HiTech Flashcards
Which two federal agencies were charged with executing the ARRA Hitech Act?
CMS and ONC
What was the first thing ONC did with $2 Billion of HiTech Dollars?
First, it said that whatever else the ONC decided to do, it had to fund regional extension centers for health information technology, programs for states to organize the exchange of health information within their boundaries, and training programs for health information technology professionals.2-7 Second, the HITECH Act created a clear unspoken requirement to put supports in place well before providers became eligible for meaningful-use payments on January 1, 2011,
What are the major themes of the Meaningful Use Stages?
Stage 1 focused on defining the data that should be collected electronically in EHRs. Later stages of meaningful use would be more demanding and would emphasize the uses of EHRs that would improve processes of care and data sharing (stage 2) and outcomes (stage 3).
What is the timeframe for Meaningful Use
Stage 1 of meaningful use lasts through 2012 (although the secretary of health and human services has suggested extending it), and the program as a whole extends through 2018 for Medicare and through 2021 for Medicaid.
In 2015, Medicare providers who do not meet meaningful use face a reduction in fees.
2015—99% of Medicare physician fee schedule covered amount
2016—98 % of Medicare physician fee schedule covered amount
2017 and each subsequent year—97% of Medicare physician fee schedule covered amount
If less than 75% of EPs have become meaningful users of EHRs by 2018, the adjustment will change by 1% point each year to a maximum of 5%(95% of Medicare covered amount).
What two new committees did HiTech establish to support ONC?
Health Information Technology Policy Committee (HITPC) and a Health Information Technology Standards Committee (HITSC). The former was to provide general policy advice, and the latter to help with developing standards, implementation specifications, and certification criteria for EHRs.
What was HiTech Dollars Spent on aside from Meaningful Use?
1) Regional Extension Centers
2) Funded State Health Information Exchanges
3) Health IT Professional Training Programs–mostly community colleges, some small grad school
4) Beacon Community Funding
What do Regional Extension Centers do?
RECs offer a wide range of valuable services which may include:
- Outreach, education, and health IT training
- EHR selection support and financial consultation
- Workflow redesign assistance
- EHR implementation training
- EHR implementation support and project management
- Privacy and security support
- Meaningful use assistance, including incentive payments attestation advice
- Connections to state and national health information exchange efforts
- Ongoing technical assistance in implementing –Health IT and using it in a meaningful way to improve care
What will State Information Exchange Awardees do with the Funding?
- Create and implement up-to-date privacy and security requirements for HIE
- Coordinate with Medicaid and state public health programs to establish an integrated approach
- Monitor and track meaningful use HIE capabilities in their state
- Set strategy to meet gaps in HIE capabilities
- Ensure consistency with national standards
