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Health Information Technology Lobby Group Rallies Support For Certification Group; Critics Question Group's Ties
The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society has asked HHS to give the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology authorization to determine which electronic health records systems can receive funding from the economic stimulus package, the Washington Post reports. In a letter dated April 27 to HHS officials, HIMSS officials wrote, "To ensure continuity, recognize CCHIT as the certifying body" of EHRs.Some health care industry officials have raised issue with giving CCHIT the responsibility of certifying EHR products because of the commission"s associations with various IT and health care companies, the Post reports. CCHIT has ties with HIMSS, which played a role in its inception in 2004 and is now managed by Mark Leavitt, the former chief medical officer of HIMSS. In 2005, the commission received a three-year, $7.5 million contract from HHS.According the Post, Internal Revenue Service tax documents show that HIMSS technically paid Leavitt"s salary through 2008, which was reimbursed by CCHIT. However, Leavitt said he is accountable only to CCHIT"s board members and he "was not supervised by HIMSS." He said he expects CCHIT will be "the body or one of several certifying bodies that are recognized" by HHS in part because it already is tasked with certifying health IT products. According to Leavitt, some of the commission"s critics are IT vendors who have failed to meet CCHIT"s standards. The Post reports that the provision in the stimulus package that requires health care providers to demonstrate "meaningful use" of health IT has become an issue because federal officials, IT systems vendors, and physicians and patient advocates have not been able to reach a consensus on the definition of meaningful use. Under the provision, providers must demonstrate meaningful use of health IT in order to receive Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments for adopting the technology (O"Harrow, Washington Post, 5/21). Blumenthal
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Diabetes Specialists Call For Drug Regulators To Step In To Clarify Lantus Concerns, UK
BRITAIN"S top diabetes specialists added their weight to calls for European drug regulatory bodies to launch an urgent investigation into the popular insulin treatment glargine (Lantus). The move by the Association of British Clinical Diabetologists (ABCD) follows this week"s publication of four studies, which raise possible concern about an increased risk of the development of cancer in people who use this long-acting insulin therapy.
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Meeting To Examine Human Behavior And The Threat Of Disease
As swine flu spread from Mexico to Texas and then fanned out farther in the United States, Americans began to alter their behavior. Families kept children home from school, postponed trips to the mall, and stayed home instead of eating out. In so doing, the American population may have inadvertently altered the behavior of the pathogen itself.
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Keep Summer Swimming And Stamina Events Safe

Whether having fun, staying in shape or pushing your physical capacity to the extreme, the summer is a great time to enjoy your physical health and move more. Swimming and training for or participating in a marathon or triathalon can be rewarding activities -- and can stay fun with the proper preparation and form. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) offers summer athletes the following safety tips. Swimming Swimming is a great form of exercise and an even better way to cool off on those hot, summer days. It builds endurance and muscle strength, too. -- The most common swimming injury is shoulder pain due to repetitive motion. The best way to prevent this is with a general exercise program to strengthen the muscles around the shoulder and upper back. -- If diving off a cliff or other high point, make sure the bottom of the body of water is double the distance from which you"re diving. For example, if you plan to dive from eight feet above the water, make sure the bottom of the body of water, or any rocks, boulders or other impediments are at least 16 feet under water. -- Only one person at a time should stand on a diving board. Dive only off the end of the board and do not run on the board. Do not try to dive far out or bounce more than once. Swim away from the board immediately afterward to make room for the next diver. -- Refrain from body surfing near the shore since this activity results in many cervical spine injuries, some with quadriplegia, as well as shoulder dislocations and humeral fractures. Extreme Sport Training A recent study surveyed participants in a major city"s marathon asking them if they sustained injuries during their training process. Fifty-eight percent reported they had been injured during this process, most of them reporting injuries to the knee, hip, ankle, shins or foot. -- Plan a progressive training program to prevent injuries. A five-minute warm-up (which should raise your temperature by one degree) followed by stretching exercises, is essential before starting a distance session. Following the workout, stretching again is important. -- Run, bike or swim in the shade, if possible, to avoid direct sun and make a conscious commitment to staying hydrated. -- Do not run or bike at night, and at dusk or dawn wear reflective material. Don"t wear a headset while training as you"ll be less likely to notice safety threats. -- Avoid running on hills, which increases stress on the ankle and foot. When running on curved surfaces, change directions in forward movement, so that you have even pressure on both feet during the run. -- Always wear a helmet when biking and consider wearing knee, wrist and elbow pads to protect bones and joints when falling. -- Cross training can provide a "total body tune-up," something you won"t get if you concentrate on just one type of activity. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons


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