The Electronic Health Records Improvement Act, H.R. 13331, includes a three-year HITECH Act exemption for ambulatory surgery centers, according to a Texas Ambulatory Surgery Center Society report.
The bill would allow enough time to develop ASC-specific standards for EHR and comply with the HITECH Act, which requires physicians to record at least 50 percent of their patient encounters with an EHR that is meaningful use compliant. ASCs were initially left out of the HITECH Act.
Under current legislation, physicians that do not meet the 50 percent threshold would be penalized by Medicare payments. However, there are no meaningful use certified EHR for surgery centers.
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The bill would allow enough time to develop ASC-specific standards for EHR and comply with the HITECH Act, which requires physicians to record at least 50 percent of their patient encounters with an EHR that is meaningful use compliant. ASCs were initially left out of the HITECH Act.
Under current legislation, physicians that do not meet the 50 percent threshold would be penalized by Medicare payments. However, there are no meaningful use certified EHR for surgery centers.
More Articles on Ambulatory Surgery Centers:
Surgery Center Compliance: 4 Mistakes to Avoid in 2014
6 Recent ASC Industry Leadership Moves & Accomplishments
6 Ways to Minimize Risk in Ambulatory Surgery Center Start-Ups