• CHIME Career Center Provides Tools to Help Health IT Executives Grow


    4.18.2018
    By Ashley Jester – Specialist, Membership & Professional Development

    We are excited to announce the new CHIME Career Center webpage that hosts a variety of resources to aid in your career development and growth. As a CHIME provider member or CHIME Foundation member, you can access these tools to help move forward in your career. 

    One of the great highlights to this is the new resume feature. As a CIO or healthcare IT leader looking to advance your career into a new position, you can submit your resume online. This allows CHIME Foundation firm partners who assist with CIO-related job searches or services to view your resume and expedite the hiring process for qualified individuals. There is no sharing of personal information outside of this process.

    Additional resources include resume and interview tips, succession planning guidance and mentorship opportunities.  If you are looking for a career planning network, this is the perfect landing.

    The journey to your career destination may take several paths, but CHIME is there to help you along each step of the way. Whether you are testing the waters in job opportunities, looking to apply knowledge learned from educational events back in the workplace, or building your leadership team, discover how CHIME can be there to support you in your journey!

    We look forward to walking with you! If you have any questions, feel free to email me at [email protected].

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    Posted 4.18.2019

  • A Lot is Brewing in Washington Despite a Holiday Recess


    4.18.2019
    Leslie Krigstein – VP, Congressional Affairs

    The government is counting its pennies after Tax Day and Congress has begun a two-week holiday recess. It should be quiet, right? Guess again.

    The health IT world remains in comment mode as the May 3 deadlines to comment on both the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) “Information Blocking” Rule” and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) “Interoperability and Patient Access” rule are closing in. These rules are certain to overhaul how healthcare information is shared across the ecosystem and we are paying close attention. With requests for information (RFI) covering topics like patient matching, long-term care and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), I’d expect to see organizations like mine produce lengthy comments. The industry remains hopeful after many public pleas that the comment deadline may be extended an additional 30 days.

    In the last few weeks we have also seen CMS unveil a million-plus dollar Artificial Intelligence challenge and detail an expansion of telehealth under Medicare Advantage Programs.

    We are expecting a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) addressing the sharing of substance use disorder records from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) any day. This is accompanied by renewed efforts in Congress to align 42 CFR Part 2 with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) for the purposes of payment, treatment and operations.

    Also, it’s almost payment rule time. Stay tuned for the Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) rule that is imminent. It will give us a picture of how the administration plans to structure payment for hospitals next year and could include changes to the Promoting Interoperability program once again.

    On Capitol Hill, there has been no rest for the weary. Congressional committees are hard at work picking apart the president’s fiscal year 2020 budget justification that included cuts for just about everyone. We expect to see the House Labor-Health and Human Services Appropriations bill soon, likely after the current recess. That will give us some perspective on how lawmakers believe HHS should be prioritizing their initiatives.

    The Senate Health, Education. Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee under the leadership of Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), who will be retiring at the end of this term, continues to track the latest in electronic health records and interoperability, hearing from industry witnesses last month, with a second hearing expected with government representatives in the near future. They also remain interested in ways to cut health spending.

    The bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Telehealth Caucus just wrapped up their comment period on ways to extend access and use of telehealth and remote patient monitoring services.

    The privacy debate continues. Proposals are expected to emerge from both the House and Senate governing consumer privacy. Uncertainty remains about where health data will fall into the conversation. Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) reminded folks that she will not support proposals that preempt state laws like the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in her home state.

    Interestingly, last week Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-VT), long-time senator from Vermont and a presidential hopeful, introduced his Medicare for All bill. CHIME members are taking note because among many other things, this legislation would alter physician payment. Federal pay-for-performance programs would end, as would value-based purchasing, the current meaningful use Electronic Health Record rules, and other payment systems for Medicare such as the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS).

    It’s a beautiful time of year here in the nation’s capital; unfortunately, us policy folks just haven’t had a lot of time to enjoy it!

    The download the podcast, go here.

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    Posted 4.18.2019

  • Vocera Earns ATO to Provide Communication Solution to Air Force and Navy

    Authorization from Department of Defense extends technology beyond the U.S. Army

    SAN JOSE, CA – April 16, 2019 – Vocera Communications, Inc. (NYSE:VCRA), a recognized leader in clinical communication and workflow solutions, today announced it received an Authority to Operate (ATO) from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) that extends the potential purchase and deployment of the hands-free Vocera Badge beyond the Army to facilities in the Air Force and Navy worldwide.

