Edition Thirty-Three (12/8/09)

ONC Sets Health I.T. Curriculum Grant Deadline
Modern Healthcare, subscription required 12/3/09
The deadline is January 14 for institutions of higher education to apply for $10 million in grants, to develop curriculum for the federal government's proposed HIT workforce development program. The government will award up to five grants to support curriculum development and enhance programs of workforce training, primarily at the community college level.

Patient Quality Improvements a Prerequisite to Obtain Federal EHR Stimulus Funds
TMCnet, 11/30/09
According to Rick Kneipper, co-founder and chief administrative officer of PHNS in Dallas, Congress has presented hospitals and physicians with an opportunity to acquire state-of-the-art EHR systems, with the help of economic stimulus funds. The issue is whether the funds will be used for simply documenting transactions electronically, or whether it will be used to truly take a giant leap forward in patient care.

First Products Clear EHR Meaningful Use Certification
Government Health IT, 12/1/09
CCHIT has given its seal of approval to the first batch of products certified under two new programs, which weigh EHRs against the government's proposed meaningful use standards. CCHIT pointed out the ARRA aspect of both new certification programs is preliminary, as HHS has yet to finalize its meaningful use definition.

ONC Reorganizes for Push on EHR, HITECH Goals
Government Health IT, 12/1/09
ONC announced it would reorganize the office to better reflect its role as a leading force in the adoption of EHRs and other health I.T. matters, including closer oversight of privacy issues. ONC's "below the top" leadership is designed to more effectively accomplish the tasks in the HITECH Act, according to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

CMS Prepares State HIT Incentives Guidance
Government Health IT, 12/1/09
CMS will offer state Medicaid agencies guidance on how to provide proof of the adequacy of their health I.T. plans, so they can collect funds available under the health I.T. stimulus legislation. States will submit information to CMS for the agency's approval, and then be able to draw on federal financing for their Medicaid health I.T. programs.

Beacon Community Program to Fund Digital Health Record Adoption in 15 Communities
Federal Computer Week, 12/2/09
HHS is starting a new grant program to distribute $235 million to communities which can serve as models for use of EHRs. Through the Beacon Communities Program, HHS will be awarding $220 million to 15 communities which have demonstrated high levels of digital health record usage. Another $15 million will go for technical assistance and independent evaluation services to those areas.

CMS Readies Medicaid Incentives
Health Data Management, 11/30/09
CMS will send a series of documents to state Medicaid agencies to assist them in developing HIT plans, including incentive payments to providers for meaningful use of EHRs. CMS will send letters and templates for the State Medicaid HIT Plan, the Planning Advance Planning Document, and the Implementation Advance Planning Document to make the documentation process as simple as possible.

White House Pushes I.T. as 'Pillar' of Cost-Containing Health Reform
Healthcare IT News, 11/25/09
According to Peter Orszag, director of the Office of Management and Budget, and Nancy-Ann DeParle, director of the White House Office of Health Reform, HIT adoption is one of the four pillars on which Obama is building his health care strategy. Orszag says HIT should be combined with a budget-neutral health care reform bill, the establishment of a Medicare Commission (which will continually implement proposals to improve quality) and an excise tax on expensive private health care plans.

Health I.T. Training Gets Federal Stimulus Push
eWeek Careers, 11/25/09
$80 million in federal stimulus money has been put aside for grants to help kick-start training in health I.T. There are currently grants for community colleges to provide and develop training curriculum, and for regional extension centers, which are resources intended to assist in the EHR movement.

CMS Considers Aligning Reporting Rules
Health Data Management, 11/25/09
A final rule setting the Medicare physician fee schedule for calendar year 2010 does not align reporting requirements for the PQRI pay-for-performance program and the forthcoming Medicare/Medicaid incentive programs for meaningful use of EHRs. In the rule, HHS officials note alignments to make reporting for both programs easier is being considered.

Payers Leery of e-Transaction Rules in Senate Bill
Modern Healthcare, subscription required 11/25/09
Health plans are wary of penalties included in the Senate health reform overhaul bill, if they fail to adopt uniform standards and rules for electronic transactions. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requires health plans to adopt a single set of operating rules for the most common transactions with providers.

CMS Pushes for Uptake of Transaction Standards
Government Health IT, 11/23/09
CMS is pushing ahead on both its internal and external priorities, to ensure it meets fast-approaching deadlines for putting new electronic transaction and billing standards in place. The agency's systems staff is on schedule to make the necessary changes in order to start compliance testing for the new 5010 version of the X12 standards for HIPAA transactions in January 2011.

