By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    medicine cabinet
    The Effect Of Finished Dosage Form Manufacturing In New Drugs
    July 5, 2022
    Improved Digestion
    Five tips to boost digestion and metabolism
    November 4, 2022
    health insurance for young adults
    Benefits of Buying Health Insurance for Your Adults
    January 12, 2023
    Latest News
    7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
    August 20, 2025
    Hospital Pest Control and the Fight Against Superbugs
    August 20, 2025
    Hygiene Beyond The Clinic: Attention To Overlooked Non-Clinical Spaces
    August 13, 2025
    5 Steps to a Promising Career as a Healthcare Administrator
    August 3, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    CMS Reports on Provider Performance
    June 7, 2011
    Sweet!! The Secret Branding of Sugar Substitutes
    February 22, 2012
    Everything We Are Doing in Health Policy May Be Completely Wrong
    July 26, 2011
    Latest News
    How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
    August 22, 2025
    How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
    August 22, 2025
    How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
    August 22, 2025
    How IT and Marketing Teams Can Collaborate to Protect Patient Trust
    July 17, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: HIMSS Federal & Stage Public Policy Update
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Health Reform > HIMSS Federal & Stage Public Policy Update
Health ReformPolicy & LawTechnology

HIMSS Federal & Stage Public Policy Update

ezampino
ezampino
Share
4 Min Read
SHARE

Speaker:  Jeffrey R. Coughlin, MPP
Senior Director, Federal & State Affairs
HIMSS North America

Speaker:  Jeffrey R. Coughlin, MPP
Senior Director, Federal & State Affairs
HIMSS North America

This luncheon appropriately took place in the relatively new and beautiful Alder Commons Auditorium on the University of Washington Campus. Jeff briefed me (I cannot speak for others in the room) on Meaningful Use current events (what CMS expected upon inception and the reality of now) and the new incentives to push interoperability. I graduated from UW with a degree in Clinical Informatics in 2011 when CMS was just rolling out EHR incentive program, now 4 years later it is an interesting perspective, the positivity outlook I once saw is fading. In 2011 CMS estimated by 2019 that 100% hospitals and 70% professionals would be utilizing EHRs. As of June 2015 537k eligible professionals and 48 hospitals registered for Medicaid/Medicare incentives; a whopping 31 billion incentives were paid out. With all that money paid, it raised question of what was actually bought with those dollars with only 48 hospitals registered. I am sure Congress and the House will try very hard to find this out exactly!

I know that the carrot and stick approach to EHR incentive payments are producing results in regards to getting eligible professionals and hospitals to get on board with Meaningful Use (MU), I am more drawn to the value of care improvement I can see myself in the works; interoperability. Jeff talked about this subject as well with more interest and I sat up in my chair. After the slides he presented on numbers/facts interlaced with disappointment that CMS is no doubt feeling over MU and EP/Hospitals are actually frustrated by, the subject matter of interoperability I was very happy to see. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) defines interoperability “… as the ability of systems to exchange and use electronic health information from other systems without special effort on the part of the user.” I believe that EHRs are worthless without the ability to follow patients throughout their lives; we are no longer born, live and die in the same town, even less so go to the same doctor, hospital or clinic our entire lives. Therefore it is more important than ever for the 2015 Interoperability Standards Advisory to “…coordinate the identification, assessment, and determination of the best available interoperability standards and implementation specifications for industry use toward specific health care purposes.” Please check out this wonderful graphic that very nicely lays things out.

More Read

Medicare Trustees Report Deficit Sooner Than Expected
Steering Patients Away From Cyberchondria [INFOGRAPHIC]
Lung Cancer Part 5 – Multi-disciplinary Team Care
Here is What You Need to Know About Life Insurance
Minnesota Legislature Passes Major Healthcare Exchange Bill by Close Vote

Jeff’s closing remarks were centered around how important it is for us to advocate the role Health Information Technology has on creating a healthcare system based upon patient centered care and with National Health IT week coming up October 5-9 what better time to knock on your senators door. Also the HIMSS policy summit is October 7-8 and you can sign up for early bird registration until Sept. 10th.

Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

engineer fitting prosthetic arm
How Social Security Disability Shapes Access to Care and Everyday Health
Health care
August 20, 2025
a woman explaining the document
How a DUI Lawyer Can Help When Your Future Health Feels Uncertain
Public Health
August 20, 2025
physiotherapist at work
How One Fall Can Lead to a Long Road of Medical Complications
Health care
August 20, 2025
Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs
7 Most Common Healthcare Accreditation Programs: Which Should You Use?
Health News
August 20, 2025

You Might also Like

MakoPlasty Robotic Surgical Procedure for Knee Replacements

May 6, 2011

Gastric Bypass Edges Lap-band and Sleeve Gastrectomy in Outcomes

February 21, 2011
chiropractic adjustment methods
Health care

What Are The Proven Benefits Of Chiropractic Care?

December 30, 2018

Why You Won’t See a Bold Medicare Plan From Mitt Romney

November 9, 2011
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?