While healthcare may traditionally move slowly to adopt new technologies in clinical practices, once health systems do take the plunge and integrate new technologies, it is crucial to keep the patient at the center of the care.

Once complete, Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense's Cerner-based EHR systems will unite an estimated 18 million U.S. service members, veterans and their families on a single platform.

Danville, Pa.-based Geisinger Health System announced on Oct. 31 it is developing a digital tool with clinical and image data sharing network Life Image to help patients manage their breast health records.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons issued a request for information Oct. 23 for the development of an EHR system.

Digital tools can significantly benefit hospital operations and clinician workflows. However, to be successful, leaders must know which tools to integrate. 

EHRs have had a significant impact on the physician-patient relationship, arguably taking on more of a presence in the patient care experience as an additional member of the care team, according to NYU Langone Health's Danielle Ofri, MD.

Data analytics have the potential to not simply monitor clinical operations, but actually transform those operations and healthcare delivery as a whole — so long as the integrity of the core data can be ensured.

The CMS Innovation Center announced Oct. 31 the 25 proposals selected to advance to the first stage of the inaugural Artificial Intelligence Health Outcomes Challenge.

Many hospital and health system leaders shared insights into the role of innovation in healthcare with Becker's Hospital Review in October.

Apple reported total revenues of $64 billion for the fiscal fourth quarter ended Sept. 28, a year-over-year increase of 2 percent, in an earnings report released Oct. 30.

The Morningside Foundation invested $10 million into Atlanta-based Emory University to promote research into groundbreaking, cost-effective treatments for cancer and other diseases.

The University of South Florida's USF Health Morsani College of Medicine in Tampa announced on Oct. 30 the creation of the first Medical School of Innovation, in partnership with Microsoft.

At Penn Medicine, leaders aren't just focused on quality to meet benchmarks, but are using the data to improve the patient experience. 

Biotech company Biogen announced Oct. 22 that it was seeking regulatory approval for its experimental Alzheimer's drug, which caused its stock to spike more than 26 percent, according to CNBC.

Between Cerner announcing it would transfer more than 1,000 employees to Adventist Health and an Alabama health system paying hackers in a ransomware attack, the healthcare information technology space had some big news in October.

Here's the latest roundup of stories about health IT companies, including Amazon, Cerner and Google.

UnitedHealth Group's Optum has acquired Vivify Health, a startup offering providers and payers a mobile, cloud-based platform for remote patient care management, two people with knowledge of the deal told CNBC.

The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services is investigating an October data breach that may have affected 1,442 people, according to local CBS affiliate WTVR.

Apple has hired New York City-based Columbia University Medical Center cardiologist David Tsay, MD, a person familiar with the matter confirmed to CNBC after Dr. Tsay updated his LinkedIn account to indicate he had joined Apple.

Despite a near-constant stream of advances in clinical technology, patient adoption of these solutions is still low across the board, due in large part to the fact that their preferences have typically not been taken into account when developing clinical technology.