Round 2 of ?Meaningful Use? Lets Up A Bit on Physicians

The Health IT Policy Committee, which advises the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, has adopted the revised recommendations of its workgroup on the “meaningful use” of electronic health records. Physicians will have to show meaningful use to qualify for government financial incentives that are scheduled to start flowing in 2011.

The revised definition is apparently more lenient to physicians than the one presented to the committee about a month ago. Among the requirements for 2011:

* Implement one clinical decision support rule relevant to a specialty or a high clinical priority
* Submit claims electronically to payers
* Check insurance eligibility electronically when possible
* Provide patients with timely electronic access to their health information
* Provide patients, upon request, with an electronic copy of their discharge instructions and procedures at the time of discharge
* Exchange health information where possible

Physicians will be expected to participate in the National Health Information Network by 2015, and will have to give patients access to personal health records to qualify for incentives in 2013. The PHR deadline is two years earlier than the one that was originally proposed.

Another big change from the earlier version is that physicians who apply for government subsidies for the first time after 2011 will only have to meet the 2011 criteria for meaningful use in the year when they apply. That will make it much easier for physicians who are just learning how to use their EHRs. More Here EMR