A bill to align the state with federal stimulus requirements in the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act was approved April 14 by the House Health Care and Human Services Finance Division.
HF384, sponsored by Rep. Paul Thissen (DFL-Mpls), would align state definitions such as “interoperable electronic health record” to mean one that securely exchanges health information with another electronic health record system that meets national requirements.
The health commissioner, in conjunction with the Minnesota Administrative Uniformity Committee, would be required to study and make recommendations on the feasibility and barriers to simplifying health care administrative transactions through electronic data interchange, under the bill.
The bill now goes to the House Finance Committee. Its companion, SF704, sponsored by Sen. Kevin Dahle (DFL-Northfield), awaits action by the Senate Finance Committee.
The act was included in the federal stimulus bill to help health care providers create electronic health records that would be interchangeable between health systems. It’s a change that advocates say would save money and lives.
To ensure systems are worth the investment, data reports will be required, said James Golden, director of health policy for the Health Department. Data collected would include whether a health care provider has an electronic health record and what it is being used for; if the provider is using it to exchange information; and whether collection of business data is being used for Medicare and Medicaid.
“None of this data would involve patient data,” he said.
One concern from providers is that, in the future, systems might not work with others because there is not a set of standards, said Rep. Steve Gottwalt (R-St. Cloud).
“This whole movement is probably the most important thing we’re gonna do,” said Rep. Thomas Huntley (DFL-Duluth), the committee chairman. He said the bill is key to changing the way medicine is practiced.
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