AHRQ seeks input on meaningful use data collection project
The Department of Health and Human Services Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has asked for 30 additional days for the comment period on a previously announced information collection project, Barriers to Meaningful Use in Medicaid.
In a notice posted June 3 in the Federal Register, AHRQ stated that the proposal was previously published in the Federal Register on March 11 and allowed 60 days for public comment. One comment was received, according to the June 3 notice.
Healthcare providers who serve Medicaid beneficiaries are serving many of AHRQ's priority populations. “The project is designed to solicit actionable recommendations on what activities can best help Medicaid providers take advantage of incentive payments, achieve meaningful use and ultimately use health IT to improve healthcare for the Medicaid population.” Information gathered for this project will be used to inform development of the Stage 2 and 3 meaningful use criteria, the notice stated.
This research has the following goals:
The agency is seeking public comments about:
Comments on the notice, which can be seen here, must be received by July 5.
In a notice posted June 3 in the Federal Register, AHRQ stated that the proposal was previously published in the Federal Register on March 11 and allowed 60 days for public comment. One comment was received, according to the June 3 notice.
Healthcare providers who serve Medicaid beneficiaries are serving many of AHRQ's priority populations. “The project is designed to solicit actionable recommendations on what activities can best help Medicaid providers take advantage of incentive payments, achieve meaningful use and ultimately use health IT to improve healthcare for the Medicaid population.” Information gathered for this project will be used to inform development of the Stage 2 and 3 meaningful use criteria, the notice stated.
This research has the following goals:
- Identify the barriers to eligibility for the incentive payments; barriers to adoption, implementation or upgrading of EHR systems; and barriers to achieving meaningful use.
- Develop actionable recommendations to overcoming the barriers identified above, including technical assistance that could be made available to Medicaid providers.
- Provide data to inform stages 2 and 3 of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services EHR incentive program.
The agency is seeking public comments about:
- Whether the proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper performance of AHRQ healthcare research and healthcare information dissemination functions, including whether the information will have practical utility;
- The accuracy of AHRQ's estimate of burden (including hours and costs) of the proposed collection(s) of information;
- Ways to enhance the quality, utility and clarity of the information to be collected; and
- Ways to minimize the burden of the collection of information on respondents, including the use of automated collection techniques or other forms of IT.
Comments on the notice, which can be seen here, must be received by July 5.