Tag Archives: Government

Evolving Disaster Response in Our Communities

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The Achieving Efficiency Through State and Local Preparedness Executive Order (EO) aims to streamline the coordination between federal, state, and local emergency preparedness and response efforts. The requirements in the EO push more responsibility to state and local agencies for investing in revised preparedness and response plans regarding cyberattacks, wildfires, hurricanes, and other disasters. This guidance supports the idea that "preparedness is most effectively owned and managed at the state, local, and even individual levels, supported by a competent, accessible, and efficient federal government."

Bolstering emergency preparedness has been a critical focus of states and localities even before the EO. As weather related events grow in frequency and intensity, communities across the nation have been working to mitigate the impact of disasters before, during, and after events. Continue reading →

Next Generation Procurement Reform

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The White House recently released a pair of Executive Orders (EOs) that aim to streamline the way the government acquires products and services. The complexity and inefficiency of government procurement has long been decried by industry and government officials alike. Numerous steps have been taken to simplify processes and open access to businesses that can provide the innovative solutions the government needs. These latest EOs focus on reforming the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and the Federal Acquisition Streamlining Act (FASA), the two guiding principles of federal procurement.

Common Sense FAR

The "Restoring Common Sense to Federal Procurement" EO highlights the fact that the federal government is the world's largest buyer, spending nearly $1 trillion on procurement contracts each year. However, the provisions that guide that buying are cumbersome and, in many cases, outdated. The FAR is 2,000-plus pages containing 3,000-plus directives. The EO seeks to overhaul the FAR with plain English and eliminate nearly all non-statutory and duplicative regulations. Continue reading →

Building AI Knowledge = Building Your Career

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Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming a key element in every workplace. More than a tool, AI is a colleague, helping us work more efficiently and providing better access to data. While AI is not being built and implemented to replace humans, some people may find their roles greatly altered by its use. While AI itself will not replace an employee, a person who cannot work with AI may find themselves replaced by a person who can. Ensuring you understand how to use AI in your daily work is critical to ongoing career growth.

Understanding AI does not mean having to become a programmer, a software engineer, or a data scientist, and a deep dive into its technical workings is not necessary. What will help is a hands-on understanding of how to utilize AI for tasks, as well as how to interpret and use the data AI generates. Continue reading →

Key Trends for Healthcare IT in 2025

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Technology is reshaping the way we deliver and receive healthcare--and with the pace of technological innovation, this impact is not likely to slow down. Below are several areas that are poised for growth in 2025, and deserving of focus.

Telehealth

The exponential growth of telehealth since COVID-19 shows no sign of slowing. Though Medicare reimbursements and allowances for telehealth are still up in the air pending the passing of a federal budget, healthcare organizations of all sizes continue to invest in telehealth technology and equipment. The practice of telehealth has evolved from initial virtual consultations to ongoing remote patient management, where clinicians can continually monitor vitals of patients and intervene when numbers get out of normal ranges. This is revolutionizing the way that people live with diabetes, hypertension, COPD, and other chronic conditions. The expansion of telehealth also addresses the accessibility gap for people unable to get to regular appointments, including those living in rural areas. Continue reading →

Three Approaches to Identity Management

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Identity management is the way organizations control access to resources to ensure that the right individuals have access to the right resources at the right time, and it is a key pillar of zero trust architecture. In a zero trust system, a user has to validate and verify their identity continually as they access data and systems. But to function well, this process has to be seamless for the end user. Traditional security measures dependent on passwords cannot scale to meet the needs of zero trust--imagine how time-consuming and frustrating it would be to continually enter a password every time you move to a new application or data set. Fortunately, there are several approaches organizations can use to achieve high levels of both security and useability.

FIDO

Fast identity online (FIDO) is an authentication standard designed to improve security and convenience in identity management by eliminating reliance on traditional passwords. Strong authentication is achieved by using biometrics (such as fingerprints or facial recognition), security keys, or PINs stored on a local device. Continue reading →