In a new report from HIMSS Analytics, 44% of hospitals responding to a survey said they were "likely" or "most likely" to meet stage 1 criteria to demonstrate meaningful use of healthcare IT.
Compliance with the stage 1 meaningful use criteria is an essential prerequisite for a provider to qualify for electronic health record (EHR) incentives under the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act.
Based on the HIMSS Analytics data:
- 44% of respondents fall within the "likely" or "most likely" categories associated with achieving stage 1 of meaningful use, as defined by HIMSS Analytics.
- Within this 44% of respondents, 58% indicated they expect to achieve all meaningful use core measures by May 2012, which is the end of the period covered by the survey.
- Of the 999 hospitals that responded to the survey as of May 2010, 25% already have the capability to meet 10 or more of the process core measures and at least five of the menu items.
- Of the 442 hospitals that responded to the survey since finalization of the criteria, 27% expect to achieve all 14 core measures and at least five of the menu measures by May 2012, entitling them to the meaningful use incentives.
For hospitals to receive the full EHR incentive through the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' EHR Incentives Program, they must be meaningful users of certified technology by federal fiscal year 2013.
HIMSS Analytics is a wholly owned, not-for-profit subsidiary of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS).
