The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the federal stimulus package will drive 90% of physicians and 70% of hospitals to adopt EHR systems by 2020.

Did you know?

The Title IV Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH) provides incentives under either Medicare or Medicaid for providers who have adopted EHR systems determined to meet the Secretary’s relevant guidance and statutory requirements for meaningful use: those providers can receive bonus payments starting in 2011.  “Meaningful use” of an EHR includes three key components:

·         The EHR must be certified and include ePrescribing capabilities;

·         The technology must provide for the electronic exchange of personal health information with other systems (interoperability); and

·         The system must produce reports utilizing various (yet to be defined) clinical and quality metrics.

The HITECH Act, has set aside $17 billion for incentive payments to providers who implement a qualifying EHR under either Medicare or Medicaid. Providers may only seek incentive payments under either Medicare or Medicaid but not both. Individual providers who are  “hospital-based” are not eligible for the incentive payments. The Act defines “hospital-based professionals” to include pathologists, anesthesiologists, and emergency physicians who furnish substantially all of her/his services in a hospital setting (either inpatient or outpatient). The thought is that these physicians would use the hospital’s EHR. Hospitals are entitled to a separate set of incentive payments under the law. Whether an eligible professional is hospital-based is determined by the billing or employment arrangements between the provider and the hospital. 

Competitive Solutions, Inc. can help you get the ARRA funding for your EHR initiative to meet the above requirements.  The first step in the process for funding is to assess whether your EHR project has the fundamental requirements to support your new care processes and be eligible funding.  Are you ready?  See the readiness assessments below.

ARRA Readiness Funding Assessment

• Evaluates your organization's IT project plans and suggests options for alignment with ARRA for secured funding,
• Suggests approaches to IT implementations that yield quicker outcomes for immediate readiness,
• Reviews integration/connectivity plans and reports on possible avenues for heightened care coordination,
• Reviews quality measurement plans and reporting vehicles planned.  Suggests improvements for alignment with ARRA.