Module 4 Goverment-innovation
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Feb 20, 2024
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Government Influence on HIT
Samantha Bentley
The University of Findlay
HINF632
09/09/2023
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Government Influence on HIT
Role of the United States Government in Health Information Technology (HIT):
The United States government plays a large role in implementing policies and regulations for Health Information Technology practices as well as many other
sectors. The United States government provides its regulatory oversight specifically through the Executive and Legislative branches. Here's a brief overview of their roles and how they work together:
Legislative Branch (Congress):
The legislative branch of government, or congress, is responsible for passing
laws and regulations related to HIT, such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996 which set national standards for protecting private health information, and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act in 2009, which provided incentives for the adoption of Electronic Health Records (OCR, 2017). Additionally, congress is responsible for organizing oversight efforts to ensure that federal HIT initiatives are being implemented effectively. Executive Branch:
The executive branch of government oversees the implementation and enforcement of the laws that are passed by congress. The department of Health and
Human Services (HHS) oversees many HIT-related initiatives and agencies, such
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Government Influence on HIT
as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The HHS is responsible for implementing HIT policies and
regulations such as the HITECH Act. This includes addressing violations based on culpability and penalties (OCR, 2017).
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), which is a part of HHS, has a specific mandate for HIT. It is in control of coordinating national HIT policies, standards, and initiatives, as well as overseeing
the implementation of electronic health records and health information exchange. This includes the Cures Act Final Rule, which promotes the secure exchange of ePHI (ONC, n.d.).
Working Together to Support HIT Evolution:
The Executive and Legislative branches work together to advance HIT policies through the passage of laws that set the framework for HIT adoption and allocate funding by Congress, and The Executive Branch, primarily through HHS and ONC, implements these laws and regulations and manages HIT programs and initiatives.
Political Challenges:
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Government Influence on HIT
Political challenges can hinder the collaboration between these branches, causing bureaucratic delays and a misalignment of priorities. Political processes can slow down collaboration due to lengthy approval procedures and compliance requirements, which can be difficult to come to an agreement on. Additionally, political agendas might prioritize certain aspects of HIT development over others, potentially hindering holistic progress. These partisan differences can lead to disputes over the direction of HIT policy. Even after these policies and laws have been established in their scope, funding disagreements may also ensue. These battles over budget allocations for HIT initiatives can stall progress. Finally, continuous changes in administration can result in evolving priorities and regulations, which affect long-term planning.
Role of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC):
A primary purpose of The ONC is the promotion of the use of HIT to improve healthcare outcomes. Its specific roles include:
Setting Standards: The ONC establishes and maintains standards and certification criteria for EHR systems to ensure interoperability.
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Government Influence on HIT
Promoting Interoperability: ONC works to ensure that healthcare data can be
exchanged seamlessly among different systems.
Advising the Government: ONC advises the government on HIT policies and strategies (ONC, n.d.).
Working with Government and Private Sector:
The ONC collaborates with both the government and private sector to support HIT evolution. It works with HHS and CMS to implement HIT programs and regulations. It also engages with private sector stakeholders, including EHR vendors, healthcare providers, and healthcare organizations, to align policies with industry needs.
Assessment of Engagement:
The current level of engagement is essential to ensure the effective implementation of HIT policies. Government agencies like the ONC are necessary to establish and enforce standards, promote interoperability, and guide industry practices. The balance between the agency and the branches of the government currently create an environment conducive to the propagation of HIT policies.
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Government Influence on HIT
Preventing Politics as a Barrier:
To prevent politics from becoming a barrier in the future, the government should consider:
Bipartisan Collaboration: Encouraging bipartisan cooperation on healthcare and HIT policies to reduce the impact of political divisions.
Long-term Planning: Establishing HIT policies with long-term goals and bipartisan support to reduce the impact of changing administrations.
Stakeholder Involvement: By involving a wide range of stakeholders from various backgrounds, including healthcare providers, technology professionals, and
patient care advocates, policy development processes can have balanced perspectives.
In summation, the U.S. government, through both the Executive and Legislative branches in addition to agencies like the ONC, plays a critical role in advancing and implementing HIT. While some political challenges exist, a collaborative, long-term approach with diverse stakeholder involvement can help prevent politics from becoming a barrier to HIT implementation and adoption.
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Government Influence on HIT
References
(OCR), O. for C. R. (2021, June 28). Hitech Act Enforcement Interim Final Rule
. HHS.gov. https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/special-topics/hitech-act-enforcement-
interim-final-rule/index.html#:~:text=The%20Health%20Information%20Technology
%20for,use%20of%20health%20information%20technology. About the ONC Health IT Certification Program
. HealthIT.gov. (2021, November 9). https://www.healthit.gov/topic/certification-ehrs/about-onc-health-it-certification-program Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022, June 27). Health Insurance Portability and accountability act of 1996 (HIPAA)
. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/phlp/publications/topic/hipaa.html#:~:text=Health%20Insurance
%20Portability%20and%20Accountability%20Act%20of%201996%20(HIPAA),-
Print&text=The%20Health%20Insurance%20Portability%20and,the%20patient’s
%20consent%20or%20knowledge. Yen, P.-Y., McAlearney, A. S., Sieck, C. J., Hefner, J. L., & Huerta, T. R. (2017, September 7). Health Information Technology (HIT) adaptation: Refocusing on the journey to successful hit implementation
. JMIR medical informatics. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5608986/