Category Archives: Government

Illinois, Wisconsin, New Hampshire Plans Brings to 18 ONC’s Approved Strategic and Operational Plans

Posted on by
Reply

Eighteen States/SDEs with Approved Strategic and Operational Plans

Excerpted from State HIE Toolkit 12/22/2010

Illinois announced that their plans were approved by ONC on Dec 21, 2010. With recent addtions of Wisconsin, New Hampshire, Idaho, North Carolina, Vermont, and Washington, this brings total to 18 the number of states with approved strategic and operational plans listed on ONC’s State HIE Toolkit. Approved plans include California, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, and Washington.

Illinois HIE Strategic and Operational Plan

Here are the links to Illinois’s approved plans from Illinois HIE site.

http://www.hie.illinois.gov/sop.html 

State HIE Toolkit Updated 12/21/2010

The list below represents the currently approved state specific strategic and operational plans for creating Health Information Exchange capacity. [Note: Several state plans have not yet been published. State of Washington’s original submission and ONC response are shown, but final plan has not yet been published. Most of the links go to PDF files.] While Illinois has been added to ONC’s State HIE Toolkit chart (not yet shown below),  links to Illinois plan have not yet been added on ONC site.

The list below represents the currently approved state specific strategic and operational plans for creating Health Information Exchange capacity.

State

Strategic /Operational Plans

and

State Summaries

 Entity Responsible for Grant Plan Approval Date
California

Strategic and Operational Plans

To view the documents separately click here (easier download)

 California Health and Human Services Agency 6/16/2010
Delaware  Pending Delaware Health Information Network 5/17/2010
Idaho  Pending Idaho Health Data Exchange 12/7/2010
Illinois  Pending Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services 12/20/2010
Maryland Strategic and Operational Plans The Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene 5/14/2010
Michigan

Strategic and Operational Plans

Amendment 1

 Michigan Department of Health 11/29/2010
Nebraska Strategic and Operational Plans Nebraska Department of Administrative Services 11/5/2010
New Hampshire  Pending New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services 12/10/2010
New Mexico Strategic and Operational Plans LCF Research, New Mexico 1/25/2010
North Carolina

Strategic and Operational Plans

State Summary

 North Carolina Department of State Treasurer 11/3/2010
Oregon  Pending State of Oregon 12/10/2010
South Carolina Strategic and Operational Plans South Carolina Department of Health & Human Services 8/30/2010
Tennessee

Strategic and Operational Plans

Gap Analysis

State Summary

 State of Tennessee 9/17/2010
Texas Strategic and Operational Plans Texas Health and Human Services Commission 11/3/2010
Utah Strategic and Operational Plans Utah Department of Health 5/12/2010
Vermont Strategic and Operational Plans Vermont Department of Human Services 10/26/2010
Washington  Pending Washington Health Care Authority 12/10/2010
Wisconsin  Pending Wisconsin Department of Health and Family Services 12/20/2010

See e-Healthcare Marketing post for 32 State Health Information Exchange Plans, last updated on November 21, 2010. The Nov 21 update still needs to be reviewed and revised based on plan revisions not yet captured in that post.

‘Health IT: Making Health Care Better’: Commentary on America’s Health Rankings Site

Posted on by
Reply

‘Health IT: Making Health Care Better’ by Sachin Jain
On the Web site dedicated for 20 years to using data to promote better health in the United States, Sachin H. Jain, MD, MBA, wrote a commentary on the role of the national HITECH initiative to collect and exchange health information for better patient care.  Titled  “Health IT: Making Health Care Better,” Jain’s commentary appears on the 21st Edition of America’s Health Rankings®: A Call to Action for Individuals and Their Communities. Jain is special assistant to the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.

Jain discusses using electronic health records to improve patient quality management, encourage better clincal decisions, providing health information where and when it is needed, and getting information from here to there.

To read Jain’s commentary, click here.

ONC’s Kendall blogs about ‘Regional Extension Centers Supporting EHR Adoption’

Posted on by
Reply
Regional Extension Centers Supporting EHR Adoption
Tuesday, December 14th, 2010 | Posted by: Mat Kendall Director Office of Provider Adoption Support on ONC Health IT Buzz blog and republished here by e-Healthcare Marketing.

The Regional Extension Centers (RECs) located across the country play a critical role in advancing the use of health information technology (health IT). They are charged with guiding some 100,000 health care providers in their efforts to establish and meaningfully use electronic health records in their practices. They offer a variety of services including outreach and education, and on-the-ground assistance.

