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Most-read columns showcase the issues that concern the industry<\/h2>
Dozens of healthcare IT experts contributed their knowledge to Health Data Management in 2017. Here\u2019s a list of the most-read columns of the year. With topics ranging from ransomware, healthcare reform to the emergence of blockchain technology, their popularity provide insight into what topics were of most concern to our readers. For this presentation, columns are ranked by the number of times they were accessed by our readers.<\/p>

3 emerging technologies that will impact healthcare<\/h2>
February 9, 2017<\/b>By Brian Ahier, Digital Health Evangelist at Medicity, an Aetna business\u201cI am optimistic that if we unleash the creativity of entrepreneurs and innovators, we can solve some big problems society is facing and certainly build a better healthcare system.\u201dRead the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

Why the eClinicalWorks settlement may rattle the industry<\/h2>
June 1, 2017<\/b>By Fred Bazzoli, Editor in Chief, Health Data Management<\/i>"The legal settlement between the Department of Justice and eClinicalWorks is a jolt to the system for vendors of electronic health records systems. Granted, the announcement Wednesday afternoon just applied to the terms of the settlement between the federal agency and that one specific vendor. But the impact can be felt more widely, as developers of these systems now see they could be held similarly accountable."Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

Why providers are dragging their feet with virtual care<\/h2>
June 16, 2017<\/b>By Emily Zuehlke, consultant for research, and Tom Cassels, national strategy partner, at Advisory Board"Recently, health technology investor Malay Gandhi said, \u201ctelehealth is a runaway, unassailable trend that will become the predominant way people receive care.\u201d If that could be the future, then why does today look so different? One important reason: Despite the well-documented benefits of virtual access to care\u2014improved access to providers, greater efficiency and flexibility, comparable care outcomes\u2014hundreds of interviews with healthcare leaders reveal a common roadblock to growing a mature program: physician resistance."Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

Why the MACRA final rule looks good for providers<\/h2>
October 17, 2016<\/b>By Eric Cragun, senior director, health policy division, Advisory Board"<\/i>As the agency had previously previewed, the final rule includes significant flexibility for providers in the first year, to the point that most\u2014if not all\u2014clinicians should be able to avoid a negative payment adjustment for performance year 2017."<\/i>Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

How blockchain could help boost healthcare security<\/h2>
September 1, 2017<\/b>By John Nye, vice president of cybersecurity at Cynergistek"But how can blockchain be used to help reduce fraud in healthcare? One of the most useful applications being considered for blockchain is to provide \u201cproof of existence\u201d records, allowing more resilient verification for birth certificates and medical records. Blockchain ledgers can be used to tie documents, transactions or virtually any other digital asset to a specific entity or person."Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

How HIPAA enforcement could change in 2017<\/h2>
September 1, 2017<\/b>By Matthew Fisher, Chair of the Health Law Group at Mirick O'Connell, a law firm based in Worcester, Mass."For enforcement of HIPAA, I suspect that at least a moderate continuation of recent years will occur. The settlements are a relatively easy way for the Office for Civil Rights to bring in money to fund various operations. The settlements are also a means to spot check compliance within the industry. However, the settlements could also be viewed as representative of the unfair or unnecessary regulatory burden imposed on the healthcare industry by the government."Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

Why longitudinal data is crucial to making better care decisions<\/h2>
July 7, 2017<\/b>By William D. Kirsh DO, chief medical officer and partner in Sentry Data System"The way that we make important healthcare decisions is fundamentally flawed. When facing a major life decision, even experienced physicians like myself will simply ask our spouse or a close friend for advice or recommendations, rather than conduct the type of rigorous research befitting a life-and-death decision. The reason we do this is simple. When you begin to peel the onion, you quickly experience a data avalanche of disparate and disconnected data points, but nothing resembling \u201cthe truth\u201d for your individual situation. We lack a longitudinal patient dataset (data that track the same patients over the course of many years) that will guide us to make the best treatment decisions based on actual, real-life experience from patients similar to the individual needing care."Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

Why quality measurement raises the stakes for true interoperability<\/h2>
November 17, 2017<\/b>By John D\u2019Amore, president and chief strategy officer of Diameter Health"The data challenge has become even greater as the measurement focus has shifted from process measures to outcome measures, which often require clinical data not present in claims. In an era of widespread electronic health record (EHR) adoption, this is possible today, but remains challenging."Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

Why blockchain offers a fresh approach to interoperability<\/h2>
March 21, 2017<\/b>By D\u2019Arcy Guerin Gue, vice president of industry relations for Phoenix Health Systems, a division of Medsphere Systems"Safe streamlining of EHR information and processes across the healthcare landscape leads physicians\u2019 and healthcare leaders\u2019 wish lists for more efficiency. The interoperability enabled by blockchain is particularly promising for its potential to transfer relevant patient data from one provider to another no matter the location or the providers\u2019 particular EHR."Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

