This relates to the letter we all recently received from eCW concerning patient safety. It was quite broad, vague and made it look like there is nothing going on. The letter was a result of an October 2020 communication from the OIG (Office of Inspector General) to eCW (full document can be viewed here: https://oig.hhs.gov/fraud/cia/agreements/eCW_10-30-20.pdf) stating the OIG is not particularly happy with the resolution to the issues in the 2017 Whistleblower Settlement. One element in the letter of interest is our friend the “special character.” We all know the havoc these can cause in our documentation. Well, the October letter says this about special characters (emphasis mine):
“Monthly Progress Reporting
For the remainder of the CIA, OIG will require eCW to submit monthly progress reports on the status of its implementation and completion of remediation and corrective action on certain critical issues relating to the safety of eCW’s Electronic Health Record
Software. Monthly progress reports must include, among other information, specific and measurable items to determine progress toward full implementation and completion of remediation and corrective action. Monthly progress reports will be due to OIG, ONC
and the SQOO on the first business day of each month. The specific issues that will be the subject of monthly progress reporting are:
1. Identification and repair of all special character, incorrect data type, and data truncation problems in all eCW products by January 31, 2021.”
We also all know from many “resolved” Patient Safety Alerts on the Portal that the “resolution” to an issue is “don’t do it/use it, because it doesn’t work rightly.” That wouldn’t fly if your mechanic told you that when your car won’t start, and it shouldn’t be the resolution for features which don’t work either.
January 31, 2021 is right around the corner. We shall see what happens. It’s almost 2021. A software product shouldn’t break if you use a quotation mark.
