Manatt Health Professional Discusses Reactions to Stage 2 Meaningful Use Rule
"CMS Rule on Use of Electronic Health Records Gets Mixed Reviews"
The Hospitalist
September 12, 2012 - Manatt's Brenda Pawlak, a director with Manatt Health Solutions, discussed with The Hospitalist the mixed reactions health providers and trade groups expressed over the final rules on Stage 2 compliance for "meaningful use" of electronic health records (EHR).
As reported by The Hospitalist, physician groups have lauded the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' for pushing back the implementation of Stage 2 meaningful use requirements to 2014, but have praised the agency for lowering the percentage of a practice's patients who interact with an online portal to 5%. However, some providers think the percentage will still be difficult to meet.
"I don't think the 10% to 5% is a substantive change," Pawlak said.
Some physician groups also lamented that the deadline for Stage 1 compliance remains unchanged at 2015. As physicians and provider groups attempt to comply with myriad rules, Pawlak said, meeting the 5% threshold will emerge as more burdensome as the deadline approaches.
Read the article here.