McClellan Says EHRs Not Well Designed

Developing an effective framework for driving healthcare quality improvements proves a multifaceted, complex endeavor, and although EHR systems can play a positive role in the task, much of the technology still misses the mark. This was just one of several concerns put before the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance Wednesday.

Policymakers heard testimonies from four industry officials, representing both the public and private sectors, on how best to move forward with healthcare quality.

One concern referenced repeatedly by both policymakers and those testifying pertained to the sheer number of quality measures Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services uses. Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., pointed out that CMS uses more than 1,000 different measures in its quality reporting and payment programs.