The American Hospital Association has submitted comments urging HHS to set flexible timelines and provide technical support as they develop new certification standards for diagnostic imaging interoperability.
In a March 16 letter to the assistant secretary for technology policy and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, the AHA said better access to imaging data could improve patient outcomes, reduce costs and avoid redundant imaging. However, the group warned that variability in image formats, siloed data storage and a lack of certification standards have made exchange cumbersome.
The letter highlighted concerns with shifting to Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources standards, noting that many smaller and rural hospitals may lack resources for adoption. The AHA also cited the need to redesign clinical workflows and test new systems before mandating changes.
The organization encouraged the agency to avoid arbitrary implementation deadlines and instead invest in infrastructure and training to support providers during the transition. It also recommended hosting listening sessions with IT leaders and specialists in fields that rely heavily on imaging, such as emergency medicine, oncology, orthopedics and cardiology.
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