Meaningful use regs could create 'barriers' to adoption, industry groups say

Now that they've had time to digest the heavily anticipated health information technology rules published Dec. 30, industry groups are expressing concern that the regs will be more of a hindrance than a help.

The American Hospital Association last week said the regulation would drastically limit the ability of hospitals to access federal HIT financing aimed at improving patient care because it would provide financial perks only to hospitals that are considered "meaningful users" of EHRs.

"A more commonsense approach would reward the progress hospitals and physicians already have made toward adopting EHRs," Rick Pollack, the executive vice president of the American Hospital Association, said in a news release.

Likewise, the Medical Group Management Association says the rules will create "significant barriers" for physicians trying to achieve meaningful use of EHR data, and cited as one example its requirement that physician offices provide patients and others with electronic copies of medical records, Healthcare IT News reports.

For more:
- read the AHA's statement
- read the Healthcare IT News article