Mike Miliard

The HHS agency is reminding providers that they aren't required to disclose private medical information to third parties. It also has tips for data security in using period trackers and other health-information apps.

The RCM tools aim to reduce administrative burden with intelligent automation to reduce manual tasks.

Myriad Genetics is working with Epic to integrate its genetic test technology into the electronic health records used by more than 600,000 physicians. WHY IT MATTERS The integration enables end-to-end workflows for healthcare providers to order Myriad tests and review their results directly within their everyday Epic platforms, without the need for more steps or manual ordering processes. The ability to do so natively in Epic will give providers genetic insights for more personalized care – and patients will be able to easily access their test results and other health information directly within their MyChart portals. Myriad says it is focusing on more new customer-centric, tech-enabled tools to make the genetic testing process easier for patients and clinicians, such as the recent launch of its Precise Oncology suite of tools. With those technologies, providers can now place a single order for multiple Myriad tests and receive timely results through a unified online portal. With the Epic collaboration, the company is broadening its efforts to help physicians and health systems gain access to genetic testing faster and more conveniently. "Simplifying the process of genetic testing by making it more accessible and interoperable with electronic health records is a key component of our mission to advance health and well-being for all," Myriad President and CEO Paul J. Diaz said in a statement. THE LARGER TREND This is the second such announcement involving Epic in recent months. In April, Guardant Health, which develops technologies for precision oncology, announced its own collaboration with Epic to integrate its tools within the EHR workflow. The integration will streamline clinicians' ability to order Guardant cancer tests. And this past August, Foundation Medicine announced a deal with Epic to integrate its genomic profiling and testing services. While precision medicine is still in the learning stage for many U.S. health systems, some are ahead of the curve and are using Epic to manage their genomics initiatives. In 2018, we showed how NorthShore, long ahead of the curve in working genetics into its care plans, is advancing its personalized medicine primary care model with its EHR. ON THE RECORD "Genetic testing and precision medicine save lives," said Alan Hutchison, vice president of population health at Epic. "Through this relationship, we're bringing genetic insights to the point of care at scale, giving providers and patients the information they need to make more timely, informed decisions." "Our collaboration with Epic reflects our strategy to partner with other healthcare industry leaders so we can advance precision medicine together. Increasing access to genetic insights and integrating our tests into Epic's vast network of healthcare systems represents a significant step forward to better serve patients and healthcare providers," said Diaz. Twitter: @MikeMiliardHITN Email the writer: mike.miliard@himssmedia.com Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS publication.

Meanwhile, HHS publishes guidance on "strengthening cyber posture" but healthcare organizations are asking for more government help managing their security challenges.

From wearables to new machine learning applications, advanced technologies can help improve the inpatient experience, says Rebecca Pinn of EPAM Continuum.

Designed in collaboration with Luma Health, the platform aims to improve the care experience and boost satisfaction for patients – and help providers increase appointment-based revenue.

The coordinating entity for TEFCA has released new details on Exchange Purposes, Individual Access Services Provider Privacy and Security Notice and Practices.

The EHR giant says its 2,000 hospitals and 45,000 clinics will now have the ability to participate in the nationwide interoperability framework developed by ONC and the Sequoia Project.

That should be a "wake-up call to C-level executives," says an exec from Saviynt, which sponsored the survey, since it "fuels the risk of rising identity and access-related attacks and their financial consequences."

The guidance is meant to help providers better understand the privacy and security implications of non-video virtual care options, which are hugely useful for individuals with disabilities and those in rural communities.