The proposed rules released by the Dept. of Health and Human Services for achieving meaningful use from EHRs incorporate recommendations made by proponents of information therapy.

That information therapy is included is not so much a reflection of the successful lobbying by advocates as much as it is an affirmation of HHS' belief that the patient is the center of the drive for improved quality of care. If you look at the list of criteria for eligible hospitals and providers, the targets all support the use of health IT to ensure patients' quality of care.

The Information Therapy Action Alliance, or the Ix Action Alliance, which was adopted by the eHealth Initiative, advocates for the use of targeted health information to help patients make informed decisions about their health. Health IT is one of the ways to get that targeted health information to the patient.

One of the Meaningful Use criteria requires physicians and hospitals to provide an electronic copy of a patient's medical record within 48 hours of a patient request 80 percent of the time. Physicians are also required to send reminders for preventive or follow-up care to at least 50 percent of their patients who are older than 50 years old.

The proposed rules did not adopt, however, a requirement that patient be given patient-specific information about their condition at the time of the visit. I can only hazard a guess as to why this was not included. Perhaps HHS felt that the current crop of EHRs in the market today doesn't have that capability, and did not want to throw out a speed bump that would hinder achievement of meaningful use for the first deadline of 2011.

The proposed rules are just that: proposals that will be shaped by public comment. HHS will also adopt more quality measures for the 2013 milestone, which means more time and opportunity to add to the foundation for ensuring the delivery of quality patient-centered care.