All posts in category Public Policy and Health IT

TEFCA Signals Progress, With Work To Be Done

By EHRA Public Policy Leadership Workgroup

After a journey more than four years in the making, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) and The Sequoia Project achieved a major milestone in the advancement of nationwide health information exchange: the publication of the Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) v1.0. ONC and The Sequoia Project have demonstrated their commitment to incorporating input from stakeholders across the industry, which created a process that produced significant improvements with each draft publication. We applaud the significant efforts undertaken by ONC and The Sequoia Project to collaborate with industry interoperability experts and create a framework that incorporates key principles of trusted exchange, like reciprocity, as well as a technical approach that leverages commonly adopted standards. 

For well over a decade, members of the Electronic Health Record Association (EHRA) have invested substantially in advancing the data sharing capabilities of the health IT systems used by healthcare organizations across the country with the belief that doing so will improve the quality and efficiency of health care. It is our sincere hope that TEFCA will continue to build on those investments for the benefit of patients.  

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by EHR Association on March 4, 2022  •  Permalink
Posted in Public Policy and Health IT
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Posted by EHR Association on March 4, 2022

https://ehrablog.org/2022/03/04/tefca-signals-progress-with-work-to-be-done/

The Case for Telehealth Reform

By the EHR Association

The expanded access to telehealth enabled under the COVID-19 public health emergency (PHE) has been transformational and served to engrain virtual care into the nation’s healthcare landscape – improving access and outcomes. Healthcare providers have risen to the challenge of meeting patients’ expectations for telehealth services by making substantial investments into new technologies that have so far carried them through the pandemic. 

However, despite ongoing surges and the emergence of new variants, many of the telehealth flexibilities that have helped dramatically improve patient access to care will expire later this year unless the Biden Administration extends the COVID-19 PHE  – which must be renewed every 90 days. Should that happen, the impact to public health programs and private healthcare delivery alike will be significant. 

Even if the PHE is extended, the uncertainty generated by its temporary nature is impacting all aspects of healthcare.

Even if the PHE is extended, the uncertainty generated by its temporary nature is impacting all aspects of healthcare. Healthcare organizations must decide if they can risk dedicating finite financial resources to maintaining the technological and clinical infrastructure required to continue offering telehealth programs at the level to which patients are now accustomed, when the possibility exists that Congress may ultimately decide against making the changes allowed under the PHE permanent.

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by EHR Association on February 10, 2022  •  Permalink
Posted in COVID-19, Public Policy and Health IT, Telehealth
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Posted by EHR Association on February 10, 2022

https://ehrablog.org/2022/02/10/the-case-for-telehealth-reform/

SDOH and Health Equity: Summarizing the EHRA Congressional Briefing – Part 2

Ambulatory and Health System Perspectives

By EHRA Public Policy Leadership Workgroup

Part one of this two-part blog series summarized insights around SDOH and health equity from the developer and community perspectives, which were shared during the recent virtual Congressional Briefing hosted by EHRA’s Public Policy Leadership Workgroup. Part two shares the ambulatory and health system perspectives. The presentation slides and full briefing (passcode: H@R$UZ02) are available in the “Positions and Statements” section of EHRA’s website. 

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by EHR Association on October 27, 2021  •  Permalink
Posted in Case Studies and Personal Stories, Delivery System Reform, Health Equity, Health IT Standards, Interoperability, Public Policy and Health IT, SDOH, Value of HIT
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Posted by EHR Association on October 27, 2021

https://ehrablog.org/2021/10/27/ambulatory-and-health-systems-summarizing-the-ehra-congressional-briefing/

SDOH and Health Equity: Summarizing the EHRA Congressional Briefing – Part 1

Developer and Community Perspectives

By EHRA Public Policy Leadership Workgroup

Health equity and social determinants of health (SDOH) currently play a large role in the national conversation on health care, with the Biden Administration ranking it as one of its highest priorities. Practically, however, these discussions have been underway for years.

SDOH and health equity are a public policy and care coordination challenge, one that health IT can play an important role in resolving. Consider that 80% of health is determined by non-clinical factors. However, there is a wide information gap separating healthcare organizations and the social and community agencies at the forefront of identifying and addressing these socioeconomic needs. Health IT and interoperability standards facilitate the secure, seamless exchange of patient data between these environments to improve population and individual patient health outcomes.

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by EHR Association on October 27, 2021  •  Permalink
Posted in Delivery System Reform, Electronic Clinical Quality Management, Health Equity, Health IT Standards, Interoperability, Public Policy and Health IT, SDOH
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Posted by EHR Association on October 27, 2021

https://ehrablog.org/2021/10/27/sdoh-and-health-equity-summarizing-the-ehra-congressional-briefing/

Five Ways EHRs Are Helping CDC Track COVID-19 Vaccinations

By the EHR Association COVID-19 Task Force

In December, two COVID-19 vaccines received authorization from the FDA, and the federal government began distribution to the states almost immediately. Millions of Americans have already received their first dose – many their second – and millions more will be vaccinated in the coming weeks and months. While social distancing, frequent hand washing, and face masks remain vital tools in limiting spread of coronavirus, we can increasingly see our way to a full return to hugs and handshakes, in-person meetings, travel, pubs and parties, concerts and classrooms.

As we anxiously await a return to our old way of life, public health experts, policymakers, and the public are watching the CDC vaccine data tracker, updated every evening with the latest numbers, including: 

  • How many vaccine doses have been distributed to-date? 
  • How many vaccines have been administered?
  • How many people have received their first dose? 
  • How many people have gotten a second dose?
  • Which vaccine is being administered?

But how does the CDC get all that data? The answer varies, but it’s made possible by technology, and electronic health records (EHRs) have been a key player from the beginning. 

Here are five ways that EHRs and the EHR Association are playing important roles in vaccine administration and data collection in the United States.

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by EHR Association on April 6, 2021  •  Permalink
Posted in COVID-19, Interoperability, Patient Safety and Health IT, Public Policy and Health IT, Usability and Clinician Experience, Value of HIT

Posted by EHR Association on April 6, 2021

https://ehrablog.org/2021/04/06/five-ways-ehrs-are-helping-cdc-track-covid-19-vaccinations/

EHRA and Public Health: Two-Way Communication in the Age of COVID-19

How EHRA’s COVID-19 Task Force is Supporting Providers and Public Health Agencies During the Pandemic

By Hans Buitendijk and David Bucciferro
EHR Association Chair and Vice Chair

Every organization in healthcare and public health has been prioritizing COVID-19 response, and the EHR Association is no exception. Our COVID-19 Task Force, created in the spring, continues to demonstrate its value to EHRA members and our provider and public health partners. From data collection to preparing for vaccines, EHRs play an important role in America’s response to the pandemic.  

In a recent interview for HIMSS TV, we explained that by creating a task force, we’re able to bring in a broad spectrum of individuals and knowledge from EHRA member companies – people who may not ordinarily actively participate in the Association, but who have specific interest and expertise in a topic. For instance, we stood up an Opioid Crisis Task Force in 2018 that is still active.  

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by EHR Association on December 3, 2020  •  Permalink
Posted in COVID-19, Public Policy and Health IT, Value of HIT

Posted by EHR Association on December 3, 2020

https://ehrablog.org/2020/12/03/ehra-and-public-health-two-way-communication-in-the-age-of-covid-19/

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