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Stage 2 Meaningful Use NPRM Moves Toward Patient-Centered Care Through Wider Use of EHRs
Substantial evidence shows that higher adoption of electronic health records (EHR) can save our health care system money, save time for doctors and hospitals, and save lives. Thanks to the Recovery Act and the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Program, we have seen great success and momentum as we’ve taken the first steps toward adoption of this critical technology: to date, more than 43,000 providers have received $3.1 billion to help make the transition to EHRs; the number of hospitals using EHRs has more than doubled in the last two years from 16 to 35 percent between 2009 and 2011; and 85 percent of hospitals now report that by 2015 they intend to take advantage of the incentive payments.
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Electronic Health Records Prove to be Invaluable After Crisis
On May 22, a devastating tornado struck Joplin, Mo., killing 134 and devastating a community of some 50,000 people. As one of a series of storms, it made 2011 the deadliest year for tornadoes in the United States in more than half a century.
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Fact or Fiction with EHR Certification Regulatory Interpretations
If enough people believe something, it has to be true, right? In my travels, I’ve found that regulatory interpretations range from being largely factual to wildly fictitious. The latter often results from misinterpretations of regulatory language, improper combinations of regulatory language from different rules, or accurate interpretations getting lost in translation as they are passed from person-to-person. These inaccurate interpretations, intentional or not, often unsurprisingly lead to confusion. Accordingly, I thought it would be helpful to clear up a few things I’ve heard related to certification.
Highlights
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Privacy, Security, and Electronic Health Records
Director of the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR), Leon Rodriguez, discusses the privacy and security of patient health information stored in electronic health records, and the role of OCR in enforcing the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy and Security Rules.
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EHR Case Studies
Dr. Chris Tashjian, a family medicine specialist in rural Ellsworth, WI, provides his perspective on how electronic health records and meaningful use are helping him provide quality care for his patients.
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