Quality of Care A

Group VI

Public Policy Problem

The lack of ability to generate population-based data/information from individual practices or health care providers impedes effective communication and quality care.

Dimensions of the Problem

• ONCHIT credentialing process incomplete and expensive.

• Inpatient E.H.R. requirements lack population-based relational database capabilities.

• Lack of capital funding for providers for IT.• Medical Home criteria seems to be

changing in relation to the above problems.

• Lack of Medicare direction/funding for population-based health initiatives.

Rationale for Pursuing this Problem

• Current state of electronic medical records integration in physician practices and hospitals or community agencies is a mess.

• Lack standards of data collection.• Use for quality improvement – link

interventions to outcomes.• Improved health outcomes.

Stakeholders - Supporters

Certified Vendors

New revenue opportunity

Public Health agencies (State and local)

Connectivity to patient information to improve

continuity of careCommunity assessment data

FQHC

Researchers Relational databases

Disease advocacy groups

Cancer, Heart, Asthma, etc.Help illustrate the

relationship between treatment and outcomes

Stakeholders - Supporters

Legislators More information about my voters.

Vendors of health care products

HIPPA Continuity of care/secured tracking

Stakeholders - Opponents

Small providers Costs, lack of staff/support/resources

Non-certified ONCHIT vendors

Loss of revenue

HIPPA Confidentiality breach.

Payers

Action Plan

• Require the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONCHIT) to ensure the inclusion of relational database technology in both inpatient and outpatient certified vendor products and services.

• Require physician and outpatient practices over a certain size (i.e., 4 licensed independent practitioners) that participate in the Medicare program to use an ONCHIT-certified vendor, using Medicare reimbursement as leverage.

• Recommend that the criteria for Medical Home include an ONCHIT-certified vendor.