Physicians Advocacy Institute
Physicians cite the administrative burden and expense associated with adopting and utilizing health information technology (HIT), including electronic medical records (EMRs), as a primary challenge that they face in today’s environment.
While all stakeholders in the health care system ostensibly share the goals of achieving improved clinical outcomes through better care coordination and bilateral information exchange, there are several barriers to achieving that goal that must be addressed before progress will occur. PAI is shining a light on the current policies and industry practices that are slowing momentum towards a system with interoperable exchange of information among physicians, other health care providers, patients and payers.
PAI also emphasizes the need for accountability of health IT vendors whose policies and exorbitant pricing often result in delaying, withholding or limiting timely data exchange across platforms.
Letter to ONC on Reducing the Regulatory Burden Relating to the Use of Health IT and EHRs In January 2019, PAI submitted comments in response to the Office of the National Coordinator’s (ONC’s) Draft Strategy on Reducing Regulatory and Administrative Burden Relating to the Use of Health IT and EHRs. The comments focused on the need to address and alleviate physician burden associated with health IT, EHRs, and interoperability and the need for IT vendor accountability.
Letter to HHS to Modify HIPPA rules to encourage more timely and accurate information PAI submitted comments in response to HHS Request for Information (RFI) on Modifying HIPPA Rules to Improve Coordinated Care. PAI urged the agency to modernize HIPAA to reduce regulatory obstacles and burdens, encourage more timely and accurate exchange of patient information that can impact care decisions, facilitate care coordination and promote value-base health care transformation.
PAI Comments on ONC Interoperability Rule / PAI Comments on CMS HIT Rule PAI provided comments in response to CMS’s and ONC’s proposed rules on interoperability and patient access, highlighting the need to streamline and reduce unnecessary burdens related to EHRs, interoperability, and health IT, increasing both patient and physician access to health information providing a holistic view into a patient’s health and allowing both parties to make more informed care decisions.
