The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONCHIT) has released its operating plan for implementing the health IT provisions included in the federal stimulus package. But don’t get your hopes up. The plan is disappointingly brief and lacking in detail . . . more along the lines of “here’s what we’re going to do once we get started.” C’mon people! The clock is ticking!! Get with it.

Sadly, it’s looking more and more like the HIT provisions of ARRA will not have their intended effect: stimulating the economy. By the time ONCHIT releases its rules and guidelines, the absence of which has frozen EHR implementations, the U.S. economy will be well on its way to recovery. Sadder still, legislation that was designed to create spending has actually slowed spending.

Once again, the best laid plans of governement have gotten sidetracked in bureaucracy. Maybe we should save these EHR incentive dollars until a more considered plan can be developed.

You can view ONCHIT’s Operating Plan here.

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1. Federal EHR Incentives – Carrot or Brick Wall?
2. ARRA – EMR Funding and Incentives
3. EMR “Meaningful Use” Defined By ONCHIT
4. Getting the Federal EHR Incentive Dollars – What You Can Do Now
5. Maryland Passes EHR Adoption Incentive Law