    This DoD security process is an integral part of authorizing, securing and managing healthcare technology systems across the DoD. The ATO is based on compliance with strict security requirements and risk assessments outlined in the Risk Management Framework (RMF). The RMF, a unified information security framework, was developed by the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) to help DoD and federal agencies manage and monitor information technology risks.

    “For many years the wearable Vocera Badge has been used in MEDCOM facilities around the world to improve care team communication,” said Gregory Young, vice president of military health systems at Vocera. “With this new ATO, we are very excited to extend our customer base and offer our defense-grade solution to healthcare facilities in the U.S. Air Force and Navy.”

    The Vocera Badge meets all federal government requirements, is FIPS 140-2 compliant, and Joint Interoperability Test Command (JITC) certified. Proven to reduce steps and save time, this communication solution enables mobile healthcare workers to connect with the right person, group and information instantly. It also integrates with more than 140 clinical systems, including electronic health records, nurse call systems, physiologic monitors, and real-time location systems.

    About Vocera

    The mission of Vocera Communications, Inc. is to simplify and improve the lives of healthcare professionals and patients, while enabling hospitals to enhance quality of care and operational efficiency. In 2000, when the company was founded, we began to forever change the way care teams communicate. Today, Vocera offers the leading platform for improving clinical communication and workflow. More than 1,850 facilities worldwide, including nearly 1,600 hospitals and healthcare facilities, have selected our clinical communication and workflow solutions. Care team members use our solutions to communicate and collaborate with co-workers by securely texting or calling, and to be notified of important alerts and alarms. They can choose the right device for their role or task, including smartphones or our hands-free, wearable Vocera Smartbadge and Vocera Badge. Interoperability between the Vocera Platform and more than 140 clinical and operational systems helps reduce alarm fatigue; speed up staff response times; and improve patient care, safety, and experience. In addition to healthcare, Vocera is at home in luxury hotels, aged care facilities, nuclear power facilities, schools, libraries, retail stores, and more. Vocera solutions make a difference in any industry where workers are on the move and need to connect instantly with team members and access resources or information quickly. In 2017, Vocera made the list of Forbes 100 Most Trustworthy Companies in America. Learn more at http://www.vocera.com and follow @VoceraComm on Twitter.

    Vocera® and the Vocera logo are trademarks of Vocera Communications, Inc. registered in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other trademarks appearing in this release are the property of their respective owners.

    Media Contact:

    Shanna Hearon
    Vocera Communications, Inc.
    669-999-3368
    [email protected]

    Posted 4.16.2019

  • Health Catalyst Enters Asia Pacific Market Through Partnership with Fullerton Health

    Fullerton Health, a leading vertically integrated healthcare platform in the Asia Pacific region, engages Health Catalyst to develop analytics strategy in support of the organization’s purpose to bring accessible and affordable care across the region

    SINGAPORE, and SALT LAKE CITY, UT – April 16, 2019 – Fullerton Healthcare Corporation Limited (“Fullerton Health”), a leading vertically integrated healthcare platform in the Asia Pacific region with a proven track record of providing clients with seamless service offerings through customized healthcare management and administration, has partnered with Health Catalyst, Inc., a leading provider of data and analytics technology and services to healthcare organizations. The partnership aims to develop a strategic plan that leverages greater use of data.

    In the Asia Pacific, where two-thirds of the world’s population lives, many face unmet health needs due to access and affordability. Through the company’s more than 500 owned medical facilities and a global network of healthcare providers, Fullerton Health offers accessible and affordable care in the eight markets they service and beyond.

    “Governments, corporations and insurers are increasingly focused on outcomes-based and managed care. At Fullerton Health, we are committed to building a patient-centric system that empowers informed decisions while creating value for stakeholders. We recognized that greater use of analytics is key to our commitment and chose to partner with Health Catalyst for success,” said David Sin, Group President of Fullerton Health.

    “Already a healthcare innovation pioneer, we believe in harnessing technology and data to enable on-demand aggregation, providing cost-effective management of healthcare services while meeting patients’ needs,” continued Mr. Sin. “Our technology enables us to improve business performance and efficiency, which in turn creates cost-savings for our patients and clients. Healthcare analytics is a key business driver for both organizations as we find effective ways to drive value. Partnering with Health Catalyst enables us to leverage our data to deepen our understanding of the diverse needs across the Asia Pacific. Together, both organizations will co-create a healthcare analytics approach specific to Asian healthcare systems which uses our local data, guided by Health Catalyst’s expert capabilities.”

    Health Catalyst will assess Fullerton Health’s capabilities to design a comprehensive future-focused strategic plan for data analytics. This will help drive improved outcomes across all stakeholders, from the business to the patient, in all markets that the company operates.

