/ en Wed, 30 Apr 2025 17:25:06 -0500 Fri, 11 Apr 25 09:57:37 -0500 /aha-center-health-innovation-market-scan/2025-04-21-driving-drivers <div class="raw-html-embed"> </div><div> /* Banner_Title_Overlay_Bar */ .Banner_Title_Overlay_Bar { position: relative; display: block; overflow: hidden; max-width: 1170px; margin: 0px auto 25px auto; } .Banner_Title_Overlay_Bar h1 { position: absolute; bottom: 40px; color: #003087; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, .8); width: 100%; padding: 20px 40px; font-size: 3em; box-shadow: 0 3px 8px -5px rgba(0, 0, 0, .6); } @media (max-width:991px) { .Banner_Title_Overlay_Bar h1 { bottom: 0px; margin: 0px; font-size: 2.5em; } } @media (max-width:767px) { .Banner_Title_Overlay_Bar h1 { font-size: 2em; text-align: center; text-indent: 0px; padding: 10px 20px; } } @media (max-width:530px) { .Banner_Title_Overlay_Bar h1 { position: relative; background-color: #63666A22; } } /* Banner_Title_Overlay_Bar // */ <header class="Banner_Title_Overlay_Bar"><img src="/sites/default/files/2024-01/Trailblazers_Amazon_banner_1170x250.png" alt="Cover of Driving the Drivers: How hospitals and health systems can leverage technology and workflow optimization to address health-related social needs" width="1168" height="250"><div><h1>Driving the Drivers</h1></div></header></div> h2{ margin-top: 0px; } p.center_Intro { color: #002855; line-height: 1.2em; font-size: 30px; margin: 10px 0 25px 0; font-weight: 700; font-size: 2em; } p.center_Lead { color: #63666A; font-weight: 300; line-height: 1.4; font-size: 21px; } <div class="row"><div class="col-sm-8"><h2>How hospitals and health systems can leverage technology and workflow optimization to address health-related social needs.</h2><p>Addressing a patient’s social care needs can be a challenging journey for hospitals and health systems. It begins with screening a patient for health-related social needs (HRSN) and, ideally, ends with the patient being connected to the resources they need to experience better health outcomes.</p><p>How can hospitals and health systems reduce those gaps in the HRSN journey for themselves, their clinicians, their staff and, most importantly, their patients and communities? Technology-driven automation is the answer.</p><p>Screening patients for HRSN needs and using those data hit the four targets in the Quadruple Aim. It’s the people who use technology-driven automation to improve SDOH screening processes and measure the results. These results enhance patient experience, improve population health, reduce costs and improve the work life of health care providers.</p><div class="row"><div class="col-sm-12"><p><strong>Sponsored by:</strong><a href="https://uniteus.com/" target="_blank" title="UniteUs"><strong><img src="/sites/default/files/2020-05/Logo_UniteUs_834x313.jpg" alt="UniteUs logo" width="834" height="313"></strong></a></p></div></div></div><div class="col-sm-4"><img src="/sites/default/files/2024-01/Trailblazers_logo-924x265.png" alt="TrailBlazers" width="100%" height="100%"><p><br><a href="#DownloadNow" title="Download, Driving the Drivers: How hospitals and health systems can leverage technology and workflow optimization to address health-related social needs"><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/Traiblazers_UniteUs_cover_777x600.png" alt="Cover, Driving the Drivers: How hospitals and health systems can leverage technology and workflow optimization to address health-related social needs" width="100%" height="100%"> </a><br><a class="btn btn-primary" href="#DownloadNow" title="Download, Driving the Drivers: How hospitals and health systems can leverage technology and workflow optimization to address health-related social needs">Download</a></p></div></div> .y-hr3 div:nth-child(2) { border-top: solid 15px #67c1c3; margin: 50px 0px; height: 0px; <div class="row y-hr3"><div class="col-md-3"> </div><div class="col-md-6"> </div><div class="col-md-3"> </div></div><div class="row"><div class="col-sm-4"><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/Trailblazers_UniteUs_FirstSection_700x1064.png" alt="Illustration of various types of people walking around" width="100%" height="100%"></div><div class="col-sm-8"><h2>Capitalizing on Opportunities</h2><p>Technology-driven automation can help provider organizations capitalize on these opportunities in the following ways:</p><ul><li><strong>Enhanced Patient Experience:</strong> <br>Screening allows health care providers to understand the patient’s full context and tailor care accordingly, leading to a more patient-centered approach.