Report: ED Technology To Help Care Providers Show Meaningful Use

About 83% of health care providers expect to use their emergency department  information system to help them attest to Stage 1 of the meaningful use program, according to a report by market research firm KLAS, CMIO reports.

Under the 2009 federal economic stimulus package, health care providers who  demonstrate meaningful use of certified electronic health record systems can  qualify for Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments.

For the report — titled “EDIS 2011: Delivering on Great Expectations” —  KLAS interviewed more than 500 health care providers with ED information  systems.

Report Details

Although 83% of health care providers said they plan to use their ED  information system to help them attest to meaningful use, only one-third of  health care providers said that their vendor is ready for the meaningful use  program.

Some health care providers cited functionality gaps in their ED information  systems, such as problems involving:

• Computerized provider order entry;
• Medication reconciliation; and
• Reporting.

According to the report, about half of health care providers using Cerner,  Epic and Medhost ED information systems said they will be ready to attest to  Stage 1 of meaningful use. About two-thirds of health care providers using  McKesson, Meditech and Picis ED information systems cited at least one problem  that needs to be addressed before they can begin attesting.

The report also found that:

• EmpowerSystems, I-System and Wellsoft products are considered the most  effective in improving ED efficiency;
• Cerner, McKesson and Meditech products are considered the most likely to  impede ED workflow; and
• Health care providers said the best ED information systems are those that  can meet meaningful use criteria, expand clinical capabilities and improve  physician efficiency (CMIO, 10/3).

Source: iHealthBeat

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