The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT seeks input on terminology standards and value sets for maternal health information exchange by July 31, 2024. The agency has framed questions to help guide input on the USCDI+ maternal health dataset. 

WHY IT MATTERS

By harnessing data in electronic health records (EHRs) and other health systems with health IT standards that improve data exchange, "We can enhance maternal healthcare delivery, fuel research efforts and shape more effective health policies," Leonie Misquitta wrote Thursday on the HealthITBuzz blog.

In 2023, ONC released the Interoperability of Maternity Care Records: Best Practices Informational Resources, which focused on standards that maternal healthcare providers could leverage in health IT as part of peri- and post-natal care. ONC seeks feedback from clinicians, public health leaders, technology developers, researchers and innovators critical to shaping the future of maternal healthcare and enhancing patient outcomes, fueling research efforts and developing health policies.

"There’s still a need for a standardized approach to maternal and infant health data collection and exchange to ensure data is consistent and supports holistic patient care," Misquitta, a program director at the National Library of Medicine, noted.

The USCDI+ Maternal Health dataset reflects partner suggestions on data classes for lactation, labor and delivery, postpartum and interventions, according to the agency, though further feedback is needed.

To review documents and comment, visit the USCDI+ platform website and click on the USCDI+ Maternal Health domain. 

THE LARGER TREND

Standardized data exchange can improve maternal care coordination and planning, according to Evelyn Gallego, CEO and founder of EMI Advisors, and a previous HIMSS social determinants of health committee member.

There is a significant opportunity for interoperability use cases like screenings and interventions that can help scale maternal healthcare, she told Healthcare IT News last year. 

"There are indeed existing standards to build from," she said.

ON THE RECORD

"Recognizing the need to further specify maternal health data needs, ONC, in collaboration with other federal partners, has launched the USCDI+ Maternal Health domain to establish the datasets necessary to support high-quality maternal care, equitable outcomes, maternal health research and maternal public health initiatives," Misquitta wrote.

"The USCDI+ Maternal Health domain aims to standardize data collected in diverse formats and vocabularies crucial for healthcare, research and public health endeavors."

Andrea Fox is senior editor of Healthcare IT News.
Email: afox@himss.org
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.