04/26/2013
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT has revoked certifications for two EHRMagic electronic health record systems under the meaningful use program. An ONC official said no health care providers had attested to meaningful use using the EHRMagic products but declined to say what providers should do if their EHR systems are retroactively decertified. Modern Healthcare et al.
04/24/2013
A fact sheet from CMS and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT outlines HITECH Act-related progress, including that roughly 85% of eligible hospitals and 73% of eligible professionals are participating in the meaningful use program. EHR Intelligence, Becker's Hospital Review.
04/23/2013
A new case study from the Commonwealth Fund finds that the Colorado Beacon Consortium helped health care providers improve care through the use of health IT. The case study also outlines the challenges faced by the consortium. Government Health IT, EHR Intelligence.
04/23/2013
Robert Anthony -- deputy director of CMS' Health IT Initiatives Group -- recently announced that CMS intends to audit about 5% of all participants in the meaningful use program through a combination of approximately the same amount of prepayment and post-payment audits. Modern Healthcare.
04/18/2013
Yesterday, National Coordinator for Health IT Farzad Mostashari offered more details on his office's plan to impose certification fees on electronic health record vendors. Mostashari said the fee would ensure stable funding for EHR certification efforts. Government Health IT.
04/17/2013
Six Republican senators have released a white paper outlining their concerns about current federal health IT policy and calling for an overhaul of the meaningful use program. In an accompanying letter, the lawmakers asked HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to address the concerns cited in the white paper and to provide additional information about the meaningful use program. FierceEMR et al.
04/11/2013
In a letter to CMS, the American Hospital Association highlighted its concerns about reporting clinical quality measures for the meaningful use program and other initiatives. AHA urged CMS to consider ways to streamline reporting requirements. EHR Intelligence, AHA News.
04/04/2013
CMS recently updated the 2014 clinical quality measures for hospitals participating in the meaningful use program. The agency will maintain the original specifications and the updated specifications as acceptable meaningful use criteria for 2014. Healthcare IT News et al.
04/04/2013
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT has launched a challenge calling for states to boost health care providers' participation in the meaningful use program. ONC plans to post updates about the challenge online. HIT Consultant, ONC's "Health IT Buzz."
04/03/2013
A new report from CMS finds that nearly $12.7 billion in meaningful use incentive payments had been distributed to 234,065 eligible hospitals and health care professionals through February. The latest figures exceed previous estimates from a CMS official. Modern Healthcare.