About

Language is the method of communication, and in healthcare IT, we are lacking language. Or perhaps, as is the case with standards, it isn't a lack of language but a surplus. We have so many terms of art, and each has so many different and inconsistent definitions that we as a community struggle to communicate.

The multiple and often overlapping meanings healthcare has attributed to these terms poses a barrier to communication and has long been an obstacle to progress in IT adoption. At an economic level, confusion over the meaning of key terms slows the pace of IT's spread into the fabric of healthcare delivery.

The Alliance is undertaking this definition project because we believe that defining standard definitions is essential to continuing the momentum of IT progress on many fronts, including product innovation, government involvement and clinicians' acceptance.

A process for reaching consensus

The Alliance has developed an open and transparent process to engage all of healthcare's stakeholders in defining these key terms. We're accepting comments and proposed definitions, forming volunteer work groups that will review research and write the definitions and conducting public forums and comment periods for review and open discussion.

The benefits of coming to terms

The research, analysis, and open assessment will establish a basic definition for all to use and a definition in a context that makes it practical and relevant for a variety of uses:

• Creating legislation that is understandable, consistent with industry efforts and does not work at cross-purposes with other policy, lawmaking or regulation.
• Explaining IT concepts in language that the American public can comprehend and that is relevant to what they consider important to their health.
• Establishing a dialogue between IT vendors and their customers on expectations for the features of electronic record products and the elements of information sharing.
• Holding both sides of a contract accountable for performance and acceptance of well-understood agreements on general components of an IT product or service.
• Promoting the benefits of health information creation and responsible sharing with one clear voice and a minimum of conflicting messages.