The Advantages and Disadvantages of Health Apps

Fitbits and FuelBands and Jawbones—oh my! Although the wearable fitness tracker sensation is a relatively new development—devices similar to today's trackers only hit the consumer market in the 2000s—they've become regular sights, nearly as common as smartphones themselves. However, is this wearable technology really as beneficial as it seems? 

How Information Governance Ensures

Information Security

While the industry increasingly adopts digital information technology, challenges persist with the proper capture, storage, and protection of information.

Bug could let hackers control 83M IoT devices

Hackers can target a critical vulnerability in devices on the ThroughTek Kalay network, which connects at least 83 million internet of things endpoints with recording capabilities, such as surveillance cameras and smart baby monitors, according to a joint report from Mandiant, ThroughTek and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Using the bug, attackers "could redirect client connections to themselves and obtain authentication materials to the device. From there, an attacker could watch device video, listen to device audio, and potentially compromise the device further," Mandiant Consulting's Erik Barzdukas said. Full Story: ZDNet

Attorney explains exceptions to health

data blocking rules

Health care organizations that block access to data for privacy or security reasons are not necessarily protected by exceptions to HHS data access rules, says attorney Adam Greene. The rules are request-driven, meaning health care providers need not post all data proactively in patient portals, but they must treat all valid requests for information the same, regardless of source, Greene says. Full Story: GovInfoSecurity

CMS Challenge winner builds out

"explainable" health AI

ClosedLoop is developing an explainable artificial intelligence tool that delivers patient-specific risk forecasts into clinical workflows and links to interventions that could prevent adverse events, improve outcomes and reduce spending. The company beat more than 300 competitors, including IBM, Geisinger and Deloitte, to win the $1.6 million CMS AI Health Outcomes Challenge. Full Story: FierceHealthcare.

Organizations form platform for

health care improvement

The Network for Regional Healthcare Improvement, which represents regional health improvement collaboratives and state-affiliated associates, has partnered with the Strategic Health Information Exchange Collaborative to support local HIEs and nonprofit health collaboratives. The new organization, called Civitas Networks for Health, will debut in October and offer members and affiliated organizations technical support and opportunities for collaboration to improve health care costs, equity and quality. Full Story: EHR Intelligence