Edition Forty (3/16/10)
  
Physicians
Reluctant to Implement EHRs
ADVANCE, 3/15/10
National Public Radio (NPR) held a discussion of
implementation of electronic health records (EHRs), the
progress made so far, and why some doctors are reluctant
to make the switch. Although see small changes can
already be seen in physicians offices, it was interesting
to hear the opinions of physicians.
CCHIT Warns Certification Plan Might Backfire
Government Health IT, 3/12/10
The Certification Commission for Health Information
Technology said it believes the Interim Final Rule on
standards and certification might cause “unintended
deceleration in the pace of adoption.”
CMS Looks to Guide EHR Practices
Modern Healthcare, subscription needed 3/12/10
Part two of a two-part series. This month, the CMS sought
to change the status quo of legal constraints and
folkloric practices involving health information exchange
between laboratories and providers.
HHS Group Proposes National EHR Safety Database
Government Health IT, 3/12/10
A Health and Human Services advisory panel proposed
creating a national database into which clinicians could
report patient data errors and unsafe conditions they
encountered in their use of electronic health records.
Clinicians could use the system to report
instances—noticeably inaccurate patient data or an
EHR technical glitch, for instance—they believed
might compromise patient safety.
eHealth
Initiative: Ease MU Criteria
Health Data Management, 3/12/10
The eHealth Initiative has joined a growing chorus of
stakeholders in asking the Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services to abandon its "all or nothing"
approach for meeting criteria to demonstrate Meaningful
Use of electronic health records to qualify for incentive
payments.
More MU Comments Sent
to CMS
Health Data Management, 3/12/10
As the March 15 deadline for comments on the
Meaningful Use proposed rule nears, additional commentary
continues to pour in with some of them available here.
Is HITECH Working?
HealthLeaders, 3/11/10
After only one year, it is too early to assess the true
impact of the HITECH Act. The first reimbursement
payments to physicians for EHR adoption won't go out
until 2011, but early signs suggest the program is
pushing more physicians to adopt EHR systems.
Standards Panel:
Check Security on EHR Modules
Government Health IT, 3/11/10
The Health I.T. Standards Committee is recommending
buyers and sellers of EHR modules, which offer optional
features such as clinical decision support or e-Prescribing,
should check the impact of those components on the
overall security and privacy of patient information
across the EHR.
Senate Supports
Meaningful Use Eligibility Change
Health Data Management, 3/11/10
U.S. Senate-passed legislation will expand the types of
physicians eligible for Meaningful Use incentive payments
under ARRA.
Health Care I.T. Workgroup Tackles Privacy
InformationWeek, 3/11/10
The HIT Policy Committee's Strategic Planning Workgroup
has been debating how best to balance privacy concerns
with the need for an open, "learning" health
care system.
Clinical Informatics
Moves Toward Certification
Modern Healthcare, subscription needed 3/10/10
The role of medical informatics in health care is rapidly
expanding, as is the use of I.T. itself. What is not
moving rapidly is an already 5-year-old effort by
institutional medicine which has perhaps another three
years to go before creating a program of subspecialty
board certification in clinical informatics.
Chopra Cites Fed
Projects as Health I.T. Catalysts
Government Health IT, 3/9/10
A National Cancer Institute registry service which will
allow patients, federal health researchers, and health
care providers to access its data is just the first of a
slew of examples the Obama administration hopes will spur
Meaningful Use of health I.T. Chopra cited NCI’s
open source Patient Outcomes Data Service as an example
of innovation in the public sector which providers and
vendors should know about.
AHA: Meaningful Use Rule is Unrealistic
Health Data Management, 3/9/10
The proposed high bar for hospitals to receive incentive
payments for Meaningful Use is unrealistic and will limit
their ability to get the payments, according to the AHA.
The organization asked for an incremental and flexible
plan which will enable more hospitals and physicians to
achieve Meaningful Use.
