Meaningful Use Stage 3: HIT Policy Committee Request for Comment
On November 27, the Health IT Policy Committee (HITPC) of the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) released a preliminary set of recommendations for Stage 3 meaningful use of electronic health record technology (EHRT) to the public as a Request for Comment (RFC), which can be viewed in full here: www.healthit.gov/sites/default/files/hitpc_stage3_rfc_final.pdf.1 The HITPC will analyze all comments and revisit its recommendations during public meetings held in the first quarter of 2013. The committee is expected to submit its final recommendations to the ONC in mid-2013.2
The Stage 3 RFC closely follows publication of the Stage 2 final rule (see our analysis of that rule here: http://www.healthinfolaw.org/announcement/meaningful-use-stage-2-final-rule-overview-and-outlook). The HITPC envisions Stage 3 as the “time to begin to transition from a setting-specific focus to a collaborative, patient- and family-centric approach,”3 building on Stage 2 by increasing threshold percentages, broadening the scope of objectives, and expanding EHRT functionality. The recommendations identify new objectives, measures, and certification requirements for Stage 3, as well as items to consider in “future” stages. The committee requests stakeholder input and feedback on a number of specific items, and poses questions on six broad meaningful use issues.
The second and third sections of the RFC relate to quality measures and privacy and security, respectively. The committee requests feedback on a number of questions related to each area for use in formulating additional recommendations.
Meaningful Use Objectives and Measures: Recommended Changes to Stage 2 Measures and Objectives
Meaningful Use Objectives and Measures: New Objectives and Measures
Quality Measures
Privacy and Security
Footnotes
- 1. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, HIT Policy Committee: Request for Comment Regarding the Stage 3 Definition of Meaningful Use of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) (November 2012). Available at: http://www.healthit.gov/sites/default/files/hitpc_stage3_rfc_final.pdf.
- 2. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, HIT Policy Committee: Meaningful Use Workgroup Stage 3 – Preliminary Recommendations, at 3 (August 1, 2012). Available at: http://www.healthit.gov/sites/default/files/mu_stage3_rec_hitpc_meeting_.... Note that the RFC deadline has been extended to January 14, 2013, from the original December 21, 2012 date; it is unclear exactly how this extension will impact the overall timeline.
- 3. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, HIT Policy Committee: Request for Comment Regarding the Stage 3 Definition of Meaningful Use of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) (November 2012). Available at: http://www.healthit.gov/sites/default/files/hitpc_stage3_rfc_final.pdf.
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