Panel seeks Rx for secure health data exchange

The Health IT Standards Committee's Implementation Workgroup heard from several large and small health plans, hospitals, doctors' practices and vendors. The workgroup, chaired by federal Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra, is gathering information on how to set standards for secure health data exchange systems. The committee will forward its recommendations to the Health and Human Services Department, which will consider them for upcoming regulations later this year for distributing $20 billion in Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments. The payments will go to providers who buy and "meaningfully use" certified electronic health record systems. Some of the health plans have set up pathways to exchange data through HHS' Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN) pilot project.