Meaningful Use: Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Records (EHR) Incentives Program

Meaningful Use (MU) of health information technology is an umbrella term for rules and regulations that hospitals and physicians must meet to qualify for federal incentive funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). ARRA authorizes the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to provide reimbursement incentives for eligible professionals and hospitals that meet meaningful use criteria along the road to becoming "meaningful users" of certified electronic health record (EHR) technology. By demonstrating MU of certified EHR technology, providers will reap benefits beyond financial incentives. These benefits include reduced errors, availability of records and data, reminders and alerts, clinical decision support, and automated e-prescribing/refill processing. MU is defined in a specific way, requiring fifteen "Core" and ten "Menu" criteria. Of the ten Menu options, three require reporting to public health. The Hawaii State Department of Health (DOH) will participate in the adoption of EHR and MU by assessing and ensuring electronic delivery of information in the Immunization Information Systems (IIS), Electronic Laboratory Reporting (ELR) and Syndromic Surveillance Reporting (SSR). The DOH is currently working towards ensuring its readiness to receive these data and assist its partnering health providers' efforts to meet MU certification.

Since Meaningful Use for Electronic Laboratory Reporting (ELR) is targeted only for hospitals and Syndromic Surveillance is primarily geared for large health care providers, small health care providers are advised to engage in the electronic delivery of information in the Immunization Information Systems (IIS). The resource link, CMS Overview can provide more detailed information on the specific requirements.

For general questions related to the ARRA HITECH Act, please contact Lorrin Kim at lorrin.kim@doh.hawaii.gov, Chief of Office of Planning, Policy and Program Development