Work

Public Health Surveillance and Meaningful Use Regulations: A Crisis of Opportunity

Year: 2012

Type: article

Abstract: The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act is intended to enhance reimbursement of health care providers for meaningful use of electronic health records systems. This presents both opportunities and challenges for public health departments. To earn incentive payments, clinical providers must exchange specified types of data with the public health system, such as immunization and syndromic surveillance data and notifiable disease reporting. However, a crisis looms because public health's information technology systems largely lack the capabilities to accept the types of data proposed for exchange. Cloud computing may be a solution for public health information systems. Through shared computing resources, public health departments could reap the benefits of electronic reporting within federal funding constraints.

Source: American Journal of Public Health

DOI: 10.2105/ajph.2011.300542

Authors: Leslie Lenert, David N. Sundwall

Institution: University of Utah

Language: English

Topic: Electronic Health Records Systems

Subfield: Health Information Management

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funder: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention