As reported in Healthcare IT News - the ability to exchange lab data will significantly limit the ability to demonstrate 'meaningful use' of Electronic Records in the US. Standards are viewed by many as a drudgery - boring, repetitive work that needs to be done by the technically inclined in order to connect systems and processes. However, without standards for lab data (as they are finding in the US), the ability to share information is very limited.
WASHINGTON – The HIT Policy Advisory Committee's information exchange workgroup learned Tuesday just how difficult it's going to be for doctors to exchange electronic lab results to qualify for federal "meaningful use" bonuses. Physicians can earn a potential $44,000 under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), beginning Oct. 1, 2011, but they will have to show meaningful use of data, including the use of electronic laboratory results. One of the problems is that state laws regulate the exchange of electronic laboratory results, and standards don't exist to allow this information to flow easily between labs and physician offices.
According to experts, labs are required to pay for the exchange of data, so they build connections with larger providers first – leaving small physician practices on their own, since there aren't enough lab results to justify the interface. Physicians encounter barriers in exchanging lab results electronically | Healthcare IT News.
The same lessons can be applied to Canada.
I see this as part of a broader information exchange requirement - once we have lab data, how about a mechanism to send and receive referrals and consultation reports?
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