The last rumor I heard was that it will cost $1 million $2 million to certify an EHR, and Certification of the EHR is a major part of what meaningful use is all about at the nuts and bolts level.
Small providers can have a problem justifying the expense of assuring their EHR is certified, especially if the increased payment for services (mentioned in volume 1 of this series) is not sufficient to show true value. Without value, the certified EHR falls by the wayside.
One objective in my work is to help folks arrive at the best EHR option for their agency, whether purchasing a new one or optimizing their current product. So, you’ll see a recurring theme in this series of seeking EHR options with that in mind. Foremost in my mind right now is discovering affordable certification alternatives.
The certification of the EHR in order to receive Meaningful Use incentives is built on previous action, like HIPAA for security and code sets, electronic prescribing standards set forth in NCCD Script 8.1, and the HITECH certification provided by the Office of the National Coordinator (ONC). In and of themselves, these elements are not enough to prove Meaningful Use.
Initially, the HIT Policy Committee was charged with eight areas of responsibility in building the standards, implementation specifications and certification requirements. Elements that jumped out at me included
• Protection of privacy • Nationwide IT infrastructure • EHR for all patients by 2014 • Tracking health info disclosures • Coordination of health care • Transmission encryption for health data • Specific race / ethnicity / gender demographics • Special needs technology
These elements are further defined in a couple sources I’ll cover in future installments. The concepts are not new, it’s just crunch time to use this technologe on a widespread basis.
The time element is critical. It’s March, and Stage 1 needs to be in place by 2011. If your agency hasn’t implemented your EHR sufficiently to capture clinical data (assessments, treatment plans and progress notes), perhaps it’s time to try something new. Contact me if you need help.
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