“Innovation” is the new buzzword; it’s being used to describe products and services in almost every radio and television commercial.  The best definition of the word innovation that I’ve found is “…the transformation of an idea into something useful”.   (1)   “The health care delivery system in the US is facing cost and quality pressures that will require fundamental changes to remain viable”.  (2) “Patients, payers, and politicians are demanding it [innovation], and history shows that organizations that fail to deliver it will suffer.  (3). 

My question is:  With an opportunity to change health care systems and delivery mechanisms, what evidence is there that anticipated health care reform strategies are innovative?

As the healthcare industry continues its progress toward adoption of electronic health records, another type of electronic record garnered big headlines over the last couple of years:  the personal health record (PHR). Where does the PHR fit in our evolving universe of networked, interoperable electronic health information?

The word on the street is that the estimated 10-year cost of expanding health insurance coverage is about $1 trillion.  President Obama, in repeated discussions, has indicated that the cost would be covered by re-covering monies that have been identified as sources of fraud, abuse and waste - in short, by turning up the heat on corporate compliance violations.  In theory, this should work.  In reality, not so much.

Editor's note Oct. 30, 2009: The FTC today announced "At the request of Members of Congress, the Federal Trade Commission is delaying enforcement of the “Red Flags” Rule until June 1, 2010, for financial institutions and creditors subject to enforcement by the FTC." Source: FTC

Identity Theft "Red Flags":  How Healthcare Providers Can Protect Themselves and Patients from Identity Theft.

On November 9, 2007, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), along with the banking regulatory agencies, published final rules entitled "Identity Theft Red Flags and Address Discrepancies Under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003"[1].  Perhaps because health care providers don't ordinarily track actions of the Comptroller of the Currency, the Federal Reserve System and the other bank regulators, it came as a surprise to the health care industry to learn that the FTC thought that hospitals, physicians and other providers could be "creditors" subject to the Red Flags Rule.  When the industry did learn of this interpretation, there was great concern.