Blog roundup: Employers and health reform

I’m always impressed at the range of perspectives to emerge every two weeks in the Health Wonk Review, a collection of blog posts.  The latest edition – hosted by the BNET Healthcare Blog --looks at the role of employers in health reform. As always, you’ll find comments from economists, health policy experts, lawyers, consumer advocates …

What your doctor is really thinking

Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center announced their new “Open Notes” project yesterday. According to the hospital new release, the project “will examine the impact of adding new layer of openness to a traditionally one-sided element of the doctor-patient relationship – the notes from patients’ doctors’ visits.” The Globe sort of scooped them and then some with …

HWR: H1N1 scams, elderly drivers and the health reform debate

  The new “Health Wonk Review” –the floating web digest of health policy blog posts – is up. The “Healthcare Economist” site hosts with Mass-relevant posts on scam H1N1 flu products and older drivers. You’ll also find thoughtful insights on HIT, the DC reform debate and Canada’s single-payer system.  This week’s Confederations Cup theme honors …

ONC: “Meaningful use” for HIT will evolve

 A panel deciding what kind of computerized health information systems will get stimulus money was sent back to do some more homework yesterday, according to Healthcare IT News.  Companies that make these systems and providers who use them have been waiting for a definition of the "meaningful use" requirement  so they canplan to  get in on …

Health Wonk Review: Bosstown edition

Today, BHN hosts the Health Wonk Review, the floating web digest of health policy blog posts. This is Boston, but we already had a baseball theme. Summer reminds me of growing up on  the Jersey Shore. So, this week -- the Boss-town edition. Dedicated to Danny Federici,  Bruce Springsteen’s organ player.  He died of melanoma last …

Fun with Health Information Technology — An “Interoperetta”

The actual title of this bit of wonky fun:  "HITECH:An Interoperetta in Three Acts."  Also on You Tube. Here, Maryland doctor Ross Martin finds true harmonization. He also comes up with rhymes for two Boston heavies -- Obama HIT man David Blumenthal and John Halamka, the CIO at Beth Isreal Deaconess Medical Center.   Dr. Blumenthal, Won’t you …

New Partners/Harvard HIT blog

Partners has a new blog on -- jargon alert -- clinical informatics.  Might  be worth checking out since the federal HIT effort is headed by Partners doc David Blumenthal. He recently brought Partners' HIT boss on board to help out.  For more on Dr. John Glaser, see BHN's March interview. The Partners site includes links, news and its own content.  Today it leads …

Blumenthal on “meaningful use” — soon

Here are 'today's comments and links from Kaiser Health News about David Blumenthal's definition of the term that will drive stimulus money for HIT:  "meaningful use."  HHS soon will issue guidance and specifications on the definition of "meaningful use" of health information technology, National Coordinator for Health IT David Blumenthal said on Friday, CongressDaily reports (Noyes, CongressDaily, 5/8). "Meaningful use …

Quick hits on HIT, quality and wedding bells

Former NEJM editors Relman and Angell to wed. Globe  SEIU organizes St. Elizabeth's  SEIU  Rhode Island report first to measure statewide healthcare IT use  Healthcare IT News Groopman in WSJ questions the quality of "quality metrics" Racial health care disparities persist in Mass.  Blumenthal on HIT in NEJM:  The HIT components of the stimulus package …

BHN exclusive: Partner’s Glaser on getting HIT right

             Partners HealthCare has been way ahead on getting computers to bedsides and into the hands of doctors. Partners CIO John Glaser, the man in charge of putting that system in place, spoke to BHN last week.            The technology can be used to do a lot of good, he said. HIT can eliminate duplication, …