Bernie Monegain

TrakCare to provide clinical functionality, decision support, patient portal.

UPMC doctors are piloting a new program to administer gene tests to patients to determine whether they are likely to respond to medications. For example, a simple blood test can determine whether a patient with clogged arteries has a gene variant that makes them less likely to respond to blood-thinning medication. At UPMC, doctors are testing for that gene before prescribing medications to patients who receive a stent. With this pilot, UPMC is among first-mover health networks embracing genomics to improve patient care. NorthShore University Health System, for instance, earlier this year opened a pharmacogenomics clinic and is working to incorporate that data into patient records so clinicians can access what it called “systematic and discrete data points” when treating patients. [Also: Pharmacogenomics coming to EMRs] UPMC’s goal is to use clinical pharmacogenomics knowledge to individualize patient treatments – part of a broader program at UPMC that officials say could eventually include a wide variety of drugs to improve outcomes for patients. "Increasingly we are able to pinpoint gene variations and other factors that affect how patients metabolize drugs, allowing us to more precisely target the right drug for the right patient," said Philip Empey, assistant professor of pharmacy and therapeutics at the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy, and the leader of the program, in a statement. [Like Healthcare IT News on Facebook] The genetic and clinical information that is gathered for the PreCISE-Rx program, also feeds UPMC's data analytics program, which is expected to lead to new scientific insights into how and why drugs work for some patients but not others, and to identify new drug targets. More than 700 patients are expected to be treated through this project at UPMC Presbyterian's cath lab in the coming year. Past studies show that 30 percent of patients are unlikely to appropriately metabolize clopidogrel (the blood thinning medication), and about 10 percent experience complications because of the blood thinner's ineffectiveness. The UPMC research team will follow up with patients and collect data to evaluate their outcomes. UPMC plans to roll out the program at other hospital cath labs and expand it to include other medications. Twitter: @HealthITNews

HIMSS is pushing the National Institute of Standards and Technology to keep its Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity voluntary. HIMSS, which represents more than 52,000 health IT professionals, wrote to NIST on Monday in response to its request for information. NIST has extended the original Tuesday comment deadline to Feb. 23. NIST noted it was looking for ways in which the framework is being used to improve cybersecurity risk management; how best practices for using the framework are being shared; the relative value of different parts of the framework; the possible need for an update of the framework, and options for long-term governance of the framework. [Also: Cybersecurity strategies evolving in face of big risk] As HIMSS sees it, the framework could be used as a tool to develop a common set of consensus-based, private sector-led guidelines, best practices, methodologies, procedures and processes in relation to privacy and information security risk management. Since many healthcare organizations could benefit from improving their risk management process and better address cybersecurity risks, HIMSS supports the idea that the Framework could be useful in helping healthcare organizations improve their security posture, wrote HIMSS President and CEO H. Stephen Lieber and and HIMSS Board Chair Dana Alexander in their response. They also discussed how NIST’s Cybersecurity Framework serves to inform organizations that are in need of either creating or updating their own risk management program. Whether an organization is standing up a new cybersecurity program or has a sophisticated program already in place, the Framework has the potential to serve organizations well in advancing the capabilities of organizations in addressing cybersecurity risk. [Like Healthcare IT News on Facebook] NIST first released Version 1.0 of the framework in February 2014. It is among a handful of security best practices and guidance standards gaining purchase in healthcare, including HITRUST Common Security Framework, ISO/IEC 27002 and Control Objectives for Information Technology, or COBIT. Responses will contribute to shaping NIST's decision-making about how to strengthen the framework and, ideally, the nation's critical infrastructure. Twitter: @HealthITNews

The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions on Tuesday passed the bipartisan Improving Health Information Technology Act with a vote of 22-0.  The bill addresses electronic health record usability and seeks to reduce burdens tied to documentation. It also calls for transparent ratings on EHR usability and security, calls out information blocking and gives the Department of Health of Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General the authority to establish deterrents. [Also: Senate panel to look into EHR usability] The legislation, which moves to the full Senate, also promises to convene existing data-sharing networks to develop a voluntary model framework and common agreement for the secure exchange of health information across existing networks. The bill also directs the Governmental Accountability Office to conduct a study of methods for securely matching patient records to the correct individual. “Our goal is to make our country's electronic health record system something that helps patients rather than something that doctors and hospitals dread so much that patients are not helped,” said Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, in a statement. Alexander and Sen. Patty Murray, D-Washington, led the effort. “Democrats and Republicans have been able to reach agreement on policies that will help empower patients and providers with more and better information to help drive treatment and improve health outcomes,” Murray added. Twitter: @HealthITNews

The American Hospital Association has sent a list of demands the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services before the federal agency creates new rules surrounding electronic quality reporting measures. CMS earlier this month extended the public comment period for eCQM from Feb. 1 to Feb. 16, 2016. For starters, AHA, the largest hospital organization in the country, wants CMS to release the results of the previous eCQM demonstrations and pilots. [Also: CMS extends comment period on quality reporting] The organization also wants the agency to expand eCQM education and outreach. CMS and the Office of the National Coordinator first put out their request for public comment on Dec. 31, 2015, which called for feedback on several items related to the certification of health information technology. The request also asks for feedback on electronic health record products used for reporting to CMS incentive programs such as the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting Program and the Physician Quality Reporting System. AHA senior vice president of public policy Ashley Thompson wrote in comments to acting CMS administrator Andy Slavitt that the “AHA is encouraged that CMS is requesting feedback on several areas of concern to providers.” AHA leaders want CMS to outline transition plans from chart-based reporting to electronic reporting across CMS programs and clearly explain how eCQM will work other organizations’ reporting requirements, such as The Joint Commission. [Like Healthcare IT News on Facebook] Lastly, the AHA asked the agency to speed up efforts to identify and define data needed for reporting and to make sure that any modifications to definitions will align with existing requirements for eligible and critical access hospitals. “The AHA recommends that CMS also consider the input received to date from EHs, CAHs and eligible providers about their eCQM experiences, including the evidence from CMS eCQM pilots and demonstrations, to inform future rulemaking,” AHA wrote. Twitter: @HealthITNews

Two employees of Jackson Memorial Hospital have been fired for accessing and leaking the medical records of New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul after the football star lost part of his hand in a July 4, 2015 fireworks accident. The hospital, in its statement, said it had chosen not to comment earlier due to litigation surrounding the incident that has since been settled. [Also: Hospital draws HIPAA heat after NFL medical record tweet] "As part of our investigation into the breach, it was discovered that two employees inappropriately accessed the patient's health record. That finding resulted in the termination of both employees,” officials said in the statement.  “Protecting the privacy of our patients is a top priority at Jackson Health System. Any time we have allegations of a breach, we immediately and thoroughly investigate." Pierre-Paul’s medical records were reportedly leaked to an ESPN reporter in July, who then posted a portion of the player's info on Twitter. The record showed that Pierre-Paul had his right finger amputated after the July 4 fireworks accident. [Like Healthcare IT News on Facebook] HIPAA laws only apply to healthcare providers, which means the ESPN reporter did not violate HIPAA in posting the leaked record on Twitter. However, the reporter’s ethical judgment was heavily debated after he posted Pierre-Paul’s protected patient data. Pierre-Paul missed much of the 2015 NFL season due to the injury. He has since returned and plays with a protective glove over his injured hand. Twitter: @HealthITNews