    “We at Health Catalyst are honored to partner with and support our colleagues at Fullerton Health in their important work, all focused on providing extraordinary, data-informed care,” said Dan Burton, CEO of Health Catalyst. “We hope to support Fullerton Health over the long term in much the same way we strive to support our other clients.  We appreciate this opportunity to work with Fullerton Health.” 

    About Health Catalyst

    Health Catalyst is a leading provider of data and analytics technology and services to healthcare organizations, committed to being the catalyst for massive, measurable, data-informed healthcare improvement. Our customers leverage our cloud-based data platform—powered by data from more than 100 million patient records, and encompassing trillions of facts—as well as our analytics software and professional services expertise to make data-informed decisions and realize measurable clinical, financial, and operational improvements. We envision a future in which all healthcare decisions are data informed. Learn more at www.healthcatalyst.com.

    About Fullerton Health

    Fullerton Health is a leading vertically integrated healthcare platform. Founded in Singapore in 2011, today the Company serves clients through over 500 healthcare facilities and a large global network of healthcare providers across eight markets in Asia Pacific. Fullerton Health’s value proposition is the integration of healthcare service offerings with customized management and advisory capabilities, in line with its purpose to deliver affordable and accessible care for all in Asia Pacific. For more information on Fullerton Health, please visit http://www.fullertonhealth.com/.

    For more information contact:

    Todd Stein
    Amendola Communications
    510-417-0612
    [email protected]

    Jasmeet (Jasmine) Kaur
    Group Head Communications & Relations
    Fullerton Health
    +65.9179.8455
    [email protected]

    Posted 4.16.2019

  • Foundation Partners Contributing to the Opioid Task Force


    4.16.2019
    Chris Hargrett, Associate, CHIME Foundation

    CHIME Foundation would like to thank all the Foundation partners who have contributed to the Opioid Task Force.  

    In 2018, the CHIME Opioid Task Force was formed, with CHIME members Ed Kopetsky and Jim Turnbull as co-chairs, to address the major opioid epidemic that has impacted individuals and families in the United States. This crisis claimed the lives of over 43,000 Americans in 2017. The mission of the Task Force is to “turn the tide on the opioid epidemic [by] using the knowledge and expertise of the nation’s healthcare IT leaders.” This includes using the expertise of CHIME members and resources to develop education and best practice sharing to hospitals and communities; and engaging policy leaders to advocate for the healthcare IT policies and programs. The Opioid Task Force Playbook is being developed to help CIOs and CMIOs build programs to address the opioid epidemic.  The task force also launched a webinar series, which will continue in 2019 and beyond. Foundation member Bruce Cerullo, co-chair of the Task Force’s fundraising campaign, has been a driving force behind the fundraising efforts. 

    With a two-year fundraising goal of $750,000, the Opioid Task Force has received over $350,000 in donations and pledges as of March 31, 2019, with numerous generous donations from Foundation partners. A special thank you to the list of CHIME Foundation Partners below that have contributed and/or pledged to the Opioid Task Force.

    The list of contributors continues to grow. The Task Force’s goal behind the fundraiser is to create a central web-based repository for healthcare organizations to obtain knowledge and resources about the opioid crisis. 

    In addition to bringing awareness to the opioid crisis, there are College LIVE webinars – just like the one held on April 3, “Implementing Electronic Prescribing of Controlled Substance to Meet Requirements of New Opioid Law” – scheduled in July and October of this year that are open to all CHIME members and Foundation partners. 

    If you have contributed to or participated in a fundraising initiative for the CHIME Opioid Task Force during the week of HIMSS, please share your story with us by contacting [email protected]. 

    For more information about the Opioid Task Force, visit https://chimecentral.org/opioid-task-force.

    More Foundation Insight:

    Posted 4.16.2019

  • CHIME Annual Survey Provides Valuable Insights for the Future


    4.16.2019
    By Arika Lycan, Specialist, CHIME Foundation

    Every year CHIME surveys both our Foundation partners and our CHIME provider members in an Annual Member Survey. While we regularly solicit feedback on CHIME programs and events, it’s important we get a full picture of the past year as a whole.  

    The CHIME Annual Member Survey helps us calibrate for the year ahead, particularly in an education capacity; “What are upcoming topics of interest?” and “How do our provider members perceive their roles in the industry?” One data point of pride for CHIME is the response we received on how our provider members view the value of their CHIME memberships: 98 percent of survey respondents agreed or strongly agreed that “I am proud to be a CHIME member.”  

    There are several questions we ask of CHIME members that pertain directly to CHIME Foundation and the mutual relationship we share. The first question we asked was, “How can CHIME Foundation partners better support you?” Some of the many responses include:  

    • “Providing timely access to new technologies and improvements that can benefit my organization.” 
    • “Closer collaboration on solutions to the opioid crisis.” 
    • “I find presentations by CHIME Foundation partners to be helpful. When I need assistance from a CHIME Foundation partner, I contact them directly.” 
    • “I would be interested in the foundation providing focused education on specific areas where a CIO may need to gain greater depth and or breadth.“ 
    • “Sharing the successful initiatives across different organizations.” 
    • “They are doing a good job of balancing & fostering the partnerships.” 
    • “Recognize small organization (physician groups) as well as health systems.” 
    • “Educational offerings around unique technology.” 
    • “Demonstrate they can add value to the care we provide.”
       

    The other question specific to CHIME Foundation partner interaction was, “What are topics of interest you would like to hear from our Foundation Partners about in 2019?” Here are the top 10 topics of interest for 2019, in order of popularity: 

    1. Artificial Intelligence
    2. Cybersecurity 
    3. Interoperability 
    4. Patient Engagement 
    5. Analytics 
    6. Innovation 
    7. Integration 
    8. EMR/EHR 
    9. Cloud 
    10. Telehealth 

    CHIME also inquired about CHIME Cooperative Member Services Program to learn more about what provider members need in terms of offerings. When asked, “What kinds of services would you like to see offered through the Cooperative Member Services program?”, the top answers included: 

    Cybersecurity 68% 

    Advisory / Consulting Services 54% 

    Population Health 36% 

    Business Analytics 35% 

    Technical Services  30% 

    Interoperability & Middleware 30%

    84 percent of survey respondents said that yes, they would consider taking advantage of the offerings available to them through the CHIME Cooperative Member Services Program.

    Getting direct input from CHIME provider members on their needs and their view of CHIME helps our team to more accurately hone our educational offerings, programs and communications to meet the needs of CHIME providers. We hope these insights are informative to your planning process for the rest of 2019.

    More Foundation Insight:

    Posted 4.16.2019

  • Foundation Board Chair Encourages Partners to Attend CHIME Advocacy Summit


    4.16.2019
    Cletis Earle, CHCIO, Chair, Foundation Board; SVP & CIO, Information Technology Kaledia Health

    Do you have a government relations team or a colleague responsible for keeping the company informed about the latest health IT policy developments? As your Foundation Board chair and chair of the CHIME Public Policy Steering Committee, I am pleased to share an opportunity that combines the benefit of membership with the deep connections CHIME has made with leading federal policymakers. 

    CHIME will hold the second annual Advocacy Summit on June 26-28 in Washington, D.C., and anyone from a Foundation firm can attend at a special rate. The summit will feature some of the most powerful leaders in IT policy in D.C. We have five keynote speakers and panels who will address policy topics that CHIME’s members have identified as their priorities: cybersecurity, telehealth, interoperability and the opioid crisis. This is a rare chance to hear from and network with leaders in Congress, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and more.  

    Every one of those organizations plays an important role in how CIOs like me do our jobs, and consequently what we will need from our industry partners. For instance, CMS and ONC recently released draft rules to advance interoperability and data sharing; the FDA is reviewing ways to better protect medical devices from cyberthreats; telehealth is getting a boost with Medicare now reimbursing more services; and both the administration and Congress have strongly supported efforts to curb the opioid crisis. Many of these proposed changes are under review and a final version could be released as a law, a final rule or a guidance document. 

    Here is the lineup of keynote speakers:    

    • Adam Boehler, deputy administrator for innovation and quality at CMS and director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, who will discuss the role of innovation and technology in value-based care (June 26); 
    • U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, of the Sixth Congressional District in Ohio, who served as director of the U.S. Air Force’s Chief Information Officer Staff at U.S. Special Operations Command and is a telehealth proponent. He will be joined by CHIME Board member Rusty Yeager, senior vice president and CIO at Encompass Health and a former Medical Service Corps officer specializing in healthcare IT and cybersecurity for the U.S. Air Force, for a fireside chat (June 26); 
    • Will Smart, a member of the CHIME Board of Trustees and CIO of NHS England, who will share lessons learned from the WannaCry cyberattack in 2017 and NHS’s efforts to comply with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (June 27); 
    • Kimberly Brandt, JD, principal deputy administrator for operations of CMS and an expert in healthcare compliance, fraud and abuse, who will give an update on Stark reform, the Blue Button initiative and other developments at CMS (June 27); and  
    • Admiral Brett P. Giroir, MD, assistant secretary for health at HHS and senior adviser to the Secretary for Opioid Policy, with a roundup of the administration’s efforts to combat the opioid epidemic (June 28). 

