Blumenthal Responds to Latest EHR Studies and Skeptics
via Health IT Buzz Blog: “The Evidence of HIT”
David Blumenthal, National Coordinator for Health IT, writes in the latest post (November 30, 2009) on Health IT Blog, “any bold new goal has to be reduced to practice, and skeptics are now asking appropriately whether the HIT program can succeed. A few recent studies have raised questions about whether health care organizations that have installed electronic health records are actually realizing the expected benefits.”
While taking scientific literature seriously and listening to skeptics, Blumenthal notes the high value and incentives Congress and ONC have placed on the “meaningful use” of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) by physicians and hospitals to “meet carefully designed new requirements for the use of EHRs that will translate into health improvements and cost reductions for the American people.”
Blumenthal concludes with examples of those bold, historic steps which continue to provide benefit: ”successful health and social programs in American history are Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the Community Health Center Program, and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.”
As a health care technical project manager engaged in EMR and PHR software deployments, I am very involved in the Oregon regional health care community. I am especially involved as it relates to interoperability and EMR adoption. Oregon is definitely a leader in EMR adoption at approximately 70%. Currently, I am working in collaboration with a number of organizations and the highest priority on their road maps is interoperability and implementing the right standards and satisfying the regulatory requirements so that we can exchange data between between the patient (PHR) and the physician (EMR). They expect to use whatever exchange (Microsoft Healthvault) or possibly another regional HIE, whichever one both fits the need first and is available. All of these are “in the works” but it is truly amazing to see the gears shifting and the full focus coming to bear on these challenges.
Meaningful Use and the money being sponsored by the ARRA and HITECH is why these organization (non-profit and for profit alike) have prioritized their goals so that interoperability and meaningful use can be achieved.
The health insurance and health care reform is causing an enormous shift in our country from the single individual and small health application start ups to large health systems are all repositioning their business goals to participate. To be successful in our “new economy” they will need to meet the government mandates and it’s a full on race. I for one, want to do everything in my power to meet the needs being requested by our government and so does the community with which I work.