Healthcare policy today offers many opportunities for providers to obtain financial gains by demonstrating quality care. These programs encourage providers to give quality care and reward them with incentives when they do. The incentive program known as Meaningful Use (MU) was introduced as part of the 2009 Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act, to encourage healthcare providers to show “meaningful use” of certified Electronic Medical Records (EMR) system.
Benefits of Achieving Meaningful Use
Meaningful Use encourages healthcare providers to show meaningful use through a certified EMR system. The overall goal of the MU program is to promote the widespread adoption of EMR systems, ultimately creating an infrastructure that improves the quality, safety, and efficiency of patient care. The benefits of achieving meaningful use include:
- Financial incentives: Eligible professionals may receive up to $44,000 through the Medicare MU program, or $63,750 through the Medicaid MU program.
- Complete, accurate data: Providers have comprehensive and updated information to diagnose problems and provide the best possible care.
- Improved care coordination: Information becomes thoroughly interoperable, it can be shared instantly across care communities, including physician offices, hospitals, and health systems
- Patient engagement: Patients can receive their medical information electronically and securely through certified EMRs, providing them a more active role in their own healthcare
- Improved patient safety: Instant electronic access to information about medications, allergies, conditions, and treatment history can greatly reduce the risk of medical errors.
- Healthier patient populations: Crucial data about diseases and outcomes captured at the point of care becomes available to other health professionals locally, regionally, and nationwide.
An In-Depth Analysis of MU
The Meaningful Use program has been rolled out in stages to ease providers into the program. In its current inception, MU is in Stage 2 which focuses on advanced clinical processes, such as:
- Measures focused on more rigorous health information exchange (HIE)
- Additional requirements for e-prescribing and incorporating lab results
- Electronic transmission of patient care summaries across multiple settings
- Increased patient and family engagement.
It requires providers to fulfill 17 Core Objectives and 3 of 6 Menu Objectives.
Related – Clinical Decision Support in EHRs for Meaningful Use
Meaningful Use through PrognoCIS
When using PrognoCIS, each of the 17 core objectives are easily found on your dashboard:
PrognoCIS offers two different Meaningful Use Support Service Offerings for our members. Both offerings will help your practice in achieving MU attestation as quickly and accurately as possible.
- MU Basic Service Offering:
- Software Setup: You’ll receive assistance with software installation. A confirmation on everything working is required; an account manager will verify each measure on a dummy patient.
- Training (4 hours): It’s required that the clinic’s staff attend the free webinars posted on our Resource Center. Once completed, an in-person training session and discussion are provided.
- MU Upgrade Service Offering:
- Includes everything listed in the MU Service Offering for 3 months.
- Weekly Calls: You’ll a receive call from your account manager on a weekly basis to discuss the progress being made.
- Data Tracking: An account manager will track and analyze your clinic’s progress, making sure that all of your MU requirements have been met.
- Attestation Support: You’ll receive full assistance with your attestation.
Related – How are Meaningful Use Penalties Affecting Physicians?
Final Thoughts
February 29 is the last day to submit data for the Meaningful Use incentive program. Coincidentally, those who are also eligible for the Medicare EHR Incentive Program (Meaningful Use) have the opportunity to submit their data through the PQRS EHR reporting option to fulfill the requirements for both PQRS and the Medicare EHR Incentive Program. PrognoCIS is MU-certified and fully ready for both data submissions for PQRS and Meaningful Use.
To upgrade your PrognoCIS account to include MU Service Offerings, please contact us.
