Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has a site in which you can read the public comments on the Interim Final Rule (IFR) for Meaningful Use. It is interesting and entertaining reading, ranging from clinics currently using EHRs to physicians just not buying into the whole approach. A few examples:
From a rural health clinic in Nebraska: “I have only read the first 103 pages of this proposed ruling and have been focusing on what we will have to do to receive incentive payments as an early adopter in 2010.
I find myself discouraged that we will ever be able to comply with this meaningful use definition. I also reflect on the last eight years of using the EHR and wonder how a new user of an EHR would qualify as well.
Just installing and getting everyone using electronic records is a difficult task. So I believe that this version of meaningful use is too aggressive for the first year.”
From a provider in Pennsylvania: “Acceptable Standards. Organizations should not have to rewrite existing fully functional interfaces to comply with MU criteria. This will add a great deal of unnecessary cost. For example we already submit lab results and surveillance data to public health agencies using an older version (HL7 2.2). The new criteria calls for a minimum of HL7 2.5.1 for lab submission and HL7 2.3.1 for public health submission. Redeveloping/retesting these interfaces, for no other reason than to bring it up to a current version, is a waste of resources. Please clarify this rule and change it so that existing working links can remain in place until there is a need to upgrade.”
From a physician in Illinois: “This is a steaming pile of crap. If one could imagine what the worst possible outcome of the process of creating these rules could be, this is it. These are rules that only a bureaucrat could love and will not help increase the implementation of EHR. 556 pages?! You are out of your minds if you think this is helpful or necessary. What a waste of time and money… This is so disappointing I almost cried.”
Take the time to read the comments being submitted on the proposed Meaningful Use rules, and also please take the time to submit your comments. It is a part of our democratic process.
Related posts:
- Meaningful Use Rules Published
- Meaningful Use Regulations Issued – Reaction Begins
- Meaningful Use’s Impact on Interoperability: Analysis of the Interim Final Rule (IFR)
- HL7 3.0 Considerations for Healthcare Providers (Clinics, Hospitals, Labs, Diagnostic Imaging)
- HL7 Quality Reporting Document Architecture (QRDA) Defined
