| During the last week of December, the Centers | | | | THE BASICS: |
| for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the | | | | 1. CMS has identified three proposed stages of |
| Office of the National Coordinator for Health | | | | meaningful use criteria as follows: |
| Information Technology (ONC) announced a | | | | 2. Stage 1 focuses on the electronic capture and |
| proposed rule that moves us closer toward a final | | | | tracking of codified health information, use of data |
| definition of the term "meaningful use" of | | | | for the coordination of care, and on the reporting |
| Electronic Health Records (EHRs). | | | | of clinical quality measures and health information |
| According to the CMS website, The American | | | | to CMS. For Stage 1, which begins in 2011, CMS |
| Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 | | | | proposed 25 objectives for eligible professionals |
| (Recovery Act) was signed into law by President | | | | and 23 objectives for hospitals that must be met |
| Obama on February 17, 2009. The law includes | | | | to be considered a "meaningful user" of EHR |
| the Health Information Technology for Economic | | | | technology. |
| and Clinical Health Act, or the "HITECH Act," which | | | | 3. Stage 2 (which will be finalized at a later date |
| established programs under Medicare and Medicaid | | | | thereby making meaningful use somewhat of a |
| to provide incentive payments for the "meaningful | | | | moving target), will expand upon Stage 1 in the |
| use" of certified electronic health records (EHR) | | | | areas of disease management, clinical decision |
| technology. | | | | support, medication management and support for |
| - Under the HITECH Act, CMS administers the | | | | patient access to their health information among |
| EHR incentive programs under Medicare and | | | | other areas. |
| Medicaid. CMS prepared a proposed rule on the | | | | 4. Stage 3 (which will also be finalized at a later |
| EHR incentive programs and has made that rule | | | | date), will focus on achieving improvements in |
| available for public comment. See link below. | | | | quality, safety and efficiency. |
| (Note: Click on "Show Details" to view the | | | | 5. The interim final rule from ONC describes an |
| proposed rule; Click on "Submit Comment" if you | | | | initial set of standards for secure health |
| would like to provide your feedback/opinion of the | | | | information exchange in the areas of prescriptions, |
| proposed rule.) | | | | procedures, labs etc. |
| | | | | Both of these proposed rules are subject to |
| - Under the HITECH Act, ONC has responsibility | | | | change after the 60-day public comment period. |
| for developing standards, implementation | | | | Our initial research seems to indicate that many |
| specifications, and certification criteria for EHR | | | | healthcare providers and professionals consider |
| technology. See link below to view the Interim | | | | the 25 objectives mentioned above to be overly |
| Final Rule and to submit a public comment. | | | | burdensome and complex and, in some cases, a |
| | | | | deterrent to EHR adoption. |