Computerizing Healthcare - The Regulation Push and Meaningful EHRs
Posted Jul 02 2009 6:31pm
While things are still in draft form, we all are following the EHR meaningful use dialogue with great interest. The stimulus bill appropriates $19 billion in Medicare and Medicaid carrots for physicians, hospitals, and others who utilize EHRs in a meaningful way.
Physicians with approved EHRs up and in use before 2012 will be eligible for the maximum Medicare incentive payments. (This is a reward for all those who have invested themselves) Physicians who have not adopted an EHR before 2015, and are not able to obtain a hardship exemption will see a 1% cut to Medicare pay, that reduction will gradually increase up to 3% by 2017.
The first draft by the Health IT Policy Committee is summarized below and note integration and information exchange is a key foundation:
By 2011:
Use computerized physician order entry for all order types, including medications.
Incorporate laboratory tests into EHRs and share results electronically with public health agencies.
Generate lists of patients by specific condition to use for quality improvement.
Provide clinical summaries for patients after each encounter.
Exchange key clinical information among health professionals (problems, medications, allergies, test results, etc.).
By 2013:
Generate and transmit prescriptions electronically.
Manage chronic conditions using patient lists and decision support tools.
While things are still in draft form, we all are following the EHR meaningful use dialogue with great interest. The stimulus bill appropriates $19 billion in Medicare and Medicaid carrots for physicians, hospitals, and others who utilize EHRs in a meaningful way.
Physicians with approved EHRs up and in use before 2012 will be eligible for the maximum Medicare incentive payments. (This is a reward for all those who have invested themselves) Physicians who have not adopted an EHR before 2015, and are not able to obtain a hardship exemption will see a 1% cut to Medicare pay, that reduction will gradually increase up to 3% by 2017.
The first draft by the Health IT Policy Committee is summarized below and note integration and information exchange is a key foundation:
By 2011:
By 2013:
By 2015:
Source:
_0_10741_872719_0_0_18/meaningful%20use%20matrix.pdf