HIMSS Recommends Definitions for 'Meaningful Use' of EHRs

rninformatics, DNP, RN · Apr 28, 2009

On Monday, HIMSS (the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) officially announced their recommendations of two definitions of "meaningful use" related to certified electronic health record technologies and hospitals' use of EHRs.

Recommendations

HIMSS officials recommended that the requirements of meaningful use be introduced incrementally so that health care providers have a reasonable opportunity to comply with the definition.

According to HIMSS, the mature definition of "meaningful use of certified electronic health records" should include at least four factors:

A functional EHR certified by the Certification Commission for Healthcare IT
Electronic exchange of standardized patient data with clinical and administrative stakeholders using the Healthcare Information Technology Standards Panel's interoperability guidelines and integrating the Healthcare Enterprise's frameworks
Clinical decision support
Capabilities to support process and care measurement that fuel improvements in patient safety, quality outcomes and cost savings.

HIMSS recommended that CCHIT be named the certifying body for EHR technology (Healthcare IT News, 4/28).

HIMSS has sent its recommendations on the definition of meaningful use to the national coordinator for health IT and the acting CMS commissioner (HIMSS release, 4/27).

For details see the link below:

http://www.himss.org/ASP/ContentRedirector.asp?ContentID=69148&type=HIMSSNewsItem