The American Hospital Association is rallying for rapid uptake of healthcare information technology in one of 12 issue papers it released on Friday in advance of its annual meeting April 25-28 in Washington.

The papers outline the association's advocacy priorities for 2010. They were written to help members explain the hospital field's concerns to their legislators, association officials said, and they will be highlighted at the annual meeting.

"Research has shown that certain kinds of health information technology  - such as computerized physician order entry (CPOE), computerized decision support systems, electronic health records and bar coding for medication administration - can limit errors and improve care. Health IT can also be a tool for improving efficiency," the paper on health IT states.

The paper provides background on efforts to date and a summary of government initiatives focused on healthcare IT.

It also provides the AHA's point of view.

"The AHA has been a longstanding advocate for health IT, specifically the rapid adoption of EHRs and the use of national standards of interoperability," it states.

"Shared health information will allow clinicians and patients to have the information they need to promote health and make wise decisions about treatments. Health IT standards adoption and greater interoperability will facilitate the sharing of such information, but only if there is a proper foundation."

In its position paper, the AHA calls for key definitions.

They include:

• A definition of meaningful use that includes broad objectives and advances widespread health IT adoption;
• A definition of hospital-based eligible professional that allows more physicians to qualify for EHR incentives, commensurate with congressional intent; and
• A definition of hospital that allows each hospital within a system to be evaluated and eligible for EHR incentive programs individually.

Also key to a proper foundation is inclusion of Critical Access Hospitals in the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program, the AHA states.

The paper goes on to discuss meaningful use, certification, hospital-based eligible professionals, patient privacy, workforce growth and patient safety.

Topics of other advocacy papers include expanding coverage, administrative simplification, quality and patient safety and hospital access to capital.