More on HIMMS and CCHIT
By Darrell Pruitt; DDS
I want to share with you this article from Kaiser that just popped up.
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=58548
The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), an organization founded by healthcare IT technology vendors and other stakeholders, is the parent organization of the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT). In fact, CCHIT is presently managed by HIMSS’s former chief medical officer, Mark Leavitt. That’s not all. This Kaiser article points out that until recently, Leavitt was being paid by HIMSS while working for CCHIT. As some of us already openly suspect, the public-private powerhouse called CCHIT certainly sports the architecture of world-class conflict of interest in the Victorian style of the late 19th century.
The Washington Post Expose’
Just yesterday, Robert O’Harrow Jr., writing for the Washington Post, said documents show HIMSS asked the Obama Administration to require that any electronic health record equipment receiving stimulus funding be certified by CCHIT – the stakeholders’ bastard progeny.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/05/20/AR2009052003600.html
Well, O’Harrow actually didn’t use the words, “bastard progeny.”
CCHIT Steering HIMSS
HIMSS naturally thinks keeping CCHIT as the steering organization of healthcare IT is a really swell idea, and maintains that ‘meaningful use” of their goods is very, very important in rewarding stimulus money. Yet, as significant as the buzz-word sounds, it looks to me like “meaningful use” will be better described as “clicking for cash.”
Leavitt Brushes Off Criticism
The Kaiser article says that Leavitt brushes off the critics of CCHIT as would-be vendors who are angry because they failed certification; incredible mind, that man!
Assessment
Even before I read this article, and the accompanying “In related news” blurb about National Coordinator for Health IT David Blumenthal, I have seen a few things that make me suspect that Blumenthal and CCHIT leaders, specifically Glen Tullman from Allscripts, are probably already viciously, but secretly butting heads. I interpret this real-time history to show that soon, Blumenthal will either hang Leavitt and CCHIT over “meaningful use’ or he will resign in frustration.
But, what do I know? I’m a dentist, not a plumber.
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Filed under: Alerts Sign-Up, Breaking News, Career Development, Ethics, Information Technology, Op-Editorials | Tagged: Allscripts, CCHIT, Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology, David Blumenthal, EHRs, EMRs, Glen Tullman, Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, HIMMS, Kaiser, Mark Leavitt, National Coordinator for Health IT, Robert O' Harrow Jr | 5 Comments »