MSV responds to proposed rule on electronic health records incentive program

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MSV responds to proposed rule on electronic health records incentive program

18 March 2010

MSV has joined with the American Medical Association (AMA) and 95 state and specialty medical societies in providing feedback to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed rule on “meaningful use” of health information technology.

The proposed rule outlines how CMS will implement the Medicare and Medicaid electronic health record (EHR) incentive programs and defines the objectives and measures for achieving “meaningful use”. While the physician community is supportive of using technology to enhance patient care, the criteria that are proposed by CMS are overly aggressive and may deter physician participation in the incentive programs.

The joint comments submitted by the aforementioned organizations provide a framework for setting reasonable objectives that advance the widespread adoption of health information technology.

To view the comments, click here.

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Comments: 3

I agree with Dr. Waller, but our current outlay was even higher than his. We continue to pay a lot for support, and I think that not allowing some retroactive assistance for MD's willing to bite the bullet earlier and pave the way for this is perverse. I also think that it is unethical for records to be "data-mined" and that Health IT is ONLY profitable for Health IT companies...not for us. I am not sure about safety in an outpatient setting, but as much as we complain about our system, it is hard in a multi-office practice to do without it. I do believe that the system we have in our local hospital is significantly less user friendly than our own--and of course, less subject to our control. I think that the combination of health IT and HIPPA, when the financial community cannot even keep banking records private, and Government Agencies have been breached as well, is a real rat's nest of potential regulation, litigation, and again, another opportunity for a "new" industry to crop up to "protect us" from all of that, adding layers of cost to "health care"!!!

WCA,MD at 3/19/2010 2:57:57 PM

For most private physicians, I think EMR is basically useless. Those who benefit from EMR include the companies that install and maintain the systems, physicians and assorted consultants who go around giving speeches on the benefits of EMR, polticians and other government officials who can say they are doing something and insurance companies who can "data mine" our records. I have talked to many other physicians who have EMR and the systems slow them down. They spend more time hunched over a keyboard and not interacting with the patient. Patient safety and quality of care is not necessarily improved. For example, I have heard of EMR systems generating so many warnings on drug interactions that they are all ignored. There are major problems if the system goes down. Coding may be improved giving increased revenue but in some places, insurance companies have changed their reimbursement, negating the benefits. I recently talked with a pediatrician who is afraid to code the EMR's suggest level because she is afraid it is too high. Finally, I have been told (I haven't verified) that the EMR companies are protected from patient care liability even if a mistake is caused by the system.

Bill at 3/18/2010 10:51:14 PM

I have used electronic health records in my practice for the past 6 years and 4 years in another practice prior to where I am at the present time. I am so proud of being one of the first to initiate in my area and more than pleased that I finally paid off the $70,000 investment. Now that there is a incentive program available. I am being told that my current system does not meet all the qualifications to receive the funds. I am with a company that has the largest market share in this area and can not believe what I am hearing. Instead of maintaining what I have, I am expected to spend another 40-60K to meet the requirements for funds. I don't understand this. No one tells me how this will help me communicate better with the rest of the medical practices or hospitals in my area for shared information. If I have a system that does and no one else has one, what have we accomplished. I believe as a practicing physician for 25 years and certainly still peaking in my profession, that this has not been well thought out by the vendors who are trying to SELL us products and be the real benefactors of the Recovery Act not the physician. Needless to say that EMR is not as easy as it is made out to be. I can show you the arthritis in my hand from using the computer. This is not without cost.... financially, emotionally and physically.

Dr. Waller at 3/18/2010 5:21:10 PM

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