Source: FierceHealthcare

Here's The Latest in Health Care:

•  What if the government paid for everyone to have a cell phone, but you could only call people who had the same carrier? This is the analogy Seema Verma, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, used to describe what he calls a communication disaster in the U.S. health system. Despite the federal government spending more than $36 billion to increase the adoption of EHRs, that data is trapped in silos, which is hindering the transition to value-based care.  Read More

•  According to a new study by the security firm FireEye, for as low as $300, anyone on the dark web can purchase a database of compromised personal health information (PHI) from a hospital or health system. Motivations of these malicious actors can be anything from espionage to ransom. The firm notes that cancer research and medical device development are the two most hit targets, and that valuable clinical research data have been sought after by nation-states like China.  Read More

•  Thanks to the rise in telehealth, house calls are coming back into style. According to the American Medical Association and Wellness Council of America, nearly 75% of doctor, urgent care, and ER visits can be handled over the phone or through video. The rise in telehealth is forcing facilities managers to place an emphasis on the virtual facility as well as the physical one.  Read More

•  Fitbit will be giving away hundreds of thousands of fitness trackers to Singapore residents as part of a joint program with the Singapore government. Dubbed “Live Healthy SG,” the program’s goal is to improve the nation's overall health as a result of the rise in chronic conditions such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and cancer.  Read More

Each Friday, Signor Goat reports the latest from the week in health care. Check back next Friday for your dose of our little medical corner of health care news. Brought to you by pMD, innovators in charge capture, secure messaging, clinical communication, MIPS registry, and care navigation software.

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