ARRA

EHR Tips for supplementing ARRA funding

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tipjar

Is EHR so distasteful that providers need incentive?

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broccoli

Of what were we last speaking?  Do you ever wonder if perhaps you are the only person who was never photographed with one of the Kennedys?  That got me thinking about our presidents.  Yesterday NPR interviewed the person who spent eighty hours interviewing Clinton during the eight years during which he was allowed to park freely anywhere in DC.  See how this is already starting to come together?

The interviewer mentioned that Clinton described the Lewinski episode as a distraction.  I also employed several descriptors of that series of affairs—of course, the pun is intentional—but I must have overlooked calling it a distraction.  People on both sides of the dialog call the episode a stupid thing.  Here’s how I look at it—doing long division and forgetting to carry the one is ‘a stupid thing’; mixing a red sock with a load of whites is ‘a stupid thing’.  Sometimes politics can have us all screaming infidelities.

When I share my thoughts about these things, some look at me like they are staring at an unlabeled can of food.  I guess objectivity is only for the truly unimaginative.

So all of that thinking about presidents got me to thinking about Mr. Obama, reform, and EHR.  Remember that a lot of the original economic reform discussion had to do with TARP monies being almost tossed at the banks.  It was almost like a reverse bank holdup, making the banks take money.

Which now takes us to healthcare reform and EHR.  ARRA money and states like New York providing a stimulus to the stimulus.  What would make governments offer money for EHR?  How might we illustrate this?

Let’s say I offer my children a choice of two things to eat; broccoli and chocolate cake.  They make a bee-line for the cake.  The broccoli requires an incentive to get any takers.  I ask a few questions—they are prepared to suffer untold penalties instead of eating the broccoli.  There may be some financial incentive which will entice them to eat broccoli, but it will be pricey.  Telling them it’s good for them, or that they have to eat it makes no difference to short people—they want to be bribed.

Telling healthcare providers EHR is good for them, or that they have to do it makes no difference to tall people—they want to be bribed.  What does this signify?  What is it about EHR that requires incentives and some foreign force majeure to get the discussion underway?  It’s not as though the healthcare providers don’t want to do things that will improve their business.  What is it they know that we don’t?  What would make them run towards EHR rather than away from it?

You don’t suppose it has something to do with broccoli, do you?

For those who enjoy Dana Carvey, here’s a link to his song about chopping broccoli.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO57XRDDodk

saint

At what point do we decide this will not work?

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We haven't tried this approach yet

We haven't tried this approach yet

What is your natural reaction when you are faced with something that you know doesn’t make sense?  Most people respond with silence, or they join the majority, whatever the issue.  I’ve never been good at being most people–the shoes are too tight.

For your edification and consideration.

State CIOs Get ‘To-Do’ List

HDM Breaking News, August 25, 2009

The National Association of State Chief Information Officers has published a report giving guidance to CIOs as their states implement health information technology provisions of the HITECH Act within American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The act requires state leadership in two primary areas: oversight for the planning and deployment of health information exchanges and management of the Medicaid incentive payments for meaningful use of electronic health records, the report notes.

“The passage of the HITECH Act essentially merged health policy with technology policy across state government and state CIOs must play a key role in HIE development and implementation,” according to the report.

The report includes a list of upcoming deadlines for specific federal regulatory actions, including those most affecting states and their CIOs. The report also details four broad areas where CIOs can have a major impact on HIE initiatives: planning, governance, financing/sustainability and policy.

“The HITECH Act placed a significant amount of new responsibilities on states in regards to state oversight for HIE and the planning and implementation grants for preparing for HIE,” the report states. “During this initial planning period, state CIOs must secure a seat at the table to establish themselves as key stakeholders and also to recognize strengths and identify weaker points that require resolution within their own offices relating to statewide HIT/HIE planning. They must ask themselves what they, with their unique enterprise view, can do to support and contribute to each of these areas.”

That was simple.  I’m thinking that if we can tie the IRS into this system of HIE, HITECH, ARRA, Rhoi, CIO, MOUSE we may be on to something useful.  Did you ever think that acronyms are used as a means of obfuscation, or to hide the identities of the people making these decisions?  I am much more likly to lend my avatar to a group of State This & Thats than I am to have someone write, Paul Roemer is the brainchild behind this I^(*&^%%!.  I like committees of three, especially when the other two don’t know for what time I scheduled the meeting.

English 101.  The desk is hard, the task is difficult, and the task described above is impossible or at least out of the realm of mortals.  Does someone think checking off the items on the list will easily allow my doctor to follow me on business or vacation across the country?  We are all smarter than that and we need to stand up and lead.  The time to follow has ended.

MyHero