Mostashari Advocates for Transparency in EMR Usability Requirements

Dr. Farzad Mostashari , Deputy National Coordinator for Programs and Policy at the ONC, gave the opening keynote address at this morning at the Physicians’ IT Symposium at HIMSS11 and advocated for less regulation and more transparency when it came to usability standards and quality reporting.

In a question and answer period, Dr. Mostashari said that “transparency rather than regulation” was needed when it came to usability requirements for electronic health records (EHRs). “We need more transparency and agreed upon metrics,” he said. He also recommended that incentives should be given for getting EHRs usability tested to promote easier physician use and higher adoption.

When the conversation drifted to quality metrics, the question was posed whether if core EHRs should be required to include quality reporting, rather than them to be purchased separate modules. “We have to filter through the lens of what is the appropriate government role,” Mostashari said. He opted for having modular certification, and said that purchasers and suppliers need to work together to create a balance for providers and healthcare organizations.