The ctory/meaningful-use" target="_blank" class="directory-item-link">meaningful use workgroup, which reports to HHS' href="/directory/health-it-policy-committee" target="_blank" class="directory-item-link">Health IT Policy Committee, recommended a reduction in the number of measures providers would need to meet in order to qualify for federal incentive funds under CMS. From the overall feedback CMS has received since the meaningful use criteria was released at the end of December 2009, it's the right thing to do.
At the San Francisco Healthcare Stimulus Exchange Road Show last month, Paul Tang, MD, the workgroup's other co-chairman and vice-chairman of the policy committee and CMIO of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, indicated that the final criteria would not become more stringent than the proposed criteria. That was a good sign.
David Blumenthal, MD, head of ONC, said as late as a few weeks ago that he wants to "stretch" the healthcare community but not "break" it with regard to providers being able to meet the measures.
These comments and now the recommendation by a policy committee point toward a relaxation of the measures. It helped that so many societies, organizations and health systems responded so vigorously. When large healthcare systems, which are far down the path of having interoperable EMRs, say that it will be tough to meet all Stage 1 requirements, you have to pause and take a hard look at the proposed measures.
What that relaxation of measures looks like is another story. What measure will be dropped? One suggestion was to keep the ones dealing with privacy and security. That's a smart move, which will help build and keep public trust. Another suggestion was to reduce the number of measures within a category, particularly in the areas of patient engagement, care coordination, and public heath. Will providers be given a choice as to which measures they can drop, depending upon where they are in their health IT efforts? At the risk of making things too cafeteria style and too complicated, this route may help those who have focused their efforts in one area and not punish them for having a health IT roadmap that is not aligned with the current meaningful criteria. That will give providers time to make adjustments to their roadmap for Stage 2.
The other comment that seems to be prevalent is the request for more guidance and specificity for providers. CMS should be mindful of this call for help, especially if the agency wants successful implementations and results. The regional extension centers, however, should also play a big role in helping providers meet the criteria.
Patty Enrado blogs daily at EHRWatch.com.
