WEDI, the nation’s leading nonprofit authority on the use of health IT to create efficiencies in healthcare information exchange and a statutory advisor to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), today announced the release of two industry white papers, each focusing on key issues impacting the current health care climate – precision medicine and electronic payment security.

Written by the WEDI Genomics Workgroup, “Making Precision Medicine the Standard of Care Part 1 – Clinical & Business Drivers” offers guidance as to the many complex issues health care systems, must be mindful of when starting an enterprise-wide clinical genomics program, including the cost and reimbursement analysis as well as the adoption of new clinical guidelines and policies.

According to the paper: “Those who take on this project must understand issues from clinical workflow concerns, to information privacy, security and consent-to-share data requirements. In addition, for real value to be achieved, a comprehensive provider and patient education program should be offered.” The paper concludes by telling health systems looking to develop or expand a clinical genomics program that “facing these issues in a logical, systematic exploration, with the deployment of the necessary resources, should be the principal focus, and lead to success. For lasting success, always put the patient in the center of the process - no matter its focus (research, longitudinal care coordination, cost, data access, education and quality care).”

In addition to the genomics white paper, WEDI also released “Best Practices for EFT Enrollment Security,” which addresses concerns specifically related to security for the administrative processes of enrollment for EFT payments for health care claims. Written by the WEDI Remittance Advice & Payment Subworkgroup, the report offers best practices as well as industry enrollment activities and tools that protect the security of all entities involved in Electronic Funds Transfer Enrollment.

The 23-page document explores how the use of electronic payments provides initial and ongoing benefits to both the provider and the payer, stating “In order to fully realize the benefits, both providers and payers must ensure the security and reliability of the information being exchanged. Once enrollment has been completed and EFT is implemented, manual processes and costs for paper and mailing can be eliminated and the benefits of automation can be increased.”

“The release of these key industry white papers displays WEDI’s commitment to providing thoughtful leadership and common-sense approaches that enhance the exchange of clinical and administrative healthcare information,” said Charles W. Stellar, president and CEO of WEDI. “As the leading authority on health IT and health information exchange, it is crucial that WEDI Workgroups and Subworkgroups continue to offer our industry the resources, best practices and guidance needed to navigate the many driving forces impacting our health care ecosystem, such as precision medicine and electronic payments.”

Both white papers come released on the heels of next week’s WEDI National Conference 2018. The event will convene hundreds of industry stakeholders across health IT – including payers, providers, government regulators and vendors – who will gather during the three-day event to network and collaborate in sessions focusing on value-based care, administrative simplification, patient matching, data exchange, claims attachments, prior authorization, telehealth, artificial intelligence and blockchain.

For more information on WEDI’s industry efforts surrounding genomic medicine, please visit the WEDI Genomics Workgroup page, while the organization’s work in helping resolve issues related to the inconsistent use of the ERA/EFT transactions can be found by visiting the Remittance Advice & Payment Subworkgroup page.

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