Open Health News (OHN) Weekly Summary - 11/25/2013

November 25, 2013 - The following is a brief listing of some of the hot news items, selected news clips, feature stories, and blogs posted on Open Health News (OHNews) over the past week that we believe will be of interest to our readers across the U.S. and around the world. We've also included links to some upcoming open source and health IT conferences and events.

Some of the key themes dominating the news this week involved:

  • A look back over 2013 - OHNews Readers Most Viewed News & Resources
  • Continued fallout from the rollout of the national Health Insurance Exchanges (HIX) on HealthCare.gov;
  • Ongoing news about a wide range of innovative 'Open Health' activity and solutions from around the world.

Roger Maduro
Publisher & Managing Editor, Open Health News

Headlines

OHN News, Features & Blog Posts

Selected News Clips

 

Brief Abstracts of Selected News Stories

 

Open Health News (OHNews) 2013 Readers Choice - Top Picks

The numbers on the 'Open Source' movement and solutions continue to climb and go through the roof - whether its about usage of 'open source' operating systems, browsers, content management systems, market share, job opportunities, new companies, open data, mobile apps, open hardware products, and more. Just do your own web search for the numbers. This trend also holds true for the healthcare industry and 'open' health IT systems. Check out the most viewed 'Open Health' projects, systems, publications, and resources by Open Health News (OHNews) Readers in 2013. Read More »

OHNews 2013 Readers Choice: Most visited 'Open Data' sources of Health Information

As we head towards the end of the year, the global 'Open Health' movement continues to grow and strengthen. Each month, the number of new 'open data' web sites and resources increases. Read More »

OHNews 2013 Readers Choice: Most visited links to 'Open Access' Publications

As we head towards the end of the year, the global 'Open Health' movement continues to grow and strengthen. Based on the number of hits by our Open Health News (OHNews) readers on links to 'Open Access' health informatics and medical publications (e.g. Read More »

US And UK Share Health Data Via Cloud

Anthony Brino | Healthcare IT News | November 15, 2013

About half a century after epidemiology studies in Massachusetts and the United Kingdom helped build the world’s understanding of cardiovascular disease and health risks, public health and population data is being opened up by the U.S. and joining international datasets. Read More »

OSEHRA, VA Reveal Open Source EHR Security Patching Benefits

Patrick Ouellette | Health IT Security | November 15, 2013

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the open source IT community have paired up to prove the benefits of fixing technical security flaws within an open source system. Read More »

Crowdsource Mapping Helps Recovery Efforts In Philippines

Staff Writer | Here & Now | November 15, 2013

The United Nations says 11 million people are affected by Typhoon Haiyan, which hammered the islands a week ago today. The death toll is now more than 3,000, and the survivors are still struggling to get the food and water they so desperately need. Read More »

Join The Crisismappers!

Heather Leson | Ushahidi | September 10, 2013

Crisismappers of all map forms, organizations and disciplines will be converging on Nairobi in November 2013 for the 5th Annual International Conference of Crisismappers (ICCM) . Join important humanitarian, human rights, development and media organizations along with the world’s best technology companies, academics, journalists and hackers. [...] Read More »

Pentagon’s Electronic Health Record Not Ready for Initial Use Until 2017

Bob Brewin | NextGov | November 19, 2013

The Defense Department will not start deploying its modernized electronic health record until 2017, nine years after President Obama called on the Pentagon and the Veterans Affairs Department to develop a joint EHR. Read More »

Another NC Hospital Falls To Epic EHR Implementation Costs

Jennifer Bresnick | EHR Intelligence | November 14, 2013

Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center isn’t the only North Carolina hospital struggling with poor credit ratings and huge revenue gaps after attempting the installation of an Epic EHR system... Read More »

House bill pushes Telehealth expansion for veterans

Eric Wicklund | Government Health IT | November 19, 2013

A new bill [The 21st Century Care for Military & Veterans Act] sponsored by Reps. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) and Scott Peters (D-Calif.) hopes to encourage the use of telehealth for veterans by expanding current telehealth reimbursement policies. Read More »

Analytics in health care: Tools in the hands of consumers

Kevin Kelly | Deloitte Center for Health Solutions | November 11, 2013

Despite facing some issues at the start, health insurance exchanges are beginning to open their doors; health plans are beginning to compete on state and federal marketplaces and health care reform is placing pressure on providers to cut costs while increasing quality. Read More »

How Munich rejected Steve Ballmer and kicked Microsoft out of the city

Nick Heath | Tech Republic | November 18, 2013

Breaking up with Microsoft is hard to do. Just ask Peter Hofmann, the man leading the City of Munich's project to ditch Windows and Office in favour of open source alternatives. Read More »

Italy finalising guide for comparing open and closed source

Guglielmo Troiano | EU Joinup | November 18, 2013

The Agenzia per l'Italia Digitale (AGID) is finalising its recommendations on how to best compare open source and proprietary software solutions. The Agency will soon publish the criteria and a guideline written by an expert committee. Read More »

Red Hat Wins VA Medical Appointment Scheduling Challenge as Part of HP Open Community Team

Press Release | The Wall Street Journal | November 19, 2013

Red Hat, Inc. (NYSE: RHT), the world's leading provider of open source solutions, today announced it was selected, as part of the HP Open Community team, as an award winner in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Appointment Scheduling Challenge. Read More »

Levin Warns On NHS Open Source Approach

Rebecca Todd | eHealth Insider | October 9, 2013

The former chief technology officer of the US Department of Veterans Affairs has warned that NHS England’s bid to bring open source to the health service will fail without a central authority to curate it. Read More »

Meaningful Use Payouts Top $16.5 Billion

Marla Durben Hirsch | FierceEMR | November 11, 2013

Participation in the Meaningful Use incentive program continues to increase, with more than 425,000 active registrations of eligible professionals and eligible hospitals. Overall, 325,000 unique providers have been paid incentives representing more than $16.5 billion in payouts, according to an article in Government Health IT. Read More »

HSCIC To Support Open Source

Lis Evenstad | eHealth Insider | October 29, 2013

The Health and Social Care Information Centre will extend its support for NHS organisations and providers using open source, open interfaces and cloud technology to increase integration across health and social care. Read More »