Study of health information technology in medically underserved communities

(a) In general Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall— (1) enter into an agreement with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine to conduct a study on the development, implementation, and effectiveness of health information technology within medically underserved areas; and (2) submit a report to Congress describing the results of such study, including any recommendations for legislative or administrative action. (b) Study The study described in subsection (a)(1) shall— (1) identify barriers to successful implementation of health information technology in medically underserved areas; (2) survey a cross-section of individuals in medically underserved areas and report their opinions about the various topics of study; (3) examine the degree of interoperability among health information technology and users of health information technology in medically underserved areas, including patients, providers, and community services, which such examination shall consider the exchange of electronic health information, usability of exchanged electronic health information, effective application and use of the exchanged electronic health information, and impact on outcomes of interoperability; (4) examine the impact of health information technology on providing quality care and reducing the cost of care to individuals in such areas, including the impact of such technology on improved health outcomes for individuals, including which technology worked for which population and how it improved health outcomes for that population; (5) examine the impact of health information technology on improving health care-related decisions by both patients and providers in such areas; (6) identify specific best practices for using health information technology to foster the consistent provision of accessibility and reasonable policy accommodations in health care to individuals with disabilities in such areas; (7) assess the feasibility and costs associated with the use of health information technology in such areas; (8) evaluate whether the adoption and use of electronic health records is effective in reducing health disparities, including analysis of clinical quality measures reported by providers who are participating in the Medicare program under title XVIII of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.) or a State plan under title XIX of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.) (or a waiver of such plan), pursuant to programs to encourage the adoption and use of certified EHR technology; (9) identify providers in medically underserved areas that are not electing to adopt and use EHRs and determine what barriers are preventing those providers from adopting and using such records; and (10) examine urban and rural community health systems and determine the impact that health information technology may have on the capacity of primary health providers in those systems. (c) Medically underserved area In this section, the term medically underserved area means— (1) a population that has been designated as a medically underserved population under section 330(b)(3) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254b(b)(3)); (2) an area that has been designated as a health professional shortage area under section 332 of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 254e); (3) an area or population that has been designated as a medically underserved community under section 799B of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 295p); or (4) another area or population that— (A) experiences significant barriers to accessing quality health services; and (B) has a high prevalence of diseases or conditions described in title VII, with such diseases or conditions having a disproportionate impact on racial and ethnic minority groups (as defined in section 1707(g) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300u–6(g))) or a subgroup of people with disabilities who have specific functional impairments.