</li><li><strong>Improved Patient Outcomes:</strong> <br>By identifying and addressing social needs, health care providers can help patients overcome barriers to accessing care and improving their health.</li><li><strong>Reduced Health Care Costs:</strong> <br>Addressing social needs can prevent unnecessary hospitalizations and emergency department visits, ultimately reducing health care costs.</li><li><strong>Strengthened Community Partnerships:</strong> <br>Screening initiatives can help hospitals build relationships with community organizations, creating a network of resources to support patients’ needs.</li></ul><p><a href="#DownloadNow" title="Download, Driving the Drivers: How hospitals and health systems can leverage technology and workflow optimization to address health-related social needs"><strong>READ MORE.</strong></a></p></div></div><div class="row y-hr3"><div class="col-md-3"> </div><div class="col-md-6"> </div><div class="col-md-3"> </div></div><div class="row"><div class="col-sm-4"><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/Trailblazers_UniteUs_Presbyterian_700x532.png" alt="Exterior of Presbyterian Healthcare Services" width="700" height="532"></div><div class="col-sm-8"><h2>Case Study: Presbyterian Healthcare Services</h2><h3>From ‘Scattershot’ to Standardized</h3><p>In 2018, PHS adopted the screening system and used it for the accountable health communities project before scaling up to systemwide screening and integrating it into the EHR in 2021. In early 2024, PHS migrated to Unite Us. The three systems — HRSN screening, EHR and portal — now work in concert to power the HRSN screening process as part of routine health care. This approach eliminated paper screenings, standardized screening workflows across care sites, and integrated patients’ HRSN screening data into their EHRs and patient portals.</p><p><a href="#DownloadNow" title="Download, Driving the Drivers: How hospitals and health systems can leverage technology and workflow optimization to address health-related social needs"><strong>READ MORE.</strong></a></p></div></div><div class="row y-hr3"><div class="col-md-3"> </div><div class="col-md-6"> </div><div class="col-md-3"> </div></div><div class="row"><div class="col-sm-4"><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/Trailblazers_UniteUs_Yale_NewHaven_700x532.png" alt="Exterior of Yale New Haven Health" width="700" height="532"></div><div class="col-sm-8"><h2>Case Study: Yale New Haven Health</h2><h3>Willingness Replaces Hesitancy</h3><p>In 2020, YNHH implemented the automated social referral platform from Unite Us, a New York-based technology company. This was paired with improved workflows within the EHR. The move turned hesitancy into willingness for each of the system’s challenges. Patients now can complete their HRSN screening questions in their homes through the patient portals. They can do it on their smartphones, tablets, laptops, in kiosks at check-in, and by clinicians and support staff in any inpatient or outpatient setting before, during or after a visit.</p><p><a href="#DownloadNow" title="Download, Driving the Drivers: How hospitals and health systems can leverage technology and workflow optimization to address health-related social needs"><strong>READ MORE.</strong></a></p></div></div><div> .SponsorMarketoForm { background-color: ; padding:5px 25px; border: solid 2px #307FE2; margin:50px 15px 0px !important; display:inline-block; width:100%; } .SponsorMarketoForm h3{ margin:10x 0 0 0 ; color:#eaaa00; font-size:.7em; text-transform:uppercase; font-weight:400; letter-spacing:3px; max-width:200px; /* Custom for the copy length */ background-color:#fff; padding: 5px 15px; position:relative; top:-35px; height: 0px; } .SponsorMarketoForm h2{ color: #002855; } .SponsorMarketoForm .SponsorMarketoFormHolder{ background-color: ; padding:15px; display: inline-block; margin-bottom:25px; } .SponsorMarketoFormHolder form{ margin: auto; } @media (max-width:640px){ .SponsorMarketoForm { padding:5px 0px; } .SponsorMarketoForm .SponsorMarketoFormHolder{ padding:15px 0px; } } /* Marketo Over-ride */ .mktoForm .mktoFormRow:nth-child(3){ float: left; } /*Center the last row .mktoForm .mktoFormRow:nth-child(4){ margin-left:15%; } */ .mktoForm label{ font-size: 0px; width: 0px !important; } .mktoForm input{ height: 30px } .mktoForm .mktoButtonRow{ float: left; } .mktoForm .mktoButtonWrap { margin-left:20px !important; } .mktoForm .mktoButton { background-color: #307FE2 !important; border: 1px solid #307FE2 !important; color: #fff !important; padding: 0.4em 1em; font-size: 1em; background-image: none !important; min-width: 190px; margin: 0 15px; border-radius: 4px; padding: 10px 20px; transition: all .25s ease-in-out; text-shadow: none; white-space: normal; height: 30px; font-weight: 700 } .mktoForm .mktoButton:hover{ background-color: #002855 !important; border: 1px solid #002855 !important; color: #fff !important; } .mktoForm .mktoClear { clear: none; } <div class="row spacer" id="DownloadNow"><div><div class="col-md-1"> </div><div class="col-md-10"><div class="cta--image-container full_width SponsorMarketoForm"><h3>Download Now</h3><div class="col-md-9"><h2>Driving the Drivers</h2><div class="SponsorMarketoFormHolder">   MktoForms2.loadForm("//sponsors.aha.org", "710-ZLL-651", 3641); MktoForms2.whenReady(function(form) { if (form.getId() == 3641) { form.onSuccess(function(values, followUpUrl) { form.getFormElem().hide(); document.getElementById("successAndErrorMessages").innerHTML = "<div><p>Thank you for downloading the latest AHA Trailblazers.<\/p><a class='btn btn-wide btn-primary' data-view-context='top-level-view' href='https:\/\/www.aha.org\/system\/files\/media\/file\/2025\/04\/Trailblazers_UniteUs.pdf' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer nofollow'>Download the Report<\/a><\/center><\/div>"; return false; }); }; }); <div id="successAndErrorMessages"> </div></div></div><div class="col-md-3"><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-04/Traiblazers_UniteUs_cover_777x600.png" alt="Cover of Driving the Drivers: How hospitals and health systems can leverage technology and workflow optimization to address health-related social needs" width="600" height="777"></div></div></div><div class="col-md-1"> </div></div></div></div> Fri, 11 Apr 2025 09:57:37 -0500 Technology /uc-davis-healths-ai-powered-solution-type-1-diabetes-management <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="col-sm-6"><p><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/image-telling-hospital-story-uc-davis-healths-ai-powered-solution-for-type-1-diabetes-management.jpg" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type="file" alt="UC Davis Health. A man programming his write tracker." width="700" height="532" class="align-left"></p></div><p>About 2 million Americans — including over 300,000 children and adolescents — live with type 1 diabetes, or T1D. T1D is an autoimmune disease where immune system cells mistakenly attack insulin-producing cells, leaving the body unable to produce enough insulin to control blood sugar. Consistently monitoring blood glucose to maintain balanced levels, particularly for kids and their parents, is a constant mental drain.  </p><p>Enter BeaGL, a “metabolic watchdog” that uses machine learning to predict glucose changes and send alerts to devices like smartwatches before the patient has to take immediate action — aiming to reduce the cognitive load on patients. BeaGL was created by researchers at the University of California Davis and UC Davis Health who were inspired by their own personal experiences with managing T1D. </p><p>"It's the ultimate goal that the international diabetes community is working towards," said Stephanie Crossen, M.D., a pediatric endocrinologist, diabetes researcher and associate professor at UC Davis Health. "It would be a complete game-changer, especially for this adolescent and young adult age group, and it would allow these young people to function more typically and not have to be their own pancreas. It's hard to even quantify the potential of a system like that."<br><br><a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlines/with-ai-a-new-metabolic-watchdog-takes-diabetes-care-from-burden-to-balance/2025/02">LEARN MORE</a></p></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/topics/innovation">Innovation, Research and Quality Improvement</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Thu, 20 Mar 2025 09:00:27 -0500 Technology /stories/2025-03-18-one-heart-three-lives-how-duke-health-revolutionizing-pediatric-heart-transplants <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-9"><div class="col-sm-6"><figure><img src="/sites/default/files/2025-03/image-telling-hospital-story-one-heart-three-lives-how-duke-health-is-revolutionizing-pediatric-heart-transplants-march-18-2025.jpg" alt="Yale New Haven. Image Margaret Van Bruggen, Kensley Frizzell and Journi Kelly" width="700" height="532"><figcaption>Margaret Van Bruggen, Kensley Frizzell and Journi Kelly (L-R) were the recipients of the first living mitral valve replacement.