Meaningful Use & ARRA Certification

The Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act is part of the economic stimulus package (ARRA) passed by the US Congress and signed into law on February 17, 2009.  One of the HITECH Act’s primary goals is to encourage the adoption and use of Electronic Health Records.   Provisions in the Act allow eligible providers to gain incentive dollars for the meaningful use of an electronic health record.

Title IV of the act established incentive payments to those “eligible providers” who adopt and use a certified EHR.   The act recognizes psychiatrists and advanced practice registered nurses (APRN) as “eligible providers” that can receive either Medicaid or Medicare incentive payments. The act also outlines that Medicaid payments will eventually be reduced to those who do not use a certified EHR.  Each eligible provider can receive up to $63,750 of incentives over a period of 6 years.

The concept of “meaningful use” was introduced as part of the HITECH legislation and is tied to incentive payments.  Criteria have been established to demonstrate meaningful use of electronic health records and obtain related funding.

Echo believes  meaningful use criteria are important requirements to understand and track. Download our Whitepaper today or sign up for one of our Meaningful Use Web Seminars to learn more about how Echo software can help you achieve Meaningful Use with our Complete Certified Electronic Health Record software.   Echo’s Certification number for Clinician’s Desktop is 02092011-9053-8.

RELATED INFORMATION

Echo Customer, Grand Lake Mental Health Center, is first Behavioral Health Provider to receive Meaningful Use Funds

Attend a free Meaningful Use Web Seminar

Getting Started with Meaningful Use – A Step by Step Guide

Attend a Web Demo of Clinician’s Desktop, Our Fully Certified EHR

CERTIFICATION – WE GUARANTEE IT

Some of the criteria currently proposed for Meaningful Use references the requirement of using a Certified Electronic Health Record (EHR).  Echo has a completely certified ambulatory EHR.  While we realize certification requirements will continue to evolve in the future, Echo is committed to our customers to meet their needs, as we have been for the last three decades of regulations, such as ANSI Standard HIPAA Transactions.  To further reinforce our commitment to certification, Echo will contractually guarantee that our software will meet all certification requirements necessary to maximize Agency reimbursement.  This includes meeting necessary EHR Certification criteria as well as Meaningful Use criteria.

Contact Echo today to learn more about our Electronic Health Records and the Certification Process.