What the Health Care Industry Really Needs
H&HN Magazine, 11/23/09
The most crucial component of going digital is connectivity. Investment in I.T. systems will bode well for patient care, but it is only scratching the surface of the technological advances needed to make the U.S. health care system a seamless, error-free entity. Health care systems will see the biggest return by connecting EHRs to other medical technologies used in patient care, and ensuring those technologies work together.

MGMA Warns HIT Stimulus Money Could Be Wasted
Modern Healthcare, subscription required 11/23/09
The MGMA sent a letter to David Blumenthal warning about deep concerns of a possible inappropriate definition of meaningful use, and inefficient administration of an I.T. subsidy program under ARRA— could result in the needless squandering of resources and significant disruption to the nation's health care system.

Current Security Standards Too Complex, Expert Says
Modern Healthcare, subscription required 11/20/09
A federal HIT advisory panel heard testimony on the state of data security, and the testimony reflected the findings in a recent spate of public reports: data security breaches are on the rise and health care organizations are ill-prepared to deal with them.

HIT Extension Centers Must Have a Clinical Foundation
Government Health IT, 11/20/09
ONC has launched a new initiative called the HIT Extension Program, which will play a key role in determining the ultimate success or failure of the nation's investment in health I.T. The HIT Extension Program consists of a national center and regional extension centers run by non-profit entities, to provide education, outreach, and technical assistance for caregivers and provider organizations to successfully implement and meaningfully use EHR. 

Health I.T. Panel to Heed Calls for Simpler EHR Standards
Government Health IT, 11/19/09
A panel advising ONCHIT said it would heed the overwhelming consensus of recent public comments to develop the simplest possible certification standards for accelerating health I.T. adoption. The Health I.T. Standards Committee's implementation workgroup reported having distilled the testimony of industry organizations within and outside health care, as well as contributors to its public blog.

Meaningful Use Rule 'on Target' for End of Year
Government Health IT, 11/19/09
CMS is still on target to publish a proposed rule on the meaningful use of EHRs, despite growing fears from industry experts about the possible impact of the regulation. Health industry care insiders have recently expressed concerns and fears about what will be in the regulations, such as how high the bar will be set for meeting meaningful use targets during the first year of I.T. implementation, and whether the industry will be able to meet these landmarks.

Privacy Expert Says Consortium Could be I.T. Lifesaver
Modern Healthcare, subscription required 11/19/09 
Hospitals and physicians have a little more than 13 months to buy, implement, and demonstrate they can meaningfully use an EHR system, to be ready for the first payment year under the ARRA health I.T. subsidy program. One member of a federal advisory panel offering suggestions to HHS on the definition of meaningful use also has some innovative ideas on how to jump start HIE.

Obama Plans to Sign Executive Order to Target Medicare Waste, Fraud
HealthLeaders, 11/18/09
More than $98 billion in taxpayer money spent by government agencies was wasted in fiscal 2009—with nearly half of it ($54 billion) coming from improper payments related to Medicare fee-for-service, Medicaid, and Medicare Advantage, according to government findings released by the White House. Obama is expected to sign an executive order within the week, which will focus on eliminating government waste and fraud, particularly in Medicare and other benefit programs.

Gordon: House Bills Will Help Small Business
The Daily News Journal, 11/18/09
Congressman Bart Gordon supported three bipartisan bills aimed at helping small businesses in Tennessee and around the country. The House approved the Small Business Health Information Technology Financing Act (H.R. 3014), which would create a loan program in the U.S. Small Business Administration to help medical professionals purchase HIT.

Blumenthal Thanks Informatics Leaders, Predicts Big Changes
iHealthBeat, 11/17/09
If any of the 2,000-plus attendees of the American Medical Informatics Association annual symposium were hoping for a little preview of what to expect when the federal government unveils its definition of "meaningful use," they didn't get it from David Blumenthal. What they did get during his keynote address was a vote of confidence and his assurance big changes are just around the corner.

Survey: Health Care isn't Ready for HITECH's Security Breach Notification Rules
Healthcare IT News, 11/17/09
Business associates who handle private patient information for health care organizations are largely unprepared to meet the new data breach-related obligations included in the HITECH Act, according to a new HIMSS Analytics survey. The research revealed approximately one-third of business associates surveyed were not aware they need to adhere to HIPAA privacy and security requirements, compared to 87 percent of health providers.

