To require the Comptroller General to conduct a study of the interoperability of computer systems used by hospitals to store and access electronic health records, and for other purposes.

Bill: 113-hr-5537
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. McKinley, David B. [R-WV-1]
Introduced: 2014-09-18
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Computers and information technology

Congressional oversight

Government studies and investigations

Health care quality

Health facilities and institutions

Health information and medical records

Hospital care
Latest action: action_date: 2014-09-19
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.

Summaries:
action_date: 2014-09-18
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p>Requires the Comptroller General (GAO) to study and report on the interoperability of computer systems used by hospitals to store and access electronic health records.</p> Requires the study to explore the ability of hospital computer systems to allow more than one hospital to access and update the electronic health records of the same patient, including: (1) the identity of hospitals that use computer systems with this ability, (2) reasons hospitals do not have computer systems with this ability, and (3) whether this ability allows hospitals to more effectively coordinate patient care.

tv_txt: I 113th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5537 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES September 18, 2014 Mr. McKinley introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce A BILL To require the Comptroller General to conduct a study of the interoperability of computer systems used by hospitals to store and access electronic health records, and for other purposes.

1. Study on interoperability of computer systems used by hospitals to store and access electronic health records (a) Study The Comptroller General shall conduct a study of the interoperability of computer systems used by hospitals to store and access electronic health records, which shall explore— (1) the extent to which it is possible for such computer systems to be interoperable to enable authorized personnel of more than one hospital to access and update the electronic health records of the same patient; (2) the identity of hospitals in the United States that use, at the time the study is conducted, computer systems with the ability to allow authorized personnel of more than one hospital to access and update the electronic health records of the same patient; (3) the reasons why hospitals in the United States do not have computer systems with such ability at the time the study is conducted; and (4) the extent to which increased interoperability of such computer systems allows hospitals to more effectively coordinate the care of patients. (b) Report Not later than 6 months after date of the enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General shall submit to the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House of Representatives a report on the study conducted under subsection (a), including such recommendations as the Comptroller General considers appropriate regarding the use of interoperable computer systems by hospitals to store and access electronic health records as a method of improving the coordination of care of patients.