Final Rules to Support Meaningful Use of Electronic Health Records
July 13th, 2009 - Health information technology has the potential to improve health care quality, increase the efficiency of the care delivery system, reduce health disparities, and further engage patients and families in their health care. Realizing the full benefits of an electronic health record requires use in a meaningful way. As you are all well aware, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 gave authority to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) to provide incentives for providers who become meaningful users of certified electronic health records. For an overview of the Medicare and Medicaid Programs; Electronic Health Record Incentive Program Final Rule please go to: http://www.ofr.gov/inspection.aspx#spec_C.
Posting from the Federal Register -- July 28, 2010
42 CFR Parts 412, 413, 422 et al. Medicare and Medicaid Programs;
Electronic Health Record Incentive Program; Final Rule >>
The Final Rule for Initial Set of Standards, Implementation Specifications and Certification Criteria for Electronic Health Record Technology has also been posted and can be found at: http://www.ofr.gov/inspection.aspx#spec_H.
The proposed rulemaking was released at the end of 2009, and since that time CMS, ONC and the HIT Policy Committee, considered thousands of public comments and worked together to define provisions that will provide the incentive payments to eligible providers and hospitals who achieve meaningful use. This provision, defining meaningful use, has been updated in the final rule to reflect a more flexible, consistent and simpler message.
Some interesting changes to note in the final rule:
- · More consistent message between CMS programs
- · Easier calculations of measures
- · Greater flexibility in achieving objectives
With this announcement, we are excited for the opportunity to work alongside you to provide resources and assistance as you take the steps toward adopting, implementing, upgrading or go directly to meaningfully using a certified EHR. We will provide training and support services to help your adoption; information and guidance to smooth the implementation process; and technical assistance as needed. We look forward to working with you in achieving meaningful use of electronic health records.
Sincerely;
Bethany Gilboard
Director, Health Technologies
Education and Outreach Coordinator
HHS press release
Secretary Sebelius Announces Final Rules To Support ‘Meaningful Use’ of Electronic Health Records
July 13, 2010
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2010pres/07/20100713a.html
Regulations
Electronic Health Record Incentive Program:
http://www.ofr.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2010-17207_PI.pdf
Standards and Certification Criteria:
http://www.ofr.gov/OFRUpload/OFRData/2010-17210_PI.pdf
Stage 1 Meaningful Use Objectives and Measures
- Stage 1 Meaningful Use Objectives and Associated Measures
Sorted by Core and Menu Set - Stage 1 Meaningful Use Objectives and Associated Measures
Sorted by Method of Measure Calculation - Notice of Proposed Rulemaking vs. Final Rule Comparison
New England Journal of Medicine Articles
The "Meaningful Use" Regulation for Electronic Health Records (Blumenthal)
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/NEJMp1006114/
Finding My Way to Electronic Health Records
http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/NEJMp1007785/
Other relevant document links are:
CMS fact sheets:
http://www.cms.gov/apps/media/fact_sheets.asp
CMS EHR Incentive Programs page: http://www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms/
ONC Meaningful Use page:
http://healthit.hhs.gov/meaningfuluse
Standards and Certification Criteria: http://healthit.hhs.gov/standardsandcertification