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The federal government’s health information technology (HIT) incentive program provides financial help for the implementation and "meaningful use" of electronic health records (EHRs).
The final rules for the program were issued on July 13, 2010. Physicians may begin registering for the incentive program on Jan. 1, 2011, and the first Medicare EHR incentive payments will begin in May 2011 for those who qualify.
The links and resources below provide more information about the incentive program, EHRs, and Colorado’s plan for health information exchange (HIE). Have questions? Call Colorado Medical Society at
720-858-6313.
Information on the EHR incentive program:
Fact sheet on meaningful use and the EHR incentive program, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Flow Chart: Determine your eligibility for the EHR incentive program
Tip Sheet: Medicare EHR Incentive Program
Tip Sheet: Medicaid EHR Incentive Program
Chart: Health IT measures required to demonstrate meaningful use, AMA
Chart: Clinical quality measures required to demonstrate meaningful use, AMA
"Building Colorado's Health Information Highway," from Colorado Medicine
"Preparing for HIT," from Colorado Medicine
Useful links:
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' Official EHR Incentives Website
CORHIO (Colorado Regional Health Information Organization)
CORHIO is the state-designated entity for health information exchange
CO-REC (Colorado Regional Extension Center)
CO-REC was created to help qualifying physicians reach meaningful use
Stimulus Fund Calculator and Vendor Comparison Tool:
Self-Help Tools:
Stimulus Fund Calculator: Learn about incentive programs and see how much money you could receive.
Vendor Comparison Tool: Side-by-side look at EHR systems and questions to ask vendors.
To access both, click here (login required)
HIT Webinar Series
Learn about the incentive program, meaningful use and EHR selection in 30 minutes or less, and on your own time. Click the links below for our HIT webinar series with HIT consultant Barbara Drury.
I. “The Genealogy of Meaningful Use” (9 minutes)
Incentive program basics: Who’s eligible, how much money, how it works
II. “Symptoms of Meaningful Use” (11 minutes)
Detailed information on what you must do to qualify for the incentives. Update coming soon.
III. “Support to Manage Meaningful Use” (10 minutes)
More resources on meaningful use, the incentive program and EHR selection
About the presenter
HIT Consultant Directory
Looking for a consultant to help with your HIT/EHR decisions? Check out the CMS/Component Societies' HIT Consultant Directory
Podcasts: Hear from your colleagues!
Listen to brief interviews with fellow CMS members discussing their experiences with HIT:
- Gregory Reicks, DO, discusses Quality Health Network, the Western Slope’s Health Information Exchange cms.org/hit/reicks.aif
- Mary Poole, MD, and Laird Cagan, MD, of Longmont, talk about what it was like to implement an EMR and give advice for a successful transition cms.org/hit/caganpoole.aif
- Bronwen Magraw, MD, explains how chronic disease management systems, or registries, are improving care in the Grand Junction area cms.org/hit/magraw.aif
More information on HIT incentives:
Preparation:
Advice for physicians considering implementing an EHR, click here
CORHIO’s suggested contract language to protect physicians, click here
* The stimulus bill states that incentives will be paid for “certified Electronic Health Records.” Because the program standards and regulations have not been set, it is still unknown if registries also will qualify. For a definition of
these terms, click here.
Risks and Benefits of Health Information Technology
AMA’s summary of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, known as the stimulus bill, click here
Privacy:
Health Information Security & Privacy Provider Education Toolkit, click here
AMA's "What You Need to Know About the New Health Privacy Security Requirements," click here
HHS Press Release - New rules on breach notification, click here
ePrescribing:
AMA’s ePrescribing Learning Center, click here
ePrescribing Incentive Fact Sheet from the Centers for Medicare
and Medicaid Services, click here
Brown Bag Teleconference on ePrescribing, January 2009,
click here to access a recording of the session
Useful Links:
AMA’s HIT website, click here
Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), click here
AAFP's EHR Guide: click here