Meaningful Use / Health IT

Health information technology (HIT) can be a challenging and risky undertaking for any provider, and especially for safety-net providers with limited financial resources and staff capacity. However, HIT is vital to delivering patient-centered care. Done right, it can coordinate and use information from the patient, primary care physician, and other providers and healthcare organizations to help create a patient's true "medical home."

New federal rules (released Jan. 2010) will soon reward healthcare providers who demonstrate 'meaningful use' of HIT. "Meaningful use" includes leveraging HIT to capture and report data, focus on quality improvement, and successfully manage patient panels, particularly chronic disease patients, all of which are also core elements and standards of the Patient-Centered Medical Home model.

Links & Resources

“The Basics” Frequently Asked Questions on Meaningful Use and the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009 Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, 2010 This report answers frequently asked questions regarding meaningful use and the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act of 2009.

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The “Meaningful Use” Regulation for Electronic Health Records David Blumenthal, MD, MPP; Marilyn Tavenner, RN, MHA New England Journal of Medicine, 2010 In this report, Blumenthal and Tavenner argue that the benefits and efficiency of using electronic health records will inevitably lead to its widespread adoption.

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The Legal Electronic Medical Record Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, 2006 Use this fact sheet to develop a legally sound electronic medical records system.

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The Federal Government Has Put Billions into Promoting Electronic Health Record Use: How Is It Going? Brian Schilling The Commonwealth Fund, 2011 Schilling explores the obstacles that EHR implementation face, despite the strong alignment of public and private financial incentives.

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Systematic Review: Impact of Health Information Technology on Quality, Efficiency, and Costs of Medical Care Annals of Internal Medicine American College of Physicians, 2006 In this report, researchers systematically review evidence on the effect of health information technology on quality, efficiency, and costs of health care.

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Selecting the Right EMR Vendor Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, 2006 Use this fact sheet to get tips on choosing an EMR vendor.

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Proposed Requirements for the Electronic Health Records (EHR) Medicaid Incentive Payment Program Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2009 This fact sheet summarizes provisions in the proposed rule affecting state Medicaid programs and Medicaid providers.

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Proposed Definition of Meaningful Use Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2009 This fact sheet summarizes CMS’ proposed definition of meaningful use.

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Overview: Electronic Health Records (EHR) Incentive Program Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2011 As the official Web Site for the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Records (EHR) Incentive Programs, this resource provides information on eligibility, registration, and much more.

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Medicare and Medicaid Health Information Technology: Title IV of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2009 This fact sheet focuses on the provisions of Title IV of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

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Health Information Technology: Initial Set of Standards, Implementation Specifications, and Certification Criteria for Electronic Health Record Technology The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, 2010 This resource provides general facts about implementing EHR technology and specific requirements within the Interim Final Rule.

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HEAL NY: Promoting Interoperable Health Information Technology in New York State Lisa M. Kern, MD; MPH; Yolanda Barron, MS; Erika L. Abramson, MD; Vaishali Patel, MPH; PhD; Rainu Kaushal, MD, MPH Health Affairs, 2009

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Getting Started with EMR Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, 2006 Use this fact sheet to learn the basics of implementing an electronic medical records system.

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Frequently Asked Questions: EHR Incentive Programs Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2011 Find answers to over 1,000 frequently asked questions about the CMS EHR Incentive Programs.

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Ethics Conflicts in Rural Communities: Health Information Technology The Dartmouth Institute for Health Care and Clinical Practice, 2009 Funded by a grant from the NIH, the Handbook for Rural Health Care Ethics uses a case-based approach to analyzing, solving and anticipating rural health care ethics dilemmas.

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Advancing Health Care Equity through Improved Data Collection Joel S. Weissman, PhD; Romana Hasnain-Wynia, PhD New England Journal of Medicine, 2011 The authors of this article explore how efficient data collection can help identify and target the causes of racial and ethnic disparities in health care.

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A 'Meaningful' User of an Electronic Health Record System Describes Its Clinical and Financial Benefits Sarah Klein The Commonwealth Fund, 2011 One of the first physicians in the country to be certified as a "meaningful" user of HIT says the EHR system she implemented has significantly improved her performance on measures of clinical quality.

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