| The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act | | | | complete transformation of the present health |
| (ARRA) enacted in February 2009 authorized the | | | | care system, the following goals will be achieved: |
| Centers of Medicare and Medicaid to pay | | | | · Prevention of diseases avoiding unnecessary |
| physicians, who demonstrate the meaningful use | | | | procedures and premature deaths. |
| of electronic health records (EHR), an incentive of | | | | · Management of chronic diseases, such as |
| up to $44,000, from 2011. The physicians unable | | | | diabetes, and heart diseases to deliver timely and |
| to conform to these date lines are expected to | | | | more efficient treatment. |
| face reductions in their Medicare payments. | | | | · Minimize medication errors. |
| Though there are concerns about the | | | | · Measure health care efficiency using statistical |
| aggressiveness to adhere to these time lines, | | | | and prediction tools. |
| there is no doubt among clinicians that the | | | | Timetable And Stages Of Meaningful Use |
| implementation of this system will drastically | | | | The time line for meaningful use is divided into |
| transform the practice of medicine. | | | | three phases, starting from 2011. Phase one |
| Meaningful use of electronic health record identifies | | | | requires health care providers to collect data and |
| a set of priorities centered on increased patient | | | | integrate the same into an electronic format, |
| engagement; reduction of racial disparities; | | | | which will be stored on one file and can be shared |
| improvement of performance safety and | | | | by multiple health care providers. Thus the |
| efficiency of the care delivered; and the increase | | | | updates as well past records of the patient, |
| in overall population health. The timetables of | | | | including list of allergies patient history, are all |
| meaningful use define a set of objectives and | | | | available together in one e-file and format. Other |
| processes to ensure improvement of population | | | | phase specifications require that the use of drug |
| health in the coming years. | | | | interaction should be available at the time it is |
| The vision of meaningful use is to: | | | | prescribed. To complete this phase, clinicians will |
| · Engage patients in a proactive way in | | | | have to utilize the electronic prescribing and |
| healthcare. | | | | computerized physician order entry processes. |
| · Provide real-time access for patient data and | | | | The second phase, beginning after 2011, requires |
| other medical information stored at one location | | | | sharing of the electronic data, including disease |
| to physicians and specialists on electronic data | | | | management criteria, automated lab reports, and |
| records. | | | | other functionality with public health agencies, to |
| · Eliminate long wait and health care disparities. | | | | better manage disease control and apply |
| · Use new information technology for open | | | | preventive measures, after identifying patient |
| communication and timely treatment. | | | | population with specific conditions. |
| · Use tools for the safety and quality of medical | | | | The final phase of meaningful use focuses on the |
| care. | | | | final goal of improving the quality and improving |
| Timetables of meaningful use are geared toward | | | | patient care by accessing real-time data at the |
| change in the health care system, both to reduce | | | | time of prescribing medication and transmission of |
| the cost and to provide comprehensive mode of | | | | maximum prescriptions electronically as a way to |
| treatment. It is expected that at the time of | | | | avoid medication errors. |