More than 100K providers surpass 2012 meaningful use goals
More than 100,000 healthcare providers are using EHRs that meet federal standards and have benefitted from the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, according to CMS and the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT (ONC).
Back in March, CMS Acting Administrator Marilyn Tavenner and National Coordinator for Health IT Farzad Mostashari, MD, ScM, declared an ambitious goal of getting 100,000 healthcare providers to adopt or meaningfully use EHRs by the end of 2012.
As of the end of May 2012:
Through the end of May 2012, more than 133,000 primary care providers and 10,000 specialists were partnering with Regional Extension Centers (RECs) to overcome common EHR adoption barriers. Of these providers, 70 percent of small practice providers in rural areas as well as 74 percent of critical access hospitals are working with RECs. These regional organizations work to ensure these clinicians meet meaningful use and receive incentive payments through the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, more than 12,000 providers working with RECS have already received their incentive payments.
Forty-four states are participating in the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program as of May 2012.
Back in March, CMS Acting Administrator Marilyn Tavenner and National Coordinator for Health IT Farzad Mostashari, MD, ScM, declared an ambitious goal of getting 100,000 healthcare providers to adopt or meaningfully use EHRs by the end of 2012.
As of the end of May 2012:
- More than 110,000 eligible professionals and more than 2,400 eligible hospitals have been paid by the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs.
- Approximately 48 percent of all eligible hospitals and critical access hospitals in the U.S. have received an incentive payment for adopting, implementing, upgrading or meaningfully using an EHR.
- One out of every five Medicare and Medicaid eligible professionals in the U.S. has received an incentive payment for adopting, implementing, upgrading or meaningfully using an EHR.
- Over $5.7 billion in EHR Incentive Program payments were made.
- More than $3 billion in Medicare EHR Incentive Program payments were made between May 2011 (when the first payments were released) and the end of May 2012.
- More than $2.6 billion in Medicaid EHR Incentive Program payments were made between January 2011 (when the first states launched their programs) and the end of May 2012.
Through the end of May 2012, more than 133,000 primary care providers and 10,000 specialists were partnering with Regional Extension Centers (RECs) to overcome common EHR adoption barriers. Of these providers, 70 percent of small practice providers in rural areas as well as 74 percent of critical access hospitals are working with RECs. These regional organizations work to ensure these clinicians meet meaningful use and receive incentive payments through the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs, more than 12,000 providers working with RECS have already received their incentive payments.
Forty-four states are participating in the Medicaid EHR Incentive Program as of May 2012.
Beth Walsh,
Editor
Editor Beth earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and master’s in health communication. She has worked in hospital, academic and publishing settings over the past 20 years. Beth joined TriMed in 2005, as editor of CMIO and Clinical Innovation + Technology. When not covering all things related to health IT, she spends time with her husband and three children.