A March 24 article, "Health Tech Oversight Up in the Air in
Wake of New HHS Position," in Bloomberg BNA's Health
IT Law & Industry Report and other publications reported
that federal oversight of health information technology policy
could be in limbo with the creation of a new Department of Health
and Human Services position focused on health technology. The
position is expected to be filled by former Rep. John Fleming
(R-La.). Day Pitney healthcare attorney Eric Fader was quoted in
the article.
The article stated that during his eight years in Congress, Fleming
worked closely with new HHS Secretary Tom Price, a former House
Republican from Georgia. It appears the two have "remarkably
similar backgrounds and world views," Eric told Bloomberg BNA.
"I think Fleming's pending appointment is an indication
that Price intends to prioritize HIT adoption and interoperability,
and in Fleming he'll have someone who is likely to approach
this complex initiative in the same provider-friendly manner that
he's known to favor," Eric said. He observed that Price
and Fleming appear to share the goal of removing unnecessary
regulatory burdens from physicians while agreeing that the
universal use and interoperability of EHRs are necessary to boost
patient care and reduce health-care costs.
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