What does HITECH mean to my practice?

Essentially it means comply and you’ll be rewarded; don’t comply and you’ll be penalized. Between 2011 and 2016, Medicare will pay increased reimbursement to physicians that are “meaningful EHR users.” Physicians that are not “meaningful EHR users” by 2015 will experience reduced Medicare reimbursement.

How much federal funding can my practice qualify for?

If your practice moves quickly and is considered a “meaningful EHR user” by 2012, your practice could qualify for up to $44,000 per doctor in increased reimbursements. Over 70% of the stimulus incentive dollars are accrued within the first two years of the program so time is of the essence. You can find more detailed information in Welch Allyn’s Summary of the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH).

What should I do if I haven’t started my EHR implementation yet?

Now is the time to get started and to help you through this complex project, Welch Allyn has developed our own EHR Selection Services Program to help you find your way through the process. Check out what the program has to offer and through our web site at www.welchallyn.com/wafor/physicians/EHR/selectingehr.htm, to get started. From there, we can initiate your evaluation process and connect you with one of our expert consultants to help you make the right choices and assist you through a successful EHR preparation and selection process.

I’ve always thought of Welch Allyn as a device manufacturer. Is Welch Allyn now in the EHR business?

We are not in the EHR software business, however, as an interested and objective 3rd party with experience working with EHR’s through device connectivity relationships, we are getting more involved in working with clients to help them with the EHR preparation and selection process.

Welch Allyn connected devices can play a key role in leveraging any successful EHR implementation. Our commitment to EHR connectivity has resulted in the development of 240 device interfaces with over 60 EHR vendors and installations in hundreds of practices just like yours. We’ve worked hard to be an EHR connectivity industry leader for medical devices.

What if I’ve already purchased and implemented my EHR system, can I still qualify for the HITECH stimulus incentives?

Absolutely. In fact, you may be in the perfect position to qualify as you can focus your practice on establishing meaningful EHR usage. You can still qualify for $44,000 per doctor by ensuring that your EHR is “qualified” and that your doctors and staff are trained in using the EHR system in a manner that complies with the meaningful use criteria.

In addition, you can dedicate your time and resources to configuring your office and exam rooms with the right connected devices to deliver the true value of EHR connectivity: increased accuracy/patient safety, enhanced clinical efficacy, improved workflow efficiency and significant time savings. Look to Welch Allyn and our industry leading connected devices to help maximize the benefits of your EHR system.

How do I ensure that my current and future EHR usage is considered meaningful?

Essentially what the government is saying is that it’s no longer an option to have silos of data. Interoperability and integration are now required. This goes beyond the central EHR system and requires a close look at the devices you use in your practice and how they connect and deliver relevant data to your EHR system.

Here’s a brief overview of some of the qualifications for meaningful use:

• Competent with a “qualified” EHR system using e-prescribing as determined by HHS
• Using electronic exchange of patient demographic and clinical health information
• Submitting reports on clinical quality measures to Medicare

To get the latest update on meaningful use definitions and requirements take a look at some the Internet resources below:

• HHS Site Gives One-Stop Stimulus Info
  The Department of Health and Human Services' Web site on the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act is a clearinghouse of information on all HHS-related aspects of the economic stimulus law.
  
  http://hhs.gov/recovery/