We agree with the noble goals of the CMS’ Meaningful Use EHR program: to move healthcare technology forward, to engage more patients in their own care, and to improve health care overall.
But lackluster figures on Meaningful Use incentive payments signal program traction could be falling behind what CMS likely envisioned by early 2015.
In November 2014, HHS announced the state of Meaningful Use incentive payments. Their data reveals about 4% of eligible providers received Meaningful Use incentive payments between program inception and September 30, 2014. At the same time, about 18% of hospitals received some form of Meaningful Use payments.
“What is interesting is you have a situation where incentives are rapidly declining or completely eliminated at the same time that requirements are getting more complex and costly,” Robert Tennant, Medical Group Management Association Senior Policy Advisor, told CareCloud.
What’s it all mean for your practice? Don’t give up.
Even if changes come to Meaningful Use timelines and requirements, the right software can give you the flexibility you need to adapt and effectively address the complexity and cost challenges of Stage 1 or Stage 2. Find a 2014 Certified EHR system that not only makes it easier to meet the core and menu objectives required for each stage, as well as the minimum number of clinical quality measures, but is something you can actually use to deliver better patient care when the MU dust settles.
Is your EHR making Meaningful Use attestation easier or more difficult? Check out CareCloud’s MU-certified EHR for an easy-to-use solution.
