Meaningful Use

Stage 1 Meaningful Use

The HITECH Act defines Meaningful Use to have three main components:

  1. The meaningful use of a certified EHR technology.
  2.  The use of certified EHR technology for electronic exchange of health information to improve quality of health care.
  3.  The use of certified EHR technology to submit clinical quality and other measures.

Meaningful use means providers “need to show they’re using certified EHR technology in ways that can be measured significantly in quality and in quantity”.

Stage 2 Meaningful Use

Both CMS and ONC have released Notices for Proposed Rulemaking for Stage 2 Meaningful Use. The notices released are proposals for how Stage 2 meaningful use will work. The requirements will not be for sure until the final rule is written and released. We are officially in the 60-day public comment period. Don’t expect the final rule until late summer.

Meaningful Use Timeline Extension
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced late last year a delay in meeting Stage 2 Meaningful Use requirements.  Under previous requirements, Eligible Professionals and Eligible Hospitals that begin participating in the Medicare EHR Incentive Program in 2011 would have had to meet Stage 2 requirements for the program in 2013. If, however, they waited until 2012 to participate in the program they could wait until 2014 to meet Stage 2 meaningful use and still be eligible for the same incentive payment they would have received if they began in 2011. According to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, the timeline extension for Stage 2 meaningful use will allow doctors and hospitals to adopt healthIT this year, without meeting the new Stage 2 requirements until 2014. HHS believes the delay will encourage faster adoption by providers in 2012.