Published: 2010-07-04 19:07:01
Author: Steven Kraus | Dynamic Chiropractic | March 26, 2010
The next decade brings us enormous changes in the adoption of health information technologies, like electronic health records (EHRs). Remember, $44,000 in EHR stimulus incentive payments (per provider) from the government is on the line, starting next year.
Within five years, a decrease in Medicare reimbursements is expected for non-EHR adopters. And by the beginning of the 2020s, access to PPO panels and third-party payers may be closed to those without EHRs. Some states have already passed laws that require you to use an EHR in order to practice.
Surprised? Then it's time for an update. Over the next three articles, I am going to break down what you need to know to navigate the next five critical years of EHR adoption. We'll focus on the recent publication from the CMS and the Office of National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONCHIT) on what establishes "meaningful use" of health information technology, and how this definition of meaningful use is going to determine your access to stimulus incentive payments. We'll begin by discussing the eight overall goals behind health information technology standards, and how your practice has actually been moving toward them for some time.
Health Information Technology: The Context
Before I start summarizing the requirements of meaningful use, I want you to understand the context for the crossroads at which we find ourselves. We all know that American health care costs are unsustainable. The widespread adoption of health information technology (HIT), including electronic health records, is one reform that is expected to save the system $77 billion per year. The savings are expected to flow from multiple directions, like fewer medical errors, fewer redundancies in service, and better management of patients with chronic disease. But saving lives and saving money will only come if HIT is implemented properly and used in a meaningful way.
In order for HIT to be implemented properly, the government has to define how your practice uses clinic management technology. Everyone has to be on the same page on this or the system won't work. These definitions place some requirements on you, and they place requirements on the companies that are going to provide the technology you use. Your practice is going to change (I believe for the better), and in order to understand how and why your practice will change, it helps to understand where your practice fits in the greater plan of our digital health care future. We are all in this thing together.
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