Link: HIMSS to host Webinar today on meaningful use | Healthcare IT News.
Yesterday's webinar was presented by Martin Harris, MD, CIO and chairman of the technology division at the Cleveland Clinic, executive director of the e-Cleveland Clinic, chairman-elect of the HIMSS board of directors and member of the HIT Standards Committee.
Overall, the webinar provided relevant and quality information on the proposed interim final rules. Some interesting points taken away from the presentation included:
- Stage 1 Meaningful use includes 25 measures for Ambulatory and Inpatient facilities. They are described on pages 103 to 108 in the proposed Interim Final Rule 42 CFR Parts 412, 413, 422, and 495.
- Many of the criteria from eligible providers and facilities will be reviewed for compliance through attestation in 2011, thereafter they will be formalized in 2012 for upcoming years. In my mind, attestation requires additional definition.
- Clinical quality measures are defined on pages 153-158 for eligible hospitals and on pages 142 for eligible providers.
- Discussion and clarification of "eligible provider status" includes the perspective that in order for a provider/professional to be considered eligible for financial incentives, a process will occur that identifies where the actual site of services occurs and includes a professional's tax identification number.
- If a 90% or more of a provider's service is fulfilled using hospital services at either an inpatient or outpatient site, or they are an employee of the facility, they are not considered to be an "eligible professional." For example, anesthesiologists, radiologists and pathologists may fall under this category.
- For hospital facilities, the CMS Certification number will be used to determine if a hospital is eligible for financial incentives.
- Clinical and technical aspects of "meaningful use" can be represented by the general technical capabilities of:
- Clinical Data Repositories
- Clinical Documentation
- Clinical Decision Support
- Computer Provider Order Entry
- e-Prescribing capabilities, and others.
- Regarding standards and certification criteria:
- Standards can be described as the technical, functional that stipulates and instructs/directs use of fields, codes, data, materials and characteristics. Standards include definition of vocabulary, content exchange, transport of information, and privacy & security standards. Look for upcoming announcements in these areas.
- Implementation specifications for the standards may include a % or other criteria to achieve status of a "Qualified EHR" package.
- A qualified EHR package includes features and functionality to address patient demographics, medical history, problems, clinical decision support, CPOE and others.
- Other interesting information provided in the webinar included things like:
- Upcoming HIMSS Webinar by Halamka and Leavitt on January 13th
- Opinions, feedback, and comments to HIMSS can be provided at www.himss.org/economicstimulus beginning January 8th.
- Commentary on CCHIT included the fact that although they have not yet received "confirmation" from CMS regarding certification, and the fact that there will be a certification process published, it is highly likely that CCHIT will apply for certification approval by CMS in the future.
- Finally, one of the most interesting statements from the webinar was the fact that Long Term Care Providers and Rehabilitation may not be included on the list of eligible facilities. Specifically, for Rehabilitation, consideration will be given to the patient's length of stay.
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