With news of a COVID-19 vaccine on the horizon, the American Medical Association announced updates to its Current Procedural Terminology codes. Four new CPT terms for specific coronavirus vaccines were released on Monday in anticipation of a possible FDA vaccine approval.
With health systems bracing for an autumn surge in cases of COVID-19, the federal government pushed back the date for health IT companies to comply with interoperability mandates stemming from the 21st Century Cures Act for a second time.
Dozens of vaccines are now in clinical trials as part of the quest to stop the spread of COVID-19. In this blog, we spotlight five companies (and collaborations) that have made rapid progress in recent months.
In late August, the federal government predicted a limited amount of COVID-19 vaccines would be available at the beginning of November, and that healthcare systems in all 50 states should be ready to implement an inoculation plan by this date. However, only targeted populations will be eligible for receipt – begging the questions: who should be immunized first, and how should existing epidemiological data be used to help guide the decision-making process?
When COVID-19 first hit the US, clinicians struggled to accurately document cases of the new coronavirus, and the health IT industry quickly mobilized to provide the needed clinical terminology. Now, six months into the pandemic, COVID “long-haulers” are highlighting the ongoing need for appropriate clinical language to document side effects of the virus.
As our health systems continue to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, clear communication is crucial. Recent changes in reporting regulations from the federal government have led to confusion, which runs the risk of incomplete or inaccurate data collection about the spread and severity of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. We break down the changes, and subsequent concerns about them, below.
When the new coronavirus hit US hospitals at the beginning of the year, many institutions halted elective surgical procedures and diverted resources to care for pandemic patients. Now, most operating rooms have reopened their doors, but patient anxiety about coming into contact with COVID-19 is still keeping many away.
Back in March, new rules mandating how health systems must improve their interoperability methods were published by the Department of Health and Human Services. In a new white paper, IMO’s Chief Medical Officer, Andrew S. Kanter, MD, explores how the coronavirus pandemic has changed the plans for implementation and revealed gaps in the legislation.
Watch IMOs panel discussion with subject matter experts across the enterprise, who share insights on how the global pandemic is reshaping the health IT world.
As the threat of COVID-19 continues to grow, so too does the urgent need for health IT solutions, like updated coding and terminology and telehealth services. To learn more about how the coronavirus pandemic is shaping the health IT space, IMO asked experts throughout the field to share their thoughts in our latest insight brief.
The first case of COVID-19 was confirmed in the United States on January 21, 2020. In the ensuing six months, the country has experienced a whirlwind of fear, confusion, and tragedy. We have also witnessed incredible strides in detection, treatment, and prevention of the disease. IMO’s Chief Medical Officer takes a look back at what we’ve learned and why there’s cause for optimism.
When it comes to COVID-19, we all have questions we want answered. But without reliable data and analytics, it’s a near impossible task, as illustrated by the challenges hospitals in the Midwest are now facing.
