ONC: Too many barriers to interoperability
Patients still often lack access to their own records, and providers often struggle to find patient data at the point of care when multiple healthcare providers maintain different pieces of data, according to a report to Congress from the Office of the National Coordinator.
Released last week, the report updated Congress on the status of interoperability efforts in health IT. Among the report's findings, payers often lack access to clinical data on groups of covered individuals to assess the value of services provided to their customers. Hurdles included technical barriers, financial barriers and trust barriers. (Report)
Mayo Clinic, Wake Forest Baptist Health join clinical research network
Mayo Clinic and Wake Forest Baptist Health are the latest members to join a clinical research network aimed at improving the use of EHR data on more than 14 million patients, Health Data Management reported.
The network is known as the Mid-South Clinical Data Research Network and was founded in 2014 with funding from the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. (Health Data Management)
American Telemedicine Association pushes feds to loosen prescribing rules
The American Telemedicine Association (ATA) is pushing for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) to loosen regulations that block mental health professionals from prescribing controlled substances via telehealth.
mHealthIntelligence reported that the ATA sent a letter to the DEA pushing for changes to the Ryan Haight Act, which bars providers from prescribing drugs without an in-person exam. Officials said changes are needed to allow prescribers to use telemedicine to open up access and help combat the opioid crisis. (mHealthIntelligence)