Respiratory care provider Lincare has been ordered to pay $239,800 in penalties for violating the HIPAA Privacy Rule. An administrative law judge ruled in favor of the Office for Civil Rights, which is charged with enforcing the rule. OCR had asked the judge to approve the penalties, and the judge granted them on all issues, the agency announced on February 3. [Also: Obama gun control push leads HHS to change HIPAA rule] "While OCR prefers to resolve issues through voluntary compliance, this case shows that we will take the steps necessary, including litigation, to obtain adequate remedies for violations of the HIPAA Rules," OCR Director Jocelyn Samuels, said in a press statement. "The decision in this case validates the findings of our investigation."  Lincare claimed it had not violated HIPAA rules because the protected health information was "stolen" by the individual who discovered it on the premises previously shared with the Lincare employee. The judge rejected this argument. Lincare provides respiratory care, infusion therapy and medical equipment to in-home patients. The company operates more than 850 branch locations in 48 states.  [Also: Oncology group slapped with $750K HIPAA fine] OCR's investigation of Lincare began after the agency received a complaint that a Lincare employee left behind documents containing the protected health information of 278 patients after moving to another home. According to OCR, the employee removed patients' information from Lincare's office, left it exposed where an unauthorized person had access, and then abandoned it altogether.  [Like Healthcare IT News on Facebook] The OCR investigation found that Lincare had inadequate policies and procedures in place to safeguard patient information that was taken off site, although employees, who worked in patients' homes, routinely removed PHI from Lincare offices. Moreover, evidence revealed Lincare had an unwritten policy requiring certain employees to store protected health information in their own vehicles for extended periods. Even when Lincare was aware of the complaint and the OCR investigation, the company "took only minimal action to correct its policies and strengthen safeguards to ensure compliance with the HIPAA Rules," OCR officials stated. Twitter: @HealthITNews

Chuck Kesler, chief information security officer at Duke Health, and Mac McMillan, CEO and cofounder of healthcare IT security consulting firm CynergisTek, share similar philosophies on healthcare data security.

Electronic health record giant Epic Systems has cracked Glassdoor's list of top 20 companies that provide their employees unique benefits and perks. Epic joined other well-known businesses in the field of healthcare IT as well as business titans such as Netflix, Facebook, Google and Disney. Glassdoor, one of the three largest U.S. job websites, picked companies with unique benefits by analyzing hundreds of thousands of reviews employees posted on its website since August 2014. Among some of the benefits: "Panda Fridays," improv classes, ski slope passes and a $30-a-month book allowance. [Also: Epic buys Mayo Clinic data center in $46 million sale-leaseback] The Glassdoor analysis puts Epic at No. 16 on the list of top 20 companies, with an overall benefit rating of 4.3 out of 5. It's credited for, among other perks, enabling its employees – once they've worked for the company five years – to take a paid four-week sabbatical to pursue their creative talents. [Like Healthcare IT News on Facebook] Other firms in the healthcare space are on the list. Accenture, touted for its commitment to LGBT rights, covers gender reassignment for its employees. PwC offers its employees $1,200 per year for student loan debt reimbursement. Salesforce offers six days of paid volunteer time off each year, and $1,000 for employees to donate to the charities of their choice. Other tech companies in Glassdoor's Top 20 include Twitter, which offers on-site acupuncture and improv classes; Adobe, which shuts down the company for a week each in winter and summer, and Airbnb, which gives employees an annual stipend of $2,000 to travel and stay in an Airbnb listing anywhere worldwide. Twitter: @HealthITNews

Privia Health will expand its work with athenahealth to ratchet up its focus on population health, the accountable care organization announced on Wednesday. Arlington, Virginia-based Privia Health will fully integrate athenahealth’s population health offering into its existing framework of athenaOne services for all 1,200 of its multi-specialty independent providers across five states and Washington, D.C. [Also: Jonathan Bush performs CPR on San Francisco sidewalk] Athenahealth will assign evidence-based health risk statuses to patients. The goal is to enhance patient engagement, and provide insight to better direct and align clinical protocols and team-based capabilities – all in an effort to provide value-based care. Privia Health CEO Jeff Butler credits athenahealth with helping the medical group become one of the top ACOs in the country, with care models and incentives fully-aligned around driving value into the system. In 2014, the first year Privia assumed shared-risk in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Shared Savings ACO model, Privia saved Medicare nearly $5.7 million and received half of that back in an incentive payment, according to CMS data. Privia Health has worked with athenahealth since 2014 to support clinical integration and connectivity between its medical groups and clinically integrated networks. Privia and athenahealth have already integrated athenahealth’s platform with Privia’s proprietary population health workflow systems and technology, bringing automation and scale to Privia’s programs that are focused on improving outcomes and reducing healthcare spending. Twitter: @HealthITNews