Avicenna Medical Blog

Care Management Weekly News Update 7/17/24

Posted by DeAnn Dennis on Wed, Jul 17, 2024 @ 11:45 AM

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) on Wednesday released the HTI-2 proposed rule that implements provisions of the 21st Century Cures Act and introduces new standards and updates to enhance healthcare interoperability and data sharing. The rule also aims to support technical requirements included in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS') Interoperability and Prior Authorization final rule released in January that aims to shift payers to electronic prior authorization.

Three U.S. senators have introduced a bill aimed at alleviating the unceasing number of cyberattacks affecting healthcare. The Healthcare Cybersecurity Act of 2024 would strengthen collaboration between HHS and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and provide cybersecurity resources to nonfederal entities. The bill would create a special liaison at CISA who would coordinate with HHS during healthcare cyberattacks, and direct assistance to information-sharing organizations and other cybersecurity councils and entities to develop healthcare cyber defenses.

Paper charts, millions of file folders and filing cabinets stuffed to the brim. This was once the reality of record-keeping for healthcare. In the 1960s, however, healthcare took its first deep dive into the new frontier of electronic health records. Since that time, the impact of technology has continued to evolve, pushing boundaries and improving patient care.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS') proposed calendar year 2025 physician fee schedule rule, out Wednesday, proposed an assortment of new payments and coverage for digital health services, including digital therapeutics, telehealth and audio-only telehealth services. It did not, however, address the bulk of Medicare telehealth waivers expiring at the end of the year, which need to be extended by Congress. The draft rule contains significant proposals for rural health clinics and federally qualified health centers to continue receiving payment for audio-only telehealth, waive the in-person visit requirement for telemental health services and report remote monitoring codes outside of catch-all code G0511. 

Five ways generative AI is improving healthcare today and defining its future

Nirav R. Shah, Senior Scholar at Stanford University School of Medicine’s Clinical Excellence Research Center, discusses the transformative impact of generative AI on healthcare at VentureBeat Transform 2024. Shah highlighted how AI is improving diagnostics, personalizing patient care, and reducing administrative burdens, ultimately enhancing productivity in the $4.5 trillion US healthcare sector.

 

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