Review Changes in Stage 1 MU Criteria that Begin in 2014
The following is correspondence from CMS.
Are you a Medicare eligible professional who is participating or planning to participate in Stage 1 of the Medicare or Medicaid EHR Incentive Program this year? The Stage 2 rule for meaningful use included changes to Stage 1 requirements that took effect on January 1, 2014. These changes include:
Record and Chart Changes in Vital Signs
Change: The age limit increased for recording blood pressure in patients from age 2 to age 3; there is no age limit for height and weight.
2014 Measure: For more than 50 percent of all unique patients seen by the eligible professional during the EHR reporting period, blood pressure (for patients age 3 and over only) and height and weight (for all ages) should be recorded as structured data.
Patient Electronic Access
Change: Menu objective “Timely electronic access to health information” and core objective “Electronic copy of health information” are combined tobecome the new “View online, download, and transmit” core objective.
2014 Measure: More than 50 percent of all unique patients seen by the eligible professional during the EHR reporting period are provided timely (available to the patient within 4 business days after the information is available to the eligible professional) online access to their health information.
Clinical Quality Measure (CQM) Reporting
Change: Reporting CQMs is still required, but it has been removed as a separate objective.
Stage 1 Resources
Resources to help you understand changes to Stage 1 of meaningful use are available on the EHR Incentive Programs website, including:
• Stage 1 Changes Tipsheet
• 2014 Stage 1 Changes Tipsheet