What physicians need to know about the new EHR regulations

More than 1,300 pages of new regulations released earlier this month outline requirements for the electronic health record (EHR) meaningful use program, with several changes applying this year. We’ve gathered some of the most important changes that will affect your practice. A mixed bag The regulations fall under two new rules—one that modifies Stage 2 of the meaningful use program and finalizes requirements for Stage 3, and one that establishes technological parameters for the new edition of certified EHR technology. On the upside, the first rule eases and streamlines some of the requirements for Stage 2. But the rule simultaneously ignores clear calls from Congress and physicians to hold off on Stage 3 until the program is reassessed for practicality and alignment with new payment and delivery reforms. Immediate improvements to Stage 2 include several that the AMA had urged the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to make: Physicians have a shortened reporting period for 2015. Instead of the full calendar year, physicians will be required to report on any consecutive 90 days. The overall number of measures physicians must report on has been reduced. The measure threshold for the requirement for patients to view, download or transmit their records has been cut down from 5 percent of patients to just one patient in 2015 and 2016. (This threshold goes back up to 5 percent in 2017.) The threshold for the secure messaging requirement has b...
Source: AMA Wire - Category: Journals (General) Authors: Source Type: news