Electronic Health Record Meaningful Use
Meaningful use is a term used to help measure the quality and quantity of care providers in hospitals and other healthcare facilities provide while using an electronic health record system (EHR). If a provider is deemed to have significantly shown that they have used EHR technology in a meaningful manner, they may be offered a financial incentive from the government.
Meaningful use can be conceptualized by the following health outcomes:
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Providing safety while improving quality and efficiency, ultimately reducing health disparities.
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Patient and family involvement in their health care.
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Care coordination improvement and efficacy.
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Improve population and public health
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Providing safeguards to ensure the privacy, security, and protection of personal health information.
An incentive program led by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) provides Eligible Professionals and/or Hospitals incentive payments ranging from $44,000 over 5 years for the Medicare providers and $63,750 over 6 years for Medicaid providers if deemed eligible under the terms of “meaningful use”.
A phased approach using stages is used to update criteria of meaningful use through future rule making:
STAGE 1:
Announced in 2010, stage 1 focuses on electronic health record data and sharing, while promoting the adoption of electronic health record technology. Use of a structured format to capture health information that can identify key conditions and communicate with other providers to coordinate a proper care plan. Stage 1 will allow for continuous quality improvement by establishing functionalities in a certified electronic health record technology.
STAGE 2:
Announced in 2014, stage 2 widens the use of electronic health record software for exchange among other health providers. Programs such as E-Prescribing, Lab results, and Radiology reports will be integrated into a system along with software for computerized provider order entry (CPOE). The use of the system must be demonstrated to patients to encourage its use and more actively conscious to their care.
STAGE 3:
Announced in 2016, stage 3 builds upon advancing clinical electronic health record practices from stage 2. Improve the quality of exchanged health information while ensuring safety, quality, and efficiency lead to improved health outcomes. In addition, concentrating on accessing comprehensive patient data through, patient-centered health information exchange while improving population health.