HIMSS comments on interoperability roadmap

HIMSS has submitted its comments on the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT's interoperability roadmap.

The organization overall supports ONC’s tenets in the roadmap for an interoperable health IT infrastructure because it lays out a plan that builds on what HIMSS has already invested in: standards that enable the foundation for interoperability today, and processes to test and certify that health IT systems implement those standards consistently and according to constrained implementation guidance. 

HIMSS recommends ONC focus on the following six key ideas:

  • The plan put forth by ONC to advance interoperability requires well-coordinated governance processes that include involvement from federal partners, the private sector, payers and the patient community, with robust incentives for each domain to buy-in to the process.
  • Many of the timelines put forth in the interoperability roadmap for the three-, six- and 20-year timeframes for critical actions are too aggressive and need to be reevaluated, with the exception of the privacy and security provisions.
  • HIMSS applauds ONC for its person-centric vision in the interoperability roadmap that enables interoperability and empowers patients to demand that their providers and relevant health IT systems be interoperable.
  • HIMSS does not support the idea that individual consent should be required for use and disclosure of information if individual consent is not required under applicable law.
  • Regarding security, HIMSS observes that healthcare, as a critical U.S. infrastructure, needs support at many levels to keep data secure and to be positioned to address cyber threats.
  • HIMSS is committed to being a thought leader on interoperability and spurring the community and stakeholder groups forward.    

"HIMSS is committed to continuing our role as a thought leader on advancing the principles described in our public comments and stands ready to work with ONC, federal partners and all stakeholders to realize an achievable vision for interoperability and health information exchange," the group wrote.

Access the complete comments.

Beth Walsh,

Editor

Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.

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