Healthcare IT Support

The Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs provide a financial incentive for the "meaningful use" of certified EHR technology to achieve health and efficiency goals. By putting into action and meaningfully using an EHR system, providers will reap benefits beyond financial incentives–such as reduction in errors, availability of records and data, reminders and alerts, clinical decision support, e-prescribing and refill automation.

To help our Medical Practices narrow down the "Meaningful  Use" requirements, we have provided this information and helpful videos.

Meaningful use (MU) requirements are a specific and time sensitive in order to receive the government incentives slotted for MU users.

MU Criteria are organized into five categories;

1. Improvement of quality, safety and efficiency of care while reducing (CPOE, e-prescribing)

2. To engage of patients and families in their care (copy of health record)

3. Promoting of public and population health (disease reporting)

4. Improve care coordination (exchange of information with other EHR)

5. Promote privacy and security of EHRs (regular security tests and updates)

You must meet all 15 Stage 1 requirements immediately by 2011, these requirements are:

1. Record patient demographics

2. Record vital signs and chart changes

3. Maintain up-to-date problem list of active diagnoses

4. Maintain active medications

5. Maintain active allergy list

6. Record smoking status of patients

7. Provide patients with clinical summaries of office visits

8. Provide patients with an electronic copy of their health information

9. Generate and transmit prescription electronically

10. Computer order entry for medications

11. Implement drug-drug and drug-allergy interaction checks

12. capability to electronically exchange key clinical information

13. Implement system to protect patient privacy and secure data

14. conduct a security risk analysis and implement security updates

15. Report clinical quality measures to Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services

By 2013 you must also meet 5 of the 10 Stage requirements:

1. Implement drug formulary checks

2. Incorporate laboratory test results into EHRs

3. Generate lists of patients sorted by specific conditions

4. Send reminders to patients for follow-up prevention care

5. Give patients electronic access to their health information

6. Use EHR technology to identify patient-specific education resources

7. Perform medication reconciliation among care settings

8. Provide a summary of care records for patients

9. Submit electronic immunization data to immunization registries

10. Submit electronic syndromic surveillance data to public health agencies.

For those who meet the MU initiatives, the incentive schedule is as follows: