A coalition of consumer, labor and patient advocacy groups is urging greater consumer participation in the development of federal health IT standards and initiatives to ensure long-term success of the federal government's efforts to drive electronic health record adoption, Modern Healthcare reports.
On Friday, the Consumer Partnership for eHealth released a report, titled "Consumer Platform for Health IT," that offers recommendations for expanding consumers' role in the development and implementation of health IT standards and programs (Daly, Modern Healthcare, 5/9).
The report argues that consumers can offer unique ideas and insights that other health care industry stakeholders might not consider.
The platform states, "Full engagement of consumers in leadership and decision-making roles at the policy and governance levels is essential, not just for gaining their trust and buy-in, but also for maximizing the likelihood of meeting patient and consumer needs."
Expectations for a Patient-Centered Health Care System
The platform also offers recommendations for what a "truly" patient-centered health care system should provide, including:
- Clinical information contributed by the individual is used to provide holistic care;
- Correct data are provided to the right person at the right time;
- Data are used and presented in ways that are meaningful to the individual;
- Information is exchanged privately and securely without unnecessary barriers to its use; and
- Data are used to ensure fair and equitable treatment of all (Goedert, Health Data Management, 5/8).