HHS’s ‘playbook’ helps providers navigate EHRs and Health IT

HHS’s ‘playbook’ helps providers navigate EHRs and Health IT September 28, 2016

The Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) recently released two new resources for National Health IT Week that help providers manage their EHRs and other Health IT infrastructure.

One of these guides focuses on untangling the EHR selection process by breaking down important concepts and commonly used terms that might be unfamiliar to providers and staff looking for an EHR.

The other new resource, dubbed the “Health IT Playbook,” is an online tool that compiles several different resources and guides so that providers use technology “in a way that best serves their practices, including supporting transitions toward alternative payment models,” according to HHS.

Here is some of what is included in the playbook:
• Case studies and tips from successful EHR and health IT implementations
• Advice on how to resolve IT workflow and optimization issues
• Information and illustrations that show how laws like the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) contribute to electronic health information exchange
• Resources for providers that shows the way new technologies and processes can support patient care

The ONC plans to host a webinar to demonstrate some of the Health IT Playbook’s features on September 30. In addition, the department hopes to continuously update these tools to make keep them relevant and useful, even as healthcare continues to transform and change.

Are you planning to use any of these new resources? Comment below!