Healthcare IT Update

Lots of times when I read about a new health care compliance rule — even rules that don’t directly apply to HIT — I see a nifty potential applications for EHRs lurking about as well. How about you?

Take the Food & Drug Administration’s new move to limit patient exposure to ionizing radiation associated with computed tomography (CT), fluoroscopy, and nuclear medicine imaging exams. It looks like the FDA is imagining a multi-pronged approach that 1) regulates radiation equipment manufacturers, 2) develops standards for health care providers, and 3) informs patients of radiation risks. You can see how the FDA is trying to sketch out this new regulatory landscape if you check out this white paper and this FAQ from the agency.

Here’s what caught my eye on the HIT and EMR front: The FDA wants equipment manufacturers to define how much exposure patients get with each procedure so that information…