HIMSS believes achieving the optimal results from the meaningful use program can allow providers and patients to reap all the benefits of health IT. However, timeline challenges and other hurdles have left many providers struggling to attest on time, especially to stage 2.
Acknowledging the struggles of its constituency, HIMSS has sent a letter to CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner with recommendations on how to keep the program running smoothly.
The four recommendations include:
1. Extend year one of the meaningful use stage 2 attestation period. Giving eligible hospitals and professionals until April 2015 and June 2015, respectively, to attest to the first year of stage 2 would give these providers some relief from rapidly approaching deadlines.
2. Be a definitive source of information. To avoid confusion about requirements and ensure the accuracy of information about meaningful use, CMS should establish itself as a "single source of truth," and increase the number of available resources and provider forums to ensure all program participants have correct and helpful information.
3. Simplify clinical quality measure requirements. Until technological standards and processes can support robust electronic reporting, CMS should simplify CQM reporting requirements so all providers can attest within their current technological capabilities.
4. Engage stakeholders to clarify requirements. CMS should convene a group of stakeholders to rewrite the meaningful use program requirements in language that can easily be understood by all eligible providers and hospitals.
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