Even after the launch of the Medicare and Medicaid incentives programs, federal officials plan to continue to monitor the private sector's use electronic health records to help keep medical professionals up to date on the latest advancements in health information technology.
A recent announcement posted on the federal government's business opportunity website says that the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT will collect information on technology trends and update the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. This could help officials ensure that their meaningful use rules keep pace with realities in the private sector.
The initiative could make a wealth of information available to government sources, enabling them to design more effective strategies for spurring wider use of health IT. It could also lead to faster dissemination of best practices that have proven to be most effective when adopting and using electronic health records.
The move could help CMS make sure that it is getting the most bang for its buck. The agency has invested more than $19 billion in stimulus funds to provide incentives to providers that adopt technology according to their meaningful use standards.