Mr. Rivera says. In addition to having a compliance plan, Mr. Rivera says it’s key for a practice to confirm NPPs and physicians adhere to the plan by meeting regularly and documenting fulfillment of requirements.
Stage 2 meaningful use criteria delayed until 2014
In an effort to make adoption of health information technology easier, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Ser- vices (HHS) announced in December that it plans to delay meaningful use re- quirements for the Medicare Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program. Physicians who successfully participate
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in the program in 2011 have until 2014 to meet Stage 2 requirements. Under the program’s current require- ments, physicians who participate in Stage 1 this year would have to meet the Stage 2 requirements in 2013, a full year before those who begin participat- ing in 2012. “We support flexible criteria for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Meaning- ful Use Incentive Program and applaud HHS for delaying Stage 2 requirements until 2014 for those who start Stage 1 in 2011,” said AMA Board Chair-Elect Steven J. Stack, MD. “We continue to urge HHS to fully evaluate Stage 1 and develop solutions to increase physician participation rates prior to finalizing re- quirements for Stage 2.”
HHS also plans to educate and train
physicians who have registered for the incentive program but have not yet met the requirements for meaningful use. Ac- cording to a survey from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 52 per- cent of office-based physicians intend to take advantage of the program’s incen- tive payments, and the number of phy- sicians who have adopted a basic EHR system has doubled from 17 percent to 34 percent since 2008.
Texas regional extension centers (RECs). RECs provide on-site support to Texas physicians to help with workflow analy- sis, EHR selection and implementation, EHR incentives, and meaningful use. Primary care physicians and special- ists who can attest to providing primary care services are eligible for a reduced $300 rate (valued at $5,000) on con- sulting services. Visit the Texas Medical Association’s Texas REC Resource Center,
www.texmed.org/rec, for more informa- tion. Some of the Texas RECs are close to achieving their grant-allotted enrollment goals. Once that happens, the reduced rate will no longer be available for pri- mary care physicians.
Key steps to optimize workflow redesign
• Analyze current workflow. Document existing paper workflows in all areas of patient care.
• Ensure physician and staff input re- garding roles in current paper work- flows. Involve staff members who handle paperwork in the analysis and redesign.
• Review and finalize documentation of current workflow. Ensure that the final diagram incorporates the entire “paper trail.”
EHR workflow analysis, redesign critical
A successful electronic health record (EHR) implementation begins with a practice workflow analysis and redesign. If you are an existing EHR user, use a workflow analysis for continual quality improvement. An effective workflow re- design is a key component in improving care coordination using EHRs. If your office lacks an efficient workflow, you may experience lost productivity and extended workdays. A workflow analysis and redesign can help you identify and overcome variation that often leads to inefficiency.
If you need assistance with a work- flow redesign in your office, turn to the
32 TEXAS MEDICINE March 2012
• Identify waste and opportunities; re- design the workflow. The workflow redesign will reveal the practice’s needs regarding EHR system selection and training.
• Identify and implement the EHR sys- tem and new workflow. Work with the right partner to implement a sys- tem that meets the practice’s needs; ensure proper EHR implementation through staff training on the new workflow.
• Analyze the new EHR workflow and refine as needed.
If you have questions about work- flows, EHR incentives, or REC services, contact the TMA Health Information Technology helpline at (800) 880-5720 or email
HIT@texmed.org. n
Crystal Conde is associate editor of Texas Medicine. You can reach her by telephone at (800) 880-1300, ext. 1385, or (512) 370-1385; by fax at (512) 370-1629; or by email at
crystal.conde@
texmed.org.
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