CHS Administration Handbook
Data Practices
Health Information Technology and the Minnesota e-Health Initiative
Data Practices
Last Revised: January 2014
Health Information Technology and the
Minnesota e-Health Initiative
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Interoperable Electronic Health Record (EHR) Requirements by 2015
Meaningful Use of Electronic Health Records
E-health activities in Minnesota are coordinated by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) through the Minnesota e-Health Initiative, a publicprivate collaborative that represents the Minnesota health and health care
community’s commitment to prioritize resources and to achieve Minnesota’s e-health mandates. The Minnesota e-Health Initiative is guided by a 25member Advisory Committee representing health care providers, payers,
public health professionals, consumers and others. The initiative fulfills the
statutory role of the e-Health Advisory Committee and has set the gold
standard nationally for a model public-private partnership. Additional coordination is provided by the staff of the Office of
Health Information Technology (OHIT) and is part of MDH’s overall efforts in protecting, maintaining and improving the health
of all Minnesotans.
Since 2004, the Minnesota e-Health Initiative, the Minnesota e-Health Advisory Committee, working groups and dedicated
volunteer participants have provided leadership in the state and nation for the adoption and effective use of interoperable EHR
systems and health information technology (HIT). The ongoing vision and efforts are focused on using EHRs and other health
information technology to improve health care quality, increase patient safety, reduce health care costs, and enable individuals
and communities to make the best possible health decisions. The Minnesota e-Health Initiative seeks to:
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Empower consumers with information and tools to help make informed health and medical decisions.
Inform and connect health care providers by promoting the adoption of EHRs, effectively using clinical decision
support, and achieving interoperable EHRs.
Protect communities and improve public health by advancing efforts to achieve interoperable public health systems and population health goals.
Modernize the infrastructure and increase workforce informatics competencies through adoption of standards
for health information exchange; policies for strong privacy and security protection; supporting informatics education,
funding and other resources; and assessing and monitoring progress on adoption, use and interoperability.
Interoperable Electronic Health Record (EHR) Requirements by 2015
Minn. Stat. § 62J.495 requires the Commissioner of Health to develop a plan for the state to achieve the statutory mandate that
all providers and hospitals have in place “an interoperable electronic health records system within their hospital system or clinical practice setting.” The plan, A Prescription for Meeting Minnesota’s 2015 Interoperable Electronic Health Record Mandate—A
Statewide Implementation Plan, 2008 Edition, was developed through the Minnesota e-Health Initiative and released in June
2008. The plan represents a communitywide consensus for advancing interoperable EHR systems in all settings across the
state in order to fulfill the following statutory mandates:
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Effective January 1, 2011 all providers, group purchasers, prescribers, and dispensers must have established, maintained, and used an electronic prescription drug program. This program must comply with the applicable standards in
this section for transmitting, directly or through an intermediary, prescriptions and prescription-related information
using electronic media (Minn. Stat. § 62J.497)
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/opi/
Minnesota Department of Health Office of Performance Improvement
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Data Practices
Health Information Technology and the Minnesota e-Health Initiative
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CHS Administration Handbook
Requirement for all hospitals and health care providers to have an interoperable electronic health records system in
their hospital system or clinical practice setting by January 1, 2015, including uniform standards to be used for the interoperable system for sharing and synchronizing patient data across systems.
Minnesota Model for Interoperable Electronic Health Records
The Minnesota Model from Minnesota’s Statewide Implementation Plan (2008) divides the 2015 mandate into manageable
steps and applies across organizational settings.
Meaningful Use of Electronic Health Records
In 2009, Congress passed the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH Act). The HITECH
Act authorizes the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to make incentive payments to eligible professionals and
eligible hospitals demonstrating “meaningful use” of certified EHR technology, including certain objectives specific to public
health. Meaningful Use will be implemented in three stages beginning in 2011 and the duration of stages will depend on when
an eligible professional/hospital chooses to apply for incentives. Meaningful Use for Stage 1 includes two sets of requirements:
a set of 15 required core objectives that form a foundation for meaningful use of EHRs, and a separate menu of 10 additional
elements from which providers need to choose at least five to implement. Although providers have flexibility in choosing menu
set options, at least one of the five options must be specific to public health.
Key Resources
Public Health Reporting for Meaningful Use
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Meaningful Use and Public Health Reporting in Minnesota – MDH Office of Health Information Technology
Meaningful Use Incentives and the Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC)
Meaningful Use Incentives and Electronic Laboratory Reporting (ELR) (PDF: 134KB / 2 pages) – Minnesota Electronic
Disease Surveillance System (MEDSS)
Further Resources
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Minnesota e-Health
Minnesota e-Health Initiative (PDF: 131KB / 2 pages)
Minnesota Department of Human Services: Minnesota HER Incentive Program (MEIP) – Minnesota Dept. of Human
Services
Electronic Health Records Incentive Programs – Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Minnesota e-Health Assessment Reports, Fact Sheets, and Briefs
Public Health Informatics Institute
Public Health Informatics Profile Toolkit (PDF: 491KB / 27 pages)
Glossary of Terms and Acronyms Related to e-Health
Health Information Technology for Rural and Safety Net Providers
Annual Minnesota e-Health Summit
Key Health Alliance: Regional Extension Assistance Center for HIT
Minnesota Department of Health Office of Performance Improvement
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/opi/
CHS Administration Handbook
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Data Practices
Health Information Technology and the Minnesota e-Health Initiative
Health Information Technology Toolkit for Home Health Agencies – Stratis Health
Subscribe to Minnesota e-Health Updates
Minnesota Public Health Informatics Newsletter – Contact Kari Guida with MDH to subscribe
A Prescription for Meeting Minnesota’s 2015 Interoperable Electronic Health Record Mandate—A Statewide Implementation Plan, 2008 Edition
Electronic Health Record (EHR) Guides
Guide 1:
Addressing Common Barriers to EHR Adoption: A Practical Guide for Health Care Providers (PDF: 713KB / 42 pages)
Guide 2:
Standards Recommended to Achieve Interoperability in Minnesota (PDF: 1.18MB / 38 pages)
Guide 3:
A Practical Guide to Electronic Prescribing (PDF: 2.1MB / 64 pages)
Guide 4:
A Practical Guide to Effective Use of EHR Systems (PDF: 1.91MB / 74 pages)
Guide 5:
A Practical Guide to Understanding HIE, Assessing Your Readiness, and Selecting HIE Options in Minnesota
www.health.state.mn.us/divs/opi/
Minnesota Department of Health Office of Performance Improvement
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