With a total of 62 RECs, we are in every area of the U.S. to assist health care providers in their transition to electronic health records. To ensure that these critical partners have the knowledge and tools they need to assist their area’s health care providers, leaders from ONC’s Office of Provider Adoption Support  spend a good deal of time on the road meeting with REC staff members.

So far we’ve held workshops and seminars on topics like meaningful use, privacy and security, vendor selection, and workforce development.  We’ve had the chance to participate in events where leaders from different RECs come together to network and share best practices.  And we’ve learned about new ways we can support our RECs in their mission to help health care providers adopt electronic health records.

We are now implementing several new initiatives as a result of what we’ve learned from our REC partners:

  • An interactive online community that houses a wealth of tools and resources for RECs to obtain strategic health IT support and exchange ideas
  • An Outreach, Education, and Marketing Guide to assist RECs in their outreach efforts
  • A Meaningful Use Vanguard (MUV) cohort to showcase and reward health care providers who are true health IT ambassadors
  • Outreach campaigns to assist RECs in their recruitment of participating health care providers
  • Partnering with EHR vendors to identify best practices for working together to meet the needs of providers

These initiatives are only the beginning.

Our RECs are in the field, actively recruiting and signing on providers to their services. To date, our RECs have enrolled over 28,000 providers and for the last 12 weeks, the RECs across the country have enrolled on average over 1,000 providers a week.   Some RECs, such as Mississippi and Maine have enrolled over 60% of their overall primary care provider target.  Others, such as Colorado, the California Health Information Partnership Service Organization, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New York City Washington/Idaho RECs have enrolled over 1,000 providers in the last few weeks.

We are looking forward to hearing more about the RECs and their accomplishments at the 2010 ONC Update Meeting, December 14-15, in Washington D.C. This meeting will be a great opportunity to continue our dialogue with the RECs and learn about other ways we can support them. We want to ensure that the RECs are fully equipped to help our nation’s health care providers become meaningful users of electronic health records.

To find out more about the REC program in general, visit healthit.hhs.gov/REC.
###

To post comments directly on ONC Health IT Buzz blog post, please click here.

Meaningful Use Vanguard Program
To see an example at a state REC level of the Meaningful Use Vanguard Program launched November 15, 2010, see the “The West Virginia Regional HIT Extension Center (WVRHITEC) [which] has established a new physician-to-physician outreach and education program designed to assist and help foster more widespread adoption and use of electronic health record systems in West Virginia.” Click here.

Blumenthal Letter #21: 2010 ONC Update [and Welcome to 2010 ONC Conference]

Posted on by
Reply

2010 ONC Update
Dr. David BlumenthalA Message from Dr. David Blumenthal, the National Coordinator for Health Information TechnologyDecember 10, 2010
Accessed from ONC site 12/13/2010.

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), and other HHS agencies are dedicated to improving the nation’s health care through health information technology (health IT).

Since the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act was signed into law in February 2009, we have established a number of initiatives that will help make it possible for providers to achieve meaningful use and for Americans to benefit from electronic health records as part of a modernized, interconnected, and vastly improved system of care delivery.

This year alone, we have established a number of important policies and programs to help lay the foundation for providers to begin their journey toward meaningful use. These include: 

It’s been a busy year for health IT at HHS.

We are looking forward to discussing more about all of our HITECH initiatives to date, as well as our future activities, at the upcoming 2010 ONC Update Meeting on December 14 and 15.

Over the course of this two-day meeting, we are offering a number of sessions that will give participants a better understanding of the HITECH regulations and the role that HITECH plays in health system change and health care reform. Some session topics include:

  • HITECH programs that support providers in achieving meaningful use
  • How HITECH initiatives will promote consumer empowerment and public engagement
  • Privacy and security policies

Our panelists and invited speakers include HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and leaders from CDC, CMS, OCR, ONC and organizations who have a stake in our work. We are excited about the opportunity to share information and ideas.

The plenary sessions at this meeting will be streamed through a live webcast. Details about the webcast are available on the ONC website: http://healthit.hhs.gov/ONCMeeting2010.

Thank you in advance for joining us at the 2010 ONC Update Meeting and for supporting our vision of a higher quality, safer, and more efficient health care system enabled by health information technology.

Sincerely,
David Blumenthal, MD, MPP
National Coordinator for Health Information Technology

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) encourages you to share this information as we work together to enhance the quality, safety and value of care and the health of all Americans through the use of electronic health records and health information technology.

