The Association of Acute and Long-Term Care Medical Practitioners (PALTMED) recently wrote to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), advocating for the advancement and adoption of interoperable health information technology (Health IT).
Paltmed explained that health care providers, particularly acute and long-term care settings, deal with the shortage of clinicians. According to the organization, greater access to health that it helps resolve is painful.
“To maintain continuity in care and reduce avoidable hospitalizations, we need to enhance our digital tools in clinicians, which ensures that clinics can manage patients efficiently across the environment,” writes Paltmed. “Interoperable and user-friendly systems help offset workforce restrictions by reducing administrative burdens, streamlining communications, and ensuring timely access to clinical data.”
In the letter, Paltmed detailed the various challenges providers face when working in rural communities.
“Rural areas face dual challenges: labor shortages and inadequate broadband infrastructure,” the organization writes. “Without robust connectivity, clinicians cannot access critical EHR systems, engage in telehealth during the transition of care, or place a significant risk to rural patients. Addressing the gap between broadband and IT infrastructure in these areas is not an option.
Paltmed also noted that for value-based care to flourish, the silos across the continuum of care must be broken down. This implies a stronger IT strategy and national interoperability goals.
Overall, Paltmed urged CMS to develop and fund targeted initiatives, prioritize broadband expansion, and support EHR features specific to acute and long-term care settings.
Additionally, the organization asked the CMS to include acute and long-term care clinicians, leaders and stakeholders while developing interoperability standards and policy proposals.
Paltmed also called on the CMS to encourage infrastructure investments in skilled nursing facilities and other long-term caregivers.
“We are led by our vision of empowered clinicians to provide optimal health care excellence and our mission to lead the way in which caring and skilled clinicians can empower people-centered care in the continuum of acute post-care,” writes Partmed.
