The U.S.Government has mandated the adoption of healthcare information technology with the passage of ARRA and HITECH, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) and the Healthcare Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act or healthcare stimulus legislation. ARRA compliance provides a framework to incent hospitals and physicians to use health information technology in a meaningful way. HITECH defines a timetable and expectations for how hospitals must demonstrate meaningful use of certified health information technology, as well as ties incentive payments and reimbursement reductions to the physician adoption and use of certified, connected electronic health records.
In order for hospitals and eligible providers to qualify for incentives and funding, they must begin to demonstrate meaningful use as early as 2010 and no later than 2015. The Meaningful Use Objectives include specific products and functionality in the following areas:
- Improving quality, safety and efficiency
- Engaging patients and families
- Improving care coordination
- Improving population and public health
- Ensuring adequate privacy and security
Eclipse Clinical Technology can help providers easily and quickly meet the minimum federal stage one meaningful use criteria now while continuing to build long-term solutions to sustain providers healthcare IT function for years to come.
