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CMS, ONC issue new rules to make EHR better accessed, more useful

HHS has issued new rules to the Electronic Heath Record Incentive Program and the Health IT Certification Program that will make EHR information more available to patients, simplify information sharing and ease the burden on health care providers, according to a press release.

“We have a shared goal of electronic health records helping physicians, clinicians and hospitals to deliver better care, smarter spending and healthier people. We eliminated unnecessary requirements, simplified and increased flexibility for those that remain, and focused on interoperability, information exchange, and patient engagement. By 2018, these rules move us beyond the staged approach of ‘meaningful use’ and focus on broader delivery system reform,” Patrick Conway MD, MSc, CMS deputy administrator for innovation and quality and chief medical officer, said in a press release. 

The new rules come after providers had expressed concerns over increasing requirements and ongoing frustration of making EHR systems work for their patients and practices.

Changes to current requirements include:

• Developers will now have 27 months to create new innovations and products based on new certification expectations;
• Enhanced focus on clinical decision support, electronic prescribing and information exchange;
• Reduction in duplicative reporting by lowering the number of objectives from 20 to less than 10, and providers will now be able to choose progress measures that most apply to their practice;
• Allow providers to apply for hardship extensions if they have issues or need to switch EHR vendor;
• Compliance time for new requirements will be extended until Jan. 1, 2018; and
• Emphasis on measures that interoperability between patient and provider, with 60% of measures now focusing on exchange of health information.

The new rules will be open for comments for 60 days to allow additional feedback from the public.

“This rule is a key step forward in our work with the private sector to realize the shared goal of making actionable electronic health information available when and where it matters most to transform care and improve heath for the individual, community and larger population. It will bring us closer to a world in which health care providers and consumers can readily, safely and securely exchange electronic health information,” Karen B. DeSalvo, MD, MPH, MSc, national coordinator for health IT, said in the release.