</figcaption></figure></div><p>Journi Kelly, 11, needed a new heart, but had healthy mitral valves. Margaret Van Bruggen, 14, and Kensley Frizzell, 9, had relatively healthy hearts; they just needed new valves. A groundbreaking procedure developed at <a href="https://corporate.dukehealth.org/news/duke-health-performs-worlds-first-living-mitral-valve-replacement" target="_blank" title="Duke Health">Duke Health</a> led to all three girls getting what they needed. </p><p>The Duke team performed the world’s first living mitral valve replacement, a type of partial heart transplant, which Duke pioneered in 2022. The transplant is even more remarkable for pediatric patients like Margaret and Kensley. Previous technologies relied on either mechanical valves or valves that came from preserved non-living tissue. Neither of those grow with the patient, so a pediatric valve replacement is a guarantee of multiple surgeries, sometimes as often as every six months, until the patient stops growing. The living tissue means that Margaret and Kensley should be able to steer clear of the operating room for some time. Journi went into sudden heart failure and was waiting for a heart transplant, though her mitral valves were undamaged. When a heart became available for Journi, her valves were a match for both Margaret and Kensley. </p><p>“To think that the lives of three girls could be saved after one full-heart donation is amazing,” said Joseph Turek, M.D., Duke’s chief of pediatric cardiac surgery. </p><p>“Before Journi’s surgery, we were told the doctors were hoping to try a new procedure and asked if we were willing to donate Journi’s old heart,” said Rachel Kelly, Journi’s stepmom. “They explained to us that they could use the healthy parts of it to help other kids. Our next question was, ‘Where do we sign?’”</p><p><a class="btn btn-primary" href="https://corporate.dukehealth.org/news/duke-health-performs-worlds-first-living-mitral-valve-replacement">LEARN MORE</a></p><p> </p></div><div class="col-md-3"><div><h4>Resources on the Role of Hospitals</h4><ul><li><a href="/topics/innovation">Innovation, Research and Quality Improvement</a></li><li><a href="/roleofhospitals">All Case Studies</a></li></ul></div></div></div></div> Tue, 18 Mar 2025 15:00:02 -0500 Technology /aha-center-health-innovation-market-scan/2025-02-25-3-takeaways-about-apples-new-mental-and-physical-health-study <div class="container"><div class="row"><div class="col-md-8"><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/3-Takeaways-about%20Apples-New-Mental-and-Physical-Health-Study.png" data-entity-uuid="05e4905a-1173-4558-80c3-c17f9e1ba061" data-entity-type="file" alt="3 Takeaways about Apple’s New Mental and Physical Health Study. Three iPhones with the middle phone displaying the Apple Health Study homepage against a background with Apple logos." width="100%" height="100%"><p>The world of health care disruption and innovation often seems like a sprint, but it is a marathon.</p><p>Apple is a perfect illustration. The tech giant recently announced its new wide-ranging <a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/02/new-holistic-apple-health-study-launches-today-in-the-research-app/" target="_blank" title="Apple Newsroom: New holistic Apple Health Study launches today in the Research app">Apple Health Study</a>. The longitudinal research aims to further understand how technology can play a role in improving physical and mental health and overall well-being.</p><p>The company stated that the study may take at least five years before its full impact is realized and will build on previous research from the <a href="https://hsph.harvard.edu/research/apple-womens-health-study/" target="_blank" title="Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: Apple Women's Health Study">Apple Women’s Study</a>, <a href="https://sph.umich.edu/applehearingstudy/" target="_blank" title="University of Michigan School of Public Health: Michigan Public Health Apple Hearing Study">Apple Hearing Study</a> and the <a href="https://appleheartandmovementstudy.bwh.harvard.edu/" target="_blank" title="Brigham and Women's Hospital: Apple Heart & Movement Study">Apple Heart and Movement Study</a>. Even with that lag time, results from the study have the potential to be groundbreaking, the company notes.