Institute:Office of National Coordinator (ONC) Workforce Training Curriculum
Component:The Culture of Health Care
Unit:Quality Measurement and Improvement
Lecture:Role of IT and informatics
Results of current approaches to quality assessment
Slide content:Supporting the Advancement of Health IT Health IT certification requirements Standards development organizations Example: http://www.HL7.org Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) Commonwell Health Alliance Other industry resources 8
Slide notes:There are many industry initiatives supporting the advancement of information technology and systems. A few of these are listed on this slide. A parallel effort to the HITECH EHR meaningful use program is the Health IT Certification Program that provides for the certification of health IT standards, software implementation specifications, and software certification. Providers participating in the meaningful use program must use a certified EHR system. As the meaningful use stage regulations are updated, the EHR certification criterion is also updated to complement each stage. This certification program has advanced the use of data standards and system functionality, promoting effective system data collection and analytics for quality measures and reporting as well as for patient care. In turn, the meaningful use stage measurements have promoted the engagement of patients and their families with providers as well as the exchange of patient information across the patient care continuum. Various standards development organizations, such as Health Level Seven International (HL7 for short), support data standards development through input and work effort from industry expertise. A standards development organization has primary activities in developing, coordinating, promulgating, revising, amending, interpreting, or otherwise producing technical standards. HL7 standards are used in clinical information systems such as EHRs. There are standards and implementation guidelines for all the various types of data, including financial/billing, laboratory, and radiology/imaging, to name a few. Also, HL7 worked with the National Quality Forum and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) to identify and promote effective use of the EHR with quality measure standards. Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE) supports the Quality, Research, and Public Health Technical Framework. Through the work of industry volunteers, various technical profiles are available for implementation to facilitate quality data collection, research, and reporting. Just a few areas addressed include clinical research, drug safety content, early hearing loss detection and implementation, and newborn screening as well as aggregate data exchange and structured data capture. These tools are leveraged in the development and deployment of clinical information systems. The CommonWell Health Alliance is a vendor-led industry organization driving interoperability services in health care technology that enables seamless, trusted, nationwide access to health care information for providers. Results include provider access to IT systems that support better management of patient identity, linking patients across multiple organizations, and improved secure data access and exchange. CommonWells services are focused on vendor adoption of neutral technology platforms that break down the barriers inhibiting effective health data exchange while promoting a national infrastructure with common standards and policies. There are many other industry initiatives that focus on the development, implementation, and promotion of information systems supporting clinical practice, improved patient care outcomes, and enhanced patient safety. 8