With government reimbursements hanging in the balance, it's understandable that Meaningful Use is one of the top concerns of health care CIOs. As the deadline for Stage 1 draws near, industry leaders are still interpreting guidelines, navigating requirements, and considering the pros and cons of attestation. MEDITECH, too, is focused on tracking the latest developments with ARRA, and making sure that our customers have the tools they need to meet their regulatory goals.

MEDITECH's three software platforms--MAGIC, Client/Server, and 6.0--are already certified as complete EHRs by the Drummond Group, under the Office of the National Coordinator Authorized Testing and Certification Body (ONC-ATCB) program. Modular certification for MEDITECH products is also coming in the near future.

"Hospitals with MEDITECH's certified solutions have all the software tools needed to meet the Stage 1 Meaningful Use measures required to qualify for funding under ARRA," says Barbara Hobbs, manager of EHR, Interoperability, and Standards Initiatives. "We are now concentrating on what will need to be done for Stages 2 and 3, and many of these enhancements are already in the works."

Pamela McNutt, senior vice president and CIO at Methodist Health System (Dallas, TX), agrees that there are important timing considerations associated with Stage 1 attestation. "The big question is, when will your organizations be ready to attest to 90 days of Meaningful Use compliance and report quality metrics," she says. "Working with MEDITECH and staying on top of the latest ARRA news can help you to make the right decision for your facility."


Looking Ahead
More resources for Meaningful Use will continue to be shared over the coming months in our Customer Portals. In the meantime, please continue to visit the Interoperability & EHR Initiatives and Best Practices areas of our website.

Also, be sure to check out Pam McNutt's video interviews below on preparing for Meaningful Use.