By Janet Campbell (Epic), Chair, EHR Association Social Determinants of Health & Health Equity Task Force
A patient’s risk within social determinant of health (SDOH) domains is typically assessed by social care or healthcare professionals through either conversation or use of standard screening questionnaires or validated testing instruments. The challenge, however, is a lack of consensus on which specific domains should be assessed for patients, and how they should be assessed.
(more…)Posted by EHR Association on May 14, 2024
https://ehrablog.org/2024/05/14/recommendations-for-capturing-social-determinants/
By Josh Mast (Oracle Health), Chair, EHR Association Public Policy Leadership Workgroup
As the 21st Century Cures Act transitions from policy to practice, numerous states are looking at their interoperability and privacy regulations with an eye toward enacting laws governing healthcare and health IT utilization. This includes establishing state health data utilities (HDUs), health information exchanges (HIEs), and data sharing agreements.
The EHR Association supports states’ ability to gather information for public health, population health, and other purposes. However, a patchwork regulatory approach could create unintended roadblocks to the secure national exchange of and access to critical health information.
(more…)Posted by EHR Association on April 30, 2024
https://ehrablog.org/2024/04/30/states-should-look-to-tefca-when-regulating-data-exchange/
By Leigh Burchell (Altera Digital Health), Vice Chair, EHR Association Information Blocking Compliance Task Force
The EHR Association submitted feedback to the Office of the National Coordinator’s proposed rule for Health Information Technology (ONC) concerning the Establishment of Disincentives for Health Care Providers That Have Committed Information Blocking. This proposed rule aims to establish disincentives for healthcare providers found guilty of information blocking. The Association’s comments, while reinforcing our commitment to improving information sharing, also highlight the need for a more inclusive approach to disincentives that could motivate a wider range of healthcare providers to embrace information sharing best practices.
(more…)Posted by EHR Association on March 29, 2024
https://ehrablog.org/2024/03/29/advocating-for-inclusive-disincentives-to-support-broader-information-sharing/
By Tammy Coutts (MEDITECH), Vice Chair of the EHR Association User Experience Work Group, and Libby Eddings (Oracle Health), Member of the User Experience Work Group
Disability isn’t a lightbulb that switches on and off. Nor do symptoms travel in a straight line. In fact, the only certainty about disabilities is they will, at some point, impact nearly everyone.
This is why inclusive EHR design must start from a point of understanding that ability and disability exist on a spectrum. Doing so is the first step to fully eliminating accessibility barriers and empowering healthcare professionals and patients alike to utilize these tools to their fullest extent.
(more…)Posted by EHR Association on March 18, 2024
https://ehrablog.org/2024/03/18/inclusive-ehr-design-starts-with-understanding-the-disability-spectrum/
By Anne Snowdon RN, PhD, FAAN, Chief Scientific Research Officer, HIMSS, and Dana Trampas, Digital Health Advisor, HIMSS
In today’s rapidly evolving healthcare landscape, the concept of digital maturity stands as a beacon of progress, promising to revolutionize patient safety, quality of care, and workforce sustainability. Collaborative efforts between the HIMSS OSR (Office of Scientific Research) and the Leapfrog Group have shed light on the transformative impact of digital maturity in US hospitals, creating the evidence to inform strategies to accelerate progress towards advanced digital health ecosystems.
(more…)Posted by EHR Association on February 29, 2024
https://ehrablog.org/2024/02/29/the-power-of-digital-maturity-enhancing-patient-safety-and-workforce-excellence/
By Didi Davis, Vice President of Informatics, Conformance & Interoperability with the Sequoia Project
When folks talk about interoperability, the conversation is usually focused on the “why” or the “how” for health information exchange. The Sequoia Project, in partnership with AHIMA and health IT organizations participating in the Data Usability Taking Root Movement, is expanding the dialogue to “what” data is exchanged, and how we can ensure it is accurate, complete, usable, and in alignment with current regulations.
(more…)Posted by EHR Association on February 14, 2024
https://ehrablog.org/2024/02/14/ehrs-are-prioritizing-data-usability-with-help-from-the-sequoia-project-and-ahima/
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