Improving Provider and Patient Relationships through Health IT

IN THIS ISSUE

• Diversifying ONC’s Certification Program
• Health IT Playbook + HealthFinder.gov Unite
• One Click Scorecard
• Reminder: Proposed Interoperability Standards Measurement Framework Open for Public Comment

OTHER

• CMS Proposes Quality Payment Program Updates to Increase Flexibility and Reduce Burdens
• Draft Telehealth Measurement Framework Report Available for Comment

Diversifying ONC’s Certification Program

For the first time, ONC has approved an industry-developed testing method for health IT that can be used in the ONC Health IT Certification Program. The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) stepped up to the call we made in 2015 inviting industry to submit test tools or procedures. Learn more about NCQA’s electronic clinical quality measure testing method that is an alternative to the government supported Cypress method in a new blog post. 

Health IT Playbook + HealthFinder.gov Unite

The Health IT Playbook added myhealthfinder, a tool that provides patients with personalized recommendations for preventive services based on age, sex, and pregnancy status. This resource, developed by the HHS Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP), provides health care professionals with tools to empower patients with easy to understand health information. Read the latest buzz blog post: Trusted Content from HealthFinder.gov Can Improve Patient Portals

One Click Scorecard

ONC's benchmarking tool called the “One Click Scorecard” tests both Direct transport and C-CDA conformance. To use it, a health care provider (with a DirectTrust accredited HISP) needs to do one thing: send a C-CDA (via Direct) to scorecard@direct.hhs.gov. In a few moments, the benchmarking tool will test the C-CDA and respond back to the sender’s Direct account with a PDF “report card” that includes scoring information about the C-CDA. Once a C-CDA is tested and scored, the entire C-CDA along with any PHI is immediately erased and is not retained. For more information and to read the full notice regarding the disclosure of PHI, visit the One Click Scorecard.

Reminder: Proposed Interoperability Standards Measurement Framework Open for Public Comment

ONC is now accepting public comments on the Proposed Interoperability Standards Measurement Framework. We are looking for feedback on a proposed industry-wide measurement framework for assessing the implementation and use of health care interoperability standards and implementation specifications. Currently, the capabilities to measure and report on the use of standards vary significantly across the health IT ecosystem. This framework aims to help health IT developers, health information exchange organizations, and health care providers move towards a set of uniform measures to assess interoperability progress. Learn more by reading the latest ONC blog post Wanted: Feedback on Ways to Measure the Implementation and Use of Interoperability Standards.

Public comments on the Proposed Interoperability Standards Measurement Framework will be accepted until 5pm ET on Monday, July 31, 2017. Please note that comments and recommendations submitted as part of this process will be made public by ONC. 

OTHER HEALTH IT UPDATES

CMS Proposes Quality Payment Program Updates to Increase Flexibility and Reduce Burdens

Last week, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a proposed rule that would make changes in the second year of the Quality Payment Program as required by the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA). The proposed rule would amend some existing requirements and also contains new policies for doctors and clinicians participating in the Quality Payment Program that would encourage participation in either Advanced Alternative Payment Models (APMs) or the Merit-based Incentive Payment System (MIPS). The proposed rule (CMS-5522-P) can be downloaded from the Federal Register.

Draft Telehealth Measurement Framework Report Available for Comment

The National Quality Forum (NQF) draft report entitled: Creating a Framework to Support Measure Development for Telehealth is available for public comment through June 30 at 6:00 pm ET. The framework is intended to identify existing and potential telehealth metrics to identify gaps and develop a measure framework, a prioritized list of measure concepts, and guiding principles for future telehealth measurement.

NQF invites comments on the body of the report as well as suggestions for specificity around the measure concepts. You will need to log in to the NQF website to submit comments. Please contact the NQF project team with any questions.