    ONC’s Don Rucker, senior CMS officials, HL7 DaVinci representatives and policy leaders from CHIME and CHIME’s associations will also present sessions. The Advocacy Summit will include several networking events as well to allow presenters and attendees to meet and mingle.   

    I hope you and your government relations/policy teams can join me June 26-28 in Washington, D.C. CHIME members, CHIME association members, CHIME Foundation firms and association Foundation firms can attend at a special membership rate; register now under the early-bird pricing and save $200.  Non-member provider professionals as well as representatives from non-member firms are welcome to attend, too, at a higher rate.  

    Information about the CHIME Advocacy Summit, speakers and agenda is available here. To register, click here. If you have any question, please reach out the CHIME policy team at [email protected].

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    Posted 4.16.2019

  • Top Policymakers, Congressman and CIO of NHS England to Speak at CHIME Advocacy Summit

    ANN ARBOR, MI, April 11, 2019 – Three top federal policymakers, a former CIO who now serves in the U.S. House of Representatives and the CIO of National Health Service England will give keynote presentations at the second annual College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) Advocacy Summit on June 26-28 in Washington, D.C. The summit will address the latest policy developments and topics, including patient privacy, value-based care, telehealth, burgeoning cyber threats and how to manage them, and navigating the new interoperability rules and their implications for providers.
     
    The summit will feature:
    • Admiral Brett P. Giroir, MD, assistant secretary for health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and senior adviser to the Secretary for Opioid Policy;
    • Kimberly Brandt, JD, principal deputy administrator for operations in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) where she supports oversight of CMS‘ programs;
    • Adam Boehler, deputy administrator for innovation and quality at CMS and director of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation;
    •  U.S. Rep. Bill Johnson, who represents the Sixth Congressional District in Ohio, served as director of the U.S. Air Force’s Chief Information Officer Staff at U.S. Special Operations Command and is a telehealth proponent; and
    • Will Smart, a member of the CHIME Board of Trustees and CIO of the National Health Service (NHS) in England, who in a joint appointment between NHS England and NHS Improvement is responsible for providing strategic leadership across the whole of the NHS.
    “Our five keynote speakers will provide valuable perspective on the hot-button issues driving today’s healthcare IT policies,” said Cletis Earle, chair of the CHIME Public Policy Steering Committee. “This is an incredible opportunity to hear first-hand from leaders about regulations and innovative payment models that will have a profound effect on how healthcare organizations deliver care. I am especially pleased that Will can join us and share lessons learned from the WannaCry cyberattack and their efforts to comply with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation.”
     
    The Advocacy Summit will include sessions on cybersecurity, data privacy, interoperability, telehealth, the opioid epidemic and the role of IT innovation to improve health and care. The topics reflect priorities identified by CHIME’s 2,800-plus membership of CIOs and senior healthcare IT executives. Cybersecurity has been at the forefront of concerns after the 2017 WannaCry ransomware attack that spread through more than 150 countries and infected at least 80 NHS trusts across England. Interoperability and patient access to data are also prominent with the recent release of proposed rules by CMS and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT. Telehealth has been gaining momentum as the reimbursement landscape improves, and CHIME has taken a leadership role in stemming the tide of the opioid epidemic with the work of the CHIME Opioid Task Force.
     
    “Healthcare IT policies have a direct impact on the quality of patient care,” said CHIME President and CEO Russell Branzell. “The summit brings everyone together – those on the provider side, industry, the administration, Congress and federal agencies – to share what they know and work together to make sure these policies benefit patients.”
     
    Anyone with an interest in healthcare IT policies is encouraged to attend. In keeping with CHIME’s mission to educate the entire healthcare IT community about key policy issues, the summit is open to non-member provider professionals as well as representatives from non-member firms. CHIME members, CHIME association members, CHIME Foundation firms and association partners can attend at a special membership rate. Information about the CHIME Advocacy Summit, speakers and agenda is available here. To register, click here.
     
    Editor’s note: Members of the media are welcome to attend. Please email Candace Stuart, CHIME’s director of communications and public relations, at [email protected], with a request to be included on the media list.
     
    About CHIME
    The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) is an executive organization dedicated to serving chief information officers (CIOs), chief medical information officers (CMIOs), chief nursing information officers (CNIOs) and other senior healthcare IT leaders. With more than 2,800 members in 51 countries and over 150 healthcare IT business partners and professional services firms, CHIME provides a highly interactive, trusted environment enabling senior professional and industry leaders to collaborate; exchange best practices; address professional development needs; and advocate the effective use of information management to improve the health and care in the communities they serve. For more information, please visit chimecentral.org.
     
    Contact
    Candace Stuart
    Director of Communications and Public Relations, CHIME
    734.665.0000
    Posted 4.15.2019

  • CynergisTek’s Report Reveals Continued Challenges from Healthcare Organizations on Cybersecurity Preparation

    CynergisTek Releases 2019 Report on Cybersecurity & Privacy Findings in Healthcare

    AUSTIN, TX – April 11, 2019 — CynergisTek, Inc. (NYSE AMERICAN: CTEK), a leader in healthcare cybersecurity, privacy, and compliance, today released its annual report, Measuring Progress: Expanding the Horizon. The 2019 report provides a sobering analysis of how healthcare provider organizations measured against the National Institute of Standards and Technology Cybersecurity Framework (NIST CSF) and the HIPAA Security and Privacy Rules, which outlines best practices for healthcare organizations to adopt to manage cybersecurity risks.

    CynergisTek’s 2019 report aggregates ratings from privacy and security assessments performed in 2018 at nearly 600 healthcare provider organizations and business associates across the nation to reveal an average 47% conformance with NIST CSF controls and an average 72% conformance with the HIPAA Security Rule. This reflects only a 2% increase with conformance with NIST CST and a 2% decrease in conformance with the HIPAA Security Rule from the previous year’s findings. New areas of research in the report take a deeper look into the Five Core Functions of the NIST framework, and a new section focused on top privacy issues based on CynergisTek’s privacy assessments and privacy monitoring service. The report also examines the leading risks posed by third-party vendors.

    Additional findings and insights from the Measuring Progress: Expanding the Horizon report include:

    • 74% of unauthorized insider access to patient records was users’ household members and the second most common was accessing high profile (VIP/confidential) patient data.
    • Over 60% of privacy assessments found gaps in maintaining written policies and procedures to guide workforce members in managing all or some of these uses and/or disclosures of PHI.
    • The most common gaps among third-party vendors included risk assessment, access management, and governance.
    • In terms of the Five Core Functions, there was a surprising .4% decline in Awareness and Training this year.
    • The average rating for the Respond and Recover Function was 2.5 (on a scale of 0 – 5), indicating the healthcare industry is still not as prepared to respond to a cyber incident as they should be.

    “The slight decline in the Awareness and Training category under the Protection Function is very alarming considering how much more sophisticated attackers were with targeted phishing attempts and new attack vectors, such as medical devices,” said David Finn, Executive Vice President of Strategic Innovation at CynergisTek. “Furthermore, the fact that we did not see any improvement in either the Respond or Recover functions means we may be losing even more ground with the increased number of attacks last year. Organizations need to take into account whether their individual security needs are actually being met in order to be truly secure, and not only compliant.”

    CynergisTek’s 2019 report demonstrates that compliance and security are not one-in the same. After being in effect for 14 years, the industry is still only achieving 72% compliance on the HIPAA Security Rule, a C-level grade at best. From a technical security perspective, this rule is no longer as relevant, since being compliant with an older, out of date rule is not about security, it is about checking boxes, and that is not a measure of risk posture or actual security. The report results highlight the growing need for healthcare organizations to make serious investments in cybersecurity readiness, as cybersecurity has become one of the top business risks facing healthcare today.

    The report also includes expertise and analysis from CynergisTek’s thought leaders, as well as proven best practices for strengthening privacy and security controls at healthcare organizations. The full report can be downloaded here.

    About CynergisTek, Inc.

    CynergisTek is a top-ranked cybersecurity firm dedicated to serving the information assurance needs of the healthcare industry. CynergisTek offers specialized services and solutions to help organizations achieve privacy, security, and compliance goals. Since 2004, the company has served as a partner to hundreds of healthcare organizations and is dedicated to supporting and educating the industry by contributing to relevant industry associations. The company has been recognized by KLAS in the 2016 and 2018 Cybersecurity reports as a top performing firm in healthcare cybersecurity, as well as the 2017 Best in KLAS winner for Cybersecurity Advisory Services.

