Jim Tate, Meaningful Use Expert

Meaningful Use and Attesting to Quality Measures

CMS throws us another bone and we’re grateful

One of the most intriguing aspects of the entire CMS EHR Incentive program has been the meaningful use requirement to calculate and submit clinical quality measures.

The Final Rule let us know that “For 2011, an EP would provide the aggregate level data for the numerator, denominator, and exclusions through attestation as discussed in section II.A.3 of this final rule. For 2012, an EP would electronically submit the measures that are discussed in section II.A.3. of this final rule.”

This was true for EPs and EHs. So for 2011 EPs and EHs could just attest the quality measures and report them on the CMS web-based attestation forms. No one was quite sure what was going to happen in 2012. The Stage 1 certified EHR vendors had no easy way to transmit these files electronically in 2012 and there was a nagging sense that this could be very complex to pull off in 2012.

CMS is now proposing rules for both EPs and EHs that will allow attesting of quality measures to continue in 2012. Two separate rules will be proposed the week of July 18th to alleviate the 2012 electronic submission requirement. Another good move by the Powers That Be.

Jim Tate is author of The Incentive Roadmap® The Meaningful Use of Certified Technology: Stage 1. Version 3.0 now available for purchase.

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