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The burgeoning niche of population health is top of mind for many health care executives. First and foremost comes the decision about whether to take the plunge. Once the go-ahead is secured comes the tricky part: choosing a vendor. This month’s E-News Exclusive examines the selection process, focusing on the need to establish organizational priorities. — Lee DeOrio, editor Population Health Management Vendor Selection — Taming the Wave By Tonya Edwards, MD As more organizations embrace population health management as a strategy to succeed in the emerging new paradigm of value-based payment, many are facing the next big question: “What tools do I need to support population health?” They are turning to population health management software solutions to fill these needs, but picking the right one can be a big challenge. There are currently more than 100 population health management vendors. Some have had decades of experience in managing populations. Others are very recent entries, hoping to ride the tidal wave of interest. The current market is immature and highly evolving and as of yet no clear vendor/product market leader is emerging. Part of the reason for that is that the market is still trying to define population health management. What it takes to manage an accountable care organization (ACO) is still unclear. Most population health management vendors have entered and continue to have strengths primarily either on the analytics side or on the care management side. Few do both well. Few vendors have a multitude of existing clients. Here are some steps you can take to select the vendor that is the right fit for your organization. Full Story »   E-News Exclusive Rise of the Scribes Tame the Big Data Beast Telemedicine Faces Off Against Chronic Disease Navigate the CDI Divide Pacific Northwest First to Get New EMR System for Military Members, Families Doctor Tries Truck-Stop Medicine to Keep Family Practice Alive Ask the Expert Industry Insight Tech & Tools Rise of the Scribes Busy physicians struggling to stay in step with documentation requirements may find medical scribes to be a welcome addition to their staff. Read more » Tame the Big Data Beast Experts say health care organizations both large and small must have a strategy in place to manage an influx of data. Read more » Telemedicine Faces Off Against Chronic Disease Researchers analyze how the technology affects cost, access, and quality of care. Read more » Navigate the CDI Divide A hospitalwide effort built on cooperation increases an organization's chances of upgrading its documentation. Read more »

EMR Tool to Speed Patient Access to Specialists The University of Virginia (UVA) Health System is piloting a new program that uses its EpicCare EMR system to speed patients’ access to specialists. UVA is one of five academic medical centers in the United States testing the eConsults/eReferrals model; the five centers are supported by a $7 million grant from the federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. UVA began examining the model this month with four specialties: endocrinology, cardiology, digestive health, and neurology. The program addresses a common challenge faced by primary care doctors across the country: There aren’t enough specialists to accommodate the needs for specialty care. This new program aims to make available additional appointments with specialists for patients with more complex medical conditions through technology; eConsults or eReferrals will let specialists answer more straightforward questions in some cases without requiring an appointment. Read more » iFit Fitness App iFit recently unveiled The Life of Fitness. The connected fitness platform revealed more than 19 new fitness products that interconnect to track, train, and coach you throughout your entire day. With the belief that fitness is part of every aspect of life, they've expanded their brand into areas such as the bedroom, kitchen, office, and gym. Since all these products connect together, iFit easily connects your day. Learn more » Everbridge HipaaChat Mobile Messaging App Everbridge’s HipaaChat is a secure text messaging and video conferencing application designed for health care professionals. This fully HIPAA-compliant solution enables physicians, nurses, and other professionals to share protected health information without the need for inefficient communication channels or fear of noncompliance with privacy safeguards. HipaaChat enables compliant and secure mobile communications on a health care professionals’ preferred device, ensuring the delivery of effective and efficient patient care. HipaaChat is the only HIPAA-compliant mobile messaging solution that offers video calling that meets telemedicine requirements. The solution is enterprise-class, mobile device management ready, with best-in-class security architecture, encryption, and an IT admin dashboard. The application can also be integrated with existing EHR systems, and provides enterprise-level archiving, data retention, auditing, and monitoring capabilities. Learn more » For The Record's online gift shop features a wide variety of items for HIM professionals for any occasion. Whether you are searching for products to give friends or colleagues, hand out to clients, or wear yourself, finding the right gifts is easy and affordable at For The Record's online gift shop. Choose from t-shirts, journals, clocks, buttons, mouse pads, and much more! Check out our secure online shop today or call toll-free 877-809-1659 for easy and fast ordering. For The Record offers many flexible advertising programs designed to maximize your results. From print advertising to e-newsletter sponsorships, website advertising to custom e-mail marketing, For The Record helps maximize your investment. E-mail our experienced account executives today for more information or call 800-278-4400! Coming up in our March issue is our HIMSS Spotlight. Contact sales to secure a presence now. AlliedHealthCareers.com is the premier online resource to recruit HIM professionals. Post your open positions, view résumés and showcase your facility's offerings all at AlliedHealthCareers.com!   The nation's top employers and recruiters of HIM talent advertise in For The Record magazine and post their job openings on AlliedHealthCareers.com. Check out the most recent opportunities that have been submitted by employers across the country! Lead DRG Specialist/Coder, Outpatient Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, NJ Certified Coder Abstractor St Joseph's Regional Medical Center, NJ Pacific Northwest First to Get New EMR System for Military Members, Families The Pacific Northwest was chosen as the pilot installation site for the Department of Defense’s new medical record system, according to The News Tribune. Doctor Tries Truck-Stop Medicine to Keep Family Practice Alive A truck-stop medical clinic survives and thrives with help from its EMR, according to the Daily Herald. Have a coding or transcription question? Get an expert answer by sending an e-mail to edit@gvpub.com. A Secure, Anonymous Résumé Bank Job Alerts Sent to Your E-mail