More than 30,000 health care providers qualified for meaningful use incentive payments in 2011, but many clinicians still are uncertain about how to participate in the program, according to an article published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, MedPage Today reports.
National Coordinator for Health IT Farzad Mostashari, former CMS Administrator Donald Berwick and other health care leaders collaborated to write the article, titled, “Guide for Physicians to the EHR Incentive Programs.”
About the Incentive Program
Under the 2009 federal economic stimulus package, health care providers who demonstrate meaningful use of certified electronic health record systems can qualify for Medicaid and Medicare incentive payments.
In addition to outlining the requirements of the meaningful use program, the article provided links to websites where health care providers can:
According to the article, more than 172,000 clinicians were registered for the Medicare and Medicaid meaningful use programs as of Dec. 31, 2011.
Challenges to Participating
The authors acknowledged that many health care providers face challenges that are hindering their participation in the meaningful use program. They wrote, “Even the strongest enthusiasts for EHRs recognize that their adoption involves significant changes for physicians, with attendant dislocations in workflows, investments and habits of practice.”
They noted that the first years of the meaningful use program likely will be the most difficult, adding that the transition should become smoother as more sectors of the health care industry embrace health IT systems (Walker, MedPage Today, 5/15).
Source: iHealthBeat
Comments are closed.
Copyright 2015 - Pulse Practice Solutions | 615.425.2719