When Schuylkill Health in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, started evaluating PACS to replace an existing system, a radiology information system (RIS) was not on the shopping list. The radiology department that served two hospitals and two specialty imaging centers used a hospital information system that had provided basic RIS functionality.

There's much to observe as the Obama Administration prepares for the upcoming open enrollment period for the federal health insurance exchange (HIX). The initial problem-laden rollout of the program online, followed by countless exceptions, extensions and delays, has cost billions of unplanned dollars and human resources, and all hope is pointed toward a smooth reenrollment for this year. 

CMS on Friday announced in a final rule that it will delay some requirements of its meaningful use program, allowing providers to continue to receive incentive payments if they haven't yet adopted electronic health records (EHR) software that was certified under the 2014 criteria.  

More than 20,000 insured Georgians have until this Friday to provide missing information to their health insurance exchange (HIX) plan or they will lose their coverage on September 30.

Even though Los Angeles is roasting, I’m certain that I feel an extra chill in the morning and evening air. Maybe it’s just that I know fall is around the corner, but I feel what I know: Summer is coming to a close. 

The formation of a new health information exchange was recently announced in California that would make the medical records of nine million patients, representing more than a quarter of the state’s population, available to network physicians and hospitals.

The records of an estimated 4.5 million patients of Community Health Systems (CHS) potentially have been compromised by computer hackers. Community Health Systems, which operates 206 hospitals across the U.S. announced earlier this week that its data security was compromised when hackers broke in and stole patient data. 

The Obama Administration is still actively engaged in redefining healthcare in the U.S.  During this period of change, radiologists are seeking out a more prominent seat at the table as contributors in defining and directing patient care and ultimately, in improving patient health outcomes while reducing overall healthcare costs.