For more information and to receive regular updates from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, please subscribe to  ONC’s Health IT News list.

Two New EHR Testing and Certification Labs; CHPL List shows Additional Software Required

Posted on by
1
ONC Site Reflects Changes: Additional Test Labs and Additional Software
Two new ONC-Authorized Testing and Certification Bodies (ATCBs) were authorized on December 10, 2010 to test and certify complete EHRs and EHR modules: Mechanicsburg, PA-based ICSA Labs and Denver, CO-based SLI Global Solutions.

Also, the CHPL list or Certified HIT Product List which “provides the authoritative, comprehensive listing of Complete EHRs and EHR Modules that have been tested and certified under the Temporary Certification Program” has been modified to reflect “additional software required.” While most of the additional software required impacts ambulatory systems, it also impacts a number of  Inpatient systems. Email software appears to be the most needed software. In many cases additional components by the vendor are required as well. This area of additional software needs to be further reviewed by this blog and purchasers. The latest list is dated December 4, 2010, but was accessed on December 11, 2010.

ONC-Authorized Testing and Certification Bodies
Excerpted from Office of National Coordinator for Health IT site on 12/11/2010
The following organizations have been selected as ONC-Authorized Testing and Certification Bodies (ATCBs):
  • ICSA Labs – Mechanicsburg PA
    Date of authorization: December 10, 2010.
    Scope of authorization: Complete EHR and EHR Modules.
  • SLI Global Solutions – Denver CO
    Date of authorization: December 10, 2010.
    Scope of authorization: Complete EHR and EHR Modules.
  • Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT) – Chicago, Ill.
    Date of authorization: September 3, 2010.
    Scope of authorization: Complete EHR and EHR Modules.
  • Drummond Group, Inc. (DGI) – Austin, Texas.
    Date of authorization: September 3, 2010.
    Scope of authorization: Complete EHR and EHR Modules.
  • InfoGard Laboratories, Inc. – San Luis Obispo, CA
    Date of authorization: September 24, 2010.
    Scope of authorization: Complete EHR and EHR Modules.

The organizations listed above have been authorized to perform Complete EHR and/or EHR Module testing and certification. These ONC-ATCBs are required to test and certify EHRs to the applicable certification criteria adopted by the Secretary under subpart C of Part 170 Part II and Part III as stipulated in the Standards and Certification Criteria Final Rule.

Certification by an ATCB will signify to eligible professionals, hospitals, and critical access hospitals that an EHR technology has the capabilities necessary to support their efforts to meet the goals and objectives of meaningful use.

Learn more about ONC-ATCBs:

Beacon Community Videos: ‘Improving Health Through Health Information Technology’ Posted on ONC site

Posted on by
Reply

‘Improving Health Through Health Information Technology’
Video, description and Web site of each Beacon Community Program Awardee by the Office of the National Coordinator(ONC)  for Health IT’ was posted on ONC’s site on December 8.

“The Beacon Community Cooperative Agreement Program provides funding to 17 selected communities throughout the United States that have already made inroads in the development of secure, private, and accurate systems of electronic health record (EHR) adoption and health information exchange. The Beacon Program will support these communities to build and strengthen their health information technology (health IT) infrastructure and exchange capabilities to improve care coordination, increase the quality of care, and slow the growth of health care spending.”

Beacon Community Program

Beacon Community Program

These are excerpts accessed on December 9, 2010:

The 17 Beacon Communities will focus on specific and measurable improvement goals in the three vital areas for health systems improvement: quality, cost-efficiency, and population health, to demonstrate the ability of health IT to transform local health care systems. The goals vary according to the needs and priorities of each community. For instance, some communities will focus in the care for chronic conditions such as asthma, heart failure, and diabetes to illustrate how costs can be reduced and patient care improved through the collection, analysis, and sharing of clinical data.

Beacon Communities

Listed below are the 17 Beacon Communities, their awards, and snapshot of their goals. To view further information about a specific Beacon Community, click the name of the community.

