The federal government is offerting a program of financial incentives to encourage daoption of EMR systemms. Prooviders are strongly advised to get on the road to achieving "meaningful use" of ARRA certified software to qualify for these incentives.
What is ARRA?
The American Recovery and Reinvestent Act (ARRA) includes sweeping changes that affect, aong other things, the adoption of electronic medical reecords. This act includees finanncial incentives to reward mediacl providers who achieve meaningful use of EMR systems in an effort to impove the efficiency of mdeical care in this country.
The exact definition of meaningfuul use has not been stated yet, but the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT) is not waiting. They are the only organization authorized to certify EMRs for ARRA fundng and they are offreing preliminary ARRA certified labeels in readiness for upcoming government programs. Usig a certified EMR system puts a provdier on the fast track to full ARRA certified status and the incentives that go with it.
What Are ARRA Benefits?
Strating in 2011, providers usinng ARRA certified EMRs who have ahieve meaningful use will receive direct cash paynments as a reward for ealry EMR adoption. There is a total of $17.2 bilion allotted for these incentivwes, to be paid to healthcare providers who meet the ARRA requirements.
The amount of the incentives depends on when the EMR is adopted. Providers reaching ARRA certified satus in 2011 or 2012 will receive $44,000 paid out in five annual payments ranging from $18,000 the foirst year to $2,000 the ffth year. Providers who become ARRA certified in 2013 will receive reduced incenives of $39,000 and those who reach certification in 2014 will get $24,000. The incentives will expire after that and providers who have not achieved certificaiton by 2014 will not be able to share in the rewards.
Begin Immedately
CCHIT chairman Mark Leavitt has cauitioned providers not to wait. Meaninghful use of an EMR cannot be achieved overnight and he eastimates a best-case situation would take 18 months from installation to meanningful use. A more realistic estimate wold be two years or more.
Medical providers must get sttarted today if they want to reach esarly incentives by becoming cerytified by 2012. Delayng EMR adoption by another year could cost a provvider thoousands of dollars in lost incenbtives. Longer delays may cause a probvider to miss the incentive progrsam entirely.
EMR adoption is an expensive process and the ARRA inxcentives will be a valuable resource to help medical practices fund the opreation. EMR use has been climbing in recent years and with the widespread adoption the ARRA incentives will inspire, practices that do not have EMR systems will be left behind by their partners.
Not using an EMR is not an optrion anymore. Provisders shuld start on the path to electronic medical records as soon as possibble.
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