Blumenthal Steps Down — What's Next?

By Ken Congdon, editor in chief, Health IT Outcomes

Last week, Dr. David Blumenthal, President Obama's appointed leader of health IT, announced he will leave his federal post as national coordinator of health IT this spring to return to his teaching job at Harvard Medical School. Blumenthal's departure comes just two years after he accepted the position in a move that Blumenthal says he intended from the outset. Kaiser Health News reports that he would have lost his tenure at Harvard if he didn't return within two years.

As national coordinator of health IT, Blumenthal spearheaded the effort to entice doctors and hospitals to adopt EHRs (electronic health records) and other systems capable of communicating with each other and protecting patients' privacy. His office developed many of the meaningful use criteria that outline how healthcare providers qualify for EHR incentive payments. Congress allocated $27 billion for these payments in the economic stimulus package outlined in ARRA (The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) of 2009. The first checks for those who qualify were sent to those that qualify in January.

Industry Reaction
Reaction to Blumnethal's departure have been mixed. Other leaders in the health IT industry have openly praised his accomplishments to date. For example, HHS (Health and Human Services) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said, "Blumenthal created real momentum for health IT adoption. He charted a course for the meaningful use of EHRs and launched a new phase of cooperative and supportive work with the healthcare community, states, and across the nation."

Linda Fishman, senior VP for public policy at the American Hospital Association also spoke out saying, "Blumenthal served the cause very well. He has been successful in pushing for a transition from paper-based data to software."

However, others have questioned Blumenthal's contributions and departure. Meaningful Use requirements have been criticized as too tough to achieve, especially in a relatively short time frame. Plus, there is still a heated debate about the benefits that EHRs actually provide, particularly for physicians and hospitals quickly purchasing and implementing new systems to qualify for incentive payments. Some have also implied that Blumenthal left his post because he wasn't up to facing the next national health IT adoption hurdle which will largely be "a mix of policy and of technology and of politics and of economics."

I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Blumenthal late last year for our Top 10 Health IT Trends For 2011 print publication. I asked Blumenthal to respond to this meaningful use criticism and here's what he had to say:

"The main criticism I've heard is that the EHR meaningful use definitions are too prescriptive or too constraining. I think the main reason for this criticism is a lack of education or understanding of what is required on the part of hospitals and physicians to achieve meaningful use. HHS has tried to combat this issue through a variety of educational initiatives."

You can read my full interview with Dr. Blumenthal here.

Next Steps
No replacement has been named yet to fill the position of national coordinator, but HHS Secretary Sebelius says her office is conducting a national search to find the right successor for this key position. Whoever it is, the new leader of health IT will have a significant job in front of them. Not only will the new national coordinator have to carry the torch in regards to EHR adoption, meaningful use, and incentives, but another key initiative will also be ensuring the security and privacy of patient data. Blumenthal's replacement will have to address the privacy and security proposals of the Health IT Policy Committee, which apply to HIE (health information exchange). This successor will also need to explore and establish a consistent approach to health data privacy and security that goes beyond HIPAA coverage. I eagerly anticipate the announcement of the new national coordinator and hope it is someone up to the task of finishing what Dr. Blumenthal started.

Ken Congdon is Editor In Chief of Health IT Outcomes. He can be reached at ken.congdon@jamesonpublishing.com.