Incentive payments for adopting an EMR are forcing older physicians to consider whether the investment is worthwhile, according to an American Medical News report.
Physicians will be able to earn up to $44,000 in Medicare incentives over five years for "meaningful use" of an EMR starting in 2011. Physicians who choose not to adopt an EMR may face declining Medicare reimbursement starting in 2015. Physicians five to eight years away from retirement are faced with a dilemma: spend money to adopt an EMR and struggle to achieve "meaningful use" in their remaining years or go without and deal with reimbursement cuts and the reaction of patients who expect an EMR.
Experts say the answer depends on the value of the EMR to a particular practice. Physicians must commit to learning to use their EMR if they want to achieve "meaningful use" and make the purchase a worthwhile investment.
Read the American Medical News report on EMR adoption.
Read more on healthcare IT:
-5 Mistakes That Derail an EMR Implementation
-American Academy of Family Physicians Responds to Final Meaningful Use Rules
Physicians will be able to earn up to $44,000 in Medicare incentives over five years for "meaningful use" of an EMR starting in 2011. Physicians who choose not to adopt an EMR may face declining Medicare reimbursement starting in 2015. Physicians five to eight years away from retirement are faced with a dilemma: spend money to adopt an EMR and struggle to achieve "meaningful use" in their remaining years or go without and deal with reimbursement cuts and the reaction of patients who expect an EMR.
Experts say the answer depends on the value of the EMR to a particular practice. Physicians must commit to learning to use their EMR if they want to achieve "meaningful use" and make the purchase a worthwhile investment.
Read the American Medical News report on EMR adoption.
Read more on healthcare IT:
-5 Mistakes That Derail an EMR Implementation
-American Academy of Family Physicians Responds to Final Meaningful Use Rules