This month, LeadingAge CAST announces that the 2020 Collaborative Care Health IT Summit will go virtual, for the first time, on Sept. 15-17, 2020. Please join us!
We also announce an updated Health Information Exchange Technology Selection Tool, a new CAST case study, and guidance on thermal imaging for COVID-19 screenings. We share draft criteria for ONC’s EHR Reporting Program, telehealth advances, and member news. Let’s get started!
2020 Collaborative Care Health IT Summit to Go Virtual
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, LeadingAge CAST and the LTPAC Health IT Collaborative are transforming the 2020 Collaborative Care Health IT Summit into a virtual event. It will be held completely online Sept. 15-17, 2020.
We understand that the possibility or reality of COVID-19 means all hands on deck at our member communities and travel bans for our business partners, with a singular focus on the health and welfare of residents, clients, staff, and families.
Please join us for the virtual Summit! The Summit is the premiere conference for information technology leaders in the long-term and post-acute care sector. This year’s theme is “Technology Integrating Pre-Acute and LTPAC Services into the Healthcare and Payment Ecosystems.” Register today to join us online!
CAST Updates HIE Selection Tool
LeadingAge CAST has updated its Health Information Exchange (HIE) Technology Selection Tool, adding six new HIEs and updating its Selection Matrix Elements, including those relevant to COVID-19. See a summary of the changes. The tool is one of eight CAST Technology Selection Tools intended to help aging-services organizations choose the technology solutions that best meet their needs.
New CAST Case Study: Microsoft Teams Improves Communication
LeadingAge CAST has released a new case study showing how LeadingAge CAST Supporter ProviNET Solutions and Microsoft Teams supported communications that assisted a senior living provider with its COVID-19 response, while increasing efficiency and engagement. See a summary and read the full case study.
Thermal Imaging to Screen for COVID-19
Several CAST members have inquired about temperature check and thermal monitoring systems to help screen residents, staff, and visitors for fevers that could indicate COVID-19. Here, I share my thoughts on infrared cameras, thermal imaging cameras, and non-contact temperature checks that you could use.
Webinar: Addressing Social Isolation Through Technology Solutions
CAST Senior Director Scott Code and I will be presenters in an upcoming webinar, Addressing Social Isolation Through Technology Solutions. Join us on Friday, June 26 from 1 p.m. -2 p.m. ET to learn how you can leverage technology to increase social engagement, including specific hardware and software options. Find resources for acquiring and distributing technology, as well as mechanisms for training older adults and adults with disabilities to use technology solutions designed to mitigate social isolation. Administration for Community Living is hosting this free webinar. Register today!
Draft Criteria for ONC’s EHR Reporting Program
On behalf of LeadingAge CAST, I contributed to shaping draft voluntary user-reported criteria for the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Reporting Program of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC).
The draft criteria are posted for a 60-day public feedback period. The developer-reported criteria will be posted for public feedback at a later date.
Please provide written feedback on the draft criteria by Aug. 10, 2020, to EHRfeedback@urban.org. Please share this opportunity with others who may be interested in providing feedback.
Please Take Our One-Question COVID-19 Telehealth Survey
LeadingAge CAST would like to know about your use of telehealth during the pandemic. Please take our one-question COVID-19 Telehealth Pulse Survey so that we can design resources to support you.
Telehealth May Be Here to Stay
The response to COVID-19 has increased access to telehealth, and those changes may be here to stay. For example, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services may extend telehealth waivers past the pandemic. Read on for expected changes in telehealth access, data privacy and cybersecurity concerns, guidance for skilled nursing facilities, and more.
How COVID-19 and Technology Would Reshape our Future
The recent COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on aging services providers, caregivers, families, our strained healthcare systems, the economy, and even the environment across the globe. Learn how the pandemic and technology will shape the future, in my review of their effect on aging services, businesses, and more.
Member News
This month, please join me in congratulating CAST members on new innovative collaborations and partnerships.
Contact Me
If you have any questions, information, or news to share with CAST, or if I can be of assistance in any way, especially during these challenging times, please don’t hesitate to contact me. My thoughts are always with you!