Urges incentives for improved quality, health outcomes, lower costs
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- The Department of Health and Human Services today released its Standards and Certification Criteria for Meaningful Use stage 2. The following should be attributed to Joel White, Executive Director of the Health IT Now Coalition:
“These rules are a good start, but more needs to be done to ensure doctors have the right information when treating patients. In the world of health IT, getting the right information at the right time about the right patient can literally mean life or death.
“Under the HHS rule, we will lose a year of interoperability which is simply unacceptable. Interoperability is the key to providing patients with the better care and safety they demand; and providers the tools they need to be successful care coordinators in ACOs and medical homes. Robust interoperability provides the platform that enables and enhances telemedicine. Without solid interoperability standards, remote monitoring doesn’t work and device to EHR data transfer won’t spur innovation.
“We will work with our partners and encourage HHS to move aggressively to pursue information exchange that promotes better health, better outcomes and lower costs. We can’t wait for this.”
A full review of the Health IT Now Coalition’s position is available here.
Health IT Now is a coalition of 62 patient, provider, employer and payer organizations that support the rapid adoption and use of heath information technology (health IT) to improve care, lower costs and enhance patient safety. Health IT will benefit patients and health care consumers while supporting health practitioners to make smart decisions about patient care while saving money. For more information, visit www.healthitnow.org.
CONTACT:
Health IT Now Coalition
Lindsay Murphy, 202-715-7853
KEYWORDS: United States North America District of Columbia
INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Technology Data Management Health Public Policy/Government Healthcare Reform Public Policy White House/Federal Government General Health Managed Care
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