Value-Driven Health Care Interoperability
I thought you might be interested in a brief report on our progress related to electronic health records (EHR). They are a critical element in making the health care system become value-based.
Just having electronic health records isn’t enough. The systems have to be interoperable. Interoperability means that different computer systems and devices can exchange information.
Three years ago, there were 200 vendors selling electronic health record systems but there was no assurance that the systems would ever be able to share privacy protected data in interoperable formats. Since then, we have made remarkable progress.
An EHR standards process is now in place, and we are marching steadily towards interoperability. We created the CCHIT process to certify products using the national standards and it is functioning well. More than 75% of the products being sold today carry the certification.
In addition, a National Health Information Network will start testing data exchange by the end of the year and go into production with real data transmission the year after.
The number of hospitals and larger physician practices employing electronic medical records has grown. However, we continue to have a serious challenge with small- to medium-sized practices where fewer than 10 percent of these practices currently have health IT systems.
The primary reasons for low adoption rates among small practices are predictable: economics and the burden of change.
We are experimenting with different methods of changing the macro economics of reimbursement so that small practice doctors share the financial benefits.
We are also beginning a pilot program that provides Medicare beneficiaries with personal health records.
Finally, HHS is signaling that in the near future, payers like Medicare cannot reimburse doctors at the highest level unless they can interact at the highest level of efficiency.
A good example of this is e-prescribing. The software exists in nearly all pharmacies and in many doctors’ offices. It saves money and lives. It’s time to fully implement e-prescribing.
I’m hoping Congress will give HHS the ability to establish e-prescribing requirements as part of Medicare legislation in June of this year.
Learn more about Value-Driven Health Care.