Whitney Palmer

Stage 2 Meaningful Use Proposal Includes Imaging

Published on the Feb. 27, 2012 DiagnosticImaging.com website

By Whitney L.J. Howell

After being left out of the first phase of the meaningful use program, medical imaging was included in the proposed Stage 2 rule CMS and the Office of the National Coordinator released last week. Industry leaders are cautiously optimistic about how the rules will affect radiology, but they caution that providers shouldn’t act yet in response to the proposal.

Set to take effect in 2014, Stage 2 is considered by healthcare leaders to be a step toward a standards-based health information exchange, and officials announced imaging will also be included in the 2014 proposed rule for electronic health record (EHR) certification requirements. Providers who meaningfully use EHRs, based on the guidelines, qualify for $44,000 in federal incentive payments.

However, there could be some wiggle room for how strictly radiologists will need to adhere to those guidelines.

“The good news is that there’s mention of potential concessions for hospital-centric eligible professionals,” said Keith Dreyer, DO, chair of the American College of Radiology (ACR) IT and Informatics Committee-Government Relations Subcommittee and radiology vice chair at Massachusetts General Hospital. “It shows that the agencies have really paid attention to the uniqueness of specialties, such as radiology, and they are understanding that some challenges will exist when we try to comply.”

For example, many hospital-based providers are not included in and have no influence over their facility’s information technology decisions. This position could render them unable to comply with some meaningful use requirements. In the Stage 2 proposed rule, CMS has granted these practitioners an exemption.

To read the remainder of the article: http://www.diagnosticimaging.com/meaningful-use/content/article/113619/2038701

February 28, 2012 - Posted by wjpalmer | Healthcare | ACR director of legislative and regulatory affairs, American College of Radiology IT and Informatics Committee-Government Relations Subcommittee, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services meaningful use proposed rule, inclusion of diagnostic imaging in meaningful use proposed rule. Stage 2 meaningful use, John Glaser PhD, Keith Dreyer DO, Massachusetts General Hospital vice chair of radiology, meaningful use, meaningful use exemptions for radiologists who cannot meet criteria, Michael Peters, Office of the National Coordinator meaningful use proposed rule, Siemens meaningful use