Step 1 of 6: Get a VRDC Seat As the first Medicare data vendor, the ultimate source of CareSet’s Medicare claims data is the CMS Virtual Research Data Center (VRDC) program. VRDC, and its more complex cousin, the Qualified Entity (QE) program, are the official ways that the private industry... read more →
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... read more →
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... read more →
This analysis identifies general trends and top performers within each segment of Medicare Part A (hospital care) to provide a better understanding of how Medicare has changed in recent years. A steady rise in health care costs appears to be favoring large organizations and driving a shift from billing procedures... read more →
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... read more →
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... read more →
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... read more →
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... read more →
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... read more →
It's time to recognize and appreciate highly engineered health information systems. Have you had an auto mechanic look at your wrecked car and sigh, “they just don’t make them like they used to”? Darn right they don’t make them like they used to. Old cars were much better about surviving... read more →