Dr. Singleton, who began his 90-day reporting period in the spring, agrees that one of the most frustrating aspects of undertaking compliance is the extensive amount of time it takes to get everything in place correctly. But it can be done. Last month he completed attestation of meaningful use through a web-based application submitted to CMS to demonstrate he has met meaningful use criteria using EHR technology. Providers must complete attestation of meaningful use to be eligible for incentive payments.
Dr. Singleton says the process often felt like trying to shoot a moving target but, in the long run, persistence paid off. “Most of what I’ve learned … I’ve incorporated now but it’s still something that we are in the process of implementing as we go, with new patients and so forth,” says Dr. Singleton. “A lot more of it is automatic now but it took a lot of time to get that way.”
It is clear that it is a long road to meaningful use and to achieving a return on investment for implementation of health information technology; however, investments in these areas will start to bear fruit. Organizations that address this need early and head-on will be better positioned for a smoother transition and better able to adapt to the ongoing changes in the US healthcare system.
Catherine Kolonko is a medical writer based in California.