Study Highlights Barriers to Effective e-Rx Use

The non-partisan policy research organization Center for Studying Health System Change released a new study indicating that physician practices are having difficulty accessing external e-prescribing data to assist them in making better prescribing decisions.

The study revealed that tools to view and import data into e-prescribing systems were cumbersome to use and the data that was received was frequently determined to be unhelpful.

View The Center for Studying Health System Change's press release on the study here: http://hschange.org/CONTENT/1203/?topic=topic03.

View the research brief on the study and the full report here: http://hschange.org/CONTENT/1202/

Sign Up for CMS Attestation Calls

CMS is holding conference calls for eligible professionals (EPs), eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals (CAHs) participating in the Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program to provide information on the attestation process.

The calls take place on Tuesday, May 3, from 2:00 PM-3:30 PM ET and Thursday, May 5, from 1:30 PM - 3:00 PM ET. Advanced registration is required.

More information about the calls, including registration, is available here: http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/50_Spotlight.asp

Visit the CMS EHR Incentive Programs website for the latest news and updates on EHR Incentive Programs.

Drug Companies Challenge Vermont Data Mining Law in Supreme Court

A lawsuit brought by pharmaceutical manufacturers challenging a Vermont law that prohibits the sale of information about the medicines that doctors are prescribing to their patients was argued in the U.S. Supreme Court on April 26.

The Vermont law prohibits the sale of the information without obtaining permission from the doctor first.

Source: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=135737160

High Court Rejects Request for Fast Track Decision on Health Care Reform Law

On April 25, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a request from the Commonwealth of Virginia to issue an immediate ruling on the constitutionality of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act enacted last year to reform the nation's health care system.

The Supreme Court indicated that it would wait until all of the pending cases challenging the act reached them before considering the controversy. The cases could reach the court as early at this fall.

Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/supreme-court-turn-down-virginias-request-to-expedite-review-of-health-care-law/2011/04/15/AFr7U5hE_story.html

Washington State Uses Panels to Make Coverage Determinations

A recent article in The New York Times highlights a Washington state panel which uses evidence-based measures to make coverage determinations for state employees, Medicaid patients, and injured workers.

The Health Technology Assessment committee, which was created in 2006 with bipartisan support, is a panel of healthcare professionals that evaluates the cost and effectiveness of medical devices and procedures before deciding to grant or deny coverage.

Committees such as this one were criticized during the healthcare reform debate as being examples of "rationing care." However, the committee argues that it has been balanced in its decision making.

To read the full article, click here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/22/business/22care.html?pagewanted=2&emc=eta1


Source: The New York Times

Project Boost Aims to Curb Hospital Readmissions

In an attempt to reduce the number of preventable readmissions, hospitals are turning to program called Project Boost.

Project Boost was developed by the Society of Hospital Medicine. The project integrates the better collection and communication of information at patient discharge to avoid logistical and psychosocial problems that may lead to a patient's readmission.

Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta has reported decreased readmission rates since implementing the program.

To read more about Project Boost, click here:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/21/AR2011022102949.html?hpid=sec-health


Source: Washington Post

House Votes to Repeal Health Reform

The House voted to repeal the healthcare reform act by a vote of 245 to 189 on Wednesday. Three Democrats joined all Republican representatives in voting to repeal the act, which was a campaign promise by many Republicans in the past election.

The Senate, which is still controlled by the Democrats, intends to block any attempts to repeal healthcare reform. House Republicans acknowledged that their vote may merely be a symbolic one. However, they intend to "chip away" at healthcare reform by blocking funding and introducing bills to unravel certain provisions.

To read the full article, click here:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/20/health/policy/20cong.html?emc=eta1


Source: The New York Times