</p><p>Consumers can volunteer for the latest study through the Research app in the company’s iPhone and can opt out at any time. De-identified data from the study will explore relationships within various areas of health, such as mental health’s impact on heart rate or how sleep can influence exercise. The study is being conducted in collaboration with Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a research hospital and teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, Boston.</p><h2>3 Things to Know about the Study</h2><h3><span>1</span> <span>|</span> This is Apple’s most expansive health study yet.</h3><p>Unlike prior Apple health studies that focused on specific areas, this research will gather data from iPhones, Apple Watches and AirPods to try to discover new relationships within different areas of health, both physical and mental.</p><h4>Takeaway</h4><p>Much like its previous health studies, Apple will use the findings from this research to learn and inform its product development and potential features to add in the future. The hearing test offered through Apple’s AirPods is an example of how previous studies impacted product development. Other advances that came out of Apple research studies include the Vitals app on the AppleWatch and the Walking Steadiness app on the iPhone.</p><p>Changes in health can affect one or more parts of the body, and others may affect well-being overall, so helping to identify these changes earlier can help offer a more proactive approach to health. For example, early detection of a change in hearing health could reduce the risk for cognitive decline.</p><h3><span>2</span> <span>|</span> Survey tools will add important data to the research.</h3><p>Study participants not only will contribute data but also will be prompted to answer questions periodically about their at-home life and habits. The study spans many health and disease areas, including activity, aging, cardiovascular health, circulatory health, cognition, hearing, menstrual health, mental health, metabolic health, mobility, neurologic health, respiratory health, sleep and more.</p><h4>Takeaway</h4><p>The longitudinal, virtual study data can be used to predict, detect, monitor and manage changes in participants’ health, Apple states. Additionally, researchers will explore connections across different areas of health.</p><h3><span>3</span> <span>|</span> Scale will be an important factor in this study.</h3><p>It’s impossible to predict how many consumers will participate in the new Apple Health Study, but the company previously has had great success in recruiting participants for its research. More than <a href="https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2018/11/stanford-apple-describe-heart-study-with-over-400000-participants.html" target="_blank" title="Stanford Medicine News Center: Stanford, Apple describe heart study with over 400,000 participants">400,000 people</a> participated in the first Apple Heart Study. Broadening the scope and scale of this study has the potential to reveal previously unknown connections between lifestyles and different areas of health.</p><h4>Takeaway</h4><p>Access to a huge and diverse cohort (Apple device users) could help accelerate discovery and progress. “We anticipate we will likely find some signals that have previously just been missed because we haven’t had studies that are this broad, or we haven’t had studies that are this continuous. We haven’t looked longitudinally or at this level of granularity,” Calum MacRae, a cardiologist and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, who will serve as principal investigator on the Apple Health Study, noted in a recent <a href="https://www.theverge.com/news/610308/apple-health-study-wearables-iphone-apple-watch-airpods" target="_blank" title="The Verge: Apple launches wide-ranging health study to help develop future features">interview</a>.</p></div><div class="col-md-4"><p><a href="/center" title="Visit the AHA Center for Health Innovation landing page."