    ###

    Media Contact:
    Aria Marketing
    Danielle Johns
    (617) 332-9999 x241
    [email protected]

    Posted 4.11.2019

  • Optimum Healthcare IT Ranked in 2019 Healthcare IT Consulting Firm Survey

    Firm Ranked Highly in all Categories

    JACKSONVILLE BEACH, FL – April 11, 2019 – Optimum Healthcare IT, a Best in KLAS healthcare staffing and consulting services firm, announced today that it ranked second among 16 firms in the first annual Modern Healthcare survey of the largest healthcare IT consulting firms.

    Vendors were ranked by 2018 revenue from health IT consulting revenue, the number of health IT contracts and the number of employed consultants. Optimum Healthcare IT ranked highly in all categories.

    “Optimum Healthcare IT is proud to be ranked by Modern Healthcare as one of the largest Healthcare IT consulting firms in the country, “ said Jason Jarrett, CEO of Optimum Healthcare IT. “We believe our inclusion on this list reflects that the industry has trust in our ability to deliver world-class talent and services.”

    In addition to the Largest IT Consulting Firms for 2019 list, Modern Healthcare’s 1st Annual Healthcare IT Consulting Firms Survey features industry trends and shares feedback from key players in healthcare IT consulting about the shifting needs of providers from acquiring meaningful EHR systems to reaping greater value from existing systems and re-engineering strategies.

    As an industry leader in healthcare IT staffing and consulting services, the team at Optimum provides professional staffing services to fill any need as well as consulting services that encompass advisory, EHR implementation, training and activation, EHR optimization, community connect, managed services, enterprise resource planning, security, and ancillary services. With clients across the United States, we have experience with regulatory requirements in every state as well as a unique set of proprietary tools and methodologies across all of our service lines.

    Optimum Healthcare IT has also been named 2019 Best in KLAS for Advisory Services.

    About Optimum Healthcare IT

    Optimum Healthcare IT is a Best in KLAS healthcare IT staffing and consulting services firm based in Jacksonville Beach, Florida. Optimum provides world-class professional staffing services to fill any need as well as consulting services that encompass advisory,  EHR implementation, training and activation, EHR optimization, community connect, managed services, enterprise resource planning, security, and ancillary services – supporting our client’s needs through the continuum of care. Our organization is led by a leadership team with more than 100 years of experience in providing expert healthcare staffing and consulting solutions to all types of organizations.

    Visit www.optimumhit.com or call 1.904.373.0831 to find out how your organization can take advantage of our service offerings.

    Contact:
    Larry Kaiser
    VP, Marketing
    Optimum Healthcare IT
    516.978.5487
    [email protected]

    Posted 4.11.2019

  • Canadian hospital Trillium Health Partners selects Sectra’s enterprise imaging solution

    Linköping, Sweden and Toronto, Canada – April 10, 2019 – International medical imaging IT and cybersecurity company Sectra (STO: SECT B) will install its enterprise PACS solution at Trillium Health Partners. The system will provide radiologists across three hospital sites with unified access to medical images and a complete patient overview, resulting in more effective care.

    “As demand for hospital services continues to grow, we need a scalable solution that fits our organizational imaging strategy. It is important that we are able to provide our clinicians with tools that are easy to use and help them serve patients more efficiently. Sectra will allow us to meet these objectives and will enable us to continue to deliver high-quality care and exceptional experiences for our patients,” says Dr. Derek Archer, Medical Director and Chief of Diagnostic Imaging at Trillium Health Partners.

    Sectra will provide Trillium Health Partners with a shared solution across radiology, including breast imaging, integrated with their enterprise EMR. This will enable access and sharing of images and information across the entire clinical pathway and provide clinicians with a complete patient record. The system will handle approximately 600,000 examinations annually across Trillium Health Partners’ three hospital sites located in Mississauga and Toronto in the Canadian province of Ontario Canada. The multi-year contract was signed in April 2019.

    “It is important for us to work closely with our customers to achieve the best possible outcomes for their current and future needs. I look forward to a collaborative partnership between our two organizations,” says Kjetil Nilsen, President of Sectra Canada.

    Sectra’s enterprise PACS, as purchased by Trillium Health Partners, is a key component of Sectra’s enterprise imaging solution which provides consolidation of image handling, while ensuring clinical workflow efficiency. The enterprise imaging solution is modular and supports the most image-intense departments—radiology, pathology, cardiology and orthopaedics. Being built on the same technical platform, customers can easily extend a departmental solution to create a comprehensive VNA and enterprise image management solution without major investments or the replacement of existing components. Read more about Sectra and why Sectra PACS is “Best in KLAS” for a sixth consecutive year at http://www.sectra.com/medical/.

