National Coordinator David Blumenthal, MD, is responding to specialists' concerns that the standards for meaningful use are more focused on primary care, according to an American Medical News report.
The concerns were voiced at an October meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, where ophthalmologists raised the question of whether they would have the time to provide care while implementing information technology in order to receive incentive payments. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons also published a statement expressing concern over meeting the 25 meaningful use standards.
Dr. Blumenthal said one way specialists can meet meaningful use requirements is to claim an "exception" to meaningful use rules that don't apply to their specialty. Although no formal statement has been released regarding specialists and their roles within meaningful use, Dr. Blumenthal has spoken on a number of occasions on the topic of how non-primary care physicians can still meet the requirements.
One suggestion doled out during the AAO meeting was claiming an exception to computerized physician order entry systems and e-prescribing tools for ordering medications. An exception can be applied for physicians who write fewer than 100 prescriptions during a 90-day reporting period.
Read the American Medical News report about specialists' concerns over meaningful use requirements.
Read other coverage about meaningful use:
- Government Health IT Panel Develops Quality Measures for Stage 2 Meaningful Use
- CMS to Clarify Meaningful Use Final Rule
- National Health IT Coordinator David Blumenthal Hints More Complex Requirements for 2013 Stage 2 Meaningful Use
The concerns were voiced at an October meeting of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, where ophthalmologists raised the question of whether they would have the time to provide care while implementing information technology in order to receive incentive payments. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons also published a statement expressing concern over meeting the 25 meaningful use standards.
Dr. Blumenthal said one way specialists can meet meaningful use requirements is to claim an "exception" to meaningful use rules that don't apply to their specialty. Although no formal statement has been released regarding specialists and their roles within meaningful use, Dr. Blumenthal has spoken on a number of occasions on the topic of how non-primary care physicians can still meet the requirements.
One suggestion doled out during the AAO meeting was claiming an exception to computerized physician order entry systems and e-prescribing tools for ordering medications. An exception can be applied for physicians who write fewer than 100 prescriptions during a 90-day reporting period.
Read the American Medical News report about specialists' concerns over meaningful use requirements.
Read other coverage about meaningful use:
- Government Health IT Panel Develops Quality Measures for Stage 2 Meaningful Use
- CMS to Clarify Meaningful Use Final Rule
- National Health IT Coordinator David Blumenthal Hints More Complex Requirements for 2013 Stage 2 Meaningful Use