government
More Maryland doctors signing up for EMRs
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Jan. 3, 2011
Maryland's regional extension center for health information technology signed up its 200th clinician in December, something the state considers a "major milestone" in its mission to assist 1,000 primary care physicians in transitioning to electronic medical records by 2014.
EMR certification is part of a broad Obama administration initiative, and RECs were created to provide outreach and support services to about 100,000 primary care physicians and hospitals nationwide.
In 2010, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services announced the final meaningful use objectives physicians need to meet to be eligible for EMR incentive payments starting this year. As of Dec. 1, 2010, more than 22,000 primary care physicians nationwide had signed on to work with 62 RECs on implementing paperless systems. Maryland has been supported by the nonprofit Chesapeake Regional Information System for Our Patients.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2011/01/03/gvbf0103.htm.
