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How to Implement EHRs

Step 5: Achieve Meaningful Use

  1. Assess Your Practice Readiness
  2. Plan Your Approach
  3. Select or Upgrade to a Certified EHR
  4. Conduct Training & Implement an EHR System
  5. Achieve Meaningful Use
  6. Continue Quality Improvement

The Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs provide a financial incentive for achieving "meaningful use," which is the use of certified EHR technology to achieve health and efficiency goals. This section provides an overview of the Stage 1 EHR meaningful use core and menu objectives for eligible professionals (EPs) as outlined by CMS – which are intended to set a baseline for electronic data capture and information sharing. In addition, The Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC) recently released the notice of proposed rule-making (NPRM) for the ONC meaningful use Stage 2 rule. Stage 2 meaningful use (to be implemented in 2014 under the proposed rule) includes new standards required for achieving meaningful use, such as online access for patients to their health information, and electronic health information exchange between providers. Learn more about the NPRM

The stage 1 meaningful use objectives are grouped into five patient-driven domains that relate to health outcomes policy priorities. As depicted in the dashboard below, each core and menu objective is aligned to one of the following domains:

  1. Improve Quality, Safety, Efficiency
  2. Engage Patients & Families
  3. Improve Care Coordination
  4. Improve Public and Population Health
  5. Ensure Privacy and Security for Personal Health Information

To aid providers and professionals with the implementation of the meaningful use objectives, the National Learning Consortium presents lessons learned and resources used in the field by the Regional Extension Centers and providers nationwide.

Navigate to a specific objective below for more information:

Legend by domain:

  1. D1

    Improve Quality, Safety, Efficiency

  2. D2

    Engage Patients & Families

  3. D3

    Improve Care Coordination

  4. D4

    Improve Public & Population Health

  5. D5

    Ensure Privacy & Security for Personal Health Information

Skip to Menu Objectives

Core Objectives

  1. Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) for Medication Orders

    D1 - Improve Quality, Safety, Efficiency

  2. Drug Interaction Checks

    D1 - Improve Quality, Safety, Efficiency

  3. Maintain Problem List

    D1 - Improve Quality, Safety, Efficiency

  4. e-Prescribing

    D1 - Improve Quality, Safety, Efficiency

  5. Active Medication List

    D1 - Improve Quality, Safety, Efficiency

  6. Medication Allergy List

    D1 - Improve Quality, Safety, Efficiency

  7. Record Demographics

    D1 - Improve Quality, Safety, Efficiency

  8. Record Vital Signs

    D1 - Improve Quality, Safety, Efficiency

  9. Record Smoking Status

    D1 - Improve Quality, Safety, Efficiency

  10. Clinical Quality Measures (CQMs)

    D1 - Improve Quality, Safety, Efficiency

  11. Clinical Decision Support Rule

    D1 - Improve Quality, Safety, Efficiency

  12. Electronic Copy of Health Information

    D2 - Engage Patients & Families

  13. Clinical Summaries

    D2 - Engage Patients & Families

  14. Electronic Exchange of Clinical Information

    D3 - Improve Care Coordination

  15. Protect Electronic Health Information

    D5 - Ensure Privacy and Security for Personal Health Information

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