As your HIT content curators, we kept our finger on the pulse of the industry this week and collected our favorite news, posts, and resources for you and your team.

This week we saw some interesting events in the healthcare industry, namely, a series of health data breaches in Indiana, New York, and Tennessee. In total, these recently reported breaches impacted over 12,000 patients. As we mentioned in a recent HITpoint post, we expect that the increased HHS’ enforcement powers that come with the final HIPAA Rule, will increase the number of reported privacy / security breaches.  The recent series of data breaches also emphasizes the need for encryption and employee training on the handling of patient information.

For those of you seeking support in meeting Meaningful Use / MIPS Stage 2, we found a resource to provide the help you need. This week, the ONC released a brief that provides Health Information Exchange Organizations and health information service providers with expanded advice and key considerations to support Meaningful Use / MIPS Stage 2 transition of care requirements.

As small organizations inch closer and closer to October 1, 2014, the ICD-10 implementation deadline – they find themselves in a risky position. A recent article published by EHR Intelligence details five key considerations that small facilities should keep in mind as they determine their transition timeline. As we mentioned in our HITpoint post this week, the most important thing to consider is time.

The integration of claims and clinical data is essential for organizations who want to see decreases in expenses AND improvements in patient care. However, the key is knowing how to manage your data properly. A recent article on HIStalk discusses the key actions for success. They focus on improving health outcomes and managing total medical expense as critical elements in achieving lasting change within the practice.

Finally, we came across another excellent Infographic that was published by The Advisory Board this week. It illustrates the components of a solid strategy for increasing your sustainable margins by improving cost structure, optimizing care delivery, and designing an enterprise strategy.