HHS Tries To Ease Electronic Health Records’ Administrative Burden On Clinicians
HHS' strategy identified four main areas that contribute to administrative burden: clinical documentation; health information technology usability; public health reporting requirements, and federal health IT and EHR reporting requirements. Meanwhile, in face of complaints, HHS officials continue to talk up interoperability rules.
Modern Healthcare:
HHS Releases Strategy For Reducing EHR Administrative Burden
HHS on Friday acknowledged that electronic health records pose a significant burden on clinicians and suggested tactics the federal government can pursue to ease the pain. The strategy, published by the CMS and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, was mandated by the 21st Century Cures Act. The agencies have been working on the strategy since mid-2017. A draft strategy was released in late 2018 and elicited more than 200 comments from the public. (Castellucci, 2/21)
Modern Healthcare:
Trump Administration Heats Up Interoperability Talking Points
HHS leaders in recent weeks have had harsh words for critics of two landmark—and controversial—proposals to regulate health data. That charged language signals the Trump administration’s commitment to finalized rules on interoperability and data blocking coming down the pike, said Dr. David Brailer, chairman of the healthcare education firm Health Evolution and former head of HHS’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology. The ONC and the CMS released their companion proposals last February but have yet to publish final versions. (Cohen, 2/22)
