Article from Dunn, Margaritis, and Anderson (2017) 

Health literacy is the ability to understand and act on health information and is linked to health outcomes. It is unclear how health literacy skills are developed in patients with complex conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to gain perspectives of both patients and healthcare professionals on how health literacy skills were developed in patients with cardiovascular disease or diabetes. The research questions addressed how knowledge and skills were acquired, the role of digital tools, instructional strategies used by healthcare professionals, and how the instructional strategies of the healthcare professionals matched the learning preferences and needs of the patients. A social ecological framework was used, which underscored the importance of understanding health literacy from multiple sources. Semistructured interviews were conducted on 19 healthcare professionals and 16 patients. Emergent key themes included: (a) social support plays an important role as a learning opportunity; (b) many patients get their information from internet searches; (c) instructional strategies should be personalized, interactive, social, and relevant; and (d) patients are self-directed learners. Linking of these themes led to the development of the health literacy instructional model, which is a 3-step approach, including an emotional support, behavioral approach, and instructional strategy. Social support was the common element in all 3 phases and was perceived to be key to developing health literacy skills, resulting in the key implication for social change. Recommendations are to consider social support in the development of health literacy instructional strategies.

This is the second in a series of issue briefs highlighting data from the 2016 AHA Annual Survey Information Technology (IT) Supplement for community hospitals collected November 2016 – April 2017. This brief focuses on provider sharing and use of clinical data and barriers to effective use of shared information. Published March 2018.

eHealth Initiative’s Electronic Medication Adherence Collaborative (eMAC) continues to convene multiple stakeholders to identify effective innovation and best practices that improve patient outcomes and save money, through medication adherence. During and in-person meeting on December 12, 2017, eMAC focused on the potential to create an adherence “vital sign,” which providers might use to track patient compliance with treatment plans. This summary contains metrics providers and researchers are currently using to assess patient adherence and other highlights from the meeting. All presentations are located online in the eHealth Resource Center.

Medicaid has entered a period of volatile change, unprecedented in its 51-year history. With 74 million members nationwide,1 Medicaid provides health coverage to more than one in four Americans, ensuring access to healthcare not only for children, pregnant women, the elderly and people with disabilities, but also for an increasing number of low-income working adults. 2017 saw repeated attempts to fundamentally restructure the Medicaid program, and although Congress is likely to turn its attention to other priorities in 2018, federal legislative efforts to revamp Medicaid remain in play. Short of congressional action, vigorous efforts by federal offi cials to use administrative authority to reshape the program is a certainty. And perhaps more than ever before, states will test the limits of their purchasing power and federal fl exibility to make changes to their programs—driven by the desire to improve value, reduce the rate of expenditure growth, and shape the program to meet their policy and political objectives. At the boundaries of these federal and state efforts, expect the courts to weigh in.

On January 25, 2018, eHealth Initiative (eHI) held its annual Government Affairs Retreat at the Dirksen Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill. The gathering convened eHI members and policy experts to discuss the 2018 federal legislative and regulatory landscape. During this day long meeting, participants shared important, up-to-the-minute intelligence on healthcare priorities for Congress and the Administration; identified impactful federal policy and regulatory shifts; and developed policy priorities and action items for eHealth Initiative, and its members, for the upcoming year.

On November 2, 2017, eHealth Initiative and PwC held an invitation-only, roundtable meeting for privacy and
security executives from the healthcare industry and government agencies. The purpose of the meeting was to
discuss public-private partnerships, share information, and foster collaborations among attendees. Executives
addressed the current privacy and security landscape, ways to improve data sharing, cyber threat mitigation,
and industry best practices. This document summarizes the meeting and who participated.

Over the years, the healthcare industry has moved from paper-based records to electronic records. While there have been significant investments in electronic health record (EHR) systems, the lack of interoperability between EHRs limits accuracy and efficiency when exchanging patient data across the continuum of care. In the current transition from fee-for-service models of reimbursement to value-based care, access to comprehensive patient information is increasingly important. In its quest for optimal patient outcomes, the healthcare industry is trying to improve the quality and availability of data and are using analytics as a catalyst to improve performance.
eHealth Initiative (eHI) interviewed nine executives from provider organizations and Health Information Exchanges (HIEs) to gain insight on the current state of interoperability, population health, and their future potential. In November and December 2017, executives answered questions on the types of data they collected, how it is shared and analyzed, and the successes and challenges in using data analytics for population health management.

eHealth Initiative’s 2017 Provider Survey on Access to Patient Information examines perspectives on:
• Increased access to patient information
• Interoperability
• Changing regulations, including compliance with Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Meaningful Use (MU)
• Latest findings on provider-related interoperability solutions, which drive outcomes and organizational priorities

After careful analysis of the survey results, the following key findings emerged:

• Key Finding 1: Patient engagement appears to be increasing, with more patients accessing their health information and managing how it is shared
• Key Finding 2: Providers are struggling to meet patient access regulations, which do not necessarily align with business needs
• Key Finding 3: Changing federal requirements, and the costs associated with them, are causing great concern among providers
• Key Finding 4: Current interoperability solutions do not meet the needs of providers
• Key Finding 5: Patient security, privacy and confidentiality remain top concerns amongst providers
• Key Finding 6: Professional societies and industry groups play a key role in educating providers on new regulations
• Key Finding 7: EHR vendors are viewed as “helpful” in addressing current patient access regulatory requirements
• Key Finding 8: Providers are engaged in a variety of alliances and participate in different interoperability frameworks
• Key Finding 9: Providers prioritize connectivity in a variety of ways

Study from JASON, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation that considers how AI will shape the future of public health, community health, and health care delivery. They focus on technical capabilities, limitations, and applications that can be realized within the next ten years.

Hyman et al. (2011) test the hypotheses that providing physicians with uncertainty reduction tools, including 24-h ambulatory BP monitoring, electronic bottle cap monitoring, and lifestyle assessment and counseling, will lead to improved BP control.