135.156 - ELECTRONIC HEALTH INFORMATION -- DEPARTMENT DUTIES -- ADVISORY COUNCIL -- EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.

        135.156  ELECTRONIC HEALTH INFORMATION -- DEPARTMENT
      DUTIES -- ADVISORY COUNCIL -- EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE.
         1. a.  The department shall direct a public and private
      collaborative effort to promote the adoption and use of health
      information technology in this state in order to improve health care
      quality, increase patient safety, reduce health care costs, enhance
      public health, and empower individuals and health care professionals
      with comprehensive, real-time medical information to provide
      continuity of care and make the best health care decisions.  The
      department shall provide coordination for the development and
      implementation of an interoperable electronic health records system,
      telehealth expansion efforts, the health information technology
      infrastructure, and other health information technology initiatives
      in this state.  The department shall be guided by the principles and
      goals specified in section 135.155.
         b.  All health information technology efforts shall endeavor
      to represent the interests and meet the needs of consumers and the
      health care sector, protect the privacy of individuals and the
      confidentiality of individuals' information, promote physician best
      practices, and make information easily accessible to the appropriate
      parties.  The system developed shall be consumer-driven, flexible,
      and expandable.
         2. a.  An electronic health information advisory council is
      established which shall consist of the representatives of entities
      involved in the electronic health records system task force
      established pursuant to section 217.41A, Code 2007,{ a pharmacist, a
      licensed practicing physician, a consumer who is a member of the
      state board of health, a representative of the state's Medicare
      quality improvement organization, the executive director of the Iowa
      communications network, a representative of the private
      telecommunications industry, a representative of the Iowa
      collaborative safety net provider network created in section 135.153,
      a nurse informaticist from the university of Iowa, and any other
      members the department or executive committee of the advisory council
      determines necessary and appoints to assist the department or
      executive committee at various stages of development of the
      electronic health information system.  Executive branch agencies
      shall also be included as necessary to assist in the duties of the
      department and the executive committee.  Public members of the
      advisory council shall receive reimbursement for actual expenses
      incurred while serving in their official capacity only if they are
      not eligible for reimbursement by the organization that they
      represent.  Any legislative members shall be paid the per diem and
      expenses specified in section 2.10.
         b.  An executive committee of the electronic health
      information advisory council is established.  Members of the
      executive committee of the advisory council shall receive
      reimbursement for actual expenses incurred while serving in their
      official capacity only if they are not eligible for reimbursement by
      the organization that they represent.  The executive committee shall
      consist of the following members:
         (1)  Three members, each of whom is the chief information officer
      of one of the three largest private health care systems in the state.

         (2)  One member who is the chief information officer of the
      university of Iowa hospitals and clinics, or the chief information
      officer's designee, selected by the director of the university of
      Iowa hospitals and clinics.
         (3)  One member who is a representative of a rural hospital which
      is a member of the Iowa hospital association, selected by the Iowa
      hospital association.
         (4)  One member who is a consumer member of the state board of
      health, selected by the state board of health.
         (5)  One member who is a licensed practicing physician, selected
      by the Iowa medical society.
         (6)  One member who is licensed to practice nursing, selected by
      the Iowa nurses association.
         (7)  One representative of an insurance carrier, selected by the
      federation of Iowa insurers.
         3.  The executive committee, with the technical assistance of the
      advisory council and the support of the department, shall do all of
      the following:
         a.  Develop a statewide health information technology plan by
      July 1, 2009.  In developing the plan, the executive committee shall
      seek the input of providers, payers, and consumers.  Standards and
      policies developed for the plan shall promote and be consistent with
      national standards developed by the office of the national
      coordinator for health information technology of the United States
      department of health and human services and shall address or provide
      for all of the following:
         (1)  The effective, efficient, statewide use of electronic health
      information in patient care, health care policymaking, clinical
      research, health care financing, and continuous quality improvement.
      The executive committee shall recommend requirements for
      interoperable electronic health records in this state including a
      recognized interoperability standard.
         (2)  Education of the public and health care sector about the
      value of health information technology in improving patient care, and
      methods to promote increased support and collaboration of state and
      local public health agencies, health care professionals, and
      consumers in health information technology initiatives.
         (3)  Standards for the exchange of health care information.
         (4)  Policies relating to the protection of privacy of patients
      and the security and confidentiality of patient information.
         (5)  Policies relating to information ownership.
         (6)  Policies relating to governance of the various facets of the
      health information technology system.
         (7)  A single patient identifier or alternative mechanism to share
      secure patient information.  If no alternative mechanism is
      acceptable to the executive committee, all health care professionals
      shall utilize the mechanism selected by the executive committee by
      July 1, 2010.
         (8)  A standard continuity of care record and other issues related
      to the content of electronic transmissions.  All health care
      professionals shall utilize the standard continuity of care record by
      July 1, 2010.
         (9)  Requirements for electronic prescribing.
         (10)  Economic incentives and support to facilitate participation
      in an interoperable system by health care professionals.
         b.  Identify existing and potential health information
      technology efforts in this state, regionally, and nationally, and
      integrate existing efforts to avoid incompatibility between efforts
      and avoid duplication.
         c.  Coordinate public and private efforts to provide the
      network backbone infrastructure for the health information technology
      system.  In coordinating these efforts, the executive committee shall
      do all of the following:
         (1)  Develop policies to effectuate the logical cost-effective
      usage of and access to the state-owned network, and support of
      telecommunication carrier products, where applicable.
         (2)  Consult with the Iowa communications network, private
      fiberoptic networks, and any other communications entity to seek
      collaboration, avoid duplication, and leverage opportunities in
      developing a network backbone.
         (3)  Establish protocols to ensure compliance with any applicable
      federal standards.
         (4)  Determine costs for accessing the network at a level that
      provides sufficient funding for the network.
         d.  Promote the use of telemedicine.
         (1)  Examine existing barriers to the use of telemedicine and make
      recommendations for eliminating these barriers.
         (2)  Examine the most efficient and effective systems of
      technology for use and make recommendations based on the findings.
         e.  Address the workforce needs generated by increased use of
      health information technology.
         f.  Recommend rules to be adopted in accordance with chapter
      17A to implement all aspects of the statewide health information
      technology plan and the network.
         g.  Coordinate, monitor, and evaluate the adoption, use,
      interoperability, and efficiencies of the various facets of health
      information technology in this state.
         h.  Seek and apply for any federal or private funding to
      assist in the implementation and support of the health information
      technology system and make recommendations for funding mechanisms for
      the ongoing development and maintenance costs of the health
      information technology system.
         i.  Identify state laws and rules that present barriers to the
      development of the health information technology system and recommend
      any changes to the governor and the general assembly.
         4.  Recommendations and other activities resulting from the work
      of the department or the executive committee shall be presented to
      the board for action or implementation.  
         Section History: Recent Form
         2008 Acts, ch 1188, §25
         Referred to in § 136.3 
         Footnotes
         {For proposed amendment to former § 217.41A relating to
      legislators appointed to serve as ex officio, nonvoting members of
      the former electronic health records system task force, see 2008
      Acts, ch 1156, § 29, 58