Link: 2012 County Health Rankings Highlight Healthiest, Least Healthy Counties in Every State

More than 3,000 counties and the District of Columbia can compare how healthy their residents are and how long they live with the 2012 County Health Rankings.

The Rankings are an annual check-up that highlights the healthiest and least healthy counties in every state, based on key factors that influence health such as education rates, income levels, and access to healthy foods and medical care. Now in their third year, the Rankings are increasingly being used by community leaders to help them identify challenges and take action in a variety of ways to improve residents’ health.

Recently I began a new journey of healthcare innovation with a hospice and home health EMR vendor, Suncoast Solutions. I have known many of their professionals for several years and I have always thought they evoked ethics of respect, caring, and desire to do the best they can, each day. 

Today I came across this video which I had seen some time ago, but which has new meaning for my new journey. Hospice and End of Life Care is often a difficult and heartfelt journey for caretakers, clinicians, chaplains, aides and all who work to make each day count for the patients for whom they provide care.

This video is entitled A Moving Art original short.  "This inspirational video was well responded at TED conferences and filmmaker Louie Schwartzberg motivates those around him as happiness is revealed. Spoken word and music montage created and composed by Gary Malkin. Narration written and spoken by Brother David Steindl-Rast."

Link: Regina Holliday’s testimony at NCVHS

Thanks to E-Patient Dave deBronkart for this recent post about Regina Holliday's testimony at the National Committee on Vital & Health Statistics. He wrote, "who else can weave data, HCAHPS scores, paintings and *Shakespeare* into a compelling message?? I bow."

Measure For Measure

HIPAA Survival Guide Radio

Last week Carlos Leyva, Managing Partner of The Digital Business Law Group and CEO of 3Lions Publishing, broadcasted the first online radio show. This first edition covered HIPAA's Privacy Rule and the Patient's Bill of Rights.

To listen to the archived version see below. To be notified of the dates for new shows, subscribe on blogtalkradio or subscribe to the HITECH / HIPAA Compliance Newsletter in the sidebar to the right.

Link: Thoughts on the Year Ahead

John Halamka presents his ideas about the major issues for 2012..

ICD10 - John predicts 25% of IT capacity will be consumed by ICD10 this year. Not good...

Meaningful Use Stage 2 including inpatient clinical documentation - now this is exciting. Potential criteria will likely include improvements to clinical records that improve care coordination and communication between providers. John suggested use of templates and social-networking like group documentation.   

ACO Planning - The reform changes for ACOs will include focus on prevention and wellness. New business intelligence (BI) and clinical decision support (CDS) capabilities will be helpful in meeting these goals.

Compliance - Compliance issues will include "conflict of interest tracking, learning management systems for compliance education, and enhanced revenue cycle systems that provide decision support."

Security - yes, the past year had a long list of data breaches, malware, and mobile devices so security of PHI must be improved, particularly if we intend to move clinical decision support to the bedside or engage in Health Information Exchanges.

Link: A New Year's Forecast For The Health Care Bill

NPR topics presents a summary of the impact to the Affordable Care Act in a discussion between Audie Cornish and Noam Levey of the Los Angeles Times.

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