The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has issued guidance (pdf) clarifying meaningful use attestation requirements for the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record Incentive Programs, according to an AHA News Now report.
According to CMS' guidance, clinical quality measures information for attestation is required to be generated as output from a certified EHR technology. Eligible hospitals do not need to provide any clinical quality information beyond what the EHR generates, even if the reported values include zeros, according to CMS. While hospitals do not need to include data validation in their attestation, CMS suggests they work with their vendor or the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology to improve the accuracy of the product.
In addition, CMS recommends hospitals save a copy of the CQM report as evidence of attestation in the event of an audit.
CMS' Electronic Health Record Incentive Payments Topped $850M by End of September
Report: Vendors Lag in Providing Emergency Department Information Systems for Meaningful Use
According to CMS' guidance, clinical quality measures information for attestation is required to be generated as output from a certified EHR technology. Eligible hospitals do not need to provide any clinical quality information beyond what the EHR generates, even if the reported values include zeros, according to CMS. While hospitals do not need to include data validation in their attestation, CMS suggests they work with their vendor or the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology to improve the accuracy of the product.
In addition, CMS recommends hospitals save a copy of the CQM report as evidence of attestation in the event of an audit.
Related Articles on Meaningful Use:
CMS to Develop Appeals Process for Medicare EHR Incentive ProgramCMS' Electronic Health Record Incentive Payments Topped $850M by End of September
Report: Vendors Lag in Providing Emergency Department Information Systems for Meaningful Use