HIMSS EHR Association
The HIMSS Electronic Health Record (EHR) Association is a trade association of Electronic Health Record (EHR) companies, addressing national efforts to create interoperable EHRs in hospital and ambulatory care settings. The EHR Association operates on the premise that the rapid, widespread adoption of EHRs will help improve the quality of patient care as well as the productivity and sustainability of the healthcare system.
News and Resources
The EHR Association Responses to the ONC NPRM on Meaningful Use Stage 2 Certification Criteria and the CMS NPRM on the Electronic Health Record Incentive Program Stage 2
Chicago (May 3, 2012) — The EHR Association today submitted its responses to the ONC NPRM on Meaningful Use Stage 2 Certification Criteria and the CMS NPRM on the Electronic Health Record Incentive Program Stage 2. The Association congratulates ONC and HHS on the accomplishments of Stage 1, many of the proposals for Stage 2, and makes detailed recommendations to ensure continuing progress toward are shared goals of broad adoption of health IT as part of healthcare transformation. Read the response to the ONC NPRM. Read the response to the CMS NPRM.
Several of our members have shared their thoughts in videos on the benefits of membership in the EHR Association as well as our EHR Adoption Community of Practice initiative. The videos are posted on the HIMSS YouTube page.
Michele McGlynn, Siemens - Michele McGlynn on the Value of EHRA Membership
Justin Barnes, Greenway Medical Technologies, Inc. - Justin Barnes on the Value of EHRA Membership
Brian Muck, Vitera Healthcare Solutions - Brian Muck on the EHR Adoption Community of Practice
Thanks to all of them for taking the time to promote the value of the EHR Association and the EHR Adoption Community of Practice. Please contact Pam Brewer at pbrewer@himss.org if you have questions about membership or need additional assistance.
EHR Association Responds to Health Affairs Study and New York Times Article on Health IT and Increased Physician Ordering
Chicago (March 9, 2012) — The EHR Association has responded to the Health Affairs study by Dr. McCormick, et al, “Giving Office-Based Physicians Electronic Access to Patients’ Prior Imaging and Lab Results Did Not Deter Ordering of Tests.” The study, based on pre-HITECH data and narrowly focused on imaging technology and its impact on physician ordering, was covered in a March 7 article and editorial in The New York Times. While the study itself notes that “use of an electronic health record system showed no association with test ordering,” and the Times editorial concludes, that “widespread adoption of electronic medical records will improve care and reduce costs”, there has been broader reaction that questions whether EHRs and other health IT really reduce costs. Our full response, builds on Dr. Farzad Mostashari’s March 6th comments and attempts to bring a balanced perspective to the benefits of EHRs. Read our response.
The EHR Association Publishes Patient Safety Statement of Commitment
Chicago (February 20, 2012) — The EHR Association has published its Statement of Commitment to Patient Safety and a Learning Healthcare System, in response to the Institute of Medicine’s report released last fall, Health IT and Patient Safety: Building Safer Systems for Better Care, pointing to the IoM’s comment “...it is important to recognize that health information technology products are not used in isolation but rather as part of a larger sociotechnical system, and safety emerges from the interactions of all of these factors.” Read the entire document. Read the press release.
