As a follow-up to last month’s article (August 2010) about the final rule for the electronic health record (EHR) stimulus program—which offers up to $64,000 to eligible providers who are meaningful users of an EHR system—this month we will explore the minimum requirements for successful meaningful use, which take effect in 2011 and will build gradually each year of the program.
What Does Meaningful Use Really Mean?
On July 13, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced the publication of the final rule for the electronic health record (EHR) incentive program. The final rule announcement ended the holding pattern for providers eager to make the switch from paper to digital medical records.
I Have the Data—Now What?
Rheumatologists practicing in the current healthcare environment are experiencing unprecedented information flow, data management issues, and a rise in quality designations and pay-for-performance incentive programs. There is increasing pressure on rheumatologists to document or capture treatment concordance with guideline recommendations and best practices and to monitor gaps in care and patient outcomes. Unfortunately, some quality programs are not considered clinically meaningful, and even those that are often bring administrative burdens related to reporting, data aggregation, and analysis.
Technology and Pay-for-Performance
Medicare and private payers are increasingly developing programs to reward physicians based on clinical benchmarks. As more payers embrace this approach, practices are looking to technology to help them manage complex reporting requirements.
Update on Meaningful Use
On December 30, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the long-awaited proposed rule establishing the Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program, which lays out a set of standards, implementation specifications, and certification criteria for EHR technology. This program has been developed in response to the “American Recovery and Reinvestment Act” (ARRA), which authorizes the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to provide a reimbursement incentive for physician and hospital providers who become “meaningful users” of an EHR.
Reach Beyond the Digital Walls of Your Practice
How much time and money do you spend trying to find information about your patients? Are you frustrated by the difficulties in obtaining patient medical records, test results, lab reports, radiology results, and insurance eligibility from organizations across state lines, down the street, or even across the hall? Do you ever order redundant tests simply because you are unable to access the results of tests ordered by another member of the care team?
Look at What the New Rheumatology Image Bank Can Do for You
The Rheumatology Image Bank is an online library that features clinical, pathologic, and radiologic images of major adult and pediatric rheumatic diseases and conditions. Launched in late October, the Rheumatology Image Bank is a centralized resource for clinicians, researchers, and health professionals that provides assistance in selfstudy or the education of others.
Do You E-Prescribe—or Just Think You Do?
You’ve bought an electronic medical record (EMR) with e-prescribing capabilities or stand-alone e-prescribing software and are enjoying the benefits of seamlessly writing a computer-generated prescription. Prescriptions are forwarded to the pharmacy where they enter the computer system exactly as they were sent. After all, that’s the benefit of e-prescribing, right?
Make RA Outcomes Measures Work for You
Expert tips for collecting and analyzing RA patient data
Go Digital
Rheumatologists’ recommendations for choosing an electronic medical record
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