Diagnostic Reading #24: Five “Must Read” Articles on HIT and Radiology
Reading Time: 2 minutes read
Radiation dose and breast density legislation are in the news.
This week’s articles include: increasing research shows that subspecialty second opinions can be critical to patient care; some researchers are questioning the theory that radiation from diagnostic imaging can increase cancer risk; the legal consequences of EHR vendors selling data; and survey finds many radiologists uncertain about breast density legislation.
Subspecialty second opinions often critical to patient care – RSNA News
A growing body of research indicates that subspecialty second opinions can be critical to patient care. Because of this, experts say that academic radiology departments might want to consider offering formal second opinions as part of their services. Some radiology departments—including The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science at Johns Hopkins University Medical Institution in Baltimore—have already done this.
JNM article questions radiation dangers for kids – Auntminnie
A group of researchers are questioning the widely held theory that even low doses of radiation from diagnostic imaging can increase a person’s risk of cancer, according to an opinion piece published in the June issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine. The group asserted that the linear no-threshold (LNT) theory is based on an inaccurate, decades-old hypothesis and leads to unnecessary fear and misdiagnoses.
Legal ramifications of EHRs selling data – EMR & HIPAA/HealthcareScene.com
Selling EHR data has become big business in the healthcare industry, and many EHR vendors are selling this data without the knowledge of doctors or patients. Companies acquire aggregated/de-identified data—which can’t be tied to individuals—and use that information to drive decision-making and help with analytics. There are many distinctions as to when and how an EHR vendor can sell patient data, and HIPAA is just one of them.
Hospital survival guide for a world overflowing with unsecured medical devices – Healthcare IT News
While hospital executives and information security teams can’t control everything that could happen with their medical devices, a few simple steps can go a long way toward securing them. These steps include creating an inventory of hardware and software, installing anti-virus programs and local firewalls, whitelisting and prohibiting default or non-expiring passwords.
Many radiologists still unsure about breast density legislation – Diagnostic Imaging
Considerable confusion and controversy regarding breast density persists, even among practicing radiologists, according to a study published in the journal Academic Radiology.
Check back next Friday for a new issue of Diagnostic Reading. #healthIT #radiology #diagnosticreading
