D.C. Report: Accountable Care Organizations on the Horizon, NHIN Testing

Health IT Standards Committee MU Workgroup Chair Paul Tang, M.D., outlined ONC’s timetable regarding the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking for Stage 2 of the CMS EHR Incentive Program and explained a philosophical change on Stage 3 criteria that will be based more around performance thresholds and outcomes rather than the use of specific applications of an EHR.

The Implementation Workgroup, co-chaired by CHIME Member Liz Johnson, CIO, Tenant Healthcare and Judy Murphy, Aurora Health Care reported on plans to hold hearings in early 2010 with a broad range of witnesses involved with meeting meaningful use including RECs, the ONC Health Information Technology Resource Center (HITRC), certification (self-developed systems, EHR vendors, authorized testing and certification bodies/ATCBs ), and early adopters (large and small hospitals, IDNs, large and small physician practices ) and HIEs.