The federal government under the Obama Administration has been encouraging physicians to go electronic. They would like to integrate health records to be consolidated health system for the entire US population. National integration of Patients records is seen as the latest measure in the healthcare industry, to curb costs and improve efficiency.
Electronic Medical Records
is the ultimate solution to both these issues of controlling costs (Costs involved in paper records, storage, handling and destruction) and improve efficiency (tracking records, accessibility, eliminating Data entry errors and electronic exchange). A $787 billion stimulus package was approved by Congress in February, 2009 to encourage physicians to adopt the EMR.
Starting in 2011, providers and hospitals can receive incentive payments of $ 44,000 from Medicare and $ 64,000 from Medicaid if they achieve Meaningful Use of a certified electronic medical record (EMR). So using just about any EMR will not get the much coveted stimulus package. Every physician would need to use an EMR certified by one of the government approved agencies ONC-ATCB (CCHIT, DGI, InfoGard, Weno Healthcare, SLI Global Solutions)
These agencies will be testing and certifying EMRs and EHR solutions to see if they meet the Meaningful Use Criteria. Meaningful Use is the governments method to make sure if the EMRs once bought by the physicians are properly implemented in their clinics and going ahead these criteria would be more stringent. EMR providers will need to comply with these criteria to maintain certification.
Meaningful Use, clarifies the requirements physicians must satisfy to earn financial incentives for automating and connecting their practices under the HITECH Act.
Physicians do not essentially have to know the nitty-gritty of the certifications and the features as the government has made ONC-ATCB responsible to verify if the features are in accordance with the national integration norms.
Incentives initially will be Medicare and Medicaid claims payment bonuses to eligible professionals and hospitals that qualify, followed by subsequent Medicare claims payment penalties to those that do not. The incentive plans are as follows
Year-EMR use is first demo
Provider will recieve incentives each year
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Total
2011
$18k
$12k
$8k
$4k
$2k
$0
$44k
2012
$0k
$18k
$12k
$8k
$4k
$2k
$44k
2013
$0k
$0k
$15k
$12k
$8k
$4k
$39k
2014
$0k
$0k
$0k
$12k
$8k
$4k
$24k
Physicians now would have to make sure that they buy or choose a certified EMR for their clinics. A thorough study of the features of the EMR and the suitability to your clinics operation will help you shortlist the best EMR.
The EMR vendor would have to look into training, Implementation and data migration for your clinic. Any EMR Vendor who recognizes that Implementation is the key to succeed with adoption of the system truly deserves to be your EMR partner. Your own participation and eagerness to adapt the system will also determine the success of the EMR adoption process.
The faster the clinic manages the change, faster the Meaningful Use Criteria will be achieved and the reimbursement can be procured for your clinic. You can then get your $44,000 for using (not just buying) the EMR.
Dr. Marder
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