“The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General has given permission for a drug company to start a pilot program that will allow a private Medicare Advantage plan real-time access to a hospital’s electronic patient discharge records, according to an HHS letter posted December 11…”
But we don’t know which drug company sought approval…in the aforementioned letter OIG and HHS redacted that name. A vendor, health plan and hospital system are also referred to but not yet named…”
“Here’s what we do know…
The pilot program would provide Medicare Advantage plan pharmacists who conduct medication therapy management services with new technology that would permit real-time access to the discharge information…”
“The goal is to gain insight into the degree to which technology that provides pharmacists with this information can help improve transitions of care and decrease readmissions…”
“The vendor would provide the technology interface. It would be a company that currently works with hospitals to provide electronic medication and discharge reports, fill/refill information and which helps identify patients at high risk for medication non-adherence….”
Source: HHS greenlights secret pilot for Medicare Advantage to get real-time access to patient discharge records – By Susan Morse, December 12, 2017, Healthcare Finance News. Read the full article here.
