Meaningful Use – A Challenge in 2015

For those who have already implemented an EHR, Meaningful Use Stage 2 focuses new efforts on patient access to personal health data and emphasizes the exchange of health information between patient and providers. Stage 2 also imposes financial penalties for failure to meet requirements.

CMS’s latest deadline for Stage 2 extends through 2016, so healthcare organizations have additional time to fulfill Stage 2 requirements. Stage 3 requirements begin in 2017, so healthcare organizations should take the extra time to build interoperability and foster an internal culture of collaboration between providers and patients. For Stage 3, Medicare incentives will not apply in 2017 and EHR penalties will rise to 3 percent.

CMS has also proposed a 2015 EHR certification, which requests interoperability enhancement to support transitions of care.  Complying with this certification is voluntary, but provides the opportunity to become certified for Medicare and Medicaid EHR incentive programs at the same time.

Meaningful Use Stage 2 and the ONC roadmap require that 2015 efforts concentrate on interoperability. Healthcare organizations should prepare for health information exchange by focusing efforts on building patient portals and integrating communications by automating phone, text, and e-mail messages. After setting up successful exchange methods, healthcare organizations should train staff how to use patient portals. The delay in Stage 2 means providers have more time to become comfortable using the technology to correspond with patients. Hospitals should also educate patients about these resources, describing the benefits of collaboration between providers and patients. Positive collaboration and successful data exchange helps achieve desired health outcomes faster.