In his blog, Harvard Medical School Chief Information Officer and Dean for Technology John Halamka offers predictions about what the first year of Barack Obama's presidency will hold for health information technology. One of Halamka's hopes is that the Obama team will offer incentives to implement EHRs early in the administration.
The Institute of Clinical Research (ICRI) of India has partnered with Singapore Health in an effort to improve hospital management processes. The partnership will also serve to expose clinicians to more quality educational resources, and ultimately meet the growing needs of medical tourism in the region.
Many health insurers remain reluctant to cover costs for medical procedures performed overseas, citing concerns over issues such as credentialing claims. However, experts say medical tourism is an ever-growing trend. This is prompting more health insurance companies to look into this option for members.
The Philippines could benefit greatly from medical tourism, thanks to its large pool of talented medical professionals as well as its renowned world-class hospitals and healthcare facilitities. An industry that generates an estimtated $40 billion worldwide, medical tourism is growing in popularity among Americans in particular amid an economic crisis.
Across the country, hospital executives and fund-raisers are bracing for difficulty in their efforts to raise money. The new environment is a marked change from recent years, when many hospitals had substantial success in fund-raising. And some hospital systems are already saying they are lowering their expecations.
Four leading advocacy groups representing business, labor, and retirees are starting a campaign to press Barack Obama to enact comprehensive healthcare reform. In a letter to Obama, the Business Roundtable, the National Federation of Independent Businesses, AARP, and the Service Employees International Union urge that a healthcare overhaul be a priority in the administration's first 100 days. The groups plan to spend nearly $1 million to publicize their cause in newspaper and television advertising in coming weeks.