The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology is seeking public comments on a proposed industry-wide measurement framework developed to assess the execution and utilization of healthcare interoperability standards measurement framework.
“The current capabilities of stakeholders to measure healthcare interoperability standards vary primarily across the health IT ecosystem,” claims the document. “This framework aims to assist health IT developers, health information exchange agencies and healthcare providers shift towards a set of uniform measures to assess interoperability progress.”
ONC asserts that this measurement is crucial to better understanding the variability in how standards are executed in the field, involving where this variability is occurring and possibly impeding interoperability. The aim is to reach consensus on industry-wide measures to assess the implementation and use of healthcare interoperability standards.
“Precise measurement will need powerful support and participation from several health IT stakeholders,” writes Steve Posnack, director of ONC’s Office of Standards and Technology, in an April 26 blog. “Feedback will assist us to engage and coordinate with stakeholders, specifically those who might be in the best position to contribute data toward industry-wide measures.”
Among the queries ONC is searching to answer: Is a voluntary, industry-based measure reporting system the best means to execute this framework? And what obstacles might exist to a voluntary, industry-based measure reporting system, and what mechanisms or approaches could be considered to increase this system’s value to stakeholders?
For 3 years, ONC has released its Interoperability Standards Advisory (ISA), giving the healthcare industry with a listing of healthcare interoperability standards and implementation specifications meant to increase the flow of electronic health information.
While the ISA seeks to offer some guidance on standards measurement by estimating a implementation of standards and use in the field, Posnack appreciates that quantifiable data regarding the implementation and use of standards today is mostly not readily available or regularly tracked.
“Finally, a finalized measurement framework would enable aggregate, industry-wide statistics that could be utilized as a resource by all stakeholders to inform business decisions, enrich policy deliberations and enhance the precision of the guidance given by the ISA,” summarizes Posnack.
ONC is accepting comments on the framework until 5 p.m. ET on July 31. The agency points out that comments and suggestions submitted as part of this procedure will be made public.
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