Top Story

• Microsoft, NMQF partner to boost clinical trials
  Microsoft and the National Minority Quality Forum's National Health Index have partnered to form the National Clinical Trial Network. The network will design a tool with a communications portal to connect researchers with doctors whose patients may qualify to participate in clinical trials, according to NMQF CEO and President Gary Puckrein. Healthcare IT News (2/15)     

	Maximize Clinical Performance & Minimize Risk To achieve affordable care through an integrated continuum of services, providers and healthcare organizations expect and need on-demand access to patient information and patience care applications, anytime, anywhere. Download the white paper here.

Technology Trends

• Depression study to employ interactive image system
  The Walter Reed National Military Medical Center will use CNS Response's PEER Interactive technology in a depression study involving 2,000 patients. Doctors can use the technology to compare brain images through an online registry. The system is expected to help improve treatment decisions and address questions such as the relationship between suicide rates and antidepressant use among current and former service members. Dayton Daily News (Ohio)/The Associated Press (2/15)     

• Game technology shows promise in telemedicine
  Microsoft Kinect for the company's Xbox 360 device shows promise as a telehealth tool, according to researchers from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. "The Kinect allows doctors to control the system without breaking the sterile field via hand gestures and voice commands with a goal of reducing the direct cost of [health care-associated] infections to hospitals and patients," researchers said. Healthcare Informatics online (2/15)     

EHRs and MU

• GMed designs EHR for gastroenterology practices
  An integrated gastroenterology-specific EHR, called gGastro+, was recently unveiled by gMed. The company has incorporated several features in the meaningful use-certified platform, including endoscopy reports, practice management tools and a patient portal. BeckersASC.com (2/15)     

mHealth

• Pregnancy, fitness apps are very popular, report finds
  A report released by Citrix ByteMobile found that 47% of mobile health application subscribers use pregnancy-related apps, while 39% use fitness apps. The report found fitness apps generate more data traffic on wireless networks than pregnancy apps. Other popular apps include those that offer calorie counters, medical information, sleep tracking and relaxation tools. MobiHealthNews.com (2/14)     

• Ga. university's mobile app offers Q-and-A on HIV care
  A prerecorded mobile application known as the Live Network was designed by Emory University in Atlanta to offer information on care and the importance of antiretroviral therapy adherence to HIV patients. The question-and-answer format is intended to help patients in rural settings. American City Business Journals/Atlanta/A Healthy Conversation blog (2/15)     

• Radiology firm taps mobile app for health test ordering
  Radiology Ltd. has awarded a health IT contract to Royal Solutions Group. Royal's MobileRoyal Forms application, which is equipped with a PDF submission notification feature, allows Radiology's referring providers to use computers or mobile devices to order health tests. AuntMinnie.com (free registration) (2/13)     

Advancing Care With IT

• Data warehousing helps system lessen early-term births
  The adoption of data warehousing and analytics has helped North Memorial Health Care in Minnesota decrease its rate of elective deliveries before 39 weeks' gestation by 75% in six months. Chief Medical Officer Dr. Kevin J. Croston said the initiative has helped give physicians evidence-based information for more effective decision-making. Healthcare IT News (2/15)     

• NCQA gives accreditation to 6 ACOs
  Six accountable care organizations have been accredited by the National Committee for Quality Assurance since the NCQA started accepting applications in March of last year. The groups with accreditation include Essentia Health, HealthPartners and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. BeckersHospitalReview.com (2/15)     

HIE

• 7 hospitals become part of nonprofit Colo. HIE
  Seven hospitals have joined the Colorado Regional Health Information Organization, increasing the HIE's hospital membership by 25%. The nonprofit group allows participating providers to electronically exchange patient records, including X-rays and pathology reports. Modern Healthcare (subscription required) (2/15)     

Hot Topics

Top five news stories selected by Health IT SmartBrief readers in the past week.

• WEDI announces online HIPAA seminar (Health Data Management)

• Cerner, Epic, Siemens rank high in ICD-10 preparedness (Government Health IT online)

• U.S. telehealth market to expand by 600% over 5 years (MobiHealthNews.com)

• Changes to expect in the health care industry (Fox Business)

• Med student designs free health app (CNBC)

• Results based on number of times each story was clicked by readers.

WEDI News

• WEDI HIX Virtual Event: An Overview of Health Insurance Exchange and What It Means to Your Business
  Join us for a day of online virtual education and networking with peers and experts in HIX at the free WEDI HIX Virtual Event: An Overview of Health Insurance Exchange and What It Means to Your Business on Friday, March 1, from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Presentation topics include:
  • HIX 101
  • State Approaches
  • NPRM/Final Rules
  • Eligibility and Enrollment - Medicaid
  • Eligibility and Enrollment - GHP
  • Medicare Advantage: Lessons Learned
  • 834 and 820 Transactions
  • Financial Reporting
  • Technical Assistance for Carriers
  Add this free event to your calendar and sign up today! Registration is open!     

• Take the WEDI ICD-10 Progress Survey
  The Workgroup for Electronic Data Interchange (WEDI) is conducting a survey of ICD-10 preparedness. The questions are geared toward an organization's status and how the one-year delay affected plans. The information will be used to inform WEDI, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and other organizations about the state of ICD-10 readiness. It also can help plan how to assist vendors, health plans and health care providers in meeting the Oct. 1, 2014, deadline. All types of health care organizations are encouraged to participate in the WEDI ICD-10 Progress Survey online. The survey closes Feb. 20. For more information, contact Samantha Holvey at WEDI (202-618-8803).     

SmartQuote

You will become as small as your controlling desire; as great as your dominant aspiration." --James Allen, British author