Health Information Technology
The federal government’s health information technology (HIT) incentive program provides financial help for the "meaningful use" of electronic health records (EHRs).
Physicians may begin registering for the incentive program on Jan. 1, 2011, and the first Medicare EHR incentive payments will begin in May 2011 for those who qualify.
The links and resources below provide more information about the incentive program, EHRs, and Colorado’s plan for health information exchange (HIE). Questions? Contact us.
Your path to meaningful use
Check out the new interactive, online portal that takes physicians and their staff through step-by-step training and educational modules to help them select, implement and meaningfully use certified electronic health record (EHR) technology. Learn more about the portal here.
Other resources
Information on the EHR incentive program
Stimulus Fund Calculator & EHR Comparison
HIT webinar series
Podcasts
HIT consultant directory
Preparing for HIT
Privacy
ePrescribing
Links
Information on the EHR incentive program
Fact sheet on meaningful use and the EHR incentive program, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
Chart: Health IT measures required to demonstrate meaningful use, AMA
Chart: Clinical quality measures required to demonstrate meaningful use, AMA
"Building Colorado's Health Information Highway" from Colorado Medicine
"Preparing for HIT" from Colorado Medicine
"Need help selecting an EHR?" from Colorado Medicine
Stimulus Fund Calculator & EHR Comparison
The Stimulus Fund Calculator allows you to estimate the federal incentive you may receive for demonstrating "meaningful use" of a certified EHR, based on the incentive program (Medicare or Medicaid) and when you demonstrate meaningul use. The EHR Comparison looks at 15 EHR systems in use in Colorado. Click here to access both tools. (Member sign-in required).
HIT Webinar Series
Learn about the incentive program, meaningful use and EHR selection in 30 minutes or less, and on your own time. Click the links below for our HIT webinar series with HIT consultant Barbara Drury. Note: Requires Quicktime. Download for free here.
I. “The Genealogy of Meaningful Use” (9 minutes)
Incentive program basics: Who’s eligible, how much money, how it works
II. “Symptoms of Meaningful Use” (11 minutes)
Detailed information on what you must do to qualify for the incentives
III. “Support to Manage Meaningful Use” (10 minutes)
More resources on meaningful use, the incentive program and EHR selection
Podcasts: Hear from your colleagues!
Listen to brief interviews with fellow CMS members discussing their experiences with HIT:
Gregory Reicks, DO, discusses Quality Health Network, the Western Slope’s Health Information Exchange
Mary Poole, MD, and Laird Cagan, MD, of Longmont, talk about what it was like to implement an EMR and give advice for a successful transition cms.org/hit/caganpoole.aif
Bronwen Magraw, MD, explains how chronic disease management systems, or registries, are improving care in the Grand Junction area cms.org/hit/magraw.aif
HIT Consultant Directory
Looking for a consultant to help with your HIT/EHR decisions? Check out the CMS/Component Societies' HIT Consultant Directory
Preparing for HIT
Advice for physicians considering implementing an EHR
CORHIO’s suggested contract language to protect physicians
Privacy
Health Information Security & Privacy Provider Education Toolkit
AMA's "What You Need to Know About the New Health Privacy Security Requirements"
HHS Press Release - New rules on breach notification
ePrescribing
2011 edition of A Clinician’s Guide to Electronic Prescribing
AMA’s ePrescribing Learning Center
ePrescribing Incentive Fact Sheet from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
2011 Electronic Prescribing Incentive Program information from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
How to avoid the 2012 ePrescribing penalty
Links
CORHIO (Colorado Regional Health Information Organization)
CORHIO is the state-designated entity for health information exchange
CO-REC (Colorado Regional Extension Center)
CO-REC was created to help qualifying physicians reach meaningful use
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' Official EHR Incentives Website
Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC)