On January 20th, Senate Health Committee Chairman Lamar Alexander (R-TN) www.alexander.senate.gov and Ranking Committee Member Patty Murray (D-WA) www.murray.senate.gov released the draft of the committee’s bipartisan legislation to improve health information technology.
The draft legislation includes a section on interoperability with goals to:
- Have existing data sharing networks develop a model framework and common agreement for the secure exchange of health information across existing networks to help foster a “network of networks.”
- Create a digital provider directory to both facilitate exchange and allow users to verify the correct recipient
- Require HHS to give deference to standards developed in the private sector
- Combine the HIT Policy Committee and HIT Standards Committee into the HIT Advisory Committee
- Create a process for prioritizing the adoption of standards to focus on the most pressing problems faced by the healthcare community
- Establish an initial set of common data elements such as a standard format for entering date of birth, to facilitate interoperability and streamline quality reporting
Other sections discussed in the draft legislation include:
- Assisting Doctors and Hospitals in Improving Quality of Care for Patients
- Transparent Ratings on Usability and Security to Transform Information Technology (TRUST IT)
- Information Blocking
- Leveraging Health Information Technology to Improve Patient Care
- Empowering Patients and Improving Patient Access to their Electronic Health Information
- Encourage Trust Relationships for Certified EHRs
- Directs the Governmental Accountability Office (GAO) to study Patient Matching.
The Senate Health Committee members seek feedback on the draft legislation by January 29, 2016 with comments submitted to HealthIT@help.senate.gov.
www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/HELP%20Health%20IT%20Bipartisan%20Summary.pdf summarizes the draft legislation.