The Politics of Health Care
Advance, 11/17/09
ARRA and HITECH operate on the understanding of becoming a meaningful user benefits the individual health care provider or health care organization, and by extension, our nation's health care system. By this logic, regardless of readiness ranking, all health care organizations should be pursuing meaningful use, and working to get every member of the organization ready. 

HITrust Launches I.T. Security Certification Program
Modern Healthcare, subscription required 11/17/09
The HITrust— a consortium of health plans, pharmacy benefits managers, information technology vendors, and data-miners formed to address health I.T. security issues—has announced the formal launch of a two-tier health I.T. security and privacy certification program. Consultants serve as on-site compliance certifiers, who work with covered entities and their business associates as defined by HIPAA.

Information Exchanges Let Doctors Share Patient Data Efficiently
InformationWeek, 11/17/09
As more doctors and hospitals make use of EHRs, the next step in health care's transformation will be to ensure doctors and other health care providers can exchange patient data. Multifaceted health care organizations are setting up internal data exchanges so their affiliated doctors, outpatient facilities and hospitals can easily share data. But larger HIEs are also being launched, which enable unaffiliated providers within a state or region to share patient information.

CMS Web Site to Report Outpatient Results
Modern Healthcare, subscription required 11/17/09
Hospitals will face even greater quality pressure as the CMS begins to require public reporting of outpatient measures on its Web site, Hospital Compare. Beginning in June 2010, Hospital Compare will start reporting certain outpatient quality measures, according to the 2010 outpatient prospective payment system final rule. Hospitals which don't comply with quality data reporting requirements, could see their payments reduced by 2%.

Senate Bill Would Authorize I.T. Loans
Health Data Management, 11/16/09
Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) has introduced legislation to authorize Small Business Administration loans for small health care practices, to assist them in buying HIT to meet meaningful use requirements for ARRA. Under the bill, S. 2765, the SBA would guarantee not more than 90% of a loan, with a maximum of $350,000 for an individual. and $2 million for a group practice.

U.S. Health Information Director Blumenthal Addresses Electronic Medical Records in Philadelphia
Tradingmarkets.com, 11/13/09
Speaking at the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, David Blumenthal addressed the need for I.T. to improve patient care across the complex and difficult spectrum of the U.S. health care system. Dr. Blumenthal's keynote address, presented at the Health Information Exchange Summit in coordination with the Canadian Consulate in Philadelphia and the Eastern Technology Council, focused on resolutions related to HIT from the ONC's Policy Committee.

Federal Health I.T. Standards Committee Seeks Physician Input
AAFP, 11/13/2009
The HIT Standards Committee recently formed an implementation workgroup charged with bringing practicing physicians' technology experiences to light. As part of this process, two AAFP members, Louis Spikol, M.D. and Tripp Bradd, M.D. participated in a providers panel during a public hearing of the workgroup in Washington.

Blumenthal: Tear Down Walls which Block Information Exchange
Healthcare IT News, 11/13/09
To ensure the best patient care, David Blumenthal says information exchange must reach every nook and cranny of the health care system. In an e-mail—the third in a series—Blumenthal outlines the provisions of the HITECH Act, which addresses barriers to data exhchange. Blumenthal's two previous e-mails focused on how EHR systems could transform today's paper-based system and on the term "meaningful use."

HHS Seeking Solutions to Address FISMA Compliance for Health Exchange
Federal Computer Week, 11/12/09
HHS officials are looking for I.T. solutions which comply with a key federal cyber security law, while also allowing for exchange of federal health data with private entities. Currently, federal medical agencies which handle patient data must comply with the Federal Information Security Management Act. If they want to share data, the recipients also may need to comply with FISMA.

NQF Issues Quality Data Standards for Electronic Records
Government Health IT, 11/12/09
The National Quality Forum has published a standard set of clinical data elements to measure quality performance, which EHRs should be able to capture across all care settings. By providing a common language to describe the information within quality measures, the Quality Data Set enables quality measurement from a variety of electronic sources, including EHRs, PHRs, registries, and HIEs.

ONC Readies NHIN Contracts
Health Data Management, 11/10/09
ONCHIT will solicit competitive bids for contracts to move the NHIN to production readiness and status. This competitive contract process will result in the selection of a set of task order contractors, which will provide the range of skills, knowledge, and experience to advance the work toward a full production NHIN.



