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The federal government has set an Oct. 6 deadline to comply with legislation designed to improve the dissemination of health information. The American Hospital Association, America’s Essential Hospitals and others say they need more time.
Ten leading healthcare organizations are asking the government for more time as they face an urgent Oct. 6 deadline to comply with federal law on data sharing.
Health care industry groups have sent Letter He asked the Department of Health and Human Services to push the deadline to one year. The groups include the American Hospital Association, American Medical Association, America’s Essential Hospitals, and Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME).
“Based on feedback from our members that continues to build, it is clear that both health care providers, clinics and providers are not fully prepared for the October 6 deadline,” the letter states.
“Therefore, we respectfully request that HHS extend both the data-restricting compliance deadlines for one year – including October 6th – and provide corrective action notices to providers/clinics prior to introducing any financial incentives.” investigation”
CHIME, which helped draft the letter, said the organization remains a supporter of information sharing. CHIME President and CEO Russ Branzel said organizations are doing their best to comply, but many won’t be able to meet that deadline.
“CHIME members remain steadfast in their commitment to being trusted partners to patients and protecting their ability to access their health care records, but it is clear that more time is needed to ensure providers have a thorough understanding of these important policies,” said Branzel. press release. “Inadequate guidance on best practices and performance capabilities.”
The federal government defines information blocking as an attempt to prevent or prohibit the access, sharing, or use of electronic patient health information. The government is pushing for easier data sharing between health systems, insurers and patients to improve outcomes.
Until August 31, the federal National Coordinating Office of Health Information Technology 452 reports that it has received a claim that information may be withheld. Most of the complaints are from patients. More than 80% of complaints (371 of 452) involved allegations of health care providers denying access to health information.
US Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said in March Most complaints involve health care providers.. He warned that the government is going to pay close attention to organizations that deny access to information.
In a video talk to the HIMS conference, Becerra said the patient complained that he was waiting to hear about the biopsy and was told the results were available, but the doctor was out of town and the patient could not get the results yet.
In a letter to the Department of Health, CHIME and other healthcare groups said a major barrier to compliance was “the inability to support access, exchange and use of EHI.” There is no clear definition of EHI and there is a lack of technical infrastructure to support secure exchange.
Healthcare organizations have been taxed by the Covid-19 pandemic, and a recent AMA study found it. Doctor burnout has reached a new high. CHIME argued that keeping the deadline would add stress to many busy healthcare teams.
Health care systems are interpreting in different ways what information should be shared and what the exceptions are, the letter says. Some areas of confusion include information about substance abuse and mental health, the letter said.
Even large health providers are confused, and smaller providers may be even more confused, the health groups said in the letter.
Smaller health systems are also relying on electronic health record providers, but hundreds of smaller health information technology providers are not ready to meet the deadline, CHIME said. Suppliers have a deadline to submit the required amendments by December 31, 2022, three months after the deadline for suppliers to comply.
In addition to extending the deadline, the health groups called on the government to develop additional training and education efforts, including some focused on medium and small providers.
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