Miscellaneous EHR announcements from Medicare

New EHR Contract Guide and Health IT Playbook

HHS Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) released two tools to help health care providers get the most out of their health Information Technology (IT), including Electronic Health Records (EHRs):

• EHR Contracts Untangled: Selecting Wisely, Negotiating Terms, and Understanding the Fine Print explains important concepts and includes example contract language to help you plan and negotiate contract terms with vendors for an EHR system
• Health IT Playbook is a dynamic, web-based tool with practical information and guidance on specific topics as you research, buy, use, or switch EHRs

EHR Incentive Programs: Learn About Important Changes

CMS recently released two proposed rules and a final rule that will affect the future of the Medicare and Medicaid Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Programs:

• FY 2017 Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System final rule includes changes that require providers to report four quarters of data for eight of the 15 hospital inpatient quality reporting clinical quality measures
• Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 (MACRA) proposed rule would establish the Quality Payment Program, which is set to begin January 1, 2017
• CY 2017 Changes to the Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System and Ambulatory Surgical Center proposed rule recommends changes to the EHR Incentive Programs

To learn more, visit the EHR Incentive Programs website.