ONC panel addresses MU criticism

CHICAGO—A panel of leaders from the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) shared their recent accomplishments and future plans while diplomatically fielding questions about criticisms of the just-released Meaningful Use (MU) Stage 3 proposed rule.

The proposed rule includes a change in the measure of a 5 percent threshold of patients using view, download and transmit capabilities to requiring just one patient doing so during each reporting year. Athenahealth’s Jonathan Bush called the move the “dumbing down” of the MU program but when pressed, National Coordinator Karen DeSalvo, MD, MPH, MSc, simply said, “Our commitment to consumers and consumer health information is unwavering.”

Jodi Daniel, JD, MOH, director of ONC’s Office of Policy, was quick to point out that VDT capability is still required for EHR certification. The only change is whether or not patients actually do it.

DeSalvo also said the proposed rule has led to great dialogue. “We want to bring people to the table. This is the time for comment. This is much more than technology. There are so many great stories about how people access their information. When it starts to work, it works great.” She also said they remain focused on outcomes but are thinking through the tools and cultural change that will bring everybody in.

ONC’s Chief Privacy Officer Lucia Savage, JD, said the dialogue between providers and patients is ongoing. “We want to foster trust so the information goes where it needs to go.”

When asked about the information blocking report ONC released last week, DeSalvo said it will take action on the part of the federal government along with the existing administrative authority of the private sector to combat the problem. “There may be additional opportunities for Congress to weigh in but she noted the “tremendous amount of advancement in the private sector.”