Cool Technology of the Week

I've recently been asked how healthcare information exchange can simplify compliance processes such as the delivery of electronic summaries, instead of thousands of sheets of paper, to CMS in support of audits.

I've described the ONC Standards and Interoperability Framework (S&I) process several times previously in my blog.  S&I convenes stakeholders to assemble new implementation guides and do technical work to polish existing standards.  The HIT Standards Committee makes recommendations and evaluates standards implementation, but does not create implementation guides.

The S&I Framework Electronic Submission of Medical Documentation (ESMD) project supports the CMS vision for automating audit processes.

The S&I ESMD workgroup continues to work on the implementation guides which support the exchange of the relevant data from hospitalizations that would replace the paper-based audits of today.   I'm guessing they will choose the Consolidated CDA (CCDA) standard that was developed by consensus for transitions of care.

A single, template-based standard for communication of clinical details to clinicians and a replacement for paper-based CMS auditing processes.   ESMD and CCDA are definitely cool!