Off to the Big Apple

#DHC13

UPDATE: Nice flight on JetBlue, SFO to JFK nonstop. had an entire exit row to myself. :)

Interesting, I was born in NY (Rockeville Centre, western Long Island), grew up in Jersey, have flown all over the place, and yet this was my first time through JFK.

First time I've been back in NYC in about 25 years. An immediate great feeling.

Above, 6th Avenue near the Hilton, looking south. Cold today. Below, a quick meander to Times Square.

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Have made a new blogging acquaintence:

Charlene Ngamwajasat, MD

We'll be meeting at the conference. She has some great ideas. She's been involved with Mana Health. I blogged about them back in August.
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NEWS UPDATE

Six Predictions for How IT Will Impact Healthcare in 2014
On the eve of the NYeC Digital Health Conference, 2014 is shaping up to be a tumultuous yet promising year for digital health technology.
By Practice Fusion
Published: Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2013 - 10:47 am

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 12, 2013 -- /PRNewswire/ -- As health IT leaders make their way to New York for the New York eHealth Collaborative (NYeC) Digital Health Conference, certain trends are emerging that will define healthcare in 2014. Practice Fusion, the nation's largest healthcare platform, looks at these key trends from 2013 and predicts what they might mean looking forward. With the ongoing Meaningful Use incentive push for health technology and the recent difficulty of many vendors to deliver on new and upcoming requirements, it's looking to be a big year for upheaval in the health IT sector.

Key predictions for the new year include:

• Health IT incentives are here to stay - The Meaningful Use program incentivizing doctors and hospitals to use electronic health records (EHR) technology to improve care has already paid out billions for successful implementations. Requirements will grow tougher in 2014, not just for providers but also for vendors who may not be able to upgrade their products in time.
• Many practices will switch their EHR solutions - As many EHR vendors struggle to meet Meaningful Use requirements and keep medical professionals satisfied with their solutions, the next year will see competition and consolidation across the market. One in three practices are already dissatisfied with their existing EHR, half of whom plan to switch in the next year. Among current Practice Fusion providers, one in four say they have switched from other EHRs.
• Health care will become more networked - Meaningful Use requirements demand that EHRs interface with labs, imaging centers, referrals and patients. For small practices maintaining their independence from hospitals, this will help give them the resources they need to thrive.
• Billing will be easier in the cloud with ICD-10 - With new billing code changes from ICD-9 to ICD-10 causing anxiety for providers, those equipped with flexible cloud-based systems will have more resources to make the change than those on paper or legacy EHR systems.
• EMRs will power accountable care - A majority of doctors are now using EHR systems in their practices. The next few years will see those EHRs grow into more powerful clinical tools that will assist providers in improving outcomes. Cloud-based EHR vendors will be able to make these changes more rapidly.
• Independent practices will emerge as the vanguard of innovation - With smaller teams and the ability to provide services like online housecalls, independent providers will soon be able to take advantage...

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UPDATE FROM MY BLOGGER FRIEND JOHN LYNN

Got Healthcare IT Jobs? We Do…Now
When I first started blogging 8 years ago, I never thought I’d become a full time blogger. 8 years and 6000 blog posts later, it’s safe to say that blogging is a big part of my life. In fact, I’ll probably be a blogger until the day I die. If you asked me a month ago what I could do for organizations looking for healthcare IT talent or individuals seeking healthcare IT jobs, I wouldn’t have much to offer beyond advertising. Today, that all changes.

I’m really excited to announce Healthcare IT Central and Healthcare IT Today are now part of the Healthcare Scene family of health IT websites. You fan find the full announcement press release on EMR and EHR News.

I can’t tell you enough how exciting it is for me to start working with Gwen Darling, the founder and creator of Healthcare IT Central and Healthcare IT Today (Check out her thoughts on the acquisition here). Anyone that’s worked with Gwen or Healthcare IT Central knows how much she cares about those who’ve used Healthcare IT Central to find jobs or fill positions. Much like me, she takes a personal interest in so many members of her community. It’s thrilling to think about how Gwen and I together can help even more people find their dream jobs at the top healthcare companies...

John is also here to attend #DHC13. We'll have to hook up.
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