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A new report from Surescripts finds that 36% of U.S. prescriptions were sent electronically by the end of 2011. The report also found that about 58% of office-based physicians were electronically prescribing by the end of last year. According to Surescripts, e-prescribing helps increase the likelihood that patients will pick up new prescriptions. AP/Washington Post, Healthcare IT News.

The Federal Communications Commission has announced a plan to allocate spectrum for medical body area networks, which use wireless sensors to monitor patients and transmit data to a central computer. FCC is set to vote on the plan next week. The Hill's "Hillicon Valley" et al.

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT has announced the creation of the Office of the Chief Medical Officer, which will provide a clinical perspective for ONC activities, and the Office of Consumer eHealth, which aims to engage patients. Modern Healthcare et al.

HHS has released guidance to help states establish health insurance exchanges under the federal health reform law or work with the federal government to create a "federally facilitated exchange." HHS also awarded $181 million in exchange grants to six states. Reuters et al.

In a letter to CMS, the American Hospital Association voiced its support for the proposed one-year delay to the ICD-10 compliance deadline. AHA said organizations should use the extra time to conduct "extensive testing" of the coding system. Becker's Hospital Review, AHA News.

Yesterday, HHS launched an online tool called the Health System Measurement Project to help health care professionals, policymakers and the public track U.S. health care trends. The website provides data on access to care, disease prevention, health IT and other issues. In addition, users can view health indicators by certain demographic characteristics. CMIO et al.

In an Archives of Internal Medicine article, National Coordinator for Health IT Farzad Mostashari, former CMS Administrator Donald Berwick and other experts provide information about the meaningful use program and offer guidance to help health care providers participate. MedPage Today.

Yesterday, the Medical Group Management Association-American College of Medical Practice Executives asked CMS to extend the deadline for health care providers to submit hardship exemptions to avoid penalties under the electronic prescribing program. Modern Physician.

In a new issue brief, the National Association of Public Hospitals & Health Systems offered several recommendations for increasing flexibility in the meaningful use program, such as allowing a three-year timeframe between the Stage 1 and Stage 2 deadlines for the program. FierceHealthIT.

In a letter to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, the Texas Medical Association called for the federal government to skip the transition to ICD-10 code sets. Instead, TMA suggested that the U.S. wait to implement ICD-11 code sets or adopt SNOMED-CT standards. Modern Healthcare.

A new report by Manhattan Research finds that the percentage of surveyed physicians using tablet computers has nearly doubled from about 35% in 2011 to about 62% in 2012. Of the surveyed doctors who are using tablets, 81% said they use Apple's iPad and about 50% said they have used their tablet device at the point of care, according to the report. Becker's Hospital Review et al.

An Annals of Family Medicine study finds no correlation between physicians' use of electronic health record systems and improved adherence to clinical guidelines for diabetes care. The study offers recommendations for improving the effective use of EHR systems. Modern Healthcare.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has released a plan to ensure the privacy and security of data in its Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record program. The plan recommends various policies, such as regulating data access with security software. Government Health IT et al.

A Journal of the American Health Information Management Association article questions whether state-level health data exchanges will become obsolete over the next few years as more private organizations claim a share of the health information exchange market. CMIO.

A study finds that a mobile application helped boost the frequency of glucose monitoring among teenagers with diabetes. The teens earned points each time they measured their glucose levels, and the points could be redeemed for iTunes rewards. FierceMobileHealthcare, CMIO.

The American Medical Association recently submitted comments asking CMS to delay the ICD-10 compliance deadline by two years -- to Oct. 1, 2015 -- instead of finalizing the recently proposed one-year delay. AMA said that if stakeholders cannot reach a consensus on ICD-10 during the two-year extension, "then the move to ICD-10 should be postponed indefinitely." Modern Healthcare.

A new study by researchers from the University of Pennsylvania finds that an accountability tool embedded in an electronic health record system could reduce unnecessary CT scans among emergency department patients with abdominal pain. United Press International, CMIO.

The Government Accountability Office is accepting nominations for an individual to serve as a patient or consumer advocate on the federal Health IT Policy Committee, which advises the HHS secretary. Nominations are due May 25. Modern Healthcare, Health Data Management.

Rep. Steve King has introduced a bill that would prohibit federal telehealth grants from going to health care providers who use videoconferencing tools to prescribe the abortion medication mifepristone. The bill has 47 co-sponsors. The Hill's "Floor Action Blog," CQ HealthBeat.

According to researchers, mobile technology could help improve access to health care for people living in remote regions of developing countries. However, they note that certain barriers are hindering the widespread implementation of mobile health initiatives. New York Times.