In the orthopedic sphere, new implant technology does not always lead to higher clinical value, so research and development opportunities are increasingly focused on cost-effective surgical procedures instead of implant-focused innovations, according to an Implant Partners post.

Patient records from the electronic health record database at the Alabama Department of Public Health have been stolen, prompting the department to notify more than 500 people that their information may be compromised, according to a WAFF report.

Implementing an electronic medical record surveillance tool can help improve clinical outcomes related to sepsis, according to a study in Heart & Lung.

Texas A&M Health Science Center and Dell, both based in Round Rock, Texas, have partnered to develop a health technology academy for healthcare professionals to enhance their health IT knowledge, according to a news release.

A survey conducted by Opera Mediaworks, a mobile advertising platform, found iPhone and Android users use their smartphones differently, generally accessing different types of apps.

The global mHealth market is on the rise, as 19.1 million patients worldwide are expected to be utilizing remote patient monitoring devices by 2018, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 44.4 percent, according to a Berg Insight report.

Nearly half of providers, 45 percent, are concerned about interacting with accounting and billing systems when utilizing ICD-10 codes, according to a HealthData Management report.

The biggest challenge Gaylon Stockman, CISO of Lifespan in Providence, R.I., currently faces is not the complex technical requirements of data protection or incorporating changing laws and regulations into the health system's information security procedures.

In an era of digitization, healthcare has a stronghold on harnessing innovation and connectivity to advance the field. Healthcare providers are finding ways to utilize smartphones, mobile devices, cyber networks and interconnectivity to enhance patient care and care quality.

The following health IT vendor contracts were reported in the past week.