Electronic medical record goals are unrealistic, many physicians and hospitals say
Feedback from some of the nation’s most advanced hospitals indicates that many facilities will not be able to meet the government’s “meaningful use” requirements in relation to electronic medical records (EMR), reports The New York Times. “Meaningful use” refers to a set of requirements regarding EMRs that hospitals and physicians must meet to receive incentive payments through Medicare and Medicaid.
Physicians at these institutions, some of which have had EMRs instituted for years, say that the government’s requirements are difficult to meet and may in fact discourage users from attempting to achieve “meaningful use” because there is no reimbursement for partial credit. The advanced requirements have been put in place to meet a strict deadline set by President Barack Obama, and by 2015, hospitals and physicians will be penalized if they do not use EMRs.
To read more from The New York Times, click here.
What is the buzz at your facility about “meaningful use?” Are you meeting it? Is your hospital even trying to meet it?
About the Author: Heather Comak is a Managing Editor at HCPro, Inc., where she is the editor of the monthly publication Briefings on Patient Safety, as well as patient safety-related books, webcasts, and audio conferences. She is also is the Assistant Director of the Association for Healthcare Accreditation Professionals (www.accreditationprofessional.com) and manages Patient Safety Monitor (www.patientsafetymonitor.com), of which this blog is a part.
Contact Heather by e-mailing hcomak@hcpro.com
