The 21st Century Cures Act was proposed as a measure to encourage innovation in the healthcare system, making healthcare more efficient and safer for patients. The Act was signed into law by President Obama on December 13, 2016 (H.R.34 – 21st Century Cures Act, 2016). In relation to informatics, the Act specifically prohibits blocking of access to electronic information on patients. Additionally, the Act defines medical devices that should not be regulated by FDA, including clinical decision tools, devices for laboratory tests, equipment for administrative and healthy lifestyle promotion purposes, as well as electronic patient records.
The 21st Century Cures Act has a significant impact on system implementation. First of all, it encourages widespread usage of electronic records as a basic and main source of patient health information. It also helps healthcare organizations to streamline their information structure in order to store and process health data more efficiently. The Act simplified the acquisition and use of medical devices for healthcare organizations, which also promotes innovation and development.
The Act makes clinical care safer and more efficient for patients. Access to electronic records allows healthcare professionals to gain relevant health information more easily and share the necessary data with other professionals. The interaction between healthcare providers is facilitated as healthcare organizations pay more attention to the creation of secure and reliable information storage structures. It also has a positive impact on workflow as electronic records protect against loss of necessary data and give faster access to it. However, healthcare professionals need to develop relevant informatics skills and expand their knowledge in relation to data storage and safety.
At my healthcare organization, there are policies and procedures aimed at addressing the Act. First of all, my organization has a comprehensive guide outlining the process of working with electronic records. The purpose of the policy is to make records accessible not only for healthcare professionals but also to patients. It is important for the organization to keep the records updated and ensure their security as they are used as the primary source of health information. Additionally, the organization has specific procedures related to data storage and processing that are designed to keep personal data safe. All professionals have to follow this procedure in order to keep electronic records secure.
Reference
H.R.34 – 21st Century Cures Act. (2016). Congress.gov. Web.