Washington Debrief: Patient Safety Focused ONC Workgroup Formed

CHIME Highlights 2013 Public Policy Priorities during Capitol Hill Roundtable CHIME Public Policy unveiled its five high-priority areas this week during a briefing in Washington this week.  Speaking at an event hosted by the Institute for e-Health Policy, CHIME’s Sr. Director of Public Policy Sharon Canner told congressional staff that CHIME CIOs were ready to make the potential of health IT a reality.  “We’re at the ready,” she said, “Our members are the boots on the ground, implementing Meaningful Use, organizing the technology needs of Accountable Care Organizations and connecting patients to their information.”  CHIME Public Policy has already addressed four regulatory documents, providing comments to help improve regulations, she said.  And looking at the health IT landscape in 2013, we are going to focus on five main areas:

•  Meaningful Use – Stage 1 evaluation, Stage 2 implementation and Stage 3 policymaking;
•  Health information exchange and interoperability;
•  Patient data-matching;
•  Clinical quality measurement across value-based programs; and
•  Accountable care.

“2013 promises to be a busy year for everyone in health IT, so it’s important that the healthcare CIOs of the country are seen as a resource to the policymakers in Washington.  Programs like Meaningful Use are vital, but it’s also vital that lawmakers and regulators understand where the pressure points of implementation lie.”

The Capitol Hill "Health IT 101" Lunch Briefing is part of a series sponsored by CHIME and other organizations that provides research and educational opportunities for Members of Congress and their staff.

Edited by Gabriel Perna