Beacon Community

Award Amount

Goal
Bangor Beacon Community, Brewer, ME $12,749,740 Improve the health of patients with diabetes, lung disease, heart disease, and asthma by enhancing care management; improving access to, and use of, adult immunization data; preventing unnecessary ED visits and re-admissions to hospitals; and facilitating access to patient records using health information technology.
Beacon Community of the Inland Northwest, Spokane, WA $15,702,479 Increase care coordination for patients with diabetes in rural areas and expand the existing health information exchange to provide a higher level of connectivity throughout the region.
Central Indiana Beacon Community, Indianapolis, IN $16,008,431 Expand the country’s largest Health Information Exchange to new community providers in order to improve cholesterol and blood sugar control for diabetic patients and reduce preventable re-admissions through telemonitoring of high risk chronic disease patients after hospital discharge.
Colorado Beacon Community, Grand Junction, CO $11,878,279 Demonstrate how costs can be reduced and patient care improved, through the collection, analysis, and sharing of clinical data, and the redesign of primary care practices and clinics.
Crescent City Beacon Community, New Orleans, LA $13,525,434 Reduce racial health disparities and improve control of diabetes and smoking cessation rates by linking technically isolated health systems, providers, and hospitals; and empower patients by increasing their access to Personal Health Records.
Delta BLUES Beacon Community, Stoneville, MS $14,666,156 Improve access to care for diabetic patients through the meaningful use of electronic health records and health information exchange by primary care providers in the Mississippi Delta, and increase the efficiency of health care in the area by reducing excess health care costs for patients with diabetes through the use of electronic health record.
Greater Cincinnati Beacon Community, Cincinnati, OH $13,775,630 Develop new quality improvement and care coordination initiatives focusing on patients with pediatric asthma, adult diabetes, and encouraging smoking cessation, and provide better clinical information and IT “decision support” tools to physicians, health systems, federally qualified health centers, and critical access hospitals.
Greater Tulsa Health Access Network Beacon Community, Tulsa, OK $12,043,948 Leverage broad community partnerships with hospitals, providers, payers, and government agencies to expand a community-wide care coordination system, which will increase appropriate referrals for cancer screenings, decrease unnecessary specialist visits and (with telemedicine) increase access to care for patients with diabetes.
Hawaii County Beacon Community, Hilo, HI $16,091,390 Improve the health of the Hawaii Island residents through implementation of a series of healthcare system improvements and interventions across independent hospitals, physicians and physician groups. Engaging patients in their own healthcare is also a primary focus.
Keystone Beacon Community, Danville, PA $16,069,110 Establish community-wide care coordination through the expanded availability and use of health information technology for both clinicians and patients in a five-county area to enhance care for patients with pulmonary disease and congestive heart failure.
Rhode Island Beacon Community, Providence, RI $15,914,787 Improve the management of care through several health information technology initiatives to support Rhode Island’s transition to the Patient Centered Medical Home model, which create systems to measure and report processes and outcomes that drive improved quality, reduce health care costs, and improve health outcomes.
San Diego Beacon Community, San Diego, CA $15,275,115 Expand electronic health information exchange to enable providers to improve medical care decisions and overall care quality, to empower patients to engage in their own health management, and to reduce unnecessary and redundant testing.
Southeast Michigan Beacon Community, Detroit, MI $16,224,370 Make long-term, sustainable improvements in the quality and efficiency of diabetes care through leveraging existing and new technologies across health care settings, and providing practical support to help clinicians, nurses, and other health professionals make the best use of electronic health data.
Southeastern Minnesota Beacon Community, Rochester, MN $12,284,770 Enhance patient care management, reduce costs associated with hospitalization and emergency services for patients with diabetes and childhood asthma, and reduce health disparities for underserved populations and rural communities.
Southern Piedmont Beacon Community, Concord, NC $15,907,622 Increase use health information technology, including health information exchange among providers and increased patient access to health records to improve coordination of care, encourage patient involvement in their own medical care, and improve health outcomes while controlling cost.
Utah Beacon Community, Salt Lake City, UT $15,790,181 Improve the management and coordination of care for patients with diabetes and other life-threatening conditions, decrease unnecessary costs in the health care system, and improve public health.
Western New York Beacon Community, Buffalo, NY $16,092,485 Expand the Western New York network, close gaps in service, and improve health outcomes for patients with diabetes.

ONC 2010 Update Webcast: Dec 14-15, 2010

Posted on by
Reply

Save the Date: ONC 2010 Update Webcast
December 14-15, 2010
Received via email from Office of National Coordinator (ONC) for Health IT on 12/8/2010:
To participate in the Webcast, click here. No pre-registration required.

Please join the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) for a live webcast of plenary sessions as part of the 2010 ONC Update on December 14-15, 2010.

