The Cyber Information Sharing ACT (CISA) that was passed last month is dividing people into two camps. Some see this as a breach of privacy but legislators are adamant it is voluntary for healthcare organizations to participate. Where do you land?

A new government and industry task force is setting out to tackle how agencies understand and qualify their IT spend. The Federal IT Cost, Opportunity, Strategy and Transparency (COST) Commission is developing a taxonomy to help agencies map and report their costs. The biggest hurdle lies in setting KPIs to measure against. Transportation, Interior and Agriculture departments are helping establish this new cost taxonomy, so it'll be interesting to see what unfolds in March, when it's expected to be completed.

A drop by as much as 35 percent should lure agencies to increase their IT buying using NITAAC's suite of vehicles: CIO-SP3, CIO-SP3 SB and CIO-CS.

A $2 billion boost in the NIH's budget will have a more positive impact on you and your health than you may realize. The increase will be a springboard for further research and outcomes in pharmaceuticals, infectious disease vaccines and even keeping your pets healthy. The additional funding will also help the scientific and clinical community retain the talent needed to help drive medical and research innovation. If this recent post from the director on NIH 2015 breakthroughs is any glimpse into 2016, keep an eye out for new medications, vaccines and research that may affect you sooner than one might think.

DHA will work with GSA's Schedule 70 program to "create a new" HIT Special Item Number (SIN) aligned with DHA and other Federal agencies' requirements.

In support of FITARA, White House blog post details new directive for federal agencies to increasingly share software services/licensing. Reusing code can uncover efficiencies, reduce costs and spur innovation

An ex-OMB worker depicts what the office life was like during the 60s. Formality, shared desks and paper filing systems ruled. How things have changed!

Precision Medicine, Alzheimer’s, BRAIN Initiative (a project to map the human brain), antibiotic-resistant bacteria and--possibly the most important of our generation--a 300% increase in funding to support opioid abuse. 

In 2016, agile comes of age and will be a prominent cornerstone in the way Federal development projects are successfully completed. Recent M&A activity validates the trend. Who is buying who and how is GSA's 18F helping drive this forward? Read more here.

Having worked with many accomplished veterans across Federal agency healthcare and IT projects, we know firsthand their valuable contributions. Now, thanks to the many Fortune 500s, as well as organizations like VetsinTech, successfully helping our service men and women transition to civilian jobs, the unemployment rate for veterans has reached record lows at 5.3% (source: Bureau of Labor Statistics). 

No extensions are likely this year, so those still uninsured after Jan 31 will be penalized.

This piece looks at some emerging trends in securing mobile data without sacrificing usability.

Long anticipated EHR interoperability goal reached.

A new Forrester report looks at how government agencies with a good omni-channel presence can move from providing only access to information to producing an engaging customer experience.

Read how the HHS health IT council is putting easier access to better data at the center of the updated strategic roadmap.