Dive Brief:
- The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) is now sharing detailed information about certified health IT products, HHS announced.
- The details will be posted to the upgraded certified health IT product list (CHPL) and the newly created HealthIT.gov/transparency.
- The information sharing is mandated by the ONC’s 2015 Edition final rule, which has several provisions aimed at improving transparency and accountability in the health IT industry.
Dive Insight:
With this information now available, those purchasing health IT products can more easily and effectively compare competing products in order to make the selection that best suits their needs, as well as learn what costs and limitations they may face in using those products.
This in turn should help clinicians achieve the full potential of their health IT choice, help reduce unexpected costs and frustrations that hinder health IT implementation and use, and increase the incentive for developers to continue to improve their products, the ONC stated.
ONC's rule also goes further, requiring certified health IT developers to publish plain-language disclosure statements about their products online and in their marketing materials that explain what limitations or costs the user may face. In addition, developers will have to attest whether they will or will not voluntarily take any further action to support transparency. "Nearly all developers who had signed the Interoperability Pledge announced earlier this year indicated their commitment to more transparency and accountability," the ONC wrote.