Dive Brief:
- The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) proposed a new rule Monday to aimed at improving the safety, reliability, transparency, and accountability of certified health IT products for users.
- The rule has three main provisions: to enable ONC to directly review certified health IT products, including EHRs, to increase ONC oversight of health IT testing groups, and to make identifiable surveillance results of certified health IT publicly available.
- ONC said in the press release the rule would also increase its ability to "address and correct non-conformities found in certified health IT products from the initial testing phase through implementation in healthcare settings."
Dive Insight:
"Today's proposed rule will help us ensure that health IT products and the health IT marketplace are continuing to meet the needs of the healthcare system," National Coordinator for Health Information Technology Karen DeSalvo said in a prepared statement.
The proposed rule will help empower health IT consumers by providing more information about how a certified health IT product performs in the field, according to HHS.
The comment period on the proposed rule, "ONC Health IT Certification Program: Enhanced Oversight and Accountability" ends on May 2, 2016.