HIE Challenges, Cloud Computing Security, HIPAA Audits, and More

How are healthcare leaders addressing the needs of clinicians in the fast-changing world of health information exchange? This month's two-part cover story package provides in-depth analyses of two important areas. “A Hybrid Approach,” which begins on page 8, examines why HIE pioneers have moved past early “model”-driven debates and are now mixing and matching what works best to address individual data and service challenges. On page 14, “Channel Surfing” explains why the federal Direct Project may prove to be a viable interim solution to enable direct clinician-to-clinician communications even as broader HIE structures continue to be developed.

As more provider organizations look to the cloud computing model, they are facing a host of security-related questions. The report beginning on page 18 explores appropriate applications for the cloud, various cloud models, and questions decision makers should ask when vetting potential cloud vendors.

Meanwhile, proposed rules aimed at strengthening HIPAA privacy and security requirements have put hospital CIOs and security officers on alert. The feature beginning on page 26 analyzes how the proposed changes will play out and what they will mean for provider organizations.

This month's Clinical Perspective, beginning on page 43, describes a robust pediatric dosage range checking solution, which earned Phoenix Children's Hospital second-place recognition in the IT Innovation Advocate Award program, jointly sponsored by Healthcare Informatics and the Association of Medical Directors of Information Systems (AMDIS).

In the policy arena, the story on page 45 takes a look at concerns around accountable care organizations, and why the American Medical Group Association, for one, sees both strategic and data-related challenges in CMS' proposed rule on ACOs.

This issue's coverage of financial management, on page 48, focuses on electronic claims processing-specifically, how MedVirginia LLC, a provider-owned HIE, has used the Nationwide Health Information Network to expedite disability claim requests.

In an attempt to improve the identity protection of its patient population, Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury, Md., has moved from using Social Security numbers to using unique medical record numbers. The story on page 49 explains why and how it made the transition.