Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Predictions on the MeaningfulUse 2015 Certification Criteria

You've all probably heard by now that there's going to be a change to the Meaningful Use Stage 3 roll-out. This new strategy allows ONC to advance on Stage 3 in a step-wise fashion, without the all-or-nothing commitment to new standards present in prior years.  So, what is in store?  I don't have any real inside track knowledge, just the same awareness that everyone else could have if they participate in standards development activities.  These are my guesses.

  1. Blue Button Plus: Let's face it, with all the discussion going on around patient access, and the really close proximity of V/D/T to Blue Button Plus already, this one is just a no-brainer.  I'd be surprised if it wasn't included.
  2. Laboratory Orders: The S&I Framework Laboratory Orders initiative has resulted in the HL7 Publication of a new implementation guide on Laboratory Orders.  It's a good bet they'll want to try this out before making it a requirement of stage 3.  I'd say this is a pretty solid bet.
  3. HeD and VMR for Clinical Decision Support: Why kill yourself trying to get something done quickly if not to use it?  Thus I predict that HeD and VMR will be included in the 2015 criteria.  I'm fairly certain these two will make an appearance.
  4. HQMF Release 2 for Quality Measures:  Quality Measures released by CMS have been structured using HQMF Release 1 since the start of the Meaningful Use program.  Release 2.0 of that DSTU makes them computable from within the EHR.  Another pretty solid bet, but tempered by the fact that I've got a lot personally invested in this project, and may be more hopeful than reality might otherwise suggest.
  5. What is CCDA Release 2.0 for $357 Alex.  I'm somewhat dubious here.  Yes, I think ONC wants it, but I'd be very challenged to understand how it works alongside the currently selected work, especially as an optional certification.  You'd have to support the 1.1 version as well, because some systems will only work with that.  Yes, the structure is mainly the same, but the way that it is identified that makes it challenging. I'm hoping ONC treads carefully here, but I'd give this one even odds of being in the proposed rule, and some small chance it could drop out in the final rule.
My bets are placed.  How about yours?

3 comments:

  1. I would add Query-Response with FHIR. The signals are pretty clear from the HITSC, HITPC and the S&I Framework DAF initiative.

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    1. I would think that Query-Response with FHIR is probably off the table for 2015, but probably not for 2017, with the exception of Blue Button Plus.

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  2. My guess on Item #4 above is changing. C-CDA 2.0 is not done yet, and seems likely that it wouldn't go into 2015 at all (but I would bet we might see it in 2017). However, I do think the TOC Guide which is going through reconciliation now in HL7 will show up in 2015.

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