This is a big day for CMS and the ONC. Starting today, providers who have achieved 90-days of Meaningful Use of a certified EHR can enter the CMS website and attest to this fact. The system asks providers to review their use of the EHR for every core and menu Meaningful use criteria and, upon completion of the review, ask you to attest that the information that you have provided is correct.
The EHR Incentive Program is one of the major strategic elements of the government and the ONC’s plan to create a “learning” health care system in the United States. Broad adoption of EHRs is vital to this effort and the incentive program is designed to radically accelerate the rate of adoption and Meaningful Use.
Today represents the next phase of the ONC’s plan and, in the next few months, Medicare providers will start to receive their EHR incentive payments. This is a big test of the system that CMS has created and the next few months will be a time to iron out kinks, perfect it, and further encourage adoption.
CMS has also launched a new tool for providers that want to test the attestation process. It is called the CMS Meaningful Use Calculator. It provides a test run for providers and enables them to quantify how in EHR Incentives for which they qualify and gives insight into the attestation process. I highly recommend it for providers who are curious to learn more and better understand, practically, what they are expected to achieve.
Practice Fusion is well on its way to be certified as a complete EHR. We will achieve full certification in the summer of 2011, which will leave providers more than sufficient time to achieve 90-days of Meaningful Use and attest to this end. I encourage you to try out the CMS Meaningful Use Calculator and reach out to support@practicefusion.com if you have any questions.
