Health Data

Portrait of Chelsea Richwine

Flipping the Script: Leveraging EHR Data to Inform Clinical Burden Reduction Approaches

Chelsea Richwine | February 6, 2023

In 2020, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released a strategy to reduce regulatory and administrative burden relating to the use of health IT, including electronic health record (EHR) systems. Key burden reduction goals addressed in the report include reducing the amount of time and effort required to record information in EHRs to meet regulatory requirements and improving the usability of EHRs.

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Portrait of Chelsea Richwine

Evidence on the Growing Use of Health IT to Address the Opioid Epidemic

Chelsea Richwine | January 19, 2023

In the midst of a growing drug overdose crisis exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, clinicians’ use of prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) and electronic prescribing of controlled substances (EPCS) technology is critical to improving opioid prescribing practices, informing treatment decisions, and supporting safe and effective patient care. Recent efforts, such as mandating use of EPCS technology and integrating PDMPs into electronic health record (EHR) systems, aim to improve prescribing practices by increasing the utility of information contained in PDMPs and decreasing prescription diversion and doctor shopping.

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Portrait of Kathryn Marchesini

Back to the Future: What Predictive Decision Support Can Learn from DeLoreans and The Big Short

Kathryn Marchesini | December 13, 2022

In the third blog in our series on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML)-driven predictive models (data analytics tool or software) in health care, we discussed some potential risks (sometimes referred to as model harms) related to these emerging technologies and how these risks could lead to adverse impacts or negative outcomes. Given these potential risks, some have questioned whether they can trust the use of these technologies in health care.

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Portrait of Kathryn Marchesini

Guiding Developers through Foundational Federal Laws Applicable to Mobile Health Technology

Kathryn Marchesini | December 12, 2022

As you design, market, and distribute a mobile health (mHealth) app that your customers will use to collect, share, use, or maintain individuals’ health information, it is likely you have questions about what U.S. federal laws apply. You may also wonder which federal agencies oversee various aspects of mHealth — including how this varies by how individuals, their health plan, or health care providers will use the app.  Depending on who is expected to use an app and how they will get and use the app (e.g.,

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Portrait of Carmela Couderc

This World AIDS Day – Reflecting on Health IT as a Tool for Advancing Health Equity and Ending the HIV Epidemic

Carmela Couderc | December 1, 2022

December 1st is World AIDS Day, when we collectively remember those who died due to AIDS-related illnesses and renew our commitment to work together to end the HIV epidemic and support people with HIV. This year’s theme, “Putting Ourselves to the Test: Achieving Equity to End HIV,” emphasizes accountability and action. Collaborative, community-based, cross sector, and whole-of-government approaches that address clinical and social determinants of health (SDOH) are needed to support communities disproportionally affected by HIV and achieve national HIV/AIDS goals.

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