Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
$10 Million Reward Offered For Info On North Korean Ransomware Hackers
North Korean hackers allegedly targeted a number of U.S. hospitals and healthcare systems with ransomware as part of an illegal scheme to fund a covert information exfiltration campaign against American military and scientific entities, federal investigators revealed Thursday. ... The State Department is offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the location of Rim or other members of the malicious cyber group. (Legare and Sganga, 7/25)
The HHS is undergoing a major restructuring, placing oversight of technology,聽data and artificial intelligence under an existing office that manages healthcare information technology. Along with assuming a larger tech role, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, or ONC, will be renamed the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy and Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, or ASTP/ONC.聽(Olsen, 7/25)
The introduction of the new digital medical records system at a joint Veterans Affairs-Defense Department hospital went well but required extra temporary and full-time staff. (Kime, 7/25)
Created by Google X to tackle big healthcare challenges, Verily chose to move headquarters to North Texas, rather than expand in California. (Ward, 7/25)
More Americans are learning of devastating health diagnoses through their phones and computers instead of personally from their doctors because of a federal requirement that people receive immediate access to medical test and scan results, from routine bloodwork to MRIs. This shift has sparked a debate in the medical community about whether instant information empowers patients or harms them. (Nirappil, 7/26)
