Discussion 8 responses

In responses to your peers, share if you believe their arguments are sound. Use the literature and your learnings from previous modules to support your observation.Post # 1Ruth KellyHealth information technology (HIT), when used appropriately, has so many benefits to promoting the safety and quality of care.  Meaningful Use was one of the many measures under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act of 2009 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2020).  The criteria under meaningful use were devised to maximize the benefits of HIT.  It sets objectives for healthcare professionals and hospitals to improve the quality, safety, and efficiency of healthcare;  reduce health disparities, engage patients and their families, improve the coordination of care, improve population and public health, and maintain the privacy and security of patient health information (Health Information Technologies [HIT], 2020).  In 2018, the former program was expanded with an increased focus on interoperability and patient access to information (CDC, 2020).  Compliance with these objectives is measured by requiring eligible organizations and professionals who are treating Medicare and Medicaid patients to report on the Quality Payment Program requirements under the four main objectives (CDC, 2020).  Simply stated, these objectives ensure pertinent data collection, report clinical quality measures, provide clinical decision support, and support the exchange of key clinical information.ReferenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (2020). Public health and promoting interoperability programs. https://www.cdc.gov/ehrmeaningfuluse/introduction.htmlHealth Information Technologies (2020). Meaningful use definition and objectives.https://web.archive.org/web/20111018063338/https://www.healthit.gov/providers-professionals/meaningful-use-definition-objectivesPost # 2Maureen CalnanMeaningful use of the electronic health record is a concept that has many benefits.  The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was introduced in 1996 to protect the personal information, especially health information, of patients in a world of increasing exchange of electronic information (Bell, 2018; Bowie, 2019).  In 2009, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) overhauled the regulation of health information technology (HIT).  Included in the ARRA was a section on HIT for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) which sought to promote the implementation and meaningful use of HIT (Bell, 2018; Bowie, 2019).  As part of the ARRA, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) also began an incentive program for healthcare organizations that demonstrated meaningful use of an EHR.  This meant that facilities were expected to use their EHR to capture and disseminate meaningful data, enhance clinical practice, and improve quality outcomes (Bell, 2018; Bowie, 2019).  All of this legislation aimed to improve the quality and safety of healthcare in the U. S.The Electronic Health Record Incentive Program (formerly “Meaningful Use”) is an example of the shift from volume to value-based purchasing and quality initiatives in healthcare.  In under a decade, over a half million providers and hospitals took advantage of this program.  Although at face-value, the program cost over $37billion, the hope is that the cost savings from better coordination of care through enhanced information sharing will be even greater Nash et al., 2019).  This means increased efficiency due to fewer duplications of services, increased safety due to more readily available information about patients’ health history and vital facts such as drug allergies.  Meaningful use of the EHR means better quality, safer care for patients, and costs savings for hospitals, providers, and patients.ReferencesBell, K. (2018). Public policy and health informatics. Seminars in Oncology Nursing, 34 (2), 184 – 187.Bowie, M.J. (2019). Essentials of Health Information Management: Principles and Practices. Clifton Park, NY: Cengage Custom.Nash, D.B., Joshi, M.S., Ransom, E.R., & Ransom, S.B. (2019). The Healthcare Quality Book. Chicago, IL: Health Administration Press

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