Quality and Safety

HIMSS is recognizing Mercy for its EHR optimization, process improvement efforts, use of evidence-based protocols and analytics gains – all of which have helped the health system improve care quality and patient outcomes, lower costs and increased reimbursements.

Peter Basch, MD, senior director of health IT quality and safety, research and national health IT policy for Washington, D.C.-based MedStar Health, has received the 2016 HIMSS Physician IT Leadership Award. Basch provides policy and clinical leadership for the post-regulatory optimization of health IT at MedStar and spends about 20 percent of his time as a primary care internist. Previously, he focused on EHR implementation and regulatory compliance, like Medicare e-prescribing and meaningful use. The award, which is jointly sponsored by AMDIS and HIMSS, recognizes a physician each year who demonstrates leadership in optimizing patient engagement and care outcomes by leveraging health information technology. Both of the organizations' boards of directors selected Basch as the recipient. "Peter Basch is a gentleman physician who demonstrates a perfect combination of clinical compassion, scholarly erudition and wonderful good humor. It is an honor and a privilege to call him a friend," said AMDIS Chair William F. Bria, MD, in a statement. [Also: Physician's IT Symposium at HIMSS17 to focus on interoperability, cybersecurity, precision medicine] "Peter has been highly involved with HIMSS and AMDIS for 15 years," added Pat Wise, vice president, health information systems at HIMSS North America. "He's a deeply respected thought leader and has been a significant contributor to a wide array of HIMSS' committees, task forces and work groups." Basch will be honored for his achievement at the Awards Gal on Feb 21, 2017 at the HIMSS Annaul Confernce & Exhibition.  HIMSS17 runs from Feb. 19-23, 2017 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.  This article is part of our ongoing coverage of HIMSS17. Visit Destination HIMSS17 for previews, reporting live from the show floor and after the conference. Like Healthcare IT News on Facebook and LinkedIn

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services also plans to modify 2017 requirements for eCQM data reporting, in response to some hospitals' challenges with EHR upgrades and replacements.

NorthShore University HealthSystem gained Stage 7 revalidation from HIMSS Analytics for its hospitals and associated clinics, again attaining the highest level on both the acute care Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model and outpatient EMRAM.

Liquid biopsies, opioid addiction biosensors and AI top ECRI's annual list of technologies that will transform the healthcare industry in the year ahead.

The outgoing department head touts big advancements in access to care, quality improvements and cost efficiencies - thanks in large part to health IT and data-driven innovation. But she points to much work still to be done in the years ahead.

The agencies have integrated the eCQI Resource Center with the United States Health Information Knowledgebase, enabling users to compare different versions and metadata of electronic clinical quality measures.

Latest hospital injury fines include crackdown on antibiotic resistant germs.

On Dec. 27, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a final guidance addressing the cyber vulnerabilities in medical devices, outlining how manufacturers should maintain security of internet-connected devices such as pacemakers and insulin pumps.

The Indiana Biosciences Research Institute has unveiled a new effort to understand how type 2 diabetes varies from patient to patient. With access to data on more than 800,000 diabetics, researchers see it as a big step toward new treatments and improved diagnostic tools.