Discussions are a key element of learning and sharing experiences throughout the course. This week you are asked to research the literature related to regulations such as the HITECH Act and the Patient Protection and Accountable Care Act (PPACA). This legislation has been in place for a period of time and has generated many peer-reviewed studies on the efficacy and issues of the legislation. This first Discussion also asks you to critically evaluate how these regulations affect your perceptions as a consumer of health services. You are encouraged to think about these perceptions in terms of some of the major concerns that a consumer may have in the industry today such as accessing health care, financing health care, compliance with health regimes and motivating behavior change, to name a few.

To prepare for this Discussion:

Review at least one peer reviewed, profession journal article or detailed news article discussing government mandates for health care such as the 2009 HITECH Act, the Patient Privacy and Affordable Care Act (ACA), Accountable Care Organizations (ACO), or value-based purchasing. Consider topics discussed in your previous courses in the Master of Healthcare Administration program such as:

• Transition from volume-based to value-based healthcare
• Population health
• Data analytics
• Healthcare consumerism

Explain how the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act of 2009 impacts your topic. Describe how your organization is impacted by your topic and the HITECH Act of 2009. As a consumer of health care, how do you perceive the use of health information technology (HIT) to address these topics affecting your personal health care delivery?

READING REFERENCES

https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-professionals/specia…

http://www.openhealthnews.com/blogs/groenpj/2013-1…