Meaningful Use Stage 2 – what may lie ahead

Stage 2 Meaningful Use for Eligible Professionals and Eligible Hospitals looks a long way off. We are still out of breath from climbing the rock face to Stage 1 Meaningful Use and most EPs and EHs are still climbing. Maybe it is time to find a plateau, refill our water canteens and gain our bearings. Might also be a good time to look ahead and see where we are headed and make some course corrections.

We know there will be numerous changes in Stage 2 Meaningful Use:increased thresholds for some existing measures; new measures; removed measures; modification to the timeline; transition to permanent certification program; etc. And, as always, there will be a few twists and turns that no one even knows about. I always like to keep an eye on the horizon so I’m not too surprised when a storm heads my way. Sometime storm clouds never bring rain but I like to keep my eye on them anyway.

For vendors, consultants, and those that provide guidance to EPs and EHs onmeaningful use and the CMS EHR Incentive Programs it is a good idea to review where we may be headed. The most concise information I have found was put together by Erica Drazen andcan be found here.