Joan Cros/NurPhoto, via Getty Image

Here's The Latest in Health Care:

•  The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently proposed a new rule to improve the interoperability of Electronic Health Information between different health systems. In a recent press release, HHS will require the health care industry to adopt standardized application programming interfaces (APIs) to allow seamless movement of health information from one system to another by 2020. This has been a long-awaited victory for patients, now giving them the accessibility they need to view their medical and insurance records from any device.  Read More

•  In a report published Thursday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlighted the start of the nation's third opioid epidemic wave with fentanyl at the center of it all. Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that offers a particularly potent high but can also shut down breathing in under a minute. What's fueling the recent spike in fentanyl deaths? The drug is easy to produce due to its synthetic nature, making it easier for drug dealers to traffic and for users to get a hold of it.  Read More

•  As technology begins to drive the health care industry, providers need to be cautious not to lose the element of humanity in how they deliver care. Telehealth can be a powerful tool to gather data and logic but if handled well, it can also be a compelling model for quality patient care. It's important to think of telehealth as a virtual starting point in providing convenient, transparent, and quality care, remembering to incorporate a personal touch and acknowledging the value of both the provider's and the patient's time.  Read More

•  Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) - a concept that's been sensationalized in Hollywood films and a reality that's slowly starting to make its way into health care. A new breed of artificial intelligence technology is rapidly spreading across the medical field in which systems and devices are able to detect signs of illness and disease in a wide variety of images, such as C.A.T. scans and X-rays. However, scientists warn of a dark side of A.I. where small manipulations can change the behavior of A.I. systems. The biggest concern is of these devices or systems getting into the wrong hands of those who would manipulate A.I. to misdiagnose patients for the purpose of maximizing on insurance reimbursements.  Read More

Each Friday, Signor Goat reports the latest from the week in health care. Check back next Friday for your dose of our little medical corner of health care news. Brought to you by pMD, innovators in charge capture, secure messaging, clinical communication, MIPS registry, and care navigation software.

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