In July 2023, IJIS held two conference calls with DIHFS, including representatives from eClinicalWorks (eCW), the EMRs vendor for DIHFS. During those meetings eCW indicated that they would engage this project with their technology teams and requested that IJIS complete a Business Partner Relationship form to expedite the development process, which IJIS did. In these meetings, it was established that eCW had developed two PDMP/EHR endpoints, one with Bamboo Health (BH) and the other with LogiCoy Health (LCY). However, eCW stated it was possible that IJIS/RxCheck could leverage the PDMP integration endpoint and develop an API for RxCheck PDMP/EHR integration with DIHFS. It was communicated to eCW that RxCheck would cover all reasonable development costs for this integration.
Between July and September 2023, IJIS emailed eCW employee Joan Rogers, Manager for Vendor Operations. During this time Ms. Rogers only responded to a couple of emails stating that the required eCW staff was out on leave and decisions could not be made without their input. Most emails IJIS sent to Ms. Rogers received an out-of-office reply from her. In September, DIHFS employee Heather Hoff received an email from an eCW representative stating that IJIS was told that no PDMP/EHR development would be scheduled for 2023 and that it could be revisited in the coming year. The eCW email encouraged DIHFS to consider using one of the two existing EHR vendors, with the email promoting BH for its PDMP/EHR products.
In October, DIHFS representatives met with eCW representatives and expressed their desire to participate in the CDC’s PMDP/EHR pilot program for non-IHS-tribal healthcare entities. eCW responded that it was not something that their development team could work on at the time and for DIHFS to reconsider using one of the other two options available to them.
In November, IJIS requested and held conference calls with representatives of HHS/OIG/ONC/CDC along with representatives of IIR to discuss the potential scenario of a data-blocking complaint. IJIS provided the details of several months of emails and communications with DIHFS and eCW representatives. IJIS expressed concern that eCW was refusing to participate in the CDC PDMP/EHR integration project for DIHFS in favor of its vendor partners’ monetary gain for utilization of their products rather than a no-cost option provided by this pilot project.
In December, IJIS held a conference call with HHS/OIG legal representatives to further review IJIS’ claim regarding eCW being unwilling to participate in the project and its potential ramifications to the CDC PDMP/EHR integrations pilot program. Evidence and case details were laid out for HHS/OIG to take into consideration, and it was indicated that a response would be provided within the next month.
The DIHFS PDMP/EHR integration is on hold awaiting the HHS/OIG recommendations.
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