First Steps in Defining "Meaningful Use" of Electronic Health Records
On June 16, 2009, the Health Information Technology (HIT) Policy Committee held a meeting to begin defining the "meaningful use" of electronic health records (EHR). Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), only "meaningful EHR users" will be eligible to receive Medicare and Medicaid incentive payments for adopting EHRs. The ARRA broadly defines a meaningful EHR user as one who demonstrates (1) the meaningful use of certified EHR; (2) the electronic exchange of health information to improve quality of health care; and (3) the submission on clinical quality and other measures using certified EHR technology.
The HIT Policy Committee developed a "Meaningful Use Matrix" that establishes proposed objectives that hospitals and physicians would have to meet to receive the incentive payments. The committee believes that this matrix "represents a set of objectives and care processes that . . . should inform the ultimate definition of meaningful use."
The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) is now seeking public comments on the HIT Policy Committee's recommendations through Friday, June 26, 2009. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services expects to publish a proposed rule to define "meaningful use" of EHR and to establish the criteria for the incentive payments by late 2009.
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