Over 100 state and specialty medical societies, including the American Medical Association, are requesting that the Department of Health & Human Services revise its e-prescribing penalty policy, which currently states physicians will be penalized in 2012 if they are not e-prescribing in the first half of 2011, according to an AHA news release.
"The last minute decision to require e-prescribing in 2011 will force physicians to spend additional financial and administrative resources to purchase e-prescribing software that most of them will end up discarding when they transition to a complete [electronic health record] system," said AMA Board Secretary Steven Stack, MD.
Currently, CMS is not allowing physicians to receive incentives for utilization of e-prescribing and EHRs simultaneously. However, if physicians choose not to participate in the 2011 e-prescribing program, they will face penalties in 2012 and 2013. AHA says not aligning these programs would ultimately delay physicians' efforts to adopt a complete EHR.
Read the AHA news release about the e-prescribing penalty policy.
Read other coverage about e-prescribing.
- Mississippi Medicaid and Health Information Exchange Launch EHR, E-Prescribing System for Medicaid Beneficiaries
- Iowa Health System Launches First Statewide Electronic Prescribing System
"The last minute decision to require e-prescribing in 2011 will force physicians to spend additional financial and administrative resources to purchase e-prescribing software that most of them will end up discarding when they transition to a complete [electronic health record] system," said AMA Board Secretary Steven Stack, MD.
Currently, CMS is not allowing physicians to receive incentives for utilization of e-prescribing and EHRs simultaneously. However, if physicians choose not to participate in the 2011 e-prescribing program, they will face penalties in 2012 and 2013. AHA says not aligning these programs would ultimately delay physicians' efforts to adopt a complete EHR.
Read the AHA news release about the e-prescribing penalty policy.
Read other coverage about e-prescribing.
- Mississippi Medicaid and Health Information Exchange Launch EHR, E-Prescribing System for Medicaid Beneficiaries
- Iowa Health System Launches First Statewide Electronic Prescribing System