Microsoft & Adobe Release January 2022 Security Updates
Microsoft Releases January 2022 Security Updates
Original release date: January 11, 2022
Microsoft has released updates to address multiple vulnerabilities in Microsoft software. An attacker could exploit some of these vulnerabilities to take control of an affected system.
CISA encourages users and administrators to review Microsoft’s January 2022 Security Update Summary and Deployment Information and apply the necessary updates.
Original release date: January 11, 2022Adobe has released security updates to address vulnerabilities in multiple Adobe products. An attacker could exploit some of these vulnerabilities to take control of an affected system.
CISA encourages users and administrators to review the following Adobe Security Bulletins and apply the necessary updates.
Acrobat and Reader APSB22-01Illustrator APSB22-02Bridge APSB22-03InCopy APSB22-04InDesign APSB22-05
It’s National Health Center Week!
This week, we are celebrating National Health Center Week (August 8 – 14th). National Health Center Week is an annual celebration to raise awareness about the contributions and accomplishment of America’s Community Health Centers.
National Health Center Week 2021 is dedicated to honoring front line providers, staff, and those who lost their lives during the COVID-19. From the beginning of the pandemic, Community Health Centers have played a crucial role providing preventative and primary care to patients.
Each day of NHCW 2021 is dedicated to the following focus areas:
Sunday, 8/8: Public Health in Housing Day
Monday, 8/9: Healthcare for the Homeless Day
Tuesday, 8/10: Agricultural Worker Health Day
Wednesday, 8/11: Patient Appreciation Day
Thursday, 8/12: Stakeholder Appreciation Day
Friday 8/13: Health Center Staff Appreciation Day
Saturday, 8/14: Children’s Health Day
Click here to learn more about NHCW 2021.
Bluenovo thanks CHCs for their service and commitment to caring for our communities! If you are a federally qualified community based healthcare center, please reach out to BlueNovo for your IT and technology needs to improve patient satisfaction for your organization.
Biden Administration Awards $90 Million to Fight Substance Abuse in Rural Communities
The Biden-Harris Administration has just announced that it will be providing almost $90 million to help rural communities fight against opioid use disorders (OUD) and other forms of substance use disorders (SUD). The funding will be distributed by the US Department of Health & Human Services and will also help to improve access to maternal and obstetrics care.
These funds are awarded through four key programs:
- Rural Communities Opioid Response Program-Implementation: $78 million awarded to 78 organizations across 35 states.
- Rural Communities Opioid Response Program-Psychostimulant Support Program: $7.5 million awarded to 15 rural consortia across 13 states.
- Rural Maternity and Obstetrics Management Strategies Program: $2.9 million awarded to improve healthcare access for rural mothers and their children.
- Rural Northern Border Region Planning Program: $760,000 awarded to community-based organizations to resolve key rural health issues in the rural Northern Border Regional Commission service areas.
Click here to view full release.
With COVID-19 still on the rise, these funds will play a crucial role in not only fighting substance abuse, but also improving overall healthcare services for rural population in the country.
If you are a federally qualified community based healthcare center, please reach out to BlueNovo for your IT and technology needs to improve patient satisfaction for your organization.
Announcing Our New Partnership With VitalTech
BlueNovo and VitalTech Partner to Provide Equitable Access to Healthcare for Underserved and Underprivileged Communities
ICYMI: New Emergency Broadband Benefit Program
In case you missed it, The Emergency Broadband Benefit program is a new initiative created by the FCC to help households struggling to pay for internet service during the pandemic. This new program will help connect eligible households to jobs, virtual classrooms, and critical healthcare & telehealth services.
By the end of April 2021, $3.2 billion in funding will be available to provide qualifying households discounted pricing on internet service bills and computers or tablets.
For more information click here.
Information Blocking Rule in Effect
The information blocking provisions of the Cures Act are now in effect as of April 5, 2021. This is a major shift in an industry that has historically come up against challenges in sharing data across providers as well as providing necessary patient health information to patients. This legislation is key to advancing the portability of patient health information which the industry has sorely needed in the healthcare marketplace.
According to the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC), the rule is designed to give patients and their healthcare providers secure access to health information. It also aims to increase innovation and competition by fostering an ecosystem of new applications to provide patients with more choices in their healthcare (ONC Health IT).
The COVID-19 pandemic was a demonstration of how quickly the healthcare industry can mobilize to support vulnerable populations. Collaboration across payors, to technology vendors, and even regulatory agencies provided a glimpse of what can be done when barriers are removed and innovation is encouraged.
The information blocking rule is a stepping stone to improving the delivery of healthcare in this country and is a significant opportunity providers and vendors alike to introducing new approaches to healthcare not previously considered. While the final rule has exclusion criteria built in, BlueNovo urges healthcare and technology organizations reconsider this path and acknowledge that the direction of healthcare can only be improved with increased transparency and collaboration.
Click here to connect with us on how BlueNovo can assist you navigate through these requirements.
