Physicians Can Earn $44,000 With The Help Of Ehrs

CMS is still settling the details of its electronicreporting period in a hospital setting (inpatient or
health record (EHR) bonus program, which couldoutpatient) are considered hospital-based EPs and
net an eligible professional (EP) $44,000 over athey aren't eligible for the program.
five-year, provided of course you know the rules.Gayhead said that in order to be eligible for
According to a Feb. 2 CMS-sponsored Physicians,meaningful use payments for Medicare, an EP or
Nurses, and Allied Health Professionals Open Dooreligible hospital must be a meaningful user of EHR
Forum, CMS's proposal regarding the incentivetechnology. The recovery Act specifies three
program includes several important points thatcomponents of meaningful use: Using a certified
you should remember as you create your EHREHR in a meaningful manner, use of certified HER
program. CMS's Chris Gayhead noted, “It'stechnology for electronic exchange of health
important to note that EPs can only receive EHRinformation to improve quality of healthcare, and
incentive payments from either the Medicare oruse of certified EHR technology to submit clinical
the Medicaid program, but not both. However, EPsquality and other measures.
can make a one-time program switch forGayhead said that EHR incentive payments for
payment year 2014 or before. But eligible hospitalsEPs will operate according to the calendar year,
receive payment from both programs as long aswith the Medicare incentive program running from
they meet the eligibility requirements.2011 through 2016. EPs can receive a maximum
Hospital-based EPs like pathologists,of $44,000 over a five-year period. To reach the
anesthesiologists, or emergency physicians thatmaximum under Medicare, an EP must become a
furnish all of their Medicare services during themeaningful user not later than 2012.