New legislation recently passed by the Massachusetts House would modify an existing law that requires physicians to demonstrate electronic health record use as a prerequisite for licensure, according to a report from the Massachusetts Medical Society.
The requirement was part of the law's larger goal of reducing costs while improving care quality. Under Chapter 224 of the Acts of 2012, physicians would have to be able to meet meaningful use standards to receive licensure. However, the Massachusetts Medical Society, among other stakeholders, had worried the vague language in the law could result in license renewals being denied to longtime physicians or to residents and interns who are not eligible for meaningful use.
The revision to the 2012 law, one of the more than 1,200 amendments included in the House's version of the state budget bill, aims to prevent the unintended consequences by exempting some physicians.
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