In its comments, the ASA said it was concerned that CMS’s proposal “did not adequately consider the current practice of anesthesiology when defining the term ‘hospital-based eligible professional,'” according to the release. As written, the proposal does not consider anesthesiologists eligible for incentive funds and exempts anesthesiologists from penalties for not implementing EHR. The penalties are scheduled to go into effect in 2015.
Further, the ASA argues that CMS’s proposal does not recognize the use of anesthesia-specific EHRs, known as anesthesia information management systems, in its meaningful use requirements. As a result, anesthesiologists who wish to purchase AIMS will not receive incentive payments for doing so as AIMS do not meet meaningful use requirements and because anesthesiologists are not eligible.
Read the release on the ASA’s comments to CMS regarding EHRs.
Read the ASA’s comments to CMS regarding EHRs (pdf).
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