News & Updates November 4, 2021

Upcoming WEDI Events November 9 - WEDI Spotlight: Standards and Operating Rules Knowledge Center WEDI Provides Comments and Recommendations on the Common Agreement Prior Authorization Workflow Barriers and Guiding Principles In the News CMS Physician Payment Rule Promotes Greater Access to Telehealth Services, Diabetes Prevention Programs WEDI Awards: Call for Nominations As we think back on all of the virtual events, workgroup meetings and papers that we have produced in 2021, it is clear that none of it would have been possible without our outstanding members. The WEDI staff and leadership believe our organization has the best community of volunteers and it is important that we highlight the time and work that so many of you dedicate to WEDI.  The bestowing of the WEDI Awards is a long standing tradition that recognizes those volunteer members and organizations that have gone above and beyond to make positive changes to our nation’s health care system. Award winners are nominated by their peers, which makes the honor even more meaningful. As a WEDI member, we encourage you to think about which workgroup and subworkgroup colleagues have made significant contributions and nominate them for an award. WEDI Award Nominations

November 9, 2-3:30pm ET WEDI Members Only Free November 16, 10-5pm ET Open to Healthcare Professionals Free

Enhancing Person-Centered Care Through Inclusive Standards Development While the approach described in the Gender Harmony logical model anticipates the need for future health IT system and workflow changes, it also thoughtfully built in a way to enable the continued use of legacy data, referred to as “recorded sex or gender,” to give context to existing transactions while more accurate data is captured and exchanged over time. Importantly, our article identifies the need for a new “sex for clinical use” that is a “sex classification element based on one or more clinical observations such as an organ survey, hormone levels, and chromosomal analysis.” The model also elaborates on how to represent “gender identity,” “name to use” and “pronoun.” Future interoperable transactions including this information will provide the specificity and precision that’s sorely lacking right now. Read More

CMS Finalizes Calendar Year 2022 Home Health Prospective Payment System Rate Update; Home Health Value-Based Purchasing Model Expansion The rule finalizes a nationwide expansion of the successful Home Health Value- Based Purchasing (HHVBP) Model and makes updates to the Medicare Home Health Prospective Payment System (PPS) and the home infusion therapy services payment rates for Calendar Year (CY) 2022, in accordance with existing statutory and regulatory requirements. Read More

NEW WEBINAR: Register for the Next Clinician-Focused Webinar Join ONC on November 17, 2021 from 1:30 pm to 2:30 pm EST for the next webinar in ONC’s clinician-focused webinar series on information sharing and the information blocking regulation. ONC experts will explain how ONC supports secure, appropriate sharing of electronic health information and how information sharing leads to more affordable and equitable care and improved care quality. Register

November 16, 2:30-3:30 PM ET SAMHSA and the HHS Office of Minority Health will convene a webinar on: Advancing Behavioral Health Equity: CLAS Standards in Action  Highlighting real world examples of behavioral health service providers using the National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services and the Behavioral Health Implementation Guide.

Open for Comment: Draft HHS Strategic Plan FY 2022-2026 HHS released the Draft HHS Strategic Plan FY 2022-2026, focusing on five goals that encompass the main functions of the Department and its mission. ONC contributed specific strategies to enable individuals access to their health information, to promote interoperability, design common data elements, and much more. HHS is seeking public comment in response to the Plan until November 7, 2021. Learn More

Resources for You Webinar Archive Podcast Episode 58: Cybersecurity Consideration from Top Healthcare CISOs Health Literacy Month WEDI Provides Comments and Recommendations on the Common Agreement Best Practices for Secondary EDI Claim Submissions

NIH Study Links Rare Disease to Higher Healthcare Costs According to the study, those with rare diseases see costs three to five times greater than those without a rare disease. Additionally, most of the approximately 7,000 to 10,000 known rare diseases disproportionately impact children, adolescents, and young adults. Rare diseases are collectively common and impact about 25 million to 30 million people in the United States. Many of the diseases are genetically caused and can be serious, life-threatening, and difficult to diagnose and treat. Learn More

CMS has created a series of fact sheets to help explain how HIPAA electronic adopted transactions streamline health care billing through the use of standards and operating rules.

Developing Recommended Practices For Analyzing EHR Databases Researchers are creating a set of recommended practices to use when analyzing electronic health record databases, improving patient outcomes. Read More

HL7 FHIR Connectathon (CST) January 10-22 X12 Winter 2022 Standing Meeting January 23 – February 2

Hot Headlines: Integrating Social Determinants of Health Into Risk Prediction Models The Role of Provider-Sponsored Health Plans in Value-Based Care Health Care Clings to Faxes as U.S. Pushes Electronic Records

Get to know the WEDI Board:

WEDI Board member, Charles Jaffe (HL7) is always blooming. WEDI Board member, Matthew Albright (Zelis Payments) finds the Lost Ark.

Privacy & Security Workgroup The next meeting will be November 10th from 2-3ET. Contact sholvey@wedi.org to get involved

WEDI Workgroups WEDI workgroups provide thoughtful leadership and common-sense approaches that enhance the exchange of clinical and administrative healthcare information. They collect input, exchange ideas, and make recommendations that inspire impactful and far-reaching change in our industry.

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