The final rule for the Electronic Health Record Incentive Program detailing meaningful use standards is out. We've uploaded it to the PBN Library's Hot Documents folder.
Here is what the AMA has to say about the final rule:
"Today CMS released its final rule outlining the meaningful use requirements for physicians using electronic health records (EHRs). The AMA will carefully review the rule to see if the requirements have been reduced to allow more flexibility than the proposed rule, as AMA urged.
"The AMA and 95 state and specialty medical societies submitted formal comments to CMS on an earlier draft of this rule and cautioned that the proposed criteria for meaningful use was too aggressive and would prevent many physicians from participating. The AMA is committed to EHR adoption that streamlines the clinical and business functions of a physician office and helps physicians provide high-quality care to patients. It is critical that barriers to implementation are removed so physicians can successfully adopt new technology.
"After thoroughly reviewing the final rule, the AMA will work to help educate physicians on the requirements for meaningful use and how they can incorporate them in their practices. As a first step, the AMA will be hosting a free webinar on the meaningful use requirements for physicians in the coming weeks.
"Physicians recognize the potential for health IT and want to adopt new technologies, but costly EHR systems are out of reach for many physicians because of low Medicare payments and the prospect of steep cuts in December. Congress needs to repeal the flawed Medicare physician payment formula to help eliminate one major obstacle to physician adoption of new technologies."
And, here is a statement from the MGMA:
"We are pleased to see that the CMS acknowledged many of MGMA's serious concerns regarding the proposed rule. While challenges remain, the final rule provides a better approach to the 'real-world' issues faced by practices as they move toward 'meaningful use' of EHRs. Improvements sought by MGMA contained in the final rule include a reduction in the originally unrealistic thresholds related to e-prescribing, administrative transactions and computerized physician order entry, among others.
"MGMA will work closely with the CMS administration to incorporate additional changes related to implementation of the incentive program to allow the greatest number of practices to achieve widespread meaningful use of EHRs."