Radiologists and other physicians have been working with electronic health records to better coordinate patient management in their organizations. However, interoperability has been a consistent roadblock, as health care providers struggle to integrate data from other systems into their own EHRs.
According to an industry report conducted by peer60, the vast majority of doctors believe that EHR interoperability and health information exchange are essential for delivering high quality patient care. EHR Intelligence explained that increased data sharing could also cut excess expenses attributed to readmissions and redundant medical imaging exams, as well as improve the clinical experience for both staff and patients.
The survey was distributed to 350 health care leaders, including top executives, nursing staff managers and IT professionals who were using top EHR software. Ninety-one percent of respondents indicated that interoperability can enhance clinical outcomes, while another 89 percent believed it would lead to improved fiscal performance for their practices. An additional 97 percent felt that more facilities would adopt current health IT systems if interoperability were included.
The EHR Incentive Programs from the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has pushed adoption of the software forward, and survey participants (51 percent) believed that government-led initiatives will be the primary force behind improved interoperability. However, much of the pressure rests on EHR vendors, who must ensure that their customers' products are up-to-date with the latest features. Otherwise, providers could struggle to attest to Meaningful Use.
CMS reopens hardship applications
FierceEMR reported that CMS has reconsidered its original deadline for Meaningful Use hardship exemptions and decided to reopen the submission period, which will now run through Nov. 30, 2014.
Hospitals and smaller practices that have not achieved Meaningful Use are subject to payment adjustments for their reimbursements beginning Jan. 1, 2015. Reductions in incentives could have a significant impact on the fiscal stability of medical centers that have adopted EHRs with the intention of receiving payments from the federal government in return for their participation.
The CMS extension only applies to practices that were unable to fully implement 2014 editions of certified EHR technology due to availability delays from their vendors. While the agency did not cite any specific reason for reopening the submission period, it can be partially attributed to the considerable pressure CMS has been under to help more providers navigate the complexities of Meaningful Use attestation. The stringent requirements, which include language regarding interoperability and health information exchange, have been a difficult challenge for many industry stakeholders.
EHR Intelligence explained that many vendors are currently focused on their products' profitability, as the market has been flooded with numerous EHR systems. This has led to many shortcomings with existing software, as developers need to find new ways to make their offerings stand out among the other suppliers. Hopefully, as CMS extends its exemption submission period and interoperability becomes a main focus, fewer providers will struggle to meet Meaningful Use standards and the industry will experience significant gains in performance quality.
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Ronny Bachrach
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