on February 22, 2012 |
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Topics: Meaningful Use, Electronic Medical Records Strategy, Information Technology, Imaging, Service Lines
Nick Bartz, Imaging Performance Partnership
HIMSS conference attendees were treated to some welcome news this afternoon when the national coordinator for health IT, Dr. Farzad Mostashari, announced that imaging will in fact be included in Stage 2 of the meaningful use criteria for the U.S. government's healthcare IT stimulus program. According to Dr. Mostashari’s announcement, viewing of images will be an optional menu item in the proposed stage 2 requirements.
We will know more details when the proposed stage 2 rules are released in the Federal Register later this week, but CMS and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT were able to release some details to HIMSS attendees. The proposed optional imaging menu set rule will require that more than 40% of all scans and tests ordered by eligible physicians or hospitals are accessible through certified EHR technology.
Though the final rules for stage 2 requirements under the program are expected to be finalized this summer, the requirements will not take effect until 2014. Stage 1 will remain in effect throughout 2013 and for a short period in 2014.
For information on how hospitals and radiologists can qualify for meaningful use incentives under Stage 1 of the program, please see our FAQ, Radiology and Meaningful Use, and be sure to watch out for a Partnership analysis of the proposed Stage 2 rule upon its release. Partnership members should also be sure to register for our national meeting series this year where we will be discussing new strategies for leveraging IT in imaging to improve productivity, and ensure growth.
