ONC launches health IT complaint form

Aims to help with challenges with interoperability, usability, safety and more

September 14, 2015

11:02 AM

As more and more reports pile up cataloging provider frustrations with EHR functionality and usability, the Office of the National Coordinator has launched an online form where users can log complaints about certified products.

"If you have a problem with your health IT, you should start by contacting the developer or vendor," writes Acting Deputy National Coordinator for Health IT Jon White, MD, on the ONC website. "If that doesn't work and you think the issue relates to the product's certified capability, then you should contact the ONC-Authorized Certification Body (ACB), which should be able to work with you and the developer to resolve most issues. But if the issue remains unresolved, please submit your issues to ONC."

White says ONC wants to know about:

Challenge related to data blocking ("when someone or an entity knowingly and unreasonably interferes with the exchange or use of health information")
Inability for EHRs to share or receive health information
Usability issues
Failure for certified products to perform as expected
Any concerns about health IT safety

Comment logged at HealthIT.gov/healthitcomplaints will be reviewed and responded to by ONC staff; the process will help the agency "better triage, track, route and respond to your health IT concerns or challenges," White writes.

[See also: Q&A: ONC's Jon White, MD]

"While we may not always have the ability to step in and fix the problem, we may be able to help in others ways, such as beginning a dialogue between you and your vendor/developer," he adds. "Submitting your concerns to us also helps us better understand the extent and nature of potential problems so we can more accurately represent them to Congress and our federal partners and work with them to develop solutions."

Topics:

Meaningful Use, Electronic Health Records (EHR, EMR), Quality and Safety, Interoperability, Workflow