NORC issues report on HIE progress in six states

PARCA eNews – Dec. 29, 2014 – National Opinion Research Center (NORC) released its latest case study report as part of the evaluation of the State HIE Program. The study involved more than 100 interviews with HIE participants about what is working, and what isn't in HIE. One of the major takeaway messages is that states need to play a central role in leadership, coordination, collaboration, and policy development to identify local health IT needs and gaps.

Coding déjà vu all over again

ICD-10 will be implemented Oct. 1, 2015

Marilyn Tavenner

PARCA eNews – Dec. 15, 2014 – Seems like only yesterday everyone was getting ready for ICD-10, but then last July, under pressure from health care providers who felt they could not meet the 2014 deadline, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued another extension setting a new deadline of Oct. 1, 2015.

As a result ICD-10 implementation was once again a topic at RSNA 2014 (click on subevent  MSAS21A). While much has been reported on getting ready for ICD-10, there has been relatively little coverage of what benefits ICD-10 will have for health care. 

New federal health IT strategic plan for interoperability open for comment

PARCA eNews – Dec. 10, 2014 – The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) issued the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan for 2015-2020 on Dec. 8 and is open for comment. 

The Strategic Plan serves as the broad federal strategy setting the context and framing the Nationwide Interoperability Roadmap that will be released in early 2015. The Nationwide Interoperability Roadmap will help to define the implementation of how the federal government and private sector will approach sharing health information.

Highlights from RSNA 2014

PARCA eNews – Dec. 6, 2014 – The theme of the RSNA 2014 that wrapped up Dec. 5 was “A century of transforming medicine.” It is sometimes useful to take a step back and look at how much imaging has advanced over the years. Following the introduction of ultrasound in 1955, CT or computed axial tomography (CAT scan) machines in 1972, the first PET scanner in 1975, and MRI in 1977, the first PACS systems were unveiled at RSNA in 1982. Today, in addition to continuing advances in those technologies the trends seem to be focused on the global challenges facing imaging professionals, including integrating imaging systems into enterprise imaging, informatics and “big data.” 

Top five trends at RSNA 2014 as noted by HealthImaging, Aunt Minnie, and Diagnostic Imaging: