Comment on FR Doc # 2013-12817

The Pharmacy e-HIT Collaborative is supportive of the continued use of electronic health information exchange across providers and patients, as well as strategies that are effective and feasible to further advance and promote interoperability and health information exchange, and ensure the protection of patient data collected and shared through electronic means, including mobile devices and mobile medical apps. We agree that a coordinated approach and oversight between the health care industry and federal regulators is critical to the successful, safe use of health information technology (HIT) that is being adopted. The Pharmacy e-HIT Collaborative is actively engaged with the Office of the National Coordinator for HIT (ONC) and others in the development of a national strategy and framework for health information exchange. We commend the FDA, ONC, and FCC for moving forward with the request from Congress to thoughtfully examine the regulatory framework concerning HIT and extending the opportunity to HIT stakeholders to provide comments and recommendations for creating the risk-based regulatory framework and strategy health information report. The Pharmacy e-HIT Collaborative, including pharmacy professional associations, the Pharmacist Collaborative (formerly PSTAC), Medication Therapy Management (MTM) intermediaries, and NCPDP, are defining guidelines and standards related to the pharmacist’s role in HIT. Pharmacists in all practice settings provide several patient-centered services electronically. It is evident that access to HIT solutions can enhance the pharmacist’s ability to improve the overall medication-related safety and quality of patient care in coordination with other health care providers and improve patient outcomes.