EHR Meaningful Use Attestation Opens April 18, 2011
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Electronic Health Records Incentive Program “meaningful use” verification period opens today. This allows providers who are demonstrating meaningful using of electronic health record (EHR) systems to submit for reimbursement as a part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.
There are three stages of meaningful use under the [...]
Upcoming CMS EHR Incentive Program Dates
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ EHR Incentive Program has registered over 25,000 eligible physicians and hospitals, and, it has paid out over $37 million so far.
Here are some upcoming events and milestone dates to keep on your radar:
April 1, 2011: CMS will host a national provider education call for eligible professionals about registration [...]
Blumenthal Letter on Meaningful Use of Health Information
A Message from Dr. David Blumenthal, the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, marks 2011 as the year when medical care entered a new era – the age of meaningful use of health information. Read the letter now to learn more.
GOP Bill Puts Meaningful Use & HITECH Act in Peril
Excerpted from a report by Health Data Management: Legislation introduced in the U.S. House and initially sponsored by nearly three-quarters of the Republican caucus clearly appears to seek repeal of the Medicare/Medicaid electronic health record meaningful use incentive payment programs. But whether the bill also would repeal all of the HITECH Act within the economic stimulus [...]
Registration for EHR Incentive Programs Begins Today
Registration through CMS for EHR Incentive Programs begins today, January 3, 2011. Early participation will yield maximum incentive payments, so, register today even if your certified EHR system is not yet installed.
To learn more about using certified EHR technology, being a meaningful user and attesting for incentive payments, go to the CMS [...]
CMS Establishes System to Track EHR Meaningful Use Incentive Recipients
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) will track eligible medical professionals receiving incentive payments for demonstrating meaningful use of electronic health records.
The system is called “Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program National Level Repository (NLR).” The NLR will collect, maintain and process information for the incentive program and will be disclosed to [...]
ONC Publishes Certified HIT Product List
The Certified HIT Product List (CHPL) provides the authoritative, comprehensive listing of Complete EHRs and EHR Modules that have been tested and certified under the Temporary Certification Program maintained by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC).
Each Complete EHR and EHR Module listed on the website has been certified by an ONC-Authorized [...]
CMS Testing Systems to Manage Attestations and Payment for Meaningful Use of EHRs
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is in the final testing stages for systems to manage the registration, attestation and payments to healthcare providers participating in the meaningful use program. According to an article in Government Health IT, the CMS administrative systems are due to go into production in January, when the incentive program kicks off,
Providers who want [...]
Harmony Healthcare IT Offers EHR with ONC-ATCB 2011/2012 Certification
Harmony Healthcare IT partners with Medical Informatics Engineering to offer an electronic health record solution to ambulatory practices nationwide. Medical Informatics Engineering announced today that WebChart EHR Version 5.1, is 2011/2012 compliant and was certified as a Complete EHR on September 30, 2010 by the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT®), an ONC-ATCB, in [...]
Meaningful Use Survey Results from HIMSS
It looks as if the incentives offered by the federal government for physicians to meet electronic health record (EHR) meaningful use standards are working.
In an online survey conducted by the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), 77% of respondents indicated that they would pursue meaningful use incentives.
Here are some other highlights from the survey:
The majority of respondents [...]
Meaningful Use Talks for 2013 Begin
According to this article from Government Health IT, Health & Human Services Department officials are considering measures for the second stage of meaningful use even before healthcare providers get started on tackling the 2011 first stage requirements of the incentive program.
The Health IT Policy Committee wants to prepare recommendations on 2013 meaningful use criteria by [...]
Two Software-Testing Companies Aurthorized to Certify “Meaningful Use” of EMRs
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology and the Drummond Group now can test and certify products from EMR vendors to ensure that they meet “meaningful use” criteria. Meaningful use criteria are a set of standards that healthcare providers must meet to qualify for federal [...]
Final Rule on Meaningful Use of EHRs Published by HHS
The 864-page final rule for meaningful use of electronic health records has been posted by The Department of Health and Human Services.
Meaningful Use Rule for EHR to be Published Tomorrow
The Office of Management and Budget has finished reviewing the meaningful use rule, which was the final step before publication. It is now reported that The Department of Health and Human Services will release the final meaningful use rule tomorrow. Accompanying the meaningful use final rule with be a final rule setting data standards, implementation specifications [...]
CMS Launches Website for EHR Incentives
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently launched a website aimed at educating eligible healthcare professionals on electronic health record (EHR) incentives. View the website.
EHR Meaningful Use Database to be Built
Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) has been selected by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to develop a nationwide database for tracking accurate electronic health record (EHR) incentive payment processing transactions to healthcare professionals, agencies and institutions.
The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) National Level Repository task order was awarded under the [...]
Boston Globe Article About Doctors Going Digital
The Boston Globe published this article discussing how some doctors are not stampeding to go digital, regardless of governmental incentives to spur a nationwide rollout of electronic health records (EHR).
In the article, Dr. Robert LeBow, a 66-year-old internist and geriatrician who cares for more than 1,000 patients, is reluctant to embrace a technology that he believes carries hidden costs that include productivity loss.
It [...]
Top 10 Meaningful Use Challenges Faced by Doctors
By Marianne McGee, Senior Writer for InformationWeek HealthCare Blogs
Doctors who meet the federal government’s upcoming meaningful use criteria for health IT could earn up to $44,000 or $63,000 each in incentives depending on the patients (Medicare or Medicaid) they treat. But meeting those criteria won’t be easy.
A new CSC report lists the top ten challenges [...]
Harmony Partners with MIE to Offer EHR
Medical Informatics Engineering, a web-based, Minimally Invasive(TM) EHR provider, today announced a reseller agreement with Harmony Healthcare IT that will offer best-in-class electronic health record solutions to physician practices. The agreement allows Harmony Healthcare IT to include Medical Informatics Engineering’s WebChart and WebChart EHR Now products into its healthcare IT suite of services.
MIE’s WebChart and [...]
MGMA shows ‘meaningful use’ may cause decrease in physician productivity
The Medical Group Management Association (MGMA) conducted research to determine the ability of medical groups to meet the meaningful use requirements and qualify for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) electronic health record (EHR) incentive programs. To review key findings from the research, click here.
According to an MGMA press release, it is suggested that the changes [...]