According to the National Cancer Institute ("NCI"), the caBIG® Clinical Information Suite Project is available to all, free of charge, a series of software specifications and open source software modules for an oncology-extended electronic health record ("EHR") capability through NCI’s Cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid (caBIG®) program.  

It is anticipated that this program will benefit health care provider organizations in the field of ambulatory cancer care seeking to acquire or enhance their existing EHR functionality  as well as EHR vendors.

Additional benefits include:

  • Improved care to cancer patients and clinician efficiency
  • Interoperability in, and between, research and care.

For more information, please access the following page:

https://wiki.nci.nih.gov/display/caEHR

Continue Reading National Cancer Institute CaBIG(R) Clinical Information Suite Project

In Leitgen v. Franciscan Skemp Healthcare, Inc., 7th Cir. appeals court confirms summary judgment by the district court denying Dr. Leitgen’s claim of discriminatory pay practices.The physicians at Franciscan Skemp Healthcare were paid a salary plus a bonus. The bonus for professional fees for obstetrical delivery services were collected and paid to the participating…

Two recent malpractice cases indicate the distinction between ordinary risk management processes and peer review issues. In Johnson v. Detroit Medical Center, a Michigan state court held that a physician’s credentialing file was protected by the confidentiality provisions of Michigan’s Peer Review Confidentiality Statute, and also protected the physician’s operative logs because the doctor/patient privilege…

Certification for Electronic Health Record ("EHR") Software

A final rule was issued by the Office of National Coordinator for Health Information Technology ("ONCHIT") to establish the permanent certification program for electronic health records.  The permanent certification program requires that organizations must first be accredited to test and certify health information technology; certification bodies authorized by…

The American College of Physicians has published a guide on understanding the Patient Care Medical Home (PCMH) model.  Briefly, PCMH is a team-based approach and a personal physician provides care throughout a patient’s lifetime to maximize health outcomes.  The PCMH team provides all of a patient’s health care needs or otherwise arranges care with other…

PA-SIIS

The Pennsylvania Statewide Immunization Information System ("PA-SIIS") is a web-based statewide immunization registry which collects vaccination history information.  PA-SIIS compiles immunization information from health care providers and creates a current and comprehensive immunization record.  PA-SIIS helps health care providers administer appropriate immunizations to their patients. 

For more information: http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pa_statewide_immunization_information_system_%2528pa-siis%2529/14281.

PA-NEDSS

Pennsylvania’s version…

Experts Say Medical Office Embezzlement Common At Medical Practices, Particularly At Start Of Year.

American Medical News (1/17, Elliott) reported that medical office embezzlement "is common at medical practices, and experts say the risk is especially high at the beginning of the year." This is because "patients are paying an ever-larger share of their…

Ray v. Pinnacle Health Hospitals, Inc. is an interesting physician discrimination case, not because it presents new concepts, but more so because of the use of the hospital’s quality assurance data in the discovery and summary judgment process.

The Third Circuit is merely affirming the grant of summary judgment by the United States District…

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