{"id":3848,"date":"2012-10-07T15:00:58","date_gmt":"2012-10-07T19:00:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.poweryourpractice.com\/?p=3848"},"modified":"2012-10-07T15:00:58","modified_gmt":"2012-10-07T19:00:58","slug":"too-late-to-attest-meaningful-use-stage-1-tips-latecomers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carecloud.com\/continuum\/too-late-to-attest-meaningful-use-stage-1-tips-latecomers\/","title":{"rendered":"Too Late to Attest? Tips for Meaningful Use Stage 1 Latecomers"},"content":{"rendered":"

Meaningful Use is a challenge, and it\u2019s no surprise if you still haven\u2019t tried attesting for Stage 1. After all, even the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) knows it may have complicated issues to deal with if they don\u2019t either simplify measures or better educate doctors nationwide<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We know the transition to electronic health records is a tedious process, and in some cases, it may change the way your practice operates<\/strong>. This may represent fundamental problem doctors across the country are experiencing.<\/p>\n

But attestation is equally intimidating, and since the advent of Stage 2 has created quite a bit of buzz, we\u2019re providing tips for latecomers below. It\u2019s never too late to begin attesting.<\/p>\n

Myth: It\u2019s Too Late
\n<\/strong>Is it too late to start now? Not precisely. While providers can qualify for Stage 1 and begin receiving incentive payments starting in 2011, you have until 2015 to comply with all three stages of Meaningful Use criteria. But the longer you wait, the more criteria and the less time, so start today!<\/p>\n

The Basics: EHR and Workflows
\n<\/strong>Before you think of attesting, take your time choosing an EHR based on functionality, usability and connectivity<\/a>, and carefully outline your practice\u2019s workflow and processes so the EHR transition doesn\u2019t catch you and your practice off guard.<\/p>\n

Prioritization and Governance Structure
\n<\/strong>Now you can create priority and governance structures for Meaningful Use compliance. The first is as straightforward as it sounds \u2013 lay out the requirements<\/strong>, see which ones are easiest to comply with, and zero in on those first. Then order them in increasing difficulty. This is also an opportune moment for your practice to identify risks and gaps, as well as to conduct a comprehensive SWOT analysis.<\/p>\n

Governance structure entails assigning a project manager and a committee to make decisions on compliance prioritization and timelines, ensure use of certified electronic health record technology, suggest cultural changes in practice habits, and more.<\/p>\n

Exclusion from Measures
\n<\/strong>Figure out whether you can be excluded from an objective if it\u2019s not something you regularly perform at your practice. If there is no exclusion, then find ways to quickly incorporate the objective into your procedures.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Collecting and Reporting Data
\n<\/strong>A certified EHR must calculate necessary data for every CQM. Each electronic specification contains four components:<\/p>\n