    Meet Sectra in Canada at Toronto Breast Imaging Conference and MIIT Conference Welcome to Sectra’s booth at Toronto Breast Imaging Conference, April 27, and MIIT Conference, May 10, to learn more about Sectra’s solutions.
    Book a meeting with Sectra at Toronto Breast Imaging Conference >>
    Book a meeting with Sectra at MIIT Conference >>

    About Trillium Health Partners Trillium Health Partners is one of the largest community-based hospital systems in Canada. Comprised of Credit Valley Hospital, the Mississauga Hospital and the Queensway Health Centre, Trillium Health Partners serves the growing and diverse populations of Mississauga, West Toronto and surrounding communities. Trillium Health Partners is a teaching hospital
    2(2)

    Sectra AB Teknikringen 20, 583 30 Linköping, Sweden VAT: SE556064830401 Tel: +46 13 23 52 00 | Fax: +46 13 21 21 85 [email protected] | www.sectra.com
    affiliated with the University of Toronto and is an associate member of the Toronto Academic Health Science Network. Read more at thp.ca.

    About Sectra Sectra assists hospitals throughout the world to enhance the efficiency of care, and authorities and defense forces in Europe to protect society’s most sensitive information. Thereby, Sectra contributes to a healthier and safer society. The company was founded in 1978, has its head office in Linköping, Sweden, with direct sales in 19 countries, and operates through partners worldwide. Sales in the 2017/2018 fiscal year totaled SEK 1,267 million. The Sectra share is quoted on the Nasdaq Stockholm exchange. For more information, visit www.sectra.com.

    For further information, please contact: Dr. Torbjörn Kronander, CEO and President Sectra AB, 46 (0) 705 23 52 27
    Marie Ekström Trägårdh, Executive Vice President Sectra AB and President Sectra
    Imaging IT Solutions, 46 (0)708 23 56 10
    Kjetil Nilsen, President of Sectra Canada, (416) 450-8817

    Posted 4.10.2019

  • Impact Advisors Makes Modern Healthcare’s Largest IT Consulting Firms List

    Firm ranks favorably in inaugural Healthcare IT Consulting Firms Survey

    CHICAGO, IL – April 9, 2019 – Impact Advisors, a leading provider of clinical, revenue cycle and information technology services to the healthcare industry, has been named one of Modern Healthcare’s Largest IT Consulting Firms for 2019. The list is included in Modern Healthcare‘s inaugural Healthcare IT Consulting Firms Survey, published April 1.

    Key players in healthcare IT were ranked on the list by 2018 revenue from health IT consulting fees. Impact Advisors ranked favorably based on the firm’s total provider revenue, number of health IT contracts and number of employed healthcare consultants. 

    “Over the years, Impact Advisors has achieved consistent growth thanks to the incredible work of our associates and their dedication to the clients they serve,” said Peter Smith, CEO of Impact Advisors. “We are proud to partner with many of the nation’s top healthcare organizations to deliver high-value services and results.”

    In addition to the Largest IT Consulting Firms for 2019 list, Modern Healthcare’s 1st Annual Healthcare IT Consulting Firms Survey features industry trends and shares feedback from key players in healthcare IT consulting about the shifting needs of providers from acquiring meaningful EHR systems, to reaping greater value from existing systems and re-engineering strategies.

    Impact Advisors has also been featured on Modern Healthcare’s Largest Revenue Cycle Management Firms list, Largest Healthcare Management Consulting Firms list and on its Best Places to Work in Healthcare list.

    About Impact Advisors

    Impact Advisors is a nationally recognized healthcare consulting firm and trusted partner of industry leaders focused on delivering clinical, revenue cycle, and information technology services to solve some of healthcare’s toughest challenges. Our comprehensive suite of patient access, clinical and revenue cycle services spans the lifecycle of our clients’ needs. Our experienced team has a powerful combination of clinical, revenue, operations, consulting and IT experience. The firm has earned a number of prestigious industry and workplace awards: Best in KLAS® for 12 consecutive years, CRN Solution Provider and CRN Fast Growth 150, Modern Healthcare’s Largest Revenue Cycle Management Firms, Healthcare Informatics HCI 100, as well as “best place to work” awards from: Modern Healthcare, Consulting Magazine, Becker’s Hospital Review and Achievers. For more information about Impact Advisors, visit www.impact-advisors.com.

    Media Contact:
    Karli Smith
    Chartwell Agency
    815-977-5343
    [email protected]

    Posted 4.9.2019
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