Meaningful Use
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.
The Consumer Partnership for e-Health released consumer and employer responses to criticism about various aspects of the meaningful use criteria for EHR adoption. At first blush, it was surprising to see general support for the criteria. Then again, this nonpartisan group comprising consumer, patient, and labor organizations whose mission is to improve healthcare quality and achieving a patient-centered healthcare system through IT and knowledge sharing, represents some pretty knowledgeable parties. In other words, their responses aren't from the general public who are given sound bytes on healthcare reform and transformation.
The College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) has launched CIO State Network (StateNet), an online communication and resource network for healthcare chief information officers to keep abreast of state matters related to the HITECH Act and other state health IT activity. It’s a great idea and a strategic move for CHIME.
The Departments of Health and Human Service and Labor announced last Friday nearly $1 billion in grants under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act for healthcare IT training, regional extension centers (RECs) and health information exchange.
A survey conducted by market research firm division GfK Roper reveals that EHR usage is growing in the primary care physician and specialist groups. Of the 1,000 adults polled, 48.4 percent reported that their PCP or specialist documented their last visit electronically in the exam room. Within this group, 45.2 percent noted that their physician switched from paper to electronic in the last two years, while 14.3 percent indicated that the switch was done in the last six months. Is this trend – if it is a trend – a result of ARRA?
Since the beginning of 2010 there has been a series of acquisitions in healthcare IT market, which recently culminated in one of the largest, IBM’s acquisition of Initiate.
Is third time the charm for New Hampshire? Lawmakers in New Hampshire have been trying to pass legislation that gives patients control over who sees their medical records. Under HB 1649, patients can request an audit of who has accessed their electronic medical records.
Leaders at the North Carolina Healthcare Information and Communications Alliance, Inc. (NCHICA) announced Tuesday they have published a free business associate agreement to help providers comply with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA).
Imagine it's 2020. You had a test done the day before, a test that was ordered because your physician was alerted via your EHR to a gap in care. The following morning, both you and your physician receive the results via e-mail, you via your PHR and she via her EHR system.
I don't believe anyone in the healthcare industry believes ARRA will single-handedly drive up EHR adoption among providers. Of course, the hope is that the federal incentive money will bring physicians, for whom cost is an issue, into the fold. But what's going to really move the needle on EHR adoption?