Senator John D. Rockefeller IV (D-WV) has just introduced legislation to will facilitate nationwide adoption of electronic health records, with a focus on small, rural providers. According to a press release on the Senator's website, the Health Information Technology Public Utility Act of 2009 will both build upon the Department of Veterans Affairs' successful use of "open source" electronic health records, and the "open source exchange model" that was expanded among federal agencies through the Nationwide Health Information Network-Connect initiative.

"We need advancements in health information technology across the board to improve the quality of care Americans receive," said Senator Rockefeller, Chairman of the Senate Finance Subcommittee on Health Care, in the press release. "To make this happen, we need universal access to affordable and interoperable health information technology - from small, rural health clinics to large, urban hospitals."

Sen. Rockefeller explained that open source software refers to a computer program with unrestricted source code that does not limit the use or distribution by any organization or user.


Senator Rockefeller further commented, "Open source software is a cost-effective, proven way to advance health information technology - particularly among small, rural providers. This legislation does not replace commercial software; instead, it complements the private industry in this field - by making health information technology a realistic option for all providers."

Details of the Act include:

--Creation of a new federal Public Utility Board within the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT to direct and oversee formation of the HIT Public Utility Model, implementation and operation.

--Implementation and administration of Health IT Grant program for safety-net providers to cover the full cost of open source software implementation and maintenance for up to five years, including possibility of renewal for up to five years.

--Facilitate ongoing communication with open source user groups to incorporate improvements and innovations from such sources into the core programs.

--Interoperability between programs, including Medicaid and CHIP billing.

--A child-specific Electronic Health Record (EHR) will be developed to be used in Medicaid, CHIP, and other federal children's health programs.

-- Quality and performance measurement will be integrated into open source software modules.

Adapted from a press release by Senator John D. Rockefeller.

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