Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/1120168
46 CIO / HEALTH IT Partners HealthCare pledges to make AI tools accessible to clinicians, researchers By Jackie Drees B oston-based Partners HealthCare will roll out artificial intelligence tools for all its clinicians and re- searchers over the next year. e MGH and BWH Center for Clinical Data Science, a joint center formed by Mas- sachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital, both based in Bos- ton, will spearhead the AI efforts. e ini- tiative will focus on providing clinicians and researchers with access to data, computing capacity and soware needed to devel- op their own AI algorithms for use in the clinical environment. CCDS plans to implement the new AI tools across the Partners HealthCare sys- tem over the next year, and the center has already begun offering AI capabilities and support services. "Currently, focused and siloed pockets of domain expertise in AI reside within spe- cific departments or labs at several large academic medical centers, but making AI an enabling technology across the field of healthcare has been a challenge for many facilities," Partners HealthCare Chief Data Science Officer Keith Dreyer, DO, PhD, said in a news release. "e truth is, you don't have to be a computer scientist or data scientist to participate in the creation of AI — we are just starting to see increasing availability of tools to enable on-premises development of AI models by clinicians." e American College of Radiology recent- ly announced its partnership with tech firm Nvidia to deploy free AI soware designed to help radiologists encourage AI adoption. e platform was piloted at CCDS as well as e Ohio State University in Columbus. n Michigan medical practice to close after refusing to pay ransom to hackers By Jackie Drees B attle Creek, Mich.-based Brookside ENT and Hearing Center shut down April 30 after cyber hackers deleted all the practice's patient records, WWMT, a CBS affiliate, reported. Hackers obtained no patient information because the practice's EHR system en- crypted the files, John Bizon, MD, co-founder of Brookside ENT and Hearing Cen- ter, told WWMT. Hackers infected the medical center's records system with ransomware and de- manded co-founders Dr. Bizon and William Scalf, MD, pay $6,500 to buy back ac- cess to the medical files, according to the report. Drs. Scalf and Bizon chose not to pay the ransom, and hackers erased all the system's files, including patient informa- tion and appointment schedules. Drs. Scalf and Bizon decided to retire early as a result of the cyberattack, and the staff provided referrals and worked to answer patient questions following the attack. n 5 things to know about telehealth fraud By Jackie Drees T elehealth fraud appears to be on the rise, as more patients are opting into virtual appointments with their physicians via audio and video technology, Legal Reader reported. Five things to know about telehealth fraud: 1. Numerous states have their own laws and regulations for telehealth services, so Medicare or Medicaid patients should check whether their state insurance can re- imburse for telemedicine transactions. 2. Telehealth fraud initially began with improper coding and billing of services, which grew through practices such as claims from non-eligible or non-listed insti- tutional providers as well as claims from unacceptable means of communication. 3. Telehealth transactions are susceptible to kickback measures. An example of this is the federal government's recent charging of 24 defendants, who included top ex- ecutives from telehealth companies and owners of medical equipment companies, for their alleged participation in a $1.2 billion telehealth fraud scheme. Federal prosecutors claim telemarketers would call Medicare beneficiaries to get them to accept free or low-cost DME braces, regardless of medical necessity. The telemarketers would transfer the beneficiaries to telehealth companies for consul- tations, and those physicians would allegedly prescribe the orthopedic braces to patients without in-person consultations. The defendants received kickbacks from the medical brace companies. 4. Physicians are the most common victims of telehealth schemes, according to the report. Physicians' names and accounts can be used to collect payment from insur- ance companies for patients who haven't visited the clinic in-person yet. 5. Fast daily patient turnover rates, difficulty communicating with the clinic's man- agement and issues with contacting patients are some signs physicians can look out for to avoid becoming a victim of a telehealth scheme. n