Meaningful

Use

Are you Ready?

 

 

The concept of “Meaningful Use”, establishes the U.S.

government standards for Electronic Health Records (EHR)

and for the exchange of patient clinical data between

healthcare providers, and insurers and patients.

 

Meaningful Use Defined

Using certified EHR technology to:

 

• Improve quality, safety, and efficiency

• Reduce health disparities

• Engage patients and family

• Improve care coordination

• Improve population and public health

• Maintain privacy and security of PHI

 

Ultimately, meaningful use compliance seeks:

 

• Better clinical outcomes

• Improved population health outcomes

• Increased transparency and efficiency

• Empowered individuals

• More robust research data on health systems

 

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical

Health Act (HITECH Act) was created to stimulate the adoption of

EHR and supporting technologies, as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) economic stimulus bill.

 

Eligible providers and hospitals must adopt certified EHR technology. They must use it to achieve efficiency in health data capture and sharing, and advance clinical processes resulting in improved patient outcomes.

 

HITECH’s incentives are designed to improve the health of Americans as well as their health care providers' performance through the “Meaningful Use” of EHRs with a focus on five health enhancing goals: