Analysis shows most providers could use same EHR vendor to meet MU

An analysis of EHR vendors revealed that the vast majority of hospitals eligible for the Meaningful Use were able to update their certified EHR technology (CEHRT) to achieve the 2014 base definition with their current vendor.

Some hospitals upgraded their existing product while some purchased new software from their vendor, said Dustin Charles, MPH, public health analyst at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health IT, speaking at the Sept. 9 meeting of the Health IT Policy Committee.

By the start of the 2014 program year, 90 percent of eligible hospitals could obtain 2014 CEHRT from their current vendor.

Eligible professionals (EPs) were able to obtain 2014 CEHRT by the start of the 2014 program year at a rate of 77 percent, said Charles, and by the end 94 percent could do so. While these numbers lag from hospitals, Charles said it’s reasonable because the EP market is much larger and the vendor base is much more diverse. There are about 600 vendors compared to about 150 vendors for hospitals.

The providers that do not fall under those groups either ripped and replaced or obtained more product, he said.

Charles said that among those who did attest to the 2014 definition of CEHRT, 88 percent of EHs and 90 percent of EPs used their current vendor. Thus, about 10 percent of each group chose to get their 2014 CEHRT from a different vendor.