Ten sessions, offered over the two-day period, will provide an overview of programs brought about by the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act to help participants gain a better understanding of how these programs will address barriers and support providers in achieving meaningful use.

The sessions will also provide an overview of ONC’s vision and strategy for improving health and health care through information technology and will offer a detailed look at key elements of ONC and related HHS programs, including:

• Overview of HITECH programs designed to support providers in achieving meaningful use, including the extension center program and ONC’s many workforce development programs

• Update on privacy regulations and activities in the Office of the Chief Privacy Officer

• Overview of the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs

• Strategies for getting to health information exchange

• Promoting patient-centered care delivery by empowering consumers and engaging the public

• Strategies for improving care and population health

• Encouraging innovation, rapid learning and technological advancement

Speakers include:

• Kathleen Sebelius, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary

• David Blumenthal, MD, MPP, National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, ONC

• Farzad Mostashari, MD, ScM, Deputy National Coordinator for Programs and Policy, ONC

• Joy Pritts, JD, HHS Chief Privacy Officer, ONC

• Don Berwick, MD, Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

• Thomas R. Frieden, MD, MPH, Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

• Todd Park, Chief Technology Officer, HHS

• Other Health IT leaders and professionals

An agenda of the meeting is available at http://healthit.hhs.gov/ONCMeeting2010 [or see below].

To participate in the Webcast, click here. No pre-registration required.

2010 ONC Update – Meeting Agenda

December 14 – 15, 2010
Available via Live Webcast [Details to come]

Information on how to participate in the webcast will be posted on the agenda before the meeting.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

8:30 – 9:00 am Opening Remarks
Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)

Introduction by David Blumenthal, MD, MPP
National Coordinator for Health Information Technology
Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), HHS

9:00 – 9:45 am
An Overview of ONC’s Vision and the Role of Health IT and HITECH in Health System Change and Health Care Reform
David Blumenthal, MD, MPP
National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, ONC

Donald Berwick, MD
Administrator, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), HHS

9:45 – 10:15 am
An Overview of ONC’s Strategy and Programs
Farzad Mostashari, MD, ScM, Deputy National Coordinator for Programs and Policy, ONC

10:15 – 11:00 am
Break

11:00 – 12:15 pm
Update on Privacy Regulations and Activities in the Office of the Chief Privacy Officer
Joy Pritts, JD, HHS Chief Privacy Officer, ONC

12:15 – 12:30 pm
Break

12:30 – 2:00 pm
Getting to Health Information Exchange
Farzad Mostashari, MD, ScM, Deputy National Coordinator for Programs and Policy, ONC
Doug Fridsma, MD, PhD, Director, Office of Standards and Interoperability, ONC
Claudia Williams, Acting Director, State Health Information Exchange Program, ONC

2:00 – 2:15 pm
Break

2:15 – 3:30 pm
An Overview of HITECH Programs Supporting Providers in Achieving Meaningful Use

Moderator:
Mat Kendall, Director, Office of Provider Adoption and Support, ONC

Panelists:
Paul Kleeberg, MD, Clinical Director, REACH
Robyn Leone, Regional Extension Center Director, Colorado Regional Health Information Organization
Norma Morganti, Executive Director, Midwest Community College Health IT Consortium, led by Cuyahoga Community College
Rick Shoup, Director, Massachusetts eHealth Institute

3:30 – 3:45 pm
Break

3:45 – 5:00 pm
An Overview of Medicare and Medicaid Incentive Programs

Moderator:
Michelle Mills, CMS

Panelists:
Robert Anthony, CMS
Elizabeth Holland, CMS
Jessica Kahn, CMS

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

9:30 – 10:45 am
Promoting Patient-Centered Care Delivery by Empowering Consumers, Engaging the Public

Moderator:
Joshua Seidman, PhD, Director, Meaningful Use, ONC

Panelists:
Christine Bechtel, Vice President, National Partnership for Women and Families
Silas Buchanan, Director of E-Health Initiatives, The Cave Institute
Tom Sellers, MPA, President and Chief Executive Officer, 11-Year Cancer Survivor, National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship

10:45 – 1:00 pm
Break

1:00 – 1:45 pm
The Role of HITECH in Supporting Public Health Goals
Thomas R. Frieden, MD, MPH, Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, HHS

2:00 – 3:15 pm
Encouraging Innovation: Rapid Learning and Technological Advancement
Todd Park, Chief Technology Officer, HHS

