Large health systems and their IT vendors are creating private information exchange networks at a time when federally funded state operations are gearing up for launch. Is there room for private and public offerings in the new HIE marketplace?

It has been a decade since the first privacy officers took their jobs in response to the HIPAA privacy rule. A slew of changes since then has added more responsibility, required more skills, and demanded more time of them than anyone could have imagined.

Learning from last year’s denials and preparing for what’s ahead will help providers avoid being stung in 2012.

The HIPAA transaction standards–meant to streamline financial and administrative transactions–have instead devolved into a kind of free-for-all. Now the first operating rules are in hand to standardize use of the standards and gain the efficiencies originally intended.

A forest of issues crowds the 2012 HIM landscape. AHIMA practice experts offer a guide for the year ahead.

A year after opening their doors, the federally sponsored health IT regional extension centers have nearly met their recruitment goals. Now the hard part starts…

After debate, speculation, and anxiety throughout the industry, the first physicians and hospitals have embarked on stage 1 of the meaningful use program. So far…so good.

Last year 82 community colleges launched health IT training programs in a hurry. After a slow and sometimes bumpy start, the programs are picking up steam and the students are graduating. Now comes the next test: are the jobs out there?