How Healthcare Providers Can Qualify for ARRA Incentives

How Healthcare Providers Can Qualify for ARRA Incentives

Healthcare practitioners are constantly searching for new ways to provide better care for their patients. Some of the relatively new technologies allowing caregivers to do so are electronic health records (EHRs) and electronic medical records (EMRs). EHRs allow physicians and their staff to store patients' health records in a digital format so they can be accessed efficiently. EMRs offer the same convenience and efficiency, but allow practitioners to upload and access files stored in a central database that is shared between multiple organizations.

Despite the obvious benefits of such technology, practices are sometimes slow to adopt new systems because of the large initial investment required. New equipment must be purchased and there is of course the time that must be taken to learn the new technology.

To encourage the use of EHRs and EMRs, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is offering financial incentives to providers who choose to utilize the technology. However, using it isn't enough; they have to use it appropriately, and to its maximum potential. To ensure that these goals are being met, the CMS implemented rules regarding what constitutes "meaningful use" of the technology.

"Meaningful use" essentially requires practitioners to use EMR and EHR technology in such a way that it benefits both healthcare providers and their patients, and achieves the goals set forth by the CMS.

The implementation of the new systems is broken down into three stages, over the course of six years, with guidelines set forth by the CMS for what should be accomplished in each two-year stage. The idea is that, by 2017, most (if not all) healthcare practitioners will be utilizing the new systems which will make healthcare more effective, more efficient, and less prone to error.

To ensure widespread use of the systems, organizations that meet the guidelines for "meaningful use" will be given a financial reward, whereas those that don't will be penalized.

OptimizeHIT drives clinical adoption, while preventing productivity lost during implementation. Our unique training software will connect physicians, support personnel and management real time; delivering objective data from which to evaluate the success of the implementation as well as delivering training to providers that is focused on their specific knowledge gaps. http://optimizehit.com/

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