Why digital disruption is only starting in healthcare<\/h2>
May 3, 2017<\/b>By Dave Brunswick, vice president of solutions, Cleo"But as these disruptive forces rise and depend on digital technology, healthcare organizations will need to revamp IT approaches to manage the flow of secure transactional data and improve their ability to integrate information sources for big data initiatives."Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

What the proposed MACRA rule means for providers<\/h2>
June 29, 2017<\/b>By Rob Lazerow, managing director with the Health Care Advisory Board research program"In the rule proposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to implement MACRA's Quality Payment Program (QPP), a number of insights and action items are becoming clearer for provider organizations."Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

Why IT isn\u2019t ready to fully support the shift to value-based care<\/h2>
August 30, 2017<\/b>By Paul Brient, CEO of PatientKeeper"Many physicians and IT professionals are not yet ready to focus their attention on MACRA-related issues. A recent study found that only 25 percent of all healthcare payments in 2016 were tied to alternative payment models. A similar survey also revealed that more than half of all physicians still feel unprepared for MACRA."Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

How machine learning can speed quality measure development<\/h2>
August 24, 2017<\/b>By Nancy McMillan, research leader for Battelle"<\/i>Advanced algorithms using machine learning and natural language processing can help measure developers significantly reduce the research time involved and find patterns in the evidence base that human readers may miss. Such automation also may eventually help healthcare organizations themselves with self-improvement efforts based on their own research and their data."<\/i>Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

Why healthcare is continuing its shift to the cloud<\/h2>
April 27, 2017<\/b>By David Delaney, MD, chief medical officer and head of the US healthcare team at SAP"<\/i>Progressive healthcare organizations are leveraging the cloud as a strategic advantage to innovate more quickly and efficiency. The cloud is also the natural place for provider organizations to engage more closely with their customers since many already conduct much of their digital life in the cloud."<\/i>Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

It\u2019s time to stop and refocus EHR efforts<\/h2>
June 5, 2017<\/b>By Barry Chaiken, president of DocsNetwork Ltd"In aggregate, the incentives presented to all HIT stakeholders focused on financial factors that put patient and caregiver needs subordinate to maximizing vendor revenue and stimulus payments to providers."Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

","saveContent":"
Most-read columns showcase the issues that concern the industry<\/h2>
Dozens of healthcare IT experts contributed their knowledge to Health Data Management in 2017. Here\u2019s a list of the most-read columns of the year. With topics ranging from ransomware, healthcare reform to the emergence of blockchain technology, their popularity provide insight into what topics were of most concern to our readers. For this presentation, columns are ranked by the number of times they were accessed by our readers.<\/p>

3 emerging technologies that will impact healthcare<\/h2>
February 9, 2017<\/b>By Brian Ahier, Digital Health Evangelist at Medicity, an Aetna business\u201cI am optimistic that if we unleash the creativity of entrepreneurs and innovators, we can solve some big problems society is facing and certainly build a better healthcare system.\u201dRead the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

Why the eClinicalWorks settlement may rattle the industry<\/h2>
June 1, 2017<\/b>By Fred Bazzoli, Editor in Chief, Health Data Management<\/i>"The legal settlement between the Department of Justice and eClinicalWorks is a jolt to the system for vendors of electronic health records systems. Granted, the announcement Wednesday afternoon just applied to the terms of the settlement between the federal agency and that one specific vendor. But the impact can be felt more widely, as developers of these systems now see they could be held similarly accountable."Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

Why providers are dragging their feet with virtual care<\/h2>
June 16, 2017<\/b>By Emily Zuehlke, consultant for research, and Tom Cassels, national strategy partner, at Advisory Board"Recently, health technology investor Malay Gandhi said, \u201ctelehealth is a runaway, unassailable trend that will become the predominant way people receive care.\u201d If that could be the future, then why does today look so different? One important reason: Despite the well-documented benefits of virtual access to care\u2014improved access to providers, greater efficiency and flexibility, comparable care outcomes\u2014hundreds of interviews with healthcare leaders reveal a common roadblock to growing a mature program: physician resistance."Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

Why the MACRA final rule looks good for providers<\/h2>
October 17, 2016<\/b>By Eric Cragun, senior director, health policy division, Advisory Board"<\/i>As the agency had previously previewed, the final rule includes significant flexibility for providers in the first year, to the point that most\u2014if not all\u2014clinicians should be able to avoid a negative payment adjustment for performance year 2017."<\/i>Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

How blockchain could help boost healthcare security<\/h2>
September 1, 2017<\/b>By John Nye, vice president of cybersecurity at Cynergistek"But how can blockchain be used to help reduce fraud in healthcare? One of the most useful applications being considered for blockchain is to provide \u201cproof of existence\u201d records, allowing more resilient verification for birth certificates and medical records. Blockchain ledgers can be used to tie documents, transactions or virtually any other digital asset to a specific entity or person."Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

How HIPAA enforcement could change in 2017<\/h2>
September 1, 2017<\/b>By Matthew Fisher, Chair of the Health Law Group at Mirick O'Connell, a law firm based in Worcester, Mass."For enforcement of HIPAA, I suspect that at least a moderate continuation of recent years will occur. The settlements are a relatively easy way for the Office for Civil Rights to bring in money to fund various operations. The settlements are also a means to spot check compliance within the industry. However, the settlements could also be viewed as representative of the unfair or unnecessary regulatory burden imposed on the healthcare industry by the government."Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

Why longitudinal data is crucial to making better care decisions<\/h2>
July 7, 2017<\/b>By William D. Kirsh DO, chief medical officer and partner in Sentry Data System"The way that we make important healthcare decisions is fundamentally flawed. When facing a major life decision, even experienced physicians like myself will simply ask our spouse or a close friend for advice or recommendations, rather than conduct the type of rigorous research befitting a life-and-death decision. The reason we do this is simple. When you begin to peel the onion, you quickly experience a data avalanche of disparate and disconnected data points, but nothing resembling \u201cthe truth\u201d for your individual situation. We lack a longitudinal patient dataset (data that track the same patients over the course of many years) that will guide us to make the best treatment decisions based on actual, real-life experience from patients similar to the individual needing care."Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

Why quality measurement raises the stakes for true interoperability<\/h2>
November 17, 2017<\/b>By John D\u2019Amore, president and chief strategy officer of Diameter Health"The data challenge has become even greater as the measurement focus has shifted from process measures to outcome measures, which often require clinical data not present in claims. In an era of widespread electronic health record (EHR) adoption, this is possible today, but remains challenging."Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

Why blockchain offers a fresh approach to interoperability<\/h2>
March 21, 2017<\/b>By D\u2019Arcy Guerin Gue, vice president of industry relations for Phoenix Health Systems, a division of Medsphere Systems"Safe streamlining of EHR information and processes across the healthcare landscape leads physicians\u2019 and healthcare leaders\u2019 wish lists for more efficiency. The interoperability enabled by blockchain is particularly promising for its potential to transfer relevant patient data from one provider to another no matter the location or the providers\u2019 particular EHR."Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

Why digital disruption is only starting in healthcare<\/h2>
May 3, 2017<\/b>By Dave Brunswick, vice president of solutions, Cleo"But as these disruptive forces rise and depend on digital technology, healthcare organizations will need to revamp IT approaches to manage the flow of secure transactional data and improve their ability to integrate information sources for big data initiatives."Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

What the proposed MACRA rule means for providers<\/h2>
June 29, 2017<\/b>By Rob Lazerow, managing director with the Health Care Advisory Board research program"In the rule proposed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to implement MACRA's Quality Payment Program (QPP), a number of insights and action items are becoming clearer for provider organizations."Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

Why IT isn\u2019t ready to fully support the shift to value-based care<\/h2>
August 30, 2017<\/b>By Paul Brient, CEO of PatientKeeper"Many physicians and IT professionals are not yet ready to focus their attention on MACRA-related issues. A recent study found that only 25 percent of all healthcare payments in 2016 were tied to alternative payment models. A similar survey also revealed that more than half of all physicians still feel unprepared for MACRA."Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

How machine learning can speed quality measure development<\/h2>
August 24, 2017<\/b>By Nancy McMillan, research leader for Battelle"<\/i>Advanced algorithms using machine learning and natural language processing can help measure developers significantly reduce the research time involved and find patterns in the evidence base that human readers may miss. Such automation also may eventually help healthcare organizations themselves with self-improvement efforts based on their own research and their data."<\/i>Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

Why healthcare is continuing its shift to the cloud<\/h2>
April 27, 2017<\/b>By David Delaney, MD, chief medical officer and head of the US healthcare team at SAP"<\/i>Progressive healthcare organizations are leveraging the cloud as a strategic advantage to innovate more quickly and efficiency. The cloud is also the natural place for provider organizations to engage more closely with their customers since many already conduct much of their digital life in the cloud."<\/i>Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

It\u2019s time to stop and refocus EHR efforts<\/h2>
June 5, 2017<\/b>By Barry Chaiken, president of DocsNetwork Ltd"In aggregate, the incentives presented to all HIT stakeholders focused on financial factors that put patient and caregiver needs subordinate to maximizing vendor revenue and stimulus payments to providers."Read the column here<\/a>.<\/p>

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The 15 most-read HIT Think articles of 2017

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