Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano yesterday visited Oklahoma to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing and delivered remarks about the department’s efforts to protect against evolving threats of terrorism. Honoring the 168 people who lost their lives in what she called “an unspeakable act of terrorism,” Napolitano gave her speech [...]
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid has not had a permanent director since 2006. Yesterday, April 19, 2010 President Obama nominated Dr. Donald Berwick to be the Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services at the Department of Health and Human Services (CMS). Dr. Berwick is currently the President and CEO of the [...]
The FDA is hoping to become more transparent through the launch of their new website. By launching the Center for Devices and Radiological Health Transparency website (CDRH), FDA will be able to provide more data about medical devices and radiation-emitting information and data. CDRH is also an effort by the FDA and HHS to become [...]
Just over a year ago, Robert Gates announced a plan to add 20,000 employees to the defense acquisition workforce by 2015: 11,000 jobs converted from contractor-held positions and 9,000 new jobs. He also announced plans to insource another 19,000 non-acquisition jobs currently performed by contractors. That’s a total of 30,000 jobs insourced by 2015. So [...]
GSA hosted the first-ever citizen engagement video contest and Peter Sullivan of Nashville, Tennessee took the gold. The challenge was to create a video that showed how USA.gov could help citizens navigate useful government information. More than 30 citizens from across the country submitted videos. The award winner of USA.gov video challenge, Sullivan, created an [...]
A new secure, web-based, subscription medical-information service using fingerprint biometrics to provide first responders and hospital emergency room staff with secure, immediate access to critical information was successfully deployed today by an Ohio-based fire department. Created by health IT company My LifePlan and BIO-Key International, Inc., a developer of advanced identification solutions, the new software [...]
Johns Hopkins School of Nursing will soon be offering a new health IT curriculum, thanks to a grant through the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act. Using a new six to 12 month informatics curriculum developed at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing and used throughout the nation, local colleges will [...]
Aneesh Chopra, the Federal CTO, will be delivering the keynote address at the Internet2 Spring Member meeting next week. On Tuesday, April 27, 2010, Chopra will speak at the meeting in Arlington, Virginia. Attendees will be able to learn details about the administration’s innovation agenda and strategies. It will be held at Crystal Gateway Marriott [...]
The Department of Defense is working to increase public awareness of the value of military veterans. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Navy Admiral Mike Mullen visited Columbia University this past weekend to do just that. “This is the beginning of an effort to connect with communities throughout the country about the challenges [the [...]
The U.S. Small Business Administration is extending the deadline of Recovery Act lending through May. Last Thursday, April 15, 2010, President Obama signed legislation that will provide another $80 million for SBA’s two loan programs. This additional funding will go towards supporting around $2.8 billion in small business lending, SBA has estimated. Small businesses are [...]