Live from HIMSS12: ICD-10, Meaningful Use & Social Media

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 02/22/2012 - 19:40

 By Neil Versel

There has been a lot of buzz around two pieces of news –in one case, lack of news—in the past week. Last Thursday, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius responded to heavy pressure from the American Medical Association and announced a delay to the ICD-10 implementation deadline, currently set for October 2013.

Meanwhile, the health IT universe continues to wait with baited breath for Sebelius and/or leadership at CMS or ONC to publish the proposed regulations for Stage 2 of the "meaningful use" EHR incentive program. The proposal was supposed to have been out before 35,000 or so health IT industry types descended on Las Vegas for HIMSS12, but it was not to be. As with any major federal rule-making, the White House's Office of Management and Budget has to vet every word, so it is out of Sebelius' hands for the moment.

Xerox Launches Business Cloud Services to Manage Mobile Devices

Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 02/22/2012 - 19:38

NORWALK, Conn.– Companies struggling to manage the pervasive growth of mobile devices can simplify how they implement and incorporate every type of device used throughout their organization with Xerox’s (NYSE: XRX) mobile device management service. The service is the latest in Xerox’s suite of business cloud services.

Cloud-based mobile device management (MDM) eliminates complicated technical implementation and oversight, as well as hardware and software costs. The benefits of Xerox MDM, says Ken Stephens, Xerox senior vice president of cloud services, is how it can adapt to any organization to manage virtually every type of mobile device, with pricing that’s ideal for enterprises and small businesses.

Xerox Helps Healthcare Providers, Payers and States Prioritize Patient Safety

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 02/20/2012 - 22:15

LAS VEGAS – Healthcare organizations and state agencies are increasingly turning to Xerox (NYSE: XRX) to help tackle their growing list of IT and federal reform requirements. From preparing for the new ICD-10 medical coding system – to securely hosting healthcare data in the cloud, Xerox’s work with customers places new emphasis on patient safety and healthy outcomes.

“Navigating new and ongoing regulatory issues is a critical, demanding task. Xerox can help by offering IT expertise, insights and solutions that allow healthcare providers to remain compliant while ensuring their patients’ well-being,” said Heather A. Haugen, PhD, head of research for The Breakaway Group, A Xerox Company. “Organizations that successfully prepare for the changes with technology and education will be better able to monitor patient safety and boost the quality of health services, resulting in timely reimbursements that can be reinvested into improving care.”

Using the experience of The Breakaway Group, Xerox is working closely with providers to adopt ICD-10 coding standards before the government’s deadline. Xerox helps caregivers learn and adopt the new “language” of this coding system, including how to document patient care so that it can be integrated into an Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system and used to improve safety and quality.

Choosing a Copier for the Office

Submitted by Web Master on Mon, 02/20/2012 - 11:58

When deciding on the right type of machine for your office, there are a few questions to first ask about the use of your copier.  Answering these questions will ensure the purchase of the correct equipment for the application.

What needs does the company have?

Does the company need to print mostly monochrome documents or will color printing be a regular and important job?  One must decide whether the equipment will have the ability to print color documents, and if so, how high quality the color must be.

USB Memory Sticks Give You the Edge

Submitted by Web Master on Fri, 02/17/2012 - 12:26

With the expansion in use of USB memory sticks, a new world of information transport has come of age. Now, large quantities of information can be easily and quickly transferred to another terminal or system. USB sticks are also extremely useful in scanning, storing, and printing documents in an office environment.

Are You Getting the Most Out of Your MFP’s?

Submitted by Web Master on Fri, 02/17/2012 - 12:25

While many businesses have implemented multifunction printers into their current printer fleet, there are few businesses that have taken the necessary steps to ensure that your devices are optimized to work within your specific print environment. There are many additional benefits that multifunction printers offer to businesses outside of the increased functionality of printing, copying, scanning and faxing.

These additional benefits include:

Do You Have All the Facts?

Submitted by Web Master on Fri, 02/17/2012 - 12:24

Understanding all the details about your print environment can be difficult. Even small businesses have trouble keeping up with the way that they monitor and track printing. Having many printing devices throughout your office compounds this issue, making basic tracking more difficult than ever.

Security Alert: Confidential Data at Risk Even with Policies in Place; Xerox and McAfee Team Up to Deliver a New Level of Protection

Submitted by Anonymous on Tue, 02/14/2012 - 19:30

ROCHESTER, N.Y. and SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Think confidential information is protected by company IT security policies?  Think again.  A new survey commissioned by Xerox (NYSE: XRX) andMcAfee, reveals that more than half (54 percent) of employees say they don’t always follow their company’s IT security policies (33 percent) or aren’t even aware of the policies (21 percent) – leaving the security of customer credit card numbers, financial reports, and HR and tax documents at risk.

According to the survey, 39 percent of employees who copy, scan or print confidential information at work worry at least sometimes whether the information on a networked device will remain secure.

To address this concern, Xerox and McAfee are teaming up to design a security system to help companies protect against threats to this confidential data.  By integrating embedded McAfee software into Xerox technology, the two companies plan to use a whitelisting method that allows only approved files to run, offering significantly more protection than traditional black listing tactics, where a user has to be aware of and proactively block viruses, spyware and other malicious software.  Additionally, the solution provides an audit trail to track and investigate the time and origin of security events, and take action on them.

Office Equipment: To Lease or To Buy

Submitted by Anonymous on Mon, 02/13/2012 - 17:22

Once a business has determined its printing and copying needs, the owner then needs to go about obtaining the iStock_000001325953Smallproper machinery for their document needs. For some offices, purchasing the equipment outright might be the best choice while for others, considering lease options may better suit the business. Here are the main advantages to both purchasing and leasing:

Leasing

The main advantage of leasing is a smaller upfront investment. A company may have to pay a deposit but won’t be paying the full cost of the machine right away. Another advantage is that a business may be able to afford a nicer machine with more features than if the equipment was purchased outright. This allows a business to spread the cost of a more expensive machine out to create a more manageable payment structure. Additionally, many times when leasing, the printer lease will include technical support to for any required repairs or quick fixes.

Multifunction vs. Standalone Office Equipment

Submitted by Web Master on Mon, 02/13/2012 - 11:56

We all know that there are many different types of printers, copiers and other office equipment out there.  Some serve only single function while multifunction devices can do it all.  There are a few things to consider when deciding between these types of devices and whether it would help your company decide between standalone Las Vegas copiers or multifunction devices.

How much money to invest up front in equipment?

How much physical space is there for machines?

What functions are necessary to the operation of the business?