The American Medical Association supports the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid's plan to modify the meaningful use program.
CMS announced plans to:
• Realigning hospital reporting periods to the calendar year, allowing eligible hospitals more time to implement 2014 Edition software into their workflow and to improve alignment with other CMS quality programs.
• Modify "other aspects of the program" to reduce complexity and lessen reporting burdens while still matching long-term goals.
• Reduce the EHR reporting period to 90 days from the current year-long reporting period.
In a letter, AMA President-Elect Steven J. Stack, MD, wrote, "We are eager to see the proposed rule as we have been working with CMS and the Office of the National Coordinator for health IT offering solutions to improve the incentive program for quite some time."
Here are three things to know about the AMA's recommendations:
1. The organization recommended revamping the electronic health record certification process.
2. The AMA also provided a blueprint for fixing the Meaningful Use program.
3. The group developed a framework for improving EHR usability.
"EHRs are intended to help physicians improve care for their patients, but unfortunately, today's EHR certification standards and the stringent requirements of the Meaningful Use program do not support that goal and decrease efficiency," said Dr. Stack.
Ideally, the new rule will allow enough flexibility for more physicians to successfully participate in the Meaningful Use program and align with quality reporting like the Physician Quality Reporting System and Value-base Modifier.