As the deadline for submitting public comment for the meaningful use criteria draws near, it seems as if there has been an uptick in concern and criticism being voiced regarding the federal government’s legislative efforts to drive healthcare IT adoption.
In a recent Huffington Post Investigative Fund article, a case is made that rural health organizations, many of which do not have healthcare IT initiatives or resources in place, will be unable to collect inventive funds because the meaningful use criteria is too onerous. It also contends that the criteria favor hospitals and IDNs that have already spent millions of dollars on their healthcare IT infrastructure. Fair enough. There certainly are grounds for that argument.
What the article fails to discuss, however, is the formation and role of the Regional Extension Centers (RECs). HHS has allotted $375 million to fund 32 RECs across the country that will support the efforts of health professionals, with the focus on priority primary care providers, to become meaningful users of EHRs.
In a Feb. 19 blog, Joshua Seidman of the Office of the National Coordinator for HIT, wrote: "When we at ONC talk about 'priority primary care providers,' we're focusing on solo and small group practices, community and rural health centers, public and critical-access hospitals, and other settings that predominately serve uninsured, underinsured, or medically underserved patients. Through cooperative agreements, we will work closely with RECs to ensure that primary care providers who need help are provided with an array of on-the-ground support to meaningfully use electronic health records (EHRs)."
Should the timeline be relaxed to ensure greater participation and success of the program? Absolutely. Should some of the criteria be delayed for the same reason? Yes. Has the HITECH Act put into place resources that were meant to level the playing field and actually decrease the digital divide? Absolutely. Priority primary care providers, the HITECH Act has your backs. It's up to the RECs to deliver superior, meaningful support.