Stimulus Programs Aim at Health I.T. Problems
iHealthbeat, 3/9/10
With a nod toward averting future problems as well as
educating the public about current ones, the federal
government's campaign to move the health care industry
into the digital age spawned a couple of offshoots over
the past two months.
Feds Post More Meaningful Use Comments
Health Data Management, 3/9/10
Six weeks after posting an initial batch of 24 public
comments on the proposed Meaningful Use rule on a
government Web site for public viewing, HHS has posted
another 83 comments. The comment period ends on March 15.
Physicians Worried
Proposed Meaningful Use Will Decrease Productivity
HealthLeaders, 3/8/10
An overwhelming number of physicians say changes which
may be necessary to meet more than two dozen Meaningful
Use criteria, would lead to decreased provider
productivity, according to the Medical Group Management
Association.
National eHealth
Collaborative Launches NHIN University
Healthcare IT News, 3/8/10
The National eHealth Collaborative announced the creation
of "NHIN University," designed to educate and
engage health care I.T. stakeholders on what the NHIN is,
how it works, and the vital trust fabric which underpins
the safe and secure HIE.
CCHIT Has Jump on EHR Certification Competition
Modern Healthcare, subscription needed 3/8/10
Instead of waiting for HHS' certification authorization
process to be developed, CCHIT began last year moving
ahead with the expectation it will pass muster against
whatever authorization regime the ONC produces. CCHIT
recently added a “modular” certification
program tailored to what it expects will be the final
Meaningful Use criteria.
Blumenthal: ONC Shifting From HIT Policy to
Implementation
HealthLeaders, 3/8/10
There is no question the federal government will be
required to support the acquisition of HIT, said David
Blumenthal, MD, at HIMSS. He discussed other ONC programs,
saying while the past year has been focused on policy,
the office will now begin the process of implementation.
ONC Corrects EHR Certification Rule
Health Data Management, 3/8/10
ONC has withdrawn the proposed rule establishing a
certification program for EHRs software and replaced it
with a corrected version.
I.T. Scurries to Meet e-Health Records Deadline
Computerworld, 3/8/10
Although health care companies must begin such efforts
soon if they want to meet the reimbursement deadlines,
the federal government has yet to finalize technology and
product specifications for e-health systems, causing
concern among health care I.T. officials.
Consumers Weigh In on
Top 10 Meaningful Use Arguments
Healthcare IT News, 3/8/10
While the health care provider community's concerns with
the proposed definition of Meaningful Use are well-documented
in the media, less attention has been paid to the
consumer and employer perspectives. The Consumer
Partnership for eHealth is making an effort to engage a
diverse group of national consumer, patient, and labor
organizations in the health care I.T. policy debate.
"Meaningful Use"
to Spur Health Care I.T. Spending in 2010
Healthcare Technology Online, 3/5/10
Meaningful Use appears to be spurring an increase in
health care I.T. spending along with a brightening
economy, suggests results of the HIMSS Leadership Survey.
FCC Awards $145M for
Telehealth Networks
Federal Computer Week, 3/4/10
FCC is giving $145 million to 16 telehealth projects,
expanding its Rural Health Care Pilot Program, which will
link hundreds of hospitals with broadband networks in 17
states.
Meaningful Use Rule
Needs Significant Modifications, Says AAFP
AAFP News, 3/4/10
The AAFP has responded to the Meaningful Use definition
with comments detailing how the Academy would make the
regulations more helpful to family physicians.
HIT Leaders React to
Proposed EHR Testing and Compliance Rule
HealthLeaders, 3/4/10
Health care I.T. leaders are praising HHS' decision to
eventually turn the EHR certification process over to the
private sector, a fast-track certification timeline, and
the ability for organizations to eventually certify EHRs
from multiple vendors.
Get Moving to Catch Early EHR Meaningful Use
Incentives
HealthLeaders, 3/4/10
What if a provider is hoping to take advantage of
government incentives, but is still fully paper-based?
Waiting for the release of final rules on the incentive
program and EHR certification before moving forward may
not be wise.
