Microsoft has warned dozens of hospitals of a vulnerability allowing a hacker to exploit their networks in a ransomware attack, according to Law630.

In the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S., New York City-based Northwell Health has built various tools into its EHR to manage the surge of patients flooding its 23 affiliated hospitals. 

Wolters Kluwer, Health is making it easier for hospitals and laboratories to monitor COVID-19 cases from lab test to diagnosis, to treatment. Wolters Kluwer’s Sentri7® tools provide a centralized, global view of COVID-19 cases coupled with real-time alerting and automated notifiable conditions for reporting to public health agencies. Plus, Health Language® has accelerated solution updates with new SNOMED CT and ICD-10 codes to code, analyze and address COVID-19 cases.

Stanford (Calif.) Health clinicians are testing a machine-learning algorithm developed by Epic that may be able to identify whether a COVID-19 patient will need intensive care before their condition deteriorates, according to an April 1 Stat report.

George Washington University Hospital used virtual reality technology to create a 360-degree view of a COVID-19 patient's lungs, according to a recent episode of the hospital's podcast.

University of California San Francisco physician-scientists launched a new research initiative that uses consumer insights and data to track the spread of COVID-19.

Healthcare organizations are more likely to pay a ransom during a ransomware attack because of the time constraints and pressure they are under, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Bloomberg.

On March 29, hospitals received a letter from CMS on behalf of Vice President Mike Pence asking them to report additional information about COVID-19 testing and hospital resources during the pandemic to the federal government.

The rules around telehealth continue to evolve and the federal government now wants hospitals to report more about COVID-19.

The Department of Defense is pressing pause on the next wave of its Cerner EHR rollout due to concerns stemming from COVID-19, according to a March 31 FCW report. 

With the coronavirus pandemic's rapid spread across the world, hospitals and health systems in the U.S. have responded by creating digital tools and dashboards to help track the spread of the disease. 

Jacksonville, Fla.-based Baptist Health has started using robots to disinfect N95 masks.

Baltimore-based LifeBridge Health is working with Under Armour to make more than 50,000 face masks, 1,000 face shields and thousands of hospital gowns, according to the Capital Gazette.

The ONC has tracked more than 500 interoperability projects related to COVID-19 across the U.S. as part of the Interoperability Proving Ground open platform, and more than 30 are related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hospitals and health systems across the U.S. have developed EHR features in response to the growing COVID-19 pandemic, from streamlining screenings to facilitating quicker communication between specialists.

Athenahealth created two digital dashboards to help track COVID-19 data including clinician-ordered lab tests and high-risk patients.

As COVID-19 continues to spread across the country, hospitals are incorporating artificial intelligence into their daily operations.

Epic and health IT innovation nonprofit OCHIN developed a mobile app for the Washington State Health Care Authority that allows providers, volunteers and patients to self-perform COVID-19 screenings and check in to local emergency care sites. 

When it became clear that Providence needed to expand COVID-19 testing capabilities and sites in the communities it serves, the health system set up drive-thru testing locations.

New York City has deployed a COVID-19 portal designed to track the spread of the virus across the city, according to City & State New York.