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Health Information Technology Initiative Major Accomplishments: 2004-2006
Background: A Historical PerspectiveOver the past 30 years, nearly every sector of the American economy has undertaken a sweeping transformation in the way information is collected, managed, and transmitted. The result has been consistently increased productivity and efficiency, and this shift has helped to secure America’s place at the top of the economic leader board. Yet today, health care—one of the most significant sections of the American economy— has not made this transformation. However, this is beginning to change. Today, evidence that use of secure, standards-based, electronic health records can improve patient care and increase administrative efficiency is overwhelming . This use of interoperable health information technology (IT) will benefit individuals and the health-care system as a whole in profound ways. Benefits to the health-care consumer:
Benefits to public health:
These benefits led President Bush to call for most Americans to have access to an interoperable electronic health record by 2014, in his 2004 Technology Agenda, Promoting Innovation and Competitiveness. Since that time, HHS has made rapid and significant progress to meet this goal. 2004: Laying the FoundationThe President, by Executive Order, established the position of National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. The National Coordinator for Health IT is the chief advisor to the Secretary of HHS on the actions needed to meet the President’s call for widespread availability of secure, interoperable health IT. In November, 2004, the National Coordinator issued a request for information to gather public input on the development of a Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN). In analyzing the more than 500 responses in early 2005, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) found that a lack of uniform standards was a key obstacle to the success of a NHIN. 2005: Initial Steps and ProgressAmerican Health Information Community (AHIC) In 2005, Secretary Leavitt announced the formation of the American Health Information Community (AHIC), a federal advisory committee made up of public and private sector leaders who represent a broad spectrum of health-care stakeholders. The AHIC was established to make recommendations to the Secretary on how to accelerate adoption of interoperable electronic health IT in a smooth, market-led way. HHS Contracts The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) was established within the Office of the Secretary at HHS in 2005. That year, the Department awarded nine contracts to conduct work in several key areas of the health IT initiative:
HHS’ progress on health IT in 2005 provided momentum to produce many tangible results in 2006. 2006: Major AccomplishmentsHHS’ many accomplishments on the health IT initiative in 2006 are already beginning to provide tangible value to health-care consumers today, while continuing to build momentum for the rapid advancement of interoperable health IT into the future. American Health Information Community (AHIC) In May, 2006, the American Health Information Community (AHIC) delivered its first set of recommendations to the Secretary of HHS. The Secretary officially accepted these unanimous recommendations in four work group areas:
Standards Harmonization In August, the AHIC recommended three sets of “Interoperability Specifications” approved by the Health Information Technology Standards Panel (HITSP)—a standards panel established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)—an organization contracted by HHS to develop a process for harmonizing hundreds of competing standards. Secretary Leavitt accepted these standards that form the basis of interoperability. He also accepted the AHIC’s recommendation for federal health-care delivery systems, which provide direct patient care, to develop an adoption plan to integrate these standards into their software systems by December, 2007. Executive Order on Value-Driven Health Care In August, 2006, the President issued an Executive Order committing federal departments and agencies that purchase and deliver health care to require the use of health IT that is based on interoperability standards recognized by the Secretary of HHS as new upgrades or systems are implemented within the federal system. Product Certification In 2006, the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT) certified the first 37 ambulatory—or clinician office-based—electronic health record products. The CCHIT seal of approval is awarded to products that meet base-line criteria for functionality, security, and interoperability. This certification encourages adoption of health IT by assuring providers that their systems can be a part of the future of health IT. Changes to Regulations HHS issued new regulations to allow certain arrangements in which a hospital or other health-care entity donates health IT and training services to health-care providers. These new regulations will accelerate adoption by health-care providers by giving them access to increased financial assistance in implementing health IT. Health IT Adoption Measurement Through a contract with HHS, George Washington University conducted a health IT adoption survey of physician offices to establish the baseline for current physician use of electronic health records at 10 percent. The survey also provided the criteria necessary to measure success in encouraging further adoption. Results These accomplishments will encourage broad, standards-based adoption of health IT that will improve the health and health care of all Americans. Already, markets are responding to federal leadership.
2007: Next StepsHHS accomplishments leading up to 2007 have laid the foundation of a robust health IT initiative that is already bringing value to health-care consumers and providers. With the organizations and contracts in place and a standards process established, additional progress for the year ahead will be rapid. Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN) Four prototype architectures for a Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN) were delivered in January, 2007. These prototypes were developed with functional requirements and security and business models for health information exchange. Their delivery marks the beginning of the next phase of NHIN work – to connect the prototypes and state and regional health information exchange efforts in “trial implementations” that will make up the “networks of networks” of the NHIN. American Health Information Community (AHIC) The American Health Information Community formed workgroups in 2006 that will make recommendations to the AHIC in the following areas:
Privacy and Security across State Lines To ensure that every patient’s privacy is consistently protected no matter where they receive care, a regular forum will convene state leaders to reach consensus on cross-border issues of privacy, security, physician licensure and health-care practice, and the states’ roles in health information exchange. In addition, a nation-wide summary of state privacy and security assessments, solutions, and implementation plans will be presented and used to consider national policy issues. The Federal Health Care Delivery System Plans will be completed across the federal government to implement the requirements of the President’s 2006 Executive Order on Value-Driven Health Care in a consistent and effective manner. These plans will apply to the federal government’s adoption of interoperable health IT within its own delivery system and the contracts it negotiates. Product Certification The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology will expand certification to inpatient—or hospital—electronic health record products. This will significantly increase patients’ (and their subsequent providers’) access to the health information generated during a hospitalization. Summary Each of these efforts is significant individually, and taken together, they will accelerate adoption of interoperable health IT and will form the basis of a health-care system that provides better care at lower cost to more Americans. To learn more about HHS’ health IT initiative, visit: |
Medical Identity Theft Final Report Privacy and Security Framework Announced NHIN December Forum Washington, DC ONC Strategic Plan Upcoming Events Medicine Meets Virtual Reality 17 Personal Experiences "We have hospitals in Afghanistan and Iraq, and many of the soldiers would arrive without records in Germany, with no record of the CAT scans or what happened in surgery in Afghanistan or Iraq. The clinicians in Germany would have to re-operate on the patient, would have to redo all their x-ray evaluations, CAT scans, etc...." ~ Colonel John Holcomb Stay Informed Stay Informed! Join our Listserv for automatic updates |