If a physician sees a patient at a surgery center, the patient encounter is counted in determination of whether a physician is a meaningful user of EHRs under the CMS HITECH EHR incentive/penalty program. When the EHR program is fully implemented, non-meaningful users can be penalized.
The letter points out that the policy will unfairly penalize physicians who treat patients at surgery centers that do not implement EHRs because, unlike other healthcare providers, ASCs cannot receive incentive payments to install them.
Learn more about the ASC Association.
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