The deadline day of December 21, 2009 for HHS to accept the final recommendations for Meaningful Use is fast approaching. It’s anticipated final definitions will be released in the Spring of 2010 following a public comment period. CCHIT announced on Monday the list of initial vendors to gain 2011 Certifications. More will follow. And HHS is committing $235 million in funding for a Beacon Community Program to help communities at the forefront of EHR adoption and health information exchange move to “a new level of health care quality and efficiency.”
It is clear the EHR adoption train is not just at the station; it’s about to leave. Providers and hospitals will need to determine quickly if they want to get on board the train if they hope to qualify for full incentive payouts starting in 2011.
Here at HITECH Answers, our role is not to tell a provider or health care organization to buy a ticket on this train but rather to be an independent, educational resource to help health care providers make the best decision for their practice or organization. Much of the resource material we provide on this site is free while our subscription service giving access to a library of Webinars-on-demand from independent experts is paid.
For providers and hospitals looking for more indepth, expert analysis, we believe our EHR Adoption Webinar series will help educate you, your staff and other organizational stakeholders on the many facets of EHR system implementation. The first 3 Webinars ready for download for subscribers include:
- The Road Map to ARRA Incentives for Eligible Providers and Hospitals – “Certified EHR Technology” and “Meaningful Use”
- EHR Contracts and Contract Negotiations
- Is Your Data Center Ready for EHR Adoption?
Learn more about our EHR Adoption series here. You can also meet the experts behind these Webinars.
Whether you board the EHR adoption train or not, make sure you have enough information from independent sources to make an informed decision. If you are looking for some free resources, download this free EHR checklist to start comparing EHR system features. See what physicians are saying about EHR implementation at our MD-to-MD blogs. And you can always sign up to receive our free newsletter and e-mail alerts.
