Republican senators return for more HIT criticism

The same five Republican senators who called for a "reboot" of the HITECH Act in 2013 have turned their attention to encouraging and improving health IT interoperability.

Sens. John Thune of South Dakota, Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Pat Roberts of Kansas, Richard Burr of North Carolina and Mike Enzi of Wyoming, co-authored a blog published by Health Affairs, titled, "Where is HITECH's $35 Billion Dollar Investment Going?"

Six years since the HITECH Act was enacted, the senators say there is inconclusive evidence that the program has achieved its goals of increasing efficiency, reducing costs and improving the quality of care.

"We have been candid about the key reason for the lackluster performance of this stimulus program: the lack of progress toward interoperability," they write. "Countless electronic health record vendors, hospital leaders, physicians, researchers, and thought leaders have told us time and again that interoperability is necessary to achieve the promise of a more efficient health system for patients, providers, and taxpayers."

The group also addressed more recent health IT developments such as the draft interoperability plan released by the Office for the National Coordinator of Health IT (ONC) in January. "The ONC roadmap provides a framework for responsibility, governance and accountability in regard to the future development and implementation of interoperable EHRs," they write. "But instead of offering specific objectives, deadlines and action items, ONC’s roadmap falls short on the nitty-gritty technology specifics that vendors and providers need when developing IT products. We are left with many outstanding questions about how to achieve interoperability and how to address the cost, oversight, privacy, and sustainability of the Meaningful Use program."