A Useful Quarterly Summary Of Progress In E-Health in The USA. Lots Happening.

This appeared a few days ago.

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Q4 2012 Included Key Federal Health IT Developments

by Helen R. Pfister, Susan R. Ingargiola and Christine D. Chang, Manatt Health Solutions

The federal government continued to implement the HITECH Act, enacted as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, during the fourth quarter of 2012. Below is a summary of key developments and milestones achieved between Oct. 1, 2012 and Dec. 31, 2012.

Highlights

The fourth quarter of 2012 saw a number of important developments:

• ONC Issues Draft Health IT Patient Safety Action and Surveillance Plan for Public Comment. On Dec. 21, 2012, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT released a draft Health IT Safety Plan to improve health IT and patient safety. Drawn from a 2011 Institute of Medicine report, the draft plan provides safety-related recommendations for the health IT industry to focus on during the next two years. Recommendations include using electronic health records to report adverse events and training surveyors to identify safe and unsafe health IT practices. Comments may be submitted through Feb. 4.
• ONC Releases Stage 3 Meaningful Use Request for Comment. On Nov. 14, 2012, ONC released a request for comment regarding the Stage 3 criteria for meaningful use of EHRs. ONC requested comments on meaningful use objectives and measures, quality measures, and privacy and security issues. Comments were due Jan. 14. A Notice of Proposed Rule Making on Stage 3 of the EHR Incentive Programs is expected this spring.
• CMS Revises Meaningful Use Stage 2 Final Rules. On Dec. 7, 2012, the CMS and ONC released an interim final rule with comment period making a number of changes under Stage 2 of the EHR Incentive Programs (e.g., updating standards and adding alternative measures). Comments are due Feb. 5. CMS had earlier released technical and typographical corrections to the Stage 2 Final Rule on Oct. 23, 2012.
• CMS Requests Comments on Hospital and Vendor Readiness for EHR Quality Data Reporting. On Dec. 28, 2012, CMS filed a Request for Information regarding stakeholder readiness to report hospital inpatient quality data through EHRs. CMS intends to streamline quality reporting and reduce administrative burden through the use of EHRs, but the agency would like hospital and vendor feedback on issues such as operational challenges, prioritization of electronic reporting and participation in government pilots. Comments were due Jan. 22. 

Read all the details here:

http://www.ihealthbeat.org/features/2013/q4-2012-included-key-federal-health-it-developments.aspx

There is a lot going on to say the least.

David.