Bradley Merrill Thompson, a Member of the Firm in the Health Care and Life Sciences practice, in the firm’s Washington, DC, office, was quoted in the Bloomberg BNA Health Care Daily Report, in “Federal Advisers Likely to Push for Better Health Data Exchange,” by James Swann. (Read the full version – subscription required.)
Following is an excerpt:
It’s usually an open question whether a federal agency will listen to the recommendations of an advisory committee, but in this case the committee has the power to do things, courtesy of the Cures Act, Bradley Merrill Thompson, a Washington-based attorney with Epstein Becker& Green PC, told Bloomberg BNA Aug. 8.
For example, the committee, in consultation with the ONC, is required to submit an annual report to the HHS secretary and Congress on its actions, Thompson said.
“That gives it immense power, because if the committee disagrees with what ONC is doing, presumably they will say so to some very important people,” Thompson said.
Thompson said the committee’s goal is to make recommendations about achieving an HIT infrastructure that adequately allows for electronic access and exchange of health data, while promoting and protecting security.
“Basically, this committee has real teeth, and the clout that comes from having been appointed by a variety of important stakeholders, including Congress,” Thompson said.