News

Meaningful use remains the strongest driver to implement electronic health records for physicians, according to a new survey that finds both potential EHR buyers and current users valuing the technology, but with substantially different perceptions and expectations.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA - The news wasn't a surprise. By the time it was confirmed, it had been rumored for months. Still, it was a sad day.

FRANKLIN, TN - It's been a busy summer on the transcription and speech recognition front. In one week this past month, two separate and significant mergers were announced. On Monday, July 11, MedQuist announced its acquisition of Pittsburgh-based M*Modal for $130 million. By that Thursday, the news was out that Burlington, Mass.-base Nuance's newest strategic buy was Atlanta-based Webmedx, which was acquired for an undisclosed sum.

ATLANTA - Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia (BCBSGa) has launched an emergency room education campaign, incorporating Google Maps to make it easier for consumers to find and use retail health clinics and urgent care centers for non-emergency conditions.

CAMBRIDGE, MA - Busy physicians may not always have every answer at their fingertips, but if they have a smartphone, help isn't that far away. Sermo, a Cambridge, Mass.-based online physician network, is giving clinical decision support a mobile platform with the launch of Sermo Mobile, an application designed to give its members immediate access to the company's so-called "virtual water cooler" that connects more than 120,000 physicians in 68 specialties in all 50 states.