Murphy, Miller-Meeks, O’Halleran Introduce Bill to Improve Medical Device Interoperability
Washington, D.C. – Today, Reps. Greg Murphy, M.D. (NC-03), Mariannette Miller-Meeks, M.D. (IA-02), and Tom O'Halleran (AZ-01) introduced the Better Interoperability for Devices (BID) Act to require the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to review the interoperability, safety, and effectiveness of medical devices. Text of the bill may be found here.
"I'm glad to partner with Reps. Miller-Meeks and O'Halleran on this important legislation to ensure the highest medical device standards for home-based care, telemedicine, clinical care, and data sharing," said Rep. Greg Murphy, M.D. "As a physician of more than 30 years, I know that streamlined interoperability standards are essential for timely, efficient, and cost-effective care. I look forward to reviewing the Department of Health and Human Services' direct report on the state of interoperability of medical devices which will provide key insight on the safety and effectiveness of these devices for providers and patients alike."
"With constant research, development, and innovation within the medical technology field, it's imperative new devices are compatible with one another and capable of safely sharing patient data," said Rep. Miller-Meeks, M.D. "Our legislation will ensure the Department of Health and Human Services is reviewing medical device interoperability to offer patients top notch care in an efficient manner. As a physician and former Iowa Director of Public Health, I understand the importance of maintaining high medical standards and I will continue my efforts to provide patients with the best possible care."
"As medical technology continues to improve, we must ensure that Congress understands the full risks associated with these developments in order to provide bipartisan solutions to address them," said Rep. O'Halleran. "I'm proud to join in introducing this bill to provide lawmakers with much-needed information, analysis, and recommendations to improve medical device and electronic health record interoperability."
"Interoperability is critical to realize the promise of digital health and enable better, more cost-effective, patient-centered care. Patients and caregivers benefit immensely from the introduction of new, innovative medical devices and their evolving data collection and analysis capabilities, and interoperability helps maximize these benefits," said Morgan Reed, executive director of the Connected Health Initiative (CHI). "The success of value-based care models will increasingly rely on digital health tools that synthesize a patient's or a population's health information to produce an accurate and actionable diagnosis. We applaud this legislation as an important, incremental step toward better data interoperability across the wide range of medical devices in use today and in the future."
Background:
The Better Interoperability for Devices Act would require HHS to submit a report to Congress on the state of medical device interoperability and the implications of safety and effectiveness. Specifically, the report would include:
- A review of existing interoperability standards
- Recommendations to improve standards, including needed guidance, regulatory, or statutory changes
- A summary of recommendations submitted to HHS by stakeholders
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