CIT's biggest stories of 2013

2013 was a big year on every front impacting health IT. From changes in leadership to changes in timelines to concerns about readiness, Meaningful Use, ICD-10 and more continue to drive health IT efforts.

One of the biggest stories of 2013, in my mind, was Farzad Mostashari, MD, ScM’s decision to step down as national coordinator for health IT. His enthusiastic leadership will be missed but the experience and expertise of Karen DeSalvo, MD, MPH, MSc, should reinvigorate the Meaningful Use program and the many requirements expected of providers. Someone who helped rebuild the healthcare system after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina surely has much to offer the rest of the country's health IT initiatives.

Speaking of Meaningful Use, a Stage 2 extension has been proposed but we spoke with several people who acknowledged that this doesn’t really help providers. Rather, it serves to offer vendors and the government more time to prepare for Stage 3. With the continuing calls for a delay, it will be interesting to see how this plays out over the next year.

The thought of timing brings to mind the implementation of ICD-10 as of Oct. 1. Survey after survey in 2013 showed that providers are woefully unprepared. The government has adamantly denied any further delays. Will providers experience serious financial problems as a result of their lack of preparation or will they launch intense preparation programs to avoid such issues?

There are many aspects of health IT to keep an eye on and we here at Clinical Innovation + Technology will be doing just that. Best wishes for the new year.

Beth Walsh

Clinical Innovation + Technology editor