ARRA News

What can we expect for Stage 2 of Meaningful Use?

Survey data released this month by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) showed promising figures in terms of adoption of electronic health records during the first stage to achieve meaningful use. In survey data prepared by the American Hospital Association, 81 percent of hospitals said they plan to achieve meaningful use of EHRs and take advantage of incentive payments. About two-thirds of those hospitals (65 percent) responded that they will enroll during Stage 1 of the incentive programs during 2011-12.

Read more here.

Meaningful Use incentives jeopardized by GOP bill

Despite news Thursday that support for H.R. 408 - the Republican-sponsored House bill aimed at cutting $2.5 trillion in federal spending over the next decade - could mean the repeal of the Meaningful Use incentive program allotted in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, some people, including Justin Barnes, former leader of the HIMSS Electronic Health Records Association, have said they aren't worried.

Barnes, who now serves as vice president of marketing, corporate development and government affairs at Greenway Medical Technologies, calls the bill more of a "message bill" than anything else.

Read more here.

Commission Opens Customized EHR Certification Program For Hospitals

The Certification Commission announced Jan. 18 the launch of its new electronic health record (EHR) certification program for hospitals. The EHR Alternative Certification for Hospitals (EACH™) is an ONC-ATCB 2011/2012 certification program for installed hospital EHR technology that has been tested in a pilot program with hospitals in Boston, New York City and Pasadena, Calif. More information and online tools for applying for EACH certification is available at http://each.cchit.org.

Read the press release here.

AHRQ to look at barriers to Medicaid EHR adoption

To knock down potential barricades to EHR adoption among providers serving Medicaid populations, a new two-year federal initiative to promote access and find answers is being sought by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ).

Overall, the project is designed to solicit "actionable recommendations on what activities can best help Medicaid providers take advantage of incentive payments, achieve meaningful use, and ultimately use health IT to improve health care for the Medicaid population," AHRQ announced Jan. 19, in the Federal Register.

Read more here.

7 Ways Community and Rural Hospitals Can Achieve Meaningful Use

Although many hospitals are rapidly making a move toward deploying healthcare information technology in order to qualify for incentive payments through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, there is widespread concern that healthcare providers in smaller communities will not be able to keep up with this swift movement toward electronic health records. Community and rural hospitals, lacking financial strength and IT expertise, often cannot afford the big investment in healthcare IT larger health systems are able to make.

Here are seven ways community and rural hospitals can achieve meaningful use despite lack of funding and resources.

Blumenthal maps priorities for 2011

National HIT Coordinator Dr. David Blumenthal at a recent meeting said his office this year will focus on activities to enable more robust health information exchange in the next stage of meaningful use. Interoperability, clinical decision support and privacy protections will be key targets, he said.

Read more here.

Deadlines and Dollars: HITECH Stimulus Dollars

On Feb. 4 at 10:30 a.m., The Coker Group is hosting a FREE webinar, Deadlines and Dollars: HITECH Stimulus Dollars. The speaker is Will Melson.

As the health care environment continues to transform, what will the economic stimulus mean for you and the industry?  With challenging objectives and timelines related to the implementation of EHR and meeting meaningful use requirements, knowing the next course of action may be uncertain. 

This session will provide an overview of the incentive opportunities related to the economic stimulus package, address the steps required for EHR adoption to meet this criteria, and learn how to structure a plan to ensure that awards received are managed effectively and efficiently.  This session will also address the latest issues and updates associated with the stimulus funding and related regulatory issues, and how this information translates to your medical practice.

Knowledge Nuggets:
• Identify how to take advantage of stimulus funding before it's too late
• Comprehend the significance of successful EHR implementation
• Maximize EHR incentive payments and minimize the burdens of the HITECH Act
• Understand the current federal environment of financial incentives and regulatory mandates
• Recognize the major impact areas on your practice for determining next steps in the rewards process

IQH publication focuses on "meaningful use"

The latest IQH Health Information Technology publication focuses on EHRs and "meaningful use." You can download the publication below.

Download HIT January 2011

EHR surveys show progress, concerns

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology on Jan. 15 released 2010 data showing 81% of hospitals and 41% of office-based physicians plan to take advantage of Medicare and Medicaid incentives payments for adoption and meaningful use of certified electronic health records technology. However, initial findings from an American Hospital Association survey conducted this week show fewer than 2% of hospitals can actually meet the EHR certification and meaningful use requirements at this time.

While applauding the work of hospitals to implement EHRs to improve care for patients, AHA Executive Vice President Rick Pollack said the newer data "reflect the practical challenges hospitals face in revamping their EHR systems to be certified and meet the high bar set for meaningful use under a very challenging time frame. We are closely monitoring progress and working with the administration and Congress to eliminate any barriers that get in the way of hospitals using IT to improve care."

Committee seeks comments on stage 2 meaningful use requirements

The Health Information Technology Policy Committee, which advises the Department of Health and Human Services, seeks comments through Feb. 25 on an initial set of proposed requirements for stage 2 meaningful use of electronic health records. The committee plans to hold public hearings this spring, and to issue final recommendations to HHS this summer for consideration in rulemaking.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provided Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments for hospitals and physicians that become "meaningful users" of EHRs, as defined by HHS. HHS released its final rule defining stage 1 meaningful use in July. The American Hospital Association plans to submit comments on the proposed stage 2 requirements.

Providers urge HHS to simplify EHR meaningful use requirements

At a federal hearing on Jan. 11, more than a dozen physicians and hospital representatives shared their successes and challenges in meeting the "meaningful use" requirements for the Medicare and Medicaid electronic health record incentive programs. Many themes were raised at the Health IT Standards Committee Implementation Workgroup hearing, including concerns that the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology's certification requirements for hospitals do not match market realities; frustrations with the complexity of the meaningful use requirements; and concern about the burden of meaningful use reporting, especially quality reporting.

Those testifying were all advanced users of EHRs, who expressed real concern over the challenges facing hospitals and physicians just getting started, particularly small and rural providers. Looking ahead, the hospitals and physicians urged the Department of Health and Human Services to simplify the requirements and provide more flexibility, and to provide more time before implementing the programs' Stage 2 requirements.

[ via AHA News Now ]

ONC releases final rule on permanent certification program

The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology on Jan. 3 put on display at the Federal Register its final rule establishing a permanent certification program for electronic health record technology and other health IT. ONC’s current temporary certification program will be replaced by the provisions in this regulation.

ONC will accept applications beginning this spring from organizations that want to conduct certifications under the permanent program. Testing and certification under the permanent certification is expected to begin Jan. 1, 2012.