Usability Begins With The User

By the EHR Association’s Clinician Experience Workgroup

Today is World Usability Day. On November 14, events around the globe celebrate how developers can make our world easier for all with technology that works to harness human potential. This year’s World Usability Day theme, “Design for the Future We Want,” is inspired by the United Nation’s (UN’s) 17 Sustainable Development Goals—number three on the list is health and wellness.

EHRA has scheduled its next Usability Summit for January 29, 2020 in Washington DC

Incorporating user-centered design into health IT contributes to better patient care by considering individual users’ preferred style, vocabulary, information visualization, and workflow in software development decisions. The goal is for EHRs to not only be usable, but helpful, such as by integrating clinical decision support, PDMPs, e-Prescribing, and other technology into clinicians’ workflows. Read the full post »

Ransomware Trends, the $64,000 Question, and Preparedness

By the EHRA Privacy & Security Workgroup

One of the latest ransomware variants making the rounds is Ryuk. It’s deployed using malware believed to be managed by Russian criminal groups with code names “Wizard Spider” and “Grim Spider” (learn more here).

Ransomware Trends

The Crowdstrike 2019 Global Threat Report highlights disturbing new trends that make cyberattacks increasingly difficult to detect and block without more advanced tools. These include:

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1 Comment

by EHR Association on October 29, 2019 • Permalink

Posted in Privacy and Security

Posted by EHR Association on October 29, 2019

https://ehrablog.org/2019/10/29/ransomware-trends-the-64000-question-and-preparedness/

Preventing Malware Infections Starts With Good Cyber Hygiene

By the EHRA Privacy & Security Workgroup

Danger enter key Just as healthcare clinical staff recognize the value of good physical hygiene to prevent infection, good cyber hygiene can prevent malware infections.

The number one preventative step? Staff vigilance. Everyone must be careful with clicks — whether it be an email, website link, or file attachment. Even as we’re inundated with information in today’s fast-paced digital world, taking the time to think before you click is just as important in preventing digital infections as washing hands between patients is in preventing bacterial infection.

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3 Comments

by EHR Association on October 22, 2019 • Permalink

Posted in Privacy and Security

Posted by EHR Association on October 22, 2019

https://ehrablog.org/2019/10/22/preventing-malware-infections-starts-with-good-cyber-hygiene/

Strategic Healthcare Leaders Recognize Cybersecurity As A Patient Safety Risk

By the EHRA Privacy & Security Workgroup

Cybersecurity leadership quote(1) For many C level executives in a healthcare organization, cybersecurity equates to risk of a cyberattack that results in a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) breach and fine.

The bigger risk posed by a cyberattack, however, is to patient safety. If you get anything from this blog post, it should be this: Cybersecurity incidents affect more than HIPAA compliance, and should be treated as a patient safety risk.

By categorizing cyberattacks as a patient safety risk, it escalates the importance of cybersecurity as more than mitigating a potential HIPAA fine.

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3 Comments

by EHR Association on October 15, 2019 • Permalink

Posted in Patient Safety and Health IT, Privacy and Security

Posted by EHR Association on October 15, 2019

https://ehrablog.org/2019/10/15/strategic-healthcare-leaders-recognize-cybersecurity-as-a-patient-safety-risk/

Ransomware: Lessons from the Front Lines

By EHRA Privacy & Security Workgroup

The ER was bustling with a full cast of colorful characters, as it always is on Halloween, when creepy messages started appearing on every single device:

Ransomware message3

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4 Comments

by EHR Association on October 8, 2019 • Permalink

Posted in Case Studies and Personal Stories, Privacy and Security

Posted by EHR Association on October 8, 2019

https://ehrablog.org/2019/10/08/ransomware-lessons-from-the-front-lines/

Enabling Improved Price Transparency In Healthcare

price transparEncy On June 3, the public comment period on ONC’s NPRM implementing health IT provisions of the 21st Century Cures Act closed. These comment windows offer a unique opportunity to gain a broader perspective on the state of the health IT industry.

Upon our review of the feedback submitted to ONC, an overwhelming trend emerged—nearly 55% of the 2,013 comments were from individual patients commenting in favor of increased price transparency in the healthcare industry. Patients shared stories of the challenges they faced in determining the cost of treatment before receiving care, and dozens expressed the shock and financial hardship they experienced when they received a bill for their care.

In the months since the public comment window closed, we’ve seen this demand for healthcare price transparency gain attention across the industry. President Trump issued an executive order, and the Senate is considering the “Lower Health Care Costs Act,” legislation that aims to improve patient access to price information in the healthcare industry.

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EHRA Blog

Usability Begins With The User

Ransomware Trends, the $64,000 Question, and Preparedness

Ransomware Trends

Preventing Malware Infections Starts With Good Cyber Hygiene

Strategic Healthcare Leaders Recognize Cybersecurity As A Patient Safety Risk

Ransomware: Lessons from the Front Lines

Enabling Improved Price Transparency In Healthcare

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