Blumenthal: ONC is facing IT challenges 'head-on'
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| David Blumenthal, MD, national coordinator for health IT for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Image Source: HHS |
“When I talk with health professionals around the country about health IT, they tell me they’re worried about a lack of technical support to help them become meaningful users of certified EHRs.
“Family physicians, in fact, say the lack of technical support is their biggest concern. … In fact, the data indicate a shortfall over the next five years of about 50,000 qualified health IT workers required to meet the needs of health professionals and hospitals as they move to adopt EHRs.
“But clinicians don’t have to make the transition alone. ONC recognizes the technical and logistical challenges involved in installing, using and maintaining EHRs.”
ONC has awarded $84 million in funding for the Health IT Workforce Development Program, which consists of four key initiatives to support training and certification of skilled workers, Blumenthal wrote:
- Community college non-degree training programs;
- Development of high-quality educational materials;
- A competency exam program to evaluate trainee knowledge and skills; and
- University-based training programs for highly specialized health IT roles
“And the good news is that the program is already well underway,” he wrote. “In fact, we are starting to see the first results.”
Blumenthal cited the University of Texas at Austin’s Health IT Summer Certificate Program—a program that graduated its first class of students this past summer, trained as Health Information Management and Exchange Specialists.
“Right now, most of the graduates are looking to enter—or have already entered—the health IT workforce,” he wrote. “Graduates are landing jobs with consulting firms, software vendors, technical assistance companies, and health care providers.”
Another initiative, the Curriculum Development Centers Program, is designed to fund institutions of higher education to support the development of health IT curricula, Blumenthal stated. Community colleges participating in the Community College Consortia to Educate Health IT Professionals in Health Care Program, also funded by ONC, are now using the health IT curriculum developed by the Curriculum Development Centers.
“The five consortia include 84 community colleges—all of which are committed to training 10,500 community college students in health IT each year,” he stated.
“The ball is rolling. Health IT workforce trainees are being fast-tracked. A new curriculum has been developed and disseminated. Very soon, support will be available to help physicians:
- Assess workflows;
- Select hardware and software;
- Work with vendors;
- Install and test systems;
- Diagnose IT problems; and
- Train practice staff on systems.
“All in all, the Health IT Workforce Development Program is expected to reduce the shortfall of skilled health IT professionals by 85 percent. The highly trained and specialized personnel developed through these programs will play a critical role in supporting physicians nationwide as they transition to EHRs.
“Help is not only on the way—it’s here,” Blumenthal concluded.