The 21st Century Cures Act And Its Impact On Healthcare Info

The 21st Century Cures Act and Its Impact on Healthcare Informatics

Create a 1-page fact sheet that your healthcare organization could hypothetically use to explain the health or nursing informatics policy/regulation you selected. Your fact sheet should address the following: briefly and generally explain the policy or regulation you selected; address the impact of the policy or regulation on system implementation; discuss its influence on clinical care, patient/provider interactions, and workflow; highlight organizational policies and procedures to address the policy or regulation, with specific details. Use APA format and include a title page, in-text citations, and a reference page, drawing from the provided resources.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

The 21st Century Cures Act and Its Impact on Healthcare Informatics

The 21st Century Cures Act, enacted in December 2016, is a significant piece of legislation aimed at accelerating medical product development and bringing new innovations and advances to patients faster. It emphasizes the modernization of health IT, enhances issues related to interoperability, and promotes the secure exchange of electronic health information (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, n.d.). The Act seeks to foster a healthcare environment where data flows seamlessly among providers, patients, and other stakeholders, ultimately improving care quality and patient outcomes.

Implementation of the 21st Century Cures Act necessitates substantial modifications to healthcare information systems. It mandates the adoption of new technical standards by healthcare providers and vendors to facilitate interoperability between diverse electronic health record (EHR) systems. This requires integrating Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that enable secure, real-time data sharing. For organizations, this means upgrading existing systems, investing in new infrastructure, and training staff on new protocols to ensure compliance.

The Act directly influences clinical care by improving access to comprehensive and current patient data, which supports more informed decision-making. Enhanced interoperability reduces delays caused by fragmented data, thus streamlining workflows and reducing redundancies. For patient/provider interactions, the legislation fosters more transparent communication, empowering patients through increased access to their health records via patient portals and other digital tools. This improvement enhances patient engagement and satisfaction. Workflow modifications include increased reliance on digital data exchange, necessitating revised procedures for data entry, access, and security, aligning with the mandates of the Act.

To address the requirements of the 21st Century Cures Act, our healthcare organization has developed specific policies and procedures. These include adopting consistent standards for EHR interoperability, such as HL7 FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources), and establishing protocols for secure API use. Staff are trained on compliance with federal regulations concerning health information exchange, and regular audits are conducted to ensure system updates align with legislative mandates. Additionally, our organization fosters a culture of transparency and patient engagement by promoting education about digital tools and patients’ rights to access their health information.

In conclusion, the 21st Century Cures Act significantly impacts healthcare informatics by promoting interoperability and data sharing. Implementing this legislation requires systematic upgrades, staff training, and policy revisions to ensure compliance and maximize the benefits for clinical care and patient engagement. Our organization’s proactive policies aim to align with these legal requirements, ultimately enhancing the quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery.

References

  • Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. (n.d.). MACRA. https://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Quality-Initiatives-Patient-Assessment-Instruments/Value-Based-Programs/MACRA-MIPS-and-ACOs
  • HealthIT.gov. (2018a). Health IT legislation. https://www.healthit.gov/topic/health-it-legislation
  • HealthIT.gov. (2018b). Meaningful use and MACRA. https://www.healthit.gov/topic/meaningful-use-and-macra
  • McGonigle, D., & Mastrian, K. (2022). Nursing informatics and the foundation of knowledge (5th ed.). Jones & Bartlett Learning.
  • U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Laws & Regulations. https://www.hhs.gov/about/agencies/asa/about-our-laws/index.html

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