The rule implementing Stage 2 of Meaningful Use needs to be more consistent with other reporting and quality requirements, according to several major stakeholders in the health IT provider industry.
The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME) and the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) all noted in their comments to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services regarding the proposed rule that the requirements needed to be more consistent with other existing state and federal requirements, such as the Medicare Shared Savings Program and the Physician Quality Reporting System.
"We trust this will result in fewer reporting burdens for EPs as well as greater comparability of quality data within the medical practices as well as across federal programs," AHIMA noted in its letter.
Other groups commenting, such as the American Medical Association, also requested more alignment of government requirements, including the electronic prescribing rules.
The health IT entities suggested other steps to improve the rule, such as HIMSS' encouraging the use of mobile technology to support patient engagement; the organization noted provider concerns that using patient portals would be ineffective. AHIMA recommended that the functionality for electronic accounting for disclosures, which is a requirement enacted by the HITECH Act, not be made mandatory.
The organizations also were consistent in their concern about using clerical support as scribes for computerized physician order entry. Both HIMSS and CHIME were against it, while AHIMA requested more clarification.
To learn more:
- read this AHIMA announcement
- view HIMSS' comments
- read the AMA's comment letter
- check out CHIME's comment letter