WIRED Looking for Board to Manage Wisconsin I.T. Exchange
Modern Healthcare, subscription required 12/4/09
The state of Wisconsin is looking for more than a dozen candidates to fill a new board to manage the planning of an interoperable HIE, which is expected to precede the creation of a public-private entity to implement the network. Governor Jim Doyle say regional HIEs have already demonstrated the power a statewide network would have, and he recently signed an executive order creating the WIRED for Health Board (Wisconsin Relay of Electronic Data).

Governor's Office of Health Care Reform Releases Draft Strategic Plan for Health Information Exchange
PRNewswire, 11/30/09
The Governor's Office of Health Care Reform has issued a draft strategic plan for the Pennsylvania Health Information Exchange, or PHIX, for a 30-day public comment period. The plan outlines how to best transition to EHR systems to improve efficiency, cut costs, and provide better quality care. 

Iowa to Receive Grant Money for EHR Implementation
Modern Healthcare, subscription required 11/24/09
Iowa has become the first state in the nation to have its Medicaid program chosen to receive funds from the ARRA to assess implementation of EHRs and PHRs. The money will go toward activities to plan for the adoption of EHRs, including efforts to promote interoperability and "meaningful use" of the records, and identify barriers to adoption.

RHIO: 100,000 Give Consent
Health Data Management, 11/23/09
The Rochester RHIO in New York has announced more than 100,000 patients have consented to their physicians viewing their health information via the RHIO. Rochester RHIO started a pilot in 2007 with five practices and 27 physicians. Patients are given a consent form during treatment to enable their physicians to view data, and 97% have consented, according to Rochester RHIO.

Pilot Project May Revolutionize How Health Care is ManagedKansascity.com, 11/18/09
A pilot program is helping 13 area doctors' offices convert to help manage and coordinate health care for their patients. The practices will get help adopting the new setup, which will include use of EMRs to coordinate care. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City officials said they were committed to investing more than $1 million in the project over the next two years.

New York's e-Health Collaborative Heads Toward More Connectivity 
Healthcare IT News, 11/17/09
State e-health collaboratives across the country are gearing to submit their operational plans for the HIE portion of the federal stimulus funds under the HITECH Act. New York eHealth collaborative is no exception; the organization has been able to reach consensus on privacy and security policy and governance, and has begun technology requirements for a statewide HIE.

Maryland Gets Two Health Care Grants Worth $5 Million
Modern Healthcare, subscription required 11/16/09
Southern Maryland is getting nearly $5 million in federal stimulus money for health care projects. About $2.4 million is going toward a national Bioethics Research Center to study ethical issues and health disparities. A separate $2.5 million grant will install technology in the homes of about 250 homebound patients, allowing health care providers to monitor and advise patients from afar.


Thinking Strategically about New Information Technology
H&HN, 11/30/09
Some new technologies profoundly alter our organizations; others fail to register a blip on the radar screen. In developing an I.T. strategy, we need to accurately predict whether a new technology belongs in the first cohort or the second, and why. An organization which miscategorizes technology runs the risk of investing heavily in a technology which does not help the organization or, conversely, of failing to use a technology which could be a major benefit.

Senate Retains Tighter HIPAA Transactions
Health Data Management, 11/19/09
The consolidated Senate health reform bill includes language to significantly tighten the HIPAA transaction standards, and other administrative simplification provisions. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has released a bill, which marries provisions of legislation from the Health and Finance Committees, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The bill would mandate use of "operating rules," which payer advocacy organization the Counsel for Affordable Quality Health Care has championed to standardize the HIPAA standards.

U.S. Physicians Lag on EMR Use
American Medical News, 11/19/09
Patients in the United States spend less time waiting to see primary care and specialty physicians than do patients in 10 other countries, but they have more difficulty paying for prescription drugs and health care. Physicians in this country are much less likely to use electronic medical records and to be offered financial rewards for quality gains, than are doctors outside of the U.S.

USDA Grants Aim to Expand Health Care to Rural Areas
Federal Computer Week, 11/12/09
Telemedicine and distance-learning programs will receive a boost from $34.9 million in grants awarded by the Agriculture Department for 111 projects in 35 states, the USDA announced. The projects aim to increase educational opportunities and expand access to health care services in rural areas. The funding will be provided through USDA Rural Development's Distance Learning and Telemedicine Program.

Archives