Mar

24

Q&A: Meaningful use and EHR incentives

By HIM Connection

Q: What will hospitals need to do to prove meaningful use and qualify for payments under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009?

A: The Act does not specify what constitutes meaningful use, nor does it outline the type of reporting, level of interoperability, or specific quality measures. It does, however, mention several options for reporting, including surveys, attestations, and other forms, or the creation of new CPT or ICD-9/ICD-10 codes that indicate the use of an EHR. It also states that quality measures will be subject to public comment before publication in the Federal Register.

According to the Act, the Secretary of HHS will publish on the CMS Web site a list of the names of eligible hospitals that are meaningful users. Hospitals will be able to review data before it is made public.

Click here to view the Act. And stay tuned for additional coverage coming your way in the May issue of Medical Records Briefing.