Consumer groups laud measures in Stage 2
“Robust advancement of meaningful use criteria is essential both to ensure a return on investment for taxpayers who are funding the incentives and to lay a firm foundation for meeting the broad goals of healthcare reform,” wrote 25 consumer groups in a collective comment filed last week that that commend many components of the proposed meaningful use Stage 2 criteria included in the Health IT (HIT) Policy Committee’s Request for Comments.
In a letter sent to the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health IT, the groups laud the proposed Stage 2 meaningful use criteria for the steps they take toward a “seamless integration of health information, coordination of care…and the ability to monitor improvements in outcomes and functional status.”
The comments were organized by the National Partnership for Women & Families, which helps lead both the Consumer Partnership for e-Health and the Campaign for Better Care. They were also signed by Consumers Union, the National Alliance for Caregiving, National Family Caregivers Association, National Health Law Program and the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, among others.
The letter identified key roles that consumers will play in helping to improve care, including acting as agents of change, making informed health decisions and verifying facts. Signers said they strongly support:
One area that could be strengthened, according to the letter, is the requirement for actual exchange of information: “Two-way exchange of information is critical to harnessing the full potential of health IT to deliver the kind of care patients want,” the authors stated. The consumer signers also urged policy-makers to ensure that Stage 2 meaningful use includes the key functions to support patient-centered quality measures in Stages 2 and 3.
The full letter is posted here.
In a letter sent to the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for Health IT, the groups laud the proposed Stage 2 meaningful use criteria for the steps they take toward a “seamless integration of health information, coordination of care…and the ability to monitor improvements in outcomes and functional status.”
The comments were organized by the National Partnership for Women & Families, which helps lead both the Consumer Partnership for e-Health and the Campaign for Better Care. They were also signed by Consumers Union, the National Alliance for Caregiving, National Family Caregivers Association, National Health Law Program and the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, among others.
The letter identified key roles that consumers will play in helping to improve care, including acting as agents of change, making informed health decisions and verifying facts. Signers said they strongly support:
- The transition of all “optional” criteria from Stage 1 to “required” in Stage 2 to ensure progress continues to be made;
- Advancements in key criteria having an impact on quality and safety, such as medication reconciliation and e-prescribing;
- Improvements in recording advance directives and their content; and
- Advancements in criteria that help engage patients and families in their care, such as being able to download health information electronically.
One area that could be strengthened, according to the letter, is the requirement for actual exchange of information: “Two-way exchange of information is critical to harnessing the full potential of health IT to deliver the kind of care patients want,” the authors stated. The consumer signers also urged policy-makers to ensure that Stage 2 meaningful use includes the key functions to support patient-centered quality measures in Stages 2 and 3.
The full letter is posted here.