Fred Trotter

As of July 10, the NPPES data file now contains substantially more data. NPPES is a core data file for us at CareSet. NPPES stands for National Plan and Provider Enumeration System and is the dataset that helps us uniquely identify healthcare providers, using “National Provider Identifiers” or NPI numbers. This dataset was created by the…

Did it matter how many numbers were on this safe’s combination lock? Nope! Only the tools pictured were used to open this safe, according to the forums where I found this image. This situation is analogous to healthcare cybersecurity and sophisticated cyberattacks. All the energy we put into protecting patient privacy is similar to the…

CareSet Systems is the first Medicare Data Vendor. Soon, we will release our first analysis from Medicaid and also be the first Medicare/Medicaid data vendor. We think this will make CareSet into the “innovator’s dilemma” for the healthcare data industry. Traditional data vendors like IMS, Truven, Optum and First Databank will likely continue to do…

My Programmable Self Behavior Change Reading list has been one of my most popular posts. I still think any Health IT expert should be well-versed in behavior change science, since so many healthcare issues boil down to behavior change problems… either for patients or providers or both. But the other day, I was having drinks…

There are two definitions of the word “Hacker”. One is an original and authentic term that the geekdom uses with respect. This is a cherished label in the technical community, which might read something like: “A person adept at solving technical problems in clever and delightful ways” While the one portrayed by popular culture is what real hackers…

At Strata RX in October I announced the availability of DocGraph. This is the first project ofNotOnly Development, which is a Not Only For Profit Health IT micro-incubator. The DocGraph dataset shows how doctors, hospitals, laboratories and other health care providers team together to treat Medicare patients. This data details how the health care system…

I am happy to announce the release of the doctor “referral” social graph. This dataset, which I obtained using a Freedom of Information Act request against the Medicare claims database, details how most doctors, hospitals and other providers team together to deliver care in the United States. This graph is nothing less than a map…

Who owns a patient’s health information? ·The patient to whom it refers? ·The health provider that created it? ·The IT specialist who has the greatest control over it? The notion of ownership is inadequate for health information. For instance, no one has an absolute right to destroy health information. But we all understand what it…