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