How useful is the HHS OIG report published this week?

I am sure some of you saw this news report about HHS OIG finding some security related deficiencies in the EHR certification program.

I was keen to read the full OIG report (pdf) which I did get a chance to do this evening. I know HHS OIG does great work overall but I must say I didn’t come away feeling very good about the quality or usefulness of this particular report, for the following couple of reasons:

  • The report was really of an audit performed in 2012 of the 2011 EHR certification program which doesn’t even exist in 2014. What value does it provide if OIG has ONC providing responses to this audit report in 2014? Shouldn’t OIG have sent this report to ONC soon after they did the audit in 2012 so the report could have led to changes in the program when it still existed? It appears this OIG audit and the report could have been a better use of taxpayer dollars had it been timely.
  • I am not sure OIG has done a good job of substantiating why they don’t agree that the 2014 certification criteria addresses their concerns. They provide an example of multi-factor authentication not being included in the 2014 criteria. While multi-factor authentication would obviously provide for better security, does OIG think all access to EHRs must be protected by multi-factor? Or is it perhaps only remote access (meaning access from outside the trusted network say a hospital facility)? Security in healthcare can’t come at the expense of user experience of providers and clinicians. Requiring multi-factor at all times is going to impact clinician productivity and hence patient care. Also, OIG should have known that multi-factor technologies are still not (or at least were not when ONC finalized the 2014 criteria) at a point where they can be used as the mandatory baseline authentication mechanism in EHRs without compromising user experience. If I remember correctly, the HealthIT Standards Committee (HITSC) did consider 2 factor authentication for inclusion in the 2014 criteria but decided to exclude it for “practicality” reasons. To sum up on this point, I think OIG could have been more objective in their opinions on 2014 criteria.
  • In closing, I am not sure what process or protocols does OIG follow but it appears this audit report could have had better impact if it had been more timely, objective and actionable.

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Kamal Govindaswamy

Posted on

August 06, 2014