Federal Advisory Bodies to Meet

The HIT Policy Committee and HIT Standards Committee, both of which advise federal officials, will each meet in February to consider the meaningful use rules issued in late December.

The committees will hear comments from their workgroups on the proposed rule to establish an electronic health records incentive program and the interim final rule to set standards, implementation specifications and certification criteria for EHRs. A third rule to establish the EHR certification program is forthcoming. The committees will advise officials in the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology as they consider modifying the rules following a public comment period.

The HIT Policy Committee will meet Feb. 17 and the HIT Standards Committee will meet Feb. 24, both in Washington. More information is available in the Feb. 3 Federal Register at gpoaccess.gov/fr/index.html. The meetings will be accessible on the Web at http://healthit.hhs.gov.

--Joseph Goedert