The key to getting the most out of EHR systems and making sure they are affordable over the long term is developing a single set of health IT standards, according to one ONC official.

The office has been pushing in recent months for the development of new technology standards that include fewer options. This is expected to increase interoperability, which will improve the ability of physicians to exchange data with each other, regardless of if they are using different systems.

Writing on the ONC's Health IT Buzz blog, director of the Office of Standards and Interoperability Doug Fridsma said that cost is a major issue. Developing one set of standards with which all EHR vendors must comply could cut down on the time it takes to develop new systems and consequently limit the cost.

"Reducing optionality improves interoperability and lowers the cost for vendors to implement, thus lowering the cost for healthcare providers as well," Fridsma wrote.

He pointed out that the health IT community may be working towards a single standard EHR vocabulary, as the Health Information Technology Standards Committee, the Clinical Quality Measures Workgroup and the Vocabulary Task Force - all factions of the Department of Health and Human Services - have voiced support for universal standard sets.