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More on HIMMS and CCHIT
By Darrell Pruitt; DDS
Ann and ME-P Friends
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.
Conclusion
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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 |
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Meaningful Use Requirements … out Soon?
HHS may publish proposed criteria for the “meaningful use” of eHRs sooner rather than later, according to this story in Health Data Management.
http://www.healthdatamanagement.com/news/stimulus-38420-1.html
Enjoy.
Rick
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Hi Ms. Miller:
I’d be honored to be on your [thought-leaders] list. Your website is very interesting and laid out well.
The material you present is very remeniscent of the writings of Drexel University’s Scot Silverstein, MD who has a list of eMR projects that have resulted in increased morbidity and in some cases, increased mortality.
The article that I wrote on Dr. [David] Kibbe got me a future interview with him. He’s pretty scared about the public catfight, as [Mark] Leavitt has already tried to get him fired from his consultant job at the American Academy of Family Practice.
Fortunately, Leavitt can’t go after me, since I can’t be fired from anything. (At MDNG magazine I was hired specifically to give folks like him, “enterprise” vendors trying to influence US law and lawmakers, a hard time.)
Cheers,
Dr. Alberto Borges; MD
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I heartily welcome Dr. Borges. He not only offers a credible voice, but he’s a man with the courage to use it.
Darrell K. Pruitt; DDS
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Dr. Borges and Dr. Pruitt,
The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology has selected more than 200 volunteers to help the organization tweak its certification programs to comply with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
Link: http://govhealthit.com/articles/2009/06/11/cchit-staffs-up-for-certification-overhaul.aspx?s=GHIT_160609
What do you think about that?
Richard
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All ME-P Fans,
According to health journalist Neal Versel, and many others, CCHIT has come under fire this year from critics, both legitimate and shadowy, who have questioned the commission’s independence from health IT vendors and whether its certification programs help customers pick eHRs that truly will improve care quality and efficiency. And, the rhetoric is heating up again.
So, I am pleased that the ME-P has entered the critical-thinking fray.
Click to access 20090713_EHRA_responses_ONC_certQuestions.pdf
Best
Judson
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