Blumenthal highlights time requirements to properly define meaningful use
David Blumenthal, MD, the National Coordinator for Health IT, addressed the efforts thus far made by the Health IT Standards Committees, who met yesterday to report and discuss their progress in further defining and refining the interim final rule (IFR) for meaningful use.
Blumenthal began his comments by commending the various Health IT Standards committees for their "hard work" on the IFR over the past 10 months, adding that the workload will continue to “accelerate,” as opposed to “come to a close.”
He said that the IFR “can be improved still,” welcoming the committees to comment and contribute on potential areas of improvement.
Citing additional work being done by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Blumenthal said that the agency has “been extremely busy on the grant making front, in addition to the rule writing front,” referencing the billions of dollars that have now been allocated for various factions designated in the HITECH Act.
When referencing the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for certification process, he encouraged the involved parties to have patience, saying: “Don’t hold your breath, as we may not get this out in time to sustain breath holding, but I promise, it will be soon.”
“We will continue to evaluate responses over the next five weeks. Following that, we will announce additional programs that are designed to support providers make the best meaningful use of health IT to build on the standards and criteria that the responses have helped us to develop,” Blumenthal said.
Blumenthal began his comments by commending the various Health IT Standards committees for their "hard work" on the IFR over the past 10 months, adding that the workload will continue to “accelerate,” as opposed to “come to a close.”
He said that the IFR “can be improved still,” welcoming the committees to comment and contribute on potential areas of improvement.
Citing additional work being done by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, Blumenthal said that the agency has “been extremely busy on the grant making front, in addition to the rule writing front,” referencing the billions of dollars that have now been allocated for various factions designated in the HITECH Act.
When referencing the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for certification process, he encouraged the involved parties to have patience, saying: “Don’t hold your breath, as we may not get this out in time to sustain breath holding, but I promise, it will be soon.”
“We will continue to evaluate responses over the next five weeks. Following that, we will announce additional programs that are designed to support providers make the best meaningful use of health IT to build on the standards and criteria that the responses have helped us to develop,” Blumenthal said.