Ideas

Take Your Fed To Work Day

Private sector executives on Thursday let Obama cxabinet deputy secretaries learn the secret behind their success: technology-driven operations.

Digital Government

Industry chiefs impart best technology practices to improve government

Using IT to create a customer-focused organization and to push employees to attain lofty goals were among the ideas chief executives discussed at forum.

Digital Government

Cyberattack draws renewed attention to Internet freedom

Secretary of State Clinton demands explanation from Chinese government, saying 'the ability to operate with confidence in cyberspace is critical.'

Ideas

Social Security Pays Docs to E-file

The Social Security Administration, bogged down with a backlog of disability claims and oncoming onslaught of baby boomer paperwork, is trying to expedite processing by paying medical providers $15 to submit applicants' records electronically.

Digital Government

Stimulus data needs context so public can understand spending effects

Study urges agencies that award contracts to put their projects into perspective on the Web so the public can easily and objectively discern the results of the economic program.

Digital Government

FDA nationwide electronic network will track safety of drugs and medical devices

But the system's efficacy could be limited without access to more personal patient data, officials say.

Ideas

Health IT Incentives Out Of Reach?

Health information technology advocates say new federal requirements for hospitals to become eligible to receive electronic health record incentives set the bar too high.

Modernization

Need a Defense business service? 'There's an app for that'

The department plans to launch a Web-based storefront next month similar to Apple's App Store so users can download common programs such as messaging, storage and potentially its travel system.

Digital Government

Hundreds of vets participate in test of sharing electronic health records

The Veterans Affairs Department and Kaiser Permanente will exchange electronic patient files to test if they can improve care and lower costs by reducing redundant lab procedures.

Ideas

Mashup Probes White House Visitors

Less than a week after the White House began releasing visitor logs on a regular basis, watchdog groups already are linking the names of people doing business there to campaign finance stats online for all to see.

Digital Government

HHS defines rules for receiving billions for e-health systems

Standards set what must be included in electronic health records networks for professionals to qualify for stimulus funds, and Google and Microsoft products may meet the criteria later.

Ideas

HHS Defines 'Meaningful Use' for EHRs

The Health and Human Services Department on Wednesday set preliminary terms dictating who will and will not get billions of dollars in stimulus funds for buying electronic health records systems.

Digital Government

VA officials suspend development of e-training system to rework strategy

Managers want to make sure the Learning Management System, one of the 45 projects suspended in July, can meet deadlines.

Ideas

Order Addresses Digital Declassification

A much anticipated redo of classification policy released by the White House this week confers new responsibilities for addressing the impending problem of reviewing mountains of electronic records for declassification.

Cybersecurity

Government technology made huge leaps during past decade

The Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks spurred the development of information sharing, backup systems, consolidation, social networking and more attention on cybersecurity.

Ideas

Put Desktops In Cloud

An EPA senior official who earlier this month challenged a Washington online community to "put your desktop into the cloud" -- or work completely on the Web -- has generated <a href="http://semweb.meetup.com/31/calendar/11944383/">some grassroots support</a>.

Digital Government

Education, IRS try to make filing student aid form less daunting

A process will automatically fill in financial data from an IRS Web site, eliminating what has been a time-consuming task that discouraged many students from filing for aid.

Digital Government

VA employee presents cost-cutting idea to Obama despite snow

Colorado-based winner of the SAVE contest travels to Washington to discuss her proposal with the president.

Digital Government

Saying security can come later, panel pushes for more information sharing

Benefits of exchanging sensitive information among governments to fight terrorism far outweighs risks of not securing messages, a presidential task force argues.

Ideas

Another New Site

The State Department on Thursday joined a growing list of federal agencies that are announcing Web site redesigns with great fanfare. The State and Homeland Security departments each scheduled press briefings to unveil their new online gadgetry. This raises the question: Do citizens expect the government to continuously refresh its public persona on the Web, like a commercial company?