In August, Google CEO Eric
Schmidt criticized the administration’s plans for the system, stating that they
would be outdated and would rely on outmoded medical devices that do not take
advantage of the Web.

The standards are intended to
help move doctors’ offices from a paper-based system to an electronic system as
a way of improving healthcare and saving money.

“Widespread adoption of
electronic health records holds great promise for improving healthcare
quality, efficiency and patient safety,” said David Blumenthal, the national
coordinator for health information technology.

He said the administration
believes that over time, the new system’s incentive program for using
electronic health records will lead to its adoption by more individual
providers and organizations.

The proposed rules from the
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services specify the criteria eligible
professionals and hospitals would have to meet to qualify for incentive payments
to use electronic record technologies.

Separately, the Health and
Human Services Department released proposed standards for the electronic health
records technology. The standards are intended to enhance the function, utility
and security of the technology and to support its meaningful use.

HHS was required to adopt an
initial set of standards for the electronic technology by Thursday. The new
rules will go into effect in 30 days, but could be refined based on comments
from the public over the next 60 days.

HHS said a final rule would be
released in 2010.