NeoTool — Singular Focus, Healthcare Integrated

Posted in CCR, EHR, CCD, Healthcare IT

There is a very informative article on what the first-movers in Electronic Health Records (EHR) are doing next. The article is in Health Data Management and is entitled “EHR Pioneers Try to Stay Out Front: Latest projects include adding decision support, improving connectivity and developing PHRs.” 

Several months ago, I had written a post about All Healthcare Integration Is Local. The EHR pioneers article illustrates how EHR successes are occurring in various locations around the country.

The next level of value that the EHR pioneers are striving for is greater interoperability between providers. As the article states, “Connectivity is the next step; we have to go beyond ‘electrified’ paper. Every hospital should be able to electronically deliver to physicians on Monday morning all the details of their patients who were treated in the emergency department over the weekend.”

There are several initiatives that are facilitating greater connectivity between healthcare providers, including:

• The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT) now has introduced an EHR interoperability certification for vendors.
• The HL7 and ASTM have “harmonized” the continuity of care standards to bring together the HL7 CCD and ASTM CCR standards.

Although there is so much more work that needs to be done, momentum is gaining through the efforts of the EHR pioneers and the support of the people involved in the standards developing organizations.

Last 5 posts by Jon Mertz

• Hospitals Creating Their Own Networks - August 18th, 2008
• Healthcare Unbound Conference Insights - July 15th, 2008
• Electronic Medical Record Perspectives Grow - June 27th, 2008
• EMRs for Free... Really? - June 23rd, 2008
• HL7 Continuity of Care Document Quick Start Guide - June 12th, 2008