This is the year of EHR incentives! 2011 will see the first incentive payments distributed and give the ONC a better understanding of how providers are reacting to Meaningful Use criteria. Accordingly, there is significant movement in the EHR incentive space. Below is a succinct summary of EHR incentive program updates covering the past month.
ONC Releases Initial EHR Incentive Program Registration Numbers
The ONC announced that the first month of open registration for the EHR Incentive Program resulted in strong participation. More than 20k providers registered for the program during the first few weeks of the program.
In order to register, providers must have the following information:
- A National Provider Identifier (NPI)
- An enrollment record in the Provider Enrolmment, Chain and Ownership System (PECOS)
The process is quick and easy. To enroll in the CMS EHR Incentive Program, click on this link and follow the instructions. Practice Fusion has posted a brief step-by-step registration tutorial.
Meta-Study Demonstrates Positive Results of EHR Adoption
The ONC published a meta-study in Health Affairs that, based on a review of major journal articles from the past few years, indicates that EHR use has a positive effect on practices. The key results of the study are telling. Despite recent articles claiming that HIT does little to improve care or reduce costs, this study takes a longitudinal approach to reviewing literature surrounding HIT use and implementation and finds that 62% of studies demonstrated only positive results from HIT implementations and use. Further, 92% of studies demonstrated primarily positive outcomes resulting from HIT use. Interestingly, the study also revealed that the literature demonstrates very positive outcomes resulting from implementation of Meaningful Use criteria.
Suggested Meaningful Use Stage 2 Criteria Harshly Evaluated
The Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) for HIT released suggested stage 2 Meaningful Use criteria for public comment. Providers, professional organizations, EHR and HIT vendors, and others provided significant criticism of suggested stage 2 criteria.
A major call from the AMA asked the ONC to slow the Meaningful Use process and build significant time for research into stage 1 criteria success. The AMA noted that pursuing increasingly aggressive criteria without evidence to demonstrate providers’ ability to adopt and use the technology or the utility of the criteria is potentially a waste of time and money.
Practice Fusion provided public comment to the ONC describing how the ONC is building future Meaningful Use criteria based on dated assumptions about EHRs and connectivity and consequently is pursuing the wrong path if the ONC desires improved efficiency and improved outcomes.
What’s Next for EHR Incentive Program Providers?
Providers should direct their attention to the immediate next steps rather than concentrating on Meaningful Use criteria that won’t take effect until 2013 or later. Immediate next steps include:
- If you have not yet registered, then do so immediately. Visit the Practice Fusion registration tutorial and then the CMS registration page.
- Check off a required Meaningful Use criteria! Practice Fusion is certified for Privacy and Security Audit criteria. Visit the Practice Fusion Privacy and Security Toolkit tutorial and then complete the audit.
- Attend monthly EHR Incentive Program webinars hosted by Dr. Robert Rowley, Practice Fusion’s Chief Medical Officer and a practicing physician.These are communicated through various user newsletters.
