CHIME

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT revealed new analysis looking at vendor readiness on 2014 Edition CEHRT during this month’s Health IT Policy Committee. ONC’s Data Analytics team sought to answer the question, “What percentage of successful Meaningful Users attested with vendors that have passed certification for 2014 Edition CEHRT?”

Twenty-eight Meaningful Use-savvy clinicians and healthcare professionals from 18 states will be helping other providers find IT success as part of a new initiative at the the Office of the National Coordinator. The inaugural class of ONC’s Health IT Fellows will “provide grassroots insight and…act as champions to their provider and practice community colleagues on a local and national scale,” a purpose statement for the program said.

Four members of the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) testified to federal officials last week, calling for a safe, orderly transition to Meaningful Use Stage 2 that leaves no one behind. In addition, testimony was given to the Senate Finance Committee by vendors and other stakeholders assessing progress and the path forward for Meaningful Use.

Four lawmakers recently unveiled legislation in the Senate and the House of Representatives that would help health clinics and providers serving vulnerable to, low-income patients qualify for incentive payments under Meaningful Use. Senators Jay Rockefeller (D-W.V.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Al Franken (D-Minn.) reintroduced legislation previously introduced by Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) before he became Secretary of State called the Medicaid Information Technology to Enhance Community Health (MITECH) Act (S.1268).

This past week was all about ICD-10. HHS is resolved to keep the current deadline and the American Medical Association (AMA) is keeping to its “Stop the implementation of ICD-10” mantra. “There are no plans for any more extensions,” ONC chief Farzad Mostashari, M.D. told attendees at the HIMSS ICD-10 Forum.