Question

Briefly describe how the Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) incentive program, meaningful use (MU) has impacted in the hospital or medical facility you work at. Share how MU has impacted your practice.

Answer 1

Ans) Meaningful Use was defined by the use of certified EHR technology in a meaningful manner (for example electronic prescribing); ensuring that the certified EHR technology connects in a manner that provides for the electronic exchange of health information to improve the quality of care.

When they were introduced, the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs were designed to measure the meaningful use of CEHRT in three stages:

Stage 1 focused on promoting the adoption of certified EHR technologies. This initial stage established requirements for the electronic capture of clinical data and giving patients access to electronic copies of their own health information.
Stage 2 expanded upon stage 1 criteria by encouraging the meaningful use of CEHRT. This stage emphasized care coordination and the exchange of patient information. It increased the thresholds of criteria compliance and introduced more clinical decision support, care coordination requirements and patient engagement rules.
Stage 3 focused on using CEHRT to improve health outcomes by implementing protected health information, e-prescribing, clinical decision support, computerized provider order entry, patient provider access, coordinated care through patient engagement, health information exchange, clinical data registry and case reporting.