Electronic Health Records

White House Cybersecurity Plan Will Aim to Protect Health Data

May 13, 2010

iHealthBeat.org - During the Safeguarding Health Information conference this week, U.S. Cybersecurity Coordinator Howard Schmidt said the White House has started developing a strategy to prevent identity theft, protect electronic health data and ensure the security of online transactions, Government Health IT reports.

HHS' Office of Civil Rights and the National Institute for Standards and Technology sponsored the conference.

Schmidt said the Obama administration aims to establish a "trust framework" that will help consumers, industry and the government feel comfortable conducting business on the Internet. He said the framework will include guidance on authentication technologies and other security services.

According to Schmidt, identity management applications are particularly important for small-scale medical practices. He said such tools should:

Be voluntary and easy to use;
Demonstrate interoperability;
Enhance privacy; and
Improve cost-effectiveness.

He added that cybersecurity measures also could help improve the safety of electronic medical devices, including wireless pacemakers, that transmit data to electronic health records (Mosquera, Government Health IT, 5/12).

Perspective Piece Touts iPad's Potential to Alter Health Care Delivery

April 12, 2010

iHealthBeat.org - Apple's new iPad tablet computer has the potential to transform health care delivery and produce billions of dollars in savings, freelance writer Martha White writes in the Washington Post's "The Big Money."

White writes that the iPad has multiple features that make it desirable for use in health care. For instance, the device:

· Can last 10 hours on a single charge;
· Is intuitive and fast; and
· Weighs only 1.5 pounds.

However, White writes that some potential setbacks for iPad adoption include:

· The device's fragility and relatively small keyboard; and
· The need for added security to prescribe controlled medications and for patient privacy.

White also discusses how other health care experts view the iPad. She writes that Gerard Nussbaum -- director of technology services at the consulting firm Kurt Salmon Associates -- has said the iPad could be used to read diagnostic images such as X-rays and MRIs.

In addition, John Halamka -- CIO at Harvard Medical School -- said the relatively low cost and easy-to-learn functionality of the iPad could drive widespread adoption among health care professionals and pave the way for greater use of electronic health records.

White also notes that the Center for IT Leadership estimates that iPad adoption could save $44 billion annually by reducing medical errors and redundant testing (White, "The Big Money," Washington Post, 4/11).

Hospitals Piloting iPad Applications to Explain Procedures to Patients

April 8, 2010

iHealthBeat.org - Two hospitals are piloting new applications for Apple's iPad tablet computer that aim to help patients and their families better understand common medical procedures, the Orlando Business Journal reports.

Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children and St. Luke's Health System in Idaho are running pilot programs with customized versions of Unity Medical's Medical Video jLog application.

Florida Hospital's application features five animated video sequences that last for two to four minutes. The application also includes an interactive question and answer feature designed to help children prepare for a CT scan. Unity Medical soon will add a similar application for MRIs.

St. Luke's pilot project initially will include more than 20 programs with content for patients undergoing heart and vascular procedures, as well as those taking part in physical rehabilitation programs.

Patients will be able to view videos and patient testimonials on iPads in the hospital or download the content from home (Orlando Business Journal, 4/6).