Optimism Wanes for Early EHR Incentive Funding

Top Meaningful Use ConcernsThe majority of respondents – about 85 percent – reported a variety of concerns they need to overcome to achieve the meaningful use of EHRs with capturing and submitting quality data being the chief concern (22 percent). That compares to 18 percent who cited quality data as their top concern last November.“Like anything else the devil’s in the details, and you’ll see that in these top concerns,” says McNutt. “The quality measures are now becoming the sticky wicket for everyone. There are many quality measures that have to be reported by hospitals and these measures have to be created directly from your electronic health record versus having them abstracted and being entered into the CMS website.”In the November survey, computerized physician order entry was the main concern, cited by 29 percent of CIO respondents, compared to 26 percent of respondents citing that concern in the most recent survey. McNutt adds that in the last survey health information exchange (HIE) was a larger concern for CIOs, with 8 percent of respondents citing it as a top concern. However, in this survey only 3.5 respondents mentioned it. McNutt says this is most likely attributable to CIOs realizing their organizations just have to perform a test, rather than fully participate in an HIE.Other CHIME survey findings include:• Nearly 90 percent of respondents still have concerns related to meeting meaningful use requirements.• Nearly 75 percent of responding CIOs say they are concerned about legislative proposals to repeal incentive funding, including the EHR Medicare and Medicaid Incentive Program.• Some 55 percent of CIO respondents say they still have lingering questions about the program, nearly six months after the October 1, 2010, start of the stimulus funding program.