Government & Policy

Hand on keyboard
By Mike Miliard 10:30 am October 04, 2024
With large ransomware breaches up more than 260% since 2018, "the health care sector needs to get serious about cybersecurity and complying with HIPAA," says the director of the HHS Office for Civil Rights.
Doctor and patient work with smartphone
By Andrea Fox 02:09 pm October 02, 2024
While there's been progress across government and industry, the agency said the new technology strategy emphasizes health equity, public health, AI and cybersecurity to better connect the health system with health data "for all health IT users."
Health leaders in APAC during a panel session at HIMSS24 APAC.
By Hannah Nwaozuzu 06:46 am October 02, 2024
Health tech leaders discussed the diverse applications of 5G in healthcare during the HIMSS24 APAC conference in Seoul.
Doctor at desk sits back and reads information on a laptop
By Andrea Fox 08:12 am October 01, 2024
An investigation into the incident, now being handled by the Department of Justice, is reportedly trying to determine whether Gov. Tim Walz or Sen. J.D. Vance’s health records were shared as a result of the insider breaches.
Capitol Hill rotunda at night
By Andrea Fox 12:27 pm September 27, 2024
To prevent healthcare cyberattacks and their damage to the American public, lawmakers propose mandatory cybersecurity requirements and penalties, which include jail time for executives who lie about cyber hygiene. 
person in grey sweater using a mobile phone
By Andrea Fox 10:18 am September 27, 2024
The commission is expected to codify a rule next month that requires cellular carriers to georoute wireless 988 calls to the closest national service provider, better connecting callers in crisis to local suicide prevention and care services, HHS said.
A nurse checking a patient's record on a digital tablet
By Adam Ang 07:17 am September 27, 2024
Also, Breast Cancer Foundation New Zealand is set to launch a national programme ensuring cancer therapy adherence.
Rural hospital complex
By Jeff Lagasse 03:03 pm September 26, 2024
The focus will be on ensuring rural communities have access to primary care, emergency services and specialty care.
VA building signage
By Andrea Fox 11:11 am September 25, 2024
So says a new OIG audit, which found the VA and Oracle Health have been misaligned in their responses to outages throughout Electronic Health Record Modernization. While the agency has made procedural improvements, it needs to go further, auditors say.
Information exchange abstract
By Mike Miliard 09:47 am September 25, 2024
The aim is to bolster more consistent use of the HL7 interoperability standard across HHS, says the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy, and help "break down the silos separating patients, providers, payers, public health and research."