In September 2014, CMS and the Office for the National Coordinator (ONC) released a final rule that offers enhanced flexibility for eligible professionals, eligible hospitals, and critical access hospitals using certified EHR technology (CEHRT) and working toward meaningful use attestation (https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2014-21021.pdf). The final rule regulations became effective October 1, 2014.
While it can be challenging to define your organization's legal health record (LHR), one health system in Denver is proving that collaboration and perseverance can lead to an effective LHR and EHR.
More than ever before, HIM is being recognized as an enterprise profession important to ambulatory, acute, and postacute settings. A good example of the transformation is HIM's involvement in CMS' risk adjustment and Hierarchical Condition Category coding system.
The CMS EHR Incentive Program 2014 attestation deadlines for Medicare-eligible hospitals and professionals draw near (November 30 and December 31, respectively), so MRB asked healthcare professionals to reflect upon their successes and struggles associated with EHR implementation for benchmark survey.
Imagine the information services department manager tells the HIM director he or she can't outsource transcription or receive reports directly in the EHR without a tremendous amount of manual intervention.
