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The Meaningful Use program was first established by the U.S. Federal Government as part of the 2009 HITECH Act. The goal was to foster the creation of the infrastructure needed to support healthcare reform. As the 2014 deadline for Meaningful Use Stage 2 draws closer, organizations are planning now for improvements in the way they provide privacy protection and data security for PHI. While moving toward these goals is important, it might be good to take a step back and consider how we got here.
According to the CDC, the original concept of meaningful use rested on the ’5 pillars’ of health outcomes policy priorities. These are:
1. Improving quality, safety, efficiency, and reducing health disparities
2. Engage patients and families in their health
3. Improve care coordination
4. Improve population and public health
5. Ensure adequate privacy and security protection for personal health information
To encourage the transitions necessary to create greater efficiencies, improved information sharing, and better protections for patient privacy, an incentive program was established to support the “meaningful use” of a certified “Electronic Health Record” (EHR). This initiative was rolled out in stages:
Meaningful Use Stage 1:
The first stage of Meaningful Use emphasizes proper data capture and data sharing–primarily focusing on the transition from paper records to electronic records generally referred to as EHRs or EMRs.
What are the Requirements of Stage 1 Meaningful Use?
• Reporting through attestation; Reporting period is 90 days for first year and 1 year subsequently
• To meet certain objectives/measures, 80% of patients must have records in the certified EHR technology
Eligible Professionals must complete:
• 15 core objectives, 5 objectives out of 10 from menu set
• 6 total Clinical Quality Measures (3 core or alternate core, and 3 out of 38 from additional set)
Hospitals must complete:
• 14 core objectives, 5 objectives out of 10 from menu set
• 15 Clinical Quality Measures
* For a complete listing of these objectives, refer to: http://www.healthit.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/FINAL_MU_RECOMMENDATIONS_TABLE.pdf
As hospitals increasingly move toward electronic records, it is assumed that the first four pillars of health outcomes policy will improve. However, the fifth pillar, ensuring adequate privacy and security protection for personal health information, may require additional actions by hospitals and care providers.
Specifically, organizations must take additional measures to safeguard patient records and guarantee privacy. Leading institutions and others must consider how to move beyond “checking the box for compliance” and move toward addressing risks to patient data. In our next post, we’ll discuss how that can be done and how it becomes increasingly more important as organizations address Meaningful Use Stages 2 and 3.
