1. COVID-19 data will wobble for next several days: 5 considerations when reviewing numbers Full story

2. Trump signs COVID-19 relief, spending bill Full story

3. Hospitals report IT disruption due to Nashville explosion Full story

4. Good digital transactions start with identity verification. Click here to find out how healthcare organizations can start to address that challenge.

5. Epic's year in review: 5 biggest stories in 2020 Full story

6. 10 fast-growing disruptive tech skills and their salary premiums Full story

7. Cerner signs 4 new rural hospitals for cloud-based EHR Full story

8. How hospitals use algorithms to prioritize COVID-19 vaccine distribution Full story

9. 3 Must Reads

• Don't risk putting off archiving legacy systems. Click here to learn how to do it quickly and securely using today’s Cloud technologies.
• The telehealth connection: How technology is revolutionizing remote patient care. Click here to read the report. 
• 11 must-reads for hospital leaders looking to get the most out of their IT investments in 2021. Click here to read more.

10. Connecticut practice settles $2M malpractice charge due to failed test order in new EHR Full story

11. COVID-19 vaccines likely effective against new variant Full story

12. Arkansas Children's names CIO Full story

13. Email hack exposes data of 485K+ Aetna, Blue Cross members Full story

14. Digital communication can decrease preventable hospital readmissions by up to 18 percent. Click here to learn how physicians can use electronic alerts to drive better patient outcomes.

15. Daily COVID-19 stats, state-by-state:

• Where the virus is spreading fastest, slowest
• Hospitalizations
• Death rates
• Test positivity rate + new cases

Becker's Learning Opportunities

1. Does your health system have a digital engagement strategy that coincides with its transformation goals? Download this whitepaper to learn how Bon Secours Mercy Health formulated its digital backbone.

2. Still calling your patients? Click here to find out why texting them will bring about better results for your practice.

3. What do nearly 4k patients say about the healthcare financial experience? Click here to see the results of the 2020 survey.