Researchers have found that natural language processing algorithms — algorithms that read language — may be useful for generating protein sequences and predicting virus mutations, according to MIT Technology Review.

IBM has reached an agreement to acquire Taos, a cloud professional and managed services provider, IBM announced Jan. 14.

Four of the top vendors hospitals use to participate in the Medicare EHR Incentive Program are Allscripts, Cerner, Epic and Meditech, according to ONC data.

Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's joint biological innovation center has secured $76 million and signed a lease for a new facility in Watertown, Mass., according to a Jan. 14 news release.

Some North Carolina county health departments are having issues with reporting COVID-19 vaccine inoculations in the state's new data system, leaving them to receive fewer doses as more vaccines are allocated, Raleigh, N.C.-based WNCN News reports. 

Cerner's Executive Vice President and Chief Client and Services Officer John Peterzalek and Chief Legal Officer Randy Sims are leaving the Kansas City, Mo.-based EHR company, according to a Jan. 15 announcement from CEO Brent Shafer shared with Becker's. 

Colorado-based Pitkin County officials began notifying individuals Jan. 14 that some of their private information related to COVID-19 cases was exposed on the internet between October and December of last year. 

Salt Lake City-based Intermountain Healthcare and Empiric Health received a patent for clinical analytics methodology.

Matt Runyan, CIO and vice president of IT at Oceanside, N.Y.-based Mount Sinai South Nassau, is splitting his time to make sure the COVID-19 vaccination process runs smoothly at the hospital while maintaining testing sites.

The U.S. Court of Appeals on Jan. 14 vacated University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center's $4.3 million HIPAA fine for losing more than 35,000 patients' protected health information.

Using the word "shot" could be ineffective in communication meant to encourage patients to receive COVID-19 vaccines, according to survey results released Jan. 14 by health insurer EmblemHealth.

The Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services will implement a Cerner EHR so its 12 facilities can share health records on a single, unified platform, according to a Jan. 14 news release.

Big tech companies and major hospitals teamed up Jan. 14 to form the Vaccination Credential Initiative, a collective working to create a digital, interoperable vaccination record system.

CVS Health has launched a new medical alert system designed to protect seniors living at home, the company said Jan. 14.

Royal Philips has tapped biopharmaceutical company Merck to develop digital solutions for fertility treatment built on advanced informatics and artificial intelligence-enabled ultrasound diagnostics, Philips said Jan. 14.

Yale New Haven (Conn.) Health System tapped Gozio Health to develop a mobile platform that helps users find their way to appointments and access health records, Gozio said.

A hacker accessed the email account of a Tyler, Texas-based Precision Spine Care employee and attempted to commit payment fraud.

The Federal Trade Commission reached a settlement Jan. 13 with Flo Health, a fertility and period health tracking app, for allegedly sharing users' personal data with companies, including Facebook, when it promised such information would be kept private. 

Google on Jan. 14 completed its acquisition of Fitbit, solidifying the tech giant's advances to improve its wearables division. 

Amazon users can now purchase an $110 at-home COVID-19 test that determines results based on a saliva sample.