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Audio and transcript of meeting on identity theft

In case, as I did, you missed the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology‘s Oct. 15 town hall on medical identity theft, you can download an MP3 audio recording and a transcript (Microsoft Word document) of the proceedings.

Warning: the MP3 file is a whopping 286 MB. It took me about 7 minutes to download on a typical residential cable Internet connection. It will take you 5 hours and 12 minutes to listen to the whole thing if you’re so inclined.

More details of the ONC-sponsored assessment on medical identity theft are at http://www.hhs.gov/healthit/privacy/identytheft.html

ONC promises a full report sometime this winter on issues related to health IT and identity theft, as well as a recommended roadmap for addressing these issues.

January 5, 2009 I Written By

I'm a freelance healthcare journalist, specializing in health IT, mobile health, healthcare quality fast $5000 loans-cash.net with bad credit, hospital/physician practice management and healthcare finance.

HIMSS buys Government Health IT

Already a major investor in Healthcare IT News publisher MedTech Publishing Co., HIMSS announced today that it has purchased another key industry magazine, Government Health IT. HIMSS also acquired the Government Health IT Conference and other related educational products from the previous publisher, 1105 Media, of Falls Church, Va.

Financial terms were not disclosed. As of this writing, the Government Health IT site was down.

According to a HIMSS FAQ page, the wants to “expand its reach and further its educational initiatives with the federal health sector.” HIMSS VP for communications Fran Perveiler will manage the print and online magazine in coordination with HIMSS government relations staff in Arlington, Va.

HIMSS says Government Health IT will have editorial independence, and any HIMSS-related content will be identified as coming from the organization. Paul McCloskey will continue as editor of Government Health IT, and he is the only staffer moving to the HIMSS payroll. Reporter Nancy Ferris retired at the end of 2008. HIMSS says additional hires are possible.

This development might open the door for yours truly to freelance for Government Health IT. I’ve talked to Ferris in the past about exactly that, but never really followed through because I had plenty of work already. But with the recent demise of Digital HealthCare & Productivity, I’m definitely looking for new assignments. In this case, a lot will depend on whether the new Government Health IT truly is an independent publication and does not turn into a HIMSS house organ.

Come to think of it, the entire credibility of the publication will depend on that.

I Written By

I'm a freelance healthcare journalist, specializing in health IT, mobile health, healthcare quality fast $5000 loans-cash.net with bad credit, hospital/physician practice management and healthcare finance.