Technological advancement is one of the key factors that have greatly facilitated the improvement of healthcare services within the American healthcare system. For instance, the development of the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan 2015-2020 has enhanced the facilities’ reflection on the collective health IT journey (ONC, 2015). The strategic plan has so far yielded substantial achievements, such as implementation of affordable care system and application of mobile healthcare strategies in the various healthcare facilities within the nation (ONC, 2015).Therefore, Health IT adoption has been one of the federal government’s biggest accomplishments over the past decade and despite the challenges faced in its implementation, there is light for the policymakers to make better Federal Health IT Plan beyond 2020.
The Role of the Federal Government in Health IT Adoption Acceleration over the Past Decade
The federal government has played a key role in initiating the regulations of Health IT adoption over the past decade. For instance, the federal government has been involved in creating incentives for providers to enhance their healthcare performance ( Blumenthal, 2006 ). The government has been initiating collection and releasing of performance data to the national Medicare program in order to accelerate the IT Health adoption in the healthcare sector. The federal government has been financing the rewarding of good performance by initiating pay-for-pay-performance programs ( Blumenthal, 2006 ). This has greatly encouraged the use of Health IT Policy in accomplishing health system goals in various healthcare facilities within the nation. Another way in which the federal government has contributed in acceleration of IT Health adoption is improvement of the market functioning through paying service providers to acquire and utilize Health IT. This includes provision of grants and low-interests to the providers in order to increase their capability in their provision.
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The federal governments also accelerates IT Health adoption through elimination of dysfunctional restrictions on market transactions ( Blumenthal, 2006 ). This has been achieved through creation of safe harbor by regulation of anti-kickback for hospitals assisting physicians in acquisition and maintenance of Health IT ( Blumenthal, 2006 ). Finally, the federal government has been using muscle as a purchaser to require Health IT application as a condition crucial for federal programs participation ( Blumenthal, 2006 ). For instance, the government has been using the military as the muscle purchaser of the healthcare services within the private sector through its Tri-care for Life program ( Blumenthal, 2006 ). In this regard, the Medicare is considered as a single largest payer of care in the United States ( Blumenthal, 2006 ). This has greatly contributed towards the acceleration of the IT Health adoption within the healthcare sector in the United States.
Key Challenges
In their endeavor to achieve the goals outlined in the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan 2015-2020, the healthcare industry and the policymakers face three key challenges. The first challenge is on how to ensure security of their information (OIG, 2019). This is because it is pretty hard to protect the data on health information stored in various IT devices due to high cases of both physical and cyber insecurity, especially during consideration and implementation of the policies related to health IT adoption and exchange, storage, and utilization of the electronic health information (OIG, 2019). Physical and cyber security is therefore, the biggest challenge encountered by health industry and policymakers in trying to achieve the goals outlined in the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan 2015-2020.
The second challenge accrues from the necessity to improve the flow of completeness, accuracy, and timely information (OIG, 2019). This is because the healthcare context is constantly experiencing growing amounts of data that needs to be availed in a meaningful access, subjected to appropriate privacy, and properly safeguarded; while at the same time be accurate and timely availed whenever needed (OIG, 2019). This poses great challenges to both the industry and policymakers, especially considering the complex nature of the various IT programs. The final challenge is on how to deliver on the promise of Health IT (OIG, 2019). Having invested significantly in Health IT, health industry and policymakers encounter great problems in their endeavor to ensure that their goals are fulfilled as expected and that they realize the promise as offered by the Health IT.
Goals That Policymakers Might Include In the Next Federal Health IT Strategic Plan (Beyond 2020)
The Federal Health IT Strategic Plan 2015-2020 established five key goals to be achieved by 2020. These include expansion of the health IT adoption, advancement of secured and interoperable health information, strengthening care delivery, advancement of both individuals and communities’ well-being, and advancements in the fields of research, scientific knowledge, and innovation (CIO, 2014). While these are important goals aimed at achieving efficient and effective patient care systems, there still remains a room for more goals to be included in the next Federal Health IT Strategic Plan, beyond 2020. First, policymakers may consider adding new sources of information (CIO, 2014). The new sources will aid in availing both quality and quantity health data for use as reference material among the various healthcare facilities within the United States.
Secondly, policymakers may consider introducing ways of quick knowledge dissemination (CIO, 2014). For instance, policymakers may seek ways of spreading, choosing, exchanging, and implementing available information among the various stakeholders within the healthcare sector. Thirdly, policymakers will need to include ways of securing their data stored in the IT software, such as introducing detectors to prevent both physical and cyber security issues. Finally, policymakers will need to source for ways of increasing their efficacy convenience in the transfer of health information stored in various electronic devices.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan 2015-2020 in the American healthcare system has greatly enhanced sharing of information and new ideas among various healthcare facilities. This has resulted in significant innovation within the healthcare sector; hence improving patient care systems. Some steps taken by the federal government in accelerating the Health IT adoption include creation of incentives for the Health IT providers, improvement of market functioning, and financing the rewarding of good performance. The main challenges faced by industry and policy makers in implementing goals outlined in the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan are physical and cyber insecurity, difficulties in delivering on the promise of Health IT, and the problem in improving the flow of completeness, accuracy, and timely information. However, the Health IT Policy remains bright and the policymakers may think of including goals, such as adding new sources of information, ways of quick knowledge dissemination, ways of securing their data stored in the IT software, and means of improving their knowledge transfer efficacy, in the next Federal Health IT Strategic Plan (beyond 2020).
References
Blumenthal, D. (2006). Health Information Technology: What Is the Federal Government’s Role?: Commission on a High Performance Health System. 1-12. (Online).downloaded on https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/5df2/dd6c275ad04e98b03072c136b9fc7702ac18.pdf
Federal Health IT Strategic Plan 2015-2020. 1-50: The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), Office of the Secretary United States Department of Health and Human Services. (Online).Downloaded on file:///C:/Users/User/Downloads/Federal%20Health%20IT%20Strategic%20Plan%202015-2020.pdf
The 5 key goals of the Federal Health IT Strategic Plan 2015-2020: Health & CIO Report. 2014. (Online).Retrieved from https://www.beckershospitalreview.com/healthcare-information-technology/the-5-key-goals-of-the-federal-health-it-strategic-plan-2015-2020.html
Top Management and Performance Challenges Facing HHS: Office of Inspector General (OIG), U.S Department Of Health And Human Services. (2019). (Online).Retrieved from https://oig.hhs.gov/reports-and-publications/top-challenges/2016/challenge03.asp
