HHS finalizes strategy to reduce health IT burdens

The Department of Health and Human Services today finalized its strategy to reduce regulatory and administrative burdens for health care providers using electronic health records and other health information technology. Required by the AHA-supported 21st Century Cures Act of 2016, the report by HHS’ Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT outlines a series of policies the agency may enact over the next several years to reduce burdens related to clinical documentation, health IT usability, and EHR and public health reporting. Commenting on the draft report last year, AHA urged  the agency to look at EHR clinical documentation, prior authorization and the ongoing lack of interoperability between EHR systems, among other concerns.