2020 initiative, which seeks to address todays healthcare issuesfrom cost reduction to care coordination to managing riskat the 2012 Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) annual conference and exhibition in Las Vegas, Feb. 20-24.

If mergers and acquisitions are signs of health within a given industry, the healthcare products-and-services sector is in fighting condition despite a punishing economy; and the medical device segment is leading the way.

Health information exchanges (HIEs) promise to improve patient care and trim costs by providing access to patient data across organizations ... if they can remain sustainable. Yet, integrating a key component of patient dataimagesinto the HIE has proven to be problematic and plagued by technical and privacy hurdles.

New technologies often follow a meandering path to clinical use. Adoption may be accelerated, either by a breakthrough clinical study validating its use or grants or other incentives designed to spur adoption. Conversely, technological innovations may sputter and stumble, owing to financial, technical or regulatory barriers.

EMRs in the clouds promise to reduce operational costs and maximize quality improvement initiatives. But, is the technology ready for prime time?

NextGen Healthcare has entered into an agreement with Iasis Healthcare, which will allow the Franklin, Tenn.-based 19-hospital healthcare network to deploy the revenue cycle management products NextGen Practice Management and NextGen Practice Solutions.

Thirty-two healthcare organizations from across the U.S. will participate in a new Pioneer Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) initiative made possible by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

Radiologists are clinicians consultants. We direct clinical management based on our expert interpretation of patient images. Yet, in many cases, radiology reports may not reflect our clinical expertise. Common problems include overuse of vague terminology and omission of the impression. Addressing these flaws can go a long way toward meeting clinicians needs and improving patient care.