Health information exchange will take off in 2012, as will consumer and patient use of health information technology, according to National Coordinator for Health IT Farzad Mostashari in his latest HealthIT Buzz blog post. Mostashari also predicted that at least 100,000 providers will receive electronic health record incentive payments by the end of the year, but says that number is contingent on several parties--including technology vendors, hospital leaders and Regional Extension Centers--collaborating to increase provider efforts.
"As the businesses value for exchange increases, our standards efforts will bear fruit," he wrote earlier this week. "With increased value and lowered cost, information will start to flow."
ONC, of late, has centered its efforts on increasing consumer engagement through health IT. At yesterday's Care Innovation Summit in Washington, D.C., several initiatives focusing on consumer use of technology were launched, most notably the Discharge Follow-Up Appointment challenge.
"ONC will diligently keep encouraging the marketplace to develop mobile apps and other consumer-friendly platforms that get patients engaged," Mostashari said. "Once consumers start to see their own information, they will be more empowered to be partners in their own care and come to expect that providers will use health IT as a tool to help deliver high-quality care."
Additionally, Mostashari said he expects that providers soon will be able to see "direct connections between health IT" and how it pertains to success with new payment models geared toward provider accountability for patient outcomes. "We are headed toward a virtuous cycle where payment reform improves the business case for using health IT and greater use of health IT improves the chances that new payment models will succeed," he said.
To learn more:
- read Mostashari's full blog post