3:15 – 3:30 pm
Break|

3:30 – 4:00 pm
Closing Remarks
Farzad Mostashari, MD, ScM, Deputy National Coordinator for Programs and Policy, ONC

Michigan, Nebraska brings to Eleven, No. of Strategic & Operational Plans Approved by ONC; Eight of which ONC has posted

Posted on by
Reply

Plans Approved for California, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah
Versions of ten of eleven state plans are publicly available.”
See updated list–15 state plans–on e-Healthcare Marketing post from December 18, 2010.
These plans and dates were excerpted on December 8, 2010 from Office of National Coordinator (ONC) for Health IT’s “State HIE Toolkit.” These are from section called “Planning Examples & Case Studies.”

“The State HIE Toolkit is a compilation of resources provided under the auspices of the State HIE Program sponsored by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC).”

Examples of ONC approved Strategic and Operational Plans:

  1. New Mexico Strategic and Operational Plan V2 (update posted 5/18/10) 
  2. Utah Strategic and Operational Plan (posted 5/18/10)
  3. Maryland Strategic and Operational Plan (posted 6/10/10)
  4. Tennessee Gap Analysis and Strategic and Operational Plans (posted 10/1/10)
  5. South Carolina Strategic and Operational Plans (posted 10/5/10)
  6. Texas Strategic and Operational Plan (posted 12/1/10)
  7. Nebraska Strategic and Operational Plans (posted 12/7/10)
  8. Michigan Strategic and Operational Plans and Amendment (posted 12/7/10)

States/SDEs with Approved Strategic and Operational Plans
Updated 12/8/10
Both California and Maine plans, while not yet posted by ONC, have been previously posted on e-Healthcare Marketing. (See link at bottom of this post.) Still need to ascertain if the California and Maine plans posted on e-Healthcare Marketing are final approved plans.

State Date Approved Date Posted Documents
California 6/16/2010 Will be posted soon  
Delaware 5/17/2010 Will be posted soon  
Maine 8/16/10 Will be posted soon  
Maryland 5/14/10 6/10/10
New Mexico 1/25/10 5/18/10
South Carolina 8/30/10 10/5/10
Tennessee 9/17/10 10/1/10
Utah 5/12/10 5/18/10
Texas 11/3/10 12/1/10
Nebraska   12/7/10
Michigan   12/7/10

See e-Healthcare Marketing post for 31 State Health Information Exchange Plans, last updated on November 21, 2010. The Nov 21 update still needs to be reviewed and revised based on plan revisions not yet captured in that post.

Test Procedures for EHR Temp Certification finalized with Errata: Version 1.1 published 12/3

Posted on by
Reply

Approved Test Procedures Version 1.1
This information was published on NIST site on 12/3/2010, and accessed 12/7/2010.

12/3 UPDATE – NIST has published errata for the Approved Test Procedures, Version 1.1. The errata documents contain technical corrections based on public feedback. Test procedures that have errata issued are noted in the table below. [Each errata in table refers to the test procedure above it.]

The Approved Test Procedures, Version 1.1, as well as associated erratum, are effective for use in the ONC Temporary Certification Program on October 24, 2010. Descriptions of the specific changes are found in the Version 1.1 Release Notes.

The Version 1.1 update constitutes the final development update to the Approved Test Procedures. Future updates will be done through a maintenance process and release schedule. Maintenance updates will primarily be based on the need for minor technical corrections or ONC policy direction. Updated test procedures will be released on a 6 month schedule. The next test procedure release (version 2) is anticipated in April, 2011.

The Final Rule and related information is found at http://healthit.hhs.gov.

Questions about the applicability of the initial set of standards, implementation specifications, and certification criteria should be directed to ONC at ONC.Certification@hhs.gov. Questions about the test procedures should be directed to NIST at hit-tst-fdbk@nist.gov. Note that NIST will automatically forward to ONC at the address above any questions regarding the applicability of the standards, implementation specifications, and certification criteria. Questions about functions and activities of the ATCBs should be directed to ONC at ONC.Certification@hhs.gov

