• The Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program Website is now available on CMS.gov.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has launched the official website for the Medicare & Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs. This website provides detailed information about the EHR incentive programs, which will provide incentive payments to eligible professionals and hospitals as they adopt, implement, upgrade, or demonstrate meaningful use of certified EHR technology. Go to: http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/

• MS/ ONC Issue Final Rule on Temporary Certification Program on June 18th
Eligible professionals and eligible hospitals seeking to qualify for incentive payments under the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs are required by statute to use Certified EHR Technology. Certification of Health IT is intended to provide assurance to purchasers and other users that an EHR system, or other relevant technology, offers the necessary capability, functionality, and security to help them meet the established meaningful use criteria. Certification is also intended to ensure a level of confidence in the security, confidentiality and interoperability of the application.

The final Rule on Temporary Certification is dated June 18, 2010, 45 CFR Part 170 – The Health Information Technology: Initial Set of Standards, Implementation Specifications, and Certification Criteria for Electronic Health Record Technology and establishes certification programs for purposes of testing and certifying health information technology. The temporary rule will be in effect until December 31, 2011 or until the permanent rule supersedes it. The ONC will post a list of EHRs and EHR modules certified under the temporary program on their website as soon as it is available.

Under the temporary rule, organizations may apply to become certifying agencies (ONC-Authorized Testing and Certification Bodies or ONC-ATCBs) only if they have the capability to both test and certify both complete EHRs and/or EHR modules. ONC-ATCBs will use tests and test procedures approved by the National Coordinator. More information is available through at these links: Fact Sheet and Frequently Asked Questions. The rule is at: http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2010/2010-14999.htm

• Alice Lipowicz , writing in Federal Computer Week, reports on a new joint effort announced by the Federal Communications Commission and the Food and Drug Administration to address the regulation of wireless telemedicine and telehealth systems.: http://fcw.com/articles/2010/06/15/fcc-fda-taking-teamwork-approach-to-telemedicine.aspx

Joint public hearings are scheduled to take place in the FCC Commission Room, 445 12th St. SW, Washington, D.C, from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on July 26 and 27.

• The House Committee on Veterans Affairs, Subcommittee on Health, Chaired by Rep. Michael H. Michaud (D-ME) held a hearing on Thursday, June 24th addressing the topic “Overcoming Rural Health Care Barriers: Use of Innovative Wireless Health Technology Solutions.” A dozen witnesses from the private sector and federal agencies including the Department of Defense, Federal Communications Commission, and the Veterans Health Administration highlighted the problems facing returning rural veterans, and the promise of innovative mobile technologies for improving veteran care through remote patient care monitoring, specialist consultations,, and social networking among rural patients facing difficult illnesses. In his opening statement, Rep. Michaud outlined the challenge. “Of the nearly 8 million veterans who are enrolled in the VA health care system, about 3 million are from rural areas. This means that rural veterans make up about 40 percent of all enrolled veterans”, Michaud said. “This is where I see the great potential of innovative wireless health technologies. VA certainly is a recognized leader in using electronic health records, telehealth, and telemedicine. However, wireless health technologies also include mobile health, which truly is the new frontier in health innovations”. Several witnesses, including David Cattell-Gordon of the University of Virginia, stressed the importance of VHA collaboration with community providers including community health centers. For more information visit http://veterans.house.gov/hearings/hearing.aspx?NewsID=592.

• On May 5th, the Capitol Hill “Steering Committee on Telehealth and Healthcare Informatics” held a Senate-side lunch briefing with Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) entitled: “Policy, Technology and Research Developments in Mobile Health” www.e-healthpolicy.org

• Official Website for CMS EHR Incentive Programs –
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) unveiled a new website last week dedicated the EHR ‘meaningful use’ incentive programs. Content includes explanatory material on the rule-making process that defines the programs and fact sheets on a variety of topics including the definition of meaningful use, the Medicaid incentive program and a FAQ sheet. CMS intends to continuously update this website
http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms

• HITECH, One Year Later – A new report titled “HiTech Revisted” written by Manatt Health Solutions, and supported by the California HealthCare Foundation, The Colorado Health Foundation United Hospital Fund, analyzes the effectiveness of the federal Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH Act), a key component of the ARRA investments of 2009.
http://www.chcf.org/publications/2010/06/hitech-revisited.

Among the report’s conclusions:
– It is difficult for healthcare providers to develop effective strategies for achieving meaningful use, including determining what HIT products are most appropriate to buy, because only the standards for stage one have been released.
– Some key eligible providers, especially small and rural practices and certain community health centers, may have difficulty meeting the proposed “meaningful use” criteria.
– The current approach to interoperability (including NHIN and NHIN Direct) is “unlikely to yield quality improvement and cost efficiency gains.”
– Additional policies (and associated legislation) are needed, targeted toward to Medicaid and the commercial health insurance markets, to encourage the organization of systems oriented toward high performance.

• Writing in Healthcare IT news, senior editor Diana Manos reports that the HIT Policy Committee, in a meeting held last week, approved recommendations by the Privacy and Security Tiger Team that would establish health information exchange credentials and help to protect personal health information. Members of the Tiger Team include HIT Policy Committee members, HIT Standards Committee members, as well as members of the National Committee on Vital and Health Statistics.
www.healthcareitnews.com/news/federal-advisory-panel
-approves-privacy-and-security-recommendations