For many hospitals and providers, the clock is ticking in terms of adopting and successfully implementing electronic medical records (EMRs) and meeting meaningful use requirements. And, that ticking will be heard loud and clear at the upcoming HIMSS11 conference Feb. 20-24 in Orlando.
In a recent webinar, John Hoyt, executive vice president of organizational services at HIMSS, said of 442 hospitals participating and submitting data in a HIMSS analytics study, 8 percent are capable of achieving all 14 core measures at the current time while 17 percent are expected to meet all 14 core measure by the end of 2011.
Expanded even further, 27 percent of respondents are expected to meet the 14 measures by May 2012, while 67 percent are likely to meet five or more measures by next May. So what this means is that many attendees will be on different timeframes to meet different goals and requirements under the meaningful use provisions.
Working face-to-face with attendees will be organizations that are part of the HIMSS EHR Association. Nearly three-quarters of the EHR Association membership will have the opportunity to meet with attendees in company booths, with many also participating in the interoperability showcase (at booth #7343).
And, new this year at HIMSS11, is an EHR Association pavilion (booth #349) where member companies will be located in an area dedicated to EHR solutions.
"We will be talking to our members and other conference attendees about health information technology making a positive difference with health outcomes, patient engagement, and cost of care," said Carl Dvorak, EHR Association chairman and chief operating office of Epic Systems.
They will be "working closely with customers and the Office of the National Coordinator to encourage practical requirements and timelines for meaningful use and safe end-user adoption of the technology required to support meaningful use," Dvorak added. "We will be talking to our members and other conference attendees about HIT making a positive difference with health outcomes, patient engagement, and cost of care."
Also, those interested in the evolving use of EMRs will want to take note of the session on mobile health's dramatic impact on EMRs and its evolving role in achieving meaningful use--the focus of FierceHealthIT's executive breakfast panel discussion Feb. 22 at HIMSS11 at the Wyndham Orlando Resort.
Time is moving quickly--and with it, the changes in how EMRs are being used effectively. Tick. Tick. - Jan