The Social Security Administration has set aside $24 million to expand a program under which it contracts with hospitals and health information exchanges willing to electronically share electronic health data on patients seeking disability benefits.

Each year, SSA makes more than 15 million patient-authorized requests for medical information from treating providers, but most of this exchange is paper based and as such is very inefficient, SSA officials say. They’re hoping the use of health IT will greatly improve the process.

SSA is looking for a provider willing to link to the agency via local HIEs and the Nationwide Health Information Network. Contracts for the project, proposals for which are due Sept. 18, will be funded through the stimulus law.

Using the NHIN, providers will get a standardized electronic request for medical records along with a patient’s authorization. Providers will then be able to automatically respond to SSA requests with a standardized Continuity of Care Document.

To be eligible for the project, providers must use a certified electronic health record app and be able to demonstrate the technical ability to create a sample Continuity of Care Document with de-identified EMR information.

Above article published on http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/social-security-budgets-24m-exchange-health-data-hospitals-and-hies/2009-08-10

HDM Breaking News,

The final definition of the “meaningful use” of electronic health records that will be used to determine eligibility for incentive payments under the economic stimulus program will not be available until the middle or end of spring 2010. That’s the prediction of David Blumenthal, M.D., national coordinator for health information technology, who held a press conference Aug. 20.

The preliminary definition of meaningful use requirements will be issued by the end of this year, followed by a 60 day comment period, Blumenthal said.

Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, hospitals and physicians can receive Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments for making meaningful use of certified electronic health records systems.

A certification workgroup of the federal HIT Policy Committee recently recommended that multiple EHR certification bodies be created. Blumenthal, however, stressed that it’s premature to conclude that the final federal EHR certification rules will, in fact, include multiple certification entities.

Above article published on

http://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/ARRA-38842-1.html

Greater access to health information technology, like bar code administration systems and computerized prescriber order entry systems, is just one of the benefits that pharmacists in hospitals and health systems will reap from the newly enacted economic stimulus package signed by President Obama.

In an analysis of the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, ASHP found more than $100 billion allocated for issues important to the Society, including ensuring the widespread adoption of health information technology, supporting comparative effectiveness research, and alleviating shortages of primary care providers.

Nineteen billion dollars will be set aside to allow hospitals to take advantage of loans and grants to implement health information technology systems throughout their facilities. The stimulus also includes $1.1 billion for comparative effectiveness research to evaluate the clinical outcomes of a variety of treatments, including drug therapy.

Two of ASHP’s top priorities, funding for pharmacy residency programs and pharmacist inclusion in loan forgiveness programs were left out of the stimulus package. ASHP will keep these issues on the front burner as dialogue on health-care reform proposals begins later this year. Both are featured in ASHP’s Principles for Health-Care Reform.

Above article published on

http://www.ashp.org/import/news/NewsCapsules/article.aspx?id=262