Criteria # Certification Criteria Test Method Date Published
§170.302 (a) Drug-drug, drug-allergy interaction checks Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.302 (b) Drug formulary checks Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.302 (c) Maintain up-to-date problem list Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
Errata: Errata Icon 12/03/2010
§170.302 (d) Maintain active medication list Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
Errata: Errata Icon 12/03/2010
§170.302 (e) Maintain active medication allergy list Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.302 (f)(1) Vital signs Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
Errata: Errata Icon 12/03/2010
§170.302 (f)(2) Calculate body mass index Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.302 (f)(3) Plot and display growth charts Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.302 (g) Smoking status Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.302 (h) Incorporate laboratory test results Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
Errata: Errata Icon 12/03/2010
§170.302 (i) Generate patient lists Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.302 (j) Medication reconciliation Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.302 (k) Submission to immunization registries Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
Errata: Errata Icon 12/03/2010
§170.302 (l) Public health surveillance Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.302 (m) Patient specific education resources Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
Errata: Errata Icon 12/03/2010
§170.302 (n) Automated measure calculation Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
Errata: Errata Icon 12/03/2010
§170.302 (o) Access control Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.302 (p) Emergency access Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.302 (q) Automatic log-off Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.302 (r) Audit log Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.302 (s) Integrity Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.302 (t) Authentication Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.302 (u) General encryption Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.302 (v) Encryption when exchanging electronic health information Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
Errata: Errata Icon 12/03/2010
§170.302 (w) Accounting of disclosures (optional) Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.304 (a) Computerized provider order entry Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
Errata: Errata Icon 12/03/2010
§170.304 (b) Electronic Prescribing Test Procedure: PDF Icon 10/01/2010
Errata: Errata Icon 12/03/2010
§170.304 (c) Record demographics Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.304 (d) Patient reminders Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.304 (e) Clinical decision support Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.304 (f) Electronic copy of health information Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
Errata: Errata Icon 12/03/2010
§170.304 (g) Timely access Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.304 (h) Clinical summaries Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
Errata: Errata Icon 12/03/2010
§170.304 (i) Exchange clinical information and patient summary record Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
Errata: Errata Icon 12/03/2010
§170.304 (j) Calculate and submit clinical quality measures Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.306 (a) Computerized provider order entry Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.306 (b) Record demographics Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.306 (c) Clinical decision support Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.306 (d)(1) Electronic copy of health information Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
Errata: Errata Icon 12/03/2010
§170.306 (d)(2) Electronic copy of health informationNote: For discharge summary Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.306 (e) Electronic copy of discharge instructions Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.306 (f) Exchange clinical information and patient summary record Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
Errata: Errata Icon 12/03/2010
§170.306 (g) Reportable lab results Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
Errata: Errata Icon 12/03/2010
§170.306 (h) Advance directives Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010
§170.306 (i) Calculate and submit clinical quality measures Test Procedure: PDF Icon 09/24/2010

ONC Issues ‘Health Information Exchange Challenge Program’ Announcement

Posted on by
Reply

State Grants to Promote Health Information Technology (Health Information Exchange Challenge Program)
Notice of Intent to Apply Due Dec 10, 2010; Applications Dues Jan 5, 2011
Announced by Office of National Coordinator(ONC)  for Health IT on December 3, 2010.
Supplement to current State HIE Awardees
Synopsis: “This funding announcement for the Health Information Exchange Challenge Program encourages breakthrough progress for nationwide health information exchange in five challenge areas identified as key needs since Federal and State governments began implementation of the HITECH Act. The awards will fund the development of technology and approaches that will be developed in pilot sites and then shared, reused, and leveraged by other states and communities to increase nationwide interoperability.

“The five themes include:
1. Achieving health goals through health information exchange
2. Improving long-term and post-acute care transitions
3. Giving patients access to their own health information
4. Developing tools and approaches to search for and share granular patient data (such as specific lab results for a given time period)
5. Fostering strategies for population-level analysis”

“Awards will range between $1 million and $2 million each, and will be in the form of supplemental funding to State Health Information Exchange Cooperative Agreements, which have provided approximately half a billion dollars to states and State designated entities to enable health information exchange. Funding for this initiative is approximately $16 million which ONC anticipates will support 10 awards.”

ONC Listing for Program
Funding Announcement [PDF]

Excerpted from PDF on 12/06/2010:

1. Funding Opportunity Description
 

A. Background and Purpose
Background

On February 1, 2009, the President signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). This statute includes the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009 (the HITECH Act) that sets forth a plan for advancing the appropriate use of health information technology to improve the quality and efficiency of care. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) was statutorily created by the HITECH Act within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). ONC serves as the principal federal entity charged with coordinating the overall effort to implement a nationwide health information technology infrastructure that allows for the electronic use and exchange of health information.
As authorized by ARRA (Title XIII, Health Information Technology, Subtitle B, Incentives for Use of Health Information Technology, Sec. 3013, State Grants to Promote Health Information Exchange), the State Health Information Exchange (HIE) Cooperative Agreement Program provides funding to states for planning, capacity building, and implementation activities that will enable health care providers to share health information throughout the continuum of care in order to improve the quality and efficiency of health care.
On August 20, 2009, ONC issued a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA), making $564 million available to states or State Designated Entities (SDEs) to develop and implement the governance, policies, technical services, business operations and financing mechanisms necessary to advance appropriate and secure health information exchange across the health care system. A Program Information Notice (PIN) was released on July 6, 2010 further detailing the expectations for the strategic and operational HIE plans developed and implemented by states and SDEs.

This FOA seeks to build on other funding opportunities by making approximately $16 million available for targeted initiatives in five areas.

Purpose
 

Widespread adoption and meaningful use of HIT is a foundational step in improving the quality and efficiency of health care. The appropriate and secure electronic exchange and consequent use of health information to improve quality and coordination of care is a critical enabler of a high performance health care system.
The State Health Information Exchange Cooperative Agreement Program is intended to:
• Enable statewide capacity for HIE to allow eligible professionals and hospitals to qualify for Medicare and Medicaid meaningful use incentives;

• Ensure that states address privacy and security issues to allow for the proper access to and use of personal health information;

• Build off of existing state-level and regional efforts to advance HIE;

• Encourage the use of shared resources, services, and state directories to reduce HIE development costs and facilitate interoperability among providers within states; and

• Provide states with enough flexibility to accommodate their unique requirements, yet ensure nationwide interoperability on a policy and technical level.

This funding announcement encourages breakthrough progress for nationwide health information exchange in five challenge areas identified as key needs since Federal and State governments began implementation of the HITECH Act. The awards will fund the development of technology and approaches that will be developed in pilot sites and then shared, reused, and leveraged by other states and communities to increase nationwide interoperability.

ONC recognizes that achieving breakthrough innovations requires taking risks. In each of the five challenge themes we need rapid discovery of what approaches work, and which do not. ONC is not looking for applicants to exactly replicate known success, but to recommend innovative and potentially scalable approaches and a strategy for testing what works, making adjustments to the approach and quickly and publicly sharing the results.

Building on the Strategy for Nationwide Interoperability
 

The five challenge themes in this funding opportunity announcement address persistent barriers to nationwide health information exchange and interoperability.
 

The two challenge themes related to consumer-mediated information exchange—whereby consumers aggregate and maintain their own health information through a personal health record or other tools—and inclusion of long-term and post-acute care (LTPAC) providers in health information exchange aim to facilitate the development, implementation, and dissemination of health information exchange solutions for stakeholders with unique interoperability concerns. While existing state and SDE grantees have incorporated private sector actors, such as primary care providers, health IT vendors, health plans, and Regional Extension Centers (RECs), into their HIE strategic and operational plans, breakthrough solutions are needed to reach other stakeholders critical to the success of the nationwide strategy.
The two challenge themes enabling population-level health analytics and enhanced data queries aim to advance analytic resources and scalable solutions to leverage health information exchange for population level learning and improvement. Breakthrough solutions in these challenge themes will lead to the identification of more effective care delivery strategies, quality reporting, and surveillance for public health risks.
The final challenge theme is geared toward demonstrating improved health outcomes through health information exchange, demonstrating how interoperability among clinical systems can transform health care to achieve measurable health care improvement.

Encouraging the Use, Reuse, and Leveraging of Technical Solutions Developed Under Challenge Grants for Nationwide Health Information Exchange
 

The breakthrough solutions, designs, and processes created under these challenge grants shall be made available to any state or SDE for incorporation into their health information exchange activities.
To receive an award through this FOA, applicants must demonstrate their ability to satisfy a number of general funding requirements. These requirements include: 1) making breakthrough solutions openly available and re-useable by other regions, states, and/or SDEs; 2) creating initiatives that are easily scalable to other regions, states, and/or SDEs; and 3) participating in an open, transparent sharing process which may require participation in a learning community and/or mentoring and supporting other grantees.

B. Project Approach
 

Each application shall address one of the challenge themes and the general funding requirements outlined below. ONC expects to make approximately ten awards ranging from $1 million to $2 million as supplements to current Cooperative Agreements with states and SDEs.
Applications must address two key aspects of this program:
• Implement an effective and scalable initiative addressing a specific challenge theme from the list provided below

• Broadly share and disseminate the results and innovations developed in the program