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Matthew Swain

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Matthew Swain's Latest Blog Posts

Report to Congress on HITECH: Significant progress in adoption and use of EHRs

Matthew Swain | October 9, 2014

Today HHS and ONC submitted the annual report to Congress on progress on the HITECH Act including health IT adoption, health information exchange and use of electronic health information to advance better care and better health. This report highlights progress and accomplishments in advancing a resilient and flexible health IT infrastructure for our nation.

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Health Information Exchange among U.S. Hospitals Continues to Grow, but Significant Work Remains

Matthew Swain | May 5, 2014

Hospitals across the country continue to adopt health IT such as electronic health record (EHRs) to improve the health and health care of their patients. ONC posted the latest results [PDF – 933kb] from the 2013 American Hospital Association’s (AHA) Annual Health IT Survey, which show that more than nine out of ten hospitals possess certified EHR technology, and nearly six in ten hospitals adopted an EHR with advanced functionalities (classified as a Basic EHR).

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The Story Behind the Numbers: Best Practices for Adopting and Implementing Health IT

Matthew Swain | September 19, 2013

There has been a dramatic increase in the adoption and use of electronic health records among healthcare providers and hospitals across the country.*  But the numbers don’t tell the whole story.  Behind the steep increase in electronic health record (EHR) adoption is the story of each provider and organization as they adopt and optimize health information technology (health IT).  What are the experiences of providers and organizations as they implement and optimize health IT? 

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Can Health IT Reduce Health Disparities? New ONC Report Explores Opportunities

Matthew Swain | May 10, 2013

Inequality related to race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status is one of our nation’s most vexing problems, and it affects health status, access to health care, and health care quality.
Unfortunately, health disparities in access to quality care are common. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality’s (AHRQ) 2011 National Healthcare Disparities Report indicates that:

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New Report Finds E-Prescribing Is on the Rise

Matthew Swain | November 27, 2012

One giant leap forward in the transformation of health care is the use of electronic prescribing (e-prescribing) to reduce mistakes, control costs, and better coordinate care. E-prescribing has been found to improve patient care and safety by preventing medication errors that are associated with paper prescriptions. Recognizing the importance of e-prescribing in improving patient care, part of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program provides incentive payments for certain eligible health care providers who e-prescribe as part of meeting the meaningful use requirements that rely on certified EHR technology.

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