><img src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/logo-aha-innovation-center-color-sm.jpg" data-entity-uuid="7ade6b12-de98-4d0b-965f-a7c99d9463c5" alt="AHA Center for Health Innovation logo" width="721" height="130" data-entity- type="file" class="align-center"></a></p><p><a href="/center/form/innovation-subscription"><img src="/sites/default/files/2019-04/Market_Scan_Call_Out_360x300.png" data-entity-uuid data-entity-type alt width="360" height="300"></a></p></div></div></div>.field_featured_image { position: absolute; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); height: 1px; width: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0; border: 0; } .featured-image{ position: absolute; overflow: hidden; clip: rect(0 0 0 0); height: 1px; width: 1px; margin: -1px; padding: 0; border: 0; } h2 { color: #9d2235; } h4 { color: #9d2235; } Tue, 25 Feb 2025 06:15:00 -0600 Technology /news/headline/2025-01-21-2025-aha-committee-governance-chair-james-liggins-shares-what-lies-ahead-boards <p>In the latest issue of AHA's Trustee Insights newsletter, James Liggins, Jr., 2025 AHA Committee on Governance chair and board chair of Bronson Healthcare System, shares how boards need to prepare for integrating artificial intelligence and other emerging governance issues.<strong> </strong><a href="https://trustees.aha.org/2025-cog-chair-future-governance"><strong>READ MORE</strong></a><strong> </strong></p> Tue, 21 Jan 2025 14:34:04 -0600 Technology /news/headline/2025-01-17-aha-center-health-innovation-report-guides-executives-use-ai <p>The AHA Center for Health Innovation released a new report to guide hospital and health system executives on using artificial intelligence and AI-powered technologies to transform their organizations’ operations. The report, Building and Implementing an Artificial Intelligence Plan for Health Care, features insights from 12 health care AI experts and leaders, published health care articles, presentations, reports, research and surveys on health care AI. <a href="/center/emerging-issues/market-insights/ai/building-and-implementing-artificial-intelligence-action-plan-health-care"><strong>READ MORE</strong></a></p> Fri, 17 Jan 2025 14:57:13 -0600 Technology /news/headline/2025-01-16-agencies-release-guide-selecting-and-integrating-security-operational-technology-products <p>A <a href="https://www.cisa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-01/joint-guide-secure-by-demand-priority-considerations-for-ot-owners-and-operators-508c_0.pdf" title="CISA guide">guide</a> published Jan. 13 by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, National Security Agency, FBI, Environmental Protection Agency, Transportation Security Administration and international agencies provides considerations for organizations to select and secure operational technology products. The guide suggests owners select products from manufacturers prioritizing security elements such as configuration management, logging in the baseline product, open standards, ownership, protection of data and more.  </p><p>"Many hospitals have vast quantities of network-connected OT devices such as cameras, door access controls and HVAC systems," said Scott Gee, AHA deputy national advisor for cybersecurity and risk. "Keeping these devices secure and operational is critical to the delivery of high-quality patient care. When making purchasing decisions for new technology, hospitals should demand these security standards be part of the product.</p><p>“This is also a good reminder to look at the legacy technology in your networks and apply as many of these principles as possible. If legacy equipment cannot be brought up to these standards, understand the vulnerabilities in those systems and have a plan to segment and monitor the devices.</p><p>“More importantly, hospitals and health systems should understand the clinical and business impact which may result from a loss of OT due to a loss of network connectivity during a cybersecurity event. It is strongly recommended that health care organizations maintain business and clinical continuity plans to compensate for a loss of OT for 30 days or longer." <br> <br>For more information on this or other cyber and risk issues, contact Gee at <a href="mailto:sgee@aha.org" target="_blank">sgee@aha.org</a>. For the latest cyber and risk resources and threat intelligence, visit <a href="/cybersecurity?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=aha-today" title="cyber link">aha.org/cybersecurity</a>. </p> Thu, 16 Jan 2025 15:51:00 -0600 Technology /news/headline/2024-12-16-hhs-releases-information-blocking-rule-related-care-access <p>The Department of Health and Human Services Dec. 16 published a <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2024-29683/health-data-technology-and-interoperability-protecting-care-access">final rule</a> implementing certain provisions related to information blocking exceptions. The rule revises defined terms related to protecting access to care for purposes of the information blocking regulations.<br><br>The agency adopted select provisions first proposed in August as part of the much larger <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/08/05/2024-14975/health-data-technology-and-interoperability-patient-engagement-information-sharing-and-public-health">Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Patient Engagement, Information Sharing, and Public Health Interoperability (HTI-2)</a> rule. The adopted provisions are designed to address concerns from patients, health care providers and other stakeholders regarding patient privacy, access to care, preferences for electronic health information sharing, and methods for achieving a balance between certainty and flexibility for entities involved in enhancing EHI interoperability and exchange.The finalized “Protecting Care Access Exception” would allow entities to restrict EHI sharing under certain conditions to mitigate the risk of legal repercussions for patients, providers or care facilitators involved in lawful reproductive health services. The provisions will be effective immediately when published Dec. 17 in the Federal Register.<br><br>This is the second rule in less than a <a href="/news/headline/2024-12-11-hhs-releases-tefca-final-rule">week</a> containing policies originally included in the proposed HTI-2 rule. As such, additional provisions of the HTI-2 rule, including prior authorization application programming interfaces, United States Core Data for Interoperability Version 4 standards and public health interoperability requirements — which are currently under review by the White House Office of Management and Budget — could be published soon.</p> Mon, 16 Dec 2024 16:01:18 -0600 Technology /news/headline/2024-12-11-hhs-releases-tefca-final-rule <p>The Department of Health and Human Services Dec. 11 published a <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2024-29163/health-data-technology-and-interoperability-trusted-exchange-framework-and-common-agreement">final rule</a> implementing provisions related to the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement. The rule is intended to advance equity, innovation and interoperability by promoting the use and exchange of electronically captured health information as specified in certain provisions of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009.  <br><br>The provisions today's final rule adopts were first proposed in August as part of a <a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/08/05/2024-14975/health-data-technology-and-interoperability-patient-engagement-information-sharing-and-public-health">much larger rule</a> and will be effective 30 days after it is officially published in the Federal Register. The AHA will soon provide members with additional details on the rule.</p> Wed, 11 Dec 2024 16:01:37 -0600 Technology /news/headline/2024-12-04-cms-announces-two-drug-manufacturers-participate-cgt-access-model <p>The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Dec. 4 <a href="https://www.cms.gov/newsroom/press-releases/biden-harris-administration-takes-next-steps-increase-access-sickle-cell-disease-treatments">announced</a> that drug manufacturers bluebird bio, inc. (manufacturer of Lyfgenia) and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (manufacturer of Casgevy) will participate in its Cell and Gene Therapy Access Model. The voluntary model will test whether a CMS-led approach to developing and administering outcomes-based agreements for cell and gene therapies improves Medicaid beneficiaries’ health outcomes, broadens access to innovative treatment and reduces health care expenditures. The CGT Access Model launches in January, and states can choose to begin participation anytime between then and January 2026. The state application portal will also go live this month and remain open through Feb. 28, 2025. In addition, states may apply for optional model funding by Feb. 28, 2025 through the <a href="https://grants.gov/search-results-detail/354875">notice of funding opportunity</a>. </p> Wed, 04 Dec 2024 16:01:32 -0600 Technology