The following is a guest blog post by Carrie Yasemin Paykoc, Senior Instructional Designer at The Breakaway Group (A Xerox Company). Check out all of the blog posts in the Breakaway Thinking series.
I apologize in advance, but I am still mourning the Super Bowl loss of the Denver Broncos. I can’t stop replaying each moment and thinking of alternative scenarios. What if Peyton Manning utilized a quick huddle instead of audibles and hand-signals? What if Denver’s defense had better protected Peyton? What if the Broncos had scored more than eight points?
Regardless of the what-ifs and wounds resulting from the loss, the team has to step up and prepare for the next season, if they want to finish at the top. In the healthcare world, providers must also change their playbook and approach, if they wish to capitalize on the next phase of Meaningful Use.
For the past year, providers have been scrambling to select, implement or optimize a new electronic health record system to meet federal requirements for Meaningful Use Stage 1. Adding to providers’ challenges is the evolving nature of the rules for achieving meaningful use incentives; federal agency Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is constantly updating the Meaningful Use Playbook. Similar to football players at the end of the season, providers are tired and wounded. However, they must be aware of and prepare to take on the new requirements for 2014. Otherwise, they risk future penalties and foregoing funds. To help healthcare providers prepare for this new season, here is a summary of changes taking effect this year.
- Three-month reporting period
All providers are now required, regardless of their stage of meaningful use, to demonstrate meaningful use for a three-month EHR reporting period. Medicare providers may elect to report clinical quality measures (CQM) for the entire year or select an optional, three-month reporting period for CQMs that is identical to their meaningful use reporting. - Exclusions and vital sign objectives
All eligible professionals, eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals are now responsible for adhering to the latest changes in Meaningful Use Stage 1. This includes new requirements for electing exclusions toward menu objectives, age limits for recording and charting changes to vital signs, and new exclusions toward reporting height, weight and blood pressure. - View, download and transmit all health information or admissions online
To better align with the new capabilities of certified EHR technology, CMS is replacing Meaningful Use Stage 1 objectives for accessing information online with the capacity to view, download and transmit this information. - Reporting of clinical quality measures
All providers, regardless of their stage of meaningful use, must report on clinical quality measures to CMS. Eligible hospitals must report 16 of the 29 CQMs and eligible providers must report 9 of the 64 CQMs.(Source)
For providers making the leap to Stage 2 of meaningful use, this is only the beginning. Not only must they abide to the changes mentioned above, but they also need to plan and execute a strategy for integrating diverse IT systems and engaging patients. Neither are simple tasks. However, just as I believe that Peyton can shake this last performance and finish strong next year, I believe in the resiliency of providers too. With the right leadership and planning, they will take patient care to the next level.
Omaha! Omaha! Omaha!
Xerox is a sponsor of the Breakaway Thinking series of blog posts.
[…] Carrie Yasemin Paykoc – “For providers making the leap to Stage 2 of meaningful use, this is only the beginning. Not only must they abide to the changes mentioned above, but they also need to plan and execute a strategy for integrating diverse IT systems and engaging patients.” […]