HIMSS '10: Big Story
is EHR Certification Plan
iHealthBeat, 3/3/10
The big news at HIMSS was the surprise announcement from
David Blumenthal of the long-awaited Notice for Proposed
Rulemaking on the EHR certification process had been
released.
I.T. Key to Successful e-Health Record Rollout
Businessweek, 3/3/10
The government has established "Meaningful Use"
criteria which
will determine whether best practices guidelines are
being met. But many facilities are unaware of the
standards or how to achieve them. Experts cite five key
factors for successfully implementing EHRs at hospitals
and doctor's offices.
e-Medical Records: 10
Steps to Take Now
InformationWeek, 3/3/10
Despite all the uncertainty of Meaningful Use, there are
steps providers can take now which will help them jump-start
system deployments once the final rules are issued later
this Spring.
e-Health Record Certification Program Adds Specialties
InformationWeek, 3/2/10
The Oncology and Women's Health EHR certification
programs are CCHIT's latest for products used in medical-specialty
practices.
Proposed EHR Certification Rule Changes Game
Health Data Management, 3/2/10
ONC has issued for public viewing a proposed rule
establishing two certification programs—one
temporary and the other permanent—to test and
certify EHRs. The proposed rule describes how an
organization would be come an "ONC-Authorized
Testing and Certification Body" under the temporary
program.
NIST to Study Health
I.T. Exchange Standards, Test Methods
Government Health IT, 3/2/10
NIST plans to test various HIE standards to see how well
they meet the needs of clinical information exchange
among providers and other health care organizations.
Standards are the foundation for HIE, according to David
Blumenthal.
Survey: 58% of Docs to Roll Out e-Health Records in
Next Two Years
Computerworld, 3/2/10
A survey shows 58% of physicians in small private
practices plan to roll out EMR technology over the next
two years.
Deadline for e-Health
Rollout May Do More Harm Than Help
Computerworld, 3/2/10
Some health care experts are concerned the quality of e-health
systems might be at risk because of unrealistic
government deadlines and confusion about what to do first.
Physicians Plunging
into EMRs, But Expect Lots of Help
HealthLeaders, 3/2/10
Estimates on EMR usage vary because of conflicting
definitions about what constitutes an EMR, but it's safe
to say less than 20% have a fully-functioning system in
their practices.
Making I.T. Work
Modern Healthcare, subscription needed 3/1/10
It remains to be seen whether the premier health care I.T.
initiative of the sweeping, year-old stimulus
law—its multibillion-dollar EHR subsidy
program—will work as planned.
ONC Top Doc Says He Does Not Use e-Prescribing
Government Health IT, 3/1/10
Dr. David Hunt, ONC’s CMO, told a crowd of
physicians as a practicing surgeon he does not use e-Prescribing
to avoid the consequences of working around a federal ban
on the e-Prescribing of controlled substances.
Gingrey: HIT Stimulus Bill 'Right Thing to Do'
Healthcare IT News, 3/1/10
Congressman Phil Gingrey, MD (R-Ga.), said using the
stimulus bill to drive adoption of integrated EMRs is
absolutely the right thing to do. Gingrey called the
bipartisan health I.T. efforts the single most important
thing we can do to bring down the cost of health care.
Experts: Meaningful Use May Cloud Other Issues
Health Data Management, 3/1/10
Meaningful Use is having a huge impact on provider
willingness or ability to take significant steps this
year to get ready for transition to the ICD-10 code sets.
I.T. to Take Bigger
Slice of Capital Spending
Modern Healthcare, subscription needed 3/1/10
Over the next three years, more health care organizations
are likely to go up a bracket in spending on HIT than
those planning to cut I.T. spending enough to drop a
bracket, according to a survey.
Stimulus Funds Boost
Utah Health I.T. Pipeline
Kaiser
Health News,
3/12/10
Utah's health department will use $6.3 million in
federal dollars to build a "computer pipeline"
which will allow doctors and hospitals to share patient
information. The pipeline is paid for by the federal
economic stimulus package, and the state will contract
with the nonprofit Utah Health Information Network to
build it.
State Healthcare
Becomes Electronic
The Auburn Plainsman, 3/10/10
Gov. Bob Riley announced that Alabama was awarded $10.5
million in federal funding to build an Electronic Health
Record system. “Since
2007, the Alabama Medicaid Agency has led a broad-based
effort to create a statewide electronic health
information system that links Medicaid, state health
agencies, health care providers and private payers,”
Riley said in a press release. "With this new
funding, we will continue moving forward to build an
electronic system that supports all health care providers,
increases efficiency, and maintains high quality for
patients."
Golden State
Officials Say New Nonprofit Cal eConnect Will Oversee HIE
Exchange
San Francisco Business Times, 3/9/10
A new nonprofit entity called Cal eConnect to oversee the
development of HIE services in the Golden State. Using
ARRA funds, at least $3 billion in enhanced Medi-Cal and
Medicare payments are expected to be available in coming
years for thousands of California doctors and hospitals
which can demonstrate they are participating in HIE in a
meaningful way.
Ohio House Bill Would
Test Medical Home System
Government Health IT, 3/8/10
The Ohio House of Representatives unanimously passed a
bill which would create and test a patient-centered
medical home system in the state. If enacted, 44 existing
primary care practices—including four led by
advanced nurses and at least six serving rural
areas—would be converted to medical home practices
throughout the state.
States Lead the Way
on Health Care I.T.
Healthcare IT News, 3/2/10
Health care I.T. is the foundation for transforming
health care, and right now states are leading the way,
according to Jim Douglas, the Republican governor of
Vermont.
Government
Commits $632M to Boost GP Numbers
Brisbane Times, 3/15/10
The federal government has pledged an extra $632 million
to boost doctor and specialist training in the second
major announcement of its health policy. Federal Labor
earlier this month announced a plan to take control of
hospitals funding from the states and territories and
give management power to local networks.
Group Develops
Gidelines for CPOE Standardsu
Modern Healthcare, subscription needed 3/14/10
The Institute for Safe Medication Practices has developed
a set of guidelines aimed at helping providers create
drug-prescribing standards for their computerized
physician order entry systems. The guidelines will
address drug-safety problems that hospitals and other
providers often encounter.
Funds for
Electronic Health Records Could be in Upcoming
Saskatchewan Budget
Leader-Post, 3/13/10
Government officials are being tightlipped about the
upcoming provincial budget, but money for electronic
health records could be on the radar. When Health
Minister Don McMorris was asked by the Leader-Post if the
March 24 budget would include funding for electronic
health records, he said that area has been a priority in
the province and "it would be just foolhardy to stop
right now."
Alder Hey Children's
Hospital CIO on Going Paperless, Face-Recognition Tech
and Putting Off Lorenzo
Silicon.com, 3/10/10
The technology which plays the most central role in the
everyday lives of the doctors and nurses at Alder Hey
Children's Hospital is MEDITECH'S HCIS, which holds
patient records and appointments, and at the women's
hospital can work with laptop computers on trolleys to
allow doctors to order drug prescriptions from a patient's
bedside.
Report: e-Prescribing
Rises 18% in 2009
CMIO.com, 3/4/10
Eighteen percent of prescriptions are now being sent
electronically while e-Prescribing is being used by one
in four prescribers, according to a report from
Surescripts.
FCC Finds Broadband
Gap Creates Meaningful Use Crisis
Government Health IT, 3/2/10
Many health care providers in the U.S. lack sufficient
broadband Internet connections to meet health I.T.
meaningful use criteria, according to the FCC, which is
proposing new funding and regulations to help close the
gap.
Will Patient Portals
Open the Door to Better Care?
Health Data Management, 3/1/10
Some health care providers' patients can already
communicate with them on-line through a patient portal,
which can save significant money.
Military Health
System Develops EHR for White House
Government Health IT, 3/1/10
The Military Health System has set-up a version of its
AHLTA EHR system for use in the White House.
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