From iHealthBeat: Many electronic health record systems will be able to provide only about one-third of the Stage 1 data requirements for the ”meaningful use” of EHRs, according to a new report published last week by Computer Sciences Corp., InformationWeek reports.
The report — titled “Hospital Quality Reporting: The Hidden Requirements of Meaningful Use” — examined the unique data elements, sources and types of electronic documents that are required for Stage 1 of meaningful use.
Data Capture Requirements vs. Quality Reporting Requirements
Although hospitals might have core EHR systems that meet the data capture requirements for Stage 1, they likely will have only 35% of the information necessary for the 15 required hospital quality measures, according to the report. The report classified the remaining 65% of the data as the “hidden requirements” of meaningful use.
The report found that the most challenging hidden requirement is the need for more physician documentation in EHRs and in electronic medication administration.
In addition, many hospital emergency departments and operating rooms have limited clinical IT software, even though many patients who are admitted for an inpatient stay arrive through an ED, the report notes. According to the report, up to 30% of data elements for physician documentation and 10% of data elements for medication administration could come from an ED or surgical suite.
Further Struggles
Hospitals and health care workers not only will be required to add technology to meet guidelines for computerized physician order entry systems, but they also will need to meet criteria for quality reporting under limited time constraints.
Jane Metzger, one of the report’s authors, said, “The basic message is that a minimalist approach to Stage 1 meaningful use will not position any hospital for a future that includes health care reform, value-based purchasing, and increased cost pressures and transparency” (Lewis, InformationWeek, 8/16).
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