CMS updates meaningful use FAQs
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has updated its meaningful use frequently asked questions (FAQs) website with new information regarding the use of physical media to exchange key clinical information, computerized provider order entry (CPOE) for eligible professionals (EPs) and more.
The updated questions and answers include:
Q: Does exchange of electronic information using physical media, such as USB, CD-ROM or other formats, meet the measure of the "capability to exchange key clinical information" objective for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs?
A: No, use of physical media such as a CD-ROM, a USB or hard drive or other formats to exchange key clinical information would not meet the measure of this objective, because these physical media would not utilize the certification capability of certified EHR technology to electronically transmit the information.
Q: How should an eligible professional (EP) who orders medications infrequently calculate the measure for the computerized provider order entry (CPOE) objective if the EP sees patients whose medications are maintained in the medication list by the EP, but were not ordered or prescribed by the EP?
A: This can create a situation that could prevent an EP from successfully demonstrating meaningful use, if he or she meets these conditions:
Q: How should patients in swing beds be counted in the denominators of meaningful use measures for eligible hospitals (EHs) and critical access hospitals (CAHs) for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs?
A: A number of the measures for EHs and CAHs require the denominator to be based on the number of unique patients admitted to the inpatient or emergency department during the EHR reporting period. Unique swing bed patients who receive inpatient care should be included in the denominators of meaningful use measures. However, if the EHs' or CAHs' certified EHR technology cannot readily identify and include unique swing bed patients who have received inpatient care, those patients may be excluded from the calculations for the denominators of meaningful use measures.
Click here to see the updated CMS FAQ page.
The updated questions and answers include:
Q: Does exchange of electronic information using physical media, such as USB, CD-ROM or other formats, meet the measure of the "capability to exchange key clinical information" objective for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs?
A: No, use of physical media such as a CD-ROM, a USB or hard drive or other formats to exchange key clinical information would not meet the measure of this objective, because these physical media would not utilize the certification capability of certified EHR technology to electronically transmit the information.
Q: How should an eligible professional (EP) who orders medications infrequently calculate the measure for the computerized provider order entry (CPOE) objective if the EP sees patients whose medications are maintained in the medication list by the EP, but were not ordered or prescribed by the EP?
A: This can create a situation that could prevent an EP from successfully demonstrating meaningful use, if he or she meets these conditions:
- The EP prescribes more than 100 medications during the EHR reporting period;
- Maintains medication lists that include medications that he or she did not order; and
- Orders medications for less than 30 percent of patients with a medication in their medication list during the EHR reporting period.
Q: How should patients in swing beds be counted in the denominators of meaningful use measures for eligible hospitals (EHs) and critical access hospitals (CAHs) for the Medicare and Medicaid EHR Incentive Programs?
A: A number of the measures for EHs and CAHs require the denominator to be based on the number of unique patients admitted to the inpatient or emergency department during the EHR reporting period. Unique swing bed patients who receive inpatient care should be included in the denominators of meaningful use measures. However, if the EHs' or CAHs' certified EHR technology cannot readily identify and include unique swing bed patients who have received inpatient care, those patients may be excluded from the calculations for the denominators of meaningful use measures.
Click here to see the updated CMS FAQ page.