The Markle Foundation’s Connecting for Health public-private collaborative has since 2002 brought together leading government, industry, and health care experts to accelerate the development of a health information-sharing environment to improve the quality and cost-effectiveness of health care. Together with the Center for Democracy and Technology, the Center for Medical Consumers, Childbirth Connection, Microsoft Health Solutions Group, National Partnership for Women & Families, Mark Frisse, Vanderbilt Center for Better Health and J. Marc Overhage, Regenstrief Institute, we submitted these comments in response to HHS’ draft description of a program for establishing regional centers (Centers) to assist providers seeking to adopt and become meaningful users of health information technology.
- Clearly define the scope of Center activities to support meaningful use and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) goals before grants are made.
- Centers should help providers use health IT to engage consumers and support their active health management.
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Broaden the definition of health IT to include health IT services and tools that support providers in achieving meaningful use.
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Tie funding to program goals, not minimum and maximum amounts per geographic area.
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Use flexible and outcome-oriented criteria to select organizations most likely to have a long-term impact.
