Emerging Tech

What Bill Gates Fears Most

The threat of a flu pandemic clouds even his legendary optimism, so he's launching an initiative to prevent one.

Modernization

Feds Need To Be Pirates, Not Ninjas, Says Defense Health Official

Defense Health Agency's David Cooper urged his fellow feds to embrace pirate principles—at least when it comes to mobile apps.

Modernization

With No Permanent Leadership, VA Forges Ahead on $16 Billion Health Records Effort

The Veterans Affairs Department will press on with its electronic health records contract without a permanent secretary or chief information officer.

Digital Government

Defense Electronic Health Records Program Seeks Help Organizing Influx of Data

The Defense Health Agency wants to know if a vendor can help match all the new data it’s collecting with the old.

Modernization

$1.65 Trillion Federal Health Market Will Be Boon For IT Industry

The Defense and Veterans Affairs departments' electronic health records programs will be the largest spending areas, according to analysts.

Modernization

Coast Guard to Adopt Defense Department’s Electronic Health Records

The U.S. Coast Guard will go with the Defense Department’s MHS Genesis health records program, the same option currently being considered at Veterans Affairs.

Emerging Tech

FDA Wants Tech Companies To Help Shut Down Opioid Sales

The agency believes that tech companies aren't doing enough to combat online drug sales.

Emerging Tech

After London, How Lasers Will Play a Role in Detecting Chemical Attacks Sooner

A new technique can detect trace elements of dangerous chemicals in extremely small doses, a breakthrough of relevance to the horror show playing out in Salisbury, U.K.

Digital Government

Trump’s Pick for CDC Director Is Experienced But Controversial

On the face of it, veteran virologist Robert Redfield seems like a good pick to lead the agency, but decades-old disputes are shadowing his appointment.

Artificial Intelligence

AI Gave Stephen Hawking the Ability to Communicate, Despite His Fears of the Tech

He was known for his skepticism of developing “strong AI."

Digital Government

The 'Genome Hacker' Who Mapped a 13-Million-Person Family Tree

Huge crowdsourced genealogy databases are inspiring new genetics research.

Cybersecurity

Federal Health Insurer Denies Auditors Access To Its IT Systems

Health Net of California—a provider under the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program—is refusing to comply with a contractually obligated inspector general audit.

Emerging Tech

DHS Announces Finalists in Biothreat-Spotting Contest

A department contest advanced five early warning systems designed to detect biological attacks.

Modernization

VA Secretary on $10B Health Records Contract: ‘We Have To Get This One Right’

The Trump administration requested $1.2 billion in fiscal 2019 for a commercial health records contract, which the department is expected to award by March.

Emerging Tech

To Master Health Care, Amazon Must Master Information And Communication

Health care is a little different than selling books.

Digital Government

The CDC Is About to Fall Off a Funding Cliff

It's already planning to pull back on work that protects the world from pandemics.