business
Few hospitals ready to meet proposed meaningful use criteria
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted July 5, 2010
The technology vendor research firm KLAS has found that only 14% of nonmilitary or nonveteran health care organizations have reached the threshold for computer physician order entry use that is expected under meaningful use rules.
If passed, proposed rules to meet stage 1 meaningful use criteria will require hospitals to fill at least 10% of their orders through CPOE -- but KLAS' survey found that few hospitals are at that level. Under the proposed rules, those hospitals will have until July 1, 2011, to comply and receive stage 1 incentive pay.
Several organizations, including the American Medical Association, submitted comments during the public comment period on the proposed rules asking for an incremental approach that would allow more flexibility. The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services are reviewing the public comments before finalizing the